Banished

A/N: Updated as of 11/21/2020. Just so you'll know, if you read the story before that date. :)

This is a long series, the first arc of which is already completed. If you like it and would like to see more, please don't hesitate to let me know! Enjoy!

Special thanks to Ardon G. Fowl, Jack Gwen, Reversal, Swedish Millionaire, and VC whose support made this series possible.

April 4th, 2019.

Location: Earth.

Three weeks prior to the disappearance of Nathan Van Dyke.

***

"Julie? Charlie told me you were up here. Why don't you come down? Everyone's asking for you."

I closed the sliding door shut, as I stepped out onto the balcony.

Julie was staring out, over the city, the wind blowing the curls of her long, brown hair as she leaned against the concrete bannister.

She shivered in the chill, the tight, red dress she wore offering her little protection against the wind, so I took off my jacket and draped it over her.

"Thanks," she said, but word felt flat and cold as the breeze. "I can't believe you're leaving me."

"Leaving you? It's not permanent, Julie. It'll be just like Germany; shorter even. You made it through that year, didn't you?"

"I had a boyfriend to distract me, then," she said, and I smirked.

She never did pull punches.

"This time I'm alone... and we're not getting any younger, Nathan."

I sighed.

"Dad won't let me turn this one down, you know," I said, and she pouted.

"Dad isn't fucking you," she countered, and I sighed.

She took a deep breath, looking up to the stars.

"How long is it? Before you have to leave?" she asked, and I studied the sky with her.

"Three weeks," I answered.

She was quiet for a while, before finally speaking.

"I call 'rule of fate'," she said finally, and I studied her, but she kept her gaze forward, and firmly away from me.

I rubbed the back of my head, and she suddenly turned to look at me, an angry look in her eyes.

"Are you denying me?" she asked, and I quickly shook my head.

"No- I mean, of course not... but-"

"But what? Do it," she insisted, and I studied her, the surprise evident on my face.

"What? Here?" I asked, and she nodded, as if it were the most obvious thing.

"Julie, there's guests all over the place," I countered, and she furrowed her brow angrily.

"Then be quick," she said, and I took a deep breath in.

Why don't I ever say no?

She turned away, and I stole a quick glance towards the door, making sure the coast was relatively clear.

"This is crazy," I muttered, unbuckling my belt, but as I approached Julie, she lifted up the rear end of her little red dress, readily accommodating me.

She wore no panties, as usual, and I rested a hand on her hip as I stroked my cock a few times, trying to stir it to life; but she quickly slapped my hand away.

"You know I hate it when you touch me without warning," she said, and I gulped, nodding, but as she sighed, she reached back, taking my cock into her hand, and she took my other hand and placed it on her hip, and I stroked the silky dress over her skin appreciatively.

She stroked my cock a few times, then quickly retrieved her hand to apply some spit to her palm, before reaching back, and massaging her saliva onto my cock.

"Do it," she said, cocking her hips back a bit, but the angle was a bit difficult, and eventually, after a few tries, I lined my stiff thing up to her entrance and slowly pressed in.

I began to move against her, slowly, resting my free hand on the other hip, and as she shot me a sharp look that said 'don't push your luck', I quickly removed the hand.

"Move faster," she commanded, and I obliged, speeding my pace up, but with our bodies stiffly upright, I quickly found it difficult to get a good rhythm going, and after I slipped from her inner embrace for about the fourth time, she let out an exasperated sigh.

She cast a quick look at the see-through glass of the balcony door behind us, then posturing her rear more accommodatingly, she spread her legs a little further apart, allowing me to really lean into her.

"Anyone who comes up here can see us right now," I warned.

"Then you better hope no one does," she countered, the warning in her tone unmistakable. "Now be quick!"

I cast a final look back, before letting my inhibitions go, fully slamming into her, and she was now gasping with every deeply penetrative thrust.

"Are you... getting there?" she panted, and I nodded, though I took the time to enjoy the little moans that punctuated her words.

If I knew her, she'd be intent on ensuring that I didn't bring her to an orgasm, but knowing that my intrusion into her sacred place was bringing her pleasure despite that excited me even more.

"Hurry up, Nate," she urged me. "Cum inside my tight little cunt-"

-and that was all the encouragement I needed.

"Urggghh," I grunted, slamming into her roughly, as my seed spewed deep into her with each grunting thrust, and I smiled as she bit down on her own hand to restrain the whimpers that came out.

She'd never allow herself to have an orgasm unless she was in complete domination over her sexual partner, but there was something about being filled to the brim with cum that always made her shudder and moan with pleasure.

I stayed buried in her for a moment, reveling in the feel of her slick walls wrapped about me, coaxing what was left of my seed out of my softening cock; but just as I tried to put an arm around her, she flicked the gesture away without a second thought, and adjusted herself, forcing my sword to slip from her heavenly sheathe.

"Clean yourself up," she said, taking the handkerchief from my coat pocket and letting it fall onto my exposed cock.

I tucked myself back into my pants as she adjusted her clothes, handing me my jacket as she headed inside.

She paused at the door, taking a single deep breath in, and in an instant, she seemed to completely regain her composure.

"I'll let you know if you're still leaving," she called, sliding the door shut, and as she sauntered away, I turned towards the city, looking out at the scenic view, and letting out a long, deep sigh.

The statistical chance of conception from a single act of unprotected sex on a randomly chosen day was something between two to four percent; or

two to four chances out of a hundred

.

We called it the 'rule of fate', and she invoked her right to it whenever she thought I was on the verge of leaving her.

Those were the odds that she would give in.

Those were the odds that we could finally be together.

So now... I'd wait.

***

Date: Unknown

Location: Unknown

One day after Nathan Van Dyke was seen on earth for the last time...

***

Ugh...

Wha-?

What the hell?

My brain kicked into gear as my mind struggled to process what was happening.

Where am I?

Am I underwater?

I blinked a few times, trying to figure out what was wrong, but nothing changed.

My eyes saw nothing but darkness, and even as I waved my hands about in front of me, I saw nothing.

Except... were my hands always this heavy?

I slowed my movements, trying to get a gauge on what was going on when sure enough, I began to feel... something.

A strange sensation, as if my hands are moving through water... though not quite.

A liquid like water, though perhaps not as dense?

I wasn't sure, but at least it was something.

Wherever I was I couldn't see... but I didn't seem to be having any trouble breathing.

It was so peculiar, and I was still pondering the situation when-

Whoa!

That sensation!

I was falling!

Or... descending, at least.

I could feel the wind... or something, gently moving against me as I fell downwards.

Slowly at first, but now... faster?

I stuck a hand out, trying to feel out my surroundings, but it felt the same way.

Heavy, yet unable to discern any kind of sensation.

Oh shit!

I felt my stomach lurch as the speed picked up.

I'm falling, and fast!

I thought.

I stuck my hands out, reaching for something;

anything

, to slow my fall... but nothing's there.

Guess this is it, huh?

I guess this is the way it ends.

But just as I resign myself to that fate, my fall seems to suddenly come to a stop, and I realize that somewhere along the way, as I fell from... wherever? I apparently closed my eyes, because-

"Um, that's my hand... if you don't mind."

"Oh, sorry!"

My eyes blinked open to the sight of a small statured girl with short brown hair, biting her lips as she looked fearfully up at me.

She was wearing a plain, cotton t-shirt, and a similarly plain pair of long, cotton pants, and she winced as I tried in vain to move.

Crap.

My body felt heavy, sluggish, so I took a momentary pause to get ahold of the situation, and realized that my foot was planted on her hand.

"Sorry," I said again, as I lifted my foot off of her hand and cast her an apologetic glance.

"It's fine," she replied, as she rubbed her hand gingerly, while casting furtive glances about the room.

As I sat upright, I tried to get my bearings and take stock of the situation.

Around me was about a dozen or more people, dressed in the same cotton clothes, and all wearing similarly confused expressions and rubbing at their eyes as if they were all waking up from a long slumber.

The floor beneath me was cold stone, and the brick lain design was quite rustic to say the least...

But that wasn't all.

All about the room were large wooden beams and pillars, like something out of an old fantasy novel, but as I took a closer look, I suddenly became acutely aware of the room's claustrophobic design, with a single metal door being the only apparent point of entry or exit.

It was almost... like a prison?

"Do you know what's going on?" the small, brown haired girl asked.

I shook my head, but before I could answer-

*Clang!

-the girl jumped as the large metal door on the other side of the room swung open, and in came a man wearing a long, brightly colored checkered tunic, adorned with golden pins and other similarly flashy accessories.

He surveyed the room for a bit, before speaking.

"I'm sure all of you have lots for questions; rest assured, they will be answered; but in the meantime, please, follow me," he finished, gesturing towards the door.

I clambered to my feet, wrestling with a sudden wave of dizziness, and from the wobbly feet around me, I guessed it was the same for everyone else.

It took some effort, but eventually, I managed to get myself up, and I headed through the door.

The door opened onto a corridor, and as soon as everyone was up and out of the room, we began to walk.

As we walked along the corridor, I noted that there were several other doors; large, metal ones, like the one to our room, and a stairwell at the end of the corridor.

We climbed the circular stairwell, which took us to a large chamber, and as we filed in, I noted that there was an audience already in wait.

The chamber was large and circular in shape, with rows of chairs lined in a semi-circle and leading to a stage at the front of the room.

On that stage was an elderly man with a long, grey beard, and on either side, he was flanked by what appeared to be guards.

And no, I don't mean body guards or security guards.

These looked more like the town guards from some kind of fantasy video game; they wore tunics covered with pieces of metal armor, and every guard held at his side a long, wooden spear tipped with a wickedly sharp blade.

Each spear also sported a piece of cloth embossed with an emblem of some sort, which I now noted was also on the banners that were draped about the chamber.

"Is that all of them?" the elderly man asked.

"Yes, sire," the younger man replied.

"Very well then."

The elderly man waved the younger man away, and he bowed deeply, before retreating to the ranks of the guards, just behind and to the left of the elderly man.

"Allow me to introduce myself," the elderly man began, seeming to address us, though he spoke more as if to himself, than to a gathering. "I am the Lord of Saker Keep. Welcome to my realm, and as long as you are here, please do your best to adhere to the-"

"I'm sorry, where did you say we were?"

The question came from someone on our side, and I looked over to see a young man, his blonde hair tied up in a half-ponytail. His frame was somewhat athletic, and I could tell that his good looks were already drawing more than a few interested gazes.

"I'm sorry, did I speak to you?" the elderly man asked, looking down the rim of his foggy glasses at the source of the interruption. "No? Then do be quiet until I'm finished."

"This is bullshit!" the young man exclaimed, "why are we here? What do you want with us!"

The elderly man sighed, then lifted his right hand and all of the guards on the stage simultaneously stepped forward, stomping their heavy steel boots down on the wooden floor with a deafening thud, and aiming their wicked looking spears down at us.

"Look, I don't have all day to sit here and answer all of your simple minded, idiotic questions, so let me just make one thing clear. Here, what I say is your

law

and you will abide by it or forfeit your life."

The elderly man stood up, then walked a few steps towards the blonde man, as if to illustrate his point, before continuing:

"You lot might be 'protected' until you have your chat with your precious

handler

, but after that; you're all fair game, so don't tempt me to memorize your face."

The young man stepped back, his shoulders drooping as he abandoned his protest, and the elderly man smiled, the response obviously pleasing him.

"That goes for the rest of you. If I had things my way, I'd have all of you scum locked up the day you get here, but 'the pact must be honored' and, I am a lord of my word. So, until all of you can either find your way out of my town or into a grave, please, do your best to not be a nuisance."

The man waved a hand, and the younger man from behind him stepped forward as he returned to his seat.

"For the records; your full name and age."

I noticed that he was staring at me, so I quickly answered.

"Uh, Nathan. Van Dyke."

"Na-than. Van Dyke. And your age?"

"Thirty-two," I answered, and I noticed that the brown-haired girl beside me was paying attention, with interest, to the info.

"Miss?"

"Francesca."

"Francesca, what?

"Oh, uh... Emilia-Brown."

"And age?"

"Err, twenty-three."

As I observed the exchange, the girl's eyes drifted towards me again, but as she caught my gaze, she quickly looked away.

"That's not your real name, is it?" I asked, initiating conversation, and the girl bit her lip nervously.

"It, uh- yeah, it is."

I smirked, inwardly, at how flustered she got delivering such a simple lie.

"Come now, I won't report you to his excellency Lord Grumpy pants," and she chuckled a little.

"Fine. It may not be," she replied, and I smiled.

"Caleb Russo."

I glanced over as the younger, blonde guy from earlier gave his name, and as he noticed my eyes on him, he scowled, then looked away.

"Some real characters here," I muttered to myself, but Francesca, or whatever her name really was, was close enough to catch it.

"Aren't you worried?" she asked, as I surveyed the room.

"I dunno. I'm... confused, I guess? I'm still not entirely sure that this is all real, but for the time being I think we just need to stay sharp, and keep our wits about us."

From what I could tell, there were eighteen of... us, and by us, I meant people who weren't from here.

I mean, there were similarities for sure; we all spoke English, we all wore those plain cotton clothes, but without speaking to everyone, I couldn't yet be sure that we were, in fact, all from the same place.

Same planet?

Same timeline?

Hell, same reality.

I snickered at the thought, and Francesca was about to ask about the reaction when the roll call ended, and the young man indicated to his superior that the process was over.

"Very well then. Take them to

the

handler

."

The younger man nodded, then bowed before the elder man.

He shot us a sharp glare, and most of us took the cue, bowing, though somewhat awkwardly, before he stood up, and led us past the elder man, down a corridor.

He walked with a guard at his side, and as we followed him, I noted that some of the guards were also following us at the rear.

Like prisoners,

I thought, but the thought did not linger long as the corridor eventually opened up to a doorway through which sunlight streamed in all of its glory.

As we stepped out of the corridor, I raised a hand to shield my eyes, and I noticed that all of 'us' had done the same, while the guards and the young man in the checkered tunic seemed to be unaffected.

It was almost as if our eyes were seeing light for the first time, wasn't it?

I mean, sure, it could be that we were just waking up from a very long sleep... but something about this feeling felt... different.

Different in a way that I just couldn't quite explain yet.

As my eyes adjusted, I tried to get a feel for my surroundings.

It appeared that we were in the middle of a courtyard. Not big enough to be a castle, so perhaps a keep.

I tried to locate exits from the locale, but I'd hardly had any time to take the scene in when we began moving again, at the insistence of the younger man, and he led us, quite briskly, across the courtyard to another building.

This building was smaller, and at first glance, it seemed quite inconsequential in nature, but there was a pretty solid guard stationed outside, and the younger man who was leading us along had to produce several scrolls of paper, all of which were thoroughly inspected before we were allowed to proceed inside.

The guards also conducted a thorough search of every member of the 'us' group, before we were admitted into the building, one person at a time.

We filed into the building, one by one, but as I got closer to the building, I suddenly noticed something peculiar.

"Hey, uh, Francesca?"

"Yeah?"

She answered nervously, and I noted that she was casting furtive glances into the building, and rubbing her palms together, then cupping them and blowing into them.

"I don't think you need to be that worried," I assured her, and she shot me a curious stare.

"Aren't you scared?"

"Uh, not exactly. I mean, I don't have our situation figured out just yet, but I think we're safer in this place than we were back in that chamber."

Francesca considered my argument, as she rubbed her palms together again.

"What makes you think that?" she asked, and I pointed at a place on the sloping ridge of the building's walls.

"See that?"

"What?" Francesca asked, studying the spot.

"Look at the way the sun gleams off of the surface," I continued, and she perked up as she noted my observation.

"What is that?"

"Well, my current guess is that it's metal."

"Hmn... that's odd."

"That's what I thought. The building looks like stone, just like the rest of the keep-"

"Keep?"

"-uh, it's like a small castle," I explained, and she nodded. "Anyway, they made it look like stone, but that definitely looks like metal, doesn't it?"

Francesca nodded again.

"What does that mean, though?"

"It means that this 'handler' is probably someone like us."

Francesca looked up at me, biting her bottom lip, and I suddenly realized that I hadn't really explained the 'them/us' thing to her just yet, but since she didn't ask, I figured she kind of knew what it meant.