Chapter 3
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Author's Notes: Dungeon Keepers I and II belong to Bullfrog, not to me. I am not making money off of this story, so please don't sue me.
Subtitle for this chapter: In which the plot thickens, emotionally speaking.
Warning: This story contains slash (male/male romance). If you object to this, please don't read it. Keep in mind that if you flame me, not only did you ignore your fair warning, but you were stupid enough to go through and read something that disgusted you.
For notes on this story and this series, please go to this site for reference. (Note: If you are reading this on fanfiction.net, you will not be able to use that link. Please see my profile for the link to that reference page.) (Also note that this page is not the same as the one linked to in Dungeon Secrets; this one is more complete and contains the entire series.)
If anyone would be interested in beta-reading for me and you think you are capable, please contact me at kaged_tiger@hotmail.com. Also contact me if you have any information as to what happened to Vagabond. Did she just, die or something?
Finally, this is my story. If you would like to archive it, please inform me first. I will almost definately say yes.
WARNING: Evain goes into MASSIVE amounts of technical gobbledy-gook in this chapter. Please don't get bored with me. I promise that it's interesting from a spell-casting perspective. ;_;
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge one of the many people who give me the determination to keep going on this monster of a fic. This chapter, hats off to Vick330. Vick has reviewed constantly through the first story and now in the sequal as well. His comments are always well-written and delightful and really give me some incentive to keep going! Thanks bundles Vick! I really appreciate your steadfast readership of my story!
On with the fic.
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Kaelay's Dungeon
Ramasha
We are about to stop for the night when Kaelay's Imps unexpectedly break into the ruins of another Keeper's dungeon. It looks as though the place has been abandoned for a while. But many of the rooms are still recognizable, and we make camp for the night in the unused Lair. Even as we settle in, the Imps move around us, claiming the old rooms for Kaelay and lighting torches to help us see what we have uncovered.
It's hard to tell what color owned this before us. Everything seems dark and forgotten. I wonder idly why this dungeon was abandoned. Normally a dungeon is not vacant for long before it is invaded by the Keeper who destroyed its Heart. This is the first time I have ever seen one get into such a state of neglect and disrepair.
It's eerily quite here. It's unnerving.
Kaelay seems very interested. I can feel her curiosity as she surveys our temporary residence. Her presence leaves the Lair for a moment, but returns swiftly. I hear her voice in my mind. It is laden with suppressed fatigue but nevertheless still comanding.
Will all my researchers please step forward? I would like you to comb the Library for anything useful.
I sigh. I had been hoping to go straight to bed. It has been a long march and I am quite tired. But of course, duty calls.
I give Tarkasas a quick kiss. "Don't wait up for me, okay? I have no idea how long this will take, and at least one of us should get some sleep."
He looks slightly displeased, but gives my shoulder a squeeze before waving me on to where the rest of the researchers are assembling. I take my place among the small group and feel Kaelay's hand pick us up, only to drop us down in the remains of a Library.
At first glance it appears as though there is nothing worth salvaging. But a closer inspection reveals that many of the molding bookcases contain a few tomes which are still intact and readable. With a weary sigh, I begin to pull them off their shelves, looking for any which Kaelay might find useful.
Half an hour later finds me bent over an enormous old musty volume, bound in black leather, my attention riveted. This is definitely something that Kaelay should see. Especially considering the fact that it pertains to our current quest.
There are seven legendary items in the Underrealm, I read, which were created during the First Age. These items are together known as the Seven God Powers. Individually these are the Power of Wealth, The Power of Strength, The Power of Sight, The Power of Movement, The Power of Magic, The Power of Life, and the Power of Death. Of these, the last two, also known as the Powers of Balance, are the greatest. The Power of Life is an item which is known as the Phoenixdown. Using this item, any creature that is dead can be revived to their natural state in life, which is to say not as an undead as they would be with necromancy. If combined with the Power of Movement, the creatures can be revived into any Realm in which they so choose.
That right there is important. Even ignoring the fascination of the legend itself, this tells us that the Phoenixdown by itself does not have some of the powers we imagined it to. I continue to read.
The Power of Death is the Reaper's Horn. The item appears as a black warhorn, but any creature who blows it brings death immediately to all other creatures within hearing range.
It is evident by their very nature that these two are Balance Powers. If one Keeper were to posess the Phoenixdown, and another the Reaper's Horn, each ability would negate that of the other and the two would be left at a standstill. However if one Keeper were to posess both, then that Keeper could easily become ruler of all the Underrealm.
That passage sends an unexpected chill down my spine. I realize that our goal is to make the Red Darkness the only one existing in the Underrealm. So why does the very concept chill the blood in my veins?
The next section provides details on the other five God Powers. I begin to read it, but am suddenly interrupted.
I slam the book shut as an unearthly howling fills the air.
Tharian's Dungeon
Dimitrus
I stand patiently in the corner of the temporary hatchery that Keeper has erected for the night. Shalla should be here soon, but I'm impatient and getting bored. I snag a chicken as it walks up beside me, idly snapping its neck and beginning to much on it. Where is that Maiden? She should be here by now...
I sigh. Actually, she's probably going to be right on time. I always come early, then get impatient. It's silly, perhaps, but it's the way I operate.
As I wait, I amuse myself by recalling my latest conquest. Doryll. He was every bit as pretty as Shalla said he was. And tasty too. I close my eyes and bring up the memory.
"Hey there. You look kind of lost. Are you new here?"
He looked up at me with those oh-so-innocent violet eyes. "Huh? Oh... yeah. I am. I... I've never marched like this before. Even when we were back up in..." He traied off, obviously reluctant to speak of his past as a Hero. I put my arm around his shoulders.
"Hey, don't worry about it. I can tell you everything you might need to know."
And then later...
"D-Dimitrus... are you sure? I mean, I've never done anything like this. Ever. With anyone. And... we just met. I hardly even know you."
I kissed him lightly, stroking his hair, then looked into his eyes. "I know. Doryll. I... I know that this is really sudden. And I don't want to push you into anything, but... I really care about you. I've only known you a day, I know, but... Doryll, do you believe in love at first sight?"
His eyes widened and I heard his breath hitch. He was totally hooked. "I... I've never really thought about it. I guess I do. I mean-" here he blushed and lowered his voice- "who doesn't, right?"
I kissed him again. "I'm sure Doryll. I'm sure I want this. As long as you do, that is."
"Oh Gods. Yes. Dimitrus. Yes. I want this."
Actually, for a virgin, he was quite good. I almost feel sorry for him that his first had to be me. After all, now he'll have to compare all future lovers to me, and let's face it; no one's as good a lover as I am. He tasted nice, I remember. His body was young, and tender. Soft, silky hair, creamy thighs... Such pleasant skin. Yes. Definitely quite worthwhile.
Ah, there's Shalla. I grin at her as she skitters forward. She's wearing her usual mocking smile. "You got it?" she asks as she approaches.
I smile and hold up two fingers. Pinched between them is a lock of Doryll's hair that I cut from his head while he was sleeping. "Was there ever any doubt?" I ask.
She sighs and takes the hair, examining it. "Damn. Lost again. You're too good, Dimitrus. Was it as easy as you thought it would be?"
I hold out my hand and she returns the hair, along with a pouch containing twenty-five gold pieces. I smile and pocket both. "Well, yes and no. Mostly yes. The hard part was getting to the point of intimacy in the first place. After the first kiss, we pretty much progressed right to the sex."
"Ooh." She waggles her eyebrows. "You'll have to give me a play-by-play later. So, did you break his heart?"
I shrug. "I don't know. I didn't stick around long enough to find out. I left before he woke up. Maybe. I did tell him I was in love with him, after all. And he said the same. I think he might have actually meant it."
"Don't you ever feel guilty?"
"About breaking hearts?" I look at her skeptically. Since when has Shalla been all moral? "Not really. I mean, that's what I do, right? Besides, I look at it as sort of my duty. I'm toughening them up, making sure that no one takes advantage of them in the future. At least all of my relationships are pretty much one-night stands. Some people would stay with them a while and take them for everything they had."
She grows quiet and thoughtful for a moment. I'm beginning to worry. Shalla isn't normally the introspective type. "Is everything okay?" I ask gently.
She smiles at the unfeigned concern in my voice. "Yeah. I just... sometimes I wonder. You take advantage of all these men and women. I can't help but think, what's Doryll going to feel like when he wakes up, you know? He had no romantic experience at all, and then you come along. All of a sudden he thinks he's in love, and then you're gone the next morning with no note or anything. It seems pretty, well, cruel."
Now I'm incredulous. Since when has Shalla had a conscience? "Come on girl," I say encouragingly, "remember why we're in this? It's a dog-eat-dog world out there. Don't worry about it. Take care of yourself, and have some fun along the way. It's not our problem what happens to other people. They can choose to take it how they will. Now come on. You have to help me put this lock of hair in my collection."
We walk back towards the Lair. Luckily Zannos's creatures have their own seperate Lair, so I don't have to run into Doryll again. I walk over to my lair and pull out a medium-size leather-bound book. On every page I've used in this book are four locks of hair, each with the name, species, and a distinguishing characteristic of the lover below it. I open it in the middle and flip to the nearest unfilled page. There are two other locks here. I place Doryll's in the bottom left-hand corner.
I turn to Shalla to ask for her help, but she's already way ahead of me. She holds out a small piece of sticky spider-silk, and I use it to fasten the hair into place. I then rummage under my lair until I come up with a quill and some ink. Underneath the lock I write, "Name: Doryll. Species: Vampire." I pause for a moment, considering, then write, "Characteristics: Violet-eyed virgin."
Satisfied I close the book, smiling at Shalla.
She smiles back at me, though it seems a little more half-hearted than usual. Hm. I'll have to get her laid. Maybe not by me (she's smarter than that) but by someone. Maybe that will cure her funk. "Thanks for the gold," I tell her.
"No problem. I'll keep an eye out for others." She winks at me and skitters off towards her own lair.
I settle down, prepared to sleep. I didn't get a whole lot of sleep last night, as I was busy screwing Doryll, but tonight should be a bit more restful.
As I close my eyes, I catch my name in conversation somewhere on the far side of the Lair. I strain to hear what the person is saying.
"-mitrus? Yeah, right over there."
Over there? Is someone coming over here? I open my eyes and look around.
Shit. Doryll.
The young Vampire spots me and manages to look both relieved and worried at the same time. He heads over to me at a brisk jog, and I take the opportunity to once again admire his physique. But then, I've had that already, so there's no novelty about it, unfortunately.
"Dimitrus?" he asks when he reaches me. "I-I've been looking for you. You left this morning before I woke up, and I didn't see you in the march. Is something wrong?"
Damn. I think this may be the first time my victim has ever come looking for me. Remind me never to deal with virgins again.
"Yeah. Look, about that. Sorry, but I'm not going to see you anymore."
He looks shocked. "W-what? But why?"
I sigh and rub my temples. This is going to be difficult. But I can't have him hanging on to me. It would ruin my chances with the next one to come along. "Because. We're done. Over. That's it."
"Over? But, I thought you... you said..."
Okay. Looks like I'm going to have to be a bit more blunt. "Look, kid. I know what I said. But I was lying. Really, I just wanted to sleep with you, to see if I could. And you put out like the slut that I know you'll one day grow up to be. So we're done. I've got what I want, and I really don't need you anymore."
He looks stricken, but I think he got the message. Normally I would try to be a bit more tactful or discreet, but Doryll seems like the type that wouldn't really take a hint.
"I... oh. Oh."
Poor thing. I think I may have snapped his brain. How funny.
"I-I see. So, everything you said yesterday was a complete lie?"
I shrug. "Not all of it. Just everything relating to emotion. I was being totally honest when I said that you're totally hot and that I appreciate your body. Because you are. And for a virgin, you were pretty decent in bed, too. Don't lose that. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to make up for lost sleep."
I pretend to close my eyes and settle down to sleep, but in reality I keep one eye open a tiny bit to watch his reaction.
Several emotions pass over his face in quick succession. Horror, shame, despair. He looks as though he might cry. But I guess I'll never know if he does, because he turns and runs back towards his own Lair.
Well. That was a bit brutal, perhaps, but he's out of my hair now, so that's okay.
I sigh and lay back. Maybe now I can finally get some sleep.
Evain's Dungeon
Garreth
Scouting is within the natural order of a Rogue's job. Really, I'm doing a service to my Keeper. I'm discovering the extent of this ruined Dungeon, mapping it out for him. Everything I'm doing is perfectly legitimate.
So of course, there's nothing wrong with my picking up a few things that I happen to find along the way.
Actually, I've found little of value so far. The Treasury was lamentably empty, and the halls aren't exactly strewn with gems. I wander into the Graveyard right off of the Library. Graveyards are one of the better places to search for treasure. After all, decomposing bodies often leave behind the gold in their purses, and they're certainly not going to need it anymore, are they?
I am not disappointed. There are a few pieces of paper strewn about, what looks like several pages from a book. I hurriedly gather them up. Many Warlocks will pay big money for some new personal spells. I briefly look at what is written on them. "Aura Sheilding by the God Items and What Will Break Them" is the heading on the first. Huh. Sounds like a defense spell, though not one that I've ever heard of. This should be worth something. I roll the papers up and stow them in one of the pouches in my belt.
That's when I hear it. A strange howling fills the air, unlike anything I've ever heard. It's lupine, I think, but it engenders a mystifying sense of terror within me. Gods below, I've never heard anything so frightening in all my life. What is that?
I can feel myself slipping into terror and I fight to retain control of my senses. Okay. Loud, scary howling. Umm... dangerous. What do I do? Oh yeah. Right. Dangerous and scary is bad.
I back up, nearly tripping over my own feet. Damn! I'm not usually this clumsy. It doesn't go with the job. But I manage to scramble up and take off towards the Lair. I'm not being cowardly, I tell myself. But there's safety in numbers and I should warn everyone. Yeah! Warning them. That's what I was doing. Because there's no way that they could hear that howling from all the way... okay. I'm fooling myself. I'm scared shitless. But that doesn't change the fact that the Lair is safer.
On my way to the Lair I have to pass through the Library, and I find to my surprise that there some creatures are still there. Two Dragons an Angel, a Vampire and a Warlock look around for the source of the howling, all five of them wearing identical looks of surprise and mild fear. Mild? Why in the Shadowrealm aren't they scared? I can feel myself trembling, just being this close to the sound. In fact... where is it coming from? I can't pinpoint the direction.
I shake my head, taking leave of the disoriented researchers. I don't have time to deal with them. Every man for himself! Who knows where those things are now. (It definitely sounds like there's more than one.) The sound seems to be louder now, so maybe they're chasing us? I gulp at the sound and hurry out the door into the Torture Chamber.
And stop dead in my tracks. Well, I guess that explains why the sound was louder.
There are only three walls to this chamber. The third one, to my right, opens up onto a huge expanse of strange, brackish-looking mud and swampy water. There are even... plants? What are plants doing here underground? But I don't have time to think about it, as I am faced with slightly more pressing concerns.
In front of me, just inside the dungeon proper, stands an enormous white wolf. He's currently sitting on his haunches, having just completed a howl, and is easily six foot high at the shoulder. He looks quite honestly like he's completely capable of devouring me in two bites.
My heart is in my throat and every cell in my body is sending panic signals, but I can't seem to make my feet move. What is this thing? It's not an ordinary wolf, surely. It's too large, and it's also... transparent. What? I blink in surprise, but looking closer I see that I can indeed partially see through the great beast.
I hear myself whimper as the giant creature's blood red eyes fix on me, giving me a stare so cold that I can feel the blood in my veins freeze. It sniffs in my general direction, but thankfully does not come any closer. Instead, it turns its head back and howls once again. I nearly fall to my knees in fear. Surely this is not an ordinary terror? I've heard of legendary beasts before that were capable of creating an artificial fear in their victims. Is this possibly one of them?
I gulp and attempt to regain some control over my legs. Right. Okay... ease around the wall... I move as stealthily as I can manage in this state, edging across the wall towards the open end. About halfway down I remember that I have an invisibility spell and close my eyes just long enough to activate it before continuing my creeping.
As I do, however, the wolf's gaze snaps to my once again and it sniffs. Oh. Well, obviously my invisibility spell has no effect on it. Right. I'll just... cancel that then.
I stop my attempt to remain unseen and make a mad dash for the swamp. To my immense surprise and relief, the wolf does not follow me. Instead, I see him continue to sniff the air, padding slowly but inescapably towards the doorway I was just occupying. I gulp and continue to back away.
Just as its tail disappears through the door, my foot hits something soft and mushy. I look down and find to my surprise that I seem to have sunk ankle-deep into a strange, sucking mud. I pull at my foot and the mud yeilds it with a wet "schlorp" sound, leaving my foot cold, damp, and unpleasant. I shake it distastefully and move to firmer ground.
Looking around, I see that I have stumbled into the swamp. The mud I stepped in was simply the edge of a path. Further out between the small snaking roads of dry earth, the water seems to become deep. It looks black and forbidding, and is probably frigid, if the temperature of my foot is any indication. Around the edges of the path and in the water, there are indeed plants as I thought. But they are black, strangely absent of any pigmentation. But not dead. Very much alive. Although- I sniff the air. It smells putrid. I feel my nose wrinkle in disgust. Something or things are definitely dead. Dead, and rotting. I look back towards the bank. I am really only a few steps from the bank and the edge of the dungeon. I suppose I should just-
I am interrupted by a hideous noise. Not howling this time, but something far more worrying, if slightly less fear-inducing. A loud snarling, along with the screams of a creature in terrible pain. And with it the less easily identifiable sounds of flesh and cloth ripping. The wolf is tearing someone apart. Shit.
Now why isn't this scarier than the howling? Dark Gods, I'm listening to someone getting eaten! There must be some sort of spell in the howl. A magically inflicted terror.
Not that this isn't pretty terrible in itself. Maybe I should just... stay away. Yeah. That sounds like a very good idea. Stay away from the carnage. Not like I'd be much help in a fight anyway. I'm more for stealth, and it doesn't seem to work on these beasts. No, I think I'll just run.
My feet seem to get the message before my brain does and I find myself tearing across the intertwining roadways through the swamp. Oh right, now my legs know what to do.
Or perhaps not. My breath leaves me in a gust as I trip and fall sprawled across the path. My feet are in the water again, and a rock digs quite unpleasantly into my cheek. I must have cut it; I can feel the blood dripping down the side of my face.
I look down to see what I tripped on and my eyes widen in horror. A strong hand grips my ankle. But the hand is green and decaying, bits of rotting flesh hanging off of it in strips. A corpse's hand.
I shake my leg violently, trying to dislodge it, but it continues to clutch at me. Dimly, through a haze of fear, I see another hand join the first on the bank, pushing against the ground and levering something out of the water. The owner of the hand. It's- Oh Gods!
My mind screams the word "Zombie" at me. I've never seen one before. They're not supposed to exist! Zombies have not existed in the Underrealm since the cataclysm that ended the First Age! Undead like this can't be real!
The Zombie crouched on the path next to me with a death grip on my ankle seems to beg to differ. I draw a dagger from my belt, but I know it will do no good. Stories of Zombies say that they are more powerful than any other undead creature. And judging by the force of its hold, I'd say they're right.
The Zombie focuses its eyes on me, turning a disgusting, rotting face towards mine. I nearly gag at its hideousness. What the Hell is this thing? Why is it here? And why is it reaching towards me with its other hand?!
The Zombie's movements are slow, but inexorable. I literally see the hand of death reaching towards me and my life flashes before my eyes. Is this how it's going to end? Is this how I'm going to die?
Then, quite suddenly, the Zombie is gone. It takes me a few moments to process what happened, but the crunching noises and warm breath by my ear give me a hint. I shriek and backpedal quickly, but the wolf seems to take no notice of me. Instead, it continues to chew apart the corpse of the creature so recently attacking me.
I look down at my ankle to find a semi-skeletal hand still encircling it. I brush it off with disgust, this time meeting little resistance. I flip the hand back down the path and it twitches feebly, apparently still "alive" to some extent. My stomach churns with nausea.
The wolf- who, I notice, is even bigger than the first one- snaps up the hand in his powerful jaws and downs it in one gulp. Then it moves on down the path, sniffing its way towards a different pool of water. It pauses for a moment, then darts a snout under the black, brackish surface, coming up with something in its mouth that I do not care to identify.
I take deep breaths, trying to calm myself, and watch the wolf. But it seems to have lost all interest in me and continues on its way. I scramble to my feet and head off at a run back to the Dungeon, being more careful to avoid the edges of the path this time.
When I get back I go straight to the Lair. All the other creatures are there by now, including Evain's. I do however notice a strange absence of any and all undead. No trace of any Skeletons, Vampires, or Ghosts is to be found. Until I look up.
Kaelay has them all, clutched protectively in a net of energy, high above the dungeon.
We sit together, all of us, in a shivering mass in the center of the Lair, listening to the prowling of the wolves.
Zannos's Dungeon
Zannos
It has been a long day. Spellcasting and passing into the Shadowrealm take a lot out of you, and I am quite tired. We have created Lairs for the night and our creatures have settled in. I can feel Tharian's energy over his own Lair. He is asleep. Or, as asleep as a Keeper can be, anyway. I suppose in a dormant phase is more accurate. Keepers can't actually lose consciousness. We maintain sort of a gray, half-sensed picture of the world around us.
I can feel myself fading into this state when suddenly there is a summons at my Heart. Wearily I rouse myself to find out what is going on. A Black Knight stands there, looking worried. Shoot. I dislike it when my creatures are distressed.
I pause to collect myself for a moment. I must be fully coherent and aware when dealing with my creatures. After a few seconds I am ready. I look at the Knight. Sentieth. Ah. He wouldn't bother me if he didn't think it was important.
Yes Sentieth? I say calmly. What is the problem?
He bows stiffly. He's very formal that way. "I'm sorry to disturb you my Lord," he says, "but something rather disturbing just happened that I feel you should know about."
I do not comment, waiting for him to elaborate.
"Sir, earlier tonight..." he pauses, seeming unsure as to how to continue. "Earlier tonight, one of your Vampires came to me and asked me to behead him. Now, I'm not an expert, but that is one of the ways that a Vampire can be killed. And I'm pretty sure that you wouldn't want one of your own creatures suiciding."
He's right. This is rather disturbing. I'm taking over, I inform him curtly. He nods and I murmur the familiar words of a possession spell, feeling my essence and consciousness entering his body. His mind is immediately open to me and I read into it like a book, looking for the name.
Ah, Doryll! ...Doryll? Damn! He's suicidal now? That's not good. I had him Turned for a good reason. He should not be trying to kill himself.
Accustoming myself to the feel of a body, I march towards the Lair. It doesn't take me long to find him; there are few Vampires with me. He is lying in his small wooden coffin, the lid slightly askew. I tear the top off and grab him by the wrist, pulling him into the corridor that we created on our journey here. We can talk privately here.
He looks confused at first, but recognizes Sentieth and smiles sadly. "So you've changed your mind then?" he assumes.
I shake my head. "No, Vampire. I have come to find why you would betray your allegiance to me by killing yourself." I do not bother to change my voice to that of my host's, and I see his eyes widens as he realizes what this means.
"K-Keeper," he stammers. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't think it was... I mean, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have. I just... I'm sorry."
I sigh inwardly. Obviously, Dorryl has problems. "Vampire," I start, then decide to switch tactics. Formality won't get me anywhere. I sit down, pulling him with me, and lean my back against the wall. "Look, Doryll. Why don't you tell me what's wrong, okay? I might be able to help you."
"You can't." Doryll sniffles. He looks like he's about to cry. "You can't make him love me."
Ah. Damn, who's been messing with this boy's emotions? That is not what he needs. He's too important. "Who, Doryll? What happened?"
Doryll looks up at me with incredible violet eyes. The story he proceeds to spill is slightly confused and full of tangled emotions, but I manage to sort out the actual facts from his chaotic narrative. Apparently he was seduced and then thrown away by a Dark Angel in Tharian's Dungeon. From the sound of it, he was in pretty deep.
The end of the tale finds him sprawled in my lap, crying on my shoulder. Someone has really hurt this boy, and I cannot stand for that. Not only because of his importance. He is one of my creatures. I dislike it when others damage my creatures.
Doryll finally finishes his weeping and wipes at his eyes, looking embarrassed.
"Are you alright?" I ask softly, and he nods. We stay like that for a while, him tucked in my loose embrace, and eventually his breathing softens, and his shuddering stops.
"I'm sorry," he whispers after a moment. "I shouldn't have tried to..."
I stroke his hair gently. "It's alright. You are forgiven. Just please, don't do it again. You are very important to us. To our cause. ...To me."
He pulls back a little bit, blinking, and looks at me curiously. The suddenly he smiles shyly and leans in close, giving me a feather-soft kiss. Needless to say I am mildly shocked and can do nothing but sit in stunned silence as he blushes and takes off back towards the Lair.
As I leave the body of the Knight, I can still feel the light pressure of his lips against my own.
Oh God, that was hideous. Take me back.
or
Oh God, that was hideous. Let me complain to the author.