“Of course. Just know I’ll be scared I’ll make a mistake. Any child with you will prove our love made something pure and good in this harsh and ugly world.”
“Oh I’ll be scared too.” Kanade admitted. “Even my kind doesn’t have a manual for children. Fate hides those secrets. And I would gladly lay a thousand eggs to show the world my bliss.”
“Speaking of. How many do you lay?”
“Usually one snow white egg, but rarely are their twins laid. Our egg will be slightly smaller than a football, but shaped like a birds. It will take about a year to hatch and we’ll be parents…” She looked him in the eye. “Would you like to get in some practice? We both require a shower. Want to do as before?”
The twinkle in his eye was all the warning she got before making love under cascading hot water and wrapped in her lover’s embrace.
Kanade lay naked and fully satisfied in her sleep as the castle rang in time for supper. She was content with a pleased smile on the bed, but Ethan found himself full of energy and decided that although he would rather spend time with her and go for another round, others were fighting and dying. Proper weapons would decide many outcomes and he needed to get them out.
Ethan snuck out of bed, grabbed his safety glasses and new earplugs. He stepped out, putting them on and could hear Celestia shuffling around downstairs. He found her preparing for another nights work and she acknowledged him with a stiff nod. Together they got back to work, creating the very best demon slaying weapons in the world.
After another night of hard work he returned to his room where Kanade was awake, nakedly enchanting the knife from the morning, offered a smile, finished and rocked his world again before they fell asleep.
Chapter 12
Days came and went to pass into weeks. Then three more months passed and with it came a chilly Fall. These months were the best Ethan could ever remember having. No longer did he feel so useless and awkward compared to everyone else. His muscles had transformed into rigid cords without an ounce of fat between them. His legs had exploded into chiseled muscle and his speed had increased to athletic proportions. He liked how he now had firm pectoral muscles and a flat, washboard abdomen and narrow hips. His hands were calloused from his job as the Forgemaster’s apprentice and was where his upper body had shed every scrap of fat he ever felt disgusted about. Kanade loved rubbing his back muscles that stood out over smooth skin and the array of scratches he wore proudly. With the new strength he found himself able to keep up with Celestia and her production of goods had doubled and with an Enchantress living with her pupil the weapons and armor were protected and shipped to the owners who had been waiting centuries for it.
Ethan trained relentlessly every day in Krav Maga with his Naga master, learning all the moves and when and when not to use them. For once, Ethan felt comfortable in his skin and Blake’s training methods were astounding. Ethan could now hold his own against another experienced human and did so when he fought Kira’s dad who was a black-belt in Karate, and won eight out of ten matches. Ethan was by no means a small man before joining Order, but now he found he’d grown to six three, two hundred and forty pounds of pure physical power. He gained many cuts, scratches and quite a few minor scars along the way, but they proved his hard work had truly paid off. He was by no means stronger than an Amazon, faster than a Naga or graceful as a Nymph, but he was leaps and bounds more than what he ever was.
Training evolved from fighting and mental centering to traps, how to make, spot, avoid and safely dismantle. When Ethan learned those, he was taught the fundamentals on how best to kill certain demons and where weakness’s lay. Blake was thorough and quizzed often.
Kanade became more beautiful by the day and was truly a hopeless romantic. A simple wildflower, candlelight dinner, watching romantic movies and she was butter in his hands. She got into reading a few comics, her favorite being the Justice League and felt a connection with Hawk-girl. Who knew? She still blushed constantly and fanned her face when she was embarrassed, but never said no to a kiss, even if she was mad at Ethan. Being a soul mate didn’t mean he did everything right, but she was quick to forgive and found she had an intense sex-drive which Ethan was all too happy to sate. She even began to allow her hair to grow and it now barely brushed her shoulders. No matter how she dressed she was stunning.
Star-bolt had recovered with no ill effects from her fight and Storm-shadow still spent most of his time watching over the herds or playing videogames with Ethan with a hoof approved controller.
And the home they shared had been modified, much to Celestia’s pleasure for no one unauthorized ever needed to traipse through the workshop anymore. Where once Ethan’s lone window used to be now has a door that leads to a large balcony where Kanade can now land and come home without climbing off the roof or through the shop. Also beside it was a set of stairs so Ethan and anyone else who couldn’t fly could climb. It had cost quite a few points to pay the Ogres who proved excellent stone masons to create the secondary entrance, but it was well worth it.
Floa had laid her newest progeny about two weeks after Ethan and Kanade bonded and at the time she was the most annoyingly chipper Pixie there ever was and the table they usually used was filled by all Floa’s sisters and daughters who were eager to find out. Thankfully most remained small, but no less than two hundred Pixies were difficult to be near, especially after they ate nectar and were on a sugar high. It got worse when the egg hatched.
Odin had come running when he heard his newest child was about to step into the world and it turned out to be a baby girl, which meant Pixie rather than human, but Odin seemed proud and scooped up both Floa and their newborn daughter. They were so happy and it wasn’t over for Odin decided to throw a party for his new child which meant the family list was miles long and the guest short. Ethan had counted that over two thousand of Odin’s children, many bringing their spouses, lovers and children who wanted to come for the expensive event and Floa’s four hundred and three living children came. It was a two day event and filled the castle with visitors. Many of the usual residents went elsewhere to stay away from the festivities. It was two days Ethan would never forget… no matter how hard he tried.
The only cool meeting was with Thor, a half Naga. The only one in existence who shares traits with both his human father and Naga mother. All other offspring took on full traits of the species at random, but not with the lightning god. Thor had scaly skin as hard as any Naga, but was tan colored rather than brown and he had long, flowing blonde hair and humanlike teeth. He led the Fifth House, but couldn’t spend much time as he soon chose to play with Jormungandr, the World Snake. Now that was a sight Ethan was in awe of for Thor’s ability was to actually grow over a hundred feet tall and wrestle with the half mile long, giant cottonmouth who laughed while gouging the ground. Jormun didn’t bite his playmate while Thor didn’t unstring the famous war-hammer Mjolnir, that actually grew in size as its master did. Ethan learned Thor’s human power was growth while his Naga heritage made him immortal, stronger and faster, if for a short time. When Ethan watched the giants playing, he could now see why they were thought gods.
Thankfully everyone went home by the third day and Floa kept her baby close at all times till the day, she said, the baby learns to fly which would turn out to be a week later. And the child’s name turned out to be Blossom. Blossom was very beautiful, even compared to other Pixies.
There were several nightly attacks, but only one which resulted in a casualty when a Goblin killed a Nymph. The funeral was short, but it also spurned Ethan to not slack off for if he was there she wouldn’t have died.
And today was odd for Ethan as Blake made sure he knew yesterday to come shirtless, which was a highly odd request. And to make it odder, Kanade was forbidden to come and participate.
“Are you sure I can’t watch from the sky?” She asked. “I wish I knew what Blake was up to?”
“You and me both.” He said while brushing his hair. In their bedroom burned a chee
ry fire in the fireplace while she was bundled up beneath the sheets. “He said to meet him before sunrise like this. Go back to sleep. You’re exhausted.”
And then she yawned as if his words triggered it. “I know. Floa and Blossom can do that to anyone, but I love Blossom’s gurgling coos. Be thankful Floa doesn’t drag you everywhere.”
“Being an aunt to a Pixie isn’t easy.”
“Ugh!” Kanade threw herself back. “I’m the one who told you that and now you state it? Can’t be helped, but you know what…” He stopped pulling his jeans up and looked at her. “When ours comes one day I’ll make sure Floa suffers back.”
“Yeah and it’ll get her off my back. She keeps asking if I’m shooting blanks. I have to keep reminding her three months compared to a century isn’t that long.”
“But I love trying.” Kanade arched an eyebrow. “We’ve not missed a single day and it keeps getting better. I know it wouldn’t happen, but if I could use the pregnancy spell Witches have, would you want one?”
He put on his belt and sat beside her. “In a heartbeat.”
“I love you, you know that?” she smiled.
“You know I do. And you know how I always feel about you.” He gave her a soft kiss. “I’ll see you at breakfast, My Angel. Love you.” Her gold eyes softened.
“Be safe.” She covered up more and closed her eyes.
Ethan hurried to put on his boots and went to the new front door and stepped out into the chilly Fall night. To push the darkness and cold back Ethan turned his hand again into a torch, the silvery translating bracelet shone in the fire’s light. He shut the door and took the steps down to the ground. He then knew where he had to go and left down a dark trail after working the night with his oddly silent mentor Celestia. The fire illuminated a good twenty feet of trail.
An hour after leaving home and cutting through the castle Ethan now knew well enough to not get lost and found his master leaning alone by the portcullis’s front entrance. Blake still wore his three swords perfectly, but with the change in seasons opted to wear a long sleeve black shirt, but still remained barefoot. “So what is with all the cloak and dagger stuff so early?”
Blake offered a knowing smile. “You have been my student for the past four months, and one of my brightest I might add. You never once asked me my methods and that honored me greatly Ethan. As for the cloak and dagger, well you need to wait just a few minutes longer. Your questions will be answered shortly.”
“Alright. Lead on.” Ethan allowed, feeling the fingers of doubt crawling over his skin.
They left the castle behind and took a route Ethan was unfamiliar with. Blake and Ethan walked together, but the Naga just a fraction behind was intensely silent in the burning flames bathing Ethan’s hand like a glove.
Ten minutes into it Ethan shot his hand out when spotting a disturbance in the dirt path. A portion of ground looked odd as Blake stopped. “Something’s not right.” Ethan knelt a foot back from where grayish dirt had a patch of dark in an almost perfect circle and found a stick to push some dirt away and immediately noticed a pressure plate. “Blake, what is a bear trap doing on this path. It’s recently dug and set. Someone could get seriously, especially since Pegesai graze here and Centaur… wait… Is this another test?”
“No, not any test. Disarm it effectively.” Ethan slapped the stick on the plate and there came a ‘Clink/snap’ sound as the piece of wood was snapped in pieces. Disarmed, Ethan pulled the trap out. “This is your final test. Proceed.”
Five minutes into the progress Ethan stopped again as he noticed a faint shimmer reflected off a thin wire crossing the path. Another stick was sacrificed to trip it. “Blake those were real spikes that just shot up like spike-strips. Someone is going to get hurt.”
“Then I suggest you keep disarming them all till we reach our destination.”
Ethan growled and angrily asked “What’s happening?”
Blake hissed back “Time is wasting. At sunrise those at the wall will return home to rest and those asleep will wake and be hungry to graze at their favorite field.”
Fighting won’t work. Ethan thought. Need to hurry.
He turned and moved forward with speed and caution. In an hour he found seven more traps, each getting progressively more elaborate, dangerous and harder to take apart. As he finished with number nine Blake said “That is all of them. Well done.”
“What is wrong with YOU!” Ethan exploded as he rounded on the Naga. “Tell me why you would willingly endanger others. Children use these trails often.”
“I never once said anyone would use this trail now did I?” Ethan stopped. “I put in a request last week to make sure none use this trail for the night. This is your final test and you are halfway through. You did well spotting them as I had taught and disarming them as swiftly and safely as possible was key.” Blake crossed his massive arms. “You must proceed ahead on your own. If you do not return in five minutes you will fail.”
“What’s waiting for me?” Ethan asked with genuine concern.
“You will have to figure that out yourself.”
Ethan’s throat bobbled as he gulped his cold anger down and Blake stared, unmoving. When Ethan looked down the pitch black trail and back, Blake merely tapped the top of his wrist with a claw where a silver watch was clasped. The gesture was clear. Time was wasting.
Five minutes wasn’t long and Ethan spun and continued alone, his hand being the only guide. Two agonizing minutes later Ethan barely suppressed a yelp of surprise as three silhouettes extracted from the inky blackness in the form of a club-wielding male Ogre, a feminine Centaur with a pair of six foot long claymores lazily gripped in her demure hands and a Nymph with a longbow in her hand and a quiver full of arrows behind her right shoulder. The Ogre wore long blue jeans only while the Centaur mare wore a red t-shirt with a plunging neckline to expose an ample bosom and the Nymph, like most others wore a skillfully carved wooden bra held together by vine and for bottoms wore a handmade thong bikini out of vines too. Despite the chilly weather, these three beings weren’t human and felt cold in the same way, especially the creamy skinned Nymphs who would wade in snow and still not find the need to cover up.
The claymore wielding Centaur woman, despite standing over nine feet tall, had a sweet and delicate voice. Her dull golden horseshoes were clearly done by Celestia, Ethan could now spot what was her work from all others. “You come unharmed, Fire-thrower… Good. I am Ellen Quiethoof. This here is Magnus Eldertree and his mate Nell Eldertree.”
“I know you two!” Ethan pointed to the Ogre and Nymph. “Back when that Elf was found. He took your daughter.”
“And we are forever grateful.” Nell said.
“Do you know why you were summoned at this time?” Ellen the Centaur asked.
“No, but I’m guessing it’s a fight. Your kind wouldn’t have unsheathed your sword for any other reason.” Ethan guessed, not that it was all that difficult.
“Very astute.” Ellen stood tall. “Blademaster Blake was once our master long ago and it is prudent you show your skill. He believes you are ready and now you must prove it. We know your powers can smite us, but you are not allowed to depend on them.” Ellen gripped her swords to level them down at him. “Defeat us before your time expires. How long did he give you?”
“I got less than two minutes and I don’t want to be late.” The three looked to each other unsurely at the short time he gave. “How far must I go.”
“Make us submit. Nothing more. HA!”
Ellen charged the short distance, swinging her heavy swords as if they weighed nothing. Ethan told his flames to not hurt them, but to stay on so he could see. His focus locked onto surviving the moment and remembering how best to knock a powerful Centaur down. Not only did they weigh more than a ton, they were faster than actual horses. He leapt back as he brought his fists up, his peripheral vision watching the swords slicing through the space his body occupied a moment ago. As they moved away he sidestepped in and ducked
as Ellen’s strength was near that of an Amazon and she had flipped her swords around to lunge for his chest, one edge got close enough to sheer off a few hairs from his head. Ethan gambled as he targeted Ellen’s front hooves, where most of her weight resided and had to avoid getting kicked.
The mare realized where he was aiming, but could not bring her swords down in time so she bent down fractionally and hopped sideways just as his hands shot out and caught air. Ellen moved around like a lightning strike and Ethan barely had time to roll to the side as her hind legs were attempting a single mule kick, but missed. Ethan sprang up as she was turning and bringing her swords around, but as she was doing so he lunged and leapt. He slapped a bear hug around her torso, his face unfortunately nestled between her large breasts. She smelled like vanilla.
Ellen was momentarily surprised by the intimate tactic till she grunted in pain as Ethan speared his knees into her pearly white equestrian chest several times with all the force he could muster. Ellen lost the air in her massive lungs for that was basically where her sternum was, for in her upper human body she had no lungs or stomach. He aimed for her weakness with determination. Air shot past Ellen’s full ruby red lips as her forelegs buckled. Ethan landed lightly on his feet and backed away as she lost the grip on her swords and threw her hands out to catch herself before flying face first into the grass they battled into.
Grounded, Magnus lifted his Celestia crafted club that was larger than any baseball bat and was artfully created to look as if it were made from actual wood for it had tree rings, knots and groves a wooden club might have. Magnus stood at just over six feet, but had a wider back and longer arms than Ethan and adding the extra three and a half feet of a heavy club was difficult to dodge.
Forgemaster (Book 1 in the Spirit Guide Saga) Page 40
