Mysterious conversations with friends and strangers

Sticks and leaves brush against your face as you stand up in the middle of the forest. Imporne looms on the horizon, several hours' walk away from your new location. You groan and stand up and begin the long walk to your rendezvous. Perhaps it would've been best to evacuate your champions before the mage's arrival: although you didn't like it, everything Zoxxzzixxaith said has come true. Now hopefully this gem is as important as it seems. You finger the blue crystal, staring at the warped shape that twists within it. A small kobold in the distance turns your way and then yelps in fright. Right; you're alone and in potentially hostile territory and dying is no longer just an inconvenience. The trees seem to rush away from you as you cast your glamour, your form shrinking to be that of a tall, muscular adventurer.

"You are not Akserrak." The statement fills your ears.

"Sorry, who am I speaking to?" You look around the forest as you speak, although nobody stands out.

"You don't need to speak out loud: I can hear you just fine." Maybe not your ears after all: it feels like you're hearing the voice directly in your brain. "How did you get my gemstone?" The presence in your head questions you with a stern insistence.

"I, well, I stole it, possibly from this Akserrak. Is that going to be a problem?" This time you do your best to just think of what you were planning to say without speaking it out loud.

"There is no love lost between us, if that is what you mean. You say you stole it? What did the one you stole it from look like?" A picture of the mage springs to your mind. "I see. Still clinging to his old life, it seems. Yes, that is Akserrak. Why did you steal me from him?" An impression of caution fills your mind.

"He stole my dungeon and has effectively imprisoned my champions and concubines. I remembered seeing this from the engravings on a golden sarcophagus and figured it might be important: I managed to steal it, equip it, and trick his minions into killing me before he could take it back." You kick a stick that makes the mistake of lying on the dirt too close to your foot.

"Not bad, daemon. I respect cunning. Now, I take it you are interested in defeating this villain?" The voice sounds hopeful.

"Defeating him and erasing him from existence, if I can." This time you torch a particularly perfect-looking tree with a spout of fire.

"Excellent!" Words come quicker to your brain, carried by an excited undertone. "I take it you have already realized that Akserrak's true nature is a lich. This gem is my prison and his phylactery. Under no circumstances are you to engage the lich directly, because as you've learned he's far your superior." A chiding tone suffuses the meaning. "This communication is straining me. Contact me again when you have defeated him temporarily and have mana available, but act quickly. Should you wait too long he will be restored, and I doubt he'll make the same mistake twice."

"Wait! What should I call you, and how should I contact you again if I need advice?" There's no reply: back to making it up as you go along. The walk is silent and boring, and given you actively avoid any signs of intelligent life the most interesting thing that happens is you firebolting a particularly juicy-looking rabbit for a snack: as a daemon you don't need the food, but it gives you something to keep yourself occupied with as you walk. Another hour after the rabbit and you start to recognize certain large trees and rocks: the clearing is near. A tent is set up in the middle, a small fire burning in front of it with three cloaked figures huddled around it. The moment you step out into the clearing the middle figure jumps up and crouches into a defensive posture, a dagger glinting in their hand. "Easy now." You allow your horns to appear briefly and the figure relaxes, then you reapply your glamour. The three figures drop their hoods to reveal the faces of Zalreanne and her trainees, Cindy and Annie.

"Master," Zalreanne stands and moves to hug you but reconsiders, dropping into a deep curtsy instead. "What is that gem you're wearing? Did you defeat your enemy? Where are the others?"

"It's a long story, but in short no. We're acting on our own for now, and the others won't be able to join us. I have a plan developing, but I need some time. These last three days were exhausting, and before anything else I need to rest." You take a seat across from the two adventurers and your chief maid stands behind you, massaging your shoulders. "Thank you for staying with my pet. I know you have your reasons for enjoying my dungeon, but it's still good to have trustworthy allies in times like this. I'm afraid I may need to ask for your more traditional adventurer skill set in the days to come, but don't worry: upon my victory you will be generously compensated."

"Look, daemon, no offence," from the way she's started, you really aren't looking forward to what Cindy has to say, "but this really wasn't what we had in mind when we joined you. Getting some daemon dick is one thing, but getting involved in some sort of monster civil war is quite another. Especially one that, by the sounds of it, is not going well. What, tangibly, can you offer us?"

"As it stands, nothing right now." You concede the point, getting the worst out of the way. "However, I can do one of two things depending on what sounds more interesting to you. First, I can offer you a quest with generous loot and experience rewards." the adventurers' eyes widen at the idea: clearly despite their stint as monster cumdumps the notion of loot and levels is still very much on their mind. "Second, I can offer you an immediate promotion in my dungeon. Both of these would not go anywhere unless I win, of course."

"Okay, and what exactly does this 'promotion' entail?" Annie crosses her arms and raises her eyebrow. If only she'd take off that cloak you gave her.

"First off, let me ask you a question, and I promise this is relevant. My understanding from talking to various people is that adventurers have two lives, of sorts, although I don't fully understand it." The two of them nod. Okay, good, at least you get that much. "How do you like that second life?"

"Honestly dude, it's pretty shit. I moved to a new city for my now ex-husband's job and then I found him cheating on me two years ago now. I barely know this place and meeting people has been a mess, not to mention the dating scene for a woman my age. Why do you think I spend most of my time in Arkus doing quests or getting laid as a much younger woman?" Annie nods as well but doesn't add anything to the explanation. "A lot of us really hardcore adventurers, the ones who are questing all the time, are doing it for a reason. Shards has this... draw to it. It's hard to explain, especially to a monster like you."

"If you could leave your other life behind, would you?" Annie lets out a skeptical laugh at that.

"Look, daemon, I like you, I really do, but don't give me that shit. I know I barely look 25 in here, but I'm too old to play make believe." The brunette mage shakes her head at the conversation. "Cut to the chase. What does this 'promotion' entail and why does it justify a suicide mission?"

"Have you heard of Sarah Jean Alderman?"

"Yeah, shit, where have I heard that name?" Objections forgotten for the moment, Annie furrows her brow and taps her finger to her chin in concentration.

"Wasn't she that chick in Utah who went missing? Suspected to have been some kind of abduction/**** case, although the dude was ranting about her vanishing while playing Shards and about him being innocent." Cindy seems to have a clearer memory for the event.

"Say, aren't there a bunch of conspiracy theories about that? Web pages and such about hardcore Shards players vanishing." Annie perks up, suddenly interested. "Could've sworn one of my friends linked me something like that. Everything is super circumstantial and sketchy, but it's a really compelling narrative."

"Come on girl, aren't we too old for weird conspiracy theories? Say, imp, how do you know about that case?" Cindy turns to you with a puzzled expression on her face. "Some adventurer mention it to you?"

"What if I told you that I was the cause of her disappearance?" You grin.

"Oh, again with the crap. Again, daemon, our twenties were a long time ago." Cindy echoes her friend's comment from earlier.

"Say, what day did Celestina join my dungeon as a champion?" Long fingers run through your goatee in an overacted and sarcastic imitation of a man thinking.

The woman spends a minute thinking back. "Shit dude, no way. Annie, do you remember what else those pages said?"

"Honestly, it doesn't quite fit." The mage talks quickly now, her voice betraying her excitement, "but I have to admit it actually sounds kind of plausible. Most of the stories involve really hardcore players, high level adventurers to those who know them in-game, going vanishing. And nearly every post claims that players saw the disappeared peoples' PCs in-game afterwards, although there are only a few sketchy sightings in most cases."

"And I was, erm, busy when Celestina made her contract, but based on when we were told about it my guess is it happened pretty soon to when Alderman disappeared." Cindy's words seem to be in a race to leave her mouth. "This is just such a coincidence, especially with this daemon somehow knowing all of this."

"I think if you weren't on your back at the time you would notice that the timing lines up straight to the minute." You grin: things are going how you hoped.

"Okay, imp, so cut to the chase." Despite her choice of words, the mage's tone is now eager rather than skeptical. "What exactly is this 'promotion' you're offering?"

"Well, I would be prepared to offer you a contract to bind you to Arkus in exchange for your long-term service in our dungeon?"

Cindy raises her eyebrow. "So, let me get this straight. Assuming this isn't all just fairy tale bullshit, you're offering us a chance to save your bacon in exchange for... being your servants?"

"I'm offering you the chance to help me in exchange for a new life, one that you very much enjoy rather than hate." You let your words linger in the air for a moment. "And it would most likely be a much longer life, too, both given your younger age here and your options for future... enhancements, like those I've already granted to my once-mortal champions. Remember, from what I'm told you don't 'respawn' in your other life." Annie gulps.

"Come on, girl, you can't tell me you're seriously considering this?" Cindy shoots a skeptical look at her friend.

Annie stares off into space for a moment before responding. "You can't seriously say you aren't, Cindy? Everything the imp has said is true. It's a long shot, but worst case we lose a few days of gaming and laugh at how naive we are over margaritas next time I get the chance to visit."

"Daemon, can you give us a moment?" Cindy stands up and takes her friend's hand, pulling her towards the treeline. You simply nod: you hadn't planned on going anywhere tonight anyways.

Zalreanne's hands massage a particularly tight spot on your shoulders and you remember that she's been there the whole time. "Mmm, pet, that's nice. Now, I imagine you've missed your favourite treat these past few days. Why don't you go meet him and say hello?" The ex-witch slides out of her cloak and you take a moment to admire how her piercings and cursed pearl necklace accentuate her mostly-nude form. She gets down on her hands and knees and starts coating your stiff human cock with long licks while she runs her small hands over it.

"Master," She speaks in between licks, "I've worked so hard on being a good girl for you like you asked these past weeks. Why are you rewarding those sluts before you reward me?" You gently rub her hair where it meets her ear and she moves her head upwards to take your tip in her mouth. You groan in satisfaction at the warm, wet sensation that you've been deprived of these past few days.

"Pet, remember that you need to work off your debt to me. That being said, your service to me has been truly exemplary ever since your outburst almost two weeks ago, and I've been strongly considering rewarding you. Would you like the opportunity to serve me full-time and forever?" She pushes herself all the way down on your shaft, taking you to the hilt for a moment before pulling back and nodding. "Well then, I'll tell you what. Serve me well and help me get my lair back and we can discuss your reward for your exemplary service after my victory. Okay?" She gives a meek nod and you groan as she strikes your most sensitive spots one after another with her tongue, using all of the practice and training she's had since her defeat only a month ago.

"Okay, daemon, we've had the chance to—mmm, I see you got started without us? Shannon is really a little freak, isn't she?" You give her a confused glance. "Oh, sorry, that's the hot piece of ass currently going down on you. Anyways, we've spoken about it and are willing to give this crazy story of yours a shot. Can you draw up the contract?"

"Unfortunately I'm afraid contracts require a great deal of magical power and we will need a properly designed magic circle to negotiate one. I assume we'll be able to find one in Broadbridge. Let's go there tomorrow. Does that work for you?" Both adventurers nod. "Excellent. Anything else?"

"Say, 'boss', didn't you say that you'd give us the chance to give you another test drive if we trained? Because Annie and I have been working awfully hard this past week..." their robes slide down to reveal their incredibly skimpy armour, and you moan and release a load into your pet's mouth as even the armoured underwear begins falling piece by piece to the ground. You may not be happy about losing your dungeon, but it's nice to be back to some of your other routines after the stressful last few days. Despite the hard and unfamiliar ground you rest on, the sleep that follows is your best since before the lich's world bounty.