Chapter 24 - Namali
I was frozen-in the middle of the street where the golden-scaled naga in a black robe and red scarf had stopped me in his chariot led by women hitched up like horses. Out of my peripherals, I already saw a few people turning to watch the match between us. Even the cat-lady with her garden of human-plants and somewhat literal boobie-traps had sauntered over to the gate to watch.
As if the anxiety of a fight were not enough, the addition of spectators made my heart race. My knees trembled-and not in a sexy way. Still, this was why I was here ... to fight. To gain the power I needed so that I could go home to Daava. Home.
I let out a huff of false bravado as I lowered my head. My little cow horns were now aimed at the naga.
To my surprise, the naga let out a hissy chortle and then reached to his side to reveal a walking cane. While I waited for him to step down from the carriage to fight, he suddenly flicked his wrist with the jewel-encrusted item in hand. A streak of white lightning launched from his staff before I could react. It hit the ground directly in front of me, and I could feel the wave of energy even before the dirt beneath me launched upward in a miniature explosion. I was tossed with it and had landed on my back before I could piece together what had happened.
My ears ringing, it was several seconds before I heard the cheering from the few onlookers around me. The only exceptions were the pony-girls and a halfling in a maid's costume walking by with groceries. I vaguely noticed the contemptuous look she gave the naga before shaking her head and going on her way.
It was then that I realized my mistake in coming to this part of town. The people in this part of town were not the humans and guplium who had been around for a year or less like I had. This part of the city was the residence of established sorcerers!
A wave of anxiety picked up, but I forced myself to keep some semblance of calm. I wasn't about to let my mission fall through already. I heard the dangling of a chain and looked up to see the shadow of an approaching figure. Hopping to my feet, I charged head-first at the naga with a leash and collar in his hands.
To my surprise, my head was stopped quite suddenly by something entirely unmoving. I glanced up to see the face of the very built woman who had been leading the team of ponygirls in hauling the naga's carriage. I realized that her set of dinosaurian horns were locked with mine small cow ones. She gave me a cold look and then flexed to lift her entire body upright. The motion sent me flipping over and then behind her, landing on my back. The impact knocked the air from my lungs.
As I sat there, my face feeling hot and my chest in agony, I struggled to cone to terms with how unfair it all was. The naga had attacked me while shielded in his carriage and then sent one of his servants to attack me on the second go-round. All this on top of the fact that he was clearly a much more experienced magician than I was. It was ... just like the old cat lady with her amulet.
Yet, I gelt like this was all my own fault. In my naivetΓ©, I had come expecting some sort of culture of warriors with a code-even if a barbaric one. Instead, I had found myself in a place of sneaky tricks-unnervingly similar to the world I had left.
The realization brought a feeling like a weighted blanket over me. It made me not want to move, not want to try. Of course, I knew this wasn't an option.
I tried to focus on the sorts of erotic thoughts of Daava, Mystery, Zolreya, and others to boost my magic. No matter what I thought of, however, there was no arousal in me to be found. If my horns and tail had not been so thoroughly fused to my appearance, I had no doubt that they would have been gone by this point too. In a desperate last bid, I reached underneath my armor to squeeze one of my breasts. The milk that dripped out felt somewhat cooling on my skin-but it was by far the weakest my healing magic had ever felt.
I snarled, only hate left to drive me. Hate for this place, hate for all the people here, hate for my own world, hate for the damn ticks that had taken Daava away from me. I lurched up-perfectly ready to gore the naga without any extra magic needed.
However, the naga-now standing directly over me-simply snapped his fingers.
Without another word, I was tackled-again by the same woman as before. Her knees now pinned my shoulders in place, and she had a firm grasp on one of my horns with just one massive hand.
I lurched and pulled hatefully for only a few more moments before realizing how entirely physically outmatched I was.
The horned woman, for her part, did not seem winded at all from her exertions. It was only as she glared at me from her position on top of me that she showed any kind of change. At first, I wasn't sure why sweat began to glisten on her warm, brown skin. But when her sex dripped a few sticky drops onto my chest, I finally realized that she was sweating from arousal. It wasn't long before more drops followed.
"Good work, Namali," the naga said while he fastened the collar around my neck. He took a closer look at her and then broke out into a smile. "Namali ... you certainly seem excited about the newest part of this collection."
Namali did not respond, she simply continued the same intense glare as when she had thrown me over her head.
The naga reached down to the plates over my breasts, touched Namali's fluids, and rubbed it between his fingers with a satisfied expression. He then said, "You've been quite the loner since I purchased you at the auctions ... some of the staff have started to worry. And yet, you've always stayed so loyal. How would my star-stallion feel about having a mare of her own? Well ... a mare-cow, anyways," The naga let out a chuckle.