by Jez Cajiao
He spoke of the thousand ways a household object, a cup, a pin, a goddamn vegetable, for fuck’s sake, could all be tools, and how to kill someone with each one.
He described creatures, like the Teradon, and how they could be stunned with a blow to a section under their chin where the arteries were too close to a bone. A single hard strike would block the blood flow for several seconds, and in that time, the Teradon would stagger around, unable to focus, to see, or even to defend itself.
He continued as the sun set, and as the moons rose, one hanging low on the horizon, full and red, while the other spun and danced overhead, a bright silvery-white.
All the while, we moved, practicing, and he gradually sped up, lifting his leg slightly higher, moving the heel faster, until before I knew it, we were blurring back and forth through the forms. He had squared off to face me, and he mirrored my movements, the pair of us spinning, kicking, and jumping as we flowed from one stance to another seamlessly.
When we finally finished, I felt refreshed. Exhausted, definitely, but invigorated in a way I hadn’t experienced in ages.
I felt that satisfying heat in my muscles, burning to let me know I’d had a hell of a workout, but they also felt better. They weren’t screaming in pain, so much as humming with potential.
I bowed formally at the waist, as I had to many a sensei in the past, and he smiled, clapping his fist to his heart, and bowing his head in return.
“It was a good day, Lord Jax,” he said proudly. “I can see the potential in you that Augustus described. I have decided I will train you, after all. Each day, regardless of other distractions, you will practice the kata I have taught you, and in a month, we shall see where you stand.”
“This… this was a test?” I asked him after a few stunned seconds, and he chuckled dryly.
“All of life is a test, Jax. Passing allows you to try another day. I suggest you go and take a bath now, though. Knowing my Legionnaires, they will have found some good spots to relax nearby.”
“Thank you… I think?” I said, shaking my head. Another goddamn test…
I forced myself to remain upright as we went our separate ways, feeling my legs shake as I walked down the stairs. Once out of earshot, I let out a tired breath as Oracle flew over to me, landing on my shoulder and wrapping one arm around my head, before leaning in and kissing the top of my head.
“You’re all sweaty,” she complained, and I snorted out a weary laugh.
“What did you expect after all that? Besides, you didn’t complain the other night about me being all sweaty…”
“You were naked then, and so was I…” she said airily, wafting her tiny hand dismissively through the air. “Different rules apply.”
“Okay, then…” I said, arching an eyebrow at her. “Fancy finding a storeroom where I can get naked and less sweaty in private?”
“Nope,” she said firmly.
“Why not?” I asked, a touch disappointed.
“Because I’ve already sorted somewhere out that we can get naked, then clean, then have some fun…” my impish companion explained, grinning down at me.
I grinned back, and she pointed to the left as we came to a cross-corridor. I followed her imperiously guiding finger, then realized how short her skirt was and remembered the other night, picking up speed as I went.
It took us a dozen minutes to get free of the ship and emerge out into the forest, a handful of Legionnaires appearing around us and flanking us as we made the trek.
“They’ve already cleared the area, and they’ll make sure we’re not interrupted,” Oracle reassured me with a naughty grin in response to my questioning look.
I accepted their presence and continued to follow her guiding gestures, activating my DarkVision to make it easier. I soon noted the regularity of the thicker vegetation, and the way certain sections were clearer than others.
“It’s a garden, isn’t it?” I asked her, peering around. “A giant overgrown garden…”
“That’s right,” she confirmed agreeably. “In the Tower, the plants could only grow so far, with the limited space and combination of elevation and exposure to the elements contributing to make the gardens smaller, though still lush. Out here, however, there’s only been the occasional storm to endure, and even then, those merely served to spread the vegetation around, rather than scour the area clean.”
“So, wait… the entire island under our feet is the City?” I wondered, gazing around with new eyes, observing the lush undergrowth and heavy tree cover.
“Depending on the area, it’s anywhere from a few inches to dozens of feet. Then you’ve got higher structures that have long since collapsed, like that one…” she clarified, gesturing to what I’d taken to be a hill. “They’ve been overgrown, again and again, and any animals that were aboard, including those that have been brought here over the years, or that have accidentally floated to shore on driftwood, have adapted as well.”
“Damn…” I breathed. “I thought the City had crashed into an island and buried itself or something…”
We pushed through a thick section of hanging vines and came out into a glade containing a small hidden pool that glimmered in the moonlight.
One of the Legionnaires‒Rinko, I suddenly recognized‒moved closer and saluted us.
“We’ll make sure you have some peace and quiet, Jax, don’t worry,” he said, winking and holding out a small bundle. I inspected it cautiously, finding freshly-made clothes, and as I sniffed them, I grinned appreciatively. The clean, fresh scent was enough that I almost stripped on the spot.
“Thank you, man,” I said in earnest. He grinned in response and turned away, before I called out, causing him to glance back over his shoulder. “Oh, and Rinko, I’ll trust you to keep Grizz well clear? He’s got a habit of interrupting at particularly… inappropriate… times?” He snorted in amusement.
“He’ll find it hard, considering Faren and Hess tied him to a chair in the ship and buried him under a pile of canvas, just in case.” With that, he winked and walked away, and I grinned in response in the darkness.
Satisfied that we were alone, I turned back to the pool. I had felt Oracle lift from my shoulder during the exchange with Rinko, and I saw her now, perched gracefully on a rock that jutted up in the center of the water, full size and naked.
Her hair was as dark as midnight suddenly, her eyes smoky, and her figure full, and she lifted one hand, beckoning me.
I couldn’t get undressed fast enough, but before my thoughts had caught up with my movements, I was stepping down into the pleasantly cool water, wading out to her.
The pool grew deeper with each step, until I was forced to swim the last few feet to reach her. I had always been graceless in the water, too heavy and clumsy, but that was far from my mind as I pulled myself up from the liquid depths, reaching up eagerly as she leaned down for a kiss.
It went on and on, her tongue slipping into my mouth and mine into hers; then she was sliding free of the rock and sliding down into the pool with me. Her lips remained glued to mine, our arms wrapping around each other and her legs lifting, resting and locking onto my hips.
As the water closed above our heads, my feet impacted the bottom on the pool in an explosion of silt, and I dipped my legs, pushing off powerfully and driving us toward shallower water.
As soon as we reached the light, we broke the kiss, me to take in a replenishing lungful of air, and her to nuzzle into my neck, as she’d found I liked.
I lowered my arms from wrapping around her back, my right hand sliding down to cup her ass and pull her tight against me, while my left reached up, enclosing the full firmness of her right breast and tracing with a finger the hardness of the tip.
She gasped, then giggled, and we sank again from sight, the Legionnaires firmly keeping their eyes and ears trained outward as their lord and his lady enjoyed each other as quietly, yet fervently, as they could.
Chapter Seven
I returned to consciousness slowly, a relu
ctant tapping on the door forcing me to rouse, as Oracle growled in annoyance. She slipped out from under my arm and stalked to the door, her clothes materializing as she went.
I remained lying in the pile of blankets we’d gathered against the far wall. The camp bed had collapsed at some point after we’d returned to our room, and we’d piled its remains against a nearby wall to be fixed or disposed of.
I heard a portion of Oracle’s growled question, followed by a low conversation, then a sigh as the door was closed again. I laid there still, on the verge of returning to sleep, eyes shut, as I heard her moving over to me and crouching down.
I felt the warm, vanilla scent of her breath on my cheek, and the soft press of her lips as she kissed me, and I opened my eyes, blinking up at her. I couldn’t help smiling in reflex as I focused on her face, outlined by the faint pre-dawn sunlight streaming in through the small window.
“Morning…” I whispered and kissed her. When she pulled back, she was smiling, but she gently disengaged herself from my arms when I tried to draw her back into bed.
“We don’t have time, unfortunately!” she said gently but firmly.
“You sure?” I whispered, grinning and trying to tug her down again.
“Very sure!” she said, shaking her head regretfully as she slipped free of me and lifted into the air, shrinking to her smaller form. I groaned as she moved out of reach, and I fell back onto the pillow, running my hands through my hair and rubbing my eyes with the palms.
“Why are we always rushing?” I complained to myself. “Can’t we‒just once‒wake up slow, relax, have some morning chillout time, some head, maybe a bacon sandwich…” I muttered disconsolately.
“You’re the one who arranged for the representatives of both camps to come to meet us at first light,” she said, grinning, “and actually, you’re also the guy who declared war on Himnel, which is what led to this, remember?”
“Details, details,” I mumbled, sitting up and stretching. “God, we need a decent mattress. I’m aching from last night.” I said clambered clumsily to my feet, trying to stretch the kinks out of my back.
“Are you complaining?” Oracle asked me, and I snorted out a laugh.
“Only that you won’t come play again,” I retorted, and she laughed as she shook a tiny finger at me.
“It took me weeks to tempt you into bed. What happened to all your self-control and patience?” she demanded, and I snorted again.
“It’s long gone, I tell you. Once that line was crossed, that was it. I did warn you… if you remember.”
“That you were a sex pest and you’d be constantly trying to get your hands on me? I don’t remember you warning me about that.”
“Hey, who was naked first last night? Who arranged a little private place?” I shot back as I pulled on the clean, smart clothes the tailors had prepared for me yesterday. The pants were a bit snug, and the chest too loose, but considering they were working with already made gear and adjusting it to fit me, I couldn’t complain. They’d promised I’d be getting some properly tailored clothes soon.
“Details, details,” Oracle replied airily, floating backwards as she waved a hand negligently to brush away my comment. “Anyway, that was Yen at the door. The scouts have picked up the two groups leaving their bases and tracked them to twenty minutes out.”
“Okay, sounds like we’ve got just enough time to get out front and be ready for them, then,” I calculated, nodding to her appreciatively. I had left my armor piled up by the door into our room, but apart from the boots, which were worn out but my only option at present, I left it all behind, carrying only my battered belt and naginata.
The rest of my weapons and gear had mainly been stashed in my various Bags of Holding now anyway, and I resolved to empty those as much as possible before this afternoon’s excursion.
Oracle landed deftly on my right shoulder, and I walked over to the door, tugging it open to reveal four Legionnaires waiting outside: Yen and Tang, along with two I didn’t yet know.
They all straightened reflexively, fists smashing to chests as I stepped out, and I returned the salute, before Yen spoke.
“Good morning, Jax. The delegates are on their way now. Prefect Romanus has set up a tent to hold the meeting; shall we go straight to it?” she asked crisply.
“Morning, Yen, everyone,” I said, looking at each of them with a smile. “Yeah, that sounds good. Lead the way, please.”
We set off at a fast walk, covering the distance to the gangplank and off the ship in only a few minutes’ time, and when I asked about the new route we’d taken, and noted how much faster it was, Yen was quick to explain.
“Augustus has been working the Golems hard,” she said, and I couldn’t help but smile at that, until Restun slipped in alongside me as we walked.
“Good morning, my lord.” he said, his tone full of respect, and I felt my butt pucker reflexively in fear.
“Morning, Centurion Primus,” I said, swallowing on a suddenly dry mouth. “Unfortunately, no time to train this morning; we’ve guests incoming.”
“I know,” he said simply. “I’m glad that you think it’s unfortunate, though, as it shows you know you need to continue with your training.” He carried on, pausing, and glancing at me as I nodded quickly. “And because you know it’s important, I know you’ll want to fit in an hour before you go into the Sunken City.” He smiled smoothly as he finished, deftly closing the jaws of the trap.
“I… uh…” I mumbled, before forcibly kick-starting my brain again. “I would, you know that, Primus, but I need to sort out my new armor, and my squad, as I’ve not selected a team yet, not fully. Maybe when I return…”
“So you’ve not chosen your escort yet?” he asked slowly, and I frantically cast about for a way to stop him from offering to join us.
“I… I… “ I said articulately, when Yen stepped in smoothly.
“You did say that you wouldn’t confirm the places in your team until today, Lord Jax, but it was filled within minutes by volunteers, both those who’d already fought by your side and those who hadn’t. How many did you decide on bringing in the end?” Yen asked, barely risking a meaningful glance.
“I… eight,” I said, frantically picking a number at random.
“Hmmm, good choice, too small to attract too much attention, but big enough to handle most things…” Restun murmured approvingly. “Who are you taking?”
We had walked down the gangplank, across the clearing, and were approaching the tent, when I saw some of my usual squad standing nearby, and I sighed in relief.
“Lydia, Arrin, Jian, Stephanos, and Miren, of course,” I said quickly, “that five, then Yen and Tang, if they want to come?” I offered, getting smiles and accepting nods from both. As I glanced around frantically, I saw the man I was looking for a few seconds later, getting ribbed by a few Legionnaires and giving as good as he got.
“And Grizz; he was assigned to me as a bodyguard, after all,” I practically jumped on the choice, then blinked and went on more calmly. “And Bane, and me? So… ten in total?”
“Hmmm…” Restun said slowly. “I thought you’d settled on eight?” He eyed me suspiciously and I quickly raised placating hands.
“I had, but that’s because I think of Bane in the same way I do Oracle; he’s a companion, not a member of the squad… if you understand.”
“Ah… I get it. A good bodyguard becomes a fixture in your life. I shall include him in some additional training, then, and make sure he is up to the task.” Restun nodded in satisfaction to himself, and I felt the low thrummm of Bane’s amusement cut off abruptly, making me smile suddenly, much wider and more evilly that I had before.
“That’s a great idea, Primus! In fact, I remember thinking last night, when I kept running past my squad, as they ate and drank, that maybe I should ask you to take over their training?” I agreed smoothly, eyeing Arrin, who was by far the weakest of the group, trying to charm a woman who appeared utterly unimpressed with him.
That bastard had been hollering at me last night to go faster… I certainly remembered that.
“Hmmm, well, with your own training, I have made time in my schedule…” he explained hesitantly.
“I could cut back on some of my training… for their sake!” I slipped in hopefully, only to be met with an evil grin from him that made my heart plummet.
“Oh no, Lord Jax. You need every bit of that training… though perhaps I will simply fold your training and theirs together, doubling up on it, as it were. In fact, that’s a fantastic idea. They will join you in training, then! And after the physical side is done, you and I will continue to train alone, in Asha’tuun.”
“Fuck,” I muttered, reading the glimmer of triumph in his eyes. That wily bastard had planned this, I realized, and I’d fallen straight for it, slipping my entire personal squad in under his command for training, when previously they’d been outside of his reach. Not only that, now I was going to be getting at least as much training as before, if not more. Double fuck.
“Glad to hear you’re so enthusiastic,” he said, chuckling with unbridled amusement. “I’ll let you inform your squad. Oh, and Yen, Tang, and Grizz? I expect you to be there as well.” He graced them with a beatific smile, before saluting me and walking away into the light drizzle without a care in the world.
“What?” Grizz said, having just joined us as Restun was leaving.
“Well, Grizz, I’ve got good news for you, mate,” Tang said stepping up to him and clapping him on the shoulder.
“Great!” Grizz said, smiling, then immediately frowned. “Wait… it’s never good news when the Centurion Primus is that happy… I’ve only ever seen him smile like that when…” He paused nervously, his mind working frantically through the options, before letting out a small whisper. “Oh gods, no…”
“Oh, yeah,” Tang confirmed, nodding. “His fault.” He yanked his head to indicate me.
“Why?” Grizz asked frantically. “Look, okay, I probably took the joke too far, interrupting you guys so much, but come on, boss?!” He dropped his face into his hands and groaned loudly.
