Ashk Crotalinae, Bandit Leader, Strange City

One horse at the front, the noble no doubt, I imagine she had a look of superiority like always. Two soldiers each side of her on foot. Then five wagons with merchants driving them, more troops, maybe two dozen and a rear guard of six on horses doubling as outriders for the convoy. At least that's all I could see from this great distance and really it's all I needed to know. I lowered my spyglass and squinted off into the distance, they were barely a spec to the naked eye, shimmering in the haze of the Alastian sun, nearly a league out, but still I could gauge the measure of them. They were way too many of them and too heavily armed for us to take on. I grinned. It's all going to plan.

I rolled over on the dusty rock and slipped down the other side, falling some thirty feet to the ground landing behind my second, Caite. She was tending to the horse with her back turned, she yelped in suprise at my entrance, quickly turning to me with a shocked expression.

"Oh!" She cried while calming down. "Don't make me jump like that."

I ignored her complaining and reached into the saddle pack to stow my spyglass.

"So...?" She asked while looking at me for information, eyebrows raised as she passed me control of the reigns.

"This is it." I announced as I finally looked at her. "Looks like the entire guild is on the move. Judging by the distance, they will be in the Capital at sundown, we have some time. " I hopped up, swung a leg round and got on my mount.

Caite looked up at me in surprise, then shook her head in bewilderment.

"How? How do you always guess their moves so far ahead?" She asked as she made her effort to get on her horse.

"It's not hard Caite, my little cub." I teased. "Piss someone off enough and they tend to do what you want. Works every time" I reached out and ruffled the young bandits hair which made her raise her hands in response.

"Stop that!" She complained, batting my arm away. "Lets just get back to camp, we need to tell everyone the plan is on. No more waiting. Finally."

I didn't respond in words, only a quick nod before I just dug my heels in and galloped off with her behind.

A short ride later we arrived at camp. From the outside it looked like any other rock formation, but this Inselberg was split at the side allowing a small gap to the sheltered center where it had an open, if gloomy space. It wasn't the lap of luxury but it served its purpose for now as a good hide and base of operations. I nodded to the lookout, Haizn as I passed her, she rolled her eyes at me. The shouting I could hear coming from our camp clued me in as to why.

"What is this Piss!? Who the fuck let you cook!?" Dalmi shouted. She was new, hotheaded, potentially more trouble than she was worth but I needed the numbers to pull off this job so I had **** but to pick her up with the other new recruit, Sekria. At least she had the sense not to pick a fight with her new band.

"What? Got nothing to say?" Dalmi spat as she picked up a wooden stool and made to strike the cowering cook. I had seen enough, I've been away for less than ten minutes and the new girl is already throwing around her weight. I slipped one of my daggers from my belt and threw it across the dark space, embedding it in the stool with a 'Thunk'.

Dalmi felt the impact on her improvised weapon and looked to my dagger, then to me. I hoped the look I gave her communicated the message. She threw the impaled furniture to the sand, instantly cooling off and changing the subject.

"Well?" Dalmi asked.

"It's on." I replied as I walked over to retrieve my dagger. There was a murmur of excitement amongst the other women. "The whole guild is relocating back to the capital. I told you, we make them hurt in just the right way, they'd come running back." I grasped the hilt of my blade and yanked it out the wood. "We need to make a move today. They with be in the city at sundown. The timing is perfect."

"It's still a crazy plan, we are assuming a lot." Sekria questioned.

"No reward without risk..." I corrected her. "... but this is going to pay off. Trust me." I started to walk around the cave, walking from one of my sisters to the other, giving everyone one last pitch. "Think about it, the caravan is arriving in the city at the end of a long journey, the whole time, paranoid, on guard for an attack. When they make it to the city they are going to feel like they made it, they will just want an Inn and a warm bed at that point. All their wealth will be passed off to the City guard for the night to be dealt with in the morning. The Guards will be ending their shifts with little motivation. 'It's only one night' they will think as they sling all that stuff in a warehouse to be dealt with later. They won't care too much, it's not their money. "

"What warehouse?" Dalmi cut in.

"I don't know, yet." I replied "I will go ahead and scout it out with the horses. Once I find it I'll meet everyone back at the meeting point to plan our next move, Caite knows where it is. I'll need a second, Sekria, You come with me on the other horse. The rest follow Caite."

I had circled the cave giving my instructions, getting nods of encouragement and acknowledgement as I told everyone their instructions. My route finished with me looking down on the sorry sight of the cook, still cowering on the floor. She had a title once, but we just called her Jass for short and it stuck. I felt sorry for the shivering thing, the bandit life was not for her but sometimes life gives you those hard knocks.

"You okay?" I knelt down and rubbed her back, she looked up at me with watery eyes, then a quick nod. "How's your mouth doing?" I ask her as I gently part her lips to see inside. The light from the fire was faint but I could still see some red rawness on the gums and roof of her mouth. Having a tongue made of stone must be hell.

"Alright" I said, closing her mouth. "Stick with Caite, she knows what to do." Jass looked up at me and smiled slightly, relieved at least someone was still on her side. I took a cup and dunked it in the stew she was cooking and swigged a mouthful. I spat it out on the floor in front of her.

"Tastes like piss." I noted while standing back up, Jass just looked back to the floor dejectedly. "Everyone get a good taste." I shout to the group. "Two days from now, we won't have to eat anything that bad again." That got a few wry smiles. "Sekria with me"

I left the group to finish their food and ready themselves for the journey ahead. I didn't care much for Dalmi, once this was over I'd be glad to see that back of her but Sekria seemed more inquisitive, smart and dependable. Depending on her performance, there would be a place for her in the group if she wanted, either way, the journey to the capital was a good chance to get to know her better.

We finally arrived at an out cropping of rock which had a view of the whole city. We had been riding our horses hard, so we let them stand as we took in the vista. Sekria gave a whistle at the view which surprised me.

"Not seen it before?" I asked. "You Coastal girls don't get out much, huh?"

"Huh." She scoffed. "I just didn't expect it to be so, pretty. Those white towers... " She trailed off.

"Full of Jackals and Vultures, don't let 'em fool ya." I quipped back.

There was a moment of silence between us as she let the information settle.

"Ashk..." She stated getting my attention. "I've been meaning to ask, I don't want you to take this the wrong way..."

"What is it? Better ask now than find out the hard way later.." I told her.

"Jass... Why keep her around? She can't cook, she is clearly no fighter. She can just about clothe herself. I asked the others about her and they said she used to be a Noble? Why is she part of the group?"

I took a deep breath, it stung to hear it put so bluntly about one of my own but it was a fair question. Dead weight in the desert usually ends up with everyone dead.

"Jass...was a Noble, that's true. She was part of the court in one of those pretty white towers." I gestured to the center of the city where the palace rose up above the other buildings. "She was our contact in high places. We used to have a pretty sweet gig in this city."

"What kind?" Sekria asked.

"People smuggling..." I told her matter of fact. She creased her eyebrows at the mention of it.

"Don't look at me like that." I added rolling my eyes. "We weren't kidnappers or anything. We smuggled people into the capital that wanted to be there. Men mostly"

"Men?" Sekria asked puzzled. "Why would men want to come to a city they were banned from? That's Crazy."

"Probably why they wanted in." I shrugged. "Either way, the law gave us an opportunity and we took it. Men, wealthy men I might add, saw this city as some kind of paradise and would pay good coin to be smuggled in, we would disguise them. Show them around, whatever. Easy money."

"Uh huh..." Sekria looked at me like I wasn't telling the whole story. I wasn't. She was smart.

"Okay, so it's true men are dangerous and yes most of out clients did get bored of the 'look don't touch' rule but I looked out for my girls. Soon as they start demanding Courtesans we ruffed them up, took em for every penny they were worth and shipped them back home in a crate. I think some of them even liked that bit. No one really got hurt."

"Until..." Sekria motioned me to continue. I took a deep breath as I remembered the events.

"I don't know how, maybe it was the Order, maybe not, but the Palace Guard came for us. They hit us hard and fast, the only reason we had warning at all and got everyone out was because of Jass. She was our mole, they found her out too. Questioned her directly in front of the Queen, they turned her tongue to stone for lying, stripped her of her titles and threw her in the dungeon to rot. "

"Goddess..." Sekria Muttered under her breath.

"I got her out, I wasn't about to let someone take the fall for us that hard. I told you. I look after my own." I gave her a smile, maybe it would convince her to join us if I give her the whole 'We are family' pitch.

"So how did you get her out?" Sekria asked.

"You ask to many questions..." I realised time was slipping away and our horses have had their rest. "I will say it was a close run thing and if you ever see the Captain of the Guard. Tall woman, black hair, eyepatch. Just run."

"Okay.." Sekria agreed warily. "..I am still trying to come to terms with the idea that men think this place is paradise."

"Don't be." I told her bluntly. "Some people forget that even paradise has gutters people get forgotten in." I thought back to my childhood in the streets laid out before me. "Come, I know of a way in on the western wall. I'll need your help getting in."

She nodded and the both of us kicked our heels into our horses and galloped off away from the main gate and round the side of the city.

I found the spot I was looking for in the western wall. A small stream flowed through a grate into the surrounding countryside to be used for irrigation. The metal barrier was far too sturdy and dense to get a fist through with no hope of a person. I looked up to a gap in the stone work. When building the wall, care had bee taken to design an exit for the water, the large square stones not lining up perfectly, leaving just enough space to squeeze through. Only problem was, this gap was some twenty feet from the ground.

I got off my horse and took my cloak off, rolling any items I might need in the city up in it, my daggers, water flask, spyglass.

"Give me a leg up would you?" I asked Sekria. She nodded and quickly dismounted, clasping her hands together I put my foot in her interlaced fingers. She wasn't that strong but I'll take the boost as I was flung up to an overhang in the brickwork. In my profession, climbing was an important skill and I needed it right now as I clung to the stonework with just my finger tips, hoisting myself up to the gap which was barely visible. I flipped round, stuck one leg in the gap and braced myself upside-down looking at Sekria below me. I gestured to my belongings still wrapped up tight in a bundle. She threw it up to me which I caught and stuffed into the gap.

"The others are already on their way, hide the horses away from here, meet everyone back at this meeting point. I'll only need an hour or two. If you don't hear from me before then, Caite knows what to do." I called down to Sekria who nodded, before climbing back on her horse and took both our mounts out of sight, leaving me by myself.

I pushed the bundle of fabric into the gap and with some trepidation squeezed in after it. There was barely any space for me in the dark filthy crevice, dead leaves and dirt felt slick under me as I crawled and wiggled in the darkness. I was wearing tight leather pants but even so, my hips were only just making it through as they scraped along the rough brickwork. With great relief I pushed my belongings out the other side, I heard them fall to the ground before I slipped out he other side after them. I was finally in the city.

I dropped onto lush grass, took a quick peek to see no one was around and picked up my belongings. There were other gaps in the wall like that but this one was unique as the exit was quite secluded. I found myself in the garden of the Temple of the Goddess. An Idyllic place where the priestesses can come to reflect on their holiness or some such. I made a small stop at the stream as it babbled past me and out the grate to the wilds of Alastia. Looking through the gaps in the iron I could see no trace of Sekria as she was already long gone. I could still feel the dirt on my skin from my tight entrance so I took a second to clean the grime off myself with the streams pure waters, then hastily unrolled my cloak and equipped my daggers and gear. With a quick motion I flung the cloak over my shoulders and drew the hood over my face to hide my identity. It's been a year but I probably still had warrants for my arrest. I needed to be careful. I would have to enter the temple from the back door and slip out the main entrance to the streets of the market district. The temple was open to the public but I was not positive about the gardens I was in. Like a ghost I unlatched the thick wooden door and slipped through the gap to the temple's main hall.

I glanced right and left, no one had seen me yet. From this point as far as the Priestesses were concerned I was just another citizen here to pray in this public space. The only Priestess I even saw was one at the door, quietly writing on a parchment as she waited to greet the next wayward soul. A flash of worry crossed my mind, if she was watching the door then she would know that I never came in that way. If she tugs at that thread, questions could be difficult. I had to get past her though, I'll put my hood up, if she tries to question me I'll ignore her, walk past and blend into the crown outside, not her problem, she'll just get on with her day. I hope.

My heart was thumping as I approached her, I was giving her no eye contact. 'Just keep writing' I willed her. It seemed like I was not going to get out hassle free as I saw her look up at me as I approached. She licked her lips as she stood from her chair to address me but just before she did the door next to her creaked open, she turned to address the new caller to the temple. My luck was in, I could slip past while she talked to the new visitor. I bit my lip in frustration when I saw that the new guest was no merchant or farm girl come to pay their respects but a city guard, complete with armor and weapons, clearly on duty. Was I really going to have a fight on my hands this soon? It was just one guard, no problem but I was supposed to be keeping a low profile. I had **** at this point so I stuck to the plan, to them I'm just a visitor leaving the temple, no need to stop me. I quickened my pace to walk past them as the Priestess turned to the guard and embraced her in a kiss. What? Not just a tender peck on the lips either, I could hear them as I slipped past, tongues exploring each other. I dare not chance my luck further, if they don't care about myself bearing witness to their scandalous affair that's fine by me, Ill show myself out without comment on their quite erotic greeting.

My disguise still holding, I moved into the crowds in the street outside the temple as everyone got on with their business in the midday sun. My stomach growled. I wondered briefly if skipping lunch was such a good idea, I should have eaten Jass's slop I realised. Too late now however, I did have some time to kill so perhaps I might swipe something from the market first before heading to the front gate and scoping out the guard house and storage areas.

The bustle of the market was in full swing, crowds of women moving through the streets going from stall to stall. I had my hood up so I did not have much of a view of the people around me as I liked, relying on my ears to warn me of danger. I found myself in front of a fruit stall, citrus fruits adored it's display as well as a nice basket of juicy red apples. I licked my lips, no one would miss one. I looked to my right, the merchant was a young woman, busily stacking some goods with her back turned to me. Perfect. A quick flick of the wrist, One, Two, Three, apples found their way up my sleeve.

"Oh hi there, I didn't see you!" The stall owner shouted to me as I pretended to browse the rest of her stall. She didn't catch me by the sound of it, I'll make some small talk and make my excuses, then go and have some lunch.

"Yeeeah..." I started as I scratched my chin looking at her display. "I was wondMMPF"

She cut me short by grabbing my cloak and pushing her face against mine. I was not prepared in anyway for her surprise make out session so her tongue found no resistance as it slithered its way into my mouth, gently rubbing it's way along the length of my own tongue. As suddenly as she **** herself on me she pulled back, a line of spittle connecting our lips which she quickly bought her arm up to wipe away. I thought I had seen it all but I was honestly stunned. The apples I swiped rolled from my sleeve as my brain focused on the kiss I just got and not stowing them away. They bounced and rolled to a stop at the stall owners feet.

"Hey!" The woman cried. "Did you just take those? You're a thief?!"

"W-what. Wait. No!" I protested. I was still coming to terms with what just happened. She wasn't a bad looking girl, thick dark blonde hair tied back, freckles dusted her nose. I wouldn't kick her out of bed. Unfortunately I probably just ruined my chance at courting her with my bungled shoplifting. I thought about running, but I was supposed to be discreet and I wouldn't be able to search the city with the town guard chasing me everywhere. How could I potentially ruin such a important job? Maybe I could talk my way out of this.

"Well, you are lucky he doesn't want trouble or I would call the town guards." She complained, squatting down to pick up her fruit from the floor where I dropped them.

What did she just say?

"He?" I asked still confused. "Who doesn't want trouble?"

The Woman stood up, rubbed the apples with her skirt and put them back on display. She heard my question, considered it for half a second.

"I dunno..." She shrugged. "... But he doesn't want trouble breaking out in the city so it would please him if I don't make a scene. Are you actually going to buy something or are you done stealing?" She looked me up and down with contempt. Her answer only confused me more.

"Forget the fruit!" I called to her as she put her hands on her hips, scowling at me. "What was that kiss for? I don't mind a gal being forward but..."

"Oh come on, don't be thinking that I like you that way!" She complained. "It would please him if we all greeted with..." She paused and rolled her eyes before stating. "'A sloppy kiss" Her fingers making obvious that it was a direct quotation of a request.

"Who?!" I shouted back at her, even more annoyed that she dodged the most important question.

"I have no idea." She argued back. "Like I said, I just did it to please him, so don't get any funny ideas. Are you going to buy some fruit or not? I got other customers to see."

She was in a mood, clearly agitated by my failed theft and I didn't want to push the issue but she was honestly putting me in a mood of my own. Caite always says I was too hotheaded sometimes, maybe, but I wasn't about to drop this. She was making a fool out of me.

"Why then?" I asked. "Why are you kissing everyone because some guy asked you too?"

She let out a long sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose like I was the one being stupid.

"He didn't ask me, he just wants it..." She paused considering her words. "I think..."

"How long have you been doing what this guy wants?" I asked.

"I-I don't remember" She said looking confused for the first time. Her doubt only lasted for a second before she shook off the mental fog. "Either way I've got regulars to deal with. Good day"

She pushed me out the way with her arm, her angry expression giving way to a broad smile.

"Ah Miss Asberwith!" She gleamed at a middle age woman who pushed past me without a word. "So good to see you!" She added before cupping the woman's face in her hands and giving her an equally intense kiss that she gave me. I stood bug eyed at the sight of it, not helped by the seemingly prude looking woman kissing her back with equal passion. I could only imagine the wild affair that these woman would need to have to give such a display. Without any acknowledgment of the exhibit they were giving, they broke off from each other.

"Thank you my dear..." The woman stated matter of factly. "I was actually looking for some vegetables, what do you have?" They both carried on, business as usual. Was this woman the victim of a curse I wondered. Why was she suffering from it and not everyone else. Looking around I saw other people talking and chatting over barters and sales like any other day I can remember in the market, except it wasn't just this woman. Every time I caught the beginning of an interaction, it always started with a kiss. Every time. Every customer was greeted with a passionate snog that they also initiated. The whole market was cursed. My mind flashed to what I saw in the temple, perhaps the whole city.

"There you are!" The stall owner exclaimed at a younger woman jogging up to the stall. The noise caught my attention.

"Sorry! Sorry!" The girl bashfully admitted, while grabbing an apron that was hanging on the frame of the stall. "I got held up..." The girl paused when what was clearly her boss turned to her and embraced in another passionate show. Both girls clearly holding nothing back as they opened their mouths and explored each other, sensually. A few seconds later they pulled away, like it was just a normal greeting.

"Excuses... Excuses..." The owner complained, wiping her mouth for the third time in as many minutes.

"It's true, I ran into some friends on the way here, they both had family with them. With all the introductions between everyone, by the time we were all done kissing I was already late! Then I remember my mother told me I had to run to the tavern because someone owed her a favour, she needed to order a pie for tonight, I spent ages just trying to find the owner. I had to ask nine different people before they told me where she was! My mouth is so tired!"

Her story gave me a vivid mental image which took me aback, her boss seemed to take it in her stride however.

"Enough wittering, I've had enough today as it is, with this thief and all..." She gestured towards me.

"Wait, that woman?" The girl pointed to me.

"Uh huh, she tried to lift some apples but I got em back." The stall owner boasted.

"Hey you!" The girl shouted at me as she walked over. She was a pretty thing, curse or not I might as well enjoy this. "Get out of here, we don't want trouble"

There was that phrase again, was not wanting trouble part of the curse I wondered. The girl seemed to be in her late teens, of age no doubt so I don't have to feel too guilty about taking advantage of this situation. I could tell she was compelled to kiss me as she made her way over, I opened up my arms in an embrace as she put her lips up against my wide grin. I felt the now familiar feeling of someone else enter my mouth, she was cute and a good kisser. I guess she has had a load of practice recently I mused. I bought my arms down to her butt, giving it a quick squeeze.

"Hey!" She yelped pulling away from me. "Keep your hands to yourself!"

I stepped back without apologizing.

"What are you gonna do? Call the guards?" I teased on a hunch.

"No, of course not." The girl confirmed.

"Aaaahhh, I see." The gears shifted in my head as I went back to the apples, grabbed one from the top and bit into it, taking in it's succulent flavour.

"Are you going to pay for that?!" The owner asked as she moved another basket of goods to the display.

"Nope." I managed to mumble out past pieces of apple in my mouth. I took another bite now confident that whatever power was compelling these people to kiss, also **** them to avoid confrontation at all costs. Well at least, physical confrontation, they still bitched about it. I chuckled at the thought. I was interested to see how far I could push this. I might be risking the job but if my hunch was right, I might have just stumbled onto a situation which made the riches of the job look like pocket change.

"You eat it, you bought it!" The stall owner complained as I walked up to her.

"You are not going to make me so why should I?" I told her matter of factly.

"For the love of the Goddess" She complained, "This day keeps getting-Ah!" I cut her off with a hard slap to her skirted rear, only for my hand to then rest on her rump, giving it a firm squeeze.

"Still nothing? Not going to tell on me are you?" I asked, taking a few more bites.

"For the last time, I would only call the guards if there is trouble and since 'he' doesn't want any, I am not about to cause any" The stall keeper explained.

"Even if I did this..." I flicked out my dagger and started to cut away at the tight bindings of her top.

She looked down with barely contained anger, her lips pressed into a thin line, her eye brows diving down between her eyes.

"I have to work in this!" She seethed as I freed her perky bosoms with a final flick of the knife.

"Well, at least now these get some air while you work!" I teased her free tits with my hands, bouncing them up and down before giving those cute little nipples a twist.

"What should I d-" The girl who was clearly confused by the whole ordeal started to question her boss for instruction before I cut her off by shoving the half eaten apple into her mouth, blocking her words.

"You can finish that!" I joyfully told her. "I'm not hungry any more aaaaand I think I'm done here. I got to see just how far this goes. Have fun now." I gave a wave to the two angry and confused women. The girl took the apple out her mouth, but not without taking a bite from it, she started to slowly chew as she watch me walk away.

"Hey!" I heard the Stall owner shout. "Don't you start eatin without paying!" The owner chastised the girl while trying to cover her own tits as they sprang about.

Laughing at the trouble I caused I turned and focused my attention elsewhere, the guard house. Usually I avoid it, taking every path to keep my distance but I had to know, was I truly above punishment in this cursed city?

The small building only consisted of a few rooms but it was where the district leader was stationed, the highest ranking guard around, usually quite busy as all the bustle of the market was within their jurisdiction, yet I could see that few people were making complaints or reports today. From what I learned so far of the curse, that made sense and filled me with confidence. I looked at the bounty board posted on the wall of the building, various posters complete with sketches filled the wall, some worth more than others. I wondered briefly if I was on here. Only briefly because I spotted my likeness fairly quickly, it was front and center, as well as the highest bounty on here. My ego inflated, I grinned as I read my description.

"The Desert Viper" It stated in plain text.

I stopped grinning, I hated that name. I almost started a brawl when someone last called me that. Was it created as a jest on my name meaning 'snake'? I also hated the use of "The". It sounds so fucking pretentious. I tore the poster from the wall and stormed inside.

The guard at the front desk looked up at me, surprised that anyone would be walking in the front door. She licked her lips and rose to her feet to give me a greeting kiss. I ignored her and walked past without stopping.

"H-hey," She sheepishly called after me. "You're not allowed back there!"

I kicked open the door to find the slightly overweight district leader leaning back in her chair reading a book, enjoying the down time no doubt. Her eyes left her book and fixed on me as I stormed up to her. She rose to her feet with confusion and anger in her eyes.

"Who the hell are you?!" She shouted before leaning forward for a kiss, her lips puckered. I took my poster that was scrunched up in my hand and shoved it in her mouth making her gag with surprise. She flailed backwards abandoning the kiss as she fell back into her chair.

"Sorry, Geris I couldn't stop her." The slim guard from the front desk informed her superior as she followed me in. She looked a little lanky for a guard but with a nice enough face that I didn't stop her from slipping an arm around my waist and giving me a simple, if deep kiss.

"Pah! pah!" Geris spat as my wanted poster tumbled out her mouth. "Answer my question. Who the hell are you to barge into my office?!"

"Can't you read?" I said turning back to her and forcefully thumping the crumpled paper with my finger.

She looked down at the poster and then to me.

"T-The Viper!" Geris realised in shock.

"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" I flicked out my blade faster and either guard could react and slammed it into the table, pinning the poster to it.

"O-okay, I don't want any trouble." Geris raised her hands in defense at my aggressive action.

My heart skipped a beat, she didn't say "He didn't want trouble" like the others. Had I made a mistake?

"'He' doesn't want any trouble either." The other guard added. "So we won't cause any, please could you do the same."

There was the mention of 'He'. They both were under the sway of the curse after all but it sounds like this Geris really didn't want any trouble regardless, was my reputation that bad or was she a coward? I probably could have pulled this off without the curse. What a sorry sack of shit this district leader was.

"What do you want? To hand yourself in, yes?" Geris asked hopefully.

"Not a chance!" I scoffed pulling my blade out the table, Geris's eyes latched onto it out of concern. "I came here to tell you idiots to get my name right... Also... To test something."

I looked to my right and grabbed the tall guard next to me, my hand started to undo the bindings on her armor. Quickly peeling off the layers.

"Hey! What do you think you are doing!? Stop that!" She complained, I didn't listen, focused on my task of unwrapping my yielding prize. Geris looked on with dumbstruck confusion at my actions. I managed to get her topless, her tits were tiny, little nubs that poked out in the warm air. I moved behind her and forcefully pulled her pants down her long legs to her ankles. At least her butt was nice and pert.

"Are you guys going to stop me?" I asked as I pushed the mostly naked guard over Geris's desk.

"No, but you really should not be doing this." The guard complained. "It could count as assaulting a town guard which- AH"

I cut her off by grabbing her ponytail and yanking it hard, she arched her back and gasped.

"Your not going to stop me when I do this?" I asked as I pushed two fingers into her sex.

"N-No!" She squealed. "W-we can't!"

"Uh-huh"" I said nodding my head. "And you?" I looked over the guards shoulder to Geris. "Got nothing on this?" I spanked her colleague's naked butt without holding back, hard enough they could probably get my finger prints from her rear afterwards.

"Like she said, we can't cause trouble." Geris explained. "If you are not going to hand yourself in when asked, just get out of here!"

"Fine!" I said letting go of my plaything. "That's all I needed to hear." I walked past the panting guard as she rubbed her rear in pain. I gave her butt a push with my own hip causing her to fall forward onto Geris. "I'll just go do what ever the hell I want then..." The two guards looked at me as I walked away. "and change that fucking poster" I shouted at them, strolling out the door.

I took a deep breath, the feeling was intoxicating. This city was ripe for the pickings, I could do anything, anyone and get away with it. My mind swam with possibilities, I looked around for ideas, then I saw them. Two priestesses walking side by side as they talked. Both of them seemed to be in their early twenties, beautiful and pure. I thought back to my first crush, she was a Priestess. She never would have touched a street rat like me, yet I always wondered what was under that pale blue finery. Now I get to see.

"Hey, hey, ladies" I called their attention as I ran up to them.

"Can we help you?" The first girl asked looking me up and down with light interest. When I got close enough, she leaned in for the greeting kiss which I accepted gamely.

"And your turn..." I looked across to her partner who also gave me a full on tongue battle for a few seconds before pulling away.

"Is something the matter?" The first girl asked, wiping some drool out of the corner of her mouth.

"I just wanted to see what you guys got under your robes, I've always wondered." Even as I was telling them this I crouched down to my haunches and started to pull up her long modest skirt.

"Oh my! What are you doing?" The second girl exclaimed as my head disappeared up her friends clothes.

"W-what?!" The first girl cried as she tried to move away from me.

From my perspective, I had a great view of her legs which I quickly reached out and held still to stop her escaping. It seemed to do the trick as she could now only shuffle and squirm, the option to flee being taken from her. The other priestess might try to get some distance but I thought that probably they would want to stick together through this. Priestesses were supportive to a fault I reasoned.

"Oh! You even got patterns on your stockings!" I exclaimed, running my finger up the long line of her legs, tracing the gold embossed cross which ended at the tight band holding her white cotton stockings to her thighs.

"Stop touching me!" She continued to complain. I Ignored her of course, letting my fingers sink into the pale cream flesh of her exposed thighs before moving onward and upward towards her white frilly panties. I would have thought that the Priestesses would have more simple humble undergarments but these were quite embellished in a cute sort of way. I pulled them down to have a look at this lady of the Goddess's cute pussy.

"Wow, even you guys shave down there? Huh" I licked my lips looking at the cute little landing strip in front of me. "Don't tell me you girls partake in each others company enough to all do this?" I asked.

"It's the fashion!" The girl protested.

"Uh huh. "I nodded. Curiosity peaked in me, I had to know if the other girl was just as neat down here. Rather than climb my way out from under her long skirt by lifting it I simply unsheathed my knife and cut my way out. The blade shooting through the fabric made both woman jump at the sight of it. I did not just cut once, but twice. Slicing a huge triangle out of her holy finery. A large amount of cloth fell to the street floor, making a gap in the girls dress big enough for me to climb out without parting it. Letting the dress fall back down I could see with a smile that her legs were now clearly visible from the side, her panties pulled down to her thighs, showing off a scandalous amount of pale flesh at her naked hip.

"Would you leave us be now?" The second girl asked as she leaned over to hug her friend in consolement.

"Nope, it's your turn" I said spinning my knife as I got to work. "Hold still" I told her as I made an equally large piece of this girls dress fall away. She had the same cute gold embossed stockings and under garments. Was this sexy stuff part of the uniform of a priestess I wondered.

"S-stop" The girl complained, yet did nothing else as I slipped her panties down her legs like I did her friend.

"What a crime that no one gets to see these delights" I said taking in the cute little slit of her sex, and her even smaller patch of hair.

With a wicked grin I used the opening I created in their half destroyed clothing to slip my hand to both the priestesses most intimate areas at the same time. Rubbing in small circles around their clit, I pushed the two women up against the wall, pinning them in place. Now resigned to yield to my efforts as they couldn't make a scene, they blushed deeply at their predicament, looking away from me. I massaged faster as I heard the girl on my left quicken her breath. I slipped my finger's inside her, plunging in and out while making sure to run my finger up and down her clit. She was decidedly wet, much more so than her friend who only looked away from me. Now the panting girl was looking directly at me, her eyes locked on mine, inviting me to push in further. I happily obliged, pushing my fingers deep into her, she was so lubricated I could feel her fluids drip off my knuckles as I pistoned in and out, even now making a audible noise in the busy street. Maybe she had a public shame kink, maybe she was pent up from being a chaste priestess, maybe I was just that dashing. Either way, this girl was enjoying this more than I was, unlike her friend who had yet to look at me directly like her eager partner.

I felt something deep inside her, it was hard and discernable in her most inner most crevice. She was a kinky one to keep such a thing in herself like this I mused. With a tilt of my head I grinned at her as I reached deeper than I had before, making her wince with delight as pleasure filled her body. I could feel it touch the tip of my finger, whatever it was, round and smooth.

I shouldn't make trouble, I should stop this. My hand withdrew from both of the girls and I stood back from them to let them catch their breath. I stood slightly stunned, looking at my dripping left hand, then to the two panting women. The less pleasured of the two wasted no time in taking advantage of my lack of action. She grabbed her friends hand and pulled her away as they fled down the street. Their compromised clothing showing off their legs as they hurried away from me. Anyone looking at the girls could clearly see right to their sex as their skirts now did nothing to hide their modesty, or the slick fluid covering their inner thighs. The more amorous of the two looked back at me as her friend yanked her away and round a corner. I bought my fingers to my lips and tasted her salty wetness, she really enjoyed that, as did I. I had no intention of ending our fun, yet I do not know what came over me making me do so. Was the curse starting to effect me also? The thought made my blood run cold so I pushed it to the back of my mind for now. I will continue to make more mischief as I was inclined to do, however I knew I must remain conscious of my own thoughts.

The loud sound of a carriage rolling past me snapped me out of my deep thought. A noble no doubt, probably on her way to the temple through the market district. I hated them so much, was walking too good for her? Was she that important that she didn't want to be bothered by 'simple' folk. I had to be honest with myself, if I was **** to make out with every person who said hello I would probably want to avoid contact also, then again, these carriages where a common sight all over the city ever since I was a child so what was their excuse then? I caught up to the ornate vehicle, hopped onboard and swung open the door to get a look inside.

"What?" Shrieked the sole occupant inside. "Who are you!? Get out!" I watched her as she collected her rich finery to stand, bending over and opening her mouth, inviting my own. She was pretty enough for me to give her what she wanted, her light brown ringlets framed her face nicely and her scowl was not enough to combat her button nose and dimples which won the battle making her still very attractive. Despite her clear anger at my violation of her space she, without hesitation, pushed her lips against mine, her soft tongue running up and down the length of my own.

"I said get out!" She repeated as she pulled away from me, sitting back down and wiping her mouth with a white gloved hand.

"No, I think I am just going to help myself instead" I casually replied reaching up and snatching the line of pearls that hung about her neck.

"Hey!" She complained as I stuffed them in my pouch for safe keeping. "You can't just take those!"

"I'll tell you what, I'll trade them for the taste of a Priestess. Sound good?" I asked.

"What are you ta-ohmmfp" She started to ramble but I cut her off by sticking my soiled fingers into her pretty mouth, taking care to move them in and out, making sure her lips wiped all the sticky wetness from my skin. I pulled them out with a pop. She smacked her lips at the taste, then recognition flashed behind her eyes and her mouth hung open in shock at what I just made her suck on. I didn't give her any more time to dwell on what I did as I looked down to her shapely body, covered in high fashion and finery.

"What else you got? Anything good?" I asked taking my knife out and cutting away at the strings on her corset.

"T-this is preposterous, are you insane?" She shrieked, throwing her hands up in protest, yet not actually doing anything to stop me.

"Nope, just havin' a look at the goods, don't you worry." I told her as I admired her now loose bosom, jiggling the barely covered breasts with my hands. She looked to my actions in a stunned state, her mouth still open in shock, her lips glistening wet from our greeting kiss and Priestess's excitement . She was shaken out of her stupor as I reached down and grasped her ankles, then heaved, rotating her like the steering wheel of a ship in her seat, her white aristocrat high heels now pointing at the carriage roof. Her long silken skirt falling to cover her fuming face, muffling her complaints as she started to rant at me from the floor.

"Hmmm, Really?" I sighed as I dug through the many covers of petticoats only to find some rather dull and functional cotton underwear at the heart of all her layers. "That's just not worth it. You really gotta get something more sexy if you want a girl to dig through all this clothing just to get to some poorly wrapped pussy at the end of it."

"ffup ummpufuufufff" Was the only sound I heard from the head near my feet.

"What?" I asked, flipping the skirt up to reveal a bright red face.

"Such impertinence!" She repeated, gasping for breath. I laughed at her then looked out into the street. The carriage had come to a stop, the driver had climbed down and was staring daggers at me through the window as I abused her charge. I would have been nervous from such an intimidating stare but I knew that it was all anyone could do to stop me.

"Yeah whatever." I disregarded the noble's attitude and the onlooker, spun the high class lady around once more, righting her. I then yanked on her arm, pulling her to her feet. "What kind of noble has less sexy undergarments than the clergy?" I shook my head in disappointment, then lashed out my foot, kicking open the door. The woman was like livestock the way I could just push her around and she did nothing to stop me. Shaking my head in disbelief at the situation, I hauled the upper class woman over to the carriage exit and pushed her out.

"You can walk from here." I shouted as I gave a shove from behind. My fingers still grasped the back of her dress as she lost her balance and fell from the elevated carriage entrance. I clearly went overboard with my knife cutting earlier, the dress split at the front as she tumbled out of it leaving me with her shredded clothing's remains. She yelped, falling to the dusty street in her undergarments with a thump.

"Oof!" She exhaled as she made contact with the road, kicking up a cloud of dust. Onlookers, seeing the accident ran over to help the poor woman off the ground, maybe a dozen people crowded round her to ask if she was alright. Unfortunately for her it seemed as this counted as a greeting as every single person in the crowd found themself bending down and forcing their face against hers, giving her the customary 'sloppy kiss'. The amount of women making out with this lady kept her on the floor as she couldn't rise to her feet, every time she tried, a new assailant came up and planted their tongue in her mouth, the compulsion to return the kiss clearly took precedent over her getting any sort of a bearing.

I glanced up from the comical show in front of me to see where the carriage had stopped. I saw the familiar sight of one of my old haunts, a tavern called 'The Goddess Springs'.

"Perfect" I said to myself as I stepped down from the carriage, using the noble woman's back as a ramp. She once again found herself face down in the dirt as she could not support my weight.

"Hey! Watch what your doing!" Complained the coach driver watching me trample her boss, yet she also moved in for a kiss with me. I paid her no attention as her juicy wet lips met my palm. I shoved her head away from me, forcing her to stumble backwards and trip onto her butt, joining her noble on the ground. My gaze never left my target as I continued walking to the tavern across the street.

It was quiet inside as it was late afternoon, not yet time for the merriment that the capital nightlife brings but far past the lunch rush. I didn't recognise the barmaid as she cleaned and stacked tankards for the night ahead. Leaning on the bar, I got her attention with a small wave.

"Hi!" she chirped. " What can I-" She inclined her body towards me and gave me the passionate kiss I've come to expect at this point. "...get you?" She finished.

"Nothing for now, is Rose in? It's been awhile" I told the clueless barmaid.

"Oh? You know the boss? One second." She turned and shouted out to a room behind the bar. "Rose! Someone here to see you"

I licked my lips in anticipation as I saw the owner of the Goddess Springs round the corner. Her black and red finery left little to the imagination as it gave a great view of her plunging cleavage, she was always a crowd pleaser. The instant she saw me her face dropped from a curious smile to deadpan disappointment.

"I thought... hoped, you were dead." She complained as she walked up to my end of the bar.

"Not yet. Although the guard always tries." I gave a playful flick of my hair and leaned in for a kiss that I had wanted for a very long time. Rose hated my guts and always spurned my advances. To have her unknowingly **** into giving me such intimate affection honestly made me a little wet. Her ruby red lips did not disappoint as she pressed them into mine, her tongue gentle, yet firm made my toes curl. She was such a good kisser, I almost felt a stab of resentment she had made me wait this long to experience it.

"I can't believe you would show your face. After what you pulled..." She started as she turned around to face the mirror behind the bar. She plucked a cunningly well hid stick of lipstick from the tantalising gap between her breasts and started to reapply a new layer. "...I should call those guards to come arrest you. You are nothing but trouble, you know that?"

I looked over to the table of off duty guards that had just finished their shift, drinking and laughing yet still in uniform.

"You like some trouble?" I playfully ask, deliberately poking that word in jest to trigger her set response.

"'He' Doesn't. So count your blessings." I smiled at her mind fucked answer. "If I had my way I would personally throw you out on your ass. In fact, didn't I ban you? What are you even doing in here?" She added.

"Well for one..." I jumped up and sat on the bar, swinging my legs round I started to shimmy my tight leather pants down my hips. "... I'm pretty horny"

"W-what are you doing?" Rose looked at me like I lost my mind as I flung my pants to the side, spreading my legs wide. I reached out and grabbed her by her red hair, pulling her to my pussy which was already wet with anticipation.

"I am not letting go until you do a good job down there." I told her, pushing those precious red lips into my hot sex.

Rose seemed to weigh her options, she couldn't cause a scene or trouble so by my reckoning she would give me what I am after just to get rid of me. I smiled as a saw her 'huff' in frustration, her hot breath tickling my inner thighs.

"I thought... " She started as she began to give my pussy the first lick "... I couldn't hate you more..."

"You will learn to love me..." I muttered, my head rolling back as I enjoyed the sensations of Rose's lips and tongue as she braced herself against the bar, settling in for her task.

"Hey!" One of the guards from the table had come up to the bar, looking at my antics with confusion and disapproval. Before I could respond the barmaid turned to greet the guard as a customer. They both leaned across the bar and lip locked briefly before parting, the guard ordering another round of mead for her colleagues who had all turned to watch Rose eat me out on the bar. I thought the guard was addressing me and my antics, but she was just ordering as normal would permit in the current circumstances.

"Rose, why did you never return my affections?" I asked the tavern keeper as she continued to lick my pussy.

"What?" She asked, raising her head from her task. "Because you are lecherous drunk. And a cheat. And a liar. Not to mention a criminal! I'd rather not be seen fraternising with you."

I was hurt, well not that hurt. She was eating me out right now and she was only a flight of fancy I swooned over after too much ale. I can't complain when those plump ruby lips are puckering up to my clit.

"Oh! I'll errr... Come back later." I heard a familiar voice behind me. I glanced over my shoulder to see the same girl that was at the fruit seller's stall earlier. They must have closed for the day already. She had taken one look at the debauchery happening on the bar and made best speed to leave the tavern.

"Ah, Salkia!" Rose jerked her way out my of grasp which had loosened due to my heady pleasure. "Your food is ready, I'll get it in just a moment."

On hearing her name Salkia froze on the spot, her shoulders shooting up to her ears. She turned around looking worried and walked back to the bar with deliberate, **** steps. I continued to rub my clit as I watched this girl be compelled to greet Rose properly. She bent over the bar on tiptoes, her mouth opening and pouting at the same time as Rose's shiny wet face closed in. They met with seemingly genuine passion. My wetness mixing with Roses lip stick to make a complete mess of this girls face as she also added her mix of saliva spreading out over each of these unwilling participants faces.

"Pah Pah! Yuk!" Salkia spat out in disgust at the mixture that was **** into her mouth. An interesting reaction I thought as I continued to pleasure myself observing the girl. She did not see anything odd about the kiss, totally accepting every kiss that would come her way but I would guess that my own juices covering Roses face was not part of the usual transaction so she tried to avoid it, but once she was greeted, she couldn't stop herself, no matter how much she didn't like my addition to their 'hello'.

"Careful, it's still hot." Rose told Salkia as she pulled a package from under the bar that was obviously placed there for the girls return.

"T-thanks.." The girl still quite cheery despite, continuing to wipe her face. "well... bye!!" She gave a parting wave and briskly walked out the tavern with her item.

I was close to cumming as I observed the interaction, my fingers working hard to keep up a pleasing motion. I reached out to grab Rose once more to help finish me off but she wisely took a step back out of my reach.

"I hope your are at least going to clean up after you are done!" She complained. "It's going to get busy soon and I don't want a piss patch stinking up my bar."

It wasn't that late was it? I looked outside at the dimming light of day, the shadows starting to become long. In my tomfoolery I had lost track of time. Crap.

"I-I gotta go!" I told Rose as I hopped off the bar, pulling my pants up. Sure it was frustrating not to have full satisfaction, but I have people counting on me.

"Good riddance." Rose spat as I ran out the tavern. "...And don't ever come back, you hear me?!" I heard her, should this all play out I'll be back everyday I thought to myself.

I had no reason for covertness now, I sprinted through the market and back to the temple. Leaping up the steps in several bounds I burst through the main door of the holy building.

"Greetings, Welcome to the..." The Priestess on the door started as I rushed past her. I couldn't help myself as I skidded to a halt on the polished stone, turned and dashed up to the Priestess, letting her embrace me in a kiss like the guard did earlier. I broke off and leaned down grasping her holy robes, raising the hem into the air.

"H-Hey!" She complained as she tried to lower her skirt. I took in those sexy stockings, confirming that it is part of the uniform.

"So sexy..." I muttered before shaking my head. More distractions. I let go and ran to the back door and bolted through it, blocking out any verbal rebuke the Priestess flung my way.

"Wait, that's her!" I heard over the babbling of the stream as I jogged up to the iron grating. "Told you she would make it." I could clearly hear it was Caite making those remarks.

I leaned against the metal as I peered through it, sucking in much needed breath after my cross city sprint. I saw the whole gang was waiting on me, looking back through the small slits.

"Well?" Dalmi asked shortly.

"It's.... It's..." I stood up straight to finally let my lungs calm down. "It's not happening."

A chorus of disappointment flooded out of everyone.

"What?!" Dalmi complained. "Why?"

"This city... Some thing is wrong with this city." I added cryptically.

"What do you mean, 'Something is wrong'?" Sekria asked, her green eyes staring back at me with intensity.

"It's a curse, it must be. Everyone here is cursed." I peered back through the grating, trying to convey how serious I was with a stern look. All I got back were confused expressions. "These people, they don't react how they should."

"What the in the Hell are you talking about?" Dalmi cut in rudely.

"Are you okay boss?" Caite asked with mounting concern. "I know it's been a hard few weeks but we need you to focus right now."

I was a little put out by her question. Sure it was very unlikely tale but I hadn't don't wrong by them yet. My mind spent a second to think of proof, quickly remembering the pearls I snatched from the noble in the carriage.

"No really, check this out" I pulled the high value jewellery from my pocket and squeezed it through an opening. I felt the item be plucked out of my grasp like a hungry dog snatches food from a table.

"What is this?" Dalmi asked in genuine wonder.

"Okay, who'd you kill to get that?" Caite said with a hint of worry.

"I just took it. No mess, only a little fuss." I gave a shrug that none of my girls saw as they were all still in awe at the trinket I showed them. "Like I said, cursed."

"So what?" Sekria asked "People just give you this stuff?"

"Not quite" I replied. "They don't stop you, no one can. I walked right up to the district leader and shoved my wanted poster in her fat gormless mouth. Walked right out. I'm telling you, this city is ripe for the picking."

The party considered this information for a second before Dalmi spoke up.

"I don't believe you." She scoffed. I looked to the others and they looked equally dubious about my tale.

"If they just give you what you want without trouble, why were you running just now" Sekria was too damn observant for her own good.

"Oh that?" I started. "I just got... Distracted and lost track of time." It sounded like an excuse, but I wasn't lying.

"Well, it's not that I don't believe you, it's just that I've never heard of a curse like this. The whole city you said?"Caite explained with an apologetic look behind her eyes.

"You don't have to believe me" I told them. "Come and see for yourself. Girls, tonight we are going to paint this town red. Once you guys see that nothing can stop us... "

"What of the guards?" Sekria continues to pull at threads, still clearly put out that I had essentially abandoned a plan a month in the making.

"Who cares!" I said flippantly. "They can't do anything. Like I said, nothing is going to stop us." Maybe my brain was still running high on endorphins from Rose's tongue but I felt invincible at this moment. "You guys go through the front gate, or not. Go back to the desert, whatever, it's up to you." I had already started to walk away. "If you want one of the best nights of your lives, I'll see you later."

I left them to discuss their options amongst each other, although really it wasn't much of a choice. I knew I would see them all coming through that gate and I want to see the looks on their faces when they find out what I've discovered here.

Although I did not need to, I kept a low profile while I waited with a good view of the main gate. The authorities were only an annoyance at this point but even so, I do not like to be annoyed. Leaning against a wooden stall, I hid instinctively in it's shadow as I observed the guards on the main gate. This late in the day there was no traffic in or out yet there was still a surprising amount of them. Then I saw them, all of them, my girls. Just as I knew they would all six of my gang walked through the gate, but before I could wave to get their attention the guards stopped them. They were quickly surrounded, a stab of panic hit my chest. Had I got it wrong? Was it all an elaborate trap just to get us all unawares. I saw Sekria and Caite try their best to talk themself out of the situation but to no avail. The thought of intervening crossed my mind as I observed them all get escorted to the main guard house. I decided not to as it would be easier to sneak them out rather than cause a skirmish at the main gate of the capital city. The door slammed behind them and I felt like a idiot, had I just got everyone captured with my own stupid ego? They were my responsibility and I just told them to stroll on in through the front gate like bumbling rookies. Even Jass wouldn't have told them to do something so risky. I was so stupid, but I needed to focus. I checked out the building they were taken to. It was large, maybe two stories in height but the windows suggested that the interior was one big open space, maybe it was a processing hall to check in goods I wondered. My mind considered entry points and escape routes. The front doors looked solid, with a bar lock on the front. They have not locked it yet as I watched it open once again and all of my gang walk out.

Wait, what?

Two guards came out with them but returned to their post on the main gate. My crew casually walked away from them and into the city, whatever fast talking they managed to pull off in there I was impressed. Once guards decide to take you somewhere it's nearly always a cell and they almost never change their mind. I waved over to them from my secluded spot in the shadows. Caite saw me with a smile and nodded back as all of them changed their direction to meet up with me.

"So what happened in there?" I asked as Caite walked up to me with a grin on her face.

"What happened in where?" She asked as she slipped her arms around my waist and kissed me on the lips. Her tongue eagerly finding its way into my mouth.

"No..." I muttered as dread descended on me like a curtain. "No, no, no..."

"What's wrong?" Caite asked as she looked a little hurt. I couldn't answer her, Sekria was next, pushing her body against mine, her red hair tickling my face as our lips met.

"You... ?" Is all I could manage as Haizen was next, she was always aloof and distant. I had never imagined I would experience her like this.

Damli also kissed me, although she never once smiled or acted if she liked it. Even Jass who was trailing behind everyone made her way to me, her slim body rubbing up on mine. Her lips pressed on mine, then I hear her whimper, like she was in pain. I realised what her problem was, this curse had no mercy for someone with Jass's condition. I felt I had **** but to kiss her back, my tongue entering her mouth. I poked the stone that lay in the center of her teeth and it seemed to calm her, as if what ever was compelling her to try and move her tongue has been temporarily lifted. I pulled away in anger, not at them but the situation.

"Okay what the fuck is going on?" I shouted getting every ones attention.

"You tell us!" Damli complained. "You told us to enter the city and we would have everything we could want? Well... We're waiting?" Everyone's behaviour was bizarre but her bitchy attitude was still on point.

"What happened in that building? Why did you kiss me like everyone else? Who told you to do that?" I asked turning to Caite, panic gripping me. I have known her for years. If anyone would give my strait answered it would be her.

"What building? The guard house?" Caite replied casually. "They just had some orders they had to follow. That's all. Probably the same as us kissing. He wants it to happen so, you know, whatever." She shrugged and a few of the girls nodded in agreement, their only reaction seemingly being to my perceived over-reaction.

"Who Caite?!" I gripped her by the shoulders, desperation in my eyes and voice. "Who. Is. 'He'?"

"I don't know." She replied slightly confused by her own answer. She looked over her shoulder to her other gang members. Sekria took a breath like she was going to answer, her mouth open, then she stopped like the thought left her. Her eyebrows furrowing as her mind rid itself of a coherent answer.

"Tell me!" I shouted at them all, uncharacteristically angry with them. "Would you cause trouble? If I asked? If it was necessary? If our lives depended on it?"

"Trouble?" Caite asked with a confused look. "No of course not. We can't cause trouble..."

"...He wouldn't want it...." I finished her sentence for her.

"Yeah, that's right" Caite nodded in understanding.

I looked into her eyes, trying to see if there was any sign of magic, a dullness, off color, but there was just the same deep brown pupils that looked back at me everyday. She looked so normal and regular I couldn't believe she was under the control of some stupid curse, compelling her actions against her will, without her knowledge.

A distant trumpet sounded in the early evening air catching my and everyone else's attention. It came from the palace, the main balcony that the royals use to address the masses, it could be seen from all over the city from it's high vantage point. I could just about make out figures from this great distance, perhaps the royal family were addressing the city about the curse? I doubted it, if anything, it was almost certainly 'him'. It would make sense that he would put himself at the top of the pile if 'He' was the one behind it all. I took out my spy glass to see more detail.

It looked like a man alright, the figure next to him, clinging to his hulking male frame had silvery white long hair. That would be the Queen, or perhaps the Princess. A royal for sure either way. 'He' had to be behind all this, there is no way one of the Royal family would touch a man, let alone press themselves against him like the pale haired figure did on that balcony for everyone to see.

I looked around and everyone was looking in that direction, they were casually carrying on with their duties as best the could but held their gaze on the man who caught everyone's attention. I looked back through the spyglass to see what he was up to.

He slowly walked to the left, up to what looked to be a powerful telescope. I haven't seen many like that before. Many nations had crude optics like my spyglass for military recognisance but this thing was huge. Maybe the length of a full grown woman as he wheeled it around, turning it from it's position observing the sky to the streets below. I watched as he methodically scanned right and left across the city, then I saw that his device was soon to be pointing in my direction. It looked powerful, how powerful I had no idea but my instinct kicked in and I hid, pushing my body out of sight against the wooden stall that gave me cover earlier.

"Quick, Hide" I hissed, finding a crack in the wood to peak through.

My gang just stood there for a moment. I looked back at them with questioning eyes. Why were they not hiding? I looked around me at all the women who were casually carrying on with their day. There was a pause in the air, I could almost feel his gaze pass down the street I was on. Everyone woman without fail started to pull at their clothing, steadily revealing their bosom to the telescopes eye. They were all just standing there now, flashing their tits to a far distant figure, their faces showing little to no emotion as they performed this bizarre ritual. Then it happened, my gang mates, all of them started to get their tits out. Caite, Sekria, Haizen, Damli and even Jass without words or communication, as one turned their bodies and pealed away their clothes. If this wasn't stressing me out so much I had to admit that having all of my girls standing at attention pointing their fun puppies at me would have made my day. Then something odd happened, Caite and Sekria turned around and peeled down their pants as well, bending at the waist. The idea to moon the Royal box was not a new one but with the context that both of my girls were **** to do it, it didn't seem so funny any more. Curiously, Haizen Damli and Jass remained standing as they were, breasts out but other wise, keeping their modesty. I looked back to the figure on the balcony, his device fixed on my location, very clearly he had taken an interest in Caite and Sekria. I shouldn't be surprised, they were hot and he certainly hadn't seen them before now. I saw the large yellow tube pivot upwards all of a sudden and the man walked away from it, clutching his Royal escort. He moved out of view, retreating back into the luxury of the palace.

I looked down the street, the cursed women of the city fixed their clothing and carried on with their business like nothing happened. Haizen, Damli and Jass also put away their naked bosom, Caite and Sekria however finished taking their clothes off to stand butt naked in the street in front of me. The sight of both of them their made my mind falter for a second before I spoke up.

"W-What are you doing now?" I stuttered, my eyes not leaving their stunning forms.

"'He' wants to see us..." Caite replied matter of factly.

"Naked?" I ask.

"Well... "Sekria considered for a moment. "....yes, he was vague but he probably also meant to see us personally, up close."

"What are you talking about, he didn't say anything?!" I spat in frustration.

"No..." Caite explained "..but it's what he wants so... You know... Gotta go..."

I stood slack jawed for a moment as the two naked women went to leave in the direction of the palace.

"Wait!" I grabbed Caite's arm to hold her still. "You can't be serious! Listen to yourself. You're not making sense."

Caite looked down at my arm, then back to me, I could see she was lost in thought behind those familiar eyes.

"No, it does make sense." She started. "He saw us naked, now he probably wants us to pleasure him. We can't do that from here so it makes more sense that he wants us to go to him."

"Mhmmm" Sekria agreed nodding her pretty red head.

"There you are!" The shout caught my attention and made me let go of Caite's arm, she took the opportunity to leave with Sekria, both women naked as the day they were born, wondering off into the city. I recognised the voice, it sounded like the District leader from earlier, Geris was her name?

"What the hell do you want? I got a situation here!" I shouted Geris as she ran over, flanked by four more guards.

"W-well, I was hoping you would come along and err... " She looked at me hesitantly, not with the usual bluster her position commanded.

"And what?" I spat at her.

"... turn your selves in, I am under a lot of pressure here. P-please don't cause trouble." She gave a goofy smile hoping I would just walk into a jail cell because she asked nicely.

"Fuck off." I brushed her off. "I don't have time for this." I looked to see if I could see Caite or Sekria but both had moved out of my view by now. "Haizen, Damli, Jass." I shouted. "Lets go"

I started to walk off but my three remaining band mates stood fast, looking at me with sorry expressions.

"What?" I asked as I looked at them. "We gotta catch up with Caite and Sekria, who knows what's going to happen to them once 'He' gets his hands on them."

"Well, we can't just leave after the guards have asked us to turn ourselves in." Haizen sheepishly admitted.

"We can't cause any trouble..." Damli added. Goddess damn this curse! That bitch gave me nothing but trouble, now she doesn't want any?! Even Jass nodded her head enthusiastically at the idea of self imprisonment. I was left again stunned as my remaining crew turned around and let themselves be marched off by the guards.

I had a dilemma on my hands. I could fight this, Geris and her guards wouldn't be much of a problem but I would need to get rid of them all before any of my girls even consider themselves free. By the time I did that Caite and Sekria would be long gone. I weighed my options. A guard cell wasn't so bad, they have seen it before, I assume. I don't know much of Damli's history. Caite was my second, we look out for each other, she was my priority. I took one last look at Haizen, Damli and Jass before I turned and sprinted after my other two girls.

I caught up to them right outside the palace, on the steps to the main entrance. The Royal Palace guards made me falter slightly. Not only was I primed to avoid the more highly trained, highly formidable Palace guards but their uniforms made me double take. The city guard looked normal, without interacting with them, you would never know that anything was amiss but the Palace guards had changed a lot since I last saw one. They wore their more ornate golden breast plate, helm, short leather pteruges and not much else. It was a lot of skin to take in at a glance. Even their usual hardy leather boots were now toeless sandals with thin straps winding up their shins and were those... heels? I shook my head at the ridiculous sight, I had to stop Caite and Sekria before they got much further.

"Caite!" I shouted, getting my second to turn to me. "Get back here!" I added.

I took a step towards her but the Palace guard turned to me, bringing their weapons to bare.

"Not another step forward!" The closest one barked at me.

"I don't want trouble" I repeated the phrase I have heard so many times with confidence as I moved to intercept Caite.

A sharp point of a halberd pointed dangerously at my face.

"You will get more than trouble if you move another inch. Last warning citizen." The guards eyes narrowed and met mine in challenge. She was not under the same spell as the others. She was under some sort of spell, her burlesque like attire told me that but she was ready to fight me, as were the other guards who had seen the commotion and started making their way towards me. I looked up to Caite who saw my predicament. She shrugged, turned and continued on into the palace, the guards giving her complete access unlike my unfortunate ass who was stuck out here looking at fighting my way through four, make that six highly trained guards just to follow her. I considered it for a second, the heat rising inside me, anger at the situation. My second, Caite, my friend walking to Goddess knows what and I was helpless to stop her. Then in the next heartbeat I turned and walked away in defeat. I had to think of something else. The palace guard seemed to loose interest in me as I gave them distance and abandoned my plan on getting into the palace.

I was alone. The only one in this entire city not under the sway of some man. I looked up into the night sky, the stars were now out as the last light of the sun disappeared over the horizon. Something tugged at my memory, something important about the sunset today. It took me a full second but then it hit me. The Caravan.

I sprinted as hard as I could, rounding the corner in a long skid I saw the main gate. The Caravan had arrived, wagons and horses huddled in a bunch with city guard surrounding them, casually talking. They were my original mark, but now my best hope. I studied the scene as I approached, the merchants didn't look too happy and the escort that came with the Caravan were surrounding what appeared to be the noble on her horse. She was arguing with the city guard about something.

"No, I will not report to the Guard house!" She shrieked at a sorry looking city guard. "Do you know who I am? You will let us pass, Immediately!"

"It's orders, Ma'am. No exceptions. It will only take a moment. If you could all just follow us to the main Guard house."

"Aw come on girl!" One of the Escort Guards complained. "My feet are killing me, can't you just let us through just this once. You owe me that ale!"

"No exceptions!" The city guard reinforced her position.

I looked around, there were maybe twelve city guard here. There were way more escorts than Guards on the gates, thirty four by my estimate in the desert this morning and that wasn't counting the merchants. They couldn't **** them to comply if they resisted. We could do this.

"I will have your head for this..." The noble hissed as she got down off her horse to comply with the Guards request.

"No!" I shouted getting everyone's attention. "It's a trap! Don't go in that building!"

"What in the name of the Goddess is it now?" The noble complained turning to me as I caught up to the group of people.

"They'll do something in there to you. It's a curse!" I pleaded.

"What?!" The Noble shreiked in disbelief.

The commotion I had caused resulted in a small crowd to gather around me, trying to make sense of my ramblings.

"Think about it, have you ever heard of having to report to the guard house just from entering the city?" I argued.

"No" the noble agreed. "..But a curse..." She looked at the city Guard that first asked her to comply.

"It's not a curse what we have to do to you in there..." She explained, shrugging her shoulders at the accusation.

"Oh?" The noble turned to the guard for more clarification. "..What do you mean, 'do to us'?"

"Just our orders Ma'am. If you would please comply, we don't have all night." The guard complained.

The Noble looked at her sideways, her eyes flicking up and down the clueless city guard, her suspicion aroused at the odd behaviour exhibited by the local law enforcement.

"Wait!" Cried one of the Caravan escorts as she pushed her way to the front, looking at me with growing concern. She raised a flaming torch high, it's flickering light illuminating my face properly in the dim twilight. "I-I know you! By the Goddess! It's The Viper!"

The guards around me all turned in shock, now looking at me with renewed interest. A murmur went around the group as they all recognised me for who I am.

"Forget that!" I shouted, locking eyes with the noble. "Focus on the threat!"

"YOU..." The Noble hissed with utter venomous contempt. "YOU are the only threat here! I'll see you put in stocks for a year! I'll have you torn apart by horses! YOU, you delinquent whore! Do you know how much you have cost me! And you appear to mock us now?! Here! After all we have lost, everything because of YOU! Seize her!"

It was a cold night but I could feel the heat coming from her face as she spat and ranted at me. Arms grabbed my shoulders from behind, guards closed in from my sides and front.

"Oh come on! You can't be serious!" I exclaimed. "They are going to do something to you! All of you! You have got to stop them! You can't let them take you in that building!"

"Oh, we are going in that building." The noble seethed though gritted teeth. "There is a holding cell with you name on it, come morning, you are going to wish you never crossed me! Fetch Rope to bind her!" She shouted to one of her merchants over her shoulder as it started to really dawn on me that there was no getting through to her.

I couldn't blame her, if I was honest. I mean, the last month I did make it my mission in life to target her holdings specifically. Is this what they call reaping what you sow? My fate is to be cursed along with all of my victims, forever a plaything of some man. My mind drifted to Caite and Sekria, they were counting on me. I couldn't give up now. If these fools wouldn't listen to my warning then damn them all. I'd have to fight my way out, I may be surrounded, but I was also The Viper.

The guard behind me had a solid grip, she was focusing on holding me tight. I drove my heel hard into her boot and whipped my head back catching her in the face. That broke her focus just enough. In one instant I flipped up, my feet springing out to the side, each catching a guard in the face, my movement letting me give an extra arc of my legs, uppercutting the guard in front of me in the chin. My acrobatics flung me up into the air and had me suspended for a half a second above the guard who was only moments before holding me tight. I twisted as I fell behind her, expertly using my momentum to add strength to my next attack, sweeping my legs with such **** that as I landed, the stunned guard stood no chance. She shrieked as her body cartwheeled away into a group of three on my right, giving me more space to work with. I landed in an action pose, ready for the predicted next guard to try to grab me from behind, I used my low profile to fling her over me into the next couple coming from the front. Suddenly I took and impact in the side unexpectedly, a guard trying way harder than her pay really demanded, started to punch me repeatedly in the ribs as she pushed me sideways. That pissed me off. I rolled and brought her into a heap on the ground, punching her in the face, once, twice. Another guard grabbed my arm stopping my pummelling, I struggled for a second, kicking the new grappler in her joints as she stubbornly refused to let go.

"Let go you Bi-" I started to shout, only to be cut short by something heavy striking my cheek.

It was metal, the ringing in my skull told me that much, my vision blurred and it got dark all of a sudden. Then something new hit me flat in the face. I have never felt a weapon like it before, my mind raced as to what it could be. Then I realised. It was the floor. Ow.

"Where's that rope?!" I heard a guard that jumped on my back shout, she sounded so far away yet I could feel her legs straddling me. She bent my arms behind and round, I couldn't resist as all my effort was spent trying to stop my eyes from rolling back into my head. I felt a kick in my ribs, probably from one of the ones I had got the better of in the skirmish, I was so out of it I barely felt it.

"Good lot of help you were!" One of the Caravan guard sarcastically shouted at the gate guard.

"Hey, we can't cause trouble..." They explained back.

I laughed a dazed chuckle at the answer, I got another kick in the side for it as I felt the bindings wrap themselves around my forearms, pinning them behind me.

I was pulled to my feet and marched off. I staggered a lot, only held up right by two of the Caravan escorts, strong arming me through some double doors into the main guardhouse. It was hard to get my bearings, I felt drunk as I found myself looking at the main desk of the Guard house, a stern looking woman in her uniform glaring at me through the iron bars that made up the partition separating the Guard house officials from the travellers that found themselves in this spot. My weapons and effects were stripped from me in a second and thrown on the desk in front of me. I looked at the items, my daggers, my spyglass, hip flask. My dazed brain was finally starting to pull out of its concussion, the slam of the doors behind me echoed through the hall snapped me to reality. I was in the hall, the guard house, where I shouldn't be, with the whole Caravan. I started to look around in panic expecting some kind of doom to befall us all. Everyone had followed me in here, the merchants and all the escorting guards, they had all congregated at the main doors and were talking to the city guard posted there. The noble had followed me all the way to the front desk, her two guards flanking me all the way. She really hated me it seamed.

"Eyes forward Viper!" The guard snapped at me. She was the one that bound my hands, not cursed yet I could tell as she physically shoved me forward into the wood of the desk.

"Viper?" Asked the woman behind the partition. "'The' Viper." How did you manage that?" She asked shuffling some papers in order to process my arrest.

"She just walked up to us outside. Crazy bitch thought she could take us all on." The Guard scoffed.

"Uh huh..." The official looked a little sceptical, but carried on with her job as she slipped some papers through a gap. "I need a signature for transferral of custody.."

There was a yelp from the other end of the hall, and a slight scuffle amongst the guards had broke out. I would have turned to see what was going on but the guard to my right glared at me, undistracted by the commotion her eyes never left me. Her instructions were still very much for me to keep my eyes forward and she looked like she was going to give me another kick in the ribs.

"Stop your horseplay over there or there will be no bonus for anyone!" The noble shouted, her voice filling the hall with her shrill orders.

"Was she alone?" The woman at the desk asked.

"What?" The guard asked, turning her attention from the racket at the front doors. "Yeah yeah, like I said she just walked up to us, she was just moseying around in the city so I don't know how you lot missed her."

"Hmm..." The other woman bristled at the accusation. "Well she was probably causing trouble so we couldn't get involved with that... You know how it is."

"What?!" The noble woman span around at the statement. "No, I 'DON'T' know how it is. You should do your job!"

"Ah right, well you will understand in a moment...." The woman answer cryptically.

"W-What's that supposed to mean?!" The Noble now unsure of herself let a little bit of self doubt creep into her voice.

"AHHH!" A scream made both the guards at my side and the noble turn back once again to the scuffle at the door. It had almost completely died down now, only a frantic merchant woman struggled free from the crowd of people and ran to the side of the hall. Two city guard's cornering her as she pleaded with them to stop.

"What, in the Goddess's name..." I heard the caravan guard next to me mutter as she watched the woman be pinned down by the city guards. The merchant woman stopped struggling all of a sudden as the Guard pulled up her skirt to seemingly **** her. The dozen or so other Caravan guards at the door looked on without comment or interference. Then the two guards backed away from the once panicked woman as she stood up, now unflustered and walked back to the crowd by the door to engage them in conversation as they wait to be allowed back into the city.

I knew something like this had to be happening but to see it in person stunned me a little as I stood with my captures watching it all play out without a word passing between us. The two guards that had chased down the merchant woman now turned towards us, as far as I was aware, it was just myself, two caravan guards and a uppity noble as the only once left uncursed, or whatever it was that they just did to that woman.

"I told you! They are going to curse us all!" I shouted.

"Shuddup!" The guard bent me over the desk with a shove to keep me subdued, I could barely see what transpired next as I turned my head to look over my shoulder.

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!?" The noble demanded the two guards approaching her to answer. They ignored her question and the lead guard instead reached into a pouch on her belt, pulling out a small white pearl. She reached out with as if to answer the noble's question, the foolish noble just put out her hand and let the small jewel drop onto the flesh of her palm.

The reaction was instant. The angry expression oh her face disappeared and she squatted down on the floor, hiking up her skirt in a very unladylike manner. I thought she was going to take a piss as she also pulled down her under garments, only for her to reach under herself and what looked like from my angle, insert the jewel into her own pussy. Things were starting to fall into place for me but for the two guards left next to me, these events must have seemed terrifying.

"Get back!" The first one shouted as she drew her sword, its point was shaking in fear as the two almost emotionless guards closed in. The other caravan guard joined her frighted colleague as they both squared up to the city guards.

A figure passed me and approached the two defending woman from behind, the clerk at the desk had made her way from her post and reached out with two more of those jewels, gently touching the exposed neck of each.

They instantly calmed themselves, put their weapons away and accepted a jewel each in their hands. I watched as they slipped their hands down the front of their uniform to insert the jewels into themselves, just like the noble had done. The whole Caravan was now under control of... what ever these jewels were. I watched with horror as the two guard now turned on me, I guessed it was my turn to suffer the same fate. In my position, bend over the desk, my arms bound behind my back, I felt more **** then I ever had in my life. I had no chance of resisting, so I just shut my eyes and waited for the inevitable. I waited a few seconds, then a few more. The sound of the jewels being deposited in the bowl next to my head made me open my eyes. I hadn't been implanted with those things, had I? I didn't feel them pull down my pants.

"Well I'm glad that's over with." The official complained as she went back to her paper work. "What a night, so many processed today and 'The' Viper... captured. Who would have thought" She breathed out a sigh as she shook her head in astonishment.

"Whatever." The Caravan guard snapped back, seemingly completely at peace with what just happened. "She's your problem now."

"W-wait." I started in utter confusion getting the official's attention if only for a moment. "Why wasn't one of 'those' things put in me?" I nodded to the jewels in the bowl.

"Oh those things?" She said flippantly as she concentrated on more form filling. "That's for everyone who comes through the main gate. Everyone gets one and according to the Caravan escort you didn't come through the main gate with them. So you don't get one. So stop complaining." I wasn't.

"She should get another beating is what she should get." The Guard complained, rubbing the bruise on her chin I obviously just gave her.

"You know we can't..." The other added.

"Yeah yeah, no trouble..." The Guard grumbled back.

Oh right, the curse. Although I know it's not a curse at this point but some kind of magic involved with jewels which needs contact to control people. Still, I had a better idea of what I was dealing with now. Maybe this wasn't such a waste of time after all. Now everyone here is compromised and under the 'No trouble' command, I need to make my escape.

"So that's one flask, full. Spyglass..." The official had started to take my things through the gap in the bars for confiscation. "...two dag-AAAHHHHUG!"

I had bent forward and sunk my teeth into the back of her hand to stop her from taking my weapons off the desk resulting in her dropping them onto the hard wooden surface. She cradled her hand as she angrily watched me use my chin to slide a dagger onto the floor which I then sat down next to.

"She's trying to cut her binds!" One guard pointed out as she moved to stop me.

I lashed out, biting and kicking at any guard that tried to prevent my escape.

"She's putting up one hell of a fight, better back off." They agreed with each other. I figured they would, If I give them any trouble they wouldn't be able to deal with me.

The blade sawed through the rope fairly quickly, I was glad I only sharpened these this morning ready for the job. My arms came free and I slammed a hand on the desk to pull myself onto my feet. My eyes glared at the woman through the iron bars. My hand shot out through the small gap my items were taken through grabbing the lady by her uniform and yanking her into the bars with enough **** to cause her to yelp in pain.

"GIVE. ME. BACK. MY. STUFF. " I hissed at her, eye to eye.

She quickly complied, hurriedly shoving all my things back to me without delay. I let her go and she fell back into her chair, helplessly watching as I gathered my equipment, setting it back on my belt.

I turned to leave, all the guards which struggled so valiantly to catch me could only watch as I pushed past them. Everyone was well aware of the trouble I gave them the first time and now no one could dare risk any trouble again. Not that I gave them a choice. I felt fire in my gut rise as I passed the noble woman, she wasn't going to stop me but I could see the look on her face, the utter destain, despite me putting my neck on the line to save her and her pathetic Caravan from the fate they were now experiencing. I balled my fist and took a swing at her, knocking her to the floor.

"You dumb bitch" I muttered as I strode away, out the doors and back into the city.

I had to think of a plan again. I had a clear picture of what was going on here now but there were still unknowns. I still didn't know who this man was or what his goals were, only how he managed to control the city. I had no love for this place, if I had the choice I would have high tailed it out of here and gone back to the desert. Unfortunately my girls were now stuck here and it was my fault. I had two options that I could see. Jass, Haizn and Dalmi were in the local cells no doubt and Sekria and Caite were in the main palace. The three woman were probably safe for now, happy to wait on rescue but Sekria and Caite could be in danger. I had to prioritize them first, find a way into the palace, get those jewels out of them and get out of there. The more I thought about it the more it seemed like an easy choice. Haizn was the only one I could count on in that group and even then she was more a tracker than anything else and we weren't in the desert, when it came to both Sekria and Caite, I could really do with both helping me right now. I started to walk in the direction of the Palace as my mind worked on an infiltration. The royal guard were going to be an issue, they were not held back by any notions of wanting no trouble.

A memory came to the surface, when I rescued Jass from the dungeons. Perhaps I could use the same entrance to get in and from there, sneak through the barracks and look for Sekria and Caite that way. It was a long shot but I didn't have much else to work with at the moment so I headed to the spot where I could sneak in.

It was a tight alley way, one of the buildings that made up a the housing district almost touched the high walls that circled the palace's perimeter giving me just the leverage to hop over it to the other side. I was now technically in the palace grounds but still faced with another wall on the other side, a small opening at floor level was the only window on what I assumed were the dungeons. Thick iron bars blocked my entrance but if they had not fixed the flaw which gave me entrance a year ago this was my ticket in.

I grasped the fifth iron bar at the top and gave it a tug to the side. I let out a relieved exhale as it moved a few inches out of position. It was a tight squeeze through the gap I created but I was built for these kind of infiltrations. I dropped down into the dark room, it was just a store room I think, perfect for getting my bearings as I sneaked up to the door and opened it slightly to see into the hallway.

The dim light of torches lit the stonework of the palace cells. I could hear footsteps, heavy, armored. I bit my lip, I was hoping that I would not encounter guards this far from the main halls and entrances. I would expect there to be guards here usually but this city was far from it's usual self. I padded silently to the corner of the hallway to observe what I was up against.

Two Royal guards, in their highly revealing armor were walking up the main hallway which leads out of the dungeons. I watched as they made their way up some steps and out of sight. I moved forward, sticking to the shadows, my eyes flicking to exits I could use if I had to make myself scarce. I herd them coming back, were they just patrolling this one hallway? I could either slip back where I came from or use the only door in the corridor, wait for them to pass and slip behind them. I knew speed was important so I made my move.

"No reward, without risk" I muttered as I tiptoed over to the door silently, opened it with a quiet creak and slipped inside, closing it behind me.

I expected a cell and it was, although surprisingly this one was well lit. A plush, high back armchair was positioned on one side, a small table of fruit next to it, sconces pored their light over the out of place furniture letting it's shadow cast across the floor to the other side of the room. The cell was occupied by the looks of it, large wooden stocks held someone fast in the shadows, their dark hair falling over their face.

I heard the guards march past the door, now was my chance to slip out behind them and infiltrate the palace, but I stopped as I put my hand on the door handle to leave. Why would anyone be put in stocks in the dungeon when everyone was **** to not cause trouble? I knew the crime and punishment of this city and stocks were used for public humiliation, not for confining prisoners inside their cells. That's what the irons are for I remembered as I looked up at the chains on the wall. My curiosity was peaked, I walked over to the person, their long black hair fell in a way that covered their face, in the dim light I could barely tell if this person was alive. I grabbed their chin and lifted it up, it was a woman and she was alive. Her chapped lips parted slightly, she gave no resistance as I brought her face up to look at me. Hair fell from her features, revealing a deep scar on the left side of her face and a pearly white eye, the one working eye on the other side lazily looked back at me with half lidded disinterest. I know this face. I know this person. Realisation hit me like a stampeding horse. Names and titles flooded my mind. It was The Sentinel of the North, Manslayer, Captain of all Alsatia. It was Saintaris Ratheten herself! I screamed.

I jumped back, clamping my hand over my mouth. Looking to the door then back at the prisoner. She simply let her head drop again to gaze at the floor.

"You hear that?" Voices outside the door. The Guards heard my outburst, I looked around quickly and darted behind the chair. I was going to be discovered, this was no hiding spot but it should at least give me the drop on them. The Royal guard were good but I could take two of them if I had the jump on them, I hoped.

"It sounded like a scream..." The guard stated as she entered the room to look around. "Oh my Goddess! Is that the captain!?" She cried as both the guards rushed over to the prisoner.

How could they not know their Captain was in this room the whole time? I watched as they started to examine the wooden device holding the terrifying woman captive. I had to make a move now, while they were busy with the locks I could get out, maybe they wouldn't see me.

"UUaahhh..." The first guard dropped to her knees with a guttural moan. "I am such a stupid slut" She added as her hand went to her crotch as she started to masturbate.

"What are you.. Ugggfnnaa" The second guard followed suit, also plunging her fingers into her snatch which her revealing uniform granted her easy access. "I am such a stupid slut" She mimicked the first guards mantra.

A second or two past as I watched the lewd display from the shadows, dumbfounded. Then without any acknowledgement of their actions, both guards stood up and started to walk to the door.

"So, who do you think is gonna be the new district leader..." The conversation left my hearing range as they shut the door behind them, leaving Saintaris in the stocks, still trapped. She had not even looked at the guards who tried to help her or told them of my presence.

I was extremely confused, why did they try to help but then, did what they did, then left as though they don't remember anything. I walked over to Saintaris once again but this time crouching down on my haunches to look her in the face. I thought I was figuring things out but this just leaves me with more questions.

"What in the name of the Goddess is going on here?" I asked. Her eye flicked up at me, her dry lips parted and a raspy gasp slipped past them. She looked like she hadn't had a drink in days. I grabbed my flask, uncorked it and brought it up to her lips. As moisture spilled into her mouth, her head perked up and her eye seemed to come alive as she looked at me with renewed interest. She eagerly started to gulp at the stream of water flowing into her mouth, followed by a series of coughs.

"Why did those guards just leave?" I asked again seeing that she was more animated then before, hoping for an answer this time.

"T-they *cof* can't help me now. *cof* No one can." Her voice was raspy, full of sadness. "Jara has seen to that"

"Jara..." I started. "... That must be this 'He'. I've heard so much about. "

The trapped woman took a moment to compose herself before answering again.

"'He' is in control now. He has the guards patrol by the door. If I am to shout to them, they... well. You saw what happens..." She trailed off.

"Why?" I asked, still very confused.

"He torments me, he says it's **** for almost stopping him. I think he just likes the thrill of it all. Revelling in my helplessness compared to himself, He's..." She stopped her thoughts for a moment reflecting on her situation.

"...A man" I finished her sentence for her. ".. So that means you haven't got one of those things in you?"

Saintaris looked up at me again. "The Controller Jewels? No."

"So that's what they are called..." I considered the name and cross referenced it with anything I had seen before. Nothing came to mind. "Either way, that's good. That means I'm not on my own."

"You..." Saintaris studied me closely in the dim light of the room. "... what are you doing here? How are you here?" I didn't like her line of questioning, I best keep things vague for now.

"It's a long story, I don't really have time. All I know is that this Jara guy has my friends and I am here to get them out. If I get you out of here, can you help me get through the Palace?" She didn't technically ask my name and if I need her help, maybe it would be better not to tell her.

"You have no idea what you are up against..." She trailed off, my eyes flicked to the lock on the stocks keeping it shut. A standard padlock forged at the smith down near the fountain in the market district, I know these well, it's a solid lock but not very secure against picking. I flicked a lock pick out from my pouch and started to get to work subtly, I don't think Saintaris even knew what I was doing.

"Jara has the key, he keeps in on him at all times." She started.

"Uh, huh." I muttered feeling the pins stick in place one by one.

"You would need to get the key while he was sleeping, or perhaps bathing." It felt like she was trying to talk me out of it, she had no idea who she was dealing with.

"Or..." I stated with a flourish. "I could just open it right now." The lock clicked and I threw it to the floor in front of her.

She stared for a few seconds, slight surprise on her face at my feat before planting her feet on the ground. She grimaced as she tried to stand, pushing the heavy wood off her neck, freeing herself. I smiled at my handywork, I wouldn't mind the thanks I got off this woman for freeing her, it's always a nice ego boost. She stood upright and stretched, her muscles and joints clicked loudly in the still air of the cell. It was at this moment I realized how big she was, not just in height but her muscles were very evident, toned and defined. Her shoulders were thicker than the average woman's that's for sure. Her gaze fell on me once more, I couldn't help but feel a little intimidated as she walked towards me. She must have been close to six feet tall, I backed away from her unconsciously, she moved ever closer. I stepped back away from her again, this time very much on purpose, to the point my back was against the wall. She stood looking down at me, clearly a head height in difference, her hand came up and wrapped around my throat, pinning me in place. Was I going to die?

"...Ashk Crotalinae..." She said sternly, studying my face. She did know who I was, I am going to die.

Her free hand came to my pants and slipped inside, her fingers probing deep inside me all of a sudden.

"Hey! What, the..." I complained briefly over the tight grip on my neck. My mind turned a second before it made sense. I knew what she was checking me for.

Then as quickly as I found myself in this situation she pulled back, wiping her fingers on the frayed cloth of her rags.

"I had to check..." She said turning away from me.

"Yeah... I figured..." I grumbled, readjusting my pants. "Given the situation, I'll let this slide... and mostly people just call me 'The Viper'"

"The?" Saintaris scoffed. "Are all criminals so pretentious?" She didn't wait for an answer as she picked up an apple from the fruit bowl and wasted no time in hungrily devouring it.

"So, you know who I am. Is this the part where you arrest me?" I shot back.

"Why should I?" She said almost angry. "The kingdom I served is no more. There are no laws to uphold, only Jara's will. Elastia does not exist." She paused to look at the destroyed fruit in her hand, then her hunger took over her wistfulness as she continued to eat.

She sounded like she didn't care for the life she had, or her duty. On the one hand, that's good. She's not going to try and arrest me, on the other, having a highly motivated soldier as an ally would be useful in this situation. I still needed to get through the Palace, having a grand leader of the Guard escorting me would be extremely helpful.

"You sure?" I asked taking a step closer to her. "If we take out this Jara guy, we could get things back together, right?" An angle briefly flashed in my mind, a reward would be nice. Maybe I could get something out of this mess after all.

"Like I said...." Saintaris wiped her mouth from the juices of the fruit. "You don't know what you are up against. It's not just Jara and the people he has under his control. He has Serizenza herself."

"The Mage?" I asked incredulously. "That doesn't sound like such a big problem."

"She's not what you think..." Saintaris eye took on a far away stare. I had seen that look before, I wasn't going to convince her with my words. "Nothing will ever be the same..."

The answer was Cryptic and honestly a little creepy, however I cared not for restoring the glory of the throne or other such nonsense, I only cared for my friends, perhaps I could convince her to help me on similar lines.

"Okay, powerful Sorceress or not, I still have people I need to save. If I can't stop the man in charge, I can at least get my girls out." I spoke to her back, but the new plan got her attention as she turned towards me. Her loose black hair covered half her face, the other half stared at me, analysing my intentions.

"There..." She started, her gaze falling to the floor. "...There is one I could..." Her eye flicked back to me. "We would need to leave the city, there is a good chance he would not let me escape without significant effort on his part to recapture me."

"You help me get my guys out of here, I can help you disappear. Deal?" I held out my flask, the little water left sloshed around as Saintaris considered my proposal.

"Deal." She took my flask and drank the last of the water both to wash down the food she ate and as an acceptance of my proposal.

First we needed to get out of the cell, the two brainwashed guards were still patrolling outside. I crept to the door and held my ear to it, the sound of armored figures marching back and forth could be heard. I looked to Saintaris, she had used a thin piece of cloth as a hair tie to hold most of her hair in a ponytail, her characteristic bangs still remain covering her bad eye. I bought my finger to my lips indicating for stealth as I pushed the door open. The guards had their backs turned as my feet padded across the stone floor, I made it maybe six feet before Saintaris barged through the door without subtlety. I cringed at the obnoxious level of sound she generated with her blasé exit.

"Hey!" The guard shouted at me as they turned around. "Who the hell are you!" Both of them closed in on me rapidly, I took my daggers out ready for a fight. If this is how Saintaris wanted to play this then maybe it would have been better to just leave her locked up.

"Hold it, soldier!" Saintaris barked. Both of them took a moment to size up the person giving the order. It was dark in the hallway and Saintaris was out of uniform but they clearly recognized her voice. They were well drilled it would seem as they did as they were told, only after a few seconds of studying her did they see their captain for who she was.

"C-captain?!" They stopped next to each other and gave a salute to their commander. I could see the confusion and questions play across their faces but in their discipline they kept their mouths shut.

"At ease." Saintaris ordered them before turning to me. "We should hurry to the main palace halls, Jara may check up on me at anytime."

I was a little dumbfounded but gave a Saintaris a little smile. She does have her uses, I gave a quick nod before turning away.

"Wait!" One of the guard shouted out of turn, drawing her weapon. "Captain, we have been told to keep unauthorised people out of the Palace. She can't be allowed to enter the Palace grounds." Both the guards had now drawn their weapons and were advancing on me, passing Saintaris like she wasn't even there.

"Stand down!" She barked at her subordinates.

"We cannot." One soldier shouted back.

"That's an order!" Saintaris sounded angry for the first time. I had put my daggers away because I thought the danger had past but I pulled them out again as it looked like I would have to fight my way out of this.

"Even so Ma'am..." The other Soldier argued. "It's what 'He' wants. We have to."

I was slowly backing away to give myself space, my legs tensed, ready to spring myself at the nearest one at the first sign of an opening. As I studied the two aggressive women in front of me I cast a glance to Saintaris. Was she going to help me fight her own? She didn't have a weapon, maybe it would be in her best interest to let me die now as I had already freed her. She looked like she was deep in thought, I hoped she would think faster, this looked like it wasn't going to be an easy fight.

"Very well..." Saintaris agreed while frowning. "Soldiers, help me kill this intruder!"

She was betraying me? I thought if she was going to go back on her deal she would sit this out, not fight me.

"Yes Ma'am!" The two Guards expressions changed as they closed in on me with renewed enthusiasm, their brainwashing and duty no longer conflicting.

The sound of a metal weapon hitting the floor rang out in the dark hallway.

"Uaahhha" One of the Guards dropped to her knees. "I'm such a Stupid slut!" She shouted with a demented look on her face and a hand on her crotch.

"Wh- Ungahha..." The other Guard followed suit, also dropping her weapon. "I'm such a Stupid Slut!"

Saintaris walked up behind them and bent down to pick up one of the dropped swords. She examined the weapon and gave it a few swings to get the measure of it. I still had my daggers at the ready, carefully strafing round her. Saintaris looked at me with a curious cock of her head.

"I am not going to attack you Ashk." She explained. "Jara ordered my soldiers to humiliate themselves like that if they tried to help me. Might as well make use of his short sightedness."

She turned to the guard still rubbing her crotch and carefully removed the woman's bracers, sword belt and even her boots. The guard ignored her, content to be lost in whatever erotic fantasy took over her mind when she tried to help her Captain. I put away my daggers once again as I watched Saintaris equip the gear she took from her soldier. The poor woman mindlessly masturbating looked helpless and pathetic, much more different than the intimidating Royal guard which barred my way earlier tonight. I thought to Caite and Sekria, I wouldn't let them suffer the same fate.

"We should go..." I told Saintaris as she finished tightening the sword belt to her hip, haste now gripped me as I remembered my comrades. She nodded as she took a few steps past her once loyal troops. She stopped for a moment and turned to them, taking one last look at the people she used to know, down on their knees, mindless. She brought her right hand over to her opposite shoulder and gave them a salute. Then without a word she turn and ran past me up the steps out the dungeon, I followed without a word but I took a moment to appreciate how hard this must be for her and how little she let it slow her down, she was as tough as they say.

We made it out of the dungeon without running into any more guards until we got to the grand plaza where the barracks led into the Palace proper. Scores of Royal guard patrolled in formations, diligently covering exits and main causeways making sure nothing is getting into the Palace without their say so.. This would have been a nightmare to sneak through, I suddenly felt like recruiting Saintaris as a partner in crime was a good idea.

"Any ideas?" I asked my tall muscled ally as I sneaked a peak through the gap in the door, observing the troops manoeuvring around.

"I know these women. All of them. Jara had them on rotation outside my cell. He made them all into his tools to torment me. It's possible that all of them still have the same conditioning."

"It's possible?" I asked rasing an eyebrow. "If he was smart enough to remove said orders..." I trailed my whispering off, taking another glance outside. "There is an awful lot of them."

"We won't know if we don't try. Any better ideas?" Saintaris asked.

I had to admit I didn't and it was one hell of a risk on an assumption but then again... "No reward, without risk" I muttered to myself.

"What was that?" Saintaris asked, unable to hear my inaudible words.

"Don't worry about it." I told her. "We can't sit here all night. How are we going to play this?"

"I'll think of something..." Saintaris told me, her eye studying her once loyal army. "I'll go first, stick close. They are likely to kill you on sight unless I stop them."

She pushed past me and out the door, confidently stepping out into the moonlight of the open square. I took a deep breath and followed her.

It took mere seconds for the alarm to be raised, a shout from one of the guard on the wall pointing to us. Then two shouts, multiple sentries calling in every guard in the area. Saintaris didn't break her stride as she moved to the center of the space, she had guts I'll give her that. It took less than twenty seconds but by my estimate, escape was now not an option, we were surrounded. Flanks of Royal guard filled the space trapping us in the middle, their shields raised in a phalanx, spears pointing at us. Saintaris stopped and I stood behind her, back to back. I looked around and scoffed at the absurd over kill willed against us, even the walls were now lined with troops, bows drawn and honed in on our position.

"Captain Rathten?" One of the closer guards whispered on recognising their captain for the first time. A murmur went around the women as they took in the identity of the person who tripped their defensive operations.

"Stand aside Captain!" One of the guards shouted. "We can't let your companion go any further!"

"Move!" Shouted one on the wall, she looked like she was in charge of the others up there. Just waiting to give the order to loose thier arrows on me.

"If your going to do 'something', better do it quick." I spoke out the side of my mouth through gritted teeth.

Saintaris spun incredibly quickly, drawing her sword. It caught me by surprise as her leg tripped me to the floor onto my back. I looked up, the sharp point of her sword hovered dangerously close to my face.

"Help me kill the intruder!" She shouted to everyone at the top of her lungs.

There was a pause as the order hung in the air. The first soldier took a step towards us. I held my breath.

"Aargghaa" The first attacker cried out as she dropped her weapons and fell to the paved ground. "I'm such a stupid slut!" She added, her hands flying to her crotch.

I breathed out, Jara's command was going to give us a ticket in.

"What the?" The guard next to the masturbating one yelped in surprise as she looked down at her lewd comrade.

"Never mind her!" Shouted a higher ranked soldier. "Get- urggah" She too fell to the floor. "I'm such a stupid slut!" Were the only words she offered from then on.

Saintaris moved the sword from my face and sheathed it.

"We have our answer, lets go." She offered me a hand up as the first rank of soldiers closed in on us, the phalanx collapsed instantly as they all fell to their knees in a mind fogging orgasm. I felt my anger spike for a moment and slapped away her hand.

"What the hell was that?!" I spat at Saintaris as I got to my feet.

"Fiiiraaaggha" The guard on the wall failed to issue her command to her line of archers before dropping to her knees to add her voice to the growing chorus of 'I'm such a stupid slut'.

"'Something'" Saintaris told me while shrugging unapologetically. Her quip just pissed me off even more.

"Oh I see how it is!" I shouted at her as the next group of assailants charged in, only to drop the instant they got within arms length. "You are still pissed you never got to capture me!"

"I've been through a lot over the past few months..." Saintaris started to explain as the line of archers took the initiative to loose thier arrows at will, drawing their bows and aiming in my direction. "Trust me, you were the last thing on my mind." She added. I glanced around for a moment to see the archers strength leave them. Arrows weakly firing off in random directions as most of them also fell to their knees. They looked absurd up there in a line, jilling themselves off while chanting that stupid mantra.

"I suppose..." I admitted while pouting at Saintaris "Just next time, warn me if you want to try something like that, it kind of hurt." I rubbed my back as being thrown onto it did genuinely hurt.

"What in the Goddesses name is going on?!" One of the guards shouted as she slowly circled around me for a flank.

"I don't know! Take her down qui- uuuggaha" Another of the guards had responded and decided that hastily charging me was the right plan of attack. She was now at my feet, orgasming like the now majority of her sisters.

"It's her!" The first guard realised as she watched the events unfold. "If we attack her we..." She pointed to one of the guards who had succumbed to Jara's humiliation.

"Lets go" Said Saintaris turning to leave. The handful of soldiers left circled me at a distance, realising the threat I now possess to their minds.

"What about them?" I gestured to the last guards.

"They are compelled to stop you, an order directly from Jara, they also cannot act on it because of the implication of helping me would disable them." She turned and looked at me, motioning to move into the entrance to the palace. "Their fate is sealed, there is no escape."

"Uh huh..."I let the idea play out in my head, they only had the one option. Stop me and fall, no matter what. I felt a little giddy at the power.

Two guards charged from my left, swords above their heads ready to bring them down on me. I smiled and waved at them as their thoughts left their heads and they sank down to the floor. Saintaris grabbed my wrist as I teased them, her grip was strong, it hurt.

"Show some respect! These women are ten times the woman you could hope to be!" Now it was her time to be angry at me. I had no respect for the authorities it was true, but perhaps it would be a good idea not to piss off Saintaris too much I thought. She was still someone to be feared.

I walked to the edge of the courtyard, ready to leave this crazy scene behind me.

"She can't be allowed in!" One of the three stragglers left shouted in desperation. She leaned behind a pillar for cover as she aimed a bow in my direction, like the ones on the walls she also succumbed and slumped against the brickwork as her bow slipped from her hands. Another archer also followed suit as she was repositioning, realisation that I was getting into the palace **** her hand to act, taking a pot shot at me. Loosing her mind on the steps made her tumble down them, leaving her in a masturbating heap at the bottom.

The last lone soldier stood in the middle of the square, sword drawn and shaking as she cursed me with her words. She was the one who figured out the conditions for the mind wipe and knew that attacking me would leave her just like everyone else.

"P-Please.." She cried, her face was screwed up into a tight scowl as she fought internally. "Don't. Go. Into. The. Palace." Every word she choked out.

I didn't honour her request, I had my friends to save. I turned and walked through the main arch into the Palace halls. I heard her scream and charge me, her armor clanking as it came up behind. Then a gasp and a guttural moan as she too lost her mind. I looked over my shoulder to see Saintaris catch her and lay her gently down.

"I am such a Stupid slut" The guard moaned as she pleasured herself.

Saintaris took one last look at the courtyard, filled with the women she once served with, all mindlessly chanting and fingering themselves. She gave another salute and followed me into the palace.

From what I could tell, there seemed to be no more Royal guard in the lavishly decorated halls. A few servants who gave me an odd look like I wasn't supposed to be here but with Saintaris escorting me, no one said anything.

"Where is the main hall?" I asked as we walked down a plushly carpeted hallway.

"We are going to stay well clear of it, if Jara is there then so is Serizenza and we can't risk it."

"We might have to, if my girls are with him..."

Saintaris turned around and glared at me.

"I told you, we can't. We'll just have to be lucky, find your friends before he gets to them and pray to the Goddess that..." She stopped herself.

"Pray that what?" I asked.

"N-nevermind, you wouldn't believe me if I told you." She dismissed the conversation and turned to keep walking.

"After today? I think I'll believe anything" I shook my head in exasperation.

Saintaris stopped and took a deep breath.

"Serizenza..." She started.

"Yes?"

"She IS the Goddess..." Saintaris looked at me with a serious glare over her shoulder. She wasn't joking.

"A Goddess?" I asked slightly confused.

"THE Goddess." She replied.

"You're right." I nodded my head. "I don't believe you, but I do know she is bad news, so whatever. I don't want to face her as much as you do."

Saintaris took one more squint at me with an unreadable expression, like she wanted to argue but didn't know where to start, then thought better of it and looked forward to carry on walking. Maybe she did believe the High Court Sorceress was the Goddess of Creation, who knows how Jara has played with her mind over the past months. It didn't make sense to me either, my mind flashed to the temples, the clergy. They even had statues devoted to the Goddess here in this very hallway. My eyes tracked the marble sculpture as we past it.

"Pft," I scoffed. "Looks nothing like her."

We turned the corner and Saintaris gasped as she stopped in her tracks. My hands went to my daggers anticipating trouble but all I saw was a single noble. She appeared to be armed with a rapier of some kind but she was not threatening us. She was occupied with one of the door knobs leading to one of the lounging rooms that populated the Palaces lower floors. She was on her knees, her lips engulfing the brass object as she bobbed her head back and forth, her lipstick smearing over the metal, her tongue made playful flicks at its underside.

"ESTELIA!" Saintaris shouted as she quickly ran over to the other woman.

The name sounded familiar, she was a bit of a celebrity if I remember rightly. Winner of the Askalade, she was supposedly the finest swords woman in the country, that would explain the weapon she was carrying. The more I thought about it, the more memories came to me, I think I actually saw her last match. I remembered it because Saintaris was her opponent. That explains how they knew each other. I watched as Esteleia noticed Saintaris running up to her, she popped the metal fixture from her mouth and got up onto her feet.

"Saintaris!" She purred taking no account of her bizarre behaviour. "Long time no see!"

Saintaris rushed to hug her friend but was quickly taken aback when Esteleia leaned in and kissed her passionately on the lips. The Royal guard appeared to be exempted from the kiss greeting that the rest of the city was **** to follow, the nobles in the Palace seemed like they were not. I watched as the two women kissed, I would have assumed Saintaris would have been shocked by this, but as I observed closely, she was kissing her back equally. Maybe they were actually lovers?

"I missed you so much" Saintaris gushed to Esteleia as she pulled away from her. "I had no idea you felt this way"

"Hmm, oh the kiss? Don't get too big headed about it, it is what it is... " Esteleia teased the confused Captain. "... perhaps." She added with a wink.

"W-what do you mean?" Saintaris asked, clearly very confused.

"Everyone kisses now, as a greeting. Jara's doing." I explained over her shoulder.

"I... oh." Saintaris blushed and looked a little disappointed. It was clear to me that Saintaris was down bad for this woman, not that I could blame her. She was stunning with her slim athletic figure, cascading blonde hair over her shoulder. Those tight pants left little to the imagination.

"Watch" I said as I sauntered up to the gorgeous woman. "Hey there..."

"Who's the riff-raff?" Esteleia looked me up and down, her face giving an unmissable sneer as she walked up to me. We both licked our lips as I got ready to enjoy this snobbish noble's affections.

Saintaris's arm shot out and pushed Esteleia back away from me making her abandon her kiss.

"I'll take your word for it." She sternly informed me, before turning to Esteleia. "Her name's Ashk, she says she can get us out the city."

"Out the city? What? Why would we do that?" Esteleia asked, then she brought her thumb to her mouth and started to suck on it.

"Because... " Saintaris started but stopped as she looked at Esteleia strangely. "Why are you doing that?" She pointed to her occupied mouth.

"Oh, that stupid man prisoner told me I don't know how to suck his dick or some such ridiculousness. He said he wants me to practice." Esteleia said matter of factly, pumping her thumb back into her mouth.

I saw Saintaris knuckles turn white as she clenched her fists in anger. Then something happened, a chill ran up my spine. I turned to look at the hallway behind us. It was large, lavishly decorated and empty. As someone in my trade I know this feeling, its the feeling of being watched, yet no one was there. My gut was telling me something my eyes couldn't.

"It doesn't matter, we just need to get that thing out of you." Saintaris shook her head at Esteleia's behaviour.

"What thing?" Esteleia asked, now the one confused. "Oh hey!" She cried as Saintaris wasted no time slipping her hand into Esteleia's jodhpurs. "Not in front of the peasant, darling!" She cooed in half protest. I rolled my eyes at her slight in my direction. Once I lead this rich snob into the desert she's on her own.

"Almost got... it" Saintaris wrestled with Esteleia a few seconds more before the half smile left Esteleia's face. Suddenly she changed like a lever had been flipped. There was a quick movement, a flash of metal, Saintaris jumped back, a trickle of blood running down her cheek.

"He doesn't want them removed" Esteleia said angrily. "Don't try it!" Her rapier now unsheathed and pointed at Saintaris in a duelling stance.

"Looks like she's gonna do this the hard way" I shrugged pulling my daggers out, she was a good duellist but I doubt she could take both myself and Saintaris.

"Please." Saintaris cried while pulling her own sword out "Don't make me do this."

"You know she doesn't have a choice." I reminded Saintaris.

"Right" She narrowed her eye and took a better grip on her sword, stepping up to Esteleia's challenge.

I watched a moment as the two woman circled each other, I'd wait for an opening, maybe grapple the mind broken woman or something, I didn't really have a plan but all of Esteleia's focus was on Saintaris, she didn't really know how to fight out numbered. I saw my opening and got ready to strike.

Then it happened again, I felt like someone was behind me. I turned, yet no one was there. I smelt Jasmine in the air, my lips parted. Something soft pushing against them, then something entered my mouth. It wasn't unpleasant, it felt like a kiss but no one was in front of me. Realisation hit me just in time. A pair of light almond eyes appeared right in front of my own, gazing deep into me with a penetrating stare. A blade flashed and I only just managed to bring my own dagger to turn it aside. If this Order Agent had not been compelled to kiss me as an opener, that might have got me.

"Got an issue here!" I shouted to Saintaris over my shoulder, she didn't reply. All her focus was on Esteleia's blade. I was on my own, but I could handle this. Order Agents are tough, fast and deadly but I've beaten them before. This one calmly moved her mask back into place, covering her mouth now she has no need to kiss me, a shame. She was pretty in her own foreign way, I could still taste her on my lips, my tongue slipping out to sample the flavour. Her eyes narrowed, maybe she didn't like my implication. I don't know what she is thinking, she was hard to read as she crouched down, blade at the ready like a snake ready to strike. If she wanted to play that game I can show her how a real snake fights.

She dashed forward in a split second, she was fast. Impossibly fast. I've never seen anyone cover distance like that, her short blade made precise cutting slashes, I had **** but to back off, get more distance. I rolled backwards and she was still on me, methodical, efficient. I looked to her eyes, usually the best way to predict an attack is to follow the eyes. Hers were fixed on my own, unblinking, no help there. If anything, her focus was kind of terrifying. I'll admit it, she was good. Real damn good, but she should pay better attention to her surroundings, I rolled to the side and jumped on a chair using it as a springboard to run up the wall, giving me a huge height advantage on her, maybe I could form this into a good twenty foot drop attack. I grinned, I knew I could gain plenty of power and speed from this high up, she should not have manoeuvred so close to the wall to give me the upper hand. There was a puff of dust from the floor around her as she jumped up at me, I suddenly found myself looking up at her. UP.

"HOW THE-AK" Is all I could manage as I took a hard heeled fly kick to the chin. Stunned, I fell for a spit-second, then I felt her soft thighs on my cheeks as she straddled my face in mid air. They locked around my head tight and I felt my center of gravity shift as we went into a spin. I saw the floor and ceiling come into my view multiple times. The floor getting closer in every rotation. Had I not been somewhat of an acrobat myself, this would have been the end for me, but just before she drove my head into the marble floor I managed to time a well placed kick to the back of her head, causing both of us to roll as we hit the ground. We tumbled briefly, then I kicked her off me, separating us both. The agent flew backwards, righting herself in the air, landing on her feet, skidding some distance before coming to a stop.

I looked to my left to see if Saintaris was fairing any better. She lunged heavily, predictably. I winced at the ease Esteleia turned the blade away and pulled her off balance. For all her strength, Saintaris was being picked apart over there.

A flash of movement in front of me snapped my attention back, more blade slashes flicked across my vision, I played defensively, turning away the attacks with my right hand dagger. Anytime I felt like I couldn't deflect, I jumped back, forcing her to follow me, hoping she would get impatient and irritated. It's a tactic that would work on me that's for sure. The seconds ticked by, more precise attacks, her eyes never wavered but I saw an opening if I used my second dagger unexpectedly. Her blade met mine, they locked as she pushed into me, I flicked my second dagger round, ready to pierce her unprotected midriff. Her hand made a symbol, with two fingers pointing up from her fist, her shadow shifted without her moving. Sharp shards flew from the shade, they looked like shrapnel or something, I did not have much time to get a glance at them as they flew at my position. I had **** but to roll away and dodge the incoming projectiles.

I grit my teeth in anger, I had her! That was my chance and she was pulling bullshit magic on me. Screw this. I did the only option I felt I had left. I spun on the spot, crouched and sprang away from her, right into Esteleia's back, tackling her to the floor.

"Partner change!" I shouted to Saintaris as Esteleia struggled beneath me.

Saintaris was on her knees at this point, toppled over by Esteleia's superior dexterity and skill. The Captain gave me a confused glance at my intervention before understanding glinted in her one eye. A shadow past over her as the Order agent descended at me, Saintaris shot out her hand and caught her by the ankle, pulling her to the floor. She got a kick to the face for the effort but it got the agent off me, that's her problem now. Mine was the noble beneath me. She was surprisingly flexible as she managed to get her foot in-between us, her boot pushed against my chest, throwing me off her. She effortlessly flipped backwards off the floor, her toe caught the handle of her rapier, she flicked it upwards then plucked it from the air with grace. I few slices at the air let me know that she was now ready for us to tangle again.

"You should wait your turn, street beggar!" She looked angry as she hurled insults my way, not like the foe I just fought that was all business.

I knew I was at a disadvantage here, her sword just has more reach than my daggers but perhaps I could pull on that emotional thread some more.

"Why? Your date look like it sucked anyway!" I teased her.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Her face was contorted into a scrunched up scowl as she lunged at me. It was an obvious attack, way below what someone of her skill would be capable off. It would appear that my true calling in this world was pissing off nobles. Surly no one could do it better.

I rolled to the side avoiding her blade, she chased after me with more clumsy swipes.

"Come on!" I goaded her. "Move that tight butt or you will never catch me."

"Hold Still!" She screamed, fumbling after my nimble acrobatics. "Fight me, you cowardly gutter whore!"

Yeah, no chance of that happening. I almost felt sorry for her, all that skill, all that talent devoted to the art of a fair fight and I don't play like that. After a particularly over zealous leap from her I managed to roll to the side and covertly used my dagger to cut at the rug underneath me, pulling the red yarn from it's weave. She attacked again and again as I darted round her in a circle.

"You useless, poor, pathetic-" She stopped her tirade dead as her leg pulled at the red string wrapped around her knees. "-Wha" Is all she managed before I yanked as hard as I could, clamping her legs shut. She fell like a tree to the floor, her rapier clattering to the side. I sprang on top of her, one hand pushing her head into the carpet, the other threw a few more loops of red binding for safety around her struggling limbs.

"G-Get off me!" She ranted as I got comfortable, sitting on her back.

"There, there." I patted her head. "Instead of bitching, why don't you get some more practice in, hmm?"

"Practice? Wha-HMMFP!" She was cut short by my thumb pushing itself past her plump lips. "Ohf? fanpmf youf" She replied as I felt her struggling stop and her tongue go to work on my digit. Once again, one of Jara's commands made this easier. She went from screaming bitch to happy thankful suckling baby in a second because of his mind games. I turned my attention the battle between Saintaris and the agent, hoping that she would have had more luck.

The Agent was agile and very good at avoiding my partners blows but was **** to fight way more defensively than when she battled myself. Saintaris was extremely aggressive, forcing her opponent back against the wall. The agent tried to leap out of there with her boosted ability but Saintaris caught her by the foot, physically dragging her back and slamming the woman against the wall. By the Goddess she was strong, to just throw someone around like that. I winced as I watched Saintaris use an elbow strike against her foe's knee, bending it to the side and an unhealthy angle.

"Arrha!" I heard the terrible crunch from where I was and for the first time the agent made a noise as she cried out in pain.

She was pinned by Saintaris's one hand around her throat, her one working leg was kicking to no effect as she was lifted up against the wall. It looked like we were going to win, but then I saw it. The same type of magic she used before, her fingers forming into some kind of arcane figuration. I had no time to call out to Saintaris, there was no way she could see it coming. The agent lashed out with the hand, aiming straight for Saintaris's chest but at the last second Saintaris deflected the blow like she was expecting it somehow. A pressure wave flickered through the air and made a dent in the hard floor next to Saintaris's foot.

"Not this time!" I heard her shout as she tightened her grip.

The agent tried one last trick, turning completely invisible leaving the larger woman seemingly holding nothing but thin air. Saintaris didn't blink at this new development. She pulled her hand back and slammed it into the wall so hard it damaged it. The agent reappeared, Saintaris let go and the mystery woman flopped down to the floor, unmoving.

"I'm sorry, friend" Saintaris said panting. She took a moment to catch her breath, then stooped down to the **** woman and removed her mask.

At first I thought it was just a sign of respect, but she hastily tugged down the woman's tight pants and used her hand to stuff the mask into her exposed sex. After a moment she pulled out the cloth and held it up, I could see the small glint of the Controller jewel between her covered fingers. Saintaris threw it to the side in disgust, shaking her head. The she looked over to me.

"Problem?" I smugly chirped as I sat atop the pacified Esteleia, sucking away at my thumb while she was tied up like some sort of sordid gift.

"Take your hand out of her..." She growled, walking over to me. As nice as the sensation was, I wasn't going to argue, not after I just watched her destroy someone like that. I pulled my hand away from her mouth but leaned on the back of Esteleia's head, pinning her to the floor ready for her predicted aggression when we try to take the controller out of her.

"Look, about the switch up back there..." I told Saintaris as she pulled down the nobles pants and used the mask to delve into her. "... I can usually handle Order agents but that one caught me off guard." I was trying to save face in all honesty.

"That was Alki Vemory" Saintaris explained. "She's no ordinary agent, she was the head and chief of all the Order in Alastia. I'm surprised you're still alive."

I nodded thoughtfully at the revelation, deep down glad that my ego wasn't too badly bruised from my showing. If Saintaris was impressed or disappointed she didn't show it as she rooted around, Esteleia squirmed beneath me, desperately trying to get free. Then all of a sudden, she stopped, Saintaris held the cursed item in her hand as she motioned to me to get off.

"She's clean." Saintaris told me. "You can let her up."

We still hadn't confirmed that removing the jewels lets a person return to normal so I let her up slowly and carefully. She took a moment to collect herself, looking at the floor, then suddenly she lashed out to grab her rapier once again. She swished it about, then made a slash at me that I only just avoided thanks to being on guard.

"You cur!" She shouted. "Do not touch me again." She looked angry but tears were filling her eyes as she screamed at me.

"It didn't work!" I yelled to Saintaris. "She's still under Jara's control!"

Saintaris didn't attack her, but slowly raised her hand to Esteleia's, lowing the sword raised against me.

"Easy, Esteleia. It's okay, we are all on the same side." Saintaris was acting like she was trying to calm a run away horse, not argue down a combatant.

"S-saintaris?" Esteleia asked as she turned her attention to her rival for the first time.

"It's me, Estiala. Calm down."

"Oh Saintaris!" The courtier cried as she dropped her sword and threw herself into the Captains arms. "The things he did... How did you escape?"

"Ashk here let me escape, she's going to get us out the city." Saintaris motioned to me as Esteleia looked me up and down once more. To her I looked like a commoner, not much of value but for the first time she saw me in a new light.

"Thank you Lady Ashk" She nodded with approval.

"Well, I'm not a Lady..." I started. "...But I appreciate you not killing me now. So it's a start."

"So..." Saintaris looked at me with her one eye very seriously. "... can you get us out of the city?"

"We are leaving?" Esteleia asked as she thought about the options open to them. "We are not going to stop him? We can't let him get away with this!"

"Yes, we ARE getting out of here, Esteleia..." Saintaris spoke slowly and deliberately while looking her in the eyes. "There is nothing we can do, he made you all forget but he has Serizenza, She's not just a normal magic user, she's... We can't hope to beat her."

Esteleia looked at her confused for a moment. Clearly taken aback by Saintaris's planned course of action.

"O-Okay." She agreed casting her eyes down. "We leave. At least we have each other?" She added hopefully.

"It's all I need for now." Saintaris allowed a small smile to past her lips.

"Not so fast..." I interjected. "Or have you forgot I still have my people I need to get out?"

Saintaris looked at me with concern in her eye, she shook her head.

"I'm sorry Ashk." She apologised. "I told you I won't face Serizenza , we have **** but to retreat."

I felt heat flowing to my face again as I angered.

"If you want to be a coward, go do it on your own!" I turned away from her in a sulk.

"If that is the way you want it? So be it." Saintaris said to my back. "We don't need you, we can get out on our own."

I don't know if that was true or not but she seemed serious about not going any further and I for sure wasn't going to give up after coming this far.

"NO." Someone shouted firmly to break the awkward silence between us. I turned back around to see it was the order agent.

"Alki!" Saintaris shouted back running over to the injured woman. I gave her a once over with my eyes, Saintaris really did a number on her, a wound on the back of her head trickled blood and only one working leg held her upright.

"S-Saintaris, you have to stop him." Alki struggled to keep upright as the Captain helped her stay on her feet.

"I can't, with Serizenza , he is unstoppable... he made you all forget but..." Saintaris started to explain away her cowardice again but Alki stopped her with a simple statement.

"She's not here..." She said.

"W-what?!" Saintaris replied in alarm.

"Jara, h-he..." Alki struggled through the pain to get the words out. "...He sent her away three days ago, to destroy the northern kingdoms. She has not yet returned. I was ordered to guard the Palace in her stead."

Saintaris's mouth formed many words at once but none came. She then took a moment to gather her thoughts.

"Then we have a chance..." She muttered, hope filled the warriors eye as she reconsidered her priorities. "The Queen Alki, is she safe?"

"I do not know." Alki explained. "She was also sent away on Jara's request a month ago, to the south. He seeks to use her as recompense to his nation of Hastaluna, for his betrayal. What they have done with her, I do not know. Jara was... Vivid with his instruction on what she should do in order to get himself back into his nations good graces. If the men of his nation are like himself..." Alki closed her eyes as she trailed off.

"He dies tonight." Saintaris declared solemnly at the news. "What of the Princess?"

"She acts as his personal concubine, but otherwise she is unharmed." Alki told the Captain.

"Then there is still hope. I will not see the end of this country yet. I swear no harm shall come to her." Saintaris made the promise to herself.

"If we are to strike at him, he would be in the main hall. At night he likes to star gaze from the balcony and have women from the city visit pleasures on him. Saintaris... There are many guards in the main hall. More than we could hope to beat." Saintaris nodded at Alkis words, taking it all in.

"The guards are a problem..." Saintaris thought out loud. "...We have an ace up our sleeve however. His mind games have given us a way to disable the guards, if temporarily. The only problem is that should he realise, he could end that advantage with a word. We cannot squander it."

"We only need to kill him." Alki reminded her. "I could get close to him, **** him before he manages to say anything."

"Yes, perhaps before but not now, look at yourself Alki." Saintaris frowned looking at her own handiwork. "You can barely stand. Even with Esteleia and myself pulling every guard in the room, I don't think you could do it."

Alki frowned realising her own predicament, her head injury preventing her from even becoming invisible.

"So..." I cut into the conversation, I smugly studied one of my daggers as I got their attention. "... Looks like you are in need of someone who can be sneaky or stabby? I can do sneaky stabby."

"Ashk..." Saintaris took a step towards me. "... You realise the fate of all Alastia rests on your success. Can you do it? Can you take his life?"

"It wouldn't be my first time..." I reminded her of my criminality which seemed to gain her confidence. "Besides, he has what's coming for him after taking my girls."

"Okay," Saintaris nodded as a triumphant grin played out on her lips. "We have a plan. You sneak in to the main hall, we will cause a distraction and draw the guards to us. Then you strike before he knows what hit him. With any luck, this nightmare will be over." Saintaris summed up.

"I will stand with you..." Alki struggled to stay upright as she spoke the words.

Saintaris looked at her and nodded. Even in her battered state, she understood the meaning of taking part in this final stand to save their country.

"Yes, you shall." She gave the Agent a salute which Alki shakily returned.

"The hall is above us, to the left." Alki explained now turning to me. "Good luck."

I thought about giving them one of those goofy salute things they are fond of but thought better of it, not my style anyway. I just shrugged and walked over to a window to open it.

"Give me five minutes to get into position then make your entrance." I looked over my shoulder at them as they nodded their understanding, then I climbed out.

We were already on the first floor of the palace. The grass of the gardens was below me but I need to head up to the balcony where Jara had his stupid telescope thing. I was glad of the fancy mountings on the palace exterior as it made easy work to climb. If I had know this years before I might have tried to get in this place for a few five finger discounts of my own. I laughed at the thought has I thrust myself up higher and higher, stealing? They will give me my own castle after this, at least they better. The things I have to go through to save other people's hides. I quit my internal grumbling as I made it onto the balcony. It was quite a climb.

Behind me the city stretched out, lights twinkling in the night air, hard to believe I would ever get to see it from this perspective. No guards were around to see me out here, I assumed they were all inside the hall as I made my way to the doors that lead inside.

Curtains draped across the opening giving me every opportunity to hide as I scope out the room. There were indeed many guards in here. A quick head count showed me that there were at least twenty. From my view I could see most of the open area, it was a huge spacious hall. I imagined this is where the courtiers gathered for the balls and Goddess knows what other parties they threw here. It was a world away from the streets that I was used to. Laughing caught my attention. Male laughing.

It was Jara for sure, dead center in the room, he had moved the throne from it's usual space elevated on the steps at the back to right in the middle, I could see the throne from behind. On it he sat, laughing and talking away to someone, I couldn't quite see from my angle. My eyes scanned for openings on him. I would be approaching him from his right, there were many guards that had line of sight on that space. I retraced the line of attack, to a table, covered in cloth and fancy foods. The perfect place to strike from and only one guard had eyes on the path I need to take to get there.

My eyes focused on her, she seamed lazy and uninterested in her job. I watched as she slowly stifled a yawn then let it get the better of her, opening up to let herself get the slight relief. I darted out and made a quick jump into a slide, swishing along the floor in a second, her attention had slipped and I took my opening, gently coming to a halt under the table.

No calls of alarm so far, I made it to my spot, ready for action as I peaked through a gap in the cloth, now clearly seeing this Jara guy for the first time. Caite and Sekria were there! Both naked as the day they were born, bending over in front of him. His hand gently sampling their rears as he took a sip of his wine with the other. There was something else, the wet sound of something or someone doing... something. I looked closer, it was the Princess between his legs. She was bobbing her head up and down on his dick. Although she appears to be unhurt I couldn't imagine Saintaris being too happy at this outcome either way.

"So you just live out there? In the Desert?" Jara carried on his conversation with my girls, more interested in the stories they would tell then actually defiling them, yet.

"Sometimes we make it into a town if we think we can go unnoticed." Caite replied. "If we have a big score, we celebrate" I assumed she was under Jara's orders to tell all so I wasn't going to hold anything against her if she lets anything slip, he was going to die anyway so no harm done.

"Celebrate?" Jara took another gulp from his goblet. "Ah, you mean the company of other women?" He laughed as his eyes drank up their naked forms.

"I have no one of note." Sekria spoke up first. "I want to travel some more before..."

"Bah!" Jara cut her off. "Don't care, what about you?" He slapped Caite's ass.

"Oh! Well, I don't partake in the brothels if that's what you mean." Caite was quite reserved when it came to that sort of thing I mused, usually happy to just drink and slip off by herself to bed.

"You don't fuck anyone? What is it with you desert women? Are you all sexless? There must be something interesting to tell." Jara scoffed in disappointment.

"Well..." Caite thought for a second. "I have a crush on my boss, does that count?"

My head hit the table and almost gave me away.

"It's a start..." Jara looked at the expensive wine as he swirled it around. "She hot? Do you fuck?"

"Yes, I think she is, I am quite obsessed with her. Although I don't think she knows I like her like that. She almost caught me sniffing her saddle this morning." Caite explained.

This was making me cringe into a ball. If Saintaris and her party doesn't make their distraction soon, I'm likely the one to die.

"Ah ha! Now we are talking!" Jara perked up. "Tell me, what's the worst, dirtiest thing you have done in this regard."

"Oh!" Caite gasped at the memory. "This one time, when she got black out drunk, I-"

"JARA!" Saintaris burst through the main doors of the hall, sword in hand ready to raise hell.

"Not yet!" I cursed. "What did she do? What did she do!" I ranted under the table, still luckily unheard by anyone in the commotion.

"How in the Moons did you escape?!" Jara sat up straight in his chair as he fumbled for a key on a chain round his neck, his surprise at seeing it still there confused him more.

"You will die here tonight Jara of Hastluna! I swear it!" She raised her sword and pointed to him in challenge, Esteleia and Alki had entered behind her, weapons ready.

"Guards!" Jara shouted. "Recapture her! Now!"

All the guards in the room turned and sprinted headlong into battle with their Captain who met them with a grim determination, knocking the first one back instantly as she expertly parried the first blow. I could see Jara look apprehensive at the out come as he watched more and more Guards surround his prize captive.

"You two!" He barked. "Go stop them!"

Both Caite and Sekria were butt naked and weaponless but complied with Jara's order all the same, sprinting into the fray. Saintaris better not hurt them or she is going to have another fight on her hands after all of this is done.

I took stock of my position and the guards now engaged with Saintaris party. He was open, it was time to make my move. I took out a dagger, felt its weight in my hand as I put some tension into my legs. I sprang out of cover, it would only take me three bounds from this distance to reach him, there is no way anyone else in the room could stop me in time, except one.

I suddenly found myself staring into the most beautiful face I had ever seen, the Princess stood between myself and Jara, her arms held wide protecting him. This was his last line of defence, for generations the servants of the Crown, be it Royal Guard, the Order or even the Nobles of the palace have sworn oaths to keep her safe and they would die to protect every hair on her head.

My fist connected with her pretty button nose with a crack, sending her **** body cartwheeling over the side of Jara's throne. I was none of those things.

Her sprawling form caught Jara's attention as his head snapped round to see myself moments from ending his life.

"W-WHO ARE YOU!?" He yelled as he flailed in his seat trying to make some distance. He threw his wine goblet at me and the dish of Jewels at his side. I was focused and didn't blink as his projectiles bounced harmlessly off me. "Stop!" He screamed.

I stopped. My dagger inches from his throat. His eyes were shut as he flinched backwards, when his end did not come in the next few seconds he tentatively opened them.

"Oh wait..." He said calming down, noticing my obedience. "You, on your knees."

I dropped like he said, looking up at him a few thoughts past through my mind. None of them were about killing him, which did strike me as odd because I was planning on doing that a second ago.

"You must be the Boss... Right, right." Jara's hand brushed my face as I stared back at him. "You are hot." He added, his thumb brushing against my lips.

I bent forward slightly and took his thumb into my mouth, sucking on it gently, my tongue teasing it's tip. If my dealings with men are anything to go by, he'd want this. His excited gasp proved me right.

"Jara!" I heard Saintaris scream in our direction. She was surrounded by guards, about to be recaptured.

"I'm A stupid slut!" A chorus of voices rang out in the hallway. Saintaris had played her card. I didn't hear whatever it was she said but it created an opening for her. I saw out of the corner of my eye as she sprinted at us. There was no guards between us and her charging form, it looked like she was going to kill him. He wouldn't want that, I should stop her.

I was about to make my move when Jara whipped his hand away from me. He was panicked again, his eyes glanced down at me then back to the charging Saintaris. He doesn't need to tell me to stop her, I was going to do it anyway.

"Kill yourself!" He shouted to me as he jumped out of his throne and started to flee to a back door.

Okay, not what I thought he would want but I can do that. I grasped my dagger and considered briefly the best way. The jugular is the easiest with a knife, I just need to jab it into my neck and slice across, get my windpipe too. The tip of the metal touched my skin ready to do the deed, I took my last breath and I couldn't move. Strong hands grasped my own, Saintaris was wrestling my dagger away from my neck. Why? He wants this. I have to do this. She's too strong for me to overcome but I have a second dagger, maybe if I go for my kidneys she won't stop me. I was yanked to the side, bent over. Saintaris slammed down on my back with the palm of her hand, I winced at the pain. Two small pearls tumbled out of my top and to the floor.

"W-What?" Is all I could mutter as realisation hit me.

Saintaris wasted no more time, she pushed against me for more acceleration in her pursuit of Jara and I fell to the floor. My hands were shaking, I was just going to kill myself. Just like that all because he wanted a few seconds. My despair turned to rage as I looked at my dagger on the floor. I snatched it up and flung it with all my might. It sailed through the air, narrowly missing Saintaris by a hair, it glided for a few heartbeats more as it found it's mark, right in the back of Jaras thigh. He screamed and fell to the floor, just moments from making it out the door and safety. He hastily grabbed the dagger and pulled it from himself, crying pitifully as he hobbled to his feet but it was too late. I had slowed him enough that Saintaris caught him. She spun him around and without delay ran him through with her sword, physically pinning him to the door he just tried to escape through. She even hefted up, slitting him open at the belly.

"Argh!" Jara Choked out blood at the mortal wound.

"I got you, you bastard!" Saintaris shouted at him. I think she needed that.

The was a flash and pause in the air. I looked around, everyone seemed to stop and look at Jara as he bled out. I couldn't imagine what was going through their mind controlled heads, they figured that he doesn't want to die but they can't do anything about it. The guards couldn't save him as they looked on, not the princess or my girls, not Serizenza as she watched from right next to him.

"Wha-" Saintaris exclaimed in alarm as there was another flash.

I had to duck as Saintaris body flew over me, she must have been flung the entire space of the hall as she tumbled away, back to where she entered. The power to launch someone that big made me nervous.

Serizenza was here. In the flesh, so much for her destroying the other kingdoms, but she was too late. Jara lay dying, she could only watch as he breathed his last breath.

"H-help..." Is all he could manage.

Serizenza was a powerful mage but no magic could fix a wound like that. I watched as she knelt down next to him, her face static and unmoving as she placed her hand on his wound. A golden glow appeared and my jaw dropped as his injury vanished. Even divine magic couldn't hope to achieve something like that. As I watched Jara collect himself and stand up straight, what Saintaris told me in the hallway came to the front of my mind. She was The Goddess? No, I still didn't believe it. I had to focus on the problem at hand and not give in to ridiculous thoughts like that.

"What? I thought you were in the Northern kingdoms?" Jara asked checking out his fixed body.

"I was." Serizenza spoke in a monotone. Strange, she was not like the others, she was mindless. A pure puppet.

"Huh, I didn't know you could travel that far instantly, lucky me." Jara had calmed down now as he took in the appearance of Serizenza who looked a little worse for wear. "What happened to you?" He pointed at her destroyed garments that hung loosely around her person, exposing the Sorceresses more intimate areas.

"I was engaged by a party of skilled warriors and mages when I attacked their Capital." She stated flatly. "They distracted me long enough that a volley of ballista shots caught me off guard and impaled me in nine places."

"Oh..." Jara raised an eyebrow. "... did you win?"

"Yes..." She replied. "They were all destroyed."

"Just now?" Jara asked.

"No. Two days ago." She answered.

"So you have just been finishing off the rest of the country looking like that?!" Jara started laughing, I don't know if he even herd her reply.

"Yes" She said with no emotion.

"Anyway I am glad you returned. I have a pest problem." Jara turned towards us.

It was at this point I realised that I was the closest to the pair as they talked and I didn't want to feel her wrath first so I quickly retreated backwards to link up with he rest of our makeshift party. The guards had still not stopped their 'I'm a stupid slut' Mantra so at least we were not fighting them.

"Any other plans?" I whispered to Saintaris as she picked herself up.

"No." She told me. "I just hope he kills us."

"That's not going to happen my dear!" Jara was grinning ear to ear as he continued to walk toward us, Serizenza next to him, blankly looking at the wall behind us. "After tonight, I am going to enjoy all of you, enjoy inflicting the pain you just did to me back on you."

"I should have left." Saintaris muttered as a tear formed in her eye. She took one last look at her beloved Esteleia before the inevitable happens.

"You did your duty Saintaris!" A shout from the doorway caught everyone's attention. It was the unmistakable voice of the Queen. She had returned.

"How the..." Jara asked confused before he started laughing. "Well this is great, all my toys have returned this day."

"I will never again be your puppet." The Queen spat defiantly. "You won't touch anyone again!"

The Queen gestured around, at us and the guard who were still immobilised and then to her daughter who had only just come too.

"M-Mother?" The Princess asked in a daze, looking at her parent, blood gushing from her nose.

"What did you do to her? You monster!" The Queen demanded.

I looked to my left and right, no one said anything so I took a step back to try and hide myself from blame.

"Never mind that." Jara dismissed her concerns. "I command you to get on your knees, bitch!"

Jara was pointing at the Queen but she just stood there, glaring at him, her head held high.

"Your controller is removed?" He asked questioningly. "That's too bad. My old master was always too soft."

"... and you were always a poor student." Another male voice spoke from behind the Queen, it was an old man. He could barely walk upright as he hobbled into view with his staff as a walking stick. His long grey beard almost reached his toes. I had no idea they could get that long, I've only seen a few in my life.

"You made a mistake old man." Jara said bitterly for the first time. His jovial malevolence leaving him. "I have the Goddess on my side. You should have accepted my gift. Now you shall call me master."

"I think not, Jara." The man replied. "The Goddess is very powerful, but you of all people know, nothing is a match for the power of the Moons."

The man nodded to the Queen who returned the gesture back, graciously. She held her hand up high, letting us all see it encased in a white satin glove.

"What are you-WAIT NO!" Jara screamed at them.

I had no idea what was going on, but as I watched the man put his hand on the Queens shoulder and the pair vanished before our eyes.

"Where they go?" Saintaris asked just as puzzled as myself.

"Behold..." The Queen said from across the room making everyone turn their heads. "The Goddess has returned..." In her hand she held the original controller jewel.

"Oh Moons! Oh no! Oh FUCK!" Jara started to panic as we watched life return to Serizenza's eyes.

"Could it be..." Saintaris said in wonder.

The Queen beamed a smile at the great mage as her eyes started to focus. I heard laughter from Esteleia and I think even Saintaris. We had won.

Serizenza looked confused at first, which is understandable given the situation, they her eyes furrowed in worry.

"No..." She breathed. "This can't be."

"It is my Goddess." The Queen bowed low to her charge. "You are once again free."

"They..." Serizenza shook her head in disbelief. "They are gone.... all gone."

"We shall make Jara pay for his crimes." The Queen spoke up, reassuring the Sorceress that she is with friends now.

"No. No. NO!" Serizenza clutched her head and started to wail.

I felt something, a tremor through the floor.

"Guys." I said with worry. "Is the ground shaking?"

Vases and pictures on the walls were certainly moving by themselves.

"Gone! GONE! NOTHING LEFT!" Serizenza shouted in a blood curdling scream. The shaking became much more evident.

"Calm down Serizenza " The Queen slowly approached the woman. "Jara can't hurt you any more..."

At the sound of his name the Mage's eye flicked up towards the man. He had no chance to even react.

"Wh-" Were the last words he ever said before he was disintegrated in a flash, nothing but scorch marks and ashes were left of him.

"Good riddance..." Saintaris scoffed. "That was too good for him."

"Too Quick" Alki nodded in agreement.

The mood of everyone seemed jubilant but I was still on edge, something wasn't right. Even though Jara was now gone, I got that feeling again, like my gut was telling me the worst is yet to come. The shaking had gotten worse, I felt like I needed to get out of here. Then it hit me. Caite and Sekria. I scanned around for them. They were standing butt naked in the middle of the room watching this all play out, Saintaris and Esteleia had spared them. I ran over to get their attention but they just stood there listless. I would have thought that when Jara dies they would be returned to normal, but they seem just as zoned out as Serizenza was when she first appeared.

"Caite, Sekria!" I hissed at them. I felt like it was a good time to make an exit, reward be dammed. "Wake-" I stopped. Their eyes were pure white. Not just without pupils but glowing white, like the inside of their head was a furnace. I looked about and the soldiers had stopped their stupid Jara games and were the same. Even the princess was now just standing there, unblinking. Everyone who still had a controller. I wasn't the only one to notice.

"What's going on?" Saintaris shouted over the rumble of the Palace shaking.

Then the ceiling tore itself away to reveal not a black starry night sky but a cloudy vortex, swirling overhead.

Serizenza had started to float in the air, her arms started to reach out to the side.

"NOTHING IS LEFT" Her voice boomed out, louder than was possible. I had to cover my ears to prevent myself from hearing damage. "NOTHING SHALL REMAIN!" She added in the same deafening voice.

"Serizenza!" The Queen shouted. "Please! Stop this!" Serizenza ignored her monarch's pleas as she flicked her hands out to the side, disintegrating the walls.

From this high up I could see for miles out into the city. Thousands of lights glittering in the streets, no not lights. Those were all the women who had a controller in them. All of them where standing mindless. The entire population.

"I demand you stop! I order you to stop!" The Queen continued her shouting.

This got Serizenza's attention if only for a moment, her eyes flicked down at the woman she used to call her Queen and in a second she too was gone. Blasted to ash in an instant.

"NOO!" Saintaris screamed as she lost her mind at the events unfolding. She ran screaming at Serizanza blade held high, Esteleia followed her unto **** as they were both obliterated in a fraction of a second.

I was stunned briefly by the events unfolding. The women I just met, they were all gone in a moment. I had to get out of here, Serizenza had turned her vision skywards, lightening crackling from her eyes and something else. Was she... crying? I couldn't tell from this distance but what I could see was a sphere expanding out from her. It destroyed the floor underneath her in a perfectly round crater and it was getting larger. I watched the lifeless princess vanish into nothingness as it touched her, Alki simply lowered her head in solemn resignation as it swallowed her too. I tried to tug at the hands of my comrades but they just wouldn't move. The round destruction wave pushed out towards me and I had **** but to jump back and away. I watched as Sekria and Caite, Caite who I had know since I was a dumb street kid, die. They didn't move or scream, they just stood there one moment, gone the next.

"Noo!" I screamed. My heart cried out at my failure, I promised I would look out for them and now they are gone. I would be soon to join them if I didn't move quickly.

I flipped and dodged a stray bolt of lightening as it seared a path in the once lush carpet. I took several steps towards the exit before I realised, there was no exit. No door, no wall. Nothing but air. What was left of the palace was nothing but a high column that I was stuck on with some raging Goddess. I could see that now. Saintaris, you crazy scary bitch you were right. She is the Goddess of creation and now, for some reason she is undoing her creation. What did Jara do to her to make her act like this?

The expanding sphere of destruction had pushed me into a corner, I looked out into the countryside and was staggered by what I saw. The mountain ranges to the west were lifting up and getting closer. The plains to the east were doing the same, only the old shadowy outline of Splitpeak refused to move at Serizenza's whim for some reason, I guess not which. The rest of the country was being folded in half on top of my location, like the lands were pages in a book I was in the center as it shut on me. I tried to think of a way out of this but what could I do, this was truly the end.

Then the rumbling stopped, everything stopped. Was I dead? Is this what happens when you get obliterated like what happened to the others. I could see Serizenza still levitating in the air some thirty feet off the floor, her round wave of destruction was present but it had stopped. Her hair hung in the air like she was underwater but it didn't move, nothing was moving. Not the land or the arcs of lightening which glowed eerily in ribbons playing out across the sky.

"Hmm, this is most unfortunate..." A male voice spoke calmly from behind me.

"W-what?" I looked behind me and I saw that the old man from before also had survived somehow.

"This turn of events were not what I expected." The man explained. "Jara must of done something terrible indeed for the Goddess to act in such a way."

How was he so calm? The world was ending and he was just having a calm chat? Also is that his hand on my shoulder?

"Get off me!" I reached to remove his hand, the last thing I wanted right now was to be touched by a man.

"Please!" The man stopped me with his words. "Do not remove my touch, it's the only thing keeping you in this moment."

"What?!" I looked around at the violent display that was frozen in time. That part is making sense now if only a little. I had many questions. "Who are you?"

"My name is Orisata, if you want my full title, I am head of the Luna Council of Hastaluna. Patriarch of the greater Moon of Time..." There was a pause. ".. I could go on but I think you get the idea" He chuckled.

I didn't see the joke, but the stopping of events was his doing apparently.

"Why is Serizenza acting like this? Isn't she supposed to be on our side?" I asked.

"Her choice to end the world is most troubling and she seems emotionally distressed, Jara must have done something beyond awful. We cannot find out what it was as he has unfortunately passed away and is no longer among the living." Orisata said, he was still calm. His voice and demeanour help calm my nerves also.

"Unfortunate?" I scoffed. "He had what was coming to him."

"Please..." The man whispered. "Violent **** is never a pleasant outcome. Jara was morally misguided, but I have known him since he was but a child. He was brilliant in his own way, we chose him for his mission for a reason."

"What mission? This?" I gestured to the destruction around me.

"He was sent here to save our land, instead he doomed us all. I don't know how to tell you any more clearly that this outcome was not our intent." He sounded remorseful, I guess that's easy to do when you are watching the world end and it is your fault.

"So... what happens next..." I asked, curious to see if he had a plan because I sure don't.

"Next?" Orisata bristled at the word. "There is no, 'next'. Our choice is to stay here like this, or oblivion."

"Oh you got to be kidding me?!" I complained. "My fate is to be stuck here in one spot, forever with some man I don't know, laying his paws on me... for all eternity?!"

"It might not be so bad..." He said.

"That's easy for you to say you old prune!" I argued back.

Silence hung in the air as I crossed my arms and tapped my foot in a huff. More seconds passed.

"... I have a pack of playing cards" He offered, breaking the silence.

I laughed, the idea made me genuinely laugh out loud.

"Like you could beat me at cards!" I chortled "You have no idea who you are dealing with."

"That is a good point." He replied. "I did not catch your name. If we are stuck here like this forever, might I know whom I am to spend it with."

"It's The..." I started but changed my mind. "Ashk, Just call me Ashk."

"That's a nice name." He replied in a charming way. "Are you part of the royal court? How did you get caught up in all this?"

"Nope." I casually replied. "No title, no honorific. I'm just a nobody in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"There is no such thing as a nobody Ashk." He argued. "Titles and status may be the Alastian way but I see all as equals. Every person from farm girl to Queen is important to somebody."

The sentiment genuinely warmed my heart. All my life I had been down trodden by the social order, it was nice to hear a different perspective.

"Maybe you aren't such a bad guy to spend eternity with after all... and in the Palace of all places. Never thought I would be here, now I'm here forever, or what's left of it."

"I've been told I am good company." He chuckled. "The Queen herself remarked on it. Although I think her expectations were low on account of me being a-Wait, Ashk, did you say you have never been here before?"

The abrupt change of subject caught my attention.

"Yes? Why?" I answered.

"It's just that... Now you mention it. This spot... Here." He was deep in thought about something.

"Do I smell a plan?" I teased.

"Maybe..." He pondered.

"So... there is a 'Next' After all."

"Actually, no. There is no 'Next'" He shot back. "Only what once was. This is as far as this time is going to go."

"Are you as bad at cards as you are at riddles?" I teased impatiently. "If you can do something, do it!"

"It's not that simple." He said deep in thought. "I am The Patriarch of the Moon of Time. The Greatest Moon, it's light is ever present like the flow of time. Always there."

"Can you do anything other than stop it? Reverse it?" I asked hopefully.

"Well, yes and no." He bit his thumb at the possibilities in his mind. "There is one thing I can do, theoretically."

"Which is?"

"I could restart time, all time. Back to the beginning. It's never been done before but, it is within my ability."

"Great!" I exclaimed. "Do it!"

"The beginning Ashk. Before all creation. Before ground to walk on or air to breathe. You stand more chance here with Serizenza."

"Oh, then what good are you!" I flapped my arms in annoyance at him getting my hopes up.

"There are many Moons, Ashk." He explained. "The light of the Moon of Time is dominant for the majority of existence. However, under the light of any other of the celestial bodies, it's power wains and it has no sway."

"So?"

"Two months ago, on this very spot, the light of the Crystal moon fell. It's possible that should I try to restart all time, from this location, it would fail at that point. We could end up in that moment instead of the beginning."

"You can do that?" I asked in wonder.

"I wouldn't be doing anything, it would be a result of a different moon I have no direct power over blocking my own. Also... it's just a theory."

"A theory is almost a plan. Good enough for me. Lets go!" I braced myself for the impact of whatever he was going to do. Then nothing. I looked round at him in expectation. "Well?"

"We need to get a few things straight Ashk." He was now more serious than I had seen him before. "When we sent Jara on his mission, his job was to use the light of the Crystal moon to complete his task. The crystal moon focuses the light of other moons in the Celestial Order and we... I, as Head of the Luna Council chose the Yellow moon to be a source of that light. Under it's power no defences can exist. It was chosen because it would give him the best chance of success. He was going up against a Goddess, you must understand."

"So that's how he got in charge." I wondered.

"We do not know the details. Clearly, something did not happen according to our wishes and Jara acted on his own." Orisata commented bitterly. "Whatever happens, he will be the Avatar of the Yellow Crystal moon and the power he generates at that point in time will make him unstoppable."

"So what do we do?" It seemed like he was leading up to something.

"I chose to go with the Yellow moon. I can change it, the ritual is not too dissimilar to the restarting of time. Should we fail to stop him, we could, potentially, try again under a new moon."

"Oh, so you can give him a dud moon! Clever." I liked where this was going.

"Not in the slightest!" He protested. "There is no 'Dud' Moons in the Celestial Majesty of the Cosmos!"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to offend." I apologised.

"If anything it could be more dangerous!" He continued his ranting. "Without the Celestial Orrery to guide me, the selection is random. Space is vast and deep, there are Moons out there that even we do not comprehend. Not to mention if I channel the Moon of Time, if that happens my power will not be blocked and we WILL find ourselves at the beginning with no hope of trying again."

"Oh, that does sound like a long shot when you put it like that... Dangerous and risky." I was just humouring him. We are definitely doing this. "Was there anything else...?"

"Actually, yes." He sounded sombre. "When I say, 'We'..."

"Yes." Suddenly I didn't like the sound of this.

"Only one person can go back. The person with the power over the Moon of time." He sounded sad, then it hit me.

"You are just going to leave me here?! After all of that explanation!?" I was mad.

"That person can be myself, The Patriarch. Or the Avatar of the Moon." He cut me off before I blew up at him.

"Oh? What's the Avatar?" I asked, calming down.

"Jara became the Avatar when he became one with The Patriarch of the Crystal moon. The ceremony happened before he left for Alastia."

"Uh huh" I nodded.

"You and I could become one, making you the Avatar of the Moon of Time."

"Okay" I was trying to get my head around all this. "And what does that do?"

"I would become part of your subconscious for a while, two minds, one body. It would be your body however. I would only have control over time, until I fade away, passing those powers to you. Permanently."

"So that's the plan..." I asked finally getting all the details mapped out.

"Yes, I think that about covers it." He paused for a moment. "Assuming this works."

"So what are we waiting for?" I asked.

"A few moments if you would please." He took a deep breath. I waited. I rubbed my palms in anticipation. Then nothing.

"Well?" I asked impatiently

"Please!" He shrieked. "This is essentially going to kill me, have a heart!"

"Okay! Okay!" I shrunk away from him. "But you will still be part of me right? Its not like you are gone for good?"

"I suppose not." He mused. "Well, Ashk. Are you ready? It shouldn't hurt but you might get a little dizzy."

"I'm ready. I think I have had all I can stand of staring at the end of the world." I braced myself. "Hit me!"

My world disappeared away to a tiny point of light then flooded back to me, my vision wobbled and I fell over onto my butt. I was still in the same spot, Serizenza still hung motionless in the blackness of her world ending calamity. I turned and Orisata was no where to be seen, despite time remaining still.

"Hit me?" A voice echoed in my head. "Was that a playing card pun? You are amusing."

"Orisata?" I asked thin air. "Y-you are in my head?"

"That's what I told you, now brace yourself. It's time to see if our theory really works."

"Do it!" I shouted.

All of a sudden a blinding white flash obscured my vision, I felt like I was falling, faster and faster. Was this the beginning, nothing around me or beneath me? My heart jumped as a very real floor impacted my feet. Solid ground.

I looked up to see the same hall that I had snuck into to **** Jara, but it was full of people in the middle of the day as sunlight streamed in through the windows.

"Oh that tingles" The words caught my attention. It was Jara in the middle of the great hall. Two of the Royal Guard flanked him with halberds drawn. I took in more of the scene, Saintaris was here, in front of them. She was shouting to Jara, something about a focal point. I even saw Serizenza was here, no longer the rage filled world ending cataclysm, but a calm, if aloof witness to the events playing out.

"It worked!" Orisata Said in my head.

I was going to exclaim my excitement with him when a figure landed right next to me.

"Who are you?!" She exclaimed. Now I had a good look at her she was clearly an order agent, although thankfully not Alki. "Identify yourself, Immediately!"

"Oh, errr...." I was at a loss. How do I explain this? I have to have stood out from the rest of the courtiers, they in their fancy dresses. Leather pants and a revealing top isn't the fashion of the high court and the agent had noticed me right away.

"What's going on here?" Esteleia had walked over from her position near the door to inquire on the commotion. "Who let you in here?"

She was clearly not happy to see me either, I was not a face she would recognise or want sullying the great hall. Our conversation in the corner of the room didn't seem to interrupt the main events of the hall, nearly all the attention of everyone was on the man center stage.

"I asked you to give me your name. Last warning." The agent fixed her eyes on me, I was glad she didn't have a weapon or she might have been threatening to use it on me.

"Ignore her, she is no threat to you." I heard Orisata's words in my head. "The crystal moon is in it's eclipse. He is the only threat here, focus Ashk."

The idea seem dangerously stupid to me, but Orisata hasn't been wrong yet. I took a deep breath an turned my back on them both to see if I could find an opening on Jara.

"Hey! I am speaking to you!" The agent demanded, she took a step closer but did nothing more. It would seem Orisata was right again, I don't know why but she didn't seem to want to attack me.

Had Jara already issued the 'No trouble' command? I wondered. That must be it. Both the agent and Esteleia were bearing their teeth at me but doing nothing else. This is going to be easy then. Jara had already unlocked his chains and Saintaris, naked, was just watching him. This behaviour looked familiar, I grinned. I can still cause trouble, I'll show everyone how to save the day.

I casually walked over to Jara leaving the two confrontational woman to fume by themselves, the crowd noticed me piece by piece as I made my way center stage in front of everyone. Gasps spread through the assembled women as my scruffy looking self had the nerve to intervene on the proceedings.

"No! Ashk, don't! You can't stop him in his state!" Orisata protested. "Keep your distance."

"I've been doing this all day, don't worry about me." I chuckled as I passed two naked royal guard who did nothing to stop me. Saintaris was barring all as she stood behind Jara. He was hunched over her discarded belongings rummaging through them.

"And who are you?!" The Queen shouted at me in anger

"Me? I'm just here to save the day, Your majesty!" I did a over the top bow with a flourish. They better give me a reward for this.

"I know you!" Saintaris gasped as she turned around to look at me. "Ashk Crotalinae! So Jara has allies in the criminal underworld? We should have known she would be behind men coming to our city once again!" Her one eye squinted at me with what I assume was hate.

"No, no!" I protested. "I'm not on his side! Would I be on his side if I did this?" I stepped up to the crouching Jara and I prepared to kick him in the side of the head. I would have just stabbed him but my remaining dagger fell from my belt the instant I got here. So I stood there, idly waiting for the right moment as Jara held up a Controller Jewel he plucked from Saintaris's belongings.

"Ah, here it is!" he exclaimed. "Oh! Who are you?!" He finally noticed me standing there. "You are a pretty one, I'll enjoy you later!" He added as he stood up straight and leaned into me for a kiss.

My lips gave way without resistance as his tongue sloppily made it's way inside, he tasted awful but I just stood there, arms by my side as he took a few seconds to explore. Then he pulled back grinning, slapped my naked ass and turned to stride jovially up the steps to approach the Queen.

I rubbed my butt cheek, I hoped a hand print wouldn't appear there, it was just my luck for my pants to fall to my ankles at the worst time. Saintaris gave me a fuming glare as she passed me, following Jara up to her Queen.

Okay so I shouldn't have let him kiss me, that was probably a bad look and doing nothing for the co-operation alligation. Maybe I should let him cause some more trouble before I intervened for good, let the gratitude for saving them grow.

There was a loud 'smack' of hand hitting face and the naked Saintaris tumbled down the steps past me.

"Saintaris!" Esteleia cried out as she rushed to her rivals aid, kneeling by her prone body.

That seemed like a good enough cue, I went to make my heroic ascent of the steps to put an end to Jara's terror. It would look a lot more heroic if my pants were not round my ankles as I shuffled my way to victory but I wasn't going to pull them up, I can't after all.

"Jara!" I shouted as he grasped the Queen by her hair. "Let her go!" I once again stood up to him, hands on my hips, defiant. I meant to kick him but the pose works too, the whole 'hero' angle needs some more work. Jara just looked at me confused and a little irritated.

"When will you women give up?!" He dropped his grip of the Queen and put his hands on my shoulders, forcing me to my knees. He was stronger than me so I probably would have been **** down here even if I had resisted. "Maybe this with shut you up?" He said as he unleashed his cock from his ragged pants.

He slapped my cheek with it three times, then pushed it hard into my mouth. I thought his kiss tasted bad but this was a whole another level of disgusting, I wanted to wretch as I felt him push it further and further in with each thrust. It hit the back of my throat and was **** down my oesophagus, I felt like I should be gagging at this point but my body just didn't respond for some reason. My eyes cast out to the crowd of onlookers, they looked disgusted and angry. Angry at me, me! I saw their disapproving, judgmental grimacing. I knew what they were thinking, that I was some street rat whore who would blow a man without resistance. I was trying to save them, how could these posh idiots not see that.

"Wow, even your gag reflex is suppressed." Jara sounded impressed by my performance. He took his dick out my mouth with a wet pop, some of my spit came out with his member as it dribbled down my chin. "No watering of the eyes, every natural defensive response is suppressed. Truly fascinating. " He tilted my head from side to side examining me as he stroked himself with his other hand.

"Your whore is not impressive!" The Queen shouted at him from the side. "How dare you two make a mockery of this chamber with your debauchery!"

Damn it! They still think I am in league with him, this couldn't be going any worse.

"Maybe she is a whore..." Jara agreed as he turned from me to the Queen. "I could test your gag reflex to make sure..."

"S-such impudence!" The Queen stammered as Jara stepped up onto her throne. "I-I'll have you thro-UGAhhaa" She was cut short by Jara's testing. He wasted no time in pushing all the way into her with several powerful thrusts. I could see her throat bulging as she sat there, her silvery eyes wide and menacing with indignant anger.

I looked around at everyone's reaction, they were horrified and angry, just like the Queen was but no one was doing anything. Even Serizenza next to me looked at the Queen with furious rage, yet did nothing. Her staff slipping from her fingers, falling straight in my direction, I should probably stop it from hitting me.

"Ow!" It bounced off my head with a wooden 'bonk'. My hands finally moved to my head after refusing to protect me before. I was too late to stop the thing from hitting me but I could rub the sore spot it left.

"No, it looks like you are just as subservient to this cock, my whore Queen." Jara reversed his penis out her mouth and started to slap her in the face with it.

"I just- I- How- could- Stop!" The Queen barked out various words as the meaty phallus bounced off her face, braking her train of thought as she tried to put into words some sort of a statement.

"I should not get distracted by this fun." Jara lamented as he climbed down from the throne. He held the Controller up as he studied it, his gaze switching from the jewel to Serizenza. "I have a job to do."

He looked like he was going to use the jewel on the Goddess, everyone around me seemed not particularly panicked at this turn of events. I however was, I knew from future events that she will not be able to resist, no matter what confidence she showed as he walked up to her with it. I sprang to my feet.

"Jara Stop!" I shouted at him. He did with a curious look on his face.

"Who are you anyway?" He muttered, turning to me. "Why are you so adamant in stopping me I wonder?"

I moved to kick him in the head, my foot just lifted up and stamped down back to the floor with not much ****, I will attack when I get another chance I promised myself. He grabbed me by the shoulders and flipped me to the side to look at Serizenza as he walked behind me. I stayed silent as I felt him push against my back, his meaty girth slid in-between my but cheeks, then down towards my slit. My legs parted to give him a better entry as he pounded into my pussy from behind. I gasped at the shock of it but nothing much more. I could only stare forwards at Serizenza as she looked on at out display with disgust. The sensation was not altogether unpleasant but I have no lust for the male form, my experience was improved when Serizenza's robes finally gave up their hold to her body, letting me take in her naked glory as they fluttered to the floor.

"Ah yes, the body of a Goddess" Jara grunted as he pounded away at me. "You like what you see?" He breathed in my ear, then I felt the hard jewel press into the flash of my neck. He muttered a single word under his breath, it sounded like 'swallyma?' or something.

"Suck on those tits." He commanded, much more loudly, so that I could hear.

I bent forward, lowering my head to the Sorceresses exposed breasts.

"Do not even think of touching me!" She warned as my lips made contact with those large nipples.

I looked up as I suckled away, her face was that of anger but she made no move to punish my transgression. I gave the teet a playful nibble, then a lick. Jara's thrusting bounced my head repeatedly into her fleshy bosom, making it jiggle as I worked. Too think, I just watched this Deity destroy the world with her power not moments ago and now I am here, sucking on her big tits like a baby and she is letting me do it for some reason. I felt the jewel be removed from the contact of my skin and I pulled back immediately, not under the Controllers sway I dared not to touch her in such a way.

Jara pushed me up close to her and reached past me to press the powerful artifact against the skin of Serizenza's naked shoulder. She glanced at it with slight amusement.

"If you think that thing will effect me as it did your whore, you will be most disappointed." She smugly told him.

"I think not." Jara replied. "Kiss this 'whore' with passion."

I think I saw Serizenza scoff at the request, offended by the brashness of it. She complied all the same. Her red ruby lips pressed against mine, her tongue was so gentle it made my knees feel weak. I suprised myself with a gentle moan, unable to hide my pleasure. She was a much, much better kisser than Jara. The mood in the room changed, gasps could be heard, cries of fear for the first time. Jara lifted his jewel and the Goddess pulled away from me like not much happened.

"Well?" He smugly huffed.

Serizenza put her finger to her lips in confusion, she looked like she was about to say something.

"Well, she's a better kisser than you!" I cut her off with the scathing remark.

"Bah!" Jara cried as he pulled out of me, then threw me to the side like used garbage. I tried to tuck and roll but my body refused and I bounced down the steps painfully, landing naked next to Saintaris and Esteleia who never even spared me a glance. Their attention was fixed on Jara and Serizenza.

"That's not possible..." Serizenza seemed lost in thought as she considered the turn of events.

"You have no idea what's possible..." Jara said sinisterly as he stepped up to her and inserted the Controller jewel directly into her pussy, making her gasp.

"No, NO!" She screamed. "I will not-"

"From this point onwards you are not to have a mind of your own. You will only obey my commands and the only thoughts in your head are to be how to follow my orders" Jara commanded her.

"-Let you...."She stopped her words instantly, her eyes took on a glazed expression as her facial features relaxed into uncaring mindlessness.

"You can't!" The Queen screamed rushing over to Serizenza. "Please! Resist. Serizenza Please! What have you done!?" The Queen shrieked , I watched as she shook Serizenza by her naked shoulders, the once powerful Sorceress's head rocking back and forth without reply.

"What have I done?" Jara replied. "I did what I was ordered to do. Gain control of the one thing that could save my nation from the Eastern hordes, and she will." Jara confidently strode over to the throne and sat down in it for the first time.

"She has guided us for generations... You can't do this!" The Queen cried, her own silken white garment finally joining Serizenza's on the floor in a pile at their feet.

"I can do as I please!" Jara dismissed her words just as a shadow descended next to him. The petite form of Alki landed just a few feet away, but she did nothing like all the rest.

He clamped a hand to her thigh has layers of her black and purple cloth fell away from her body.

"Ah, it never ends with you women..." Jara said like he was fatigued. "There is always someone new trying to stop me. I hope you are the last, my time is running out. Serizenza, make more controller jewels, enough for the entire city," He waved his hand as he leaned back in the throne.

A sea of white controller jewels appeared over head, there were so many of them I couldn't count. This did explain where they came from, Serizenza made them all, so she was the power behind Jara's reign of terror.

"Serizenza!" Jara shouted to his right, the Goddess didn't reply back. "Insert a Controller into everyone in this city just as I have to you."

On mass the cloud of jewels swarmed outwards to insert themselves into everyone present.

"Except her." Jara pointing to Saintaris. "I want her to know she failed..." A grin broke out across his face. He was right, someone has failed and it was me. I don't know how but Jara truly was unstoppable.

"I am sorry Ashk." Orisata spoke to me for the first time in a while. "I did try to warn you, but now at least we know what happened."

I looked around at the ladies of the court fighting and squirming as jewels found their private areas and violated them. It was all playing out as it did before. I had to get out of here before one of those things finds me.

Too late I saw one move towards my half naked body, with nothing stopping it, the jewel slowly hovered down to my sex to violate me. I thought about moving my body to cover myself, close my legs, anything to stop it but I just sat there.

"Ashk!" Orisata shouted in my head. He was trying to warn me but I already saw it, inching ever closer to my skin. "Get in the corner! Now! I have to reset time once more!" His words jolted me to my feet. My body was refusing to defend itself as I wanted, with nothing else to do I did as Orisata asked, shuffling over to the same corner I started in.

The jewel that was bound for me hovered forwards to where I was, then, slowly followed me over to the corner, as if my movement completely wrong footed it's intention.

"Brace yourself Ashk" Orisata told me as the jewel slowly made its way towards my exposed sex.

The world went white and felt like I was falling again although much less than before, then ground hit my boots. Everyone was back at their original places from when I first arrived here. Suddenly I was very aware that my pants were around my ankles. I gasped and darted down to haul them up to my waist before anyone saw, also grabbing my dagger from the carpet which I had somehow let slip from my possession under the yellow moons light. Then realisation hit me, Jara just fucked me and I let it happen. I was just a toy to him like everyone else in the room. I cast my eyes to his reseted position , feeling anger and rage well up inside me as I saw that bastard kneeling there. My fists clenched and my jaw grated as I wanted to run directly over to him and beat him to ****.

"Sorry for shouting at you Ashk," Orisata apologised. "It was the only thing I could think of to get you away from the Controller jewel. Simply telling you to avoid it would be a defensive move and you were incapable of doing that at the time."

Wait, that bastard did shout at me! The absolute nerve! I went to claw at my skin in rage at the indignity of it.

"Ashk?" The voice asked dumbfounded. "What's gotten into you?"

"Oh, that's spicy..." Jara winced as he spoke from the center of the hall.

A very slight red tint shimmered over the hall as Jara got a solid heavy kick from one of the guards next to him, knocking him over.

"SHUT.UP." She spat, through bared teeth.

"Oh." Orisata spoke to me. "This is the Red moon. One of rage. That explains... I can mitigate the effects of this but your country women will be the more pressing threat. Be careful."

I felt the anger I held for him wash away like a bucket of water on a fire, it was replaced with disgust and regret for what Jara did to me. The anger was not totally gone for him, I still wanted to kill that bastard but at least it now felt familiar as opposed to the all consuming heat that took over my thoughts from just a few seconds ago.

"Who are you!" The order agent that first greeted me appeared, her weapon drawn. She was much more forceful and aggressive than last time.

"Me? Well I came to stop... Him?" I pointed towards Jara in the center of the hall, the once all powerful tyrant now a cowering, shaking prisoner as the two royal Guard next to him loomed over him, their armor trembling with wrath as they barely stopped themselves from ending him on the spot. It didn't feel like they needed my help.

"What are you doing here?!" Esteleia had now come over and practically spat her words at me, spittle flying from her lips.

"I'll handle this, civilian!" The Agent chastised Esteleia for her interference.

"Well you are not!" She shot back. "This gutter rat should be no where near the palace. DO YOUR JOB!"

The volume of Esteleia's shouting would have gotten more attention directed towards our corner but things were getting out of hand as Jara's magic flowed from him.

"ArGGH!" Jara cried as the two guards could not contain themselves any longer. Casting their weapons to the side they started to kick and beat the chained man with no restraint.

"SAINTARIS!" The Queen Shrieked. "Control your Soldiers!" Her eyes bulged at the **** taking place in her presence without her say so. She twisted and writhed in her throne at the insult of it.

Saintaris did not reply but turned to confront her out of control troops, as she walked over to them she clenched her fists and took a swing at one of them, knocking her to the ground. She looked to the other one briefly before glancing at Jara, bruised and bloodied on the floor. Her discipline finally broke and she fell on him, her wild eyes showing no sign of higher thought as her fist repeatedly impacted onto the man. It was at that point that all order in the great hall fell apart.

All the courtiers, shouted and jeered at Saintaris's display, then when they jostled against each other to get a better view they turned on each other. First squabbling, then hair pulling and wrestling each other to the ground. The scene was a more chaotic brawl than any I have ever seen in any rough tavern I frequent.

The noise and din of the room reached a fever pitch as Esteleia, right in front of me drew her sword. I jumped back away from her expecting her to attack me. Red bloodshot streaks stained the white of her bulging blue eyes. The order agent shouted at her, laying a hand on her shoulder. The countess turned and without hesitation ran her threw with her rapier, its reddened point sticking out the back of the poor woman. She choked as she coughed up blood and felt the floor dead, Esteleia didn't even blink at her crime, she turned on me again but with no lucid mind left she lunged at me with her bare hands, not thinking to even withdraw her weapon from her first victim. She was wild, her mouth was frothing with white spit like a rapid dog. Her poise and grace all completely removed as she attacked, no thought other than the desire to kill. She didn't even try to block my foot as it connected with the side of her head, knocking her out cold.

"By the Goddess..." I muttered looking down at Esteleia as she lay face down on the red carpet of the great hall. "... The Goddess!" My mind suddenly jolted to what I thought was the most immediate threat.

I looked through the brawl taking place to see if the Goddess was about to end the world again in a fit of rage. She wasn't, I could see her elevated over everyone else on the steps, she was arguing with the Queen. I had no hope of hearing what they were saying over the screams and shouts filling the room, but the Queen was highly animated. The monarch raised her hand and struck the Sorceress across the face. There was a pause and Serizenza threw her staff to the side and reached out taking her highnesses' neck in her hands, the Queen replied in kind, doing her best to return the favour. Both woman struggled up there for a few seconds, doing their best to kill each other with their bare hands. The princess tried to intervene, jumping on Serizenza's back and sinking her teeth into her face as she weakly thumped her fists on her head.

For all of Serizenza's great power, she seemed to be only using her physical strength to exercise her rage which appeared to be no great advantage as she wrestled with the Queen in their **** grip. I thought for a second, that would mean that the biggest threat in the room was not the Goddess, but...

"Saintaris..." My eyes fixed on her as she was making her way through courtier after courtier, leaving lifeless broken women in a trail. She was not holding back as she used all of her strength to strangle whoever was closest to her, most of the time breaking their neck with her over bearing power. My eyes flicked to Jara, he was curled up in a ball and was not moving. I don't know if he lived or died but he was not going to succeed under this moon.

"Is this... Victory?" I muttered to myself and Orisata, taking in the carnage.

"Hmm." He considered. "Although Jara has been stopped, this outcome is not one I think should stand." I nodded in agreement at his internal words. "The Queen is... no more." He added.

I looked and Serizenza was still wringing the neck of the poor woman as she lay lifeless, her face twisted and eyes bulging. Even in her last moments she felt nothing but rage.

I smelt smoke and glanced out the window. The chaos has spread to the city and riots had broken out, even with Jara out of the picture the city and the country may never recover from this.

"I vote we try again." I said looking to Saintaris as she flung another deceased woman away from her.

"I feel that we must, for the sake of everyone here." He replied.

I returned to my usual spot and prepared myself for whatever came next.

"Do it!" I shouted.

Another blinding white flash overtook my vision, but I was more used to it by now. The dizziness I felt was lessened as I found myself standing in the same spot. The din of women fighting gave way to the solemn orderly events of the hall that I had seen twice now.

"Oh, that feels good" Jara quipped from his kneeling position on the carpet.

The light was blue as it shimmered across the room, and faded back into the normal palate.

"The Moon of Water..." Orisata spoke in wonder.

"Am I in danger from it?" I asked hurriedly.

"You? No, I can mitigate the effects somewhat effectively as long as you are at not in direct contact with Jara... I think." Orisata told me.

"Who are you?!" The order agent uncloaked next to me right on schedule, so far nothing seemed different. "Identify yourself, Immediately!" She repeated.

"I..." I paused for a moment remembering that I don't need to answer because usually I am interrupted by..

"What's going on here?" Esteleia played her part as usual. "Who let you in here?" She demanded.

They both seemed to be acting normally, not too aggressive or passive. I was still somewhere where I should not be however so as far as I could tell, they were still the main threat to me, not Jara.

"I asked you to give me your name. Last warning." The Agent looked at me sternly, a thick sheen of sweat covering her skin.

"My name..." I started. ".. Is not important, I've come to warn you about Jara, the man you have captive over there!" I pointed at him, the agent and Esteleia followed my finger as I pointed.

"If that is true, then you can explain in a holding cell." The agent explained as she moved to escort me from the main hall.

"Wait!" I shrieked shaking her grip off my arm. "All of you could be in danger right now!"

She stopped a moment at my outburst.

"How? Explain yourself." her eye twitched as a bead of sweat rolled off her brow.

"She is a commoner trying to make up excuses for sneaking into the Palace." Esteleia accused.

I glared at her, taking note that she also had a heavy layer of sweat covering her face and neck, making her ruffled shirt cling to her tight body very erotically. I let my gaze linger as I took in the sight only to be snapped out of it by Esteleia. Not by her words but her stomach, making a very audible gurgling sound.

It was certainly very unladylike and the way she ignored her own body made me realise this must be part of the moons doing.

"Jara, he is casting magic as we speak! Look!" I pointed to the man in the center of the great hall. Esteleia and the agent looked on dumbfounded. He was still on his knees, chained and secure. Both the elite guard at his side had their weapons trained on him, it seemed like the situation was under control to everyone except myself. I could see the difference, the change the moon made. Both guards had wet them selves, a torrent of water spilling out their greaves to dampen the red finery of the carpet under their feet. I felt the agent grab my arm and twist it behind my back.

"You are the only thing out of place hear." Esteleia looked down her nose at me as she and the agent were now on the same page about dealing with me.

"You can't see it." I complained. "All of you, you are all being effected."

I nodded towards Esteleia's crotch. A dark patch spreading out and down the inner thigh as the fluid spilled from her. I looked around. It was hard to tell under their long dresses but the nobles were suffering the same fate, as were all the guard in the room. Puddles were forming at everyone's feet, ruining their delicate finery and yet no one seemed to notice. I was the only one in the room who could see the absurd display happening but everyone else thought they were in control of themselves.

The was a loud clatter as halberds fell to the floor. The guards nearest Jara lost their grip on their weapons.

"Estragar! Gallama!" Saintaris cried, she too had succumb to the moons light, soiling her exquisite battle dress. "Pick up your weapons! Now!"

The was a murmur in the hall as Saintaris marched up to the trio in the center of the room.

"Estragar! What haaasss...." Saintaris trailed off. Her voice slurring as she got into close proximity of Jara, his ever powerful aura radiating out, saturating his surroundings.

The murmur got louder, despite everyone already pissing themselves, the moons magic didn't seem to cover the altered behaviour of the guard directly around Jara.

"Is this what you speak of?" The agent hissed in my ear. She stepped up close to me, her cheek grazed the back of my neck and I could tell she was soaking wet. She moved to twist my arm but I could tell she had no strength in her. She didn't realise it but even at this distance, Jara's magic was effecting her.

"Saintaris! What is the meaning of this?" Before I could answer the agent, the Queens voice boomed out across the hall.

Saintaris just stood there, bent forward slightly as her arms dangled loosely from her shoulders. Her mouth agape, clear liquid trickled from her lips and dripped down over her chin. An eerie hush quieted the court as they beheld their most venerated officer ignore her Queen and stare off into space like she was in a trance.

"She can't hear you any more" Jara broke the silence by standing up and reaching for the keys to his chains on Saintaris's belt.

"I-I demand that....That...." The Queen shook her head like a mental fog had descended on her.

"That what?" Jara asked casting his shackles to the floor. "Don't worry too much about it, it will be over soon."

"No..." The Queen wavered from her throne. "T-this... is not..." She fought with all her focus to keep her train of thought but it was no use. The Queen looked off into space just like Saintaris did. Jara's aura now fully permeating the room.

I shook off the agents grip like she was a little child, her arms swung limply at her side as I spun around to look at her and saw she too had nothing going on behind her eyes. I turned and studied Esteleia. She was no longer the domineering noble who looked down her nose at me, but a drooling husk, no thought in her mind as she looked off to the side. Everyone in the room was like this now. Mouths agape and flowing, mindless and subdued.

"What is this?" I asked Orisata, half confused and half in wonder at the power displayed.

"As I said, it is the moon of water." The voice in my mind informed me.

I waved my hand in front of the vacant Esteleia's face. She just drooled and stared, unblinking.

"But why..." I started before a crash of metal caught my attention from examining the nobles slack features.

It was the armor of the guards around Jara falling to the floor. The guards that the armor once contained were missing, just more water as it flowed out from the heap of metal. Then I saw Saintaris slump forward, her tan skin loosing its color as she started to distort in a strange way, as if she was being stretched. Before my very eyes I saw the woman transform completely into a flowing torrent of water. Her cape, armor and even her eyepatch remained as the meat of her body disappeared in a large puddle on the floor.

The magic must have been at it's zenith because the effect accelerated outwards, all the nobles and guards in the hall started to bend over or fall to the side as their bodies lost their solid shape. As we were in the corner, Esteleia and the agent were some of the last to go. No emotion played across their faces as their skin turned transparent, they sank to their knees and melted in front of me. Esteleia's sword was left in a shallow lake of her own water, piled up next to her once tight fitting clothes. I turned and the same had happened to the agent. She clearly had some concealed daggers on her person somewhere as they were now visible on her sodden clothing as well as some of her other equipment, now left without an owner.

I looked around and the hall looked so much bigger with no people in it. The crowd that had once lined the sides of the hall were no more. Just lines of pretty dresses in a heap, their multiple bright colors darkened by the water which now filled the hall. It wasn't deep, maybe only a quarter of an inch, but it made an audible sound as my feet padded into it, the shallow body of water covered the entire space and was impossible to avoid. I looked up at the steady cascade of water fall from the beams up above, the light caught what was once more order agents in their hiding spots up high, making it sparkle as it fell. The whole scene made my head spin, it all happened so fast, all these people disappearing in only a few minutes but I had a job to do. I locked my gaze onto Jara.

He was up near the throne, the Queen was no more. Only a fine silken white dress sat loosely on the seat of power now with the Ex-Queens small crown sitting on the top of the wet heap. The same fate befell the Princess from what I could see, her smaller throne next to it also had unoccupied clothing on it. Jara was not interested in his destruction of the Royal family however. He had a confused look on his face as he studied the jewel in his hand. He looked from it to Serizenza's hat, now sitting in it's own pool to the side. He frowned heavily considering his options. He was supposed to use the jewel on the Goddess but now the magic of the moon had turned her to water like everyone else and he had no way of fulfilling his mission.

"Jara!" I shouted at him, getting his attention instantly.

"What?!" He spun at my words. "How?!" He shouted back.

I did not respond with words, after what he did to me before I wasn't going to let him get away this time. I ran at him drawing my dagger, my feet splashing with every step as I rushed up the steps and leaped at him.

He was still surprised by my presence and resistance to his Moons magic so I managed to topple him over with little effort, landing on top of him.

I lunged at his throat with my dagger, he just managed to stop me before I could slip the blade into his skin.

"How are you not... Why are you not?!" Jara panted through gritted teeth as he struggled beneath me.

"Orisata sends his regards" I told him as I pushed down with all my strength on the blade. His eyes bulged at the name, understanding flaring behind them.

"No! NO!" He screamed as he pushed back. My dagger retreated from his neck, he was pushing me back and the blade with it. He was essentially lifting me off him with one push. I cursed under my breath that men were so strong. I bought my knee up and rammed it into his groin making him grown, then flipped the dagger between my hands faster than he could track before lashing out and driving it into his flesh. It cut him deep, a deadly wound to the jugular, it will be a quick end for him, too quick, but we had stopped him, finally. His eyes rolled back and closed signalling the end of his life. Cold blooded **** was never a pretty thing, I've only had to do it a few times before and despite how much I knew he had this coming, it still felt bad. It always feels bad.

"Orisata..." I said to myself standing up and turning from the body. "... It had to end like this..."

"Perhaps..." Orisata lamented. "..perhaps not, this is still not a favourable outcome. Jara may be gone but so is everyone else."

I looked around to take in the hall one more time. Saintaris, the Queen and even the Goddess were reduced to nothing more than clear flowing water. Water everywhere, dripping, gushing, flowing...

"I gotta piss" I realized as I said it out loud.

"Your proximity to Jara was very close. I did what I could but... that is understandable." Orisata told me.

That gave me a little bit of a pause in my step as I moved to the balcony.

"Am I going to be like... them?" I gestured to the empty hall.

"No, If you can keep your distance from Jara I think I can keep the effects at bay, for now." Orisata reassured me.

I passed through the curtains leading to the balcony to look at the rest of the palace and city before me, bathed in a faint blue light. The guards on the palace walls were no more, just wet piles of armor and weapons. The city still had people moving around at the farthest distance but I could see others closer to my location had stopped moving. I could see no other people on the streets closer to me. Just empty clothing.

I pulled my pants down and squatted, letting the relief flow through me as I let my bladder empty.

"Why would a nation such as yours have such destructive magic..." I wondered out loud, shaking my head.

"It's destruction is only in it's application..." Orisata replied as I continued to look out at the depopulated city. "The Blue moons magic is revered as one that gives life in my home. Without it, the Cleansing Houses would not be able to turn waste and sewage into clean drinkable water. A commodity so high in the mountains."

"So that's what it does?" I asked giving my rump a final shake as the last of the drops left my system. "How did it manage to do all this?"

"We keep the light contained. Focused." He explained. "All biological matter the light touches, turns to water. First things like food and excrement, then... given enough time flesh. The effect on a human body is profound as you witnessed. When we die, the light lets us all give back to our loved ones, our bodies turning to more life giving water. If it's any consolation, they felt no pain. Internal organs like the brain are the first to go. It's why they acted as they did when the effect truly took hold."

"I see..." I considered whether I wanted my brain to be water. Definitely not. "You know we can't leave it like this."

"I had hoped you would come to the same conclusion." Orisata told me. "This is the destruction of Alastia and in turn my nation. Nobody wins."

"So we try again?" I stood up and pulled my pants to my waist.

"Yes, please return to the same position so we know what to expect, at least from the other women of your nation."

"Right." I nodded as I walked back into the hall and stood in the corner. "Ready."

For the third time I had my vision obscured by the white flash as Orisata does his thing. The dizziness I felt before was almost non existent now, either I had gotten used to it or he was getting better. When my sight returned I was greeted with a hall full of people again. I smiled, it felt good to know they were not all lost forever.

"Oh that's... cold." Jara commented bitterly as a dull grey light glimmered through the windows.

"What moon is this?" I asked wearily, after seeing what the power of the moons can do I was on edge until I know what to expect.

"The Grey Moon of the mind... of Madness. I will do what I can..." Orisata commented in my mind.

I nodded thoughtfully. His reply didn't fill me with confidence, I would need to be careful.

"Who are you?" The agent asked me once again as she appeared next to me.

I let out an irritated sigh. This song and dance was starting to get on my nerves. Maybe Orisata should have found someone with more patience for this.

"What's going on here?" Esteleia strode over to us again.

"Who let you in here?" I mimicked her voice as I predicted her next line, saying it in a chorus with her while rolling my eyes.

"What? How dare you make a mockery of me!" She demanded pouting her lip.

"I'll handle this..." The agent interjected. "One last time, Who-"

The all too familiar sound of weapons falling to the floor cut us off. Jara's magic was working the hall once again starting with the guards next to him. I didn't know what to expect so I studied them closely. Both had dropped their weapons, one was staring off into space, enraptured by the pretty colors of the regalia on the walls, the other fell to her knees and started to cry.

"Jara, his magic has started. You have to let me stop him." I turned to the agent as she looked at me confused.

"The man?" She asked questioningly, looking over at the prisoner. He had got to his feet and approached Saintaris for the keys to his chains. The Captain didn't stop him, she was clutching her head, staggering on her feet like she was drunk. Jara had no resistance as he took what he needed from her. She fell backward on to her butt, pissing her pants for real this time.

"W-Whats.. going on?" The Queen asked confused. Not just with the events unfolding before her but almost like she was questioning her identity, reality itself was making her puzzled.

I turned to the agent imploring her with my eyes to intervene. We were the furthest from Jara and even at this distance I could see her mind unravelling. She did her best to keep her mind on task, fulfil her duty.

"S-stop him..." She managed before she stumbled to the side, stretching out a hand to the wall to keep balance as she clutched her temple.

I nodded and went to move past Esteleia.

"You aren't going to stop me this time are you?" I asked almost challenging her to another fight.

She regarded me with a stoic expression, chin raised and looking down her nose. Then a quiver of her lips, which broke out into an all too wide smile. Then she started to chuckle, which turned into a laugh, then mad cackling. Her mind was also gone, all she could do now was laugh. She pointed over to the incapacitated Saintaris as she sat motionless on the floor, laughing hysterically at the plight of a woman she knew so well.

The rest of the room had no order now, courtiers were wondering about, listless and lost in thought or lack of thought. The space they respect in the center of the room soon filled with the women as they wondered about like lost animals. No order or hierarchy remained from anyone, even the guards left their posts to stare blankly at a wall. One of the order agents on high fell from their position, thumping into the ground with no hint that they even tried to stop their fall.

"Seri..." The Queen turned to the Sorceress at her side, her features twisted in questions she couldn't answer. "S..S.. Who are you?" The Queen looked at the stranger to her right under her big hat. The Mage ignored the questions of the Queen as she studied the back of her hand in wonder, like it was the most impressive thing anyone has ever shown her.

Jara was standing in front of them, jewel in hand. He moved the jewel to his lips and spoke.

"Swalhia" At the word the jewel glowed as it activated.

"That's it!" Orisata exclaimed excitedly. "The activation word. Only he knew it. He was always one for poetic gestures. The name of the past kingdom is the kind of word he would choose."

"So that thing can control people now?" I panicked, he was close to Serizenza. If he controlled her I wouldn't stand a chance.

"Jara!" I cried as I ran into the space of the hall.

He turned at his name only to catch my dagger directly into the center of his forehead. He fell backwards, his mouth open in shock but otherwise without moving a muscle, dead. I wasn't going to risk a physical struggle with a man who was stronger than me, I had learned my lesson.

I walked over to his lifeless corpse at the feet of the Queen who glanced at it still confused by everything happening, then at me.

"Who..." She looked to the body, then to me "Who are you..." She asked.

"The name is Ashk, your highness." I bowed graciously ready to finally accept a reward for my hard work.

"Highness?" She asked. "I am Highness?" She still seemed confused by everything.

I looked around, the hall was full of women milling around aimlessly, all seemed lost. I could still hear Esteleia laughing somewhere at the back.

"Will they be okay?" I asked Orisata.

"No." He replied gravely. "Sanity is like a thread. It can be twisted, bent, even tied in knots and brought back to its original shape, but once it snaps..."

"Oh... my Goddess...." I sighed looking to my left as I retrieved my dagger from Jara's skull.

Serizenza had levitated one of the courtiers and was spinning her like a child plays with a toy, in wonder at the motion she was causing. The woman didn't seem in any distress at her treatment, her dress flipping repeatedly to show her undergarments to all that looked, her mind lost in the Moons light. Serizenza also absorbed in the moment, content to idly play with the human thing she was spinning about.

"Even the Goddess has lost her mind..." I commented looking at the bizarre scene playing out in front of me.

"It's understandable. As powerful as the God is, they are no more resistant to the moons effects as a human."

"So what do we do now? We can't leave them like this can we?" I asked.

There was a pause as Orisata considered the situation.

"No..." He finally agreed. "As much as this might be a salvageable outcome, the Goddess is no longer lucid. She might be peaceful now but who knows what a mad goddess might do in the future. She might cause the end of the world again, if unwittingly."

"So we try again..." I said taking a deep breath and walking over to my usual spot.

"Ashk...." Orisata started. "... we have been lucky so far, if the next moon is the Moon of Time, then it is over for us. We can't keep this up forever."

"Okay, so we just have to make this next moon count."

I heard Orisata sigh before I felt the familiar pull of the white light, then I felt the floor once again impact my feet.

We were here again, positions reset. Everyone back alive and well for the time being, nothing seemed amiss. Shadow spilled in from the window, or what looked like shadow. In truth it looked like black light if such a thing could exist with hints of red.

"That feels... Oh.. Urgg... BLARGH" Jara vomited onto the plush red carpet of the hall.

"That can't be good." I muttered to Orisata. "Which moon is this?"

"I... Do not know." Orisata sounded both fascinated and a little nervous. "In all my time observing the night sky and the many moons of creation... I have never seen light such as this. I can feel it. Tugging away at you as we speak. I can negate its effect for now but Ashk... It doesn't feel... Holy."

"What's that supposed to me-" I started before the agent arrived on cue.

"Who are you?" She asked once again.

"Look, I don't have much time. NOT NOW." I pointed to Esteleia as she was walking over to us, her mouth half open in shock at me cutting her off. "I don't know how but we have to stop the man in this room. He is casting magic on all of you."

"What?" She asked indignantly. "You can't just..."

There was a screech of metal plate tearing itself apart as the two soldiers next to Jara started to merge. There was no other way to describe it. Where there were two women, there now was an amorphous mass with many arms and two heads. Jara screamed at the sight of it and I didn't blame him, the horror lashed out I deformed arm and started to drag him towards itself.

"See!" I shouted at the agent. "We need to get everyone out of here."

"What?" The agent asked. "He doesn't seem like a threat to me, just a lot of unnecessary screaming which I assure you. He will be silenced."

Jara disappeared to the mass of flesh that was once the two Guards, muffling his screams.

"See, I told you. Now do you have anything else to add before I take you to a cell?" The agent informed me.

"They don't see it..." I muttered to myself. "There is a monster in the room and none of them see it..."

"No..." Orisata commented thoughtfully. "It's the magic of what ever moon this is. None of them can even perceive it or its workings."

The agent had gripped my arm tight and I was contemplating how to fight my way out when I noticed one of the courtiers watching us. She was turned away still looking into the room at the drama playing out in the center but she had one eye looking at us, placed firmly in the nape of her neck. I froze in shock, then everyone started to change.

It started with Saintaris as she was the next closest. Her armor splitting down the middle, her body following suit. The two halves barely connected any more but they moved as if one being, scuttling across the floor over to where Jara once was. The sound of fabric shredding filled the hall as more of the courtiers erupted in a boiling mass of flesh, some had wings and eyes in odd places, all too terrible to look directly at. The Queen at the front of the hall seemed unfazed as she watched her court descend into an absolute horror show, her body also giving out to the moons wicked power. Her head lulled to the side and a new mouth with sharp long teeth formed on her neck. Even the Goddess was not spared as her finery ripped and shredded at the sides, large powerful crab legs replaced her once human shaped ones, her eyes started to extend from her once beautiful face on stalks.

My heart was racing, I stood stunned at the sight of it all. There was nothing I could do to stop this, I couldn't even expect something like this. Esteleia bent over backwards in front of me, her legs spread wide tearing her clothes as her hips deformed at odd angles.

"You... will... Come..." The voice of the agent was slurred and raspy. I turned slowly to brace myself for what had become of her. The features of the face looked like they were slipping off and downwards. If it hurt she made no action to show it, she continued to grab at my wrist with increasing strength which made me look down. Her fingers were bent the wrong way, yet still managed to hold my arm in a tight grip.

"Orisata!" I screamed. "We need to reset! Now!"

"We must avoid it, I told you we are pushing our luck!" He responded.

The thing that was once an agent of the Crown pulled my arm in closer to her, a large maw split open on her chest, its grip drawing me into it.

"NOW!" I screamed.

He didn't respond to my outburst this time. There was once again a flash of light and I found myself in the same spot and to my relief, a hall full of human shaped humans.

There was a shade of pink spilling in through the windows this time. It looked nice, like twilight on a summers night.

"That feels... Urgah." Jara started before he grunted lewdly.

I was trembling still. I tried to push the horror of what I just witnessed to the back of my mind and away forever more. I clenched my fist hard to stop them shaking, turning my knuckles white.

"This must be the Lovers moon..." Orisata comment made me focus on the here and now. "Ashk, this has to be it. We can't risk another reset."

"Yeah..." My mind considered another moon like the last one. "... I agree"

"Who are you..." The agent asked again.

"My name isn't important right now, what is important is stopping Jara from destroying this kingdom. We are all in danger." I informed her as calmly as I could.

"What's going on here?" Esteleia interrupted like usual before the agent could comment on my information. "Who let you in here?" She demanded.

"I'll deal with this..." The agent shot back. "You didn't answer my question, who are you?" The agents eyes looked me up and down, at first I thought she was trying to place me but she had a subtle glint in her eye. She was checking me out.

Flattered that I was, now was not the time.

"Look, just let me deal with Jara right now, I'll -" My train of thought stopped in shock. Esteleia had pulled up much closer than she usually did, her arm sliding around my waist like we were closely acquainted.

"Jara?" The agent asked, looking over at him. The man was on his knees like usual, his hands bound in chains, however the two guards that were supposed to be watching him closely were more interested in something else. Their bodies pressing into each other as they gazed into the opposites eyes, it took them only a second to move onto straight kissing. My mouth hung open at the speed which those women increased their intensity.

"Oh... hah." I couldn't help but scoff at the sight of it, the two highly trained soldiers lost in the throws of passion in the center of the room. No one else seemed to notice which I shouldn't be surprised by at this point. I've seen how this magic works, it's beyond their perception, they will be completely oblivious to its effects. Even as the two guards fell to the floor and started to strip off their armor, no one seemed to comment. The courtiers watched on, many now holding others close like they were all on a date, some not even watching at this point, more interested in looking at their peers next to them with predatory interest. Jara saw his chance as he was no longer under direct guard and stood up.

"What do you think you are doing prisoner!?" Saintaris barked. She turned to face him as he slowly made his way towards her. A bead of sweat rolled past her one good eye as she irritatedly shook it off. The closer Jara got to her, the more she fidgeted. Her gauntleted hand opening and closing, **** to grab something as she wobbled on her feet. A moan escaped her as the man stopped right in front of her.

"Me?" Jara grinned sinisterly. "I am going to do what I came to do."

Saintaris fought with all her might to stay on her feet, her knees buckling as she gasped pitifully, sinking to the floor in front of him. Her hands went to her belt, hastily tugging it down so she could gain access to her sex which begged her to be touched. Jara licked his lips at the show before crouching down on his haunches to rummage through her discarded clothing. Saintaris, no longer a threat to anyone, plunged her fingers into her snatch. Her naked ass waving around in the air, begging for someone to join her in her delirium.

"You gotta see this right?" I turned to the agent hoping that even if she can't directly see the effects of the magic, she could at least see that Jara now had his chains off and was approaching the Queen. I was out of luck, she was more interested in Esteleia next to me. The countess's beauty had clearly captivated the poor woman more than her duty at this point as one hand was rubbing her crotch and the other moved to grope the oblivious woman, playfully teasing a nipple through her loose fitting shirt.

Esteleia for her part wasn't interested in the agent or myself. Despite the clear invitation from the other woman to engage some sexual relations, Esteleia had her eyes glued on Saintaris, or more precisely, Saintaris's bare naked ass waving back and forth in the warm air of the hall. She was so subtle with her touch, I had not noticed that Esteleia's hand had moved from my waist to the cheek of my butt until she removed it. She wandered away from me as if in a trance, Saintaris's naked toned rump calling to her as she slowly made her way over.

Lips pushed against my cheek, the agent now realising that the beautiful Esteleia was out of her reach turned her attention to me. Pressing her body against mine she moved her nose into my hair taking in a deep breath. She was savouring me like a ripe piece of fruit. Usually I'd be down, why not? She wasn't unattractive by any margin but I had a job to do. I had to stop Jara. He was standing at the base of the steps looking up at the Queen cocking his head to the side as she watched her writhe around on her throne. She looked back at him with a pained expression, one hand gripping the thrones arm rest, the other tugging at a Royal nipple through her silk dress.

There was a dull flash and a fizzle as Serizenza's ward failed. It did take a trained wizard to see why. Serizenza was also effected by his magic, her staff held close to her body, she closed her eyes as she pushed the wooden shaft between her legs, riding it like a lover.

I had seen enough, I needed to act. Although not its purpose, this moon had disabled most of the defenses that Jara had to overcome, if not directly just by having everyone be so distracted by their own lust. The agent clinging to my side was the first to go. I pushed her away from me to the floor like she was a drunken letch in a bar. She looked up at me with puppy dog eyes, imploring me to join her down there. It was a tempting sight, but I wasn't going to fall for it unlike one of the nearby courtiers who took up her invitation, happily embracing the agent in a lovers kiss.

Everyone was either kissing or far more further down the path of depravity at this point. No social hierarchy remained. The courtiers were the first to wantonly throw each other at each other, carnal pleasures were a norm for them. The guards and the other agents in the room soon followed suit. The sight of so many attractive women starting and orgy in-front of them drove them equally wild, the Lovers moons making sure they were totally overwhelmed by their lust.

I ran into the middle of the hall and observed Jara, he was now in-front of the Queen, enjoying the moons effects on the regal woman. The Queen had a will power stronger than most but even she barely stopped herself from losing her composure completely to the ever increasing desire flooding her body.

I took my knife out and weighed it in my hand. I intended to take Jara down just as I did before, one clean throw. A head shot.

"Jara!" I shouted getting his attention to give me the opening on his face.

He turned at the sound of his name, I swung my arm to fling the knife at him but I was pulled to the side. My weapon flew two feet to the right, embedding it's self into the wood of the throne's back with a heavy thunk. I missed.

"What?!" I cried glancing down at my leg. It was Saintaris, clawing at me. Her fingers pulled at my pants in a **** attempt to get them off, her eye was rolling into the back of her head in pure ecstasy. The blonde head of Esteleia was clearly plunging it's self into her sex from behind. In her state it wasn't hard to shake the Captain off my leg but the advantage was lost, Jara was glaring at me with a confused look on his face.

"Who...?" He started "How are you not effected by the moon?" He added as his eyes darted around. I could see some inner workings as he pieced things together.

"Orisata..." He said bitterly as his eyes locked onto mine. "... its the only way."

"He knows..." The voice in my head gravely warned me. "Jara always was smart." Orisata added.

I knew what I had to do, my eyes flicked to the knife in the throne then back to Jara. He was looking me up and down, trying to gauge if I was a threat to him or not. I decided to not give him the opportunity to prepare himself. I charged at him, bounding up the steps as fast as I could. He clenched his fists ready for a fight as I engaged him with a flying kick, hoping my agility would catch him off guard. He took a few lazy swings at me which I dodged with ease, half cartwheeling back before I sprang at him again, fainted to the side, grabbed my knife from it's impaled location and flipped once more, my feet landed on his face. I didn't give him time to react as I jumped up, using his head as a springboard.

"Argh!" He cried in pain at the **** applied to him. His eyes were closed as he reached up to grab me but I had already jumped up high enough out of his reach. He opened his eyes, confused at grabbing nothing but air, only to see me come crashing down on top of him. He hit the floor with a heavy thud, my knee against his throat. I bit my tongue, I hoped that would break his neck. No matter, this is why I made sure to get my knife back. I raised it above my head to end him but was stopped just before I could bring the weapon down on him.

"What?" My head snapped around to see the Queen holding my hand tightly. I wondered briefly why the Queen would save his life but I could plainly see that the Queen was no longer of her proper senses. She desperately rubbed the back of my hand on her soft cheek before pulling it to her bosom. Her other arm hungrily wrapped around my neck and pulled me into her. With Jara shoving me off himself with his strength at the same time, she had no trouble hauling me onto the throne and taking me into a tight embrace from behind. The Queen was all over me, her hot breath spilling over my neck as her tongue savoured the taste of my skin, she moan like an animal in heat. I didn't want to but if I was going to fight Jara I had to get her off me. I had to hope she sees the funny side later after I elbow her in the face. I prepared the strike but before I could act I was assaulted from the front by at new threat. The Princess, equally feral and hungry for my affections franticaly pushed herself on top of me. He sweet pink lips pushing against mine, her tongue wasting no time in entering my mouth to wrestle with my own. She was holding my wrists as she struggled with me, combined with her mother I was pinned in their embrace, sandwiched between the two royals in the throws of their ecstasy.

I felt a strong tug on my dagger as it was wrenched out of my hand. It was hard to see past the Princess as her face continued to press into mine but I caught glimpses of Jara rubbing his neck. He casually threw my knife away, well out of reach. Then he looked at me, his angry expression quickly giving way to amused contemplation.

"Pftt hahaha!" Jara let out a victorious laugh at my expense. "Who would have thought..." He shook his head as he took in the orgy taking place in the great hall.

"Agah!" I interrupted him with a yelp. The Princess had managed to get her dainty hand down the front of my pants. She knew how to work it down there, she was clearly an expert as she rubbed my clit.

"...The Lovers Moon." Jara whistfully comented still rubbing his sore neck. "The Yellow moon would have been the obvious choice but this is perfect." Jara had sat on the side of the throne watching me with amused smugness. "The moon amplifies natural attractions and as a man, the women of Alaista wouldn't spare me a second glance under its power. Their creation being so integral to the rejection of men." His grin grew wide as he pulled out the controller jewel. "But you... a woman? Oh, you are just an irresistible piece of meat to them. Orisata should have sent a man to stop me. What a fool."

Jara held up the jewel as he spoke, grinning wildly. I struggled for all I was worth, but the Princess and the Queen were just so insistent on my company I could not wriggle free.

"It's ironic really..." He mused. "For the first time in a long time, being a man here is-" He stopped mid sentence. His face suddenly bulging with effort as I saw his eyes open wide in panic.

Suddenly his arms spread wide and he was pulled into the air. His face went red with the effort to break free from the **** holding him but he didn't move an inch.

I turned my head to see what happened, the Queen wasting no time in probing a tongue into my ear. It was Serizenza holding him airborne. At first I thought the Goddess had come to her senses and was about to wreak vengeance on Jara but then I saw her eyes. She hungrily looked at the man suspended in the air. I could see she had thrown her staff to the side, her black lace undergarments were also cast to the side. Her naked legs were visible through the slit in her skirt all the way to the hip, glistening with her own wetness.

She was holding him there in the space above next to the throne, her hand out stretched as if she was holding him remotely. Her other hand came up and made a motion. Jaras dirty sack like pants came off his legs in and instant, stripped away to leave his naked bottom half for all to see. I was the only other woman in the hall who was even remotely interested in what was happening. Jara gasped as he was flipped around and slammed down onto the ground next to the throne. He was still pinned, spread eagle by the goddesses **** as he watch the powerful sorceresses approach him, her mouth open and drooling at the sight of his stiffening member.

It was hard to see past the Princess as she continued to try and make out with my struggling face but I saw Jara succeed in moving his head. He looked to the jewel still in his hand, then to Serizenza as she lowered herself onto him. I could tell what he was thinking, was Serizenza susceptible to her own controller jewels in this state? His arm started to move as Serizenza's lustful hunger focused more on the sensation of the man in front of her than holding him still. He took a deep breath to activate the jewel. I pushed against the Princess one last time to get some space from her mouth on mine.

"Swalhia!" I shouted as loud as I could before the Princess's hand gripped my chin and pulled my face back to hers.

"What?!" Jara cried in absolute shock. "How?!" He added as he watched the Jewel activate and align itself to my command. "NOO!" He screamed.

I was in no position to actually use the jewel but at least I could block Jara from using it. I had no idea if my plan worked as I was quickly over come with a powerful orgasm. The Princess had a golden touch it would seem and my thigh juddered as muscle spasmed within me. I felt light headed as I came down from the high but she wasn't done. She pulled down the lace of her dress and pulled my face into her ample bosom. Her hard little nipples poked me in the cheek and I could tell from her frustrated whining that she wanted me to suck on them. At this I lost all my senses to the pleasure I was receiving, with the Queen kissing me tenderly on the nape of my neck and the perky tits of the Princess bouncing in my face I couldn't help myself but open my mouth and suckle on them. The princess squealed in delight as she let go of my hand finally and pulled her dress up to her waist to masturbate openly as I rolled her nipple between my teeth.

She smelt so good and her skin was so soft and smooth, she was like a dream. The Queen also shared her daughters complexion and sweet scent, it was bliss as I zoned out. It was a blur of gorgeous glistening flesh, lips kissed me as I move from one to the other by leaning back and letting the Queen have her taste of me. Her eyes were the palest blue as she ravenously let her gaze rove my body, her delicate hands following suit, squeezing my own tits and playing with my little nubs. I orgasmed again, hard.

The Princess again filled my vision as she lip locked me, I was lost adrift in my own heaven as I felt her tongue slow down it's **** and leave my mouth. I opened my eyes in a daze. The princess was looking at me with a puzzled expression, she leaned forward again and pecked me on the lips but I could feel that the passion that gripped her before had left her. Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion as she studied my face, her shimmering blue pupils looking at me for the first time with something other than raw lust. She backed away a little.

"Get off me!" The Queen shouted. I felt her hands on my back feebly try to shift me off her but I was still too blissed out to really take in her command.

A sharp pain shot up my wrist as it twisted, then my shoulder felt the same pain as I felt myself be hauled out of the Queens lap. There was more pain as I was spun in the air, gravity pulling me in odd directions and I found myself airborne for a second before slamming into the floor next to the throne. I rolled twice before stopping in a heap, my cheek mashed into the red of the carpet. Eyes stared back at me, inches from my face. They were Jara's, bulging, unmoving, lifeless.

I snapped back to reality and sat bolt upright. Jara was dead, I took a second to process his dead body, still spread eagle and naked from the waist down. Then I looked back at the throne to try and understand how I got here.

"When the Queen commands you to move, Obey!" Alki was glaring at me. She had taken up a fighting stance and put her body between myself and the royals who were still comming to terms with the events of the last few minutes. Clearly it was her who threw me out of the throne. I winced as I rolled my shoulder, whatever move she used on me really hurt.

"What happened?!" The Queen demanded as she rolled her dress down over her legs.

"The man, Jara..." Alki informed the Queen. "...He used some kind of Celestial magic using himself as the conduit, I came as soon as I found out what he was planning" She never let her eyes leave me as she was still deciding if I was a threat or not. She was crouched, ready to end me if I made a wrong move, for now I stayed put on the ground.

"How did you stop it?" The Queen asked as she looked around, taking in her court. The guards of the room had collected themselves and were returning to their posts. The courtiers however lingered in each others arms, still in post orgasmic bliss.

"I did not." Alki told her Queen. "The magic ran it's course. I only made it to the hall before I too was overwhelmed." She nodded to a wet patch on the carpet in the center of the hall. "I am sorry my Queen." For the first time Alki turned and looked at her monarch, bowing her head in shame.

"What of the man? Jara of Hastluna?" The Queen asked, looking down at his body.

"It would appear that Serizenza managed to kill him before he could take advantage of the situation." Alki had relaxed a little as she saw I was not going to be a threat at this point.

I looked to Serizenza , she was standing with her back to all of us some distance away. Her head lowered in thought and contemplation of what just occurred and of what she just did.

"So..." The Queen sighed in exasperation. "Who is the girl?" She was looking at me now, her eyebrows raised in expectation of an answer.

"Oh me?" I stammered trying to think of something. "I'm-"

"Ashk Crotalinae!" Saintaris cut in trying to climb the steps to the throne. "She is...." The captain gulped for air and almost fell to her knees as she tried to pull her pants up. Esteleia watched from the floor behind her, a sly grin sneaking onto her face as she admired her handiwork on the usually stoic captain.

"She is known as The Viper, your highness" Saintaris finally chocked out. "A criminal, no doubt in league with Jara"

"I see..." The Queen said grimly as she turned her gaze back to me.

"No! No!" I protested. "I stopped him! You can't blame me!" I got to my feet as I tried to explain my innocence.

Alki not only resumed her fighting stance but also pulled her blade out, ready to strike me dead at a moments notice.

"Well, perhaps the dungeon would be the best place for her until we take stock of what really happened here." The Queen dismissed my protest.

"This isn't fair!" I cried. "I came through time and monsters and Goddess knows what else to save your asses and this is how you thank me?!" I was animated now throwing my arms around. If Alki wanted to kill me for making a wrong move now I welcome it. I felt despair that after everything I went through I was back where I started, worse I was going to be thrown in prison.

The Queen just looked at me with the same unimpressed expression, Alki too just glared at me. Saintaris still looked like she was trying to collect herself with her eye were closed and her mouth was open catching her breath. Except she wasn't breathing.

The Queen was not breathing ether, or blinking. No one was. I only noticed at this point that the hall was dead silent, the sound of people gathering themselves post orgy had stopped completely.

Then it hit me.

"Orisata... you..."

"I was wondering how long it would take you to notice" The voice in my head mused. "Now that the light of the Crystal Moon has passed, we can control time once more."

"Okay... so now what?" I asked, walking over to the battle ready Alki, waving my hand in front of her oblivious face.

"Well, I would say we succeeded." Oristata told me. "The damage Jara has inflicted under this moon is quite minimal. Usually an event such as the Lovers moon would have disastrous consequences for a populace."

"How so?" I asked half listening and half inspecting the frozen form of the Queen as she looked at where I used to be.

"Due to Alastia's unique demographics, induced sexual activity would have a reduced impact on the populace. No surge of unwanted pregnancy I would think. The Lovers Moon is one of fertility as much as amplifying base sexual attractiveness after all. There isn't a nation better suited to recovering from this Luna event"

"Uh-huh..." I nodded, still in awe at the way time had stopped.

"So we stay put? No more resets?" I asked hopefully.

"Yes... " Orisata confirmed with a hint of regret on his voice. "... Considering we have averted the end of the world, this out come saves Alastia at the very least as well as most of the other peoples of the world."

I could tell with his lack of enthusiasm that something else was weighing heavily on his mind

"What of Hastaluna?" I asked

"It will undoubtedly fall to the raiders from the East. There is little we can do now that the Eclipse has past. It must be this way Ashk, I do not dare risk another reset."

"Perhaps..." I said slowly, my eyes catching the glint of something on the floor next to the throne.

I walked over to pick up the Controller Jewel. Such a tiny thing caused so many problems and here it was in-between my fingers.

"Can't we still go through with the plan?" I asked him holding the jewel up to the light.

"The Jewel?" Orisata pondered. "I am not sure I follow, it needs to stay in contact with the skin to hold a persons will."

"Maybe..." I wondered out loud returning my gaze to the still form of Alki. My shoulder was still sore from being judo flung out the throne so I decided she would be my test subject.

I pushed the jewel into the flesh of her neck, the powerful artefact was tuned to my voice so it should work as long as I remain in contact with her but I had a hunch about something.

"You can't see me or perceive me. You will forget I was even here." I commanded her scowling features.

I lifted the jewel from her skin and walked back to my original spot.

"I've been feeling you stop and start time a few times now, I think I am starting to understand how this works." I told him as I feel the essence of time flow around me like air, letting it flow through my spirit again like sand spilling through my fingers.

The hall came alive again, the courtiers murmuring away trying to get their head around the event that just swept through their boring day.

"If you would take her away..." The Queen nodded in my direction.

Alki put her hands by her side and turned to look at the Queen, then around herself to try and figure out what she meant.

"Yes your highness." Saintaris stepped in when Alki hesitated. "Don't make me do this the hard way Crotalinae" She snarled at me as she marched over to me and took my arm in her grip, tugging me to the side.

"W-what is?" Alki looked confused as her head darted around from the Queen to Saintaris. My commands stuck even though the jewel was no longer touching her.

Saintaris's grip was starting to hurt as she pulled me away so I once again stopped time on my own.

"You are getting good at that, I told you it would come naturally after a while." Orisata commented on my mastery of time, if he had a head to nod I'm sure he would be nodding it at me.

"Yeah, yeah." I brushed off his complement and then jolted my arm out of the now frozen Saintaris's grip. "Did you miss the part where the jewels commands still work?" I was grinning, my head only just getting around this new time stuff but I was really seeing the advantages now.

"Hmmm..." Orisata wondered in my head. "The jewel is tied to you now. Being the avatar of time must also bleed onto the jewel."

"So..." I brainstormed "... this thing controls everyone forever now?"

"I would think it is more to do with you commanding a person during the infinite moment that we can create." He theorised. "I have to say most of this is way beyond my understanding but it would seem that commands that are given now, as we stop time, are commands that are just as infinite and forever more. Unless you command them other wise I assume."

"I knew it!" I lied while pressing the jewel into Saintaris' cheek. "You can't see me, forget I was even here."

The captain still had a look of concentration on her face as she held her pose like she was hauling an invisible person. I turned my attention to the Queen and skipped over to her throne sinking the jewel into the flesh of her naked shoulder.

"You can't notice me, forget I was ever here." I told the monarch.

I started time once more as I lingered next to the gorgeous high royalty.

Saintaris stumbled forward a step and looked to her empty hands confused then to the Queen who shook her head briefly as their thoughts tried to catch what they were just talking about.

"Saintaris!" The Queen was the first to recover.

"Yes your highness." She bowed briefly.

"I want to know if this Jara's magic did any true damage, is the city safe?" The Queen commanded.

"At once!" The captain snapped and turned on her heel to march away. She stopped briefly at the bottom of the steps to make eye contact with Esteleia who only stared right back. Both of them remained silent, their eyes locked on each other before Esteleia grinned sheepishly. The Iron willed captain broke first, turning away red faced, striding away to carry out her orders. Esteleia followed along behind her, a noticeable spring in her step.

The whole time this was happening I was idly tracing my fingers along the silken cups of the Queens dress, not enough to really disturb her but I was way to close for a mere peasant like myself to get.

"Who is this?" The Princess asked in worry, pointing at my roving hand on her mother.

"Who is who?" The Queen asked her daughter, looking around to see who she might be referring to.

"Oh right, I forgot about you." I told the clueless Princess as I reached over to her and put the jewel against her shoulder.

She looked at my hand in shock as I had the audacity to touch her. She looked to the Queen and Alki with an open mouth as if she expected one of them to put me in my place for her.

"Don't notice me, forget I was here." I told the beautiful young woman.

The Princess clearly did as I asked as her face slackened off to a more relaxed state, her eyes drifting off me to wonder the room, she was still concerned about the events that had just transpired with Jara.

"There we go, no problem." I said removing the jewel from her.

Instantly the Princess did a double take like I just appeared out of no where.

"Who are you?" She shrieked in shock at my sudden appearance.

The Queen looked around once more to see who her daughter was outraged at.

"Who ARE you talking too?" The Queen asked, now almost irritated that her daughter was acting up in public.

"Ah right" I rolled my eyes. "Has to be in during the time thing..."

Time stopped once more, I was really getting the hang off it as each time it felt more natural to start and stop time on a whim.

"You don't notice me, forget I was here..... yeah yeah" I half heartedly commanded the static Princess before walking away from the important trio of women and restarted time.

I watched as the Princess instantly calmed down.

"Oh?" She said confused. "Nobody mother... I must have been imagining things."

"After today I think we all need time to feel oneself again" The Queen sighed and gave her a understanding smile.

Alki and the Queen turned to each other to discuss what just happened in more detail, I tuned them out as I considered the jewel in my hand.

"Hastaluna might not be lost yet, old prune." I told the voice in my head.

"You would seek to influence the Queen? Complete Jara's mission? Why?" Orisata asked.

"It's not just manipulating time is it?" I spoke the question but already knew the answer. "I am starting to share some of your memories too. I've never been to Hastaluna, yet I can see it's main street in my head. The holy observatory. It's people. I can't let that all be destroyed." I may be a criminal but I am not a monster, I felt I had to do something.

"As touching as that is Ashk, you might not get the chance." Orisata warned with disappointment in his voice.

"Oh? Why is that?" I asked, my mind contemplating the things I could get done with these new powers.

"There is something you are forgetting..." He told me.

"What's th-" I stopped mid word. I was slowly pacing back and forth lost in thought and had backed into something warm and soft. I gulped heavily as I suddenly knew what Orisata was talking about. I turned and saw Serizenza looking at me, a heavy scowl covering her face.

"I think you have something of mine..." Her voice was warm and smooth, yet full of menace. She held out her hand, obviously intending me to put the controller jewel back in her posession. I stopped time on reflex.

"What do we do?" I asked, more than a little intimidated that the Goddess of creation which could destroy the world, a fact I knew first hand, was staring right at me.

I had to walk to the side to escape her penetrating stare, thankfully she remained locked on the space I occupied instead of tracking me.

"There is nothing we can do" Orisata told me. "The jewels come from her. She has defences against them no doubt."

I walked around her in a circle, looking her up and down as she now suddenly seemed so helpless against me.

"Yeah but, how did Jara do it?" There had to be a way out of this mess. "How did Jara dominate her so completely?" We had come too far to have been beaten at the last moment and I was determined to find a way.

"The Yellow Moon can remove her defense. It's why we gave him that moon to start with, even a Goddess is as **** as any other person to it's magic." Orisata explained.

"So..." I thought while walking around to her front once more. "Can't we just use the jewel on her while time is standing still? She can't defend against something that she doesn't have time to see coming, right?"

"I do not know." Orisata responded gravely. "Ashk, listen to me, whatever Jara did to her, enraged her enough that she destroyed the world. If you try to use the jewel on her and it fails you cannot guarantee that she won't do it again. At least in this timeline Alastia is spared."

"We can just be gentle with it." I argued back. "Jara was doing some terrible stuff when I found him, who knows what he did do her. She won't be that mad if we just try to save your country..."

"You don't know that Ashk!" Orisata chastised me.

I shrunk away from his voice and looked back to Serizenza. I had moved back to her focal point so she was again looking directly at me, her face demanding that I give the jewel to her. I weighed the small thing in my hand, letting it roll around. So many lives rested on this thing, perhaps Orisata was correct and I should give this thing to Serizenza and let her destroy it. The Queen, Alki and Saintaris will be pissed when the spell is broken over them but I could still stop time. They would never catch me.

I held the small pearl in my fingers and pressed it into Serizenza's palm and held it there. I had a flash of the children playing in the capital of Hastaluna, my eyes drifted to the window of the great hall. From this angle I could see the poorer districts I grew up in, still in the sorry state they were when I was a child. Things could change, I could change them. I made up my mind.

"No reward... Without risk." I said to myself.

---

I swished my hand around to the music as I watched women dance with each other across the great hall. This was the best seat in the house to watch the festivities play out. My legs dangled over the side of the throne, my cushion was the Queens lap as she ignored my presence completely, as did everyone else in the room. I had long since made sure that anyone who might find my presence problematic simply did not notice my presence at all. It had taken a while but eventually all the people I noticed giving me the stink eye for being too close to the royalty simply forgot I existed. All it took was a little time manipulation and contact with the jewel and it was problem solved. Now I get to live in the literal lap of luxury. What a lap it was too. I couldn't help myself cup the Queens breasts as she looked out at her subjects, oblivious to my groping.

There was movement in front of the throne, the Royal hearld had made her way to the front of the dance floor and got her majesty's attention.

"My Highness, May I present, The lady Jasmina..." The well dressed servant took a bow and cleared the floor for a familiar face to approach the Queen. The dancing continued on behind the new arrival but a few of the courtiers were paying attention to the new person in the court and the gossip was flowing.

"Your Majesty" Jasmina took a deep curtsy and lowered her head in respect.

"Ah lady, Jasmina... " The Queen glared down at her with squinted eyes, taking in her fancy dress and demeanour. "The Royal court recognises your pardon, you are here by reinstated into the court and all of your standing has been restored." The Queen nodded Graciously.

"Thank you, your Majesty" Jasmina nodded again.

"...But know this..." The Queen added, leaning forward enough that she almost tipped me from her lap. "Your past crimes are not forgotten, should you find yourself in the company of criminals or enemies of this state once again, I shall not be so merciful. " She was trying to be intimidating but her threat might have come across as a little hollow when she had one of the most wanted criminals draped across her as she spoke. There was a pregnant pause before Jasmina realised that she was being spoken to again.

"Oh no, your Majesty." She bowed again, looking to the Herald for her signal to be dismissed.

The Queen waved her hand to dismiss the woman in front of her. Jasmina took her cue, turning to leave before she looked directly at me. Our eyes met and I gave her a wry smile and a wink. She returned the gesture by sticking her fleshy pink tongue out at me. She liked to do that quite often now that she could. The Queen noticed her pulling a face and dropped her jaw in shock, assuming the face was at her. Jass snapped her back up straight like a whip had been cracked next to her and bought her hand to her mouth, pretending to be coughing as she shuffled away quickly.

The Queen slumped back in her chair as she watched Jass slink away into the crowd, shaking her head at the audacity. She gave an exasperated sigh as she turned to Serizenza next to her.

I continued to watch the women dance in front of us. My eyes unable to leave the beautiful form of the Princess. Every time she emerged from the crowd of people spinning and dancing in the center of the room, her white silvery hair would catch my attention. Her bright happy face laughing with the other party goers always had me completely captivated.

"This evening is turning out to be very tiresome." The Queen complained to the court mage. "Where is our guest of honour? It's unlike her to be unreliable."

"Mmm?" Serizenza absent-mindedly turned to the Queen as she was previously lost in thought. "Oh Saintaris? I do not know, we have sent out for her but so far she has not shown up."

The Queen rested a well defined cheekbone on her knuckles as she looked out at the party in front of her. I could understand her impatience. The entire city was in full celebration and Saintaris was no where to be found.

Over the past two months I had been giving a few subtle pushes here and there to intervene militarily on Hastaluna's behalf and three weeks ago Saintaris led the Army of Alastia into Hastaluna to confront the Eastern forces personally. It was a total victory for Alastia. The Eastern host was more a rabble of raiding parties, they would have done great damage to the peaceful country of Hastaluna but were no match for a well equipped and motivated military ****. They fled from the country after the first skirmish. So now everyone is celebrating the triumphant return of the victorious army. Wives and lovers of the soldiers sent forth are all jubilant that next to no casualties were suffered on Alastia's side.

"Well, no point in waiting any longer..." The Queen shifted beneath me as she turned her whole body to address the mage. "Are you listening Serizenza ?" The Queen asked the seemingly distracted sorceress.

"Oh? Yes my Queen." Serizenza snapped back to life at her Queens words. She was clearly deep in thought about something. It made me nervous, was she aware somehow of my influence? Perhaps she was perceiving my actions together in her mind to make some over all picture giving me away or maybe she could feel it, deep down, that I was manipulating her.

"I am just a little tired, your majesty. That is all." Serizenza said honestly.

"Tired?" The Queen asked surprised. "I didn't know you could get tired." The Queen was joking with her statement but I could see Serizenza consider her words sincerely.

"No... I thought so too." Serizenza muttered to herself getting lost in her own thoughts again.

"Well, can you still perform for the people?" The Queen asked trying to keep Serizenza's attention.

"Yes of course your majesty." The mage bowed to her with a small nod.

The Queen nodded back respectfully, then motioned to the Herald to begin the next part of the festivities. The music stopped which got everyone's attention as they all looked to the Queen and Serizenza up at the front with me. None of them save Jass could perceive my presence but I figured I should probably remove myself from the Queens lap at this point as I could feel her shifting beneath me. Her face was starting to show the first signs of confusion that my dead weight was pinning her to the chair. She stood and both her and Serizenza glided down the steps of the great hall heading for the windows and the balcony which overlooked the city. I followed the Monarch closely, my arm slipping around her waist as Serizenza slowly walked out into the night air. A crowd had gathered to watch the spectacle about to be unleashed.

Serizenza raised her staff high into the air and with a whoosh colored balls of light shot from the end and up into the starry night, then exploded out turning the city vibrant shades of green and pink. The crowd of courtiers around me let out impressed gasps and sounds of wonder. This was the pinnacle of the festivities tonight, a magic show to dazzle the entire city as everyone at this moment was merry and things were at peace. It was the perfect moment, so I held it.

No more sound, no more cheers from the crowd outside or the excited chatter of nobles in the room with me. Everyone was again held in time, the moment I created stretching on for as long as I willed it to. I looked to my left and right, Saintaris was clearly not in this room. I wasn't surprised in the slightest. I had a very good idea where she was.

With some slow **** I let go of my clueless Queen, her curvy soft body giving me all the pleasure I wanted for tonight. I decided to go for a walk. I passed all the courtiers frozen mid conversation, some swigging wine or putting food in their mouths. The guards had also allowed themselves a brief moment to watch the show, moving from their post to get a view of the windows. I slipped out the main hall door and found most of the guards in the palace had done the same. Leaning up against windows to catch sight of the celebration. I skipped through the mostly empty halls of the palace and out the main entrance into the streets of the capital proper. The people were all looking up, many women hanging off each other, probably drunk. I passed the Goddess Springs, Rose was out serving tables with ale in the spectacular green glow of Serizenza's light show. I gave those tantalising large melons a hungry squeeze before moving on once more.

I looked at the Temple of the Goddess before me, I bounded up the steps to see a priestess on the main door, absently smiling at the show with a wide grin on her face. I had a flash of a memory, this was the girl that first met me all those months ago when I first came to the city, when Jara had a hold on this place. A shiver ran down my spine, the timeline was thankfully not to be. I shot air through my nose at a passing thought, this would have been close to the original date I enter the city, months ago, before I reset everything. Well months for me, for everyone else, time flowed much more linearly.

I pushed my body up against her and let my hands wonder, she felt slim in all the right places but that was not what I was after. I withdrew my hand from her dress and beheld the key in my palm. I gave her a pat on the backside and made my way into the temple.

It was pretty much empty inside. The priestesses all out in the city enjoying themselves with everyone else no doubt, only the girl on the door left to look after the place for now. It was fine, I had no great mischief in mind as I made my way to the back of the holy hall, past the great statue of the Godess. I past the door I snuck in all those weeks ago that led to the back gardens and the secret way into the city. It wasn't important to me right now.

I was presented with multiple doors at the back, they all led to the chambers which contain the Waters of Life. Most of the doors were open but I saw the main one was shut, locked clearly as I pushed against it and found no entry. The key I swiped from the Priestess worked as I knew it would, opening the door with no noise in the absence of flowing time.

It was well lit inside, candles lined the walls. Sweet smelling incense burnt on the air and in the center of the small room I saw them both. Saintaris and Esteleia, naked, embracing in deep passion. I got close to them, looking their wet forms up and down as they writhed together in the shallow water. I knew I would find them here, Jara's intervention with the Lovers Moon obviously meant their feelings cannot be a secret from one another anymore. Saintaris must have promised that should she return from war ... well, that is between them I suppose, they're actions tonight speaks for itself. I'd be so tempted to join them but I don't want to get pregnant, the Water of Life was a mysterious thing.

I pulled up a chair and restarted time, only happy to watch the two lovers consummate their love, still oblivious to my presence. After everything that has happened, Saintaris even saving my life at one point, I let a smile cross my face. For once it seem like things were going to be okay for everyone.