36

***

Thank you all for reading along with me so far.

I really appreciate feedback, both positive and critical. If you have feedback to share I encourage you to do so! I won't always agree with or follow your feedback, obviously, but I do read and consider it.

I've stopped responding to comments on Lit because of the delays in posting them. There's just such a long delay that I feel awkward attempting to offer replies. If you'd like a response then you can find me elsewhere, if not, just know that I see you.

***

Chapter 34

By the time I returned to my tent, Myta and Sati were deep into their lovemaking. They both glistened with sweat, and the air was thick with the scent of their arousal and pleasure. Myta sat on the folding chair I had vacated earlier, pinning the apsara's face between her thighs with two fists in the other woman's voluminous curls.

"Good girl!" My flame's voice was hoarse and sultry, and she met my eyes as her own were heavily lidded with pleasure. The muscles of her belly and thighs quivered as she rode out her climax, then petted Sati's hair affectionately.

"Feeling better?" I asked as I walked up and massaged her neck and shoulders. Sati tried to shift to look at me, but Myta clamped her legs together, pinning the apsara in place.

"Much better," Myta's voice was languid and throaty. "Our flower loves to be guided, as much as I do. But she also wants to be made a spectacle of. It gave me the excuse to let out a bit of steam." She moaned and threw her head back as I saw Sati's head begin to shift again.

"She's deliciously needy," my flame gasped as the smaller woman pleasured her, and then gave me a wicked grin. "I imagine she's quite eager for you to join in. I can tell you she's already well prepared."

I walked over and trailed my fingers over the small of Sati's back, and over the generous curve of her ass. The apsara tried to press herself into my hand, her hips rising and pushing back as much as she could manage with her head trapped. When my hand pulled away she squealed in protest, the muffled noise seeming to drive Myta into a new wave of pleasure. Sati's wriggling desperation and Myta's expression of carnal bliss were all the encouragement my own arousal needed.

I shucked off my robe, kneeling between the apsara's feet, directly behind her squirming hips. I was already standing rigidly to attention, but despite knowing that Sati was already wet and ready, I wanted to draw out her anticipation. I began to stroke her skin, occasionally pinching or applying my nails. Sati didn't actually have a masochistic streak, not even as much as Myta did. But the sensation of me playing with her, of taking advantage of her superficially helpless state, turned her on greatly.

When the apsara writhed too much, neglected Myta's pleasure, or even just when I felt like it, I gave her rear a hard smack. I had to enhance each strike with my will so that she would feel it properly, but it was well worth the effort to hear her muffled cries. The knowledge that she was screaming directly into my flame's very wet cleft just added an extra layer of satisfaction to my enjoyment, and I practiced playing her like an instrument. Teasing the perfect pattern of notes from her throat.

Eventually I began to stroke her sex, first just teasing her lips which were indeed quite wet. I tried slipping my fingers over her pearl, but had to stop immediately as a single swipe of my fingers brought her to the very edge of climax. Instead I slid a single finger inside her, teasing her sweet spot with the softest of touches. Sati was so responsive that I knew she would pop off if I gave her more than an absolute bare minimum of attention.

She whined with need, trying to say something, attempting to pull away from Myta. In response my flame crossed her ankles behind Sati's head, preventing her from escaping. Finally our little flower reached the peak of desperate need I desired, and I thrust my now achingly hard shaft into her sex.

Sati went rigid, her insides spasming around my invading shaft, before she let out a feral scream. Even gagged as she was by Myta's sex I could make out hints of cursing as she lost control and began to thrash. My flame and I grabbed her, holding her bodily in position to prevent her from hurting herself or us with her thrashing. My hips withdrew and slammed forward again, using her body as she herself utterly lost control of it.

Myta uncrossed her legs, spreading her thighs to uncover Sati's ears.

"There she is," my warrior cooed sweetly. "Our little princess is just a puppet, a toy to be used. I bet we could use you as a reward for the company. Keep you naked in a wagon for anyone to fuck when they were bored, and you would love it. You'd beg for them to make you feel like this again."

Sati nodded frantically, unable to speak as her lungs heaved. Her mind was subsumed in a haze of delirious pleasure, and her channel clenched around me as I thrust away at her. A cathartic release for my own worries and frustrations that melted away my concerns in the heat of exertion and passion.

I held back my own release until Sati had gone limp between us. Her convulsions reduced to pleasured squirming, and then that faded to weak compliance, her hips just rocking to meet my own. When even that has clearly become a struggle for her I had mercy, spending myself inside her and allowing her to sag to the ground. I grabbed a damp cloth to clean out combined fluids from between her legs, and then teased her pearl until she had a final, satisfying release.

Myta and I pressed Sati between us as we all lay together, lazy and replete. Myta petted Sati's hair and face, murmuring sweet nothings, while I used my remaining energy to stroke her arm and back. We took some extra time just idling together, talking and soaking in one another's presence, knowing that tomorrow would bring new dangers.

"Do you really want to be used the way Myta described?" I asked the apsara idly. "Your reaction was obvious, and I could feel the way your desire spiked."

"No daddy, not really." She ducked her head to hide her face against my shoulder as we all sat together. "The idea of it is attractive, but if I picture it actually happening I grow uncomfortable. Maybe, if I built more trust with them?"

I nodded in understanding. "Myta has a bit of a desire to show off. We put on a little show for sergeant Hati once, so it's possible she'd be interested in more. If you want to get to know someone better, and see how you feel about it, she might be a good choice. I think Jito was also adventurous in the past, so he might be an option as well. Just don't push if you feel uncomfortable."

I shot Myta a pointed glance, just to make sure she understood as well. A brief flash of surprised hurt came from her, and I regretted my thoughtlessness immediately.

*I'm sorry, my love.* I sent to her mentally, not wanting to complicate the conversation with Sati further. *If anyone understands the importance of boundaries it's you. I just didn't want you to be swept up in the play, and get carried away. But I didn't take your own experiences into account.*

*I understand, master.* Her hurt faded a bit at my apology, though of course it didn't disappear completely. *You wouldn't be you, if you weren't trying to manage and fix things. But in this, you can trust me. I've no desire to put her through what I went through, and I can feel her emotions just as you can. If she grows truly uncomfortable, or you do, I'll stop.*

I bowed my head to her, chewing on what she'd told me. Clearly I'd let myself become a bit arrogant, paternalistic. I was older than most of those around me by a wide margin, and had grown accustomed to knowing more and considering myself wiser as well. I'd told Sati previously that only fools didn't question themselves, and I needed to make sure that I wasn't being such a fool myself.

***

The morning after Hati's duel we headed back down off the plateau. Myta and my other companions descended alongside the clan Ket delegation, though Peta had remained behind.

The trail was narrow and winding, fit for no more than two people to walk abreast, and only if they were very friendly. If we hadn't been expecting to be attacked at the base of the plateau, I'd have far rather spaced us out much more. I found the climb to be stressful, and oddly claustrophobic for having nothing but open air to one side.

We couldn't really make conversation, even when we got below the level of the treetops the wind was loud through the upper branches of the massive redwoods. Not that many of us were in the mood for idle talk. Hati attempted to lighten the atmosphere, shouting humorous stories to us during the trek about spectacularly failed ambushes she'd lived through. It was obviously meant to encourage us, but for me it was simply a reminder of how easily everything could go wrong. If that was true for the enemy, then it was just as true for us.

It took hours to descend, and by the time we set foot on the final switchback even Hati's good cheer had faded. The woods were cleared for a fair distance around the base of the path, and I strained my eyes trying to see what awaited us.

"Nae reason to twist your neck about." Saoirse elbowed me in the arm, causing me to stumble slightly. "They'll be back in the tree line, unless Hati killed the only mind among them."

I nodded, but didn't stop looking about.

"So why hasn't your sister taken a man to her bed?" I asked the small shifter, more to distract myself than anything else. "You said she'd have to consider me, but I can't imagine why when there are Metic men lining up for her."

"Oh she has," Saoirse responded. The way she casually sauntered down the narrow path beside me put me on edge, but at least she was the one next to the drop. "But as UnKet, she's obligated to try and find a compatible mate, to carry on the bloodline, and she hasn't caught yet."

"It must be the same as with sorcerers. A strong aspect makes it hard to..." the abrupt thudding of hoofbeats cut me off as a double line of Ootrin raiders poured out of the woods, bows raised and firing at us as we stood exposed against the sheer rock wall.

Chapter 35

Ootrin raiders didn't vary their standard tactics much, they didn't often need to. Two horsemen rode out from the woods at a quick trot, raising their short, powerful bows. As soon as they had loosed arrows at us, they pulled off to either side, letting the two horrmen behind them fire as well. The maneuver was incredibly smooth and well-practiced, resulting in a constant barrage of deadly projectiles.

We knew that this was coming, of course, but knowing about a threat and being prepared for it were two different things. We pressed together, and I drew on the mana of all my vasra, transforming and feeding it to Myta as quickly as I could manage. She, in turn, pushed out her presence into a dome around us, and sparked it alight with living flame.

As formidable as the Ootrin bows were, their arrows were functionally the same as arrows used widely elsewhere. Wooden shafts, with metal tips and feather fletching. Mundane wood, or even steel couldn't stand up to Myta's fire, and even most infused feathers would burn away quickly. We were soon pelted by a shower of ashes and misshapen metal slag. The infused arrows that were sent our way lost their momentum without their fletching, buffeted off-course by the wind from the flames.

It was a good defense, but inefficient. Even with our regular practice Myta wouldn't be able to maintain the aura for a long time. Once she reached the end of her strength, we would all be in trouble. The enemy's bows were powerful enough to be an inconvenience to us even when firing the mundane arrows. The infused projectiles were a genuine threat, and masked by the less-dangerous chaff.

Beside me, Saoirse was transforming. Her body grew, seeming to expand smoothly, sprouting short, dense fur and wicked claws and teeth. I badly wanted to watch her transformation, but couldn't spare the concentration. Two other members of Siobhan's escort were shifters, also trapped in their vulnerable transition state. Meanwhile Hati had already infused her body, and thrown herself down the cliff. We were about sixty feet above the ground now, and her active defense could handle that. Myta was stuck defending those of us who remained.

It seemed to take hours while I felt our mana drain away, debris pattering against my head, but I knew it was less than a minute until the shifters burst out of our fiery shroud. Like Hati, they simply threw themselves down the cliff, landing with feline grace on the grass below. They and Hati charged at the Ootrin cavalry, four against forty, as the rest of us began to make our way down the path again.

The Ootrin didn't falter, shifting their aim to the foes on the ground with impressive discipline. I hated admiring anything to do with Entreyu's lackeys, but their skill in combat was undeniable. Unfortunately for them, that was the point at which Jito sprang our trap.

Those among our company who had developed the wood and earth aspects, had spent the night before preparing this ground. They had infused the clearing with their personal mana, priming it for their sorcery. A horn blew, and the ground rippled with shifting earth and roots. The Ootrin horses were caught unprepared, falling, many with injured legs. The Ootrin themselves made flying dismounts, largely unharmed. But their attack formation was completely broken.

Our company dropped from the branches of the surrounding trees, using the moment of confusion to descend in relative safety. Their preparations could never have passed unnoticed without the aid of the druids and elders attending the moot. Sati had been the one to convince them that they had nothing to lose in aiding us, and that aid had made this moment possible. The raiders floundered for a moment, but recovered quickly, trading their bows for curved swords and axes.

The once orderly, almost choreographed battle, transformed into a brutal melee. Myta, and the remaining fighters at my location, threw themselves into a reckless run down the path. My flame had to rely on her speed to join the battle, as her defenses weren't suited to endure the fall. Sati stayed with me, and we surveyed the field, lending our talents to the battle as a whole.

I shifted mana between our people as they needed it, strengthening those who faced awakened Ootrin fighters. There were an unfortunately large number of them, and we wanted to eliminate them as soon as possible. I could feel a surge of foul mana farther out in the woods. The corrupted shifters that the Pure had enslaved, no doubt.

Hati crashed into the front of the Ootrin like a rock hitting a glass window. She put down raiders who had not yet properly found their feet with blows of bone-shattering force. She had taken a few hits from infused arrows, but they slowed her down not at all.

Siobhan's shifters were not far behind her, feeding on the blood-drenched mana in the air. They too took hits from the infused projectiles, but pounced on the enemy with a keen sense for weakness, reaping the unawakened Ootrin with brutal efficiency. It was easy to see why, as the more they killed the more mana they would have to work with.

On the far side of the battle, Juto and the rest of the company had formed up into a well organized unit. Glaives presented, they charged into the fray together. But the battle was not as one-sided as we had hoped. Even in their confusion the enemy responded quickly, and nearly half their number were awakened.

Solar flares and fiery blades bit back against our assault. A number of the company were out of commission already, either from severe burns, or from falling when their descending lines were burned away. We cut down half the Ootrin force in short order, but a quarter of our own were out of commission, though I didn't yet sense any dead. I stretched out my senses, filtering my mana through the web of links that fed back into me. Stabilizing otherwise fatal wounds until they could receive real treatment.

Jito and Kari blazed with silver fire, the two warriors I had healed of grievous Injury had both developed a variant of my own aspect, and it was incredibly eye-catching amongst the chaos. Both of them dodged attacks and cut down foes with graceful efficiency, and their scars shone like beacons, even in the bright daylight. Beacons that drew the enemy's wrath.

Standing at the front of our formation, both of them now sported numerous injuries, as the Ootrin focused their efforts on the argent duo. It created openings for the rest of the company, but swamped the targeted pair in fallen bodies. Ruining their footing, and leaving them open in turn. I worked through our connection to staunch their bleeding, but struggled to close their wounds in any substantive way while they were moving and fighting.

Things took a turn when Jito slipped, a severed arm turning under his foot. One of the Ootrin took the opportunity to slip through his guard, slashing across his thigh. But the man who had injured him paid for it a moment later, as Kari's glaive took first his hand, and then his head. Jito was pulled back from the front line, and another moved forward to take his place.

Our squad of heavies were lurking in the rear. Partially because they had spent much of their mana already on altering the terrain, but also because no corrupted shifters had yet joined the fray. Denu, and those of her scouts who hadn't assisted in preparing the battlefield, were hunting for the Ootrin reserves in the woods. They had been trained in sensing mana, but I spared a little concentration to send them a mental nudge, pushing them toward the corrupted mana as best I could.

Either due to my guidance, or their own skill, Denu's group located the leashed shifters. Their aspect of air let them close the distance quickly, though not quite quickly enough. I could feel the death of three shifters, the outpouring of foul energy like flares of light in the darkness. Distinct, but blinding me to anything else. But I could at least tell that there were still more sources of corrupt mana.

It was easy to imagine the scene. The scouts had come upon the shifters, killing three before they had finished their transformations, and then fleeing as the remaining foes turned on them. I stilll wasn't sure how many shifters there were in total, but it was too many for comfort if I could still feel them through this spiritual noise.

Fortunately at this point Myta had reached the fight. Even without taking a gravity-assisted shortcut, her speed was truly impressive. She cut and burned her way through the line of Ootrin who had turned to face Hati and Saoirse in moments, as they were unprepared for her brutal effectiveness. But rather than mop up the remains of that front, she crashed into the rear of those who were threatening out company's formation.

Within moments it seemed that half the battlefield was ablaze. Trapped between our company on one side, Hati and the Metic shifters on the other, with Myta in the middle preventing them from forming any sort of order from the chaos, the enemy utterly collapsed. Some tried to make a stand, others to run, but they were all cut down in short order.

Some of our company cheered, ready to relax and lay down arms, but Myta and Hati disabused them of that notion. with harsh shouts. They barely reformed in time as our skirmishes arrived at a run, leaping over Hati's squad of heavies, pursued by five snarling demons. I seized and strengthened their presence with my own, forming it into a wave, a bulwark of mana. When the shifters hit it, I felt the impact in my soul.

In my soul.

The sensation was familiar, it was the same strain I had felt when exerting my domain. I had always tried to form my domain directly around myself, but it seemed clear that I could extend my influence around my vas and vasra instead. And we needed an edge, badly. With five enemy shifters alive, three demonic spirits forming from the dead, and an unknown number of Pure monks to support them, things could still turn out very badly.