The Calm Before

"...And, then the next thing I knew, I woke up here in the Ring Realm," I said, wiping away the tears on my face. I just stared at the floor, holding my face in my hands.

"Oh, you poor sweet thing. Come here," Seqora said as she wrapped her arms around me and pulled me into a hug, pressing my face against her bosom. She gently stroked my hair and squeezed me softly. "Deep breaths. There there. Just let it all out."

And I did. I cried for who knows how long. Time worked weird here in the Ring Realm. I cried and cried until my tear ducts dried up. I was just breathing heavily into Seqora's tits. I couldn't even bring myself to appreciate just how soft they were.

"There. Feeling better?"

"No. Not really," I said as I wiped my face. "How in the world am I supposed to feel? I let an egotistical megalomaniac trick me and gain control over the most powerful thing in the world! I lied to my girlfriends and manipulated their minds with magic. I'm an awful and terrible person!" I once again buried my face in my hands.

"Hey, no you aren't," Dmitry said as he came over and patted me on the back. "Listen, we've all had to deal with him in one way or another. Honestly, we blame ourselves for not preparing you better."

"Yeah, we all thought that we had finally gotten rid of him," Otis said, leaning up against the doorframe. "Even with the magic of the ring, we weren't able to detect him anymore. And it's difficult to plan against something you have no idea about."

"A little warning would have been nice," I said, wiping away tears. I sniffled and leaned against Seqora again. "Now I'm stuck here while the ones that I love are tortured, tormented, and who knows what else."

"It's not pretty what's going on," Otis said, clearing his throat. "If you wish, you can come to the main lobby area to see what is happening."

"Ah yes, she's already guilt ridden and beating herself up over this. Let's show her the further consequences of her actions. What about that could possibly go wrong?" Dmitry walked over to Otis, a tranquil fury ready to burst out below the surface.

The two men stared at each other until Seqora cleared her throat. Otis and Dmitry looked away from each other, scowling a little before both heading towards the main lobby area.

"I swear, children, all of them. Decades of living here and they still find new ways to get at each other's throats." Seqora sighed and patted me on the head.

"I want to see."

Seqora looked at me, gently tilting my head up to gaze into my eyes. "Darling Maria, are you sure? You don't have to put yourself through this if you don't want to."

"No," I said, shaking my head and forcing myself to lift off from Seqora's tits. "I need to see this. I have to see what he's done."

Seqora nodded and the two of us walked out slowly to the main area; Seqora's arm around was my neck as I held onto her, as if letting go meant I'd float right into the atmosphere. Standing around a large orb was Otis and Dmitry, as well as Rene and Zotova. Otis and Dmitry were having some sort of heated discussion, but they quieted down as they watched us walk in.

"Hey Maria. How are you feeling?" Rene asked, trying to give a sympathetic smile.

"Not good," I said with a sigh, "but, I bet things back on Earth are worse."

"You're... not wrong," Rene said as she touched the orb.

There was a bit of a glow as a vision came into view inside of the orb. Women, of all shapes and sizes, were walking around naked or barely wearing anything at all. Many of them looked like the bimbos that Cyril was turning people into before I was wiped away. They all looked ready and eager for fucking, which passer-bys took them up on, fucking them right then and there if the opportunity presented itself. I reached out and scrolled the view to look throughout the world. For the men, if they weren't living it up and submitting to Cyril's rule, they were used like workhorse slaves. They were covered in bruises, scars, and scratches. All the enslaved men wore collars around their necks, slightly too tight for them, and loin cloths that hardly covered their junk. All of them were worked to the bone as a source of labor. Those who resisted were beaten, only to be healed back up so they could be put back to work.

I scowled in disgust. This was the hell that I had allowed to be unleashed onto the world. I allowed someone who would do all of this get ahold of the most powerful thing in the world.

"What an absolute monster," Zotova said, crossing her arms. "Cruel and heartless in every sense of the word."

"He created the world exactly in his image how we wanted it," Otis said with a shake of his head. "He's learned many tricks; like being able to use women as a conduit for what he wants, allowing him to bypass the gender barrier of the magic. It is our fault for gravely underestimating what that man was capable of."

"He brought war to the doorsteps of my home, and that was only the beginning of his terror," Seqora said, looking down at the ground.

She touched the orb and the vision shifted to Regina. She was spread out on a bed, chains wrapped around her wrists and ankles, pulling her in each direction. Her mouth was gagged and she was blindfolded by what looked to be latex. Her body was covered in wounds and scars, writing and bruises. If it weren't for this orb being omniscient in nature, I would not have been able to guess that this was the same nymphomaniac who I knew. To call her broken in her state would have been an understatement. "I have seen her go through countless hardships and tragedies, and yet this... I cannot bear to look at what he has done to my poor beloved daughter."

To ease Seqora's suffering, I touched the orb and thought about my girlfriends. The orb switched visions to each of them.

Lexi had been turned into a stripper; covered in gaudy tattoos, makeup, and accessories. Her body was a spectacle of a display as she stripped off everything to the hoots and hollers of rowdy men who looked ready to practically tear her apart and use every hole until she broke over and over again. I could not tell what she was thinking, or whether or not she even still had her own mind.

Tae had been converted into living furniture in Cyril's palace, balancing a bowl of fruit on her back. She stood on her hands and knees, covered in latex to block her eyes and prevent her from moving. Her mouth and crotch were completely exposed, allowing for anyone to use her as they pleased.

Summer was the next vision. Describing her appearance and personality as dominatrix was an understatement. She was one of the slave drivers in Cyril's world. Summer was carried around on a throne that was lifted by servants, much like a pharaoh of Egyptian times would have been. She used her whips viciously to reprimand anyone who didn't fall in line with her demands.

Finally, there was Vanessa, who I didn't see much of before I had to force myself to look away. All I saw of the glance was her being used to suck Cyril's dick, kneeling before him as he sat on a throne and surrounded by other women who were practically throwing themselves at him. I didn't take in any sights of her appearance because I didn't want it to taint the wonderful memories I had of the real Vanessa.

I fell to my knees, sobbing once again. "I failed you all. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! There's nothing I can do but sit and watch this shitshow." I slammed my fist against the orb. "Isn't there anyone who'd be able to stop this?"

I felt a hand touch me on the shoulder. I turned to look up at Zotova, who did it not only in a comforting way, but also in a way to focus my attention. She pointed at the orb and I followed her gaze.

It was difficult at first to recognize, but the orb had turned its focus to none other than Danna; the only person alive right now who really knew about the ring. She was walking down the street, trying not to make eye-contact with anyone. Then, once she made certain no one was watching her, she ducked into a building. Like everywhere else, there were women being fucked and used in every whichway, but that wasn't her goal. Instead, she headed towards a janitor's closet and shut the door behind her. Danna stuck her hand into a paint can full of what looked to be old and gross water. She shuffled around in the can for a bit before reaching her hand out and wiping it off. The floor beneath her opened up and she fell down a chute several feet before landing on a mattress.

"Leader, you're back!"

A group of people gathered around Danna, making sure she was alright and checking around for anything out of the ordinary. The group was all males, disheveled and looking like something out of a dystopian novel as an apt description of a village of survivors.

"What news do you bring us?"

Danna began to sign to the group. They watched with bated breath, following her hand signs. She told them about the scheduled movement of the guards; a weak protection on the west side of King Cyril's castle that would be available in the upcoming days. If they were going to make any play for taking down Cyril, this would be the only time that they would be able to. The guys turned and looked at each other, their faces hesitant but resigned to their upcoming fate. They nodded as one of them stepped forward.

"Alright Resistance! We know what we have to do! This is our only chance, so let's fight! Let's take back our world!" The men cheered as they scattered to their positions, preparing weapons and working out. The one who rallied everyone turned to Danna. "Leader, do you need anything?"

It was then that I noticed that Danna was shaking, though not out of fear or anger; more that she was trying to keep her composure against her own body. She breathed heavily as she gripped tightly at her clothing. She signed to the man that she needed private time and then quickly made her way to her chambers, which was a small fabric tent with a bed inside and a makeshift closet that barely held any fabric.

Danna threw herself onto her bed, shutting the curtains behind her, and stripped off her clothes. Positioned above her bed on the ceiling was a collage of photos; photos of myself and the rest of the girls. Danna's face grew flustered as she frantically squeezed her tits and rubbed her nipples with one hand as she fingered herself with her other. She looked like she was completely lost to the lust, her hands touching as if she hasn't for decades. In her eyes, I could see a fight inside as she tried to resist the sensations and desire overtaking her. Despite her efforts, Danna's hands still moved, alien to her wishes and commands. I could only watch as her body convulsed with orgasm after orgasm until she finally went limp from exhaustion.

"Even after the world changed, Danna... she's still fighting," I said to myself under my breath. I balled up my fist and slammed it against the orb. "There has to be something I can do," I said in my normal voice. I spun around to look at the other Ringmasters. "Something! Anything! I can't just stand here and watch! This can't possibly be it."

"What about-?"

Zotova started to speak, but then Otis shook his head. "I know what you're going to suggest, but we can't."

"And how can we not? Is not trying going to do us any better than giving it a shot?" Zotova shouted.

"What? You know something? Just tell me! Please!" I pleaded, getting down on my knees in front of her.

Otis sighed and bowed his head. "There... is a way that we can leave this place. But it is not without its risks." He walked over to me. "Are you willing to risk everything to save and protect the ones you love?"

I turned to Otis, taking a deep breath before answering. "I would give everything for them."

Otis sighed loudly. "There is a door that allows us to leave this realm and return back to the living world. But!" He said, cutting me off before I could even ask why no one brought it up. He held up two fingers. "It comes with two risks. The first is that if you cannot get the Ring back on your finger within 24 hours, you will cease. Erased from reality yet again." I gulped a little, the feeling of being erased fresh in my mind.

"And the second?"

"If you get erased, or killed, before you get the Reality Ring, you lose your place here. Your soul will completely pass on to... well, whatever afterlife is beyond here."

I gulped again. "So, if I fail, I'm gone. That's it. No do-overs and no coming back here."

"And with how absurdly controlling he is," Rene chimed in, "It's unlikely that you could get that far."

"Not to mention that you are a woman," Dmitry said, crossing his arms. "All King Cyril has to do is think and you're gone again. And he has numerous guards and safeties that would stop any of the men like me or Otis from getting close to him."

"I bet he's even expecting a revolt like what Danna is planning," Rene said, looking over at the exhausted Danna. "She may be able to resist the Ring's effect, but she's just one person. The King would easily and willingly turn all of reality against those who oppose him. Danna has just been smart enough to remain undetected so far."

"So, you would need some way to counter the Ring's power. But... the only thing that could do something like that would be another Reality Ring. Nothing else would even come close," Otis said.

"Then... what if we made another one?" I suggested.

Everyone blinked for a bit, looking at each other. A silence fell over everyone as they pondered the idea. I wasn't quite sure if they just hadn't considered the idea or if there was some other reason that no one had suggested it. The others all turned over to Seqora, who covered her mouth with her hand, lost in thought. After what felt like hours, she spoke up. "That... No, I'm sorry, but that wouldn't work."

"Why not?" I asked.

"It has been too long," Seqora said, shaking her head as she sat down. "It has been millenia since I originally performed it. I have forgotten the patterns that I drew that are necessary to cast such a spell again. I can perform magic that can bring forth memories, but mine of that time have long since degraded to nothing. And anyone else who would have possibly known are either no longer with us or have long forgotten as well. I am sorry."

Everyone sat down, dejected as no one could think of any other alternative ideas. As we all sat in silence, a thought came to my head. Or rather, a memory.

"Wait a minute!" I exclaimed, jumping to my feet. "I saw the patterns. Briefly, but I saw them!"

"What? When did you see them?" Seqora asked, excited but wary at the prospect.

"Um, a few weeks or months ago," I said, trying to remember the exact date. "I can't recall exactly when, but Regina did a little magic hand waving thing and she brought me back to observe the past. Specifically, she brought me back to the day that King Burrukham attacked your city and everything started. It must have been briefly but I was there in the room where you were casting the spell before the attack. I must have seen the patterns!"

"Oh! I remember when that happened!" Zotova said, "It was the day when Danna also became a Ringmaster!"

"Yes! Seqora, you said you had some kind of magic that could bring forth memoires? All we have to do is use that on me and we can see the pattern!"

I watched Seqora smile wide as I explained the plan. She covered her mouth again, as if she was trying to suppress her smile. "Is it truly possible?" she said to herself. She was lost in thought for quite some time before turning back to the rest of us. "This may work. Emphasis on the may part."

Seqora gestures for me and Zotova to follow her. The two of us shrugged, confused, but followed after her. She led us towards her room and opened up the door. Inside, the walls were filled with tomes in shelves that reached from the floor to the ceiling. Each of them were written in a language that I didn't quite understand. She guided both of us towards a faded circle on the ground, lined with the remnants of symbols drawn long ago.

"Without the necessary components, I won't be able to bind the magic on a permanent basis," Seqora explained as she began to strip down. She removed her robe, giving both me and Zotova a clear view of her back. It looks properly cared for, as if bathed daily and washed with the softest of sponges. "Originally, this ritual was supposed to bind the magic to an item. Since we can't risk King Cyril removing or breaking the object, I will do an inversion so that it is bound to a person. I trust you to make the most of it," she said, turning around to point at me. I tried not to stare at her jiggling breasts, but it was hard not to. I had to force myself to stare at her face, though I could see out of the corner of my eye that Zotova's eyes were not quite as modest.

"So, um, how does this memory magic work?" I asked, my gaze turned over towards the tomes on Seqora's shelves.

"Simple. I just need to draw the symbols onto your forehead," Seqora said as she walked over, holding a jar of something dark that looked like ink. "Now, I want you to start to focus on that memory of what you saw that day."

I nodded and closed my eyes. I could feel Seqora's fingers, dipped in whatever was in the jar, pressing against my forehead and beginning to draw out the symbols. The more she moved her finger, the more clear the image was starting to become. I remembered Regina being excited to show me everything; the way that Seqora was moving and chanting; the layout of the room; and the symbols that glowed on the ground. As it turned into focus, I felt a swelling feeling in my throat. It grew larger and larger until it felt like it was completely closing up my throat. I opened up my eyes and coughed violently, pushing the feeling up and out until I spit out a glowing orb.

"What the hell was that?" I asked, gasping for air.

"That is the memory, copied so that it remains clear," Seqora said as she picked it up. As she held it, I could see the memory inside as if it was a photograph. "Now, please give me some room as I draw this out."

Zotova and I both backed up onto Seqora's bed as Seqora began to draw on the floor with the ink, glancing up only to reference back to the orb. After what felt like an hour, Seqora stood up inside of the large completed circle.

"It is done. Now, we just need to perform the ritual and charge the magic into you," Seqora said as she gestured for both of us to enter the circle.

As we did, I felt a shiver go through my spine. Even without the ritual beginning, the design of the circle had an ambient magic all of its own; I could feel myself attuned to it as even the slightest hint of it coursed through me.

"So, how do we perform the ritual and-"

Before I could utter any more words, Seqora pulled me in by my cheeks and firmly kissed me on the lips. To say I was stunned was the understatement, but I was even more surprised when she slowly poked her tongue against my lips. She felt so soft and tender, even more so as she pressed her bare breasts against me. After a bit, she pulled back and I was able to catch my breath.

"Wha- What was that for?" I asked, barely able to utter that out of my confusion.

"Darling Maria, this version of the ritual binds the sex magic energy to a person. It's sex energy. How did you think that it was going to work?" She nodded to Zetova behind me. I couldn't see what was happening, but I could hear Zetova starting to undress. "Now then, let's get ready to perform."

She spun me around so I was now face to face with a nude Zetova. My eyes ran along her body from top down. Her skin was a deep color, darker than Vanessa's. Her breasts were nicely shaped, easily D cup sized, and perky with her nipples erect. Her body was built very well, not quite body-builder level, but she still had plenty of muscle definition in her arms and thighs. But, that wasn't what drew my attention. Between her legs was a seven-inch erect cock with dangling balls underneath it.