A Paladin's Training Ch. 20

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Antidarius
Antidarius
1,045 Followers

Neither Aran nor Elaina said a word, instead choosing to continue silently exploring this new universe that had opened up between them. Their lips met again in a soft, tender kiss that gradually grew more insistent, and Elaina's hips began to grind into him, demanding his release inside her.

Aran's hands grasped her full buttocks and pulled her against his body with increasing urgency, eager to finally come after so long without.

"Come inside me," Elaina whimpered. Her hands were tangled in his hair, her breasts mashed into his chest, her legs were completely wrapped around him with her ankles pressing the small of his back.

Highly trained or no, Aran had just made love to eleven women before Elaina, and he was ready to blow. With a roar, he pulled Elaina against him tightly, so that he was as deeply inside her as possible, and let himself go.

Aran's vision became suffused in brilliant white light as his loins spasmed and hot come erupted from him, filling Elaina's velvet pussy. Dimly, he was aware that everyone else in the bath was suddenly experiencing violent climaxes as he and Elaina reached their pinnacle together. A moment later they were all gone, leaving the two Paladins floating in a sea of light, still coupled together in the same position.

Elaina gazed around, her eyes wide. "Where are we? Is this the Plane?"

Gods, she looked beautiful, with her face flushed and her lips slightly swollen from their kissing, making them even fuller than usual. "I'm not sure," Aran replied, turning his head to look around but seeing nothing but whiteness. "It feels a little like the Plane, but different, somehow."

"You are close, child, but not quite right." Came a deep, resounding voice from an indeterminable direction.

With a thought, Aran was standing, and Elaina was next to him. "Who's there?"

"One who has been watching you, Aran Sunblade."

Sunblade? That name belonged to his distant greatfather, Darius. "Who are you?" Aran demanded. "That you know that name?"

"I am the Keeper," the voice replied, amusement tinging its bass tones.

Elaina spoke up. "Keeper of what?"

"That will be revealed in time," the Keeper said enigmatically. A moment later, a man appeared before them. He was tall, heavily muscled and as naked as Aran and Elaina. His head was shaved smooth and there did not appear to be any other hair on his body that Aran could see. Through the Bond, Aran could sense Elaina appraising the fellow, in particular the very impressive phallus that hung halfway down his thighs.

Dark, ancient eyes regarded them from the man's face. "It has been long since the Gifted have found me, and even longer since I have lain eyes upon amatharn."

Aran and Elaina exchanged glances. That was what Amina had said their Bond was; amatharn. Something beyond the Bond between two Gifted.

The Keeper's eyes searched them as if looking for something, though they roamed over Elaina a little more often than Aran. "You are strong, Aran Sunblade," he began. "As are you, Elaina Fairborn. The time will come for us to meet again soon, but for now, you have important work to do." He flicked a finger, and Aran suddenly felt as if he were hurtling backwards, the bright light diminishing into the familiar shapes of the bath house full of naked bodies.

When his senses righted themselves, Aran found himself still sitting in the water, Elaina comfortably astride him, his cock still inside her as if they'd never moved, which maybe they hadn't. In fact, it appeared that very little time had passed, if any at all.

All around the room, the effect of Aran's and Elaina's Gifts on the others was apparent; bodies were scattered about on the warm stone outside the pool, and several more were still in the water, slumped back against the walls as if they'd just run a hundred miles. Amina and Smythe were still cuddling nearby, and the Priestess wore a small smile. Smythe looked a little flushed, as if he, too, had been affected.

"And where were you two, just now?" Amina asked, her sapphire eyes twinkling.

Aran met Elaina's gaze briefly before answering. "We uh, went to a place that was just like the Plane, though it wasn't."

Amina's eyebrows rose as Aran continued. "We met someone there who called himself the Keeper. He knew who I was, and who Elaina was, and he said he's been watching me."

"What else did he say?" Amina's voice was almost a whisper, her eyes wide.

"He said that it's been a long time since any Gifted have found him, and even longer since he's seen amatharn." Aran thought for a moment, then added. "He then said it would be time to meet again soon, then sent us back."

Smythe scratched his head, frowning. "Who is this Keeper?" He asked Amina, who was reclining against his broad chest. "I've never heard of him."

Sitting forward, the Priestess looked thoughtful. Smythe grunted as she did, and Aran was willing to bet the man's cock was still nestled snugly inside her. She opened her mouth to answer, but then cast her eyes around the room, smiling as she took in all the exhausted bodies. A moment later, her gaze came back to Aran and Elaina. "I think now is not the time to discuss this. Let us get the family settled for the evening, and the four of us will talk later. If you'll help me get them up, we'll show them where the bedrooms are."

It was not a command, exactly, but neither was the suggestion up for negotiation. Nodding agreement, Aran stood, picking up Elaina as he did and planting a searing kiss on her lips before setting her down. His cock yearned to be back inside her, and through the Bond, he could tell she wanted the same. "We sleep together tonight," he said to her softly.

She nodded, grinning. "Agreed!"

Smythe and Amina had also risen and begun moving about the room, gently waking anyone who was sleeping and helping them up.

Aran smiled as he looked around. Never in his life had he imagined an experience like this could be possible; a dozen beautiful, willing women, and he loved all of them, and they him. There probably weren't too many places in the world you could tell a story like this and not get laughed out of the room.

Sex aside, these people were his family, and he would go to the ends of the earth to protect that.

*

An hour or so later, Amina, Aran, Smythe and Elaina lay on the thick furs on the floor of one of the bedchambers. Sunstones surrounded the room, resting in metal sconces on the walls and permeating the space with a soft, warm light, not so different from candlelight. A huge, posted bed big enough for ten people abreast - made of the same dark wood that made Aran think of Elaina's Chapel - sat at one end of the room, while the space between the door and the bed was open and littered with cushions and furs for lounging on. There was another door near the bed, which led back down to the baths, as well as the necessities.

No one had bothered to don even so much as a robe; it seemed unnecessary, and clothing could be inconvenient at times. Amina had suggested that the rest of the family stay together in one of the other expansive bedrooms for tonight, which they seemed more than happy to do.

Checking his Bonds, Aran could feel Jeira, Induin, Liaren, Sorla, Rayna and Bella all sleeping peacefully not too far away. The other presence in his awareness - namely Elaina - was wide awake and feeling happy and content, lying on her side - as was Aran - with her back pressed into his chest and her ample bottom nestling against his crotch. Aran had his head propped on one hand while he listened to what Amina was saying, while the other hand was draped over Elaina, gently kneading a heavy breast.

"We have much work to do," the Priestess was saying seriously. She was lounging opposite Aran and Elaina, mirroring Aran's posture with her head resting on her hand. "The Temple is in disrepair and needs fixing. I have plenty of sunstones, all we need do is teach the Servants how to use them."

Sunstones were crystals that could hold the power of the Gift for a time, if a Gifted infused them. They could be used for almost any task, provided the user knew what they were doing.

"Shouldn't be too difficult," Smythe said from where he was stretched out face down nearby. "They seem a competent lot."

Amina nodded. "Very well, we will begin tomorrow. Also, Kedron's training will need to be seen to. Henley, you have spent some time with the boy, can you train him?"

Smythe inclined his head. "Aye, Priestess. It will be done."

Amina smiled, flashing perfect white teeth. "Excellent. I will see to Sara's training, which will be somewhat... different." She didn't elaborate on how, and it didn't seem appropriate to ask, so despite being curious, Aran let it lie.

"There is also," Amina added, "the prospect of inducting new Servants into the Order. Aran, do you think any of your Bonded would be interested?"

Jeira, Induin and Liaren, Rayna and Bella as Servants? Aran hadn't thought of that. It made sense, he supposed, but it would have to be their decision.

He offered as much to Amina, who seemed pleased with his response. "Very good. If it's what they want, I would be honoured to bring them in as full Servants, though they are still welcome here if they refuse, of course."

"I'm sure Rayna and Bella would jump at it," Smythe said with a grin that pushed up the corners of his thick mustache. "I don't think there's much keeping them tied to their life in Ironshire." His expression grew sour, then, and he eyed them all in turn. "There's something you all need to know while I'm on the subject of Ironshire, and it won't be easy to hear."

Aran and the women listened intently as Smythe told them about the mayor of Ironshire revealing himself as a Herald, but not just any Herald. Berrigan Stallen was what was called a High Herald; a man who had earned his station by hunting Paladins and killing them.

"If Berrigan is to be believed," Smythe said, his voice equal parts anger and sadness, "then he has taken the lives of four Paladins over the years."

If Aran hadn't been touching Elaina, he would have clenched a fist in anger. As it was, he sat up, unable to keep the heat from rising in his stomach. "Four? Shit, Smythe, there might be no more of us left!" Images ran through his mind of Paladins - his people! - being hunted down and slaughtered like dogs.

Smythe nodded glumly, also rising to sit cross-legged. "I know, lad. Could I have ended Berrigan, I would have, but I needed to get the girls out of town before it all went south."

Aran felt for Smythe; it could not have been easy to flee Berrigan after hearing what he'd done. "I understand, Smythe. You did what you needed to do, and I'm glad you got them out." It was hard to keep his voice soft when all he wanted to do was ride to Ironshire and kill every Herald in sight. Through the Bond, Elaina's emotions mirrored his own, though she showed little outward sign of it.

"There's more," Smythe continued. "Kedron is Berrigan's son, and was on his way to becoming a Herald himself, though I doubt the boy has ever taken a life, out of hate or otherwise."

The news was indeed surprising, though Aran was less bothered by it than he thought he would be. "I sensed no hate in his heart, Smythe," he assured the big Paladin. "He is Gifted, and so he belongs here, as far as I'm concerned. Priestess?"

Amina smiled and nodded as she rose to sit, tucking her legs beneath her and reaching over to run her hand through Smythe's long black hair. "The boy is one of us, Henley, and he will make a fine Paladin."

Smythe smiled gratefully.

"These Heralds are a great problem," Amina said gravely. "They cannot be allowed to continue their hateful crusade, but we do not have the numbers to stop them. I have been working on a solution for weeks now, but have not yet come up with a suitable plan." The beautiful Priestess took a deep breath. "For now, I suggest we focus on rebuilding the Temple, as there is nothing we can do about the Heralds in the short term."

As much as Aran hated the idea of allowing the Heralds to go unpunished, he still saw the sense in Amina's words. Elaina and Smythe also nodded their heads in agreement.

*

The next morning saw everyone gathered in the huge chamber before the statue of Edellein Sura. Due to the working nature of today, all present were garbed in modest working clothes bar Amina, who was clad in her traditional diaphanous robe.

In short order, the Priestess had assigned tasks to everyone to ensure the Temple ran smoothly. Liaren, Erik and Bella were on hunting and gathering and preparing food. Jeira offered to plant a field in the valley outside, which was readily agreed to by Amina, who set Induin to help with the work.

Sylvia was tasked with exploring and mapping the Temple, and marking which areas were most damaged so as to prioritise repairs. Smythe was to begin training Kedron immediately, and when the young Gifted wasn't training, he would be assisting wherever was necessary.

Liddea and Rayna were charged with caring for the horses, while Aran was tasked with teaching Sorla and Lynelle the use of the sunstones.

Elaina was set as something of an overseer, someone to make sure things were getting done efficiently.

Sara, of course, was to begin her training under Amina immediately, and once the meeting was concluded, the two women peeled off toward the Priestess's chambers, but not before Amina pulled Aran aside and whispered in his ear. "No matter what you hear, or sense, do not come to her, do you understand?"

There must have been confusion in Aran's expression, for Amina said more. "Do you remember how difficult it was for you to learn your Truth?"

Aran nodded. It had been the most difficult part of his training by far.

Amina's eyes were deadly serious, her face impassive. Gone was the soft, loving Priestess, replaced by a hard woman with an iron core. "Hers will be many times harder to learn, and she must endure great pain to reach the level of Priestess. Coming to her aid will hinder her at best, and put her in danger at worst."

"I understand, Priestess," Aran said quickly, and got a short nod in return before Amina moved off with Sara.

Putting Amina's words out of his mind - there was nothing to be done about it, anyway - he gathered up Sorla and Lynelle and set about teaching them how sunstones worked. It wasn't hard, once you knew how to direct the energy, and the women picked it up readily.

The day passed quickly, and once Sorla and Lynelle had moved off to work the sunstones, Aran found himself moving around the Temple, looking in on what everyone was up to and offering to help, but each time he was respectfully declined. It was almost as bad as when he'd been living in the Hidden Temple in Maralon, when the Servants had been mortified that a Paladin would even suggest such a thing!

He passed Elaina in a corridor at one point, and after hearing his problem, she seemed to understand his plight. "You're Aran!" She said, as if he were missing something very simple. "You're the man that saved Sara and Sorla from Maralon, and got all the Servants out safely! And you killed those Heralds and guards that were going to hurt Sylvia! You look after them, and this is their way of looking after you."

Aran thought about it for a moment. It still felt uncomfortable letting all these other people do all the work, especially when they were people he cared about.

Elaina had more to say. "What's more, stud, is that you're a leader, and that's how they see you. In their eyes, leaders don't wash dishes or set table. Leaders lead when nobody else knows what to do, and leave the smaller tasks to others. What would you do if you were butchering a pig for dinner and Amina offered to help?"

Aran almost laughed at that. It wasn't that he didn't think she could - he had no doubt in his mind that Amina could do anything she decided to - it was the picture of the elegant and graceful Priestess up to her elbows in blood and offal that tickled him.

On impulse, he leaned in and kissed Elaina in gratitude. "Thanks, my love. It all makes a little more sense, now."

She smiled, flashing perfect white teeth behind her full lips. "Good. Now, I'm off to see how Smythe's going with Kedron. Want to come along?"

Eager to have something to do, Aran let Elaina lead him off to the training grounds.

*

"Focus, lad!" Smythe was barking at Kedron as Aran and Elaina entered the spacious stone chamber through a high archway. Tall, arched windows lined the circular room, filling it with warm late morning sunlight. There was no glass in the windows, and a pleasant mountain breeze kept the air cool. This part of the Temple was in the upper section, closer to the surface than the living quarters below.

Aran crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall, watching the two men with interest. Smythe was teaching Kedron the beginnings of the sword, and the younger man was uncertainly holding a blunted practice blade before him in ready stance.

Standing next to Aran, Elaina whispered to him so Smythe couldn't hear. "First morning, and he's already got a sword in the boy's hand. Some people just can't be helped."

Aran suppressed a smirk at that. Elaina, for some undisclosed reason, had something against blades, instead preferring a mace or some other unwieldy bludgeon. Aran decided not to reveal to Elaina that since Smythe had taught him the sword, he had never looked back.

They spent the next hour or so watching Kedron learn, stepping in every now and then to help Smythe with a demonstration or the like. It was when Aran was in the middle of showing Kedron how to parry Smythe's strikes that he felt it.

A Gift blazed to life somewhere below, like a thousand bonfires roaring as one, enveloping all in its power. It was like being punched in the chest by an Ogre. Smythe, Kedron and Elaina were all down on one knee, gasping for air as the raw power raged around them.

There was only one person it could be; Sara. Was this the power she had held within in her all this time? With a Gift this strong, the girl could affect an entire city! After what felt like an eternity, the torrent subsided, and Aran helped the others to their feet.

"What in the hells was that?" Smythe grunted, holding a hand to his head.

"Sara, I think," said Aran, which raised eyebrows all around.

"She's that strong?" Elaina asked, incredulous. "Already? I felt like she was ripping a hole in me!"

Aran nodded, remembering what he'd seen that night Sara had walked into the Herald camp, blazing like the sun. He quickly checked his Bonds, but it appeared the others were largely unaffected.

"Is she alright?" Kedron mumbled. His eyes were shut tight and mouth was twisted in a grimace. Aran had to give him credit; a surge like that could not have been easy to withstand for someone so new to the Gift.

"We can't know until they're done down there," Aran told them. "Amina gave me express instructions not to interrupt Sara's training under any circumstances, no matter what we feel."

Elaina took a deep breath and smoothed her fair hair back from where it had fallen over her face. She'd been letting it grow out a little, and the flaxen tresses now fell to just above her shoulders. "Very well," she said, resuming her composure. "Let us be back at it then, if there's nothing can be done."

"Right," Smythe agreed, putting a hand on Kedron's shoulder. "You good to continue, lad? That was quite a shock for us all. Take a minute if you need."

Kedron shook his head, his dark eyes meeting Smythe's. "I'm ready, Master. Let's keep going."

Smythe gave the boy a short nod. "Good. That attitude will serve you well, here."

"I'll leave you to it," Aran said, turning toward the door. "I'm going to go down and check on the others."

Antidarius
Antidarius
1,045 Followers