The Long Road to Ruin Ch. 45

After a wave of euphoria washed over her, she rematerialized next to Pia and looked around. "This isn't the Academy. He's sent us to a... cave. Damn that bastard!" Shiloh hissed.

"And you gave him all that loot!"

A humorless laugh escaped Shiloh's lips, "The statues weren't real gold. They were fakes my father had produced to look like it because there was a time that those things would end up stolen by visiting nobility. The diamonds and gems were also fakes. The pouch of coins was all silver. I'm not that stupid to give away my stolen goods." She frowned, "This is distressing, though. We have no idea where we are. I suppose it could be worse. Terek's portal could have landed us in Lucius's room."

"I say we try to figure out where we are then rest for a while. These kinds of caves scare me. I don't want to be eaten by a wolf or worse yet a bear." Pia suggested as she pulled her cloak around her scantily clothed body. She shivered, "Damn, it is cold here. I think my nipples might freeze off."

Shiloh winked at her as she gazed upon Pia's lush breasts being hidden by the cloak. "I may have something warmer for you to wear. It probably won't be the colors you like, but maybe that'll work in our favor if we aren't sighted wearing our normal clothes, especially since we have no clue where we are."

"Since it's still so cold here and the fact we're in a cave, could we still be in the mountains. I overheard some of the people of the castle talking about the Mountains of Frost."

Shiloh frowned, "I've seen the Mountains of Frost on a map before. That means we're still several hundred leagues from home. I'll kill that wizard if I ever get my hands on him."

"Isn't it obvious he wanted to get rid of us permanently?" Pia exclaimed, "And we gave him a reward for doing so?"

"Let's just calm down and get you into something warmer," Shiloh pulled out an extra suit of red leather armor she'd found in her pack. She pondered over where it had come from, but handed it to Pia nonetheless. "This should help." Then she handed her a matching cloak.

"Bright red, huh," Pia remarked, "Sure, this will help me blend in."

"Why not... I mean, I'm wearing red. I can make my armor take on any look I want it to. It's glamered, so mine can look like yours."

"Aren't you cold? Your armor is so skimpy," Pia commented. "I mean, it looks like a hooker's dress."

A mirthful laugh escaped Shiloh's lips, "It's supposed to, silly, but it's all the protection I'll ever need. It has an enchantment on it that gives me moderate immunity to heat and cold." Shiloh leaned forward, brushing her lips on Pia's full, rosy mouth as desire to do more raced through her, assaulting her in the most pleasurable of ways. She nibbled on Pia's bottom lip, receiving a moan from her treasure. "It has occurred to me that we're in a pretty stark place. I don't hear any noises. We could...rest... here for a while before we do any further exploring. What say you?"

"Some rest would be nice. The events of the past several days have weighed heavily on me. I'm thankful we've managed to escape Lucius, but who knows where Terek has sent us."

"This is true, Pia. But we are two sneaky girls, aren't we? We'll find a way out of here and then make it back to Betancuria. Trust me, my sweet," Shiloh opened her portable hole, digging out pile of furs and blankets. "Let's spread these out. We can snuggle together to stay warm."

Once there was a snuggly looking bed laid out on the stone floor, Shiloh slipped out of her armor then in between the blankets. Pia watched Shiloh's every move, her eyes turning liquid with desire. "At least that saves me from suiting up in the red armor for a while," the bard chuckled as she removed the skimpy pieces of her colorful bard wear. She made a show of removing each piece before diving under the blankets. "Now you get to warm me up, my sweet."

"My pleasure," Shiloh chuckled mirthfully as she began to stroke and explore Pia's pretty pink skin. The bard's breasts felt like velvet under Shiloh's tongue, her nipples blossomed in Shiloh's mouth like flowers reaching for the sun. Shiloh licked and sipped at them to her heart's content. Shiloh could feel the tension building in Pia's body as she moved on down Pia's lovely torso, teasing and touching every inch with hands and mouth. By the time Shiloh reached the soft blonde curls between Pia legs the bard was moaning and twisting feverishly. Shiloh's own need for relief was great, but felt overwhelmed with the desire to take Pia to the heights of passion first. Shiloh parted Pia's lips with her fingers, plunging in with her tongue.

Pia was soaking wet. She tasted divine. Shiloh's intension was to please her, but she took great joy in the feel and taste of Pia's hot, pulsating flesh. Shiloh made her tongue as rigid as she could, stroking Pia hard and fast from her clit to the depth of her heated channel. There would be other times for gentle exploration, but both were too hungry for that this time. Shiloh drove Pia to the brink, concentrating her tongue's action on Pia's clit as she slipped two fingers inside Pia's moist center. A few seconds later Pia was bucking, moaning as her orgasm washed over her. Shiloh slowed her pace, focusing gently on licking Pia's clit until she came again. On the heels of Pia's release, Shiloh purred against the bard's dripping channel, snaking her tongue deep in Pia's pussy while gently teased her crinkled dark cavern with fingers. Shiloh's tender ministrations were rewarded with a last shuddering of Pia's body. Pleasure flooded her, soaking Shiloh's face.

Shiloh stretched herself along Pia's trembling form, wrapping her arms lovingly around the bard.

"Oh Shiloh," Pia moaned, feeling her lover curl around her body. "That was beautiful."

"You are the beautiful one, Pia. I'd do anything to make you happy," Shiloh purred in Pia's ear.

The bard licked her lips, knowing they'd have to talk soon. As much as she enjoyed Shiloh's company, she wasn't looking for anything serious. Pia only hoped Shiloh would understand. "Shiloh," she whispered, stroking what she could reach of Shiloh's arms. "What we have is everything I ever could have wanted, but the timing is all wrong." Pia shifted in Shiloh's embrace, rolling around to face her. A blush colored her cheeks, though as dark as it was Pia figured Shiloh couldn't see it. "Please don't get attached to me. I'm not looking for love everlasting. I want to have fun."

Shiloh drew back, propping her head on her hand, "Can we have fun together without the strings attached?"

Happiness glittered in Pia's blue eyes, "I'd like that, Shiloh. That's perfect for what I have in mind. Plus I think you'd like to work things out with Vico, yes?"

Shiloh's brow furrowed, "I don't really think that's possible. I don't think his ego would allow it. I brought him down pretty low... to the point where he all but begged me to end it. That had to be awfully humiliating for him when I denied him. No, I fear I've created an even worse monster... a mortal enemy with a grudge to bear." Regret turned the look in her eyes hard. "Let's just rest."

******

A haunting echo splintered the silence of the cavern, causing Pia and Shiloh to jerk awake. "What the fuck was that?" Shiloh reacted as she scrambled out from beneath the blankets and into her armor. "I think it's time I go for a walk. Stay here and get dressed. We may be in danger."

Shiloh schooled her features into a hard mask of determination before jaunting away to explore the cave.

Shiloh hugged the deep shadows, using the infravision Bastian granted her to ease her way through the dark passages. She'd encountered nothing more than snow and ice until she came to a large central cavern. Taking a peek, she nearly let out a cry of dismay as a large white dragon lumbered into view.By Bastian's balls,she swore under her breath. There was no way they'd be able to sneak past that thing. Withdrawing into the darkness, Shiloh scrambled back the way she came as fast as her feet would carry her. As she reached Pia, she swept the lovely bard into her arms. "Dragon," she hissed frantically.

"This isn't good, Shiloh. Terek probably sent us here so that thing would eat us. Then he can go ahead with whatever he has planned without anything stopping him, if that is indeed what he has planned." Pia's brow furrowed, "We should formulate a plan. There has to be away to get past that oversized... bird."

"You're right, Pia. I've managed to sneak past more than my fair share of Dhorn and other nasties. We just have to work together. I think we just need to hug the walls of the cave. Maybe it won't notice us. Then we find the exit to his lair. Then I guess we'll need to find out where we are. But we should really focus on getting out of here first."

Pia fidgeted as she wrung her hands. "As much as I hate taking a life, Terek deserves to die for what he's done to us."

"I couldn't have said it better myself." Leaving the cavern they'd spent the night in, Shiloh led Pia to the main cavern, silently concealing themselves in the shadows. After making it halfway around the perimeter, Pia let out a terrified squawk as she stumbled over a pile of snow and ice covered bones thrown against the cave wall.

"Shhhh," Shiloh hissed as she scrambled to help Pia up. "We need to be quiet or our bones will join those ones."

"This isn't good, Shiloh. That thing could eat us, could use our bones as toothpicks." Pia shivered as she wrapped her arms around Shiloh, hanging on for dear life.

Shiloh embraced her warmly, soothing her with calming strokes of her hands. "We'll make it through, Pia. We can't allow ourselves to panic. I don't see the dragon, but I do see what looks like stepping stones crossing a moat. Let's just make it across. I hope the exit is on the other side." Silent synchronized steps brought the huddled females to the icy path. Shiloh chose carefully where to place her feet, using her infravision to tell the spots in the stone that held the tiniest bit of heat. She knew if her steps were not true, they'd find themselves falling into water colder than ice. The thought of becoming human popsicles for the dragon surely did not appeal to her.

She let out a sigh of relief as she and Pia reached the other side of the cavern. To her right was an arch in the rock face closed off by a masonry wall. A hiss of disbelief and indignation escaped her lips, "Damn it!"

To her left, the cavern opened up into a wide corridor. That had to be the way the dragon came and went. Letting go of Pia, Shiloh hastened her step while keeping to the shadows. Before elation could swell within her, she reached what should have been the exit, only to find it blocked with boulders bigger than most houses. Her hopes plummeted, crashing before they rose too high, "Noooooooooooo!" Shiloh exclaimed as she fell to her knees before the large obstruction between her and freedom.

Behind her, Pia let out a frightened squawk, "Ack! Holy Hooded One!"

Shiloh lurched around just in time to see the enormous white shape of the dragon suddenly swoop down before them, nearly knocking them off their feet! Icy clouds emitted from nostrils bigger than wagon wheels as eyes cold as the glacier above their heads stared down upon them.

Bellowing, the dragon opened its frightening large maw, "Hsssssssssssssssssssssssstop!" It bent its massive head, hissing, bringing its slitted reptilian eyes a few feet away from the two girls. Shiloh shook off the urge to cower before it, protectively stepping between Pia and the dragon. She silently sent a plea to Bastian to grant her courage in the face of overwhelming despair.

"Stay back, dragon," Shiloh threatened, feeling the surge of Bastian's power within her. His presence bolstered her, lending her the confidence to do what must be done. The dragon remained unimpressed, letting out roaring laughter that caused the rock beneath their feet to shake.

Never blinking, it regarded them curiously, "Thieves, perhaps?"

Pia gulped loudly, her voice shaky as she spoke up, "We're no thieves! Feel free to count your precious piles of gold! You'll find not a single coin missing."

"So you say, little one. Your kind is prone to being duplicitous wretches," it hissed. "If theft isn't the reason you've come to my cave then pray tell, why have you come? Perhaps you'd prefer to pay tribute to Hovazz?"

Shiloh shook off the vestiges of the dragon's frightening appearance, "What sort of tribute can we pay you? Furthermore, if we do pay said tribute, will you promise not to eat us?"

"Depends on the manner of tribute, human," it replied.

"I'm really not good for eating. I'm all skin and bones, really. I wouldn't be very tasty. Neither would Pia." Shiloh licked her lips, hoping she'd be able to talk their way out of this predicament.

"If you haven't come to steal my treasures perhaps you'll tell me why you are here, little female?"

"Well, that's a bit of a story..." Shiloh sighed as she eyed the dragon warily. She'd faced down many dangers, but this dragon unnerved her like none other. She doubted even Bastian's strength would be able to bring her out of this unscathed.

"Let's hope I like it," Hovazz snorted, letting out a plume of icy breath which chilled the girls to the bone.

"I'm from a city named Betancuria. It lies far to the south, I believe. Well, I was sent to find Pia," Shiloh motioned at the blonde beside her. "She had been missed for a while. I found out she had stepped through a magic portal at Betancuria's Academy, leading her to Ravenstower. I followed her through the portal. When I arrived at the castle, I met Baron Ravenstower and a wizard named Terek. But the baron didn't want to let us go. So I bribed Terek, the wizard, with gold in exchange for him creating a new portal that would take us home. Terek agreed, accepting my offer and took the gold I gave him. But instead of bringing us to Betancuria he sent us into this cave. So you'd kill us, I imagine. We really just want to go home."

"Interesting..."

"Please don't eat us. We mean no harm. We just want to go home," Shiloh implored.

"Hmm... Perhaps we might help each other."

Shiloh eyed Hovazz warily, feeling a muscle in her cheek twitch, "How so?"

"I've been trapped within my lair for decades. Once, humans and orcs feared my wrath, and they knew they should. Their bands often tried to slay me, but I always prevailed! One night a group of humans snuck into my cave. They brought explosives with them! They did not start a fight with me, however, but made the entrance to my cave collapse!" The dragon hissed indignantly. "So I offer you this deal. Find a way to reopen my cave, and I will fly you home."

"That's no small feat you're asking us to accomplish. I mean I'm not sure we could dig you out," Shiloh's brow furrowed, unbelieving their bad luck of being sent to a cave with a trapped dragon. Perhaps staying with Baron Ravenstower would have been better after all.

Hovazz hissed a second time, "I have tried that myself of course, silly female! No. There's another way out, it leads through the rock of the mountain itself. It is too small for me to pass through, but you..."

"Just how are we supposed to open your cave from the outside? I assume we won't have the help of the local population. Furthermore, they may even try to stop us if they find out we're trying to set you free."

"And if we do manage to set you free, how do we know you won't go on a rampage to get revenge on the ones who did this to you?"

"I won't throw away my freedom on something so frivolous once I've gained it again. Nothing else matters to me. I don't care how you get me out! Just get me out then I'll get you home." Hovazz led them to the small arched exit blocked off my masonry. With a whip of his tail, he smashed the blockage to bits. "From what I remember, there is a human village not far from the foot of the mountain. I'll be waiting for your return."

********