by Byron Kings
“Look,” she said, pointing across the way. “A treehouse.”
“The clue said the Daughter of Time lives in the trees,” Morgana said.
“I wonder why One-Eyed Jack kept saying, ‘fuck the Daughter of Time.’ She must be a real bitch or something. I don’t see any movement in the tree.”
“That’s because I’m down here, behind you,” a female said.
I twirled around, sword up. A beautiful dark-skinned woman, completely nude, stood before us.
“Hello,” she said. “I’m the Daughter of Time. What do you seek from me?”
“The horn sword,” I said, lowering my weapon. “Do you know where we can find it?”
She smiled. “I do, but what can you do for me?”
“What do you want us to do?” I asked, clueless.
“I’ve got this,” Harper said then stripped out of her robes. “Morgana, strip.”
The second woman in my group obeyed Harper’s command. I put my sword away then crossed my arms over my chest as she and Morgana walked over to the stunning Daughter of Time. As they reached her and embraced the Nubian princess, I noticed something strange. The three of them stopped moving. While walking over, I noticed they were moving slowly.
“What the fuck…” I muttered as I stopped nearby, not touching any of them.
A good ten minutes went by before Harper and the Daughter of Time kissed, their lips meeting in a delicious kiss. My cock stirred between my legs, but I didn’t dare get involved with the freaky threesome. At the rate they were going, fucking could take multiple days. Would Harper and Morgana dehydrate? Could I give them water while not slowed down?
“Join us,” a voice said in my mind.
“Cut it out,” I said. “Let them go. Now!”
“You wanted my help, didn’t you? This is the cost.”
“I’ll kill you if you don’t bring them back to normal time,” I said, pulling my sword.
“Very well,” the Daughter of Time sighed.
“Whoa,” Harper said, stumbling backward.
Morgana fell to her knees then touched the Daughter of Time again.
“I can do that at will,” she said, smiling. “Sex can be so fun when you slow it down.”
“That was fucking crazy,” Harper said. “Can we do it again?”
“We can,” the Daughter of Time said.
“No, Dot,” I said, giving her a pet name. “Here’s a better idea. Why don’t you help us retrieve the horn sword? I’ll give you a life you never dreamed of on this silly little island.”
She tilted her head back, still staring at me.
“You can do this for me?” she asked.
Inviting a game-controlled NPC into your group had its pros and cons, but it didn’t break any rules. Harper and Morgana both turned to me.
“Count me in,” Harper said, rubbing her hands together.
“We can,” I said. “You need to swear fealty to me and follow my commands in and out of the bedroom. Is that okay with you?”
She nodded. “Anything to get me off this blasted island.”
<< Your group has increased! >>
<< +1 female - Dot, human war mage >>
<< + 10 sexual energy! >>
<< You have 3 women in your group. >>
I smiled. When I eventually got the horn sword, I’d be off to a good start. Leaving the real world behind had been the best decision I’d ever made.
“Do you have somewhere for us to stay?” I asked, nodding toward her tree house.
“I do,” Dot said, smiling with perfectly white teeth.
She motioned for us to follow then crossed the grass covered clearing. I walked behind her, unable to stop checking out her athletic ass as she walked.
“Does that always happen when people touch you?” I asked.
“Only if I want it to,” she said.
“Don’t ever do it without my permission first,” I said. “Understand?”
“Yes, master,” she said, not turning around.
“Call me Drake,” I said. “Has anyone else come to see you?”
“No,” she said, slowing to peer over her shoulder briefly. “I saw the destruction you caused on the beach. You must be a powerful warrior.”
“That I am,” I said. “That’s why I’m getting this sword.”
She stopped at the other side of the clearing next to a tree much thicker and taller than the others around it. A thin rope ladder led up to an impressive structure suspended above.
“Is it safe?” Harper asked.
“Perfectly,” Dot said them nimbly climbed up.
I glanced behind us. “We’ll stay here for tonight.”
Morgana walked over and climbed up without saying a word. I waited for Harper to follow her before going up myself. Heights weren’t my favorite thing, but what waited above enticed me enough to keep going. I avoided looking down until we reached a porch circling the entire building built around the trunk of a massive tree.
“It’s hollowed out,” Harper said as she peered in a window.
“Come inside,” Dot said. “I’ve got much to share with you, the first adventures to find me since I can remember.”
She opened the wooden front door then slipped inside. I walked in after her with Harper and Morgana behind me. A small foyer gave way to a large, open space in the interior of the tree trunk. I took a few steps forward, noting all the luxurious pillows spread on the floor.
“This is great!” Harper squealed as she fell onto a particularly large pile of pillows.
“Is anyone hungry?” Dot asked. “I can make food.”
“What can you tell us about the horn sword?” I asked impatiently.
“It’s located underneath a waterfall near the source of the river running through the island,” she said. “I can take you tomorrow morning. You killed most of the cuernos, but other monstrosities lurk about in the dark at night on this island. That’s one of the other reasons I want to go with you.”
“What are the other reasons?” Morgana asked.
“That bulge in your pants,” Dot said then stepped forward.
She placed her hand between my legs and gently squeezed.
“Yeah?”
She nodded.
“Come join me,” Harper begged.
We sat down next to her with Morgana, still naked, joining us. Lips and tongues went to work in all the right spots, bringing me close to the edge of release. They teased me, building up a need to come. I played along, loving the slow buildup. Every minute or so, I backed away to make sure she wasn’t using her strange time trick anymore. Would it work in battle? I stared down, a satisfied grin on my face, as they worked me even closer to completion.
“Do it, now, finish,” I hissed.
After I came, we cleaned up then slept together near the top of the massive tree. An evening breeze blew in from one of the windows, keeping me cool. I used my dream time to actually sleep instead of checking in on the real world. After the battle and new sexual conquest, I needed the rest. The horn sword felt within my grasp at last.
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CHAPTER 10
┕━━━━━━━━━━━━━┙
Newton Loves the Chicks
“What’s that smoke?” I asked as we stood on the porch enjoying coffee in the morning.
“The other cuernos tribe,” Dot said. “I didn’t count the bodies on the beach exactly. You must not have killed them all.”
“Do they usually start big fires during the day?” Morgana asked.
“No,” Dot said, shaking her head. “The waterfall we seek is near the smoke.”
“We’ll check it out on the way,” I said.
“It’s a few hours journey, at least,” Dot said. “We should get going.”
“Lead the way,” I said, pointing to the rope ladder. “Everyone have everything?”
“All my stuff’s packed away.” Harper patted the large sack slung over Morgana’s back.
> “Great,” I said. “Let’s do this.”
Dot climbed down, followed by Harper and Morgana. I went down last, taking one last look at the rising smoke in the distance. Maybe this group of cuernos will be smaller, I thought as I climbed down after the others. On the ground, I saw Dot already crossing the clearing.
“Come on,” she called out over her shoulder. “Daylight’s burning.”
While Harper and Morgana had put on clothes, Dot still strode around naked. I would deal with her clothing-optional lifestyle later when we got back to civilization. Until then, I couldn’t say I was bothered by her nakedness. She was confident with her body, and that turned me on.
I walked after her with Harper and Morgana right behind me. We reached another trail leading into the jungle and switched to a single-file line with Dot in front. Morgana then Harper were next with me guarding the rear. I expected to be ambushed at any moment.
Dot stopped when we reached the edge of a small, flowing river. She glanced to the left then right, sniffing the air the whole time.
“How close is that fire?” I asked, looking up, unable to see anything.
“A couple hours walk,” Dot said.
“I’ll go first because I want to sneak up and scout before we decide what to do.”
“You might want to let me do the sneaking in the jungle,” Dot said. “I’m better.”
She had a point.
“Okay, but don’t go too quick. I have the last say on whether we go in for an attack or not. Understood?”
She nodded her head, smiling.
“No problem, Drake. We do good.”
After a short break to hydrate, we followed the river downstream. Every half mile or so, I saw the smoke still rising into the air in the distance. As we got closer, I prepared myself for battle. Fights in Battle Empire weren’t too involved. My skills helped guide my body on some of the tougher moves. The more I fought inside the game, the more natural it became.
We slowly made progress through the dense jungle. Dot made sure we weren’t downwind when we reached the edge of another clearing. I stared through a leafy bush and saw a couple dozen cuernos sitting and standing around a fire. A male tied to a spit over it screamed and jiggled about, trying to free himself.
“Let me out of here!” he shouted. “I’m bloody royalty!”
He didn’t look like royalty to me, but I still wanted to save him.
“Follow my lead,” I said then stepped out into the clearing, sword raised.
Dot, Harper, and Morgana all followed, standing on either side of me. Most of the cuernos turned, holding crude weapons in their hands. One yelled, raising a club into the air. The rest barreled toward us, all hooting and hollering at the top of their lungs.
“Kill all of ‘em!” I shouted, rushing toward them.
“Help! I’m burning over here!” the man over the fire yelled.
Give us a fucking minute, I thought as I stopped to take on three of the primitive cuernos. A few well-placed slashes took them down without any problems. Harper caused a half-dozen to fall into a deep slumber, toppling over in the jungle clearing.
“It’s getting fucking hot over here,” the bound man yelled.
Why hadn’t they stuffed an apple in his mouth or something? I fought my way toward the fire. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Dot and Morgana both doing more than their fair share. I eventually reached the fire and had a moment to untie the man. He fell into the fire before rolling out, trying to put out the flames on what little of his clothes remained.
“Thank you!” he shouted.
I ignored him and waded back into the battle, slashing and piercing as the need arose. The runty cuernos went down like pins at a bowling alley back in the real world. Maybe I could introduce the sport to Battle Empire and make a lot of money. With a horn sword in my possession, the possibilities were endless.
“Coming around!” Morgana shouted.
I saw her mow down two cuernos one after the other as she made her way to me. The man previously known as dinner ran behind us, looking around wildly.
“Watch your back!” I snapped then turned and attacked a straggler.
“One more to go,” Morgana said then dispatched the vile creature with a pierce.
<< Battle complete! >>
<< You get 5,000 xp! >>
<< You have 12,322,000 xp >>
<< 278,000 xp needed to level.>>
“Harper? You okay?” I yelled.
“Fine,” she said behind me. “I saved my mana. You guys did great.”
She leaned in and kissed me. I loved her raw, natural smell after battle.
“Thank you,” the man we’d saved said. “My name’s Newton.”
I checked his status through the game menu and saw he was a player.
“How did you get to this island before us?” I asked.
The half-clothed but athletic man bowed his head and mumbled.
“I can’t hear you,” I said. “Speak up.”
“Back in Yusgood, I copied your map,” he said. “The dragon-ship captain brought me here.”
“Lying sack of shit,” I muttered.
“Huh?” Newton tilted his head.
“Nevermind,” I said. “Do you want to join my group?”
He took a deep breath.
“I’m kind of a loner, but…” He leered at Harper. “You’ve got some fine ass women with you.”
“They’re mine,” I said possessively.
Newton held up his hands and took a step back. “Okay, okay, I hear you…”
“You can fall in line under me if you want,” I said.
“He’s going to get the horn sword,” Morgana added.
“I believe you,” Newton said. “I’d love to join you.”
<< Your group has increased! >>
<< +1 male — Newton, human rogue / bard / alchemist >>
<< + 10 sexual energy! >>
<< You have 3 women and 1 man in your group. >>
Not shabby for a few days into my full-time life in Battle Empire.
“Seriously, thanks for saving me.” Newton turned to Dot and smiled. “I remember you.”
Dot returned the gesture, puffing her chest out proudly.
“We’ve still got work to do,” I said. “There’s time for you three to get to know Newton better later. For now, we’ve got to concentrate on getting my horn sword. That’s our path to power in the realms.”
“Sure thing, boss man,” Newton quipped.
I frowned in his general direction, causing his smile to fade.
“Dot, can we reach the waterfall by nightfall?”
She shook her head. “We should find somewhere to sleep tonight. A lot of evil comes out after dark, and we don’t want to be out in the open.”
“Doesn’t sound too safe,” Morgana said.
I found myself attracted to her for some strange reason.
“There will be time for safe and comfortable after we get the horn sword,” I said, staring into her eyes.
She looked away, not saying anything else.
“I know a place,” Dot said.
We followed her out of the clearing, leaving the mess of cuernos bodies behind. A short while later, she stopped near a fallen tree that offered some shelter. I found enough dry wood to get a decent fire started. After eating a meager dinner, I settled down next to the massive log with Harper and Morgana curled up at my sides.
Newton had offered to take the first watch. I saw him putting the moves on Dot. She didn’t seem to mind, so I left them alone and closed my eyes. Sleep overtook me. I once again declined to use the dream time to check on the real world. Doing so broke the immersion. After working so damn hard most of my life, I wanted to enjoy myself.
Strange noises woke me up once or twice during the night, but I quickly fell back asleep each time. Having the soft, warm bodies of Harper and Morgana nestled against me helped in that regard. Once I got the horn sword and started my own kingdom, life inside the game would get even b
etter. I couldn’t wait for it to happen.
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CHAPTER 11
┕━━━━━━━━━━━━━┙
Please, Just Insert the Tip
I woke up to the sound of Newton grunting and Dot moaning. Glancing over, I saw him furiously fucking the wild woman from behind. Some players like fucking the NPCs in the game, but I never saw the point. To me, it sounded too much like virtual masturbation. I wanted to feel the actual emotions connected to another human being when I made love.
“We’ve got work to do.” I got out of bed. “Let’s find that river, so we can all get cleaned up before setting off to find the waterfall.”
I stretched toward the sky, enjoying my virtual life. The best part? Everything would get even better as soon as I got my hands on the horn sword and founded my own kingdom somewhere.
* * * * *
Later that afternoon, as we followed the river upstream, I asked Newton about why he’d come into the game full-time. Dot had gone ahead to scout, so I didn’t feel bad about talking out of character to him. OOC chatter always drove the NPCs a bit crazy, leading to very bizarre conversations. It felt good not to have her around.
“You like the NPCs, huh?” I asked.
He nodded. “They haven’t betrayed me yet.”
“Give ‘em some time,” I said. “Are they why you came into Battle Empire full time?”
“That’s rude,” Morgana said.
I glared at her and waited for Newton to answer. We needed totally honesty in our crew if we were to survive our quest and go on to forge our very own kingdom in the game. I needed to know who the hell I was working with. You can’t fault a man that, can you?
“We all have our reasons,” Newton said. “I’m battling cancer in the real world.”
“Damn, sorry, man,” I said.
Morgana lightly punched my arm.
“I can see why you came in here,” I said.
“Don’t worry about,” he replied, waving his hand. “I’ve not got a ton of time, so I’m trying to create a fantasy, I guess.”
