Hunt for the Necromancer- The Complete Series, page 15
part #1 of Hunt for the Necromancer Series
She smiled, cat-walking to the door as she licked her lips. “I have a spell that makes me able to identify the truth in whatever people say… But I need some sort of bodily fluid. This usually is the one that best gives me info.” She winked, opening the door. “I’ll send word when all is ready.”
I stood there, gaping jaw and twitching dick, watching her swaying off. I could only hope this Melea would help me with the blue balls.
4
The whole freaking city was present to watch us leave. Besides Zev, there were other five men waiting, organizing weapons and pouches. All of them wore dark metal protections over their chests like Zev did, and tied short swords to their hips. Though all of them had somewhat hollow cheeks and bags under their eyes, Zev was by far the skinniest. I eyed the Elder’s guard who waited for her by Zev’s door - he was also coming with us and was not the only one with a mountain of muscles. If these guys looked like Terry Crews while starving, I had no idea how the hell they looked like in top-notch.
Zev approached me with a small satchel in hand, lifting it up to eye level. “Here. Some healing potions and a defense boost for you. It’s especially good against half-wolves and the beasts since it’s made of those stinky flowers outside… But careful when to use it. There’s only one.”
I nodded, thanking him as I looked around the other soldiers. Though the Elder’s guard held a stern and determined look, a couple of those soldiers were decidedly grim, their lips turned downwards as they shared glances with crying kids and older women.
Some of these people were going to die so I could try to take Melea down.
The realization weighed down on my stomach. The pleasurable parts of the game were surely mind-blowing, but those grim, realistic moments were a kick in the balls. I wondered if my friend Marc had the same dilemmas I did - he certainly said I’m one to over-think things.
The Elder approached, hips swaying under her long cloak. The hem of her hood rested atop her forehead, golden eyes gleaming as the other soldiers straightened up, bowing their heads to her. I followed, thankful the material of my pants was now sturdy enough not to let everyone else know of my hard-on. It was impossible not to have a hard-on remembering her tight lips around my shaft.
“This,” she stretched an arm, motioning to the soldiers close to me, “is our last stand. The very last of our greatest soldiers are going against our enemy, Melea, the thief, one last time. Aaron,” the way her resounding voice said my name made me jolt, “has been tested and it is true! He has defeated both the Demoness that made Glennhaven her den and Queen Faye, the usurper of the Averly throne!” Some members of the audience murmured their surprises. The soldiers with grim faces clenched their jaws, their expressions becoming somewhat more certain. The Elder looked intently into my eyes, raising her hand in a blessing. “Go and fight well. Be in life or death, may the goddesses be with you all.”
I bowed a second after the other guys, then turned to follow them out. They all looked at me though, expectancy over their features. I clenched my jaw and took the first step ascending the stairs back out, puffing my chest as I wondered if I’d be able to level up enough.
* * *
Up the stairs, out of the cavern and across the flower field we walked, as I remade my steps towards the edge of the forest and the road. Even if we were now in a group, with some really buffed up soldiers among us, I still wondered if it was wise to approach Firesse through the main road. Melea would definitely know of us before-handed and send waves after waves of wolves to annihilate us. As I learned the hard way, I needed at least a moment’s breath between packs so I could get some stamina and health back.
The forest was as silent as it had been when we entered. All I heard was the swish of footsteps and leaves crunching beneath us as we approached the border. Looking up, I could still see the same black sky, not a single star in view among the treetops. Frowning, I turned to Zev, who walked beside me with a lantern.
“It might be a weird thing to say,” I started, catching his attention. “But it’s been a long night, hasn’t it?”
Zev cocked an eyebrow, then looked up with a stern expression. “Oh, yeah. It’s been two days already.”
“What?” I jerked, waiting if he would laugh or make some joke. He didn’t say anything else though. “What do you mean ‘it’s been two days’?”
He nodded, “Yeah. The elders believe the Necromancer did something to the goddesses. That wouldn’t surprise me.”
The hot Elder did say something about some goddesses. It was interesting to think of how many things I didn’t know about this world yet. “I’m sorry, I don’t think I’m… acquainted with the concept. What goddesses?”
“Nyx and Lux, the goddesses of night and day, respectively,” Zev stretched a side-smile. “It is said that, even though they’re twins, they’re always fighting for which one of them is the prettiest. Some days, Nix wins and we have longer nights; other days, Lux wins and we have longer days.”
“That part is just superstition,” one of the men behind us frowned. His hand rested on the hilt of his short sword, and he was almost as big as the Elder’s guard. “What is worrisome is that the Necromancer probably took down one of the goddesses. Can you just imagine what would happen if the two were killed?”
I honestly couldn’t. “So you think the Necromancer did something to the goddess of daylight?”
“It doesn’t matter,” the Elder’s guard roared. “We’re not able to hold our own city from the attacks of Melea’s wolves. Goddesses are definitely something we cannot take on right now.”
The silence was heavy as we stepped out of the forest edge. If it weren’t for the lanterns, it would be utter and complete darkness. I turned around to the group, gripping the hilt of my sword.
“I’d like to discuss the next steps. A frontal attack is not a good idea. Her wolves could easily surround us-”
“Oh, how bright of you to notice that,” the Elder’s guard rolled his eyes.
For a moment, I wanted to let it go and pretend I said nothing. Let others take control and make choices. But I was the one set to do it. I’ve won against leaders no one managed to stand up to. I was fucking destroying this game and no pointy-eared bastard was about to make me feel bad about it.
I didn’t even puff my chest, I just crossed my arms, letting my face express all the not-taking-this-bullshit I was feeling. I cocked my brow, tilting my chin up. “You done?”
For a moment, I was sure he was going to jump over me. Under my crossed arms, the tips of my fingers brushed over the hilt of my sword. I probably wouldn’t be fast enough to avoid being hit, but I’d definitely kill this guy. Just, of course, that would make me one ally poorer.
But the other half-wolves snorted, looking at the guard with amused expressions. The guard rolled his eyes, crossing his arms as he huffed but said no more.
“Good call, Aaron,” Zev praised with a smirk. “We don’t have time for this. You were saying? About not approaching in a frontal attack?”
“Yeah. I’ve never been to Firesse so I’m not sure about the geography. Is there a way through the back? Like secret passages or something?” I remembered the path I used to get in the palace back in Averly. It had been quite straight forward. But one of the soldiers shook his head.
“No. It’s a system of underground caves. One entrance only.”
I tutted, tapping a finger to my chin. “I see. So it’ll be better if we take a slow, safe way until we get there, using the space around us and our numbers to kill as many wolves as we can without taking much damage before we reach the city. In there, we’ll probably be attacked from all sides.”
The others agreed. Zev pointed to the line of trees. “We can follow the border of the forest. It runs parallel to the road for a while, and the road will start to descend here. Since the wolves are always waiting for potential victims using the main road, I think we’ll be able to flank some this way.”
“Perfect,” I started up the path in the semi-darkness, looking at him over my shoulder. “How far do you think they can smell us?”
Zev tapped his forefinger to the side of his nose. “Don’t worry about that. I’ll know about them first. They stink like shit.”
We strode for some fifteen minutes before Zev signaled he smelled wolves. All of us unsheathed our swords, reorganizing the group so the ones with the lanterns stood back. Grasping my sword, I took the lead once more, keeping my eyes open.
A small group laid in the grass, three sleeping on their sides, one of them, as if on watch, gnawing something I didn’t feel like finding out. It stopped and snapped its big head at us the moment our lantern approached the group. With a loud growl, the wolf squatted on its hinge legs, waking the others, and jumped at us.
I took a step for leverage, swinging my blade and baring my teeth as it dove at me. I slashed at its chest, then at its head, and it fell sideways, lifeless. As I turned to face the others, they were already following their leader, killed one after the other.
That was the advantage of hunting in a pack. It was all over in the bat of an eye.
We walked back to the edge of trees, the ground under our feet becoming steeper and giving us higher ground when compared to the road. Carefully and the soundlessly, we killed packs over packs with the same numbers for a while. Just when we were getting comfortable, not minding to be silent as much, being less careful, the guys sliding impressed glances in my direction, the pack would grow in a wolf. From four to five and so on, I was already taking three or four wolves in a pack to be sure the guys wouldn’t get hurt. Though strong, some of them seemed to be lacking some stamina.
Which was kind of understandable. You can pull weights inside a cavern, but it might be kind of hard to run in the forest without worrying about the wolves on your clue.
As the line of trees ended, we were forced to approach a rock dome in the middle of the road I could only take was the entrance to Firesse. Carefully circling it, we killed the sole pack of wolves on the back of it - a big ass pack, if I may add, with ten common killers and a big wolf that gave me tons of experience after I slashed its throat. We stopped at the entrance, and I starred at each one of my allies. All had the same mixture of longing and fear upon their expressions; wishing to go back home, not sure if they’d survive it.
They were the last soldiers of their kind. If they fell, who would defend the people left back in the forest?
“Guys,” I murmured, watching the dark set of stairs that burrowed into the earth. “Thank you for coming with me all this way. You can go back now. You’ll definitely know if I succeed.” It was a risk. I knew I didn’t have enough levels to face Melea without taking damage yet, so I’d have to be extra careful, stay in the shadows, use my potions wisely to get around the city killing wolves, not using the pillar of light again. It might take a while, and it would be dangerous, but I could get some more levels inside the city by myself. Or die trying, in the least.
The Elder’s guard scoffed. “Are you kidding? That’s not how a pack works. If you fall, we’ll all fall together.”
No one laughed at him this time. “But if you guys die… Who will protect the ones back in the forest?”
Zev shrugged, “They can hold on for some time yet. We’d all starve to death anyway. The difference is that we’re making a last stand.” He grinned, the tips of his canines forcing against his lower lip. I watched the others puffing their chests out and smiling at one another.
I smiled back, gripping my sword. “Let’s take this city back.”
* * *
Reach Firesse was crossed out from the corner of my vision, blinking to a new message.
Defeat Melea.
No need to ask.
But my whole speech sounded so much braver before we entered the city. Even though the halls were dimly lit with orange fires, we were still caught in a surprise attack from a small pack around the first corner.
The Elder’s guard was the first to fall. Maybe because of how huge he was, the wolves clearly made a target out of him. We were constantly turning to try and save him from attacks. It built up to the moment a huge wolf bit him around the throat and the rest of us couldn’t get to him fast enough. He wasn’t moving anymore when we finally managed to kill all the bastards. The other guys held wide eyes but clenched jaws as we all agreed to move on.
In such a tight space, the beasts used their specialty on us all the time - surprise attack after surprise attack and we were healing up every two or three packs. The whole place smelled like “shitty bastards”, as Zev complained, so even if they had better noses for it, they couldn’t know when there was a pack waiting for us around the next corner.
Faster and safer than if I was by myself, I leveled up. Though feeling bummed for the guard’s death, I was also convinced about this whole approach. If I defeated Melea right off the bat, the guard’s death would be avenged for the city would be safe. If I made her my ally, she wouldn’t attack them ever again. I was sure he would think it was worth the price.
So we pressed on. We rested when stamina dropped too low, we healed when needed and we were careful as shit even if those beasts seemed to have a sixth sense to find us.
“The main square is right up this street,” breathed Zev, peeking around the wall. “We’ll definitely be attacked there. Ready?”
“How could you--” I tried to ask but the group set off before I could. As we approached the square, I could figure a tall, dark obelisk, and a girl sat under it.
Mini-boss. Of course. There had always been a mini-boss to kill right before the boss fight. Some extra couple of levels wouldn’t be bad. I wanted to tell the guys to stay behind, but the square seemed deserted aside from the girl sitting cross-legged, waiting for us, so the whole group approached. They halted as I still took a couple of steps toward her. She opened dark eyes, blinking up at me with a smile.
“Oh, it’s been a long time we don’t have any revolts,” she giggled, standing up. She was short. The top of her head wouldn’t reach my chest. A pretty, round face coupled with round chest and round hips, and a pair of cute triangle ears on the top of her head. As expected, Lycan girls were the perfect mixture of hot and cute. She paused small hands over her hips, swaying them from side to side. “I’ve missed having someone to play with…” One of her hands slid up her torso to lightly cup one of her tits. I held my breath as her eyes became foggy, looking at me. “And I surely don’t remember the last time I had a human.”
I groaned, pulling my sword in front of me. “Let’s make a deal,” I grinned, using the same boldness she was using on me against her and letting my eyes dance over her forms. “You surrender. In exchange, we’ll fuck you senseless.”
The guys behind me murmured in excited agreement.
Guys, come on. It’s a mini-boss, that’s not how she works.
Her mouth formed a cute O shape, “You humans sure are bold!” Pressing her arms together, her tits jumped up, almost spilling out of her low cut leather vest. She slid both her hands under her small, fur-lined skirt. I followed her movements close, even if I still held a smirk. “Such an unrefined pack,” she whistled. “Get rid of them for me, boys!”
I turned around at the sound of growling. All around us, wolves upon wolves took shape, as if rising from the shadows. Large and small, white and black furred, they bared their fangs at us. I retreated, seeking my companions’ backs.
“Don’t worry about us,” Zev growled from behind me. “Kill her and move ahead to Melea! That’s the only way to stop it!”
“They’re too many!” I retorted.
“Do it!” One of the other guys yelled, jumping over to the wolves, knife ready to kill.
I swiped the menu open and activated Punishment. Time was short if I wanted to keep those guys alive. Not only I had to get rid of the mini-boss and defeat Melea without taking damage - it had to be fast.
Whatever it takes. Even if it meant killing the cute half-wolf with her hands under her skirt.
She bit her lower lip, still staring at me, her hands moving the slightest as I jumped on her, a yell escaping my throat. I slashed in an upward motion, hoping for a critical, but I hit nothing, almost losing my balance as she jumped away. She giggled, bringing a juice-slicked hand to her lips.
“Oh, feisty,” she stuck her tongue out, licking her fingers. My cock twitched hard. “I like that.”
Though I would have loved to stick my own fingers in her, I had to focus. I pulled in a breath and changed my feet so I could attack her differently. I had little time, so I had to use all my strategy to land as many hits as possible.
I closed the space between us and slashed like crazy.
Definitely looking stupid as fuck, I wasn’t proud of what I was doing. It was clumsy and lacked any sort of style, but well. I was hitting her, and here and there I landed a critical hit. I pressed on, slashing away without thinking much until her smirk dropped to a scowl, and then to the moment she dropped to her knees.
