Embracing destiny.

Darx took some time to experiment with his new-found power, this “dark mana” of his heritage. He found himself increasingly impressed with what he could do with it. He got good at using the dark mana to freeze water, even water that was farther away from him. He could bring water out of the ground to make a puddle, then freeze it. He could also shape it as he froze it, creating spikes or blocks of ice. The usefulness of being able to freeze someone’s foot to the ground or even just creating slippery ground for his opponents seemed pretty powerful. He also found that he had no issue walking on his own ice, he just had to think of it being course instead of smooth as he stepped on it, and the ice would change, allowing him to grip the surface.

“Of course, Darx, you’ll need to test all of this out there, make sure it works in the real world.” Syvis said, watching him closely, studying him like she was his teacher again.

“Of course.” Darx answered, but he couldn’t help but smile. “But there’s so much possibility with this new mana, so much power, and I can control my magic much better.”

“Show me.” She said, a subtle smile creeping in.

He could see the anticipation in Syvis’ face. She wanted to see him succeed, she wanted him to impress her. Darx pooled water decently far away from him, formed two columns of ice, each about as thick as his leg. He then stepped back and focused his magic, then swung his staff and sword. Two of his [Air Blades] flew out, but not in straight lines, they arced past each other, curving in opposite directions, each slicing cleanly through one of the ice columns.

“You control their direction?” Syvis asked.

“Yes.” He answered, “Well, somewhat. I can think of how I want them to fly, and they do, but I can’t make them reverse course or anything. The way they spin causes them to move differently, I can control that as I cast them.”

“Goddess this is boring, come on Amelia, you want to make out?” Mia’s sudden suggestion and the sound of surprise from Amelia caught Darx off-guard. He had been so caught up in practicing his magic he didn't realize they had returned.

“That got his attention.” Mia said. “Now, Darxi, about that orgy you wanted to have with us.”

Darx suddenly realized he was feeling horny, incredibly horny. He didn’t know why. He had just figured out what this place was. He could train his mana here like he had with Zaine, he could work on mastering his power. He had no interest in having an orgy with Mia, especially with her just being a projection of some part of him.

“Actually, it would be better if you and Amelia could go, I need to practice.” He stated, trying to calm down.

Mia pouted. “Come on Amelia, we’ll just have to entertain ourselves in his bedroom.”

Darx got up and walked farther from the house. He couldn’t handle Mia and her suggestions, not with how he felt right now. Syvis followed him.

“You don’t want me to leave?” she asked.

“No." Darx answered. "Despite everything, you were the best trainer I’ve had, and being around you here helps me deal with being around her out there.”

“What do you think about what Mia said? Her advice on Syvis, the real one.”

Darx sighed. “It makes sense, I mean, not quite the way she put it, but it was our relationship that broke Syvis’ control over her libido. And if I want her away from Kase and free of Oblivion, I can’t leave her trying to be the Syvis that resists her sex drive. That puts her right in Kase’s hands. With her parents coming, with the negotiations approaching, him having influence over her is not good.”

“But can you. . .”

“No.” Darx cut her off, “Honestly, I don’t know if I could ever go back to having sex with Syvis, but right now? I can’t even think about it without going back there, without seeing her and Kase, feeling that all over again.”

“So what will you do?” Syvis asked.

“I’ll put it out of my head and focus on things I can control, like getting ready for the Dark Elves. This power I have, I need to make sure it works in the real world, but if it does, it should help me convince them to join the war."

“Are you really okay with this?” Darx knew what she was asking, this new power, using the darkness.

“I don’t know." He answered. "It doesn’t feel scary, just powerful. It doesn’t feel like it is controlling me or changing me.” He looked to see Syvis giving him a concerned look. Except it wasn’t Syvis that was worried, this Syvis was just part of him. Her face reflected his own concern.

“I get it, I know I’m playing with something dangerous, with power that could go wrong.” Darx explained out loud. “But what I felt back then was despair and rage. I wanted revenge, I wanted others to hurt like I hurt. I don't want that now.”

“And now you are confident you can control it?” Syvis asked.

“No.” If Darx was going to have conversations with himself, he might as well be honest. “I’m not confident.” He sighed and squatted to the ground, ran his fingers through the grass. “I wish I could afford to take it slower, I wish I had more time.”

“But the Dark Elves are on their way.” Syvis finished his thought for him.

“And the Beast Kind will be here shortly after them.” Darx followed. “If I’m going to be the Heir of Zrephia, I can’t be scared of my own power. I need to be strong. Strong enough to face the demons, strong enough to face Kase. Strong enough to save them. . .”

Darx realized that while he was focused on Amelia and his mother, it wasn’t just them that he wanted to save. He thought of the people living on the street in Riledo, he wanted to help them, he wanted to help Princess Kathleen, he needed to be strong enough to go save Zaine. Hell, somewhere out there was Sunshine, he needed to find her too. If he was going to do all that he couldn’t be just a B-rank with a jumbled together power set of abilities. He needed to be more, much more.

“Okay, let’s get back to it then.” Syvis said, a hint of a smile on her face.

Darx spent what felt like hours practicing using the new mana. He used it with his Air magic, with his new Ice magic, even with his Water magic that he had been using the longest. The whole time in his head he knew none of this was real, that he'd need to test this magic, the new mana, in the real world. He didn't even know how much of this new power he would have. His mana pool wasn't great. It had grown each time he ranked up, but not much. He had a small pool of mana, even for a spellsword, and that limited him. He would need to test that, but he couldn't do that here, he could only practice spending it.

Despite all that, Darx was feeling good about the work he had put in. All of his spells felt more powerful, more focused, even faster to cast. It was nice, feeling like he was making real progress, growing stronger. Having the ability to train and grow stronger while his body rested and his mana recharged was the exact kind of advantage he needed to catch up to where he should already be. If the dark mana worked out in the real world like it did in here he would be much more powerful and have better control of his magic. It also made him smile to finally have three magics he could use, Water, Air and now Ice. The idea of being an Archon, a powerful mage with multiple magics but also fighting skills felt good to Darx, and he was only a B-rank. If he ranked up again he could add a third magic, which would grant him more advanced magics as well.

“Wait a minute.” Darx thought out loud. “Syvis, you have fire and earth magic right?” If he could copy her magic in this place, he could have three types of magic and practice using them as well.

“Why do you ask, Darx?”

“Can I copy one of them?” He asked.

Syvis laughed in response. “Did you just ask yourself permission to try and copy magic from a person who isn’t even here?”

Darx laughed and rubbed his forehead. “Sorry, it’s easy to forget you aren’t. . . that you aren’t you.”

“You know Syvis well enough to create a very good copy of her.” She said, smiling at him.

“Yeah, but you’re like the Syvis I knew before Kase, before the potions failed, you aren’t like she really is.”

“Would you like me to be?” Syvis stood up, her hands brushing over the curve of her hips. Her voice was seductive as she slowly walked towards Darx. “Would you like to experience Syvis like she really is?" She was getting close to him, Darx couldn't take his eyes off of her. "We could go inside, Darx. We could find Mia, give her exactly what she was asking for, and more.”

“Shit.” Darx said, his pants feeling tighter and tighter. Syvis was almost to him, reaching out for him. “I need to get out of here.”

. . . .

Darx opened his eyes. He was in the bedroom Midnight Dawn had given them. He breathed a sigh of relief, his visions had never been like that before.

“Oh, shit.” He whispered to himself as he felt Wendy shift behind him. He very quickly realized why he had been so horny. Wendy was snuggled tight to him, her breasts pushing into his back, her thighs pressed against his legs, her foot resting on his calf, her arm over his side, and her hand on his erect penis. She was moving subtly and moaning softly.

“Wendy.” He whispered.

“Mmm Darx,” she responded, kissing his shoulder blade.

“Wendy.” he said a bit louder.

“Huh? Darx?” she said, waking up. “Oh shit!” she yelped, pulling her hand off of him and pushing back to create some space between them.

“You okay Wendy?” Darx asked, turning to face her. Her face was red.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

“Some dream you must have been having.” Darx said with a smile.

“Please, Darx, I’m sorry.” She said, curling up into a ball.

“Don’t be sorry, Wendy, I don’t mind.” He answered. The last thing he wanted was to make Wendy feel bad about herself.

“You don’t?” She asked, biting her lip.

“If you two are going to have sex, come up here and let me get in on it.” Neku’s voice came from the bigger bed. “Besides, you owe me, leaving me alone all night.”

Darx looked at Wendy. She looked back at him, waiting to see what he would do. Darx thought of the Mia in his vision, maybe she wasn’t completely wrong. Wendy and he had fooled around, but that was for the cover story, for the church. But she had gotten into bed with him, she had been touching him, and she called his name. . . Darx realized he was laying there thinking about it and not doing anything. He decided to go for it. He stood up.

“You coming?” he asked Wendy as he moved to the bigger bed.

Neku smiled at him, held her arms out to him as he climbed into bed with her. “Hey, wait for me.” Wendy called after him.

Darx didn’t know what to expect, he didn’t have a whole lot of experience, and when it had been more than one woman, all he’d done was lie there. Fortunately, Neku took charge and made it easy for him. The ladies ganged up on him, taking his clothes, putting him on the bed, started pleasing him with their mouths. When he was good and hard, Neku climbed up to kiss him, pressing her chest into his as she ran her hands through his hair.

“I think Wendy should go first, get a taste of what she’s been missing out on.” Neku said when she broke the kiss.

“Are you, is that what you want, Darx?” Wendy asked.

“If you want to.” Darx answered, he didn’t know how to navigate this.

“Goddess, you two.” Neku said. She turned to Darx. “You want it. And Wendy wants it too. Right, Wendy?”

Wendy nodded.

“Then get up here.” She said, taking Darx’s erection in her hand and stroking it as she held it upright. Wendy straddled Darx, her knees at the sides of his rib cage and pushed her hips back as Neku guided his shaft into Wendy’s eager pussy.

“Mmhh.” Wendy moaned as she felt him enter her. Darx started to move his hips but Wendy stopped him. “Let me, please.” She said. Darx nodded. Wendy started riding him slowly, changing positions slightly a couple of times.

Wendy felt different than Neku, Neku was very passionate with him, it felt intense and important every time they had been together. Wendy was more focused on herself, she seemed to just be having fun.

“Okay,” Wendy stated, “Touch me, Darx.” Darx wasn’t going to argue, he ran his hands over her sides, down to her hips, then up, cupping her breasts when he got to them, they weren’t big like Neku’s, just a handful, but they were nice, and Wendy was pretty. She felt really good moving on him too.

“Mmmm.” She said. “I’ve wanted to do this since we were in the castle.”

“Really?” Darx asked as Wendy picked up the pace.

“Yeah, you looked good, and those red eyes of yours, mmmm, yeah. . . Spank my ass, Darx.” Wendy moaned, leaning forward as he complied. She kissed his chest as she ground her hips against his pelvis, driving him farther into her as he smacked her muscular ass.

“Fuck, yeah.” She said.

Neku had been laying beside Darx, content to watch Wendy and him, but Wendy grabbed ahold of her, pulled her up and kissed her while she continued moving on Darx. It was incredibly hot.

“Fuck. . .” Darx grunted. Neku smiled at him.

“You like that Darx, you like seeing me kiss her?” Neku asked. Darx nodded, and Neku turned back, drove her tongue into Wendy’s mouth, grabbed the back of Wendy’s head with one hand while the other found her breast. Wendy moaned under Neku’s assault, and with her attention occupied she stopped moving on him. Darx took the initiative to grab her hips and start moving slowly, Wendy’s moan of pleasure told him it was the right choice.

“Oh Goddess, I’m not going to last long if you. . . Unnggh!” Wendy grunted as Darx felt her squeeze his erection inside her. “Goddess, Neku.” She cried desperately as their lips separated.

Neku looked at Darx. “Let’s change this up a bit.” She said with a wink. Darx pushed Wendy off of him and Neku laid her down on her side, pushed her hips and ass into Darx.

“Fuck that pussy, Darx.” Neku commanded, surprising Darx with her language and the forcefulness of her tone. Darx’s face showed his surprise and Neku winked at him, directed her eyes to Wendy with a smirk, Neku was clearly enjoying what they were doing to Wendy, and Darx wasn’t going to question it. He smiled back at her as he moved Wendy’s leg, found her wet slit and re-entered her.

“Oh Darx, yes.” Wendy moaned as he started moving inside her. Neku was kissing Wendy, squeezing her breasts as Darx fucked her.

“Harder,” Neku demanded, as her hand moved down Wendy’s stomach to her crotch. Wendy yelped and her walls constricted as Darx complied. Wendy was moaning, losing control in the pleasure of the moment. Darx grabbed her ass, pulling her up a bit to push deeper inside her.

“Fu-u-u. . . Oh Goddess!” Wendy cried out.

“Get deep in there, Darx.” Neku stated, “Hold it.”

Darx did what she said, pushing as far into Wendy as he could while Neku kissed Wendy again, her hand assaulting Wendy’s sensitive ridge.

“Goddess!” Wendy cried before her voice fell to a high-pitched moan. Darx felt her clamp tight on him, her muscles pulsating on his erection. It continued for several seconds as Wendy cried out softly. But soon enough Wendy relaxed, collapsing into the bed, sighing and breathing hard.

“Fuck that was good.” She said.

Neku kissed her cheek then looked to Darx.

“You did good.” She winked as she said it.

“You both did great.” Wendy said sleepily. She pulled a pillow tight to her and sighed.

Darx pulled out of Wendy slowly and she sighed again.

“We need to do that again, later.” Wendy said softly, barely awake.

“Come on,” Neku turned to Darx, “let her rest.” She got off the larger bed and took Darx’s hand. “You didn’t come, did you?” She asked him.

Darx shook his head.

“Good.”

Neku, as expected, was a very different experience from Wendy. From the moment she touched him her passion was evident. The way she kissed him, gentle and longing, the way she let him take charge, offering herself to him fully.

They laid on the bed, kissing, their hands exploring each other’s bodies for a while. Eventually Neku pulled Darx on top of her. Gently led his shaft to her entrance. “I want you so much Darx.” She said, her face flushed, her pupils wide as she locked her eyes on his.

Darx responded by slowly pushing inside her, she was hot and wet, and she moaned as he entered her.

“Oh, Darx.” She cried as he moved in and out of her slowly. He kissed her shoulder, the top of her breast, Neku was so beautiful, her long hair, her sharp features softened by her smile and the way she looked at him. . .

It didn’t take long for Darx to reach his limit.

“Neku. . .” Darx cried out, she held him tight to her, her legs wrapping around him, her pussy pulling him in deeper as she kissed his chest.

"Imris!" Neku gasped as Darx came, wrapped around him, her face pressed into his chest. When he was finished she released him, gazing up at him, warmth in her eyes, a smile on her lips.

“Thank you, Darx.” She whispered as he pulled out of her and laid down. He hadn’t been awake long but he needed to rest. He laid down on his back, held Neku to his side, her leg on his, her head resting on his shoulder. Lying there, Darx felt truly relaxed. Even with all the things that had happened, with the craziness of that night, lying there with Neku beside him, everything felt right.