Drawn Into Passion Ch 02

AN: This chapter is a bit heavy on plot and exposition, though there is some sex at the end.

******

Lee looked at the game for a second, then looked away. It was the third time he'd done so this night, and the eighth or ninth time this week.

"It doesn't make any sense," he said to himself, heedless of the common wisdom about people who talked to themselves. "It's not the kind of game I'm interested in. It's just a distraction. It's just fifteen dollars -- come on, Lee, even you can spare fifteen dollars. Just put it in a bag, take it out to the rubbish bin, and -- "

Then Lee looked at the game again, groaning at his lack of control.

The young student rested his elbows on the table while burying his face in his hands. He tried to distract himself by thinking of all the other things that he should be doing instead...

...only to fail when he realised that, simply, there was nothing else he should be doing instead. He'd already completed all his assignments for the semester. He'd already examined his budget for the week, twice, and doing it a third time would just be pointless stress. And he had no social life to speak of, so it wasn't like he could hang out with his friends... or whatever it was that people with friends did.

Once more, Lee looked at the game. This time, he picked it up with one hand. The thought of throwing it out and no longer having to deal with the distraction occurred to him again, but he suppressed it. Better to just play for an hour or so, let it all out of his system.

And so Lee inserted the CD into his computer again, something he hadn't done for ten days. The morning after he'd played the game for the first time, he felt traces of shame and guilt. It wasn't like anyone would ever know of it, it wasn't like it was a crime, but he still felt a resistance towards continuing the game.

Until tonight, when curiosity had finally succeeded in conquering reluctance.

The title screen appeared, with the same succubus as before. But as soon as she appeared, Lee got the feeling that something had changed from before. He leaned in for a closer look.

The succubus had white skin, red eyes and waist-length purple hair -- all details that Lee had previously skimmed over out of disinterest. But although she gave off an impression of clear inhumanity, there was also an undercurrent of... of life. Her skin wasn't the colour of a marble statue, cold and unyielding, but the soft white of flower petals. Her eyes weren't the violent and bloody red usually associated with dark-aligned characters in fiction, but a vibrant, passionate red that filled people with warmth. And her hair was a shade of deep purple that -- well, Lee could only think of it as the kind that inspired the term "royal purple".

But all of this paled in comparison to the aspect that had drawn Lee's attention: her smile. The succubus' full lips were curved into a smile that gave the clear impression she was congratulating someone on a job well done. Lee hadn't paid much attention to the screen the first time, but he was certain that he would never have missed this before.

Lee eventually came to the conclusion that the title screen probably changed as you progressed through the game. It was a neat little trick, although he wondered what would happen if he had multiple saves with varying levels of progress. He decided to not bother worrying about it and loaded his previous save.

The screen changed to a scene of a dark forest. It shook repeatedly and there were also the sounds of rapid footsteps and panting, suggesting that Lee's avatar was running through the forest. This continued for some time.

Then the shaking stopped and game Lee appeared on the screen, leaning against a tree in clear exhaustion. Words began to appear on the screen.

Why did I do that? Why? A perfect opportunity to kill a monster, to rid the world of at least one of them. Why would I throw away something like that?

Was it because she looked so much like a person? Or... did I get tainted by laying with her, causing my heart to reject the idea of killing her?

But there wasn't time for game Lee to dwell on these thoughts. There was a low growl, one that chilled real Lee to the bone.

A massive bear appeared on the screen. Judging from its size relative to the surrounding trees, it was at least as big as a real life polar bear. Its mighty jaws were easily large enough for it to swallow a man's head whole. Instead of thick fur, it was covered in bony scales resembling those of a crocodilian.

Game Lee almost collapsed at the sight, his heart consumed by terror.

A series of images, transparent and overlaying the image of the bear, flashed across the screen. Blood pouring from horrific wounds, limbs being torn off, bodies snapping from powerful blows. Real Lee blinked -- he definitely had not expected something like this.

The screen changed back to the dark forest and began shaking again, with the audio now clearly reflecting game Lee's desperation as he fled from the scale bear. The line "It can't be -- " was repeated all the way down the screen.

But soon, the inevitable result of running at full speed through a dark forest occurred. There was a sudden shake of the screen, and real Lee was now faced with the sight of his avatar sprawled on the ground, having tripped over a branch or tree root, while the scale bear approached menacingly.

Of course, it wasn't the end for game Lee. Something that was as long and thick as a tree trunk suddenly wrapped around the bear's neck. The sounds of a struggle echoed for several seconds, after which was a loud

crack

. The screen changed again, showing the bear fallen to the ground... and in front of it, the silhouette of someone who was only humanoid from the waist up.

I was... saved? No... that can't be it... this must all just be...

The scene blurred and faded into darkness.

***

After a few seconds, there was the unmistakeable sound of birdsong. The screen remained dark for a few more seconds before fading into the image of a wooden ceiling.

Is this... the afterlife?

If it is... it's not as bad as I was expecting.

Game Lee looked to the side, resulting in another shift in the scene. A sleeping woman was sitting in a chair next to the bed where game Lee was. She had bright green hair, which partly covered her face, and wore a pale blue dress. The short skirt of her dress exposed most of her long and muscular legs, which were covered in scales of the same green as her hair.

It took a few moments, but eventually game Lee realised the situation. With the sound of rustling blankets, he sat up (according to the narration).

A-a-a monster!? How!? Why!? No, now isn't the time for that, I have to --

The monster seemed to have sensed game Lee's awakening, as she began to stir. She opened her eyes, revealing them to be a soft brown, and blinked.

"Hm? Oh, you're awake!" She said.

Game Lee drew back from the monster and frantically looked around for a weapon, any weapon. There were none in reach, unless he planned on using the pillow or the blanket to try and smother the monster.

"Wait, you have to relax," the monster said, "you're still hurt from last night!"

If there's nothing I can use as a weapon -- no, I wouldn't be able to injure her in the first place. But then the only option is -- no! I can't do that again, I can't let myself fall! Even the thought of it is --

The monster had a look of worry on her face. She stood up and said, "Look, just wait here. I'll get the healer!"

The monster vanished from the screen. Game Lee listened carefully to make sure she was gone, then slipped out of the bed to evaluate his situation.

Spikes of sharp pain informed him of numerous cuts on his arms and legs, which he must have received while fleeing recklessly from the scale bear, too consumed by desperation and terror to notice at the time. They wouldn't hinder his movement, at least.

He took a closer look at the room. It was small and had little furniture: just a bed, a chair, and a small table next to the bed. There was a cup on the table that seemed to contain water, but game Lee didn't dare drink it. The walls, floor and ceiling were all made of simple wooden planks neatly fitted together. Still, to someone who had only lived in cramped makeshift shelters that barely protected from the elements and provided no protection from crawling vermin, it was positively luxurious.

Opposite the bed was the door. Game Lee took two steps towards the door, only to hear the sound of approaching footsteps. He froze with indecision.

Two people entered the room. One was the same monster from before. The second one lacked any obviously inhuman features but was clearly also a monster. A face that was symmetrical to an unnatural degree, skin entirely free of any blemishes, a figure so voluptuous that she was practically bursting out of even her relatively conservative clothes.

As soon as she entered, the second monster frowned. She raised her hands, palms open, and said, "We are not going to hurt you. Now please lie down, you shouldn't strain yourself."

"I -- I'm not going to fall for your tricks," game Lee said, trying and failing to make himself sound more confident.

The first monster, the one with scaled legs, made as if to step in front, but the second monster stopped her with a look. The second monster began walking forward, which the game represented by slowly increasing the size of her sprite.

Game Lee tensed. The monster looked slender, but he wasn't going to try his chances overpowering her in a contest of strength, especially not when there were two of them. The only option he really had was throwing himself at the wall and hoping he was lucky enough to kill himself with a powerful blow to the head.

But before he could attempt suicide by that method, the monster enveloped him in her arms. This scene was shown in great detail, the monster displaying nothing but care in her action, while game Lee had a look of utter surprise.

Game Lee struggled, but the monster's embrace was as unyielding as it was soft and warm. He tensed, wondering if the monster was going to tear off his clothes and use him to satisfy her unholy lust... but she did nothing of the sort. Even though her ample breasts were touching him, the monster did not rub them along game Lee's chest in an attempt to lure him into sex. She simply hugged him, a warm embrace that was no different than any a mother might give a child.

Game Lee closed his eyes and began to cry.

***

Once game Lee had calmed down somewhat, the monster gently put him back to bed. She had the other monster fetch a small bowl of hot stew, which she was now spoon-feeding him.

Game Lee poured out his heart, his feelings, his vulnerabilities to the two monsters. He revealed how his family and friends had all died to the fangs and claws of a scale bear, leaving him all alone. He revealed how he'd met a monster in the flesh for the first time, yet had only thought of killing her despite her friendly nature. He revealed how he'd met another member of the species that had wiped out his tribe, only to lose his wits and hopelessly try to flee.

At this point, game Lee didn't care what happened to him. He knew that the monsters would be well within their rights to kill him right there, for what he'd planned on doing to one of their own, but he didn't care any longer.

He simply lay there, accepting of his fate.

Eventually, the monster described as a healer spoke up. She said, "Lee, listen to me. I've helped a number of humans, from all walks of life. You shouldn't be too hard on yourself. Your beliefs and feelings towards our kind are something you were raised with. All of us, human or Sylvalan, are products of our upbringing." She paused for a moment, then continued, "You've told us your name, but the two of us have yet to introduce ourselves. My name is Salina and I'm a nymph and the healer of this village. This is Jira, a naga who is one of the village's scouts. Jira is the one who brought you here."

After hearing this, game Lee remembered the scale bear attack. It brought out a mix of emotions, but it didn't stop him from turning to Jira and saying, "I -- thank you for saving me."

"Don't worry about it," Jira replied, waving a hand dismissively. "I was just doing what anyone should have done."

Game Lee clenched his fist, trying to compose himself. He recalled something he'd just heard and asked, "Just now, you said 'human or Sylvalan'. Is -- Is that the name of your race?"

"That's right," Salina answered. "I am aware of the term that humans often use instead -- again, you should not be ashamed of it. On a different topic, I believe that it would be best for you if, instead of staying in this room, you went out and saw our village for yourself. That way you can better understand our people. But this is only if you are ready to go out."

Two choices appeared on the screen: "Agree to go out" and "Stay inside for now". Naturally, real Lee chose the first option to advance the game.

Game Lee got out of bed and followed the two Sylvalans out of the room. They passed through a short corridor and left the building. Upon stepping into the sunlight, game Lee came to a stop, awed at everything around him.

The screen was filled with people. Walking along the street were human men, human women, and Sylvalans of all kinds. The third of these were the most common category. Many had human-like forms but with fur or feathers or scales on their limbs, and often tails as well. Some had massive lower bodies patterned after snakes or slugs. There was the sound of flapping wings and the screen shifted to represent game Lee looking up. There were many Sylvalans in the air as well: most with antennae and transparent insect wings, though a few had the feathered wings and taloned legs of birds.

Upon seeing this, game Lee quickly turned his gaze back down again. The screen shook and blurred slightly before returning to normal.

Salina appeared on screen. She said, "Take my hand. I will show you around."

The nymph first led game Lee to a large marketplace. It was composed of at least two dozen stalls and wagons. Game Lee was stunned by the both the amount of goods on offer -- a single one of the food stalls contained more food than was ever present in his tribe at any one time -- and the variety. There was fruit ,vegetables, pastries, meat, fish, clothing, tools, pottery, sculptures... and that was just what was visible in the one screen. Even to the Lee of modern Earth, it was a fairly impressive sight.

Along the way to and from the marketplace, there were several detailed images of the town buildings. They had an odd construction. Real Lee wasn't an expert on architecture or engineering, and his in-game avatar certainly wasn't, but from what he could tell they were made of stone blocks that had been melted together. Magic was presumably involved. Less inexplicably, the doors to the buildings were much larger than necessary for humans in order to fit the larger Sylvalans.

Game Lee also noticed several familiar faces among the humans in the crowd. He blinked and looked more closely, realising that they were the inhabitants of the larger group that Lee's own had traded with, the one he'd thought wiped out by monsters. He shivered inside at yet another one of his assumptions being challenged.

Next, Salina led him to the town school. This was where Lee spotted something odd. There were plenty of human children of various ages -- apparently, the one school had to fulfil the functions of a primary and a high school. The weird part was that there were no Sylvalan children at all.

Salina gave an explanation, "There are many differences between humans and Sylvalans, and this is one of them that I had to show you early on. You see, our kind do not have infancy, childhood or adolescence as you would understand it. When we give birth, the offspring appears the same size as a human baby at first, but is actually already fully-grown. This is due to a certain latent magic within our bodies. While still in the womb, this magic causes us to take up less space than we should require. Once born, this magic fades away and the offspring increases to their full size."

A diagram appeared on the screen. According to the description, it was an educational poster which Salina had borrowed from the school. The poster depicted a human baby on the left, a Sylvalan baby in the centre and a Sylvalan adult on the right. No... on closer inspection, the centre and right both had the same person. They had the same flame red hair, the same blue skin, and -- disconcertingly -- the same voluptuous figure. The only difference was that the right one, which had the caption "Sylvalan five minutes after birth", was several times larger than the centre one, captioned "Sylvalan immediately after birth".

Salina continued, "Moreover, in addition to being born physically mature, we are also born with many of our mental abilities as well. This might be harder for you to accept, but essentially, we don't need to be taught that "one plus one equals two" or that "the sun" is the yellow light that appears in the sky in the day."

Both versions of Lee were even more surprised at this.

Salina continued, "The mechanism for this is... to put it simply, while in the womb, a Sylvalan's mind is linked to her mother's, and, through her mother, to the collective minds of our entire race. Through this link, she receives an immense quantity of knowledge, learning it all before being born. Of course, that doesn't mean we know everything when we're born, nor that we stop learning afterwards. Skills, such as the ability to grow a crop, build a house, or write a story, are something that we need to learn the slow way."

Even with this explanation, real Lee still found such a thing implausible. Still, he reasoned that this was a fictional fantasy world, so anything could happen. Presumably, the writers of the game didn't want to deal with the awkward questions that arose from a sexualised species going through childhood, so they came up with this solution.

Salina continued showing game Lee around. At this point, real Lee decided to actually start taking notes. This was purely because he was the kind of gamer who always tried to find the optimal way to play. It certainly wasn't because he was seriously getting invested in the plot of an erotic game.

Salina explained the history of the town. It had been built about twenty years ago by a group of Sylvalans migrating from a large city. To expand their population, they had sought out and approached humans in the area, inviting them to move into the safety and comfort of their town. One of these was the group that game Lee had thought to have been wiped out by monsters. Although negotiations were generally tense at first, things worked out in the end. Several scouts were sent into the forest to search for game Lee's group, Jira being one of them, but they hadn't been able to find them in time.

Eventually, Salina revealed another shocking fact about her kind.

"I know that humans have an aversion to sexual relationships between family. Indeed, that's also true of animals in general, as the offspring of such unions often have various defects. However... that isn't the case for Sylvalans. We do not have any aversion to such relationships, and they are fairly common among siblings. This likely stems from the fact that we don't experience such defects from having parents who are related to each other. I understand that this must come as a surprise to you. What do you think?"

That was putting it mildly

, real Lee thought. He'd heard rumours, in certain corners of the internet, that incest was a relatively common fetish in media of this genre. It might have been because an inhuman species could be justifiably argued to have different morals, ethics and taboos. In any case, it wasn't something that he was interested in.