Sisters of the Cohort Ch. 05

He turned to see the end of the room from his higher vantage point, and a cold wave of fear ran through him. A much larger orc stood there, flanked by two even bigger ones, but what really took his attention was the blue-haired mage chained to the ornate black table in front of them.

Quintia!

He hissed, and initiated a sprint along the wooden table, glancing back at the rest of his companions as he did so. They watched him, unable to help as they desperately fought off the waves of greenskins that still poured at them.

His progress was halted as his foes began to struggle onto the table ahead of him, and he knew he would no longer make headway in that direction. Fending off blows with his swords, he spotted an overhanging ledge, and whilst it was clearly used for decoration he suspected it could take his weight.

He stepped backwards, cutting down two more enemies, and launched himself at the projection of stone, rolling up onto it with ease. His foes, however, could not, and they scrambled uselessly as they attempted to chase him.

Mikael knew their failure was only temporary, and he quickly hurried on, crouching down so as not to be seen by the lead orc and his giant guards, who had been paying little attention to the attack by the doorway. He soon reached the end of the ledge, glancing behind him as the first goblin hand wrapped around its edge and started to slowly pull its owner up.

He grimaced, unhooking his bow and notching an arrow, before taking aim at the closer of the two guards. Beneath him the greenskins had thinned in number, the attack of his companions by the entranceway taking its toll, even though they had made no progress through the giant room.

Why does the dining hall have to be so big? Mikael cursed. There are only five of them!

He shook his head, remembering to grill them on it later if he survived this fight, and pulled the string taut.

He was not nervous any longer, he noticed, despite being quite sure he was going to die. He had never faced so many enemies at once, nor anyone quite as powerful as this lead orc -- likely a mage - clearly was, and yet he was calm. It was as if he knew he had found his rightful place; if he were to be killed, it would be in the Gods' service. He was home.

With that thought still in his mind, he released the string, the arrow firing true and piercing the closest brute's head with a dull crunch. It staggered backwards, then collapsed, already dead before it hit the ground. The orc mage looked up and snarled, its mouth beginning to move as a potent incantation flowed outwards from it, and the second guard stepped forwards. Before the green-skinned giant could react, however, another arrow had found its mark, the guard joining the first motionless on the floor, killed instantly by Mikael's well-aimed projectile.

Mikael looked back at the mage. Purple tendrils of power were growing from its fingers, creeping towards him, and he shirked back, terrified of what they might do. Yet a noise to his left indicated that the greenskins had made it onto the ledge, and he breathed in heavily, knowing there was no way he could fight them all off. He had only one option.

He jumped down, straight into the clutches of the tendrils of sorcery, gasping as they wrapped themselves around him, seeming to drain the heat from his bones. He writhed, trying to free himself, but it seemed that the harder he struggled the tighter they gripped. His swords dropped from his fingers as a searing burst of pain ran through him, and he cried out. The orc leader laughed.

Mikael's eyes searched desperately around the room. Lucinda and the rest of her Sisters were still stood in the doorway, and though the numbers of greenskins had reduced significantly, there were still enough there to prevent them moving further into the room. It was up to him, and with one last desperate surge of strength, he turned to Quintia.

She was staring at him, her jewel flaring bright white, and he felt an unfamiliar feeling crackle through his bones. The purple tendrils withdrew as if shocked and he dropped to the floor, the strange feeling growing stronger, climbing his spine, slowly moving to his mind where he was sure it would overwhelm him.

Quintia was still watching him, her eyes focused, and Mikael realised with a start that she was the cause. She must be channelling energy through me! Mikael's mind screamed, and his fingers flexed instinctively. He had heard of witches and mages using others as vessels with which to channel their own magic, but had never conceived that he might ever be used as one. You needed some aptitude with magical ability, for one thing, and Mikael had never known himself to have any. Then again, he thought, I do represent the Gods of Magic, too, so I must have some ability, somewhere...

He closed his eyes, aware that the orc mage had withdrawn a dagger and was now charging towards him, the point -- undoubtedly poisoned -- aimed straight at his heart. He calmed his breathing, feeling the pulsing of his blood, and tapped into that crackling well of energy in his core.

He directed it, pushing it towards his hands, the sheer power that seemed to radiate outwards surprising even him. The sorcery flowed eagerly to where he directed it, and he could feel a growing burning sensation on his spread fingertips, what was at first a slight tingling quickly rising to searing pain.

The orc mage was mere steps away from him now, and Mikael could hold that pose no longer. He opened his eyes with a loud scream, the magic that Quintia had placed in him released with a surge of agony. Fire blasted from his outstretched hands, engulfing the orc, who disappeared amongst the flames.

Mikael half-expected it to emerge from the intense inferno, but it did not, and as the fire dwindled and Mikael sank to his knees there was no sign of the orc leader. Indeed, all about him the greenskin bodies began to fade, and as Mikael slumped forwards onto the cold stone floor he was vaguely aware that they had all simply disappeared.

*****************************

When Mikael awoke he was lying on a comfortable bed, and he slowly opened his groggy lids. Bright light assaulted them, and he squinted back, his head pounding as he lifted his torso up.

"Hello, Brother," Melissa said, standing over him, and she placed a soothing hand on his head, closing her eyes with a smile. Instantly the pain was washed from him, and he was immediately alert, springing to his feet and glancing hurriedly around.

All five girls sat in the room, which Mikael could only assume was the infirmary. A door to the side appeared to open into a potions storeroom, and it made sense that he would have been brought here following his battle with the mage.

"Are we ok? Has the threat been defeated? Where are all the..."

He paused, looking back at Melissa as it dawned on him what she had said. "Brother?"

"Indeed," Lucinda said, standing up and bowing at Mikael, her Sisters doing the same. "You are one of us, now." He blushed.

"Though I am afraid we have a confession to make. There was no orc attack," Kristine said bluntly, her eyes on Mikael, as if she were trying to get a read on him.

"What?" he laughed, taken aback. "Of course there was, we fought them together!"

A striking set of silvery letters flared in the centre of the room. My illusions, that is all. Though I am flattered you found them so lifelike.

"No, those weren't illusions; they were as real as you or me..."

"Mikael, they were not. They were conjurations," Kristine said quietly. "Merely the products of Quintia's magic."

He glanced around as horror swept through him. No orcs? This entire attack had been a falsehood, a prank... had it all been one big joke? Did the Cohort even exist? He backed slowly toward the door.

"Mikael, wait!" Lucinda cried, hurrying towards him and wrapping her arms about his waist. She stared into his eyes. "We did not play a cruel trick on you for our own amusement -- this was the final part of your test."

He looked at her beautiful face, and could see nothing but sincerity. Once again he found himself trusting this woman, even though all the evidence seemed to point to the contrary. Lucinda smiled, and twisted round so that she stood next to Mikael, joining him in facing her Sisters.

"You were given the six tasks to prove you were capable of representing those Aspects, and you passed them with incredible skill. But the Gods needed to know you could mesh those abilities together, and thus this plan was born.

"Please do not be angry, Mikael. We could not tell you of our deceit, or it would have defeated the point. You had to believe we were truly under attack and in danger, so that we could know you were capable and brave in such situations."

"And was I?" he asked quietly, turning to the rogue.

She grinned. "You surpassed all of our expectations. The way you found that ledge, and used it to approach the orc mage was quite spectacular. I'm not sure even I would have thought of that so quickly."

"And your ability to fight was remarkable, too," Kristine interjected. "You held off scores of those greenskins with no aid from us."

"Well, it was easy, wasn't it? They were illusions," Mikael laughed, happiness beginning to filter through him now that he realised the Sisters weren't mocking him.

"They were no less skilled, though," Kristine said. "They would not have killed you, true, but their attacks and their wits mirrored reality perfectly. In fact," she added, turning to Quintia, "I wondered if there were not too many."

I could not resist, the mage replied, grinning. Once I had seen our newest member in action, I felt he required a sterner test than originally anticipated.

"Well, thank you for that," he said slowly, smiling at the gorgeous mage. "And you... filled me with magic."

I did. You are a vessel for it, whether you had known that or not, and I wanted to test your ability to harness the power that it brings. You were brilliant.

Mikael's face flushed again.

Lucinda laughed. "I think my Sisters and I are in agreement, then. You were fantastic, Mikael, and it is with the greatest honour possible that we welcome you, officially, into the Cohort of the Gods."

With that she leaned forwards, planting a lingering kiss on his lips, then pulling away with a grin. Before Mikael could react, Melissa had stepped up to him, pressing her own lips against his and then moving back with a giggle.

He turned to regard Kristine with a raised eyebrow as she approached, and was not taken by surprise when her own mouth moved to his, and again when Ria'torr stood on her tiptoes to do the same.

At last Quintia approached, a broad smile on her face, and she parted her mouth slightly as she mashed her lips against his. He responded, and after a brief moment she pulled away, her face slightly flushed.

"Well that was... rewarding. I am honoured to be here."

"We have one last thing to show you," Lucinda smiled, grabbing Mikael's wrist and yanking him towards the corridor. He followed, his new Sisters behind him.

He was dragged to the armoury, where Lucinda pushed open the door and ushered Mikael inside. He did so, waiting as the rest of the Cohort entered, and Lucinda bent down to flick open a chest.

Mikael gasped as she stood back up, two shimmering mithril longswords in her hands. They mirrored her own, their silvery edge engraved in a language he did not know. Power seemed to crackle along their length, and they glinted with deadly sharpness.

"Those are... beautiful," he murmured, staggered by their splendour.

"They are yours," the rogue replied, proffering them to Mikael. "Our gift to our new Brother. Use them well."

"I shall," he breathed, taking the swords. He held them, shocked by their nimbleness, yet he was certain they were neither flimsy nor weak. He stepped back from his Sisters and made a few practice swipes, a grin spreading across his face as he indulged in the master craftsmanship of the weaponry.

Satisfied that they were the greatest blades he had ever wielded, he sheathed them, delighted at the way they fit snugly in his scabbards. He beamed at the five stunning women who stood watching him, and they smiled broadly back.

He was a Brother of the Cohort of the Gods.

*****************************

Mikael reclined in his new quarters. As a member of the warband he was now entitled to a bedroom of his own, and as he lay on its sofa enjoying his new surroundings he stared happily at the roaring fire. The sheer opulence of his environs was near-overwhelming, and Mikael could scarcely believe that it was his to enjoy. He grinned.

His eyes flicked sideways, taking in the entirety of his room, not least the huge bed that lay against the far wall. A plethora of rugs were scattered across the floor, and a large desk stood close to him, a lamp -- currently unlit -- upon it. Mikael sighed, and slowly closed his eyes.

A sharp knock on the door caused him to jolt upright, and he turned to the entranceway and waited. The rapping came again, and he grimaced, climbing from the plush couch and walking languidly towards the door. He paused, wondering whether he ought to put on a shirt, then decided against it. He could not be bothered.

He reached the thick wood as another loud knock filled the room, and he rolled his eyes at his visitor's impatience. A mischievous smile played across his face, and he yanked open the door.

Quintia stood there, a nervous smile on her lips. Her gem swirled a mix of green and faint pink, and her blue hair fell straight to her shoulders.

"Hello," Mikael said. "Your impatience is noted."

The mage's face brightened into an amused grin.

I did not mean to give that impression, I merely thought that you might be asleep, given the tiring nature of your day. Her words sparkled in mid-air.

"So you wanted to wake me up? How nice of you. I would think you'd have let me rest, since you seem sympathetic to my plight," Mikael teased, raising his eyebrows.

Quintia looked taken aback, and her cheeks flushed red. Her eyes flicked downward -- briefly lingering on his naked chest, Mikael noticed with a small smile -- and she seemed to slump slightly.

I am sorry, the glowing letters stated after a short moment. I did not think of that. I will let you sleep.

She turned away, still not making eye contact, her face glowing scarlet now. Her gem had flared bright pink, too, and it lit up the corridor as she started to hurry down it.

"Wait, wait. I'm kidding; you're quite welcome to come in." Mikael laughed, stepping after her and grabbing her arm. She whirled to face him, clearly eager to escape the embarrassing situation, and he smiled broadly.

Quintia seemed to relax, though she was still unsure of herself, and Mikael had to grasp her hand and guide her towards his room. So she knocks on my door, and I have to encourage her to come in, he thought to himself with a small smile. What a strange girl.

She followed willingly, however, and soon she stood on the plush rugs in the centre of his room. He smiled at her as he shut the door, and motioned towards the sofa.

As she moved, he took in the sight of her, and delighted in it. She wore a blue gown, though it was not the same as the one Mikael had seen her in earlier -- this was more lightweight, and clearly more comfortable. Like her earlier attire, however, this gown hugged her figure tightly, and Mikael's eyes ran eagerly up her slender body. They came eventually to the large swell of her breasts, which pushed outwards from the garment.

She sat, and looked up at him, her nervousness evident on her face. Mikael approached as the mage smiled shakily, and he planted himself next to his Sister on the sofa, a little closer than necessary given its size.

I just thought I should introduce myself. I have not yet had a chance to speak with you alone, flowed her words, appearing in front of Mikael as she waved her hand.

"That you have not," he said, his voice dropping as he stared into her pale blue eyes. Lascivious thoughts began to creep into his mind, and he did not force them away. "Much to my disappointment..."

Quintia's eyes shot away again, and she bit her lower lip. Mikael smiled as he realised quite how tense she was.

"So what would you like to talk about?" he asked, leaning in slightly. She remained frozen, her lips parting as she took a shaky breath into her lungs, and simply looked at him. His face was now mere inches from hers. "...or do?"

I am sorry, her words flared as she quickly stood. I was coerced into coming here by our Sisters, and I did not realise I was disturbing you. Goodnight, Brother.

She strode towards the door, and Mikael sprang up after her, amused by her nerves. It was clear why she had come to the room -- especially knowing her Sisters -- yet her fright would drive her away before obtaining what she wanted.

He grabbed her wrist again, and once more she whirled to face him, wide-eyed in embarrassed horror. This time, however, Mikael did not merely stop her escape, and he instead stepped close to her, wrapping his free arm about her waist. Her breath caught in her throat.

Mikael leaned in quickly, before his Sister could attempt to flee again, and pressed his lips to hers. She did not respond, merely allowing his mouth to rest there, and he gently pulled her close to him.

Her nervousness broke.

Mikael grunted in surprise as her hands shot to his cheeks, holding his head tightly as she pushed her tongue into his mouth and crushed her body against his. Her gem flared brightly, shifting from pink to a vibrant blue, and he chuckled under his breath as the stunning mage's passion was unleashed.

She pulled away, fierce desire burning in her eyes, and shoved him roughly towards the sofa on which they had been sat. He stumbled backwards, landing on the soft couch, and grinned as she eagerly climbed down on top of him.

Their kiss was reinitiated, and Mikael wrapped his arms around Quintia's waist as they reclined on the comfortable sofa, their tongues duelling as their bodies pressed together. He groaned into her mouth, and her gem sparkled, her apprehension seemingly gone in an instant.

He did not give her time to allow it back, his hands moving quickly to the hooks of her silken gown and deftly unclasping them, allowing the dress to fall loose. She broke the kiss and looked at him, her lips slightly parted as she gulped down air, and he pulled the garment from her lovely body. Mikael smiled wickedly at the slight worry that crept back over her face when he did so, his expression broadening into a grin at the sight of her large breasts spilling free, and his Sister's eyes lit up as he briefly grasped the hanging mounds.

They were large, as enticing and impressive as Lucinda's and Kristine's, and they hung wonderfully from her slender body. They were soft under his keen touch, and it was with great reluctance that he let go, his hands returning to her dress to enable its continued descent. The velvet garment passed over her trim stomach and eventually bunched around her waist, her curled legs preventing it from travelling any further.

Mikael did not mind, and once more his hands shot to her chest. He grasped the fleshy mounds, feeling her erect nipples against his palms, and squeezed. Quintia's gem glinted at the sensation, and he smiled as he sat slightly upright to kiss her wonderful breasts.

Her hands moved to his head, grabbing his hair tightly as his tongue roved over her breasts, and he chuckled into her chest. Her nervousness had clearly evaporated when confronted with her passion, and he pulled away to stare up at his Sister. Her pale blue eyes were brimming with lust, her gem glowing bright blue, and he slid his hands slowly to her waist.