The Galinean Saga:

Chapter 2: Taken

An archaeology professor in search of the legendary city of Atlantis got more than he bargained for when he found himself on the strange and captivating world of Galinea. The adventures of Blake Ransom continue here. There is a glossary of Galinean terms at the end of this chapter, but be careful if you choose to reference it since it contains some spoilers. Note that all characters depicted in this story are adults above the age of eighteen.

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Blake entered his bedroom and stripped out of his Valiant uniform – what little there was to strip out of. He lay naked on the satin sheets, his mind in complete turmoil. Tomorrow he would be leaving Vividia, the city he had grown to love in such a short time. He would also be leaving a woman whom he had developed strong feelings for – a woman he couldn't have.

After several minutes, Lallanna, the woman who troubled his thoughts, entered his room. She was his patroness and he was her havenite. His happiness and well-being were not only her responsibility, but her desire. It troubled her to see him disquieted. It troubled her even more that she knew she was much of the reason for his state of mind, and that she could do nothing about it. She wanted to comfort him as much as she could within the boundaries of their relationship.

Lallanna climbed on his bed and lay beside him with a somber expression. Her short satiny tunic revealed almost all of her sumptuous legs as she lay on her side. Her raven-colored hair fell just over her shoulder. Lallana's icy blue eyes travelled down Blake's naked and magnificent body – a body that she wanted so badly, but was forbidden to her. She felt a moistening between her legs as she imagined him taking her with carefree abandon. She quickly warded those thoughts away, not wanting him to sense them with the low-level telepathy that all Vividians had. She sensed that his mind was too distracted to even notice her lustful thoughts.

She tentatively reached out a hand and laid it on his chest in an attempt to comfort him, daring the limits of what their relationship allowed.

Lallanna spoke after several quiet minutes, "It hurts me to see you troubled so."

Her cool hand against his skin was intoxicating to him. "This city has become everything I've ever desired," he replied. "It's going to be difficult to leave it. It will be even more difficult to leave you."

"The patroness-havenite bond is strong," she replied. "There is no relationship quite like it in all of Galinea. Know that you will be forever in my thoughts, and I will anxiously await your return, no matter how long that may be."

Lallanna sensed that her touch was indeed comforting to him. She allowed herself the indulgence of letting her cool hand travel down his body, carefully avoiding his cock. His dick was quick to react to her touch though and responded by expanding to full capacity. It throbbed gently with desire for her.

"I want to make love to you, Lallanna."

"I know, but we can't, my dear havenite."

He sighed in frustration as he ran a hand through his wavy dark hair. "It doesn't make sense. This is such an incredible city. I just don't see how the high council could punish someone as caring, kind, and beautiful as you for the simple act of loving someone."

"They would," she replied sadly, "and the punishment would be severe. I would be banished to the Wilds forever, which would be a death sentence. I'm already treading on dangerous territory. We shouldn't even be discussing such things, Blake-Ransom."

"Then we'll leave this city together. I'm a fully trained Valiant, and already one of the most skilled. I'll protect you from anything that would ever seek to harm you. Maybe we'll even find another city that would take us in."

"I...can't. There is too much at stake, particularly with the prospect of war on the horizon. My own patron, Karlan, would be devastated if I ran off on some lover's tryst. I am his pride and joy. He raised me up to be the 17

th

most powerful person in this city. It would kill him."

Blake knew Karlan was the fifth ranking member of the Twenty, the high council of Vividia. Lallanna was his protégé, guiding her through the science guild until she eventually became the youngest member of the Twenty at only 35 years of age.

Lallanna stared longingly at Blake's throbbing cock next to her hand. She wanted nothing more than to put it in her mouth and give him what he so desperately wanted. She imagined what his sweet passion might taste like. She also fantasized about his cock inside her – devouring her until it was fully satisfied and bringing her to a level of ecstasy she could only dream about. His eyes met hers, obviously sensing her thoughts, and stared deep into her soul. She shuddered. This man could very well be the end of her.

Lallana turned over and punched a key on the elucidator, which was a Galinean communication device. The device had a globe at the top, which pulsated with a blue luminescence while in use. It allowed users to send telepathic communications over fusion waves. When she was finished sending her silent communication, she walked over to a luxurious chair in Blake's suite and sat.

"Who did you contact?" Blake enquired.

"You'll see," Lallanna replied.

Lallanna continued to sit in his room as he wrestled with his thoughts. He struggled with having to leave the next day, but by the same token, he would do whatever was necessary to defend this city he loved.

After some time had passed, a young woman wearing a nearly see-through negligee arrived at the doorway to his room. Kellina, his Valtendant, leaned seductively in the doorway and looked at Blake with desire in her emerald eyes. Waves of her chestnut hair fell over one shoulder resting at the top of her breast.

Each Valiant had a Valtendant whose duty was to tend to the Valiant's every need. A Valiant was considered the most desirable of all men in the female eye, so the Valtendant guild was highly sought after by the young women of Vividia. A Valtendant's duty was to assist during training, massage and oil the Valiant's body, share a bedroll on travels, and offer companionship on many levels. This was not a degrading relationship, as a Valiant cared for the comfort, needs, and happiness of his Valtendant, similar to a patron-havenite relationship. The difference being that sex was not discouraged, but part of the expectation of the Valtendant relationship. A Valiant, being held in the highest esteem as defenders of the city, should never be left sexually unfulfilled.

Blake knew that Lallanna had called Kellina to her home in order to give him the release he needed. It was a task that Kellina was more than willing to deliver upon. Blake still found this world's customs regarding sex difficult to understand. There wasn't that sense of possessiveness which existed on earth. Couples would commonly include other individuals in their encounters or even allow their partner the freedom to pursue sexual adventures outside a relationship. Jealousy was virtually unheard of in a city of light. Lallanna couldn't give him what he needed because of the boundaries of their relationship, so she summoned someone who could.

Kellina approached Blake's bed and ran her hand along his naked body. She didn't say a word, but her eyes and smile said everything. He couldn't turn her down even if he wanted to. It would be considered an insult to reject the advances of his Valtendant. His cock was starving for release. He could faintly see the trim patch of her most treasured place through the thin fabric of her nightdress. Her nipples looked as if they would burst through the flimsy material.

Kellina climbed on the bed and straddled him. She leaned forward and gently nibbled on his earlobe. She worked her little nibbles to his neck, continuing further down until she was kissing and nibbling his nipple. At the same time, he could feel her wetness against his thigh as she straddled it. She continued lower until she reached his cock. She flicked her tongue along the head and giggled as it pulsated with desire.

Kellina sat up and took hold of Blake's throbbing cock, rubbing it against her slit until the head was glistening with her wetness. Without fully inserting him, she swiveled her hips in an erotic dance until the head of his dick was massaging her clit. Her teasing was about to drive him crazy.

Kellina shuddered breathlessly. "Ooh, I have to stop for a second. I'm about to come. I want to come when you're fully inside me!"

Lallanna was sitting on the luxurious, plush chair watching intently with her leg over the armrest. She was touching the inside of her thigh, very close to her most intimate place. With her other hand, she ran her fingers along her cleavage through the diamond opening of her silk tunic.

Kellina gave a sexy bite of her lip as she rose to fully mount Blake. Her eyes fluttered and she gave a soft moan when she had his full length inside her. Her pussy felt like a sweet, delicious paradise to Blake.

Kellina rested her hands on his chest and started an up and down, swiveling motion on him. He started playing with her hard nipples through the silk of her nightdress as she continued to ride him. Blake noticed out of the corner of his eye that Lallanna was fingering herself as she watched. She played with her own nipple at the same time. Her mouth was slightly open and there was lust in her eyes.

"Oh yes!" Kellina cried out as she picked up the pace. "Your cock is so big, Blake-Ransom! I'm fucking your amazing cock!!"

Blake started pinching and twisting her nipples, which heightened her to a sexual frenzy. She was nearly screaming now. Blake noticed that Lallanna now had her legs spread wide. Her hand was inserted inside the thong underneath her skirt as she continued to work on herself. She moaned and clamped her legs together as she brought herself to full orgasm.

Seeing Lallana climax as this sex kitten was riding him was all Blake could take. He let out a deep groan as he shot a huge load inside Kellina.

"OH YES!" Kellina cried. "You're coming! You're coming in my wet pussy!" She arched her back as she reached her own climax.

Several minutes later, Kellina curled up in his arms. She planned to stay there the whole night. Lallanna walked over and placed a hand on Blake's shoulder and smiled at him. She then left his room.

The next morning, Blake met Lallanna and Kellina at a secret tunnel that led outside the city. Usually, when Valiants went on a mission there would be a lot of fanfare, and the citizens would see them off. This was a secret operation. Blake's assignment was to discover why two sister cities of light, Burniscia and Scintallia, had gone to war, a war that could threaten all cities of light. It would also be a long journey.

Two other individuals were there to accompany him during the first leg of his journey. Gannon, his training partner and fellow Valiant, was dressed in an identical uniform. The uniform of a Valiant consisted of a coxilk, which was a scant garment that girded the loins. The only other additions were boots, leather knee guards, bracers, a metal collar to signify their rank as a Valiant, a sword harness that crossed the chest, and a band around the thigh to sheathe a dagger. The sparse attire allowed for plenty of movement, which was critical for the Valiant fighting style. The outfit consisted of a cyan and white color scheme, the colors of Vividia. Gannon had shoulder length brown hair with gold streaks from the sun – hair that many women had run their fingers through.

Blake's other escort was Candescia from the synthesist guild. She wore a similar uniform, which was basically the equivalent of a bikini, boots, knee guards, bracers, and a collar. She was not a Valiant, since there were no female Valiants, but she was a member of the defensive wing of synthesists. They used their mind powers for city intelligence and assisted the Valiants as protectors. She was a striking vision with enchanting brown eyes that could beguile any man. Her sandy blond hair was riddled with a multitude of braids, giving her an exotic appearance.

Lallanna spoke, "Unfortunately, we have to send you off quietly, Blake-Ransom. We can't alarm the citizens about talk of war, although general unease is already spreading. We need you to gather as much information as you can on this war between Scintallia and Burniscia.

"Gannon and Candescia will escort you as far as the midlands, she continued. "You'll need to bypass the main road for a time and enter the Wilds, so you'll need their help. When they see you through, they will need to return. The city will need all our defenses if this war spreads quicker than anticipated. The pyramid has already weakened in power since it relies on the pyramids of our sister cities."

Kellina spoke up. "Can't I go with him, mistress Lallana? It is my duty as his Valtendant."

"I wish we could send you, Kellina. There will be times when Blake-Ransom may need to go undercover. We can't risk drawing attention."

Kellina looked at Blake sadly and gave him a gentlr kiss on the lips. "Be well, Blake-Ransom and return to us safely. I'll be waiting for you."

Lallanna placed a hand on his chest, "Safe travels, my havenite. I won't rest easy until your return."

Blake kissed both Kellina and Laurana's hands. "Don't worry," he winked. "I plan on returning safe and sound."

As the trio traveled down the main road from Vividia, Candescia gave Blake and Gannon a flirtatious look. "Getting to travel with two gorgeous Valiants – how lucky can a girl be?"

"You might think differently when we enter the Wilds," Gannon replied wryly.

"That's why I'm here, handsome. I'll be your warning signal of any danger."

"It's a shame we can't take a few of those fusion-riders with us," Blake said. "We'd make a lot better time on this journey."

"Unfortunately," Gannon replied, "we'd draw way too much attention to us. We'd have every beast within a three mile radius tracking us."

"Wouldn't we be able to outrun them with fusion-riders?" Blake asked.

"Some. Not all," Gannon replied. "It's the 'not all' I'm concerned about. We'd be better off trying to quietly sneak through."

They traveled the main road for a half-day without altercation. The roads were usually patrolled, but there weren't as many as usual. They only passed a few patrols. The Valiants were starting to pull back into the city to prepare for the possibility of war spilling into neighboring lands. This could potentially put restrictions on travel for citizens since they would need to be escorted by Valiants.

Blake marveled at the vibrant, pastel colored foliage that grew denser as they traveled. The trees and flora were a mass of blues, purples, and pinks, with very little green at all. It was nothing like earth.

Candescia led them to an opening in the woods off the main road. "This is where we enter the Wilds. This will cut two days off our journey, but we'll need to be on guard from here on out."

Blake and Gannon both drew their swords as the trio entered the prismatic forest. The chirps, whirs, and shrieks of avian life were prominent. An occasional strange and distant bleat or moan from mammalian life was also present.

After traveling several hundred feet - thick, purple vines dangled in the path ahead and moved with purpose. They resembled the tentacles of an octopus.

"Graspers," Gannon said. "I hate those things."

He sliced one that was waving in front of his face and it fell to the ground squirming. There was an unsettling moan off to the right.

Candescia grabbed Blake's arm and pointed to a thick, purple trunk, which appeared to be a tree. "See that opening in the grasper trunk? The vines will attempt to pull its victim into its maw and devour it."

Blake noticed a vine wrapping around Candescia's boot, so he sliced it off with his sword. The opening in the trunk opened and closed as it moaned in pain.

"Thanks," Candescia smiled as she patted Blake on the bare part of his butt, which was only half covered by his scant coxilk. "Grasper vines aren't very intelligent, but it is easy to get overpowered by a multitude."

Gannon and Blake continued to chop their way through the dangling vines as the wails of the grasper trunk soon became screams of agony. Blake felt a bit disturbed at having to cause such pain, torture, and inevitable death to a sentient creature, but it was either kill or be killed.

They continued on, leaving the piteous wailing of the grasper behind them. Candescia stopped and held up her hand.

"Wait," she halted. "I sense a potential threat."

"What is it?" Gannon asked.

She closed her eyes and put her fingers to her temples, "I'm trying to zero in on it, but there's too much frenetic mental activity from nearby creatures."

There was a scurrying in the bushes from a multitude of creatures. A felskink jumped out and latched onto Blake's thigh. The nasty little creature resembled a cross between a small cat and a lizard. Its venomous bite could lead to unconsciousness. His reflex actions took over as he bashed it with the hilt of his sword to get it off, and then kicked it into the bushes. He had been bitten by one of these things once before, and he wasn't interested in going through that again.

The little critters jumped in and out of the bushes, trying to bite the trio in the legs before scurrying back to cover. Gannon skewered one into the ground. It let out a gurgling squeal as it convulsed in its death throes. Candescia stomped one with the heel of her boot. Its eyes bulged grotesquely from the force of her attack.

"Are these the threat you sensed?" Blake asked Candescia.

"No. There is something much larger. I can't zero in on it because of these little felskink shits! It's some kind of... arachnid."

"It's probably a titan spider," Gannon replied as he kicked a squealing felskink. "They're common and not too dangerous in this area. Not even poisonous. They're about the size of a large pet canine. I think we can handle it."

Suddenly, the multitude of felskinks scurried off into the forest. They whimpered in their escape as they were obviously frightened by something. An eerie calm was left in their wake.

"Wait!" Candescia cried in alarm.

Before she could relay her warning, a large arachnid-type creature fell from the trees in front of them and unleashed a hideous shriek. It was the size of a horse, black, and covered in mangy fur. A singular, gaping maw occupied the front of the creature's head. Its mouth was a mass of teeth and fangs, which dripped with saliva.

Candescia formed a diamond shape with her hands and launched a blast of blue, light energy at the grisly face. This only seemed to further enrage it as it lunged forward with its snapping jaws. As if the creature wasn't repulsive enough, a stalk grew out of its head while the beast raged.

Blake had his sword raised, ready to move in for the attack. His heart raced with a mixture of adrenalin, fear, and the anticipation of battle. Before he made his move he froze in his tracks. The stalk that grew out of the creature's head had the face of a man.

"Dreadman!" Candescia screamed as she identified the abomination in front of them. "Don't look it in the eyes!"

It was too late. The ghastly gray face on the stalk made eye contact with Blake. The eyes took on a hypnotic red glow. Blake had never felt such mind-numbing fear in his life. He couldn't act or even run. He was completely frozen in terror as the horrendous eyes penetrated him.

Gannon jumped on the back of the aberration and latched on with his thighs. He drove his sword into the thorax over and over. The beast howled and bucked trying to shake Gannon off. Again, Gannon's efforts only seemed to drive it into more of a frenzy.