Sellsword Ch. 06

Driven on by her passion for her master, and her flying fingers, Kayla felt herself soaring to new heights of ecstasy. Her juices started flowing like a river as she felt her master’s cock grow and begin to throb, it’s great veins pulsing as his balls became full and tight.

“He’s almost there,” Kayla’s lust fogged mind told her. She took more of the Dragon Lord’s cock into her mouth, letting the great head slip into her throat.

With a roar of draconian magnitude, the Dragon Lord came. His heavy balls spasming, his cock throbbing as it erupted, sending his scalding seed pouring down Kayla’s hungry gullet.

As she felt her master’s first load of semen pour down her throat, Kayla’s own orgasm peaked. It seized her body, making her muscles convulse, her nerve-endings tingle with sensation. Kayla felt the tremendous power of the passion, lust and desire she felt for her Lord and Master. Her juices poured from her spasming cunt, washing over her fingers as her entire body succumbed to the most exquisite torment she had ever experienced.

The Dragon Lord’s body was quacking as he felt Kayla’s mouth sucking him still deeper into her throat. It was as if his cock was being swallowed as his woman accepted both his meat and his seed, eagerly, hungrily.

Their orgasms linger4ed on for long moments, draining their bodies of both energy and passion, until they lay spent. Drawing deep ragged breaths, they rested as their breathing returned to normal.

They rolled apart.

Kayla gazed into the golden eyes of her lord and master, “Did I please you, Master?” she asked, her voice still low and hoarse.

Capturing a pearly drop of semen on his long fingernail, the Dragon Lord smiled and nodded, then brought his finger to Kayla’s lips, offering her the last drop of his nectar.

With a smile, and a quick flick of her tongue, Kayla accepted his gift and savored it. “Thank you, Master.”

Below the summit, the six adventurers reached the opening Quinn had made known to them.

“The shade of the Druid spoke true,” Garth murmured, some resentment in his deep voice.

“Then we know it will be guarded as well,” Gillian cautioned, limbering her bow.

As swiftly as stealth would permit, the group gathered on the small ledge that lay at the opening.

Hawk, having the night vision of the Elves, took the lead, Gillian behind him, an arrow resting across her bowstring. Garth, Soulcatcher in hand, was third, followed by Jarveena and Moira. Wulf brought up the rear, his northman’s axe at the ready.

As they crept along the rocky floor of the passage, they could see dim light flickering against the wall. Some distance ahead of them, the passage curved to the left. Beyond that was the source of the light.

They inched closer, ever watchful for any traps, and any fault in the floor that would reveal their presence, until they could hear the guttural sound of voices from around the curve.

Hawk looked back at his comrades and held up three fingers (three voices), then lay tow fingers, pointed upward, at his chin (Orcs).

Garth nodded his understanding, and agreement, as did the rest of the group.

Gillian nocked an arrow, as did Jarveena.

Moira indicating that magic would be quieter, began conjuration.

When they reached the apex of the curve, Gillian and Jarveena flanked Moira as the three women swept around the curve and Moira cast her spell.

Three Orcs, taken completely by surprise, fell into a deep, sorcerous sleep.

Working quickly and quietly, Hawk slit the Orc’s throats then searched their bodies. Beyond their crude weapons, and a few gold pieces, he found nothing.

The six remained silent, listening for other voices. They heard none, and were able to relax and converse, albeit in the softest of voices.

“Conserve your magic, Moira,” Garth cautioned quietly. “It will be more needed when we meet the Dragon Lord.”

The young mage nodded and took a bite of waybread.

“Sst!” Hawk hissed, beckoning Garth to where he knelt.

The Half-Elf had found a crude map hidden among the meager possessions of the Orc guards.

“It’s this passage,” Hawk said in a whisper, his finger tracing the blurred lines on the map.

Garth nodded as Hawk showed the map to the others.

“I knew there would be a map,” Gillian smiled, “these Orcs are too stupid to follow verbal instructions.”

Suddenly Garth went tense as an alien intelligence entered his mind. He had experienced this only once before, when Soulcatcher had tried and accepted him. The sword was communicating with him.

“There is another sword,” Soulcatcher told him.“My brother blade, Knight’s Bane, also forged in the bowels of dead Atlantis, is in the hands of the Dragon Lord. It is you and I that must face them.”

“We have a problem,” Garth announced, his voice absent of it’s usual stoicism. He turned to Jarveena. “Has Quinn ever mentioned a sword called Knight’s Bane?”

Jarveena shook her head.

Garth made know the sword’s warning. “It will be the task of Soulcatcher and I to meet the Dragon Lord and Knight’s Bane.”

Moira offered a ray of hope, “Perhaps the swords power will be lessened against you. You are not a knight, nor are you sworn to the powers of law, or chaos for that matter.” Moira’s smile, though genuine, was weak as she added, “If the Dragon Lord’s true name has the power to slay him, maybe there will be no need for you to face him sword to sword.”

“I fear him not,” Garth smiled, “I was born into this world only to leave it through death. What I fear is being enslaved.”

This said, the six returned their attention to the map.

“The guards will be stronger and more competent as we approach this chamber,” Gillian placed a slim finger on a spot on the map. “Unless I’m sore mistaken, this chamber would hold the Dragon’s hoard. From here, we can enter the keep, proper.” She shook her head, “would that we had a map of THAT formidable place.

Garth looked at his friends, “We do!” he announced. “Soulcatcher would be drawn to Knight’s Bane like iron to a lode stone. Let the attraction between the swords be our map.”

After partaking of some waybread, and the last of Moira’s “tea” the group set out once more. Garth and Hawk, with the map, in the lead, Jarveena and Gillian behind them. Moira followed with Wulf, again, bringing up the rear.

After they had gone some distance, Hawk stopped and held up his hand. He signaled, four fingers in the air, them two pointed downwards. Goblins, four of them, waited around the next turn.

These would be a more serious foe than stupid Orcs.

Swords in hand, Garth and Hawk rushed around the curve. As Hawk had deduced, four well armed Goblins awaited them, weapons at the ready.

With an animal snarl, the goblins rushed to do battle.

Two arrows whined past Garth’s head and found homes in the throats of two goblins.

Then combat was met as steel clashed against steel, showering sparks over the warriors.

Hawk’s blade met, and parried an overhand stroke, he pivoted on his heel and brought the pommel of his sword crashing into a goblin’s face. The dazed goblin was unable to fend off Hawk’s attack, as the half-elf drove his longsword into, and through, the goblin’s chest.

Garth’s fight took only slightly longer. Soulcatcher through the goblin’s shield, severing his arm at the shoulder. Ignoring the goblins screams of agony, Garth thrust Soulcatcher into the dying goblin's heart. As the creature died, Soulcatcher drank it’s essence, and passed the goblin’s strength into Garth’s body.

Noise ahead signaled the arrival of more goblin guards. Six of the muscular creatures charged from the shadows of the tunnel, brandishing their weapons and snarling as they charged Hawk and Garth.

Arrows from Jarveena and Gillian felled two, as Wulf rushed in to lend his axe to the melee’.

With a mighty swing, Wulf’s axe cleaved a goblin from shoulder to belt.

Hawk, his sword ripping red, thrust his blade into the belly of another goblin, as Soulcatcher drank the soul of one more.

The single goblin left standing was about to take Hawk’s head with an axe, as Gillian, longsword in hand, and a war cry on her lips, joined the fray. Her steel rang like a bell as it came down on the goblin’s helm – only to glance off, leaving him standing.

The goblin, distracted from Hawk, spun around and swung his axe at Gillian’s waist. Only Gillian’s agility saved her from being gutted as she leapt back, feeling the massive axe head graze her leather armor.

As the goblin regained his balance, two swords were driven into his massive body.

Hawk’s blade thrust into the goblin’s neck, while Soulcatcher fed from his chest.

“Search them,” Garth shouted, as Hawk looked to Gillian’s welfare.

“That was a stupid thing to do,” Hawk cried as he lifted the girl to her feet and took her in his arms. “But I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

“Enough of that!” Garth growled, looking up from a goblin corpse. “See what these things were carrying.”

Wulf, searching what seemed to be the goblin commander, discovered a large key. “Garth, look at this,” he cried.

It was a massive iron key, made to fit a strong and heavy lock.

“That could be the key to the Dragon Lord’s storeroom,” Gillian said, excitement in her voice.

Moira was looking at the map when she suggested they didn’t have much further to go. “From this,” she pointed at the map, “it would appear that the room lay just beyond the next two curves.”

“From this point on,” Gillian warned, “we’ll need to be doubly wary of traps.” She pulled torches from her pack, “but there would be no more guards.”

When the torches had been lit, Garth and Hawk took the lead once more, their way lighted by the dim brands they carried.

In a short time they reached a massive, iron door.

“We’re here,” Hawk said grimly.

“Don’t touch it!” Gillian warned, moving up to inspect the area.

Working very carefully, Gillian was able to neutralize the trap and they unlocked the huge door.

“Something is wrong!” the Dragon Lord said, lifting his head from Kayla’s lap. “I feel a presence in the stronghold.”

“Who could assault this place, Master?” Kayla asked, still groggy from their intense sexual activity, and the deep sleep that followed.

“Fetch me Knight’s Bane,” he commanded, “it’s time to wield this hell sword.”

The Dragon Lord gripped the falchion and slowly drew it from it’s scabbard. As the blade emerged, it began to moan. The black metal of the blade started to pulse with a dark and evil glow.

“My brother is here,” the sword said to the Dragon Lord’s mind. “He has come to destroy us.”

The Dragon Lord was puzzled by this communication. He knew little of the swords great power, still less about it’s origins. He knew only that Knight’s Bane was a sword of great enchantment that had found it’s way into his grasp centuries before.

“Who is your brother?” the Dragon Lord asked aloud.

“I have no brother, Master,” Kayla replied, eyes cast downward.

“Not you, you stupid wench,” he cuffed her aside.

“My brother is The Soulcatcher, and he has come to destroy us,” the sword’s were clear in the Dragon Lord’s mind.

“You brother is another sword?”

“Two of us were forged before the sea swallowed Atlantis. I was consecrated to the darkness, while my brother was given over to the balance. At last we will see which of us is the more powerful.”

“With you in my grasp, no mere human can defeat me,” the Dragon Lord said confidently. He ignored Kayla, weeping in the corner.

The Dragon Lord shifted his form, becoming a half dragon/half man. Knight’s Bane held before him, the Dragon Lord left Kayla in their chambers and entered the passage leading to the storeroom.

The great door swung silently inward. Garth entered first and let his eyes roam over the room. The floor was strewn with treasure. Gold; coin and bullion, jewels of every size shape and color, weapons of the finest quality, richly mounted with gold, silver and gems littered the floor, and in a far corner, an iron bound chest. Seated on the chest, clad in the whitest of robes, sat the shade of Quinn, Arch Druid and the seemingly deathless lover of Jarveena.

“I have been waiting for you, Garth,” the apparition said. “An awesome task awaits you.”

Upon hearing Quinn’s voice, Jarveena rushed into the room, the rest of the group close behind her.

“QUINN!” Jarveena cried, rushing to him, “is it really you?

“No, my sweet Jarveena, this is but my spirit. Would that I could hold you again, but my gods have forbidden it.” The spectral Druid turned to Garth. “You have no reason to be jealous of me, Garth. Jarveena is your woman, not mine. But there is a matter of more immediate import.”

“Soulcatcher’s brother, I know,” Garth said quietly.

“Knight’s Bane was forged after Soulcatcher,” Quinn informed them. “The wizard that consecrated it, quenched the blade in his own blood. Needless to say, he perished in the act. But, Knight’s Bane is the equal of Soulcatcher in all ways, save two. Knight’s Bane has neither the courage, nor the resolve of his brother.”

“Meaning?” Garth asked, a skeptical tone in is voice.

“Meaning,” Quinn went on, “that if the fight looks to be going against the Dragon Lord, Knight’s Bane will quit him as he did years ago when the evil creature was banished to the realm of the dead.”

“Do we have a chance?” Jarveena asked.

The Druid responded, “you have done well so far. Placing his true name on an arrow, this was wisdom. Enchanting the arrow to increase the strength of his name, this too was wisdom. But this will be a fearsome fight, and not all of you will see the ‘morrow. You will all need every bit of strength you can muster, all of your resolve and courage, but you can defeat him. You MUST defeat him.” Quinn turned to Jarveena, “Jarveena, I will hold you in my heart forever,” the shade said softly, then vanished.

Garth took Jarveena in his arms and comforted her.

Hawk look squarely at Gillian, “And why have you come on this quest? I have to know, Gillian.”

“The Dragon Lord slew my whole family,” Gillian gritted her teeth. “I was not two days from my mothers womb when that evil bastard destroyed our village and all it’s inhabitants. All, that is, but me. The Elves took my in and raised me. They schooled me in the ways with bow and sword. It’s time now to make that bastards blood flow as he made the blood of my family flow.”

“And your, ah, vow?” Hawk ventured.

Gillian’s smile softened, “a whim, perhaps. Perhaps I hoped it would let me focus all my energy on what I need to do.” She took Hawk’s hand in hers, “Hawk, my love, should we both survive this, it will be to you that I surrender myself.”

Garth became more alert, Soulcatcher stirred in his grasp. “He’s coming.”

Jarveena nocked the enchanted arrow, as Moira began to conjure a spell to amplify it’s power.

“When you loose, fall back behind us,” Garth instructed. “You can release more shafts as your way becomes clear.”

No sooner was the group ready, than the heavy door next to the chest splintered. Standing in the door way, half man, half dragon, stood the Dragon Lord. Knight’s Bane moaning it’s baleful song, held in his massive fist.

At the sight of him, Jarveena’s blood ran cold and Moira spoke her spell.

“TOTH ARKENATH!” Moira and Jarveena called out together. “I CALL YOUR TRUE NAME!”

The Hart Bow twanged and the ensorcelled arrow buried itself in the Dragon Lord’s chest.

His mighty constitution kept the wound from being fatal, but his blood flowed as Gillian’s shaft drove into his belly.

With an enraged roar, the Dragon Lord charged the men that stood before him.

Wulf, his axe held high rushed forward. As Wulf began his attack, the Dragon Lord feinted to Wulf’s right, causing the Northman’s blow to miss, and throwing him off balance.

Moira cried in anguish as Knight’s Bane’s keen edge slashed across Wulf’s spine, severing it in a shower of blood.

Even as he fell, mortally wounded, Wulf was able to strike one last blow as his mighty axe crashed into the Dragon Lord’s leg.

The creature stumbled, but recovered just in time to parry Garth’s overhand stroke.

When the two swords met, there was a thunderous crash, and a flash if lightning. Combat between two supernatural creatures had been joined. Garth and the Dragon Lords had become little more than observers – observers who’s lives depended upon the outcome.

Hawk dragged Wulf to Moira’s side then rejoined the fight, Gillian right behind him.

Soulcatcher and Knight’s Bane struck each other with a ferocity that was rare and terrifying to behold.

Garth and Soulcatcher seemed to be gaining the upper hand, beating back each of Knight’s Bane’s attack, and pressing the Dragon Lord back toward the vacant doorway.

Only Jarveena caught sight of the naked woman slipping into the room, a longsword in her hand.

Kayla had come to fight beside her master.

As Kayla’s sword point pierced Gillian’s leather armor, an arrow seemed to grow from her eye.

“DIE CUNT!” Jarveena shouted in angry triumph as she watched Kayla’s lifeless body drop to the stone floor.

Blood seeping from her shoulder, Gillian swung her sword at the Dragon Lord’s side with all her strength. The keen edge struck beneath one of his scales and sliced through the thick hide. More blood flowed.

With a howl of pain, the Dragon Lord glanced toward this new threat.

Gillian stood unafraid.

Taking advantage of his foe’s momentary lapse, Garth drove Soulcatcher into the Dragon Lord’s body just beneath his upraised left arm.

With a moan of ecstasy, Soulcatcher feasted on the life essence of the vanquished Dragon Lord.

As Knight’s Bane felt the Dragon Lord’s life force ebbing, the sword vanished, fleeing back to it’s own plane of existence rather than face Soulcatcher.

“I leave you now, Garth, for I must pursue my brother. Seek you a matched sword and dagger among the evil one’s loot. They will serve you well until I return.” Soulcatcher was bidding Garth farewell. “Goodbye my brave friend.”

The sword’s words ringing in his mind, Garth watched the great black sword vanish from sight.

It was silent in the treasure room. The Dragon Lord and his queen lay dead, their blood mingling on the stone floor.

“He’s dead,” Moira said sadly, Wulf’s head resting in her lap.

“His death wasn’t wasted, Moira,” Garth assured her, “he died as he wanted, in combat.”

“He bought us the time we needed to mount an attack,” Hawk added. “Without his sacrifice, we’d all likely be dead now.”

Garth searched the hoard until he found the weapons Soulcatcher had told him to seek. They were truly magnificent. The sword, it’s pommel set with a huge emerald, was fit for a king. The grip was of the most supple leather, wound with mythril wire. The blade was like a razor on both edges, with gold and silver chasing covering the cross guard. The companion weapon was a dagger, identical to the sword in all aspects save size. The dagger, however, was a full cubit in length.

Moira studied the weapons and nodded. “I sense great magic in both weapons, but I get no feeling of intelligence as I did from Soulcatcher,” she observed.

With his new weapons strapped on, Garth felt whole again. “We need to see our comrade on his trip to Valhalla,” he said.

Moira shook her head, “up here, in the snow,” she insisted. “It would feel more like his homeland. “

The group agreed, and Wulf’s body was wrapped in his cloak and carried to the inner bailey of the keep. There, in the snow, a pyre was built and Wulf’s body laid upon it. His helm at his feet, and his axe resting on his chest.

As they watched the flames illuminating the night sky, all knew they had seen the Valkyries taking Wulf’s shade into Woden’s Great Hall.

Back in the store room, the group was gathering as much loot as they could.