Castles and Champions Pt. 01

"Will do." And with that, Jason and Aria left the tavern and made their way out the southern gate towards their next destination.

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"You think this is the right place?," Jason asked, peering into the woods at near total darkness.

"I don't know. See any other sea of trees around here? Open your map to double-check," offered Aria, oh so helpfully. Sadly, he found himself getting used to Aria's sass.

He thought about checking the map and in front of him appeared a holographic screen. A red dot marked his present location in the middle of the map, while to the north was the city of Fellhaven where they'd come from. Before them was the Forbidden Forest marked out in a green hue. Further inside that was a small area marked 'Unknown.'

"What do you think this place is?," Jason wondered aloud, pointing to the map.

Aria flit upward to take a closer look. "Not sure. There's parts of the game even I'm not privy to. Though I've heard rumors of a spot sacred to the Northern Elves lying deep in the forests around here. I've never seen it though."

Jason closed the map. On the way here, Aria helped him set up his skills and gave him a crash course on gameplay, so thankfully he was getting the hang of this. He'd hated to admit it, but she was helpful, crass as she was.

"Only one way to find out."

"Yeah, but remember, your starting starts are based off your real-life form, which is...lacking...to say the least. So you might want to take extra care inside," she jabbed.

And just when he was starting to like her. He shrugged it off and took his first steps into the forest, quickly finding himself bathed in shadow. Not one tree was less than 50 feet tall, so barely any light reached through the canopy.

Continuing onward, he finally reached a spot where old-growth trees became more frequent. Darkness prevailed here, so he readied a small fireball in his right hand with surprising ease, if for nothing but a light to trek by. The quiet was unnerving and had him on edge despite not encountering any 'foul beasts' he'd been warned of.

No sooner had the thought crossed his mind that a high-pitched squeal came from the right, a shadow swooping from the branches above. Reflexively, he let out a shout and threw the mote of fire, hitting the approaching shadow, lighting it aflame. In a panic it slammed into a tree and fell to the ground as the flame lapped away at it's already lifeless body. His heart still pounding, he carefully approached to survey the monster's corpse. The body of a hideous bat lie amongst the gnarled roots, much bigger than any that could be found in real life.

This is thrilling, he thought, finally starting to understand why Vince spent so much time playing. As the flames died down, he prepped another fireball. He figured the last thing he needed was to be caught in the dark if this was the least of what lurked within the woods.

Making his way deeper inside the forest, he'd received an in-game level warning. Apparently he'd breeched the section of the woods for low-level characters and had to proceed with caution. He honestly didn't have any clue where he was at, or where Vince might be, so he just headed toward the area on the map marked 'Unknown.' He'd lit plenty of bats ablaze along the way, as well as some giant insects that got a little too close for comfort. And once when making his way over a fallen tree as large as their house, Aria had to warn him to watch his step as he almost walked right the jaws of some carnivorous plant. Honestly, he'd expected worse and counted himself extremely lucky.

Eventually he found the blackness giving way as he neared the center of the woods, and though still dark, soon he was able to walk without the light from his magic. Not long after, Jason heard the roaring of water and the clang of metal, and through the trees he could see what appeared to be a clearing in the forest. Stopping a bit short of the clearing behind a giant oak, he found himself peering around it at an awe-inspiring sight.

The large clearing was host to set of massive, alabaster ruins. Slabs and pillars of marble surrounded a pool of water that was fed from a natural waterfall, the water so clear and blue you could see the bottom. It teemed with life, flowers and plants of all kinds thriving, most likely due to this precious source of water. At the edge of the ruins, two figures had their weapons out, fighting a tawny-colored spider, the size of which put the bats Jason had vanquished to shame.

One figure, a knight in silver helm and heavy-plate armor, the other, a ranger in weathered, brown leather and green cloak masking their face. The ranger readied another arrow in their bow as the knight let their greatsword drop to the marble with a clang, taking off a portion of one of the arachnid's legs with it. Blue blood issued forth as it let out a horrifying hiss. It shot a strand of silk into the tops of the nearest tree, attempting to reel itself up to escape the onslaught. Before it could make it all the way upward though, the ranger let loose their arrow, pinning it's thorax to the trunk and leaving it's legs scrambling about as it slowly bled out. Eventually, the monstrous spider stopped moving.

Surveying the battlefield, Jason could see several other spiders of varying size slain in similar ways. The two were obviously in sync and must have done this before. He'd managed to catch the tail-end of this round, it seemed, as the two approached the pool, dropping their weapons alongside a pile of gear. The knight unlatched the bottom half of his armor letting it fall to the ground and proceeded to soak their legs in the clear water of the pool. With a smooth movement, they took off their helm at set it to the side revealing a familiar face.

"Is that the guy you're looking for?," asked Aria, a bit too loudly as she maneuvered for a better look.

Jason quickly clasped his hands around her mouth and drug her back behind the tree. "Shhh!" Vince hadn't seemed to notice, nor did his companion.

"Thank you for your help as always, Asculain. These spiders are a never-ending nuisance," a voice came from the cloaked figure. They untied the clasp of their cloak, letting it drop to the ground revealing long, straight, blonde hair and a set of pointed ears.

"Without you, this grove would have been covered in web long ago."

Jason was a little shocked. Vince was playing with a girl? Did he know any girls who played these kinds of games? Or had he met her online?

"My pleasure, but why so formal? I told you before, princess. We've known each other long enough, so call me Vincent at least," he teased.

"Very well, Vincent. Then please remember to call me Celaena as well," smiled the elf before proceeding to take off the rest of her clothing.

"Now what kind of knight would I be if I did that?," Vincent laughed. "Your father would have my head on a pike. He's already upset you have a human helping you protect the Ancient Spring."

She stifled a laugh. "Good thing Father isn't here right now. He respects strength when it's demonstrated, though. And besides, I'm over 400 years old. Plenty old enough to make decisions for myself and our people." Now completely bare, the elven princess dove into the blue water with nary a splash.

So she was a princess! Not a player character after all. Somehow, Jason felt relief at this fact. He silently stood behind the tree and watched as the princess rinsed the sweat from her body under the pouring waterfall, slowly running her hands over her admittedly curvy form. At the same time, Vince took off his leather jerkin, leaving him in nothing but his breeches. He took some water in his palms, washing his face and taut muscles that surely ached after such a strenuous fight.

It bothered Jason that Vince felt so relaxed next to a naked elf, and a woman no less! How often had they quested together? He'd always respected Vince's space and didn't want to intrude, but he hoped they'd hurry up so he could catch Vince on his way out of the forest. They still had some time to play together before the evening passed them by.

Celaena had finished bathing and dove back into the water, leisurely swimming her way to where Vince was soaking. "Vincent, my dear ward, now that the grove is safe once more, what can I do to reward you?" she wondered aloud. "I'm afraid I have no gold with me, so I'm at a loss as to what would be suitable for a warrior of your...stature."

"I'm sure you can think of something, princess," he grinned, using a smile that could get him anything he wanted. His hands gently adjusting his leather-encased package before pulling one of the laces free.

She smiled, "I HAVE always been the creative one out of my sisters." Pulling her lustrous form out of the water she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply on the lips. Vince showed no sign of pulling away. In fact, he eagerly started to return her advances and placed his sturdy hands upon her waist.

What the hell?! Jason was furious. This "princess" had turned out to be a whore. How could Vince let her climb all over him like that? He'd been calm until now, but he had to intervene. Moving around the tree, he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Celaena looking him straight in the eyes.

Her blue eyes flashed brightly as she snapped her fingers. "There. That should make sure no 'pests' come and interrupt your reward." She let out a laugh that had a tinge of malevolence to it that worried Jason.

Jason tried to step forward, but his hands met with what felt like a solid wall, though nothing was in front of him. Jason tried yelling out to Vince shouting his name, pleaing with him to push her away, but he never showed any sign of hearing him.

"Ooh, she's a nasty one, alright. She's erected a forcefield around the entire grove," informed Aria with a hint of glee in her voice. Jason even tried both a dagger and a fireball to no effect.

"She's an elven princess, buddy. Nothing you do is getting through that kind of magic. Begs the question why she didn't just do something like this when they were fighting, though, doesn't it?" Aria clearly enjoyed reveling in this kind of schadenfreude.

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"Pests?" asked Vince, a look of disappointment on his face that she'd stopped kissing him. "Oh, right. The spiders." He squeezed a pale buttock with one hand eliciting a tender moan from the elf.

She cut off her moan by leaning in for another deep kiss, slowly trailing her delicate lips down his firm torso. With a deftness of hand that bespoke of just how often this occurred, she pried open Vince's breeches and exposed his hefty weapon, already at half-mast.

A few vigorous strokes was all it took to fully rouse her prey from it's slumber and she marveled at it's size. Hanging under it's own weight at a little over nine inches in length, cut, and thick around as her wrist, she licked up the mighty shaft from the base, savoring the hint of sweat lingering from their recent battle. Even though he'd grown accustomed to it over time, this always sent a shiver up Vince's spine and it made a large dollop of precum drip down his length.

He leaned his head back with a sigh as she bathed his rod with her tongue before taking his head into her mouth. Soft and supple, he could feel her tongue grace the underside of him as she began to suck him earnestly. The was no need to urge her onward, but he placed a hand upon her head regardless, as if to let her know he was in control. That she was the one pleasing him.

Deeper she went, eagerly wanting to take him all inside her. His battering ram of a cock wasn't about to cooperate, though, and hit the back of her throat repeatedly, eliciting a gag. She was plenty practiced by now for this not to bother her, but she knew he reveled in making her a sloppy mess, so she played along.

"Fuck, that's what I like," he spat through gritted teeth before pressing her face into his lap. His brute force did the trick and his large head popped into her throat. After this gate was passed, the equally-sizable shaft followed suit like a snake burrowing into a nest after it's quarry until her lips met his pelvis.

He held her there, grinding into that slick tunnel a few seconds before letting his grip loosen and she drug herself off his spear with reluctance. "God, nothing feels better than," he complimented, his spit-soaked shaft left bobbing in the cool air.

Quickly wiping her lips, she asked, "Nothing?"

Another grin filled his face, "Well, almost nothing." He leaned forward, grabbing the elven princess by her waist. She was lifted out of the water. Her petite frame was nothing compared to the broadsword he'd wielded earlier, so this proved effortless, and in one smooth motion, placed her upon his lap.

They wasted no time, her wrapping her legs around him, and him, lips latching onto her collarbone. He sucked harshly, making her quiver from top to bottom. As quickly as she felt that, he'd moved onto her breast, taking a tender nipple in his mouth and sucking on it with vigor as if it were his last meal. She moaned as he gripped her other breast and she could feel the urgent heat of him against her ass.

She reached back just in time to feel him throb within her grasp. She wanted, needed him inside her. He looked into her eyes and not a word had to be spoken. Lifting her once more, he laid her gingerly upon the ground beside him, her legs draping into the crystal clear water.

It was his turn to do the heavy lifting and he positioned himself over her, his brawny biceps suspending his large body above her delicate form. He looked down upon his prize, nestled between her legs. Her cleft was the softest of blushing pinks and not a hair to be seen. Holding himself aloft with only one hand, he reached the other down to feel her soft flesh.

She was already wet and he slowly inserted a single rugged finger, then another. Tight as usual and smooth as silk, her entrance gave way willingly. He had little patience right now, though, and grabbing his dick, rubbed it against her to coat it in her gathering juices. Letting it fall against her sex one last time, he squarely lined it up and thrust forward, hoping he'd remember to apologize later.

She yelped, half in surprise and half in pleasure, at his sudden entrance. Her tight walls gripped Vince's girthy manhood, yielding to it's presence. He could hear her sigh as he slid inside, shaping her to his form. Once fully encased, he basked in her luscious warmth and looked down. He could see how wide he stretched her open and his smiled at the contrast between his golden skin and her own. The thought turned him on and his dick throbbed, making her squirm beneath him.

That's all it took for him to know playtime was over. He withdrew and thrust with all his force, easily hitting her depths and making her moan and clench her nails into his back. Continuing the dance, he fucked her slowly and with purpose. He smiled, full of himself, as he noticed the ecstasy on her face and the plentiful gasps falling from between her lips. "H-harder, Vince! Please!"

He obliged with a grunt, a princess' word was law, after all. Mercilessly he continued his onslaught, picking up his pace and fucking her with wild abandon. He leaned down to kiss her, sweat beginning to coat their bodies and moans echoing throughout the grove. On a particularly rough thrust, she bit down into his lip, drawing blood. The coppery taste only served to bring him closer to the edge as he felt her begin tighten around him.

She reached one hand down, feeling both his size and to rub her clit. He could tell she was getting close, and so was he. "Shit...I can't hold out much longer..." he moaned, punctuated by the sounds of their bodies colliding.

Their gaze was locked at this point. "Inside me..." was all she said.

Vince thought this was strange. They weren't strangers to each other's bodies by now, but she'd always finish with her swallowing his load. What was different this time? It wasn't the first time he'd fantasized about it, but he didn't have time to ponder. He could feel his heavy balls pull close to himself, his seed about to burst from within.

She wrapped her legs around his back to urge him deeper inside, as if that were possible. She moaned, clenching him with her insides as she started to orgasm. Her sex became hotter and more wet than before and he groaned in sweet pleasure. It quickly turned to a long shout, though, as he barreled forth one last time before arching his back and letting loose his seed inside. His head throbbed against her cervix with each shot, eliciting small, punctuated moans as his copious load coated her insides thoroughly.

They both stayed like that for what seemed like minutes, each one's pleasure entwining and egging on the other, their heaving sighs the only sound in the placid grove.

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Jason had stopped pounding on the forcefield ages ago, but he couldn't help being transfixed at what just he saw before him: His boyfriend of two years making love to a woman. Vince hadn't touched him in a year, but he easily let her take advantage of him and fucked her like he used to Jason. And he came inside her, no less.

He could feel tears welling in his eyes, but they barely had time to form when the forcefield he was leaning against disappeared. Vince and the elven whore had finished up and were gathering their gear after being roused from their ecstasy.

He wasn't sure what to do, but he couldn't let Vince see him like this right now. So he did the only thing he could think of and turned tail and ran, not waiting for Aria, and he didn't stop until he'd reached the safety of the setting sun outside the forest.

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Jason sat in bed trying to read and take his mind off of today's events. He'd logged offline not long after escaping the forest, and even though he'd spent what felt like hours in the game, only a couple had passed in real life. So unfortunately he'd had the rest of the day to mull over what happened again and again in his mind.

He glanced over beside him at Vince's sleeping form in the weak lamplight. Jason couldn't dare broach the subject with him, at least not yet. He'd rationalized it in his mind earlier anyway. It was a game. Even if it was a woman, it wasn't any different than using a sex toy. All fake and no substance. And in the game world, who knew what could happen? Maybe she had him under some kind of spell. That'd be really twisted, but considering the game's target audience consisted of largely straight men, it didn't seem too far-fetched.

All that aside, Vince still loved him. He always told him so everyday and called him 'babe.' And Jason was flesh and blood, a real person who he had to come home to outside of the game. He still felt uneasy and hurt, but this was a comfort to him. It helped him steel his resolve to continue on with his plan to play the game with Vince. He'd steal him back from that virtual bitch, even if he had to play all year to catch up to him in level.

Putting away his book and glasses, he turned out the light and sunk into bed. The dark of their room was somehow eerie tonight, though, and as he lay his head down on his pillow, he tried to shut his mind off from what happened. Not from the image of his man on top of a woman, but from the fact that when he logged off, he had to wipe a puddle of precum from the floor of the Pod.

To Be Continued...