Academy Rebels, page 20
part #1 of Card Mage Series
The troll leapt into the air, thick arms out and eyes filled with steely confidence. It was within a foot when something black surged up from the crack and slammed into Nuria’s chest. The mage let out a dying moan before ghostly hands grabbed the mage, pulled and tossed her.
Dax was nearly to them, time slowing down into moments. The flames were ripped away from Nuria as she hurtled toward Dax. The troll landed as blue flames engulfed the mystical creature. Eyes widened before the troll’s body expanded and exploded into shards of blue flames.
Dax let out a painful grunt, the card in his hand bursting into flames and crumbling to ash. Hand flicking to the side, ashes blew away with the breeze as Nuria crashed into the mage. The pair tumbled to the ground, Dax landing on his back and Nuria landing on her stomach. The two looked at each other, Dax’s eyes filled with fear and Nuria's eyes were pure white and staring at nothing.
Time stood still until color bled back into the mage’s eyes. Dax turned, hand taking hold of Nuria’s shoulder as she blinked and both of them on their side. The mystical energy in the area died down and soon, only the light of the mana flame and the moon illuminated the area.
“Nuria?” Dax said with concern.
The beautiful mage blinked before she launched from her side and onto Dax. The mage was forced onto his back again as Nuria looked down with wide eyes. The pair were frozen, eyeing each other. Dax couldn’t understand what was happening. Nuria looked around like she didn’t know where she was. The mage was about to say her name again when Nuria bent down and kissed him.
Lips locked, Nuria’s eyes were open as her tongue snaked into Dax’s mouth. The mage made a small grunt in protest when bliss slithered along his spirit. The kiss burned deep against the mage and found himself unable to resist. Nuria stayed on him, kissing the mage aggressively.
When the moment seemed to flow on into eternity, Nuria pulled back, sat on the mage’s hips and pulled open her robe.
Dax stared as the mage pulled her robe off her shoulders and let it pool to the side. Breasts defied gravity as pert nipples stood to attention. The glow and warmth of her body caused blood to flow to the mage’s manhood. A small thought told him to resist, but his body seemed to react in a different way.
Nuria’s hands fell to Dax’s robe, pulling them open with lustful desire. Buttons popped off from the inside lining of the robe. Dax could barely do anything as Nuria took hold of his now free member and pressed it to her valley entrance. Nuria let out a heated sigh as wetness spilled. Dax watched as she sank down, bliss flaring along his body. Inches parted tight inner walls and Nuria moaned her delight.
The beautiful mage looked down with nearly alien eyes, working with gravity and sinking down to the base of Dax’s cock. With the mage snug, bodies tensed and Nuria began to move. Hips moved with caged power as the beautiful mage’s eyes stared down with confused intent.
Dax could barely think, the wet and warm connection blazing between them. It was natural and unnatural at the same time. Nuria’s gaze was unsettling, like she was performing an experiment while her body took what it wanted. Moans flowed from both mages, Nuria panting as her hips moved up and down on Dax’s rigid cock.
“Don’t move,” Nuria commanded as she took complete control.
Dax’s member stiffened like hard steel, obeying her commands as she rode him. Moonlight painted their bodies under the stars. Nuria let out a seductive moan, her hips increasing the tempo. Dax fought the lust overpowering him. The faster she moved, the more he wanted to come.
Nuria’s eyes closed and she bit her lip. Nerves tightened to the breaking point as she moved with steady, slow strokes. Dax watched her beautiful body as she pumped up and down, breasts bobbing with her movements. Hands on her hips, he was closer to nirvana and it would not be denied.
“Nuria…I’m…coming,” Dax managed through gritted teeth.
The beautiful mage simply nodded, riding him faster and body bouncing. The urges welled up, heat pouring off their bodies and chasing away the cool night air. Dax used the last of his willpower to stay in the moment as bliss dashed his power to the rocks.
Nuria opened her eyes as the mage’s cock thickened. She sank down to the base, impaling herself on the mage and squeezing. Ecstasy bloomed and both mages let out moans.
Nerve endings flared as Nuria’s body shuddered. Dax pushed his soul through his cock, spurts firing like cannons within Nuria’s valley. The pair rode the wave, magical explosions filling their inner worlds and mingling together. The moment spiraled on, bliss crashing into logic and drowning it.
A sharp pain stabbed into Dax’s heart and he grunted.
Nuria continued to move her hips, up and down, milking the mage dry. Wetness and come spilled from the beautiful mage’s womanhood and it only added to the moment. Sticky, wet and hot, the pair kept the connection as their bodies moved of their own accord.
Time returned to normal and Nuria slowed. Dax held her, stars in his eyes.
What just happened?
“Dax,” Nuria said simply, her eyes still a little wild.
It’s like she’s saying my name for the first time.
Nuria’s hips continued to move, coaxing life back into Dax’s member. The clearing was silent for long moments before moans rose up once again.
***
Symon, Fern, Zarra, and Vance moved through the dark forest, heading toward the faint blue light in the distance. The spellsword led the way, his eyes determined. Waking up a while ago, he looked outside of his tent to see if Nuria wanted to rest for the evening and he would take over. When he couldn’t find her, he checked the tents. Everyone woke up, but Dax’s tent was empty, satchel left behind. After a quick discussion, they all geared up and went searching. Not long into the search, they saw the blue glow in the distance.
“You don’t think they went to investigate the light? It could be a mana spring,” Vance said in a low voice.
“I don’t know what they did but if they’re hurt, I’m going to kill them,” Symon said, trying to remain positive.
The spellsword took a few more steps when two shadows approached. The spellsword lifted his hand and the rest of the group stopped in their tracks. All waited in silence, bodies ready for anything.
The shadows parted, Dax and Nuria stumbling into the group, the pair holding their robes closed.
“What the hell?” Symon said but was happy to see them.
Dax looked to Nuria but the beautiful mage looked down. Returning his attention to the group, the mage gave a nervous smirk.
“We saw the blue light and decided to investigate. It was a mana spring and we wanted to observe it.”
Symon looked at Dax's disheveled robe, “What’s wrong with your robe?”
Nuria clutched to Dax’s arm.
Symon eyed the two mages. Fern gave a wicked smirk. Vance and Zarra simply stood and blinked.
“Are you okay?” Symon asked Nuria.
The mage simply nodded.
“Let’s get back to camp. It’s still the middle of the night and we can talk in the morning,” Dax said.
That might give me enough time to figure out what just happened.
Sixteen
Eyes blinked open as Dax woke from warm dreams. Stirring, he instantly noticed a body next to his. Turning his gaze, he looked over to Nuria next to him, her head on his chest, arm around his waist and a leg curled over his. She was partially nude, salvia dripping from her open mouth onto his chest.
She came into my tent while I was sleeping?
Dax tried to move, but Nuria held on, her limbs tightening around his body.
“I like where I am now,” Nuria whispered.
Dax simply laid there, looking up at the tent as morning light glowed against it. Nuria snuggled closer, her tongue licking her salvia off Dax’s chest before she began kissing it.
The mage didn’t stop her, but a nervous sliver ran down his spine as he heard the rest of the coterie beginning to stir. Symon’s unmistakable morning yawn touched the outside air and bodies began to move.
Nuria’s hand drifted down and when she touched Dax’s hard cock, she wrapped her fingers around it and began to stroke it.
“How did you know I wanted more?” Nuria said as she lifted her head and looked to the mage with an amused grin.
Dax found himself smiling.
I have to stop smiling. This isn’t normal. Nothing about this is normal! She touched pure mana. It would have killed her if I wasn’t there. Maybe it somehow shocked her. I don’t know. I’m not qualified to give any kind of answer!
The tent flap opened and Fern looked in. Dax and Nuria looked to the fairy but Nuria didn’t stop stroking the mage.
Fern’s expression didn’t slide into shock. Instead, the fairy simply gave a knowing smile.
“We’re going to break our fast soon. I suggest you hurry up so you can join us,” the fairy winked and closed the flap.
Nuria turned her attention to Dax and kept her smile. “We should hurry,” the beautiful mage said and stroked a little faster.
Outside, the coterie gathered around the fire pit. New wood was placed and Vance conjured a flame. The wood in the pit took and flames rose up. Zarra pulled a metal teapot and several cups. Taking her waterskin, she filled the teapot and placed it on the flames. The group waited for their tea as rations were unwrapped and slowly consumed.
A pair of moans rose up from Dax’s tent.
All eyes turned to the mage’s tent.
“Sounds like love,” Fern giggled and ate some of her dried meat.
A short time later, the kettle whistled as Dax and Nuria climbed out from the tent. The rest of the group looked to the pair as they made their way over and sat down. Nuria leaned into Dax and soon, her arm curled around his.
Symon eyed the beautiful mage before turning his raised eyebrow to Dax. “Okay, what happened?”
Vance, Zarra, and Fern nodded, also wanting to know what happened.
Dax’s lips parted, but it was Nuria who spoke first.
“I was a little bored with guard duty. I was pacing back and forth when I saw the blue light through the trees. I thought it couldn’t hurt if I went to have a look.”
Nuria turned her attention to Dax with adoring eyes. “Dax followed me and saved my life.”
All eyes turned to Dax.
“I woke up and saw that she wasn’t outside anymore. I left my tent and followed,” Dax said, unsure of his own words.
Nuria nodded and snuggled against the mage. “I was a little too close to the mana flame. It was reaching out to me and I was lost to its hypnotic power. Dax pulled me away in time.”
“And now?” Vance asked with a confused brow.
Nuria looked to Vance with a wicked smile. “Dax is my champion. He saved me and I owe him my life.”
“This is truly strange,” Zarra said before picking up the steaming kettle with her bare hand and pouring hot water into cups.
“Was that all it took for you to stop being a bitch?” Fern laughed.
Nuria grinned. “I’m sorry for how I’ve acted. Dax saving me puts everything in perspective. I wish everyone could have seen him rushing to me and pulling me away. It was very heroic.”
This is very…very weird.
“I’m indebted and I hope I can make it up to Dax and everyone here,” Nuria smiled as she held onto the mage.
“I have no words,” Vance smiled.
“I think we all can say the same thing,” Symon added.
Zarra poured hot water into her cup before adding a teabag. “We have learned that trauma can change a person. The healing arts go beyond magic, sometimes we must treat the mind. Nuria may have shifted due to a life and death experience.”
Fern sat back, her hands on the ground and propping her body up. “What about Clive? He seemed pretty important to you,” Fern asked with suspicious eyes.
Nuria let out a small laugh. “Clive is simply a friend, like many of our classmates.”
Nuria turned her attention to Dax and looked to him with adoring eyes. “Dax did something I thought no one would ever do. He risked his life for me. I know I’ve been difficult, the pressures of the trials weighing heavy on me. I’m just happy Dax managed to wake me up from my cloud of stress.”
“Maybe we need to bring you back to the academy, so the healers can look you over and make sure you’re okay?” Symon said.
“I’m fine. Besides, if we did that, we would surely fail the trials. How about when we return, I’ll see a healer to be sure,” Nuria smiled, showing her teeth.
Concerned glances shot back and forth among the small group.
Dax spoke up, “We should continue with the trials. Like Nuria said, she can see a healer when we return. We still have three badges to achieve before returning back to the academy.”
Concern bled away and all heads nodded in unison.
Nuria continued to hold onto the mage, smiling.
This will be a trial in more ways than one. She seems to know everything she should know, but her personality is completely different. What happened when she touched the mana flames? Did it change a part of her?
Dax pondered before Nuria took a bit of food from Fern’s rations and fed it to him.
***
The days travelling blended together, as did the oddness. Most of the coterie was silent about it, talking about everything but Nuria’s change in personality. Dax found it strange that Nuria was at his side as they travelled. The beautiful mage couldn’t keep her hands off of him. Dax wished he could say it was annoying, but the attention helped him relax to some degree.
The nights were a different matter entirely. Dax woke up every time to Nuria already in his tent. She would be barely dressed, snuggling to him. When he would stir, she took the opportunity to enjoy his body, sucking on his member, her favorite pastime.
Each new day brought Nuria clinging to Dax’s side. They sat together when they ate and she purposely was close enough to reach out and touch his arm or leg every few moments. Dax found it harder to think, the needy Nuria messing up his thoughts at every turn. There wasn’t so much a conversation, but smiles and coos when she was close.
On the third day of their travels, Fern walked up to Nuria and took her hand.
“Come with me and walk on the sand,” the fairy grinned.
“Sure,” Nuria smiled.
Dax walked along, watching the short fairy and mage step from the road and onto the sand. Waves crashed in the background as Fern leapt into the air and fluttered down. Nuria was cheering her on and, with extreme disbelief, Fern and Nuria were doing cartwheels on the sand.
“We have to talk,” Symon said as he walked along Dax’s side.
The mage nodded. “I figured we would.”
“Nuria has been on you like a piece of clothing. I had Fern pull her away just so we can discuss what’s going on. So, what’s going on?”
Dax shook his head. “I don’t know. Nuria did see the mana flame, but she didn’t tell the whole story. She told me when she was by the flames that she was going to harness the power and tame it. She was jealous of my card technique and needed to show that she was destined for greatness.”
Dax looked ahead as he continued, “The flames touched her and surrounded her body. I used my troll card and it pulled her away before the mana flames destroyed it and my card. Then, she couldn’t control herself as we…”
Symon blinked. “I don’t know what to make of this? She was a complete…well, you know. Now, she’s acting like a different person. A happy and nice person.”
“I’m just as weirded out by this as everyone else,” Dax lamented.
“We have to bring her to a healer. They have to see if she is okay,” Symon whispered.
“We will be in Axminster by the afternoon. They must have a healer who can see her and discover if anything is wrong,” Dax nodded.
The mage glanced over his shoulder to Zarra and Vance as they trailed behind. “What does everyone else think?”
“Vance said mana can heal or corrupt, but pure mana from springs can alter the very fabric of a person. That’s why it's not encouraged to absorb it. But on the other hand, the reason why Kinarth and his fellow champions changed the course of the war was when they came to Mist Haven Isle, they absorbed pure mana in a desperate attempt to increase their power.
“Vance said many people died in the attempt, but over three dozen heroes managed to succeed. Theirs was an extreme example and why we train over time to be champions. Mana is slowly absorbed into our bodies over time so we can better control it.”
Symon turned his gaze, watching Fern and Nuria laughing as they skipped along the sand. “But Nuria changed, like night and day.”
“She is definitely easier to be around,” Dax joked.
Symon gave a small smile. “Maybe, but I have a bad feeling.”
Dax sighed. “Me too. We will have her see a healer and decide from there. If something is wrong, we will turn back and get her back to the academy.”
Symon nodded. “Sounds like a plan. I’ll tell the others.”
The spellsword slowed his step as Dax continued to walk.
I would hate to fail the trials, but if something happened to Nuria, we have to find out if she’s okay.
Nuria and Fern rushed back to the road. The fairy was leaping into the air and gliding down. Nuria curled her arm around Dax’s arm and walked with a smile.
“That was breathtaking,” the beautiful mage grinned and snuggled to Dax’s arm.
***
The town of Axminster loomed into view. The large town was located at the northern tip of the island, situated on a sturdy rock cliff with the ocean on three sides, surrounding it. The towers and buildings were made of stone, the highest tower a lighthouse, guiding ships at night and during misty mornings.
The coterie approached, all eyes drinking in the magnificent town. The road was wide and a large stone entrance welcomed them in. Stepping into the town, the group looked around, streets splitting into different directions, almost like the main road was the trunk of the town and the smaller streets, mere branches and leading into many directions.
