Adventures of the Cohort Ch. 02

He ran along the edge of the wall - Black Theodore totally focused on Quintia's plight - and crouched low, ready to jump. Suddenly, the Lich whirled, evidently aware of his missing presence. His eyes were narrow and full of spite, and he scanned the room quickly, trying to locate Mikael.

"Where are you, my little hero?" he mocked, his voice thick with sarcasm, roaring out over the slaughter. He glanced up and saw Mikael, low and ready to jump. He grinned. "Ah... there you are."

Mikael jumped, his swords catching the light as he smashed into the mountain of gold. He landed with a roll, springing back to his feet just in time to see the Lich's own black sword flashing towards him. He blocked it, jumping backwards, struggling to keep his balance on the treacherous surface. Coins slipped and fell away beneath his feet, clattering down the side of the vast pile of gold.

"Ready to play?" the Lich leered, thrusting forth with his sword once more. Mikael dodged, spinning to the side and cutting out with his own weapons. His attack was parried, and the Lich grunted, the foul stench of decay smashing into Mikael's senses.

"Did your mother never teach you not to play with blades?" Mikael cut back, blocking a swipe from Black Theodore and readjusting his footing. The sounds of metal clashing rang out over the noisy bloodshed, the magic of their swords crackling as they crashed against each other.

"I killed my mother when I was five," the Lich sneered. "She didn't have a chance to teach me anything."

Mikael smiled his best sarcastic smile. "You're lying. You loved your mother dearest, didn't you?"

The Lich roared, and attacked with increased ferocity. His blows rained down harder but more clumsily, and Mikael was able to dodge them all. He lashed out with his own weapons, too, his swords easily deflected, but it made sure the Lich did not gain the advantage. Mikael's feet nimbly sought out firmer ground on the unstable surface, dancing across the gold as their swords clashed.

He needed to find the Reliquary. It would be no use killing Black Theodore if his Reliquary was still intact - it would preserve his soul, and he would reappear. It might take hundreds of years, but Mikael did not fancy fighting him again.

A glint under the Lich's cloak caught his eye, and Mikael studied it more closely as they circled one another. It was a small pendant, a tiny clover-shaped locket of gold. It had slipped out of the Lich's armour with the force of their fighting, and now shimmered underneath his cloak.

Mikael moved forwards, slicing down with his sword and letting Black Theodore deflect the blow. The Lich did not seem to realise that the pendant was hanging free, and Mikael wondered if that were the Reliquary. Liches almost always kept their Reliquary's close in order to protect them, and he would not be surprised were Black Theodore no different.

Once again he arced out with his blade, and once again Black Theodore deflected the blow. The Lich snarled bitterly, angered at the resistance that the Cohort were putting up.

"Why won't you DIE?!" he screamed, rage and malice bubbling in his booming voice. His sword flashed down with incredible speed, and Mikael barely rolled aside in time to dodge the lightning-fast blade. The black weapon smashed into the golden pile, scattering coins, and Mikael took his opportunity whilst the monster was off-balance. His sword sliced outwards, cutting through the thin chain that supported the locket, and the gold item plummeted to the ground. Mikael's thrust his foot forward, kicking the locket back into the air moments before it was lost amongst the pile of coins. It sailed above their heads in a great arc. Black Theodore shrieked in rage, hacking forward with his sword.

Mikael dodged again, jumping backwards to avoid the swipe and deftly catching the locket as it plummeted towards the ground. He sprung to his feet, watching as Black Theodore froze and stared at him.

Mikael smiled at the Lich, opening his palm and showing him the pendant. Black Theodore remained motionless, his rotten lips twisted into a sneer.

"I wonder what this could be?" Mikael said slowly, twisting it in his palm. "Perhaps I should destroy it."

"Don't," hissed the Lich, regarding Mikael coldly. "Do not dare."

"Unfortunately for you, dear Theodore, my orders come from a higher power."

He grinned, closing his palm. He tapped into the magical well of energy within him, filling his hand with power. He was not the most adept spellcaster, but his expertise had increased dramatically in recent weeks.

His fist welled with energy, and he felt the locket beginning to disintegrate in his grip. Black Theodore fell to his knees, screaming as his Reliquary was destroyed, his sword hanging limply in his hands. His ash slaves began to falter, and Mikael saw his Sisters cutting them down with far more ease.

With a bright flash the Reliquary exploded in Mikael's grasp, golden light searing out over him, crashing into the Lich and the throngs of combatants that filled the warehouse. Mikael closed his eyes and grimaced, preparing for the pain that inevitably followed such intensity, but to his great surprise none came.

He opened his eyes slowly. The Lich rested on his knees, his head slumped, all ferocity seemingly drained from his body. His ash slaves started to crumble all around, and Mikael could see the pirates rallying as their enemies weakened.

He stepped forwards, standing over Black Theodore, who slowly raised his head. His eyes had dulled, the previously-ferocious red spots now dim against the hollow background, and he could barely manage a sneer.

"You will all bow down to me one day," Black Theodore spat, his voice trembling.

"I don't mean to be a killjoy," Mikael said, raising his sword, "but I really won't."

He swung his blade hard into the Lich's neck, the enchantments that suffused his weapon allowing it to slice through the rotten flesh, and the gruesome skull bounced harmlessly away down the vast pile of gold. The Lich's body seemed to twitch a moment, slowly slumping over and sliding after the head, plummeting down the mound of coins like some blasphemous toboggan.

As the Lich's neck was severed, his ash slaves finally crumbled. Where once a fully armed warrior had been hacking away at his Sisters, there was now nothing but a small cloud of black dust, the warehouse covered in the stuff. Slowly, the pirates realised what had happened, relief spreading across their faces.

Mikael sank to his knees, exhausted. He looked down at his Sisters, who gazed up at him with broad grins. They appeared fine, though Melissa insisted on checking them all over, and Mikael watched as she nodded at her Sisters.

"Congratulations, Mikael," Kristine beamed at him, reattaching her broadsword to her back. "You did it."

Mikael smiled at the beautiful blonde, shifting forwards slightly so as to slide down the side of the mountain of gold. He landed nimbly amongst his Sisters, relief flooding through him that their efforts were successful.

"No, Kristine. We did it. I could not have done that were you not repelling more ash slaves than the rest of this town put together."

Lucinda clapped her hands together. "The most important thing is Black Theodore is dead. The Sea of Shells can rest once more."

"And do you feel that?" Melissa asked, closing her eyes. "You can sense the souls of the ash slaves going free. We did a great thing today."

"The Gods will be pleased," Ria'torr said.

"Indeed they will," Kristine grinned as Quintia flicked out her hands. Fire washed over the Lich's corpse, and it was burned in an instant.

All that remained was ash.

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

The scene was less brutal as the Cohort emerged from the warehouse, though no less chaotic. Pirates still stood confused and wielding weapons in the streets, buildings still burning around them and tensions running high. Mikael knew these pirates did not entirely know what had happened, and would still be ready to fight should the opportunity present itself.

His Sisters kept a low profile. After the initial euphoria had worn off, they realised that they were still in a pirate town and, with the Hidden Diamond destroyed, had no haven to retreat to.

They carefully made their way down to the docks, watching as it slowly dawned on the pirates that their town was safe. Cheers picked up, and soon all of Bloodcove was congratulating itself on defeating the supernatural invaders. Men and women alike began to scurry to and fro putting out the fires, the fighting over. Mikael and his Sisters smiled at each other.

They reached the docks and were greeted with a scene of near-devastation. Only a few of the wooden jetties had escaped unscathed, and barely a handful of ships still floated. Mikael and his Sisters did not know how they were going to leave the island.

"We could try stealing one again," Mikael offered.

"Unlikely," Kristine replied. "It's broad daylight. It was dark before, and I don't fancy waiting here for dusk whilst these pirates drink. Do you?" She smiled teasingly at him.

Mikael grinned. "Good point. But we need to do something."

"Agreed," Kristine responded. "Anyone have any ideas?"

They were interrupted by a shout from one of the ships, a familiar voice carrying down towards them. It was the nearest ship; a fairly large vessel that looked too expensive to be one of the pirates' own. It had almost certainly been left behind by the ash slaves as they attacked.

Mikael glanced up to study the owner of the voice. He called again, clearly addressing Mikael and his Sisters as they stood at the dock.

"It's the captain!" Ria'torr laughed, peering onto the deck. "The one we came here with."

His Sisters smiled and waved back, approaching the ship. The captain moved down towards the jetty, too, descending the ramp to greet them.

"Hello there," he grinned, his demeanour totally at odds to when he had first met the Cohort.

Lucinda bowed elaborately. "Good day. I see you have a new ship."

"That I do," he laughed. "It's first come first served on these ships 'ere, and me and my crew got in there first."

"No one's challenging that?" Ria'torr smiled.

"Oh, they might well do," he replied with a wink. "That's why me and my crew are gettin' out of 'ere right now."

"Your crew can sail this ship? It's much bigger than your last."

A toothless grin spread across his face. "My crew's been somewhat supplemented by sailors now out of a job. We'll cope."

"Then that's great news for you, captain," Kristine bowed. "And if I may be so bold, I would ask that if you perhaps had the room, there might be space for me and my companions?"

"But of course. There's always room for those what saved my life."

"Thank you, captain," Kristine said graciously. "How much will you require?"

"None at all, milady. You sail for free."

The captain stood aside, and Mikael and his Sisters climbed the ramp to the ship, thanking him profusely. Mikael recognised a few of the sailors on board, who grinned broadly back. He bowed to them, surveying the large ship, before the captain showed them below deck. The vessel lurched as it moved away from the docks. It was nice to have transport.

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

Mikael and his Sisters returned to their room in good cheer. The ship had set sail, and the crew had thrown a celebration in light of their survival of the assault on Bloodcove. That the group of people who had resulted in that survival were onboard only furthered to heighten the revelry.

The Cohort had enjoyed themselves. The ship was large and clearly well-made; the sailors had obtained a very nice vessel in the post-Lich scramble. Mikael and his Sisters had been very impressed with its size, and the crew had already set about making it their own. All traces of its former occupants (both ash slaves and those before them) had been cleared away, bar useful fittings such as cannons and beds.

The sailors had gathered in the galley with Mikael and his Sisters shortly after setting sail, revelling in both their recent acquisition and the mere fact of their survival. Wine stolen from ruined taverns was flowing freely, and though Mikael and his Sisters were careful to partake in only a little of it, they did join the sailors briefly.

They had not been able to leave the scene early, however, driven to stay by the insistent pleas of the crew. Though they may not have actively seen the Cohort slaying the Lich, Mikael suspected that the sailors were aware of their involvement on some level. That most of these same men had witnessed him and his Sisters driving off a band of determined merfolk only served to increase the debt they felt, and they did their best to make the Cohort feel welcome.

Mikael and his Sisters had stayed merrily, elated at their success in defeating the Lich, and had supplied the sailors with food from their packs. Quintia had subtly summoned some more, too, conjuring a great feast on which the sailors could gorge themselves. Melissa suspected that they had not eaten well for a long while, and his Sensei Sister had complied willingly with her request that they receive a good meal.

After a fair few hours of merriment on the open sea, Mikael and his Sisters had finally withdrawn from the revelry. The sailors had bid them goodnight, continuing their own drunken antics as the Cohort descended to the guest quarters. There they were now, and Mikael surveyed the room in front of him.

It was a grand space, with three large beds set against the walls, two on one side and one on the other. It was not gigantic, of course, as space must be preserved as well as possible on an ocean-going vessel, but it was not small, either. Considering the size of the beds and the room, Mikael supposed that these had been quarters set aside for relatively well-paying guests prior to the ship's capture.

The decoration certainly served to enhance that opinion. The luxurious beds were surrounded with plush curtains that could be drawn to secure the privacy of the person sleeping within it, and windows lined the walls. Nearly every other compartment on the ship that Mikael had seen lacked windows, the effort required to fit watertight glass far outweighing any potential benefits that a window might provide, but Mikael guessed that if these were quarters for rich travellers then a porthole might be expected. The evening shone through in lazy reds and greys, the sun setting over the calm blue sea, and the room was further lit up by the lamps that were dotted liberally around the walls.

Mikael turned and clicked the lock, smiling to himself as he heard the sailors' festivities continuing. He turned back to the room, cast an approving eye over it and strode towards the nearest bed. He lay down his pack on the mattress, dropping it next to his armour - which he had already removed - and flopped down onto the cool silken sheets. He was glad that he'd brought his comfortable clothes with him; whilst he may not usually need them on the quest itself, he often found himself relaxing in them after it had been completed. This adventure was no different, and he was pleased he had had the foresight to bring them along.

His Sisters, too, had changed out of their battle-garb, and were all reclining on the other beds. A good mood was among them for a job well done, and spirits were high for the journey home. Mikael spread his arms and relaxed, having the entire bed to himself, and listened to the gentle murmuring of his Sisters' conversations.

At length he lifted his head, glancing round the room and enjoying the sight of the five beautiful women whose company he shared. The lamplight flickered off their stunning forms, and he drank in the moment. Kristine was perched near the end of her bed, her blonde hair falling messily about her chest and back, and she spoke animatedly with Melissa and Ria'torr, who shared the mattress. Melissa reclined behind her, the medic's face creased with amusement at Kristine's story, and Ria'torr giggled nearby, her elven body shaking with mirth. On the other bed Lucinda and Quintia lay together, both his Sisters reclining on the plush sheets and relaxing in the evening's glow. Mikael could not see any of Quintia's words flaring into existence and so assumed that no conversation was actively taking place -- his Sisters were merely unwinding and enjoying one another's company.

The noise of the party was still loud throughout the ship; the sailors' drunken revelry not dying down as day turned into night. Mikael sighed and closed his eyes, the tension of the last few days released. Black Theodore was dead, and the Sea of Shells was safe again. They would return to Florville, happy in the knowledge that they had saved all those present at the festival.

He suddenly realised Kristine was talking to him, breaking his reverie.

"You look pleased with yourself," she was saying.

He opened his eyes and looked at her, and she continued. "Perhaps a little too pleased."

"Excuse me?" Mikael smiled, amused. "I was just reflecting on a job well done."

The paladin raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Of course you were. You weren't imagining us writhing nakedly in the lamplight, were you? Oh, no, that would never happen."

"I really wasn't!" Mikael laughed. "Truly, that thought didn't cross my mind."

"Well then why the Gods not?" Kristine teased, folding her arms and pouting. She slowly raised an eyebrow. "Because it certainly crossed mine."

Melissa took notice of that, sitting up and wrapping her arms around Kristine.

"Did it now?"

"How could it not?" the blonde grinned wickedly. She leant backwards, her face inches from Melissa's own. "We're all here, comfortable, with a long journey ahead of us. And we're lying together on giant beds, for goodness' sake. There's most definitely only one thought on my mind."

"Well in that case," the wavy-haired brunette responded. "I'm sure it can be arranged."

Mikael watched as the medic pushed her tongue into Kristine's mouth, initiating a long passionate kiss that sent a wave of eroticism crashing round the room. Her hand reached up under the paladin's shirt, cupping a breast, and Kristine breathed out at the sensation. She wore a cheeky smile, and the two stared into one another's eyes as the kiss was broken.

Melissa gently lifted Kristine's shirt, tugging it over her head and revealing her shapely chest to the Cohort. The medic's mouth dropped to the blonde's large breasts, her tongue caressing her nipples as Kristine moaned. A giggle filled the room and Ria'torr joined in, leaning forwards to kiss Kristine whilst Melissa tongue swept over her companions nipples.

Mikael quickly grew hard, watching in rapt awe as his three Sisters pleasured each other. Kristine reached out and found the knot to Melissa's toga, tugging it free. Unlike the toga she wore into battle, this one had no belt, and the flimsy garment fell away with a flutter. Melissa's naked form was resplendent in the lamplight, her huge breasts dangling invitingly as she hunched forward, her tongue roving over Kristine's chest. Ria'torr took the invitation, gently cupping one of the soft mounds in her delicate elven hand, maintaining her lustful kiss with Kristine the whole time.

Mikael was distracted by a moan to his left. He turned to the other bed, his cock jumping as he saw Quintia and Lucinda locked in a fervent embrace of their own. Quintia's dress had been tugged loose, smooth skin revealed at the top of her breasts, and her hand was thrust under Lucinda's skirt. The raven-haired beauty's mouth was open as Quintia's fingers explored her pussy, and the mage's face was twisted into a wicked grin.

A low chorus of moans filled the room, and as Mikael looked on Lucinda grabbed the hem of her skirt. She pulled it down over her shapely legs, kicking it to the floor. Mikael could now see Quintia's hand working between the rogue's thighs, two fingers gently moving in and out of her wet pussy. With her free hand, the Sensei began to remove Lucinda's shirt, and her Sister was only too willing to comply. Lucinda tugged the garment over her head, her large breasts perfect on her stunning naked form, and leaned in to renew the kiss with some ardency.