Bonded Spirits

by Jake Daniel

  “Me?” she smiled. “Well, of course, you already know I possess the Sight skill, which typically only satyrs possess. I also have ranks in acrobatics, singing, dancing, and drinking, among a few others.”

  “Drinking?” I asked, surprised that was an actual skill. “What rank are you in drinking?”

  “Let’s just say I could probably drink enough to put a normal human in a week-long coma.”

  “Impressive.” I nodded and smiled. “So how do you, what did you say, cultivate?” I asked.

  “You can do this in multiple ways. The first, and probably my favorite, is to re-bond with another that has identical skill or skills. Each time you reinforce your bond, your skill will grow stronger. Second, you can practice using your gift. As with anything, the more you use it, the stronger and more advanced it will become. Third, you can meditate anywhere to fill your core and strengthen your skills, but it is much more effective if you meditate near a spirit well, but those are very rare.”

  “Okay, I suppose that makes sense. One last question, for now.”

  “What’s that?”

  I glanced down to my chest. “How do I find out what skills I have and what rank they are?”

  “Ah, yes, I suppose that is a very important thing to know. I keep forgetting that you haven’t cultivated your entire life, or had Sight until recently.” She paused and held a finger to my temple. “Press your finger against your temple like this.”

  I lifted my hand and pressed as she had, except nothing happened.

  “Press harder,” she encouraged.

  I pressed down harder and closed my eyes. A small list appeared in my vision and I nearly stumbled backwards.

  Gwen moved closer and spoke calmly. “Do you see anything?”

  I concentrated on the list and took a deep breath. “I think there is a list or something that is appearing.”

  “Yes, that is it. Try to clear your mind and focus only on that list.”

  I took a deep breath and as I concentrated; the list came into focus.

  Current Skills

  Sight-Rank 2: Practitioner

  Endurance–Rank 3: Specialist

  Tracking–Rank 3: Specialist

  Aim–Rank 3: Specialist

  Hunting–Rank 2: Practitioner

  Intercourse–Rank 3: Specialist

  Resiliency–Rank 2: Practitioner

  Constitution-Rank 3: Specialist

  Luck-Rank 2: Practitioner

  Charisma-Rank 4: Master

  Intelligence-Rank 2: Practitioner

  I reviewed the list for several seconds while keeping my eyes closed. My mind was running a million miles an hour.

  I was still waiting to wake up in the middle of the forest to find I'd hit my head on a tree or something, but what I'd experienced so far was too real, felt too good to be a dream.

  I took a deep breath and smiled. If it wasn't a dream, and these really were my skills, and I could use the energy of this world to increase them, count me in. I was a good shot before, but ranking my Aim skill all the way to God level? I'd be unstoppable. “Um, these are some interesting skills.” I paused at my Aim rank. “How do I only have a Specialist rank in Aim? That is only the second rank, right? I’d put my aim up against anyone.”

  Gwen laughed. “That may be true for humans, but trust me, you increase that rank and you’ll see that your current skills are definitely basic.”

  “Specialist in intercourse? Really?”

  She let out a small snort. “Don’t worry, it happens to everyone. We’ll have that rank up in no time.”

  “I’ve got your Specialist right here,” I said with a smile. I opened my eyes and nodded. “It’s still all very foreign to me, but it looks like I have a lot of room to grow.” I let out a long breath. "To be honest, this is all a bit overwhelming. I'm glad that you'll be around to explain what the hell is happening to me. "

  She let out a sweet laugh. "Glad I can help. You really have no idea how strong you're actually going to be once you rank your skills.”

  I shook my head and checked my skills one last time. “Looks like Charisma is my highest rated skill. I get what Charisma is, but how does my rank really affect others?”

  Gwen raised up out of the water and held her hands on her hips. “Let’s just say you will have more women than you could ever want once your rank is high enough.”

  “I think I’ve got all the women I’d ever want standing in front of me at the moment.” I swept my eyes up and down her beautiful body and smiled.

  She let out a sweet laugh and shook her head. “I’d be willing to bet right now that you will change your tune once you see some of the amazing women here in Aurilon. Don’t worry, I’m not the jealous type. As long as I get you often enough to… satisfy my needs.” She held out her hand to help me up. “Now, how to save my sisters.”

  I accepted her hand and rose to my feet, my manhood still standing erect from her touch and the sight of her amazing body. “I’m guessing those men that were chasing you had something to do with their disappearance?”

  She nodded and brushed her silver hair back out of her face, pinning a few strands behind her ear. “Yes, those were a few of Striker’s men. They followed me through the portal after they captured my sisters. Striker works for King Corlinius, who rules over Aurilon. The King was worried that monsters have become too powerful, so he commissioned Striker to do his dirty work for him, which according to the King, is for the safety of Aurilon. Striker’s been rounding up not only the other Satyrs but every other race that does not possess human or god blood. I heard he killed a group of ten satyr children from another tribe just the other day.”

  She paused and tried to compose herself. “Fucking children, Logan. He hung them from the trees and killed them all in front of their parents. Do you know how fucked up you’d have to be to live with yourself after that?”

  Tears welled in Gwen’s eyes. I kept my eyes focused on her and remained calm in hopes it would help her remain calm as well. “What’s he been doing with the older ones he’s captured?”

  “He transports them all over Aurilon. Sells some off, forces them to work, and I’ve also heard others are killed because they’re deemed worthless. I think he doesn’t actually care why the king wants them, he has his own agenda.” She shook her head and the sadness that was there moments earlier transformed into anger. “I swear if he so much as leaves a scratch on one of my sisters, I’ll smash his fucking balls one at a time with my hoof until they explode and then feed them to him along with his limp dick.” She stomped down and ground her hoofed foot into the ground.

  I knew right then I sure as hell wouldn’t want to end up on the wrong side of this amazing woman. “I’ll definitely help you find them, but I’m going to need your help.”

  She smiled and pressed her firm breasts against my chest. “Oh, don’t worry, I’m here to help you in any way you need.”

  I chuckled lightly and shook my head slightly. “Where have you been all my life?” I grabbed my pants and dressed while Gwen pulled on a fresh set of leather armor which fit snug against her amazing curves, but looked worn in enough to allow her to move unimpeded.

  I had a pang of guilt as I thought about abandoning DeVito and my lodge to head off on some adventure with an amazing monster girl that I could’ve only seen in my dreams.

  Honestly, I wasn’t too worried about my lodge, I was more concerned about how DeVito would fare without me checking in every once in a while. Save the sisters first, then DeVito and sort through the mess back home.

  Gwen pulled my arm as she finished dressing and broke me from my thoughts. “Come with me, I don’t believe you’ve seen the armory yet. You will probably find a few useful things there.”

  “Armory?” I tossed my shirt over my shoulder and eyed her curiously. I was perfectly content with my rifle and knife, but I couldn't deny a huge part of me was curious to what sort of weapons I'd find.

  I followed her to the far side of the main room of the ho
use and down into the cellar. It was pitch black as we reached the bottom, making it impossible to see. “Gwen? Are you still with me?”

  “Try to use your Sight. Not only can you use it to read some other’s minds, but also to help you see what you otherwise couldn’t.” She laughed lightly, and I heard her footsteps as she walked in a wide arc in front of me.

  I waited for a few seconds for my eyes to adjust, but nothing ever became clear. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. While I had my eyes shut, I nearly fell backwards. I could see the fuzzy outlines of all the items in the room, including the door that Gwen was now standing next to.

  When I opened them again, everything was dark. “That’s wild.” I shut my eyes again and moved through the obstacles in my way until I reached the door.

  I held my hand out, and Gwen’s guided it down to the handle. Her warm, intoxicating breath swept past my nose as we opened the door together. She lit a torch as we entered. I’d not expected what we saw.

  Chapter Five

  Weapons lined each of the walls in several rows, many of which I’d only ever seen in movies and games, or read about in books. I stopped at a small crate. I flipped the lid and revealed several sticks of dynamite.

  Someone had taken great care in organizing and creating this collection, but from the looks of most things in here it was all relatively old or rusted. I stepped up to the wall across from me and grabbed a tactical ax. I flipped it over in my hands and inspected the blade.

  I nearly dropped it as I could see inside the steel. I spotted several small imperfections in the forged steel of the blade, as if I had a weak version of x-ray vision. I looked up to Gwen, who gave me a small, knowing smile.

  “I’m able to see inside things with this Sight skill?” I asked. I flipped the axe over and tried it out with the other side.

  “Yes, but that’s only the start to what you will be capable of.” She smiled and inspected a few long knives hanging on the wall.

  I grabbed a knife and flipped it over in my hand. When I used my Sight skill I spotted a faint yellow glow around the blade. I glanced up to Gwen. “This blade is glowing, is that normal?”

  She let out a sweet laugh. “Yes, absolutely. Although, I’m surprised you’re able to see it seeing as you just received the skill last night. That blade has a skill called Spirit Drain.”

  “Spirit Drain? Sounds powerful. So does that mean if I stab someone with this blade that their spirit will drain from their body?” I flipped the knife over again and concentrated on its well-constructed blade.

  “You’re mostly right. Spirit is drained from their body, but it doesn’t just disappear, it is absorbed into whoever is wielding it at the time.” She smiled. “You can have it. You’re just lucky I didn’t see it first.”

  I gave her a small shrug. “You’d have given it to me anyway.”

  “You sure about that?” She teased.

  “Of course, you love me, remember?”

  She rolled her eyes playfully and walked over to a large stone table that had several clamps around the sides and a network of channels running throughout its length. She slapped the top a couple of times and smiled. “Once you figure out how to channel spirit effectively, and rank up high enough, you will be able to learn how to imbue weapons with spirit at this table. It doesn’t look like much, but these tables are incredibly rare.”

  I ran my hand across the network of grooves cut into the table’s surface. It reminded me of an incredibly well-used cutting board, only stone. I thought about the types of effects that could be added to weapons and turned around to face Gwen. “What about ammunition?”

  She shook her head. “I’ve never heard of ammunition having any sort of special abilities applied, but that doesn’t mean it’s not possible.”

  “Good to know.” I turned and found a leather sheath on a table next to me, which was perfect for my new knife, along with a pair of reinforced hide pants, and a strong belt.

  Gwen helped me strip off my old pants. She crouched down in front of me as she removed them. My girth hung free as she removed each leg from my jeans.

  She looked up at me from below, her stunning eyes turning slightly mischievous as she raised slightly and brought my manhood into her mouth gently. Her warm, wet tongue explored each side of my shaft and sent shivers through my body as she circled the tip.

  Gwen adjusted on the floor and rose on both knees, sucking and kissing with more earnestness. She brought her hand up and squeezed my balls, her eyes fixed on mine. She pulled her mouth free and smiled at me. “Do you like this?”

  I couldn’t speak for a second and thought about my response. Do I like this? Fuck yes, I like this. Instead, all that came out was a simple “Yes.” I dug my fingers into her thick hair and pulled her head back down onto my shaft.

  Gwen moved back and forth with increased urgency, swallowing nearly half of my length each time she came forward.

  She moaned slightly, sending vibrations through my girth and sending me into a frenzy. I wanted this woman more than I could’ve ever imagined. More than moving out of the city. More than any of my earthly possessions.

  I wanted to take her right there on the floor, but she held me firm, not letting me free myself as she continued to suck hungrily.

  The pressure built in my balls, nearing the point of explosion. I clung to the sides of her head and pulled her in further, prompting another lustful moan from the Satyr. I threw my arms back and braced myself against the table as she brought me close to release. She reached down with one hand and pleasured herself as she sucked wildly, her soft lips brushing the tip of my shaft each time she pulled back. Her warm breath danced across my length.

  I pulled an arm forward and wrapped it around the back of her head, pulling her in harder, and guiding her faster. With one last loud moan, she sent me over the edge. I thrust my hips forward as the entire length of my girth slid completely down her throat and my hot seed emptied deep inside of her.

  A brilliant flash of light filled my vision and faded gradually as I slowed my breathing. After I finished, she pulled back slowly and gave me a mischievous smirk, licking the warm wetness from her fingers.

  She wiped the sides of her mouth and gave the tip of my length a small kiss. “Thank you. I appreciate your help.”

  I couldn’t say anything at first, but refused to stand there in a drunken stupor. “I should thank you. I’ve experienced nothing even close to that before.”

  Gwen eyed me with an almost sorrow-filled expression. “You mean you have never been with another in that way before?”

  I took a couple of seconds to catch my breath. “Oh, no, trust me, I’ve been with plenty of women, but none as... talented as you.” I adjusted my new pants and thread the belt along the top, trussing it. “One thing I need to ask before I forget though, the bright light, is that the cultivation you were telling me about?”

  She moved closer and held a hand to my chest and gasped. “This mark, where did you get this?”

  I glanced down to my chest and nearly choked. The small triangle scar in the center of my chest was glowing brightly like I was goddamn Iron Man. “Holy shit. It’s never done that before.”

  “I’ve never seen this mark on any others before, but I’ve heard of it. In your life someone either tried to save you or kill you, either way, you ended up with that mark. I am guessing they were trying to save you since you’re here today.” She shook her head, and she traced each side of my scar. “Amazing,” she said under her breath. She turned her eyes back to mine. “And from the looks of it, you’re already about to achieve the next rank in Sight. As you progress, you’ll find that you can see deeper.”

  “Deeper? So, basically more detail, right?” I lifted my hand and held it over my scar to make sure it wasn’t about to burst open or melt. Hell, I didn’t know what it meant.

  Gwen smiled and grabbed a dagger off of the wall and sheathed it at her side. “Exactly. What you’ve seen so far, the blurry outlines, quick glimpses inside
materials, things like that. That’s nothing compared to what you will see soon, especially with me as your teacher.” She paused and looked down at my hand. “Don’t worry, your mark is not a danger to you, at least not here.”

  “That’s a relief.” I chuckled and inspected the other weapons on the wall quickly before turning back to her. “I don’t see any guns or ammo though, other than a few arrows and bolts.”

  “They took them. Guns are rare here to begin with. Very few weapons have ever crossed over from the Otherworld into Aurilon.” She flipped her dagger up out of its sheath with grace and speed, holding it at the ready. “With proper training, though, you‘ll find that you can deal as much, if not more damage, without them.”

  I lifted a heavy mace off the table and raised it in the air before letting it fall with a crash back down to the table. “Hmm, if you say so. I’ll keep my gun with me in the meantime. Although, I only brought a box of about twenty rounds with me. I left the rest back at my camp.”

  Gwen shrugged and secured her dagger before walking back upstairs. “That may not last too long.”

  “It will if I don’t miss. I haven’t shot in a while, but I trust my aim more than anyone else except maybe my grandfather.” I followed her through the dark cellar while keeping my eyes closed. I found that she was right, the blurry lines that I saw before were now actually a little more pronounced. I can definitely get used to this.

  I exited the cellar close behind Gwen and stood in the living area in front of the fireplace. “How did you know about this place?”

  A small smirk rose across her face. “My sisters and I sort of inherited it.”

  “Inherited it? Did you have relatives that lived here before you came?”