The Crystal Sorceress

We wasted no time getting dressed and packing our bedrolls, and we were gone before the first light. True to Ilnara's word, we soon left the gorge, the river made a sharp turn, and the rocky shore turned to sand which made for a much quicker time. I had hoped to see more of Ilnara's afterglow dancing like she had done the previous day. But, after nearly getting killed, she was understandably in a more dour mood. However, her spirits lifted somewhat with the sunrise as she started smiling again.

Yet, we were both much more cautious than we were yesterday, constantly looking over our shoulders and stopping every so often to listen for anything. We did hear something following us, so I drew my sword while Ilnara knocked an arrow. Then I spotted a long, tufted tail dip behind a tree and I lowered my blade.

"I warned you never to cross paths with me again!" I called. Taolung peeked out from behind the tree and Ilnara raised her bow.

"She's scouting for Gliaan!" Ilnara said.

"No! Don't kill me!" the other girl said, "I have nowhere else to go!"

"Go back to your mistress!" Ilnara ordered.

"If I go back to Gliaan, she'll kill me because I didn't attack you," Taolung said as she slowly walked out into the open. I got a much better look at her now that she was in daylight. I should have expected her to be beautiful, but she was remarkably beautiful, even by magical standards. She came in alongside Ilnara, the only other Sindaran woman I knew. Her scales were a dull, bronze color in the shade, but in the sunlight, they seemed to take on a golden sheen. Her eyes were amber, and her hair was an iridescent black like a raven, almost a dark blue. Her facial features reminded me of the people who lived far to the east of my home back on Cadionia, with tall cheekbones and sharp, oblique eyes. Her accent was slightly different from Ilnara's, but she spoke the same language flawlessly.

"So why are you following us?" I asked.

"Probably to rob us and bring back the loot to appease Gliaan," Ilnara said, "Adiran, I told you we should have killed her."

Taolung ignored Ilnara and said, "Because... because you showed me mercy."

"So, what do you want from us?" I asked.

"To join you," she said, "If I go back to Gliaan, I'll die, and if I try to survive in the wilderness, I'll die. You're my only chance for survival." I made Ilnara lower her bow slightly, but not all the way. She glared at me, but relaxed a little.

"There must be a bounty on your head," Ilnara said to her. Taolung didn't reply.

"We're going to Nelanthas," Ilnara continued, "If the authorities see you and recognize you, they'll kill you on sight."

"What if a knight spoke for me?" she asked.

I snorted a laugh and said, "I haven't been on this planet for two whole days. My word will likely mean nothing to the authorities."

"So all of my choices end in ****?!" Taolung shouted.

"You brought it upon yourself when you became a bandit," Ilnara said.

"Nari, can we talk?" I said. She followed me a short distance away, never taking her eyes off of the other young woman.

"She's right," I said, "All of her options end in ****."

"If I can take care of myself, she can too," she replied.

"Does she look like she can survive in the wilderness to you?" Ilnara gave the girl a thorough appraisal.

"No, she's wyvern bait," she said.

"Well, I don't want to just leave her to die," I said, "so if you have any ideas..."

"Adiran, she's a criminal."

"So was I, Nari," I said. Ilnara sighed, and then she understood. We whispered back and forth for a few minutes while Taolung waited patiently.

"I don't like this," I said, "It's too rushed."

"It was your idea," Ilnara said, "And you said it's the only choice," Then we returned to Taolung.

"Why did you become a bandit?" I asked.

"Because I..." then she paused.

"Don't make me ask again," I said.

"Because I killed my sensei," she said.

"Why?" I asked.

"It was an accident!" Taolung sobbed, "We had a terrible argument, and I let my anger grow overnight. When we trained the next morning, I let my fury control me, and forgot to hold back my kick. So I struck her much harder than I intended, and I broke her neck."

"Have you ever killed anyone else?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Innocent?"

"Yes."

"So you confess to being a murderer then," I said, "By my code, I am well within my right to execute you where you stand. But, I'll say that you turned yourself in, so I will offer you a choice, the same one I was given when I was being led to the gallows." That wasn't true, my master offered me the choice on my way to prison, but I needed to get through to her.

"First choice: we will give you five days of rations and a bow," I said, "No arrows though so that you don't shoot us in the back. You would have to survive on your own in the wild." Taolung didn't seem to like her chances with that one.

"Or, you can swear yourself to me," I said, "To be my apprentice, and I would train you to be a paladin. That's all that I can do. Eventually, I will have to return to my homeworld as well. So if you accept, you would be expected to follow me."

"This planet has nothing more to offer me," Taolung said, "What would I need to do?"

"You would have to follow my every command," I said, "to uphold our code to the letter and in spirit, and if you ever break the law again, I will break you. Make no mistake, this is not the easy way out, but you'll live."

"That doesn't sound any worse than working for Gliaan," she said.

"However, I will also be there for you at all times, along with a whole company of other knights," I explained, "You will learn our magic, and you'll have the ear of the gods in your times of greatest need. It's probably your best option, but it comes with a lot of expectations."

"You don't even know me," Taolung finally said, "And you already know that I killed my last teacher. Why are you making me this offer?"

"He just wants to have sex with you," Ilnara said.

"Nari!"

"Adiran, you've been giving me that same look ever since our first night in the marsh," Ilnara said, "I'm not a virgin anymore, I know what that look means. What? I don't blame you. I mean, look at her, but don't lie to her that you're doing this only out of the goodness of your heart."

I turned back to Taolung and caught her ogling me. It occurred to me that I was the first man she had seen in a long time, and the look in her eye was the same one that Ilnara gave me. I had to admit, she looked very appealing as well, and I realized my gaze lingered a bit too long on parts of her that weren't her face. We both made a deliberate effort to look away after that.

"Ignore her," I said, "Yes, you are a beautiful woman, Taolung. But regardless, I would make this offer even if you weren't." Admittedly, I wasn't sure that I wasn't lying to myself. Ilnara did have a valid reason not to trust her, especially since she admitted to killing her last teacher. But what kind of paladin would I be if I didn't show compassion once in a while?

"Damned code of honor," I whispered and then asked, "Well, what do you say?" Taolung gazed off toward the mountains in thought, then she turned back to me.

"I'll do it. Is there some kind of ceremony or ritual?" she asked.

"Not until you become a full paladin," I explained, "right now you're just a squire. Very well. By the authority given to me by the code of the paladins: you're now my apprentice, with all benefits and responsibilities therein. We can get more in-depth on the road, but right now, we need to get to Nelanthas."

"Thank you, um, sir knight," Taolung said nervously, "I don't know how to repay you for this."

"Thank me if it works," I said as we started moving again.

"If it works?!" Taolung shouted after me.

"The authorities in Nelanthas might not accept it!" Ilnara said ominously.

"So my fate is up to chance then," she said.

"Not necessarily," I said, "Per the last peace treaty between our two worlds, the paladin code should recognized by Sindaran authorities. However, the Paladin Corps has no way to enforce that, and I've heard it's not very popular everywhere."

"You heard correct," Ilnara said, "You might face justice yet, bandit." Taolung snarled at her in reply.

She was very excited to learn, though. I started teaching her my code immediately as we walked, and she cocked her head inquisitively the whole time. Maybe she was showing her gratitude to me for giving her a second chance. Maybe she was pretending to be interested to try to sleep with me. Or rob me. I don't know, but either way, she was acting as flirtatious as Ilnara was yesterday.

The young half-lung was also astonishingly quick and limber. At one point she performed a standing jump onto a log that was suspended three meters in the air. She walked its length with perfect balance while we conversed.

"What does your code say about sleeping with other paladins, though? Hmm?" Taolung asked.

"Let's not start off on that note, or it will make things too complicated between us,"

"What are you insinuating, master?" Taolung said with mock outrage while hanging upside down from her tail, "Are you accusing me of trying to seduce you?" I'm a lady of principle."

"Principle, right," I said, "Says the woman who admitted to killing her last teacher and then became a bandit."

Still hanging upside down, Taolung folded her arms and frowned.

"I said it was an accident," she said, "Besides, you told me you were being led to the gallows when you first became a paladin."

"Not exactly," I said, "But I needed to get through to you." Taolung glared at me then dropped down to the ground.

"So you expect me to follow your moral code, but you lied to me when we first met."

"That... is a fair accusation," I said, "You're right. I shouldn't have done that."

"I don't mind following you," Taolung said, "But if you want my respect, you need to be better than people like Gliaan. She's always lying."

"I'll remember that," I said.

"Trust requires transparency, sensei," she said, "Tell me what really happened."

"I used to be a petty thief when I was younger," I explained, "I and a group of other children were manipulated and **** to steal for a wicked old man called the Meister. I finally got caught when I stole from the wrong noble, someone who had the Meister in his pocket. During my trial, my paladin master stepped forward and offered to make me his apprentice instead of a prison sentence for life. Now it's your turn, tell me exactly what happened to your last teacher."

"She called my mother a traitor to my face," Taolung said.

"Why would she say that?" I asked.

"There was a revolution in my land, and my mother fought on the losing side," she said, "I only wanted to punish my teacher for that, but I underestimated the power of my next strike and I broke her neck. The old crone didn't think I had the strength or skill, and she was always belittling me. I didn't respect her either, but I never meant to kill her."

"What was her name," I asked.

"Shelong the Smoke Fist," Taolung said.

"What a crock of shit!" Ilnara finally said, "THE Smoke Fist. You can't have killed her. She died thirty years ago."

"Yes, by my hand," Taolung said, "I was only thirty at the time."

"You mean to tell me Shelong the Smoke Fist was killed by a little girl?" Ilnara asked, "Well since we're having this conversation, who do you think slew the Great Wyrm of Jurren?"

"Don't tell me it was you?" Taolung rolled her eyes.

"That's right," Ilnara said.

"Well, I'm sure you've heard of the Sisters of the Wind," Taolung said, "I defeated all of them. At the same time."

Ilnara got up in her face and said, "I climbed the Peaks of Eternity in the dead of winter without a guide or rope."

"I once ran a mile in two minutes," Taolung said.

"I can shoot the wings off a butterfly with my bow," Ilnara said.

"I can balance on my staff on one foot for an entire day," Taolung said.

"Well... I'm not a virgin!" Ilnara finished. I had stopped paying attention, so I wasn't ready when Ilnara yanked my trousers down and wrapped her tongue around my manhood.

"Whoa! Nari, what are you-"

"Showing this one what a real woman looks like," she said while looking Taolung dead in the eye. Ilnara was taking no prisoners and she devoured my cock. She lubed it up with her saliva until it was good and slick. Then she stood up and yanked her trousers down too.

"Here? Now?" I asked while looking sheepishly at Taolung. Ilnara turned around and lined my cock up with her pussy then pulled me inside her.

"Right here," Ilnara hissed, "Right now." Then she wrapped her tail around my waist so I would fuck her properly. Ilnara leaned forward against a tree and arched her back seductively at Taolung who stared with a mixture of discomfort, anger, and genuine arousal.

"Fuck me good, Adiran!" Ilnara said. I shrugged and grabbed hold of her hips for more leverage as I plowed her from behind. She smiled victoriously and never broke eye contact with Taolung. For her part, my new apprentice gradually succumbed to her lust and her hand found its way inside her pants. She broke eye contact with Ilnara, though, and stared at me instead.

Meanwhile, Ilnara forgot about whatever point she was trying to make to Taolung because this was only the second time she had ever had sex. She lost herself in the moment and her tail started squeezing my waist a little too tight. While I felt bad for Taolung, Ilnara's tight cunt still felt incredible, and soon I was just as lost in the moment as her.

Taolung didn't even seem to mind Ilnara's pettiness, at least not too badly. The half-lung wiggled out of her pants and squatted. Two fingers slid in out and out of her snatch while she tickled her clit with the tip of her long, tufted tail.

Then Ilnara said, "Grab my horns! Grab my horns and take me!" I did as requested and grabbed hold of her longest pair of horns like they were handles. I tried pumping in and out of her faster, but Ilnara wasn't impressed yet.

"Harder!" she gasped. So I yanked her head back and she wrapped her arms around the nearest tree trunk. I slammed into her over and over and the sound of flesh slapping together echoed through the forest.

Taolung was now squeezing her clit between her fingers and twisting it just like her nipple in her other hand. Her tail was in her mouth, and she bit it to avoid screaming out loud while she came from watching me in the middle of sex.

Ilnara and I came not long after, and I remembered to pull out of her. My cum painted Nari's back white, her tail let go of my waist, and she hung onto the tree panting from exertion. Then she looked back at me with those hypnotic, green eyes and wagged her tail like a cat.

"What were we... thanks Adiran," Nari said, but then the reality of what we did set in and she looked away self-consciously. Taolung was stretched out languidly in the shade with her tail draped over her ankles. Then she sat up and remembered what we were up to.

"Right, Nelanthas," she said then scowled at Ilnara.

We all redressed awkwardly because we all felt uncomfortable after that. I didn't enjoy cuckolding Taolung like that, she didn't like being left out, and Ilnara was embarrassed after having sex in front of somebody else. So we continued on in silence before I spoke up.

"That was immature, Nari," I said.

"Sure it was," she admitted, "But you reciprocated."

"That I did," I sighed, "But did you not hear my conversation with her that I'm trying to live a good example?"

"It's okay, Sensei. I'm not mad or embarrassed," Taolung said, "I've watched harems have sex before. But next time please find someplace private or invite me to join you."

"I'll remember that," I said, "Ilnara?"

"And I won't do that again," she said, "I thought it would be exciting, but I guess I wasn't ready to cross that threshold just yet."

We reached the main road around noon, and then our progress went much faster. Wilderness gave way to patches of farmland, then wide, tilled fields. Finally, in the afternoon, we crested a hill, and I saw for the first time the draconic city of Nelanthas.

Although I didn't care to admit it to my companions, my initial impression was underwhelming. It was beautiful, just as Ilnara said it was. From her description, though, I was expecting a vast, urban sprawl like my home city, Argendale.

It may not have been a broad city, but it was a very tall one. I counted twelve towers, their spires plated in a deep blue metal, and each of them was as high as any structure on my homeworld. The walls were also very high, not nearly as high as the towers, but they surrounded Nelanthas like a sheer cliff. One of the twelve towers straddled the walls and doubled as the city's main gate. A massive, stone-carved dragon with four wings perched atop the gate. One pair of wings framed underneath, and the other wrapped partway around the tower behind it. Suddenly, my first impression was completely shattered when I realized the sheer scale of the structure.

We started to pass by other travelers, some going to the city, others leaving it. Each woman we met did a double-take and stared at us, specifically me, with their mouths agape. Except not all of them watched me with wonder. A couple seemed fearful, and few others glared at me maliciously, though I had no idea why. Ilnara noticed this and took my hand.

"What's that about?" I asked.

"Some people still remember the last war between our worlds," Ilnara explained.

"That was a hundred years ago!" I said, "My great-grandfather was too young to fight in that war."

"Well, we've established that your people age faster than mine," Ilnara said, "It's okay, I won't let anything happen to you."

"Neither will I... sensei," Taolung said as well and took my other hand.

"You keep calling me that," I said, "What does it mean?"

"It means teacher," Taolung said. Ilnara stared daggers at her, and she glared back. Then they both bared their teeth at each other. If I thought Ilnara had an impressive assortment of fangs, Taolung curled back the sides of her lips so far that I saw her back teeth held even more fangs. Ilnara flinched at this threat display and pulled me tighter.

"Knock it off, you two!" I said, "If you were human, you could both have grandchildren by now, so please don't act like children."

"Sorry, Adiran," Ilnara said.

"Sorry, Sensei," Taolung said immediately after.

I felt much safer between the two of them, but as we drew closer, I realized something was wrong, or something terrible had already happened. I hadn't seen them at first because of the long grass, but now I began to notice smoldering piles of gods knew what. Black, charred, and some of them reeked like ****, but most of them were ashes now. Still, I noticed some telltale signs of what had happened here. Rings of arrows and javelins stuck out of the ground here and there. There was a huge, dead animal with a saddle on its back that had been slashed to pieces. I could tell from the smell of venom that it had been attacked by demons.

A detachment of guards, five of them, met us outside the city. Each woman wore a visored helmet, but the glow of their eyes shone through the eyeholes. The tallest of them wore only light armor, including her helmet from which a crown of horns jutted out the back. She was just as tall as the bandit, Gliaan, but she was far more majestic and imposing because she was the first half-dragon I had met who had wings. Though they were folded up tightly, I her wingspan must have been forty feet at the smallest, and her tail was so long that it dragged on the ground behind her.

She held up her hand, commanding us to halt. Then she removed her helmet, and I avoided gasping out loud. Needless to say, she was as gorgeous as any woman you had ever met, because that seemed to be a running theme on this planet. Her hair fell around her shoulders like a waterfall of molten gold and framed her violet eyes. Her lips were a rich brown and glossy like melted chocolate, and I couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to kiss them. Or to have them wrapped around my cock. Although she wore armor, it was lighter than the other four guards and showed off her body's perfect hourglass shape. I almost didn't hear her when she spoke because I was so entranced.

"Travelers warned us ahead of time of your approach," she said, "I'm Nausan, captain of the militia. What business does a human have in Nelanthas, especially accompanied by a wanted fugitive and the parthen girl?"

"I assure you I am here in peace," I said.

"Yet you just happened to arrive not two days after we were attacked by demons," the captain said. I glanced upward and spotted more signs of the recent skirmish. Scorch marks had scored the walls, and what I had thought was a ring of rubble all around the wall was, in fact, demon bones: hundreds upon hundreds of them. It hadn't been a massive horde though, or else the carnage would have been catastrophic. I turned back to the guards, who, on closer inspection all had recent injuries. One of them favored one of her legs, while the other was wrapped in a blood-stained bandage.

"I was probably brought here by the same event that summoned the demons, but I swear I had no part in it." Well, not me personally, and not intentionally at any rate.

"That sword," Nausan said, "I know it. You're a knight, aren't you?" You noticed the other four guards reach for their weapons while Ilnara and Taolung did the same.

"I am aware that my order fought against the drakes in the last war," I said, "but I have no quarrel with you. I wish only to find three of my comrades who I believe may be lost on this world as I am."

"Well, they aren't here," Nausan said.

"That's a shame," I said, "I was told there was a sorceress here, though. I wish to petition her services." Nausan eyed Taolung now with menace.

"And what about them?" the captain asked, "This one is wanted for **** and banditry, and the other is cursed four generations."

"Ilnara saved my life," I explained, "And Taolung has agreed to redeem her crimes by pledging her service to me as my apprentice. And by The Treaty of Argendale, signed between our two peoples in peace after the war, the Paladin Code is recognized by Sindaran authority." Nausan approached closer, and I held my breath. Ilnara started to slowly draw her sword, but I motioned for her to stop. The captain of the militia was now looming over Taolung.

"I don't question your order's moral code, just her honesty," Nausan said, "You know that she killed her teacher and three other innocent people?"

"It got out of hand," Taolung tried to defend herself, "They weren't supposed to be harmed, but they drew their weapons first."

"I don't like letting her walk free," Nausan said, "But the Paladin Code is law, whether I agree with foreign laws or not. Fine, I officially recognize her as a paladin, but she may never leave your service as long as she remains on this planet."

I released the breath I was holding and nodded.

"Thank you, ma'am," I said.

"What's your name, human?" Nausan asked.

"Paladin Adiran Horas, ma'am," I said, "Argendale Chapter."

"Welcome to Nelanthas, Sir Adiran," she said, donning her helmet, "Just obey our laws while your here." She whistled to the women on the wall who raised the gate for us.

The usual crowd you find at the gates of every city was present. Merchants of every kind hawked their wares, beggars sat in whatever shade they could find trying to earn the attention of whoever walked by, and children ran underfoot, threatening to trip me if I didn't watch my step. It was a chaotic din at first, but as we moved on, people stopped what they were doing and stared in awe. Before we even left the main square, the crowd had fallen silent, and the women we met stopped in their tracks as I passed.

"See, I told you there was a human," someone whispered.

"What is that thing?"

"A man? By, the gods."

Some women still stared menacingly, Ilnara pulled me closer, and I followed her to the very center of the city where the tallest tower stood.

"This is it," she said finally, "The sorceress's tower."

"If she can send me home, this might be the last time we ever see each other," I said.

"I certainly hope not," Ilnara said and wrapped her arms around me for a long, sensuous kiss that made Taolung roll her eyes. I enjoyed her kiss and tried to give it back with as much passion as she gave me, but all too soon she pulled away.

"Thanks for everything," she said, "And I hope you find your friends, wherever they are."

"I know it's unlikely, but if you're ever in Argendale, come and find me," I said, "I will be very happy to see you again if you know what I mean." Ilnara bit her lip and purred.

"Goodbye, little boy," she said.

"Goodbye, old lady," I said back. She looked back at me the whole time as walking away. I thought she might even be crying, but she rounded the corner and disappeared before I could be sure.

"Are we really going to your homeworld?" Taolung asked.

"Honestly, I have no idea," I said, "But you seem strangely at ease with the idea of emigrating to another planet."

"At ease?" Taolung asked, "You think I'm at ease? Everything I know is here, and now I might have to throw it all away like it never existed."

"Well, I feel the same way about possibly being stranded on this world," I said, "Just be ready for anything."

"I'm not sure I'm ready for a lifetime of servitude," she said.

"It's too late for that now. You heard the captain," I said, "You could have tried your chances in the wilderness."

"No. I couldn't have," Taolung said, "Let's just get this over with. It's easier to jump into a freezing pond all at once."

When we entered the tower, I was immediately stunned. The main chamber was vast beyond comprehension. It must have been half the height of the entire structure. In the center was a raised platform, twenty feet high, with stairs leading up either side. A huge conifer grew from the platform and reached hundreds of feet high. Its highest most branches were shrouded in fog, for the room was so high that it had its own internal weather. Then I realized this room couldn't be half as tall as the tower; it was more like half-again as tall as the entire tower. The structure was bigger on the inside than on the outside. There were no windows, but it was lit from within by a spiral of floating blue crystals. They twisted around the great tree until they were out of sight in the clouds. Even Taolung stood there speechless with her mouth agape like me.

"Do you have anything like this on your world?" she asked.

"Only among the most powerful wizards of all mankind," I said, " And I've certainly never met them." Then I noticed that we weren't alone. Before us was a figure in a blue cloak with a hood that hid most of her face. Only her red lips and glowing violet eyes were visible.

"Greetings, paladin," she said, "The sorceress is expecting you."

"I'm expected?" I asked.

"Nothing happens in this country without her knowing," the cloaked woman explained. Her voice was monotonous, sensuous, and inviting. Along with her eyes, it was almost hypnotic. True dragons' eyes were infamous for their hypnotic powers, and I was reminded of Sharonna's eyes as well. I shook my head and looked down at her mouth instead to break the enchantment.

"She's anxious to meet you," the woman explained, "We have seen no adult males for twenty-one years. Now, a holy knight visits our city in our hour of greatest need when demons surround us and **** the life out of our lands."

"You're not the sorceress?" I asked.

"I am but her handmaiden," the woman explained, "The Crystal Sorceress may never touch the ground, so I serve her in all matters at this altitude and below. Now please, follow me." She led us to a door in the central platform but held out her hand at Taolung.

"Not her," the woman declared, "Just you."

Taolung looked at me apprehensively and said, "I'll wait here for you." I nodded and followed the cloaked woman through the door.

We walked out the other side onto a balcony that was hundreds of feet in the air, and I hid my face from the biting, cold wind. I looked behind me through the open door, but the other side was a sheer drop. I backed away from the edge and turned around to behold all of Nelanthas below me. I wasn't in the tower anymore; I was on a mountain overlooking the city from across the river.

Before I could try to wrap my head around the magical forces at play here, the woman raised a staff made of a single solid crystal over her head. I wasn't certain if she had it before. Then, a light as bright as the sun shone from within, forcing me to cover my eyes.

The light faded a moment later, but nothing happened yet. I was about to ask the woman what was supposed to happen when I spotted a being with immense wings flying toward us. It was another Sindaran woman who nearly blew me off the platform as she landed. She wore a single piece of tight, silver leather which seemed like it had to be sewn onto her body, probably a flight suit for aerodynamics. Her skin was so white it was almost silver, with metallic, cobalt hair, and she had five horns made of crystal like the points of a royal crown.

The other woman bowed low before her and presented the staff to her mistress. I felt almost instinctually compelled to kneel as well. Even though I was cut off from my magic, I could feel the power radiating from her like heat waves.

The sorceress took the staff and said, "Thank you, Roselle. You may return to your duties."

"Yes, mistress," the cloaked woman said and left through the same door that led to a hundred-foot drop on the other side.

Magic.

I kept bowing until the sorceress laid a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Rise, sir knight," she said. I did as I was asked and craned my head back to look her in the eyes. I had to, or else my vision was at the same height as her breasts. They were much grander than any human woman's, and the neckline of her flight suit plunged all the down her cleavage.

"Indulging yourself?" she asked.

"Uh," I glanced down just a second, then back up at her captivating smile.

"It's alright," she said, "I have nothing to be ashamed of about my body."

"Clearly," I said, "Your handmaiden said you knew I would come. I take it you also know why I am here."

"Yes," she said, "But it's uncouth to discuss business right away. Will you please join me?"

"Join you for what?" I asked. She didn't answer, but I took her hand without thinking, and we walked back through the door into the side of the mountain. This time we emerged in a new room, clearly her private chambers which was large with a high ceiling for the sorceress was over seven feet tall.

The space was furnished pristinely. Every piece of art and furniture looked like it cost my entire year's wages, and I thought of my and Ilnara's families farming dirt. Magical equipment adorned every tabletop making the room a laboratory as much as a living space.

"You are my guest, Adiran, so make yourself comfortable," she said.

"I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage," I said, "You know who I am, but I barely know two women on this entire planet."

"I am Crystalline," she said, "Sorceress of Nelanthas. My mother is the queen of this country."

"Pardon me then, madam," I said, "I didn't know I was with royalty."

"And yet you bowed all the same," she said.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," I said.

Crystalline returned with a bottle of wine and poured a glass for each of us.

"Our drinks may be too potent for your kind," she said. I downed it all at once anyway and stifled a burp. I prefer an ale or a strong mead, but the wine was delicious all the same.

After that, Crystalline tried to make light conversation, although I simply wanted to move on to business. She wanted to know where I was from because she had visited Cadionia decades ago. She had not seen Argendale, but she knew of it. She also asked if I knew a paladin named Raasik, who did not. Finally, the conversation moved on to more relevant details. She wanted to know what I knew of the portal storm.

"The what?" I asked.

"A portal storm," she explained, "There was a massive wave of interplanar energy a few days ago. It's causing natural portals to open all over both our worlds for the first time in centuries."

"Interplanar energy," I said, "I'm afraid I don't know much about portals, but-"

"Please share anything you know," she asked.

"Well, my order was watching the activities of a certain demon summoner for some time. We were just waiting for him to slip up so we could safely defeat him. One of our spies told us he had left his tower unguarded, so I went with my master and two other paladins to set an ambush for him. Except it was a trap. He was waiting for us with an army of demons, and he had constructed a massive summoning ring. One of the other Paladins, Hastor, made it unstable when he tried to destroy it. I ordered us all to jump through the nearest portal that wasn't summoning monsters. None of the paladins who went in with me came out of the same portal. Do you think we might have caused this?"

"I doubt it," Crystalline said, "This summoner of yours sounds like a second-rate magician who thinks he's a god because he can control demons. I doubt his spell had enough energy to cause a portal storm. However, all portals are connected, so your friend may have been the catalyst that made everything else fall apart."

"How do you know that for sure?" I asked.

"Because as near as I can tell, the storm's epicenter is Sindara," Crystalline explained, "Although you can't feel it, the landscape is throbbing with interplanar energy. In the last two days. I've seen creatures from all over the planes. Your summoner was trying to reach Pandemonium, not Sindara, so it couldn't have been his fault."

"I haven't seen any strange creatures," I said.

"You can't fly either, so you can't cover nearly as much ground," she said.

"Do you think the other paladins are on this planet?" I asked, "Can you see them?"

"No, my sight only extends to the borders of this nation. But right now it's now it's impossible to leave the planet via portal. In theory, they can't be anywhere else."

"I had hoped you might be able to cast a spell to track them," I said, "Using these."

I withdrew the other paladins' hairs sealed in their glass vials. I thanked the gods that they hadn't been damaged in the fighting last night. She held each one to look at them more closely.

"Yes, that will work," she said, "My services don't come freely, however."

"I was afraid of that," I said, "I don't have any money."

"I barter more than I use money anyway," she said, "There is something you can help me with, though."

"Name it," I said, "My friends' lives might be in mortal danger. I don't have time to waste." Then Crystalline started ogling me, and I recognized that very same look from Ilnara.

"Another noble came to me the other day with a request," she said, "She wanted a fertility potion."

"How could I possibly help with that?" I asked.

"The main ingredient, the base, has to be a life-carrying fluid," she said.

"Blood?" I asked.

"Well, you can use blood, but bleeding that much from you could be dangerous. Even if it's done right, it will leave you feeling weak for days. Besides, there's another fluid that's much more... potent." She glanced at my lap, which I now realized was sticking straight up. I moved quickly to cover up, but she gently pulled my hand back.

"If you wish to be bled instead, I won't stop you," she said while staring at me expectantly.

Finally, I sighed and said, "Let's get this over with."

"I know you aren't that uninterested," Crystalline smirked. While I undressed one article at a time, she snapped her fingers and what little she wore evaporated into a cloud of luminous dust. Then she laid down on the bed and watched me undress.

"Slowly, please," she said softly and ran the tips of her tongue around her blue lips. I took my time and gave her an awkward striptease. She seemed to appreciate it since her tail moved between her legs and she leisurely fucked herself with it. When I was finally naked, I joined her on the bed.

"I can sense your frustration," she said, "And I understand you want to find your comrades, but consider this part of my payment."

"Of course," I said, "Actually, I'm looking forward to this too."

"First, devour me," she commanded and spread her legs. I dutifully bent over and tried to remember everything I'd done to Nari last night, swirling my tongue around inside her until she gave me a light moan. She wasn't blown away like Ilnara was, but when I glanced up, I was glad to see her licking her lips, so I must have been doing it right. She met my eyes and smiled, then placed a firm hand on the back of my head, pulling me in deeper.

I remembered my fingers and inserted a couple of them into her slit while massaging her swollen, blue lips and clit with my other hand. After a minute of that, she tensed up, hissed, and her inner walls clamped down on my fingers, trapping me inside her. Her tail spasmed for a second, and then she relaxed and laid back on the bed. Blue mist or smoke trickled out of her nostrils and between her teeth. A wisp of it touched my skin, leaving a crust of tiny crystals which I brushed off.

"Don't worry about the dust," she said, "It evaporates in a few minutes. Mmmm, that was exciting. I haven't had a man do that to me in two decades."

So she wasn't a virgin, I thought to myself.

"I haven't forgotten you either, Sir Knight," she said, sitting back up. Then she grabbed my cock with the tip of her tail and tenderly but firmly pulled me towards her. Next, she kneeled in front of me and mashed my cock between her soft tits.

"I know those other two can't do this," she said with a hint of venom.

"The other two?" I asked, "You mean my travelling companions? "

"Yes, the two parthens," she sneered.

"Ilnara saved my life, and Taolung swore to become a paladin," I retorted, "If you're going to speak ill of them, please keep it to yourself. Or you won't get your potion."

"Then you won't find your comrades," she replied, then stuck out her long, blue tongue and started licking the very tip of my cock. A tingling shiver ran through my entire body, and I almost lost my footing, but Crystalline's tail caught me before I fell.

"You're not... the only... sorceress on this planet..." I gasped between moans. She then stuck her tongue down between her tits and lathered my testicles with it while kneading my cock between her supple breasts.

"I'm one of the few who will do business with human dragonslayers," she said.

"I haven't actually slain any dragons," I said, "But you're not entirely wrong about the other girls. I doubt they know how to please a man like this. Where did you learn this?"

"I came of age and was accepted into a harem at the very end of the last breeding cycle," she explained, "Not long enough to bear any children, but enough to learn some of the more delicate points of pleasing a man. Enough talk. Just enjoy yourself. It's the only way I'll get that potion."

And enjoy myself I did, eventually having to sit down when I felt light-headed.

"Lay back," she said, pushing my chest. I did as ordered, and she stood over me like a frightening silver goddess.

"Your choice," she said, "Do you want me to make this quick, or shall I take my time?"

"Oh, gods, please make it last!" I begged, having completely forgotten my purpose there. Crystalline lowered herself agonizingly slowly until the tip of my cock brushed her lower lips.

"Don't tease me like that!" I said.

"You told me to take my time," she reminded me.

"After you start!" I said. Then finally, she sank onto my cock until she was sitting on my hips.

"Oh, gods! I'd forgotten how good that feels," she said. She moved immense wings as far out of the way as she could, then planted her heels into the bed for leverage. She threw her head back with a huge smile and wriggled with joy, then started grinding her hips up and down.

"Oh yes," she whimpered, "Oh yes!"

Despite her size, and although I didn't fill her as much as I did with other women, her sex was still impossibly tight.

For her part, Crystalline seemed to be in another world of lust. Her back arched, her eyes were rolling, and her wings and tail twitched and wiggled like they had minds of their own.

There was little I could do now except admire the woman who was using my body for her own pleasure, but there was a lot to admire. Her breasts were truly exceptional now that they were freed from her tight flightsuit, with large, light-blue areolas and delicious-looking nipples. She wasn't nearly as toned and muscular as the other women I had seen, but magicians seldom were. Her curves were also much softer but more pronounced. Her hips seemed almost half again as wide as her shoulders, in contrast to her slender waist. Granted it was thicker than mine because she was so much bigger than me overall, but on her, it made a classic hourglass figure. Her skin was silver, though much softer than the metal, and impeccably smooth with very few scales. It made her whole body jiggle delectably when she slapped down against my hips, especially those titanic breasts of hers.

I tried desperately to sit and suck on them, but she pushed me back down with a firm hand.

"No. This is my turn, sir knight," she said as she rode me. Then she planted one of her feet on my chest to keep me down.

"Kiss it," she demanded.

It was not a human foot at all. Her body below her waist, except for her sex, was reptilian. Her scales were larger and more numerous down there, and her foot was shaped more like a bird's. I pulled her foot closer and planted enthusiastic kisses all over it while avoiding her talons. They were dark blue, but I wasn't sure if they were painted or if their hue was natural.

"Oh that's perfect," she said while she continued to ride me, "You truly know how to treat royalty, Adiran." I wasn't used to a more submissive role, but it wasn't unpleasant either. Her feet were at least clean, and I remembered her handmaiden saying she may never touch the ground. They were rough on account of her scales, but otherwise unblemished. Even though I was the one pleasuring her, eventually I reached my climax and grunted loudly.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

"Yes, hurry!" I said. Crystalline removed her foot from my chest and climbed off of me, then I sat up while she grabbed a silver cup. She was just in time too. No sooner did she raise it to my penis when I shot a load of my cum all over the inside of it.

"Thank you," she said and placed a lid over it then set it aside one a countertop.

I gave Crystalline the other three vials containing my comrades' hairs, and she led me to a massive crystal ball a meter in diameter. The first thing she did was light a candle with a flame burned pink. Then she chanted something in draconic as she set one of the hairs on fire. The candle's blue smoke wafted up into her nostril as she continued chanting and she placed her hands on the crystal ball.

I peered into it not sure what was about to happen when a miniature storm cloud appeared inside it. There was a flash of lightning, then the inner cloud dissipated. Inside the ball was a clear image of Hastor, the one who I thought was responsible for trapping all of us here. He was leaning on a balcony, staring off into the distance, when a Sindaran woman appeared behind him. She was tall, with blue skin like sapphires and golden-colored wings. However, Hastor seemed afraid when he realized she was there.

"Can he hear me?" I asked.

"No," Crystalline answered, "I wouldn't be able to tell you where he is either, except I know that woman. That's queen Xeela, so your friend isn't too far from here. The problem is, it seems she is holding him prisoner.

"How do you know that?" I asked.

"I know that place," Crystalline explained, "It's where she holds high ranking political prisoners who it would be inconvenient to let simply rot in jail."

"Why is she imprisoning him, though?" I asked.

"Xeela hates humans," Crystalline explained, "But she's intelligent enough to understand his value as a male. She failed to be placed in a harem last breeding cycle, on account of me actually. So she's probably keeping him to mate."

"Aren't you a princess?" I asked, "Can't you send an official envoy?"

"If we were at peace, yes," Crystalline explained, "But her kingdom, Veranya, is a bitter enemy of Nelanthas."

"Damn," I said, "So it won't be easy to reach him." I watched Xeela strike Hastor inside the crystal ball, and I clenched my fists. To his credit, though, he didn't cower or even flinch. Then the image disappeared after the blue dragoness yanked him inside, presumably to bed.

"You said they were near," I asked Crystalline, "How near?"

"Since you'll have to walk, seven days."

"A week?" I said, "I hope we reach him in time."

"Give me the next vial," she said and repeated the same process as before.

My heart leaped in my chest when I finally got to see Sharonna since our arrival on this planet. She was cloaked in red, with her arms bare and wielding her spear that doubled as a magic staff. She marched slowly against a harsh sandstorm and used a glowing magic ward to shield her face. Two Sindarans followed her close behind. One of them ran to her and tapped her shoulder. Sharonna stopped in her tracks and said something I couldn't hear, then all three of them started running. Suddenly, a giant insect rose from the sand like a whale and tried to snatch them with its huge pincers. Sharonna deflected the blow, then followed up with a jet of blue flame that she focused into a tight beam which cut right through the monster's chitinous skin. It retreated into the sand, but not before two more of its kind appeared. Sharonna decided to entertain the better part of valor and ran for her life, urging her two companions onward until they dove into a cave.

"Where is she?" I asked.

"All I can say is that she's somewhere in the Ruborian desert," Crystalline said, "I can try to narrow it down, but you need to go fetch something from that shelf. The, uh, skull. No, the other one." I brought her the red skull and placed it on a shelf in front of her. Crystalline's eyes rolled back into her head, and two pinpricks of light appeared in the skull's eye sockets. The image in the crystal ball reversed itself to before the sandstorm hit.

"The one with the green scales is apparently named Franya, and she is a member of the Den Tribe.

"How do you know that?" I asked.

"She told your friend," Crystalline said, "I am reading Sharonna's memories right now."

"What?!" I said, "No! Get out of there now!"

"Relax, paladin," she said, "This isn't any more intrusive than a soul gaze. Oh wow, you are really are amazing in bed. I wish I'd gone even further with you."

"Excuse me," I said.

"Right," she purred, but her eye started to twitch, and a minute trickle of blood dripped from her nose, "I'm sorry, I can't hold this for much longer, but her companion said that the Den Tribe has territory near the coast." The image faltered and disappeared again, and Crystalline stumbled backward slightly. I went to offer help, but she waved me off.

"I'm fine. That was just farther than I'm used to," she said.

"Where is the Ruborian desert?" you asked.

"Across the sea to the east," she said, "Practically on the other side of Sindara."

"So the problem this time will be finding her," I said, "Here is the last one. Are you alright?"

"Dammit, Addi, I'm fine!" I drew back in shock because she said it exactly like Sharonna would have.

"I'm sorry, you can't read someone's mind and memories without a little something bleeding over."

"I did tell you to stop," I said. I dearly hoped I hadn't just given the other paladins' physical material to the wrong person, and I'd given even more than the others. She withdrew the last hair and held it over the flame. This time I waited and waited, but nothing changed inside the crystal ball.

"What's going on?" I asked. Her nose was bleeding faster now, and she wiped it with a handkerchief.

"I can't find him," she said.

"What?"

"He's not on Sindara," she explained.

"You said the epicenter of the portal storm was this planet," I said, "And I thought you said he couldn't be anywhere else."

"Hold on, I'm expanding my search," Crystalline said. I watched her for a minute, but then she started to convulse violently while blood streamed out of her nose onto the crystal.

"Too far!" she shouted, "He's too far! I can't-" Before she fainted, I caught just a brief glimpse of Master Delvo reclining on a mountain with the planet Sindara in the sky above. I didn't have time to decipher this because I ran to catch Crystalline as she fell backward. I just barely caught her before her head struck the solid stone floor, and the image in the crystal disappeared. Roselle, her handmaiden, ran upstairs. She was stunned by the scene of the two of us naked while I cradled her mistress, whose face was covered in blood.

"What have you done?" Roselle shouted.

"She fainted while looking into the Crystal," I explained.

"I'm fine, dear," Crystalline said as she sat up.

"What happened?" I asked.

"The distance was too taxing on my mind," she said in a strained whisper, "But I know where he is."

"Where?" I asked.

"The moon."

"What?"

"Your last companion is on one of Sindara's moons," she explained.