A Long Time from Home Ch. 27

"Shyy Spectre." Said Verina with a chuckle. "You're giving away all our secrets."

That got a laugh from the students.

"What about fighting skills?" asked a wide-shouldered boy. "Perhaps advantage is a wrong word, but isn't it good to know how to fight before coming here?"

Verina answered that. "You will all be trained to an acceptable level before graduating, so knowing a skill before coming here only means that you graduate earlier, while not knowing it simply means that you either have to work a bit harder or take a bit longer."

A tall girl slowly said. "Since you're our youngest teacher, you must have graduated early as well."

"I did. "Admitted Verina. "Along with Spectre here and another from my class."

"How much earlier if you don't mind me asking?"

"Remember that we started earlier than you have, so you can't really compare it, but I graduated three years earlier along with Spectre here and a friend called Varro." Verina said. "We all had training before we started here."

The girl looked surprised. "You had training before the age of ten?"

"Yes." Verina said. "I started training Martial Arts when I was six, Varro started training sword-fighting around the same age and we both agreed that Spectre was born with a sword in his hand." She looked at me as the class chuckled. "I don't think you have ever told me when you started training."

"Hmmm... I must have been around four when my parents got tired of seeing me screwing around with sticks, pretending that they were swords, and decided to teach me the real deal before I poked out an eye out." I said with a shrug and looked at the students. "Graduating early is nota goal in itself. Use your time that you have and try to learn as much as possible, not as fast as possible. You will need all the knowledge and all the skills that you can learn out there." I paused as I reached out with my mind and contacted Dominus Grande Maximus. "< Excuse me, Sir, but are the students cleared for information about the mission in Sybaris? >"

"< Yes, Spectre. They are cleared for all missions here in Baylon >"

"< Thank you, Sir >"

Switching to Sabia, I asked. "< Sabia, would you mind if I involved you in this tale? It's rare that they're going to get the story from the other side, and they already sort of know you >"

She hesitated for a moment and there was insecurity on the mental link, but finally she said. "< I'll try, but you'll have to take over if it affects me too much >"

"< No problem. We got your back >"

With that being solved, I told the story about the mission to Tsarist to the students, carefully stressing the need for knowledge and training.

Using Ars Mentalis, I spiced the tale up by projecting mental images from the mission onto the arena wall behind me. After all, I was not delivering a debriefing but trying to get a point across to a bunch of youngsters.

It became even better, when I asked Sabia to join us, so she could tell her side of it.

Despite her initial fears, she did a good of explaining the other side of the situation for the students, as well as the relief she had felt, when Varro and I showed up, the rollercoaster of emotions that had ran through her while we had examined the magical barrier and finally found a solution to the problem.

That was one part I skipped lightly over out of respect for Sabia and simply went on with the story of me going through the city to find a good spot for Varro to place the gate and subsequently getting everybody out alive.

When we were finished with the story, I looked at them seriously. "You will all get into situations where your life is in danger and it will not be your skills, Magica, Mentalis or Vis that can get you out alive. Rather it will be your ability to use your heads, to think straight and fast and to combine all the things you can do into a series of actions, which will ultimately save your lives." I let that sink in for a few heartbeats, before I smiled and said "That was pretty much what I had to say. Thank you for listening."

Somewhat to my surprise the class applauded as we stood up and walked away, but as soon as we were out of reach, Sabia suddenly stopped and gave me a hug. "You're a wonderful, evil man!"

I hugged her back. "I'm not completely sure what you mean, but thanks, I guess?"

"For a long time after Sybaris, I was lost in my own mind, fearing to live without power." She explained as a smile spread on her face. "It took you less than a week to demonstrate, first on a personal level, then on a physical and finally one a professional level, that I'm still a complete person with a lot of useful skills. Then..." She held up a finger. "... just as I'm thinking that I might get through this, you present a new power to me. One that I might be able to earn." She gave me a kiss. "Dominus Grands Maximus contacted me while you were speaking to the students and offered me a job as a teacher in Magical Theory. I said yes, provided that I was allowed to learn Vis Vitae if I could, and he agreed to that."

"Congratulations!" I strengthen the hug. "So, when're you going to start?"

She was still smiling. "In a few weeks. The Dominus Grande told me that to learn Vis Vitea, I would have to become a member of the Ordo, so I'm going up to have a meeting with his now."

That made me raise my eyebrows. It sounded like the Dominus Grande was moving fast on this, which was good, because educating people in Vis Vitae usually took years, and the faster they could start, the sooner they would be ready.

On the downside, it also meant that we had to break off our sexual relationship, as that wasn't allowed between students and Inquisitors, as Inquisitors also functioned as teachers and examiner for the students. A job that would be taken care of by the Promotion Board, negating any such conflicts between the higher ranks.

I didn't know of Sabia knew it, but I had an inkling that she did, as it was the same system as the other Ordo's used. If not, there was no way I was going to tell her about it before she went to meet the Old Man for a possible place in Ordo Gladius. I might have gotten the idea and the job of organizing it, but it was still the Dominus Grande that had the final say in who to accept or turn away.

"Not that I think you're going to need it, but good luck." I said with a smile. "If you get accepted, go home and arrange for everything, because you're going to be here for some time. The Dominus Grande asked me to stay here for a few days, but we can meet in the city afterwards."

She nodded and gave me another kiss. "Good idea. See you in some days then."

Sabia gave me one last hug and walked off in the direction of the door we had exited from.

I smiled a little to myself as I watched her well-shaped behind. While Sabia was without a doubt a wonderful woman to share pleasure with, she needed this more than she needed me, and with any luck, we could get together again later if we both felt for it then.

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Four glass later, I was relaxing on a couch in my usual rooms, when the door opened and Verina came in with a big smile on her face.

Placing the book on a table, I looked at her. "You seem to be in a good mood."

"Well, a moment ago I left a class, who're a lot is more motivated than before." She said with a chuckle and sat down in the foot end of the couch, leaning back against the armrest. "And right now, you're their idol."

That surprised me. "I am?"

The chuckle turned into a grin. "Ivah, they saw you demonstrate combat skills beyond their wildest imagination, before you told a real story, complete with mind images of how it really looked and an eye-witness to tell another side of it. You have been there and done that, while still being young enough for them to relate to, and you're a vice captain." She placed her well-shaped legs over mine on the couch. "I just spend a glass answering questions about you."

Not really knowing what to say, I just said "oh" and absently started to massage Verina's feet, since they were right in front of me.

"Ah... I missed that." She said as she relaxed a bit more. "By the way... Did Sabia Lartius get the job?"

"Not only did she get the job." I chuckled. "She made the Old Man promise her, that she will be accepted into the Ordo, if she can learn Vis."

"Good on her." Declared Varina and tilted her head a bit. "Can she?"

"Yes. She has a lot of Vis and have meditation training from her time as a Mage and Mentat." I shrugged. "She'll need to relearn the meditation, but I think she will succeed."

"Which will be good for both her and the support department." Verina said with a chuckle. "Oh, by the way, after the class was finished, I looked into the records and you're the youngest person to be promoted to vice captain since Caeso Fabius Getha and that was 574 years ago. That's pretty awesome, you know."

"Yeah... Well ... when I think of some of the older captains, I have a hard time feeling like I deserved it." I said and felt her activating a Vis Power. A moment later, an invisible force hit me in the back of the head.

"Aw! What did you do that for?" I complained, as I massaged the place where I had been hit.

"Because you're being an idiot." She replied with a grin. "I've seen some of the reports: In the last six years you have done more than many of the older captains did in a hundred years. The only thing you haven't done is to lead a group and as things are now, you have a lot of time to learn that, before it becomes an issue."

"I still feel like there's a lot I need to learn."

"That's life. If you're so concerned about it, go ask for more training." She said with a shrug. "I don't think that Baylon will go down in flames, simply because you're not there to put out the fires."

I thought it over. As always, Verina had a point: The island was fairly quiet now and if it were at all possible, it would be a good time to learn some more. Especially since were some Ars Mentalis tricks and Ars Magica spells that only were only taught to the higher-ranking Inquisitors and I needed to learn them. "You're right and I think I'll do that."

"Since that is settled, why don't you join Jia and me for dinner?"

"Sound good." I said and meant it. Besides being pleasant to look at, both Verina and Jia were good company.

"Good. "Verina said, "Good. Then come over to our house for dinner."

"Our house?" I asked.

"Yes. Our house!" She gave me a challenging look. "When Jia came back from her trip, she moved in with me and if you're gonna say anything about living with a human, I'm gonna... " I reached out with my mind, using telekinesis to pinch her ear, interrupting her. "Aw!"

"Now you are being an idiot." I said with a grin. "I've had sex with both of you on and off for more than ten years and I wasn't exactly complaining any of the times."

For moment, Verina looked surprised, but then she chuckled. "Oh yeah... sorry about that." She shrugged, making her breast move under the kimono. "Some people are having problems with me and Jia being together, because she is a half-breed."

"Tell them to butt off." I said with a smile. "It's not their bloody business."

"I know, I know, but it gets on my nerves from time to time."

"Understandable, but my guess is that most of the time it boils down to fact that you're both smoking hot and people are envious of either one of you for being with the other."

Verina tilted her head, looked at me in silence for a few heartbeats, and then she laughed softly. "You're actually telling the truth as you see it. Thanks, Ivah."

"No need to thank me for telling the truth." I said with a smile. "And a good meal in company of two good looking and intelligent women sounds good."

"Good. Then Jia won't be disappointed."

I must have looked slightly confused because she laughed softly. "She adores you, Ivah."

"Well, I can be quite adorable when I try." I said jokingly.

To my surprise, Verina nodded at that. "Yes, you actually can."

"Thank you." I gave her a smile and stood up. "But we better not keep Jia or the food waiting."

Verina got to her feet in her usual flowing and effortless manner, but instead of heading towards the door, she took a few steps forward and gave me a hug, resting her forehead against mine. I put my arms around her and hugged her back, enjoying the feeling of holding her.

"Goddess, I missed you." She mumbled and squeezed me a bit harder.

"Likewise." I replied, as I squeezed her in return and suddenly it was as if time had taken a jump backwards, making us twenty again and the world was exactly as it should be, with no Disease.

I could sense Verina felt the same and for a moment, we just stood there, enjoying the feeling.

"You know, I'm gonna stay here, right?" Verina finally asked, breaking the silence.

"No, I didn't, but it makes sense." I slowly said, "Not much to come home to Baylon for and you got Jia here."

"Yeah... I love that girl." She smiled slightly at the thought, before letting go of me. "And speaking about Jia... we better get moving."

I nodded and followed her out the door.

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As Verina had predicted, Jia was indeed overjoyed by seeing me and we spent a lovely evening eating, drinking, and telling stories about what had happened since we saw each other last.

It was semi-late, when Jia stood up and stretched, as always looking extremely sexy when she did that, and said, "Well, I don't know about you two, but I want some pleasure before I sleep." She did her old trick with the kimono, making it fall to the floor with a single gesture, and stood before us naked, her naked body looking extremely tempting in the light from the lamps. Slowly she turned and walked towards the bedroom, hips rocking seductively as she walked.

Verina and I were transfixed as we watched her.

Jia opened the door to the bedroom and looked at us over her shoulder. "Are you two going to sit there all night?"

I looked over at Verina, who chuckled and stood up. "Not a chance." She looked at me. "We better do as the lady says."

"Yeah, I think so too."

When we entered the bedroom, Jia lay on the tall Baylon-style bed, waiting for us and instead of taking my clothes off, I walked right over to the bed and stretched out beside her.

Her lips looked inviting, so I leaned over and gave her a kiss, feeling a surge of desire in us both. Jia responded in kind, her lips hungrily pressing against my own.

For the noises Verina was making, I guessed she was taking her clothes off, which gave me a bit of time, so I lightly ran my fingertips over Jia's soft belly, careful not to tickle her, but taking my time and teasing her with feather-light caresses. She started moaning into my mouth and I moved my hand up to cover her breast. The nipple hardened against my palm as I massaged in slow circles.

The bed rocked a bit, as the now naked Verina lay down on the bed on the other side of Jia. Without hesitation, I moved my hand to Verina's breast, gently fondling them while still kissing Jia.

Verina moaned softly and let a hand run down Jia's skin, ending on the breasts, fingers playing lightly on them.

With a happy sigh, Jia moved a hand to my head, her fingers twining through my hair and pulling me close as the passion of her kiss redoubled.

Then she broke the kiss and let go of my head. "You're way overdressed. Get naked."

With a grin, I answered "Yes, Mam!" and crawled out of the bed before I undressed, watching the two beautiful women kissing and fondling each other. Enjoying the sight, I took my time, feeling like the luckiest guy in the world.

The waiting caused Jia to break the kiss and look at me. "What're you standing there for?"

"Admiring the view." I answered with a smile. "And feeling blessed by the Goddess of Luck."

"You ought to feel that way." Commented Verina with a smile. "Now get over here."

"In a moment... I want to know if it shows... Being blessed by the goddess, I mean." I said as I turned slowly.

"No, but that dick of yours shows, and I want it." Said Verina and moved, so she was laying flat on the edge of the bed, spreading her legs inviting. Her pussy glistened with moisture.

It looked like she was about to say more, but instead she moaned, as Jia used the opportunity to crawl down and lick Verina's breast, biting the nipple slightly. A hand slid down Verina's stomach and down to her crotch, drawing circles on her pussy.

Jia's move had brought her own breasts within easy reach of Verina's mouth, and a moment later the beautiful half-blood groaned as Verina started to return the favour.

With a grin, I gave up posing and walked to the bed to stand between Verina's well-shaped legs.

Normally, I would have spent time licking her, but this close I could see she was so wet the juices was leaking from her.

I rubbed the tip of my cock along her soaked lips and then pressed forward, spreading her lower lips around my dick as I eased into her. When I had buried myself completely, I put my hands on her knees and gazed down at the two women, who were still playing with their tongues on each other's nipples.

Keeping my pace deliberately slow, I started thrusting into her velvet pussy.

"Goddess," Verina moaned, her voice somewhat muffled by Jia's breast. "So good." She moaned again, moving her calves along my flanks.

I smiled to myself and ran my hands along her upper thighs, as I continued to thrust into her slowly, alternating between deep and shallow thrusts, making Verina gasp and moan.

Jia chuckled and moved down Verina's body, licking all the way down, so she could lick Verina's love-pearl when I pulled back.

Verina groaned and with a firm grip on Jia's hips, she lifted her head slightly as she began to lick Jia's pussy in return. Though I couldn't see exactly what she was doing, Jia's groans made it clear that Verina's talented tongue was hitting all the right spots.

On an impulse, I reached out with my mind and connected with Jia to find out what she wanted.

To my pleasant surprise, seeing her lover being fucked that close made her want to have my cock in her mouth.

Not one to deny a lady what she wanted, I pulled completely out of Verina and let my shiny cock slide over her love-pearl going towards Jia's mouth as she leaned forward to lick. Without hesitation, she locked her lips around it and sucked as she licked it clean. It felt fantastic and I enjoyed it for a while, before I pulled away from Jia's mouth and back into Verina, causing her to yelp and moan with pleasure into Jia's pussy.

After that, I took my time and fucked Verina with slow strokes, pulling my dick out every once in a while, to tease Verina's love-pearl and to let Jia lick her lover's juices off it, before I'd bury myself in Verina's pussy again and resume thrusting. At the same time, Verina was doing her best to make Jia come, and while I couldn't see exactly what she was doing with her tongue and fingers, it most certainly worked. Jia's groans and shivers grew louder and more intense, until she was moaning almost constantly, and her legs trembled.

Letting go of Verina's hips, I gently grabbed Jia's head and held it still, as I once more withdrew from Varina and let my dick slide over her love-pearl and into Jia's warm mouth. Again, she immediately closed her lips around it, and I slowly fucked her mouth, while sliding my shaft over Verina's love-pearl with every move.

I could hear Verina gasp at the feeling and unlike the other times, I kept fucking Jia's mouth, enjoying the feel of her mouth and tongue, as she moaned around the head. Her voice adding vibration to her lips, which felt fantastic.

Unfortunately, it didn't last long. Verina was just a little too good with her tongue and fingers, and with a slightly muffled scream of joy, Jia came in an explosive orgasm that made her jerk and shiver, causing me to let go of her head and withdraw from her mouth.