Chapter 02 - Ancient Security

The stone caverns were awkwardly silent, punctuated by the occasional echo of shifting feet and mumbled whispers. Elani stood in front of the runic door for the last fifteen minutes trying to make sense of the mystery carved into it. Juniper and Dugger exchanged only awkward glances since their tryst and mostly remained quiet. A few short words between their friends were muttered but silence won out in short order. As for the other three men- they were huddled off in the back of the chamber trying to assess the situation.

"So that was weird, right?" Adama said, breaking the silence but not loud enough for the women to hear them.

"Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think someone would do that to me after walking in a room." Hanibal replied, still in disbelief. "Damn, Marcus is lucky."

Baal rubbed his dome and mused, "I wonder if that Juniper is interested in bald men."

Adama rubbed his temples. "Something's not right with Marcus. I don't know what she did but he's an honorable man. I don't believe he'd just forsake his allegiance to Tyr in exchange for sex."

Hanibal laughed. "I would."

Adama hit him in the shoulder, "I know you would. I saw you try to join them before being shot at by the other one over there," he said, gesturing to Anna. "I don't trust anyone who uses magic, and neither should you two."

Baal let out a heavy sigh. "I know. Guards should be here in about an hour. Do you think they can take them?"

"Yea. If we help, then definitely," Adama stated confidently.

Hanibal protested in complete shock. "You want to fight them!? I have no idea how to even throw a punch!"

"I don't know what they plan to do or if we can win, but if there is something behind that door, and they get it, do you want to see what happens to us if we fail?"

Silence once again surrounded them as they exchanged looks. Unspoken but understood, the answer was clearly no, and they were in complete agreement.

Juniper silently stepped over to Anna and cleared her throat. "Do not look back yet. The trio over there are plotting against us," she whispered.

Anna turned to look at Juniper. Her face was blank. "Really?" As if she couldn't figure that out herself.

"Your sarcasm is noted but I overheard them just now. They are under the impression that their lives are in danger if they let us get whatever is behind that door."

"That's not... If there is anything behind that door. Maybe there's a back entrance or breach somewhere else. Whatever this Blue Flame is was probably taken a long time ago."

"I think they would have found that if they had been here for as long as they said they were."

Anna sighed in resignation. She was a naysayer and couldn't help it most of the time. It didn't help that she was incredibly frustrated. She found it best to just change the subject.

"I guess we have no choice but to trust them and hope for the best." Anna said flatly. Another pause doled out between them.

"So, you like Dugger?" she asked out of the blue.

Juniper blushed and bowed her head. She was slightly embarrassed with Anna's forwardness. Always showing her emotions on her sleeve even if she wanted to hide them.

"I do. Well, I-I do not really know him, of course. I seldom get the chance to connect with people in... normal ways. I want to though."

Anna didn't know if it was because Juni was a half-elf and living between two societies confused her or what. From her apparel to people skills not a lot made sense. At times Juniper seems mature and serious and then she says thinks like she's a love-struck child unable or incapable of expressing herself.

"Well... It starts with talking to him." Anna looked at Duggar. Images of the intimate scene between Juniper and him still burned in her head. He was attractive, she had to admit. A bit rugged, well-groomed especially for a desert laborer. He was toned and strong. Then Anna's thought trailed to his cock being engulfed by her friend only a few minutes ago. Her imagination took flight with her on top of him. She could see herself interlocked with him. She wished it was her on top of the table. Wished that she had joined in and let her urges take over her mind so she could finally rest. She came crashing back immediately with a blunt pain in her arm.

"Ow!" She said as she rubbed her arm.

Juniper's hand was still balled into a fist. "Oh no, do not get any ideas about him. There are three other men just there that barely need convincing to tend to your needs." She made a shooing motion with her hand. "Just take one of them and have at it."

Anna collected herself and crossed her arms. She looked at the other three men gathered in back. Nowhere near as attractive as she found Dugger or even Marcus, but they weren't bad. She noticed they were gawking at her though. Tracing their glances to her bust, she realized she had nearly pushed her breasts out of the oversized leotard by crossing her arms. She rolled her eyes and turned back to face the door.

"If you can manage to talk with him and get to know him, I'm sure it will be fine. So long as he's not a lecher like them at least. I think I'll see if I can help Elani," she said before Juniper could respond.

Elani placed her hand on the runes and ran her fingers across the writing. Nothing happened. Of course, most people were ignorant of magic and unfortunately Elani was among them. Just because she could use magic didn't mean she understood how. Or why for that matter. But since she knew something was vaguely magical with this door it was going to be up to her to solve it.

Marcus had brought her up to speed regarding their efforts for the last few weeks. No pickaxe, or drill or other type of machinery could open the door. There was no handle to break or lock to pick. They had resorted to using dynamite which had been risky given the failing structural integrity of the ruins. Nothing they had done had shown any indication that it would be effective anyways.

Anna joined Elani on the platform. "Not even a clue?" she asked.

Elani glanced at the people behind her and then back to the door. Everyone was alternating between staring at her or the floor.

"They're like the runes we saw on the other chamber. Slightly more potent if that makes any sense. Possibly instructions for opening the door? Still just looks like people... never mind."

Anna sighed. "I'm sorry for my comments before. You know I try very hard to resist giving in to these desires. Sometimes you make it very hard."

"I have that effect on people." Elani paused for a moment. "--That wasn't meant to be innuendo," she said quickly.

"I know. But it still comes off that way."

"I don't know why you want to resist. I've seen you with many men, you seem to enjoy it."

"It's usually when I can't hold out for much longer, but I still don't like it."

"Well, when you wait until you snap, I suppose you don't care who you fuck. I would think it'd be best to slake your thirst while you still have your wits about you. Choose your partners like Juni, you know?"

"Maybe I don't want to have my wits about me when doing that?"

"Nonsense, Anna. How could that ever be preferable to you?"

Anna adjusted leotard again to not show so much cleavage, but that was practically impossible given how loose it was. "You know I have husband," she said solemnly.

Elani perked right up. "You're still with Gavin!?" Elani was shocked. "When was the last time you even saw him?"

"Not since after..." she trailed off for a moment. "He understands I'm forced to do things I'm not happy about. We have an understanding about that. I still don't want to feed into these desires so long as I can help it."

"Because you view satisfying your curse as cheating on him..." Elani paused for a moment. "That's so adorable!"

Elani hugged Anna, which took her by surprise.

"Umm..."

"That's commendable. And I think that you're a good wife," Elani paused again "But you absolutely need to have sex before you literally lose your mind."

Anna pushed Elani away. "I already said I'm not going to do that! Why don't you understand that?"

"Because you're letting the lust build up until you can't control yourself. It's one thing when we're in a town or city with a bunch of people. But what are you going to do on the way back? It's another two days and -- sorry if this is harsh -- if we run into tieflings I would rather you now blow them the moment you see them. It's a liability for me and Juni."

Anna clenched her fists. It was the truth but that didn't mean she should just accept it.

"I'd rather die than surrender myself to this damnable curse."

"Would you rather we die with you?" Elani shot back. "I know I joke a lot and I haven't known you long but you're my friend. Please--"

Anna retorted with a sigh of frustration. There were no answers, just defiance. She was mad, but mostly because Elani was correct.

"Fine. But only when we're clear of here."

She shot a glare at the group of three still stalking the back of the room and rejoined Juniper in silence.

Elani frowned and turned back to the door. "Sorry," she mumbled to herself. Before she could think further about it, Marcus approached.

"Elani, what-- "

"Mistress," she said. Her voice was stern and laced with misdirected frustration. She kept her back to him, focusing instead on the runes.

"Mistress," he repeated without thinking. He blinked and shook his head trying to regain his train of thought.

"You're from Balic originally, yes?" she asked.

"Yes. I moved to Tyr about four years ago."

"I thought so. Not many Marcus's from Tyr." She took a slow, deep breath and exhaled. "It's good you left before the revolution was underway. A lot of people died and met worse fates than that."

Marcus stayed silent for a moment quizzically looking at her. "I've heard the rumors. Is there a--"

"You don't understand the sacrifices Anna and Juniper were forced to make after the revolt failed. I don't doubt you have an idea of what a Sorcerer-King is able to do when they want you to suffer. To call them 'Balic whores' was really upsetting to me." She turned her full attention to Marcus. Her face was as serious as her form was gorgeous. "If you or any of the others say that again you'll be tied to the desert rocks, naked, until you're raped by tieflings, picked apart by scavengers and melted by the sun. And not necessarily in that order."

Marcus blanched. He believed it. Given his fight with Elani ended with her having her way with him, it didn't seem likely that he or anyone could stop her.

"I'm... sorry. I will refrain from calling you all Balic whores and I'll make sure the others don't either."

Elani chuckled as Marcus changed his tone. "Just those two," she said returning to her normal cadence. "I'm not from Balic but very much am a whore. Maybe just think about that for now and step up to the door. I have an idea."

Think about her being a whore? Marcus shook his head and did as he was told. Elani stepped up to the doorway with him and the runes started to emit a light hum.

"Now, take your hand and put it opposite mine," Elani said as she placed her hand on one side of the door. Marcus placed his hand like a mirror image across the runes. He felt Elani take his other hand in hers and the door lit up. The platform shook and miscellaneous tools clanged around the room as they danced in time to the vibration. The door pushed back and split open.

"You did it!" Juniper said jumping in joy as she and the others hastened over to Elani and Marcus.

"Glad you could figure it out," Anna added neutrally.

Marcus turned to his team. "You four stay here. Start packing up whatever equipment we need to take back with us. Save the tools for last in case we need them."

The men nodded and tended to their jobs as instructed.

"How did you figure it out?" Juniper asked.

"I took a guess," Elani said with a half confident smile. "A few of the runes looked like graphics for hands so I had Marcus and I touch them simultaneously. This one here should close the door. I don't have a clue about anything else."

"We put our hands all over this damned door trying to find so much as a secret switch and nothing like this happened," Marcus replied.

"That's because of this little rune here," Elani pointed to a familiar rune on the arch above them. "It indicates that only those who shared in intimacy can open the door."

"Intimacy?" Anna repeated with disbelief.

"Fucking," Elani replied, smiling smugly.

Anna bowed her head in exasperation. "Of course. Anything else and you'd never open the door."

Marcus squinted at the rune. "It looks like two people holding hands."

Elani looked back and thought about it for a moment. "Well, whichever. It's open now."

Juniper grabbed a torch from the wall and stepped into the chamber. "Come on you two, let us hurry."

Juniper lit the torches on the wall throughout the room. The stony platform led to an ornately decorated great room. Paintings and velvet tapestries hung from each wall with dressers and chests below them. The room and its furnishings were provocative and ostentatious from the paintings of its assumed owner to the eight foot anatomically correct statue of man in the heart of it all. It had its hand outstretched, and a blue gemstone necklace dangled from his fist emitting an ephemeral blue glow.

Everyone took a moment to take it all in. Any number of items here could make them rich if they sold it at market.

"Desert take me, there's actual metal here!" Marcus exclaimed.

Anna stayed at the entrance while the others explored the chamber. "So, there was a door that you can only open with a partner- possibly one you needed to have sex with. And inside there's treasure, metal and a statue with a bi- *ahem* a naked man. Inside the naked statue's hand is a gem that a Sorcerer King wants. What is this place!?"

"It looks kind of kitsch, so I would say the stash of some ancient, rich noble that likes weird things," Juniper remarked.

"Wow, how things have changed through the years," Marcus remarked sarcastically.

Elani stepped forward to grab the gem but was met with a jolt of numbing pain when she touched it.

"Ow!" she said as she waved the pain off. She looked up to the statue's eyes and sunk when she realized it was now looking down at her. The golem took the necklace and placed it around its neck.

"I am ready to serve," it said in a warm voice. "What would you like me to do to you?"

Everyone exchanged silent looks of confusion.

"Do to me?" Elani clarified.

"I don't like where this is going," Marcus said.

The golem then looked at Anna. "I am sensing excessive pent-up lust. I am fully capable of sating your desires if there is anything special you would like. Perhaps a kink you would like to express?

"Elani, please make it stop," Anna pleaded.

"If I knew how. Golem, give us that necklace."

"I am unable to do so."

"Why not?"

"I am unable to do so."

Anna growled, frustrated. "This is getting us nowhere."

She knocked an arrow and let it fly at the golem's head. The arrow stuck several inches into its head. Its fleshy skin jiggled slightly. It pulled the arrow out, leaving not even a hint of damage.

"Fuck," Anna exclaimed in panic as she grabbed another arrow.

"Understood," it replied. "Acknowledging interest in rough play."

The golem crouched and broke into a sprint. In a few short steps it covered the difference between it and Anna. It placed one hand on Anna's shoulder and another on her crotch and lifted her up, spinning her upside down. She was locked in its grip with one arm wrapped around her waist.

Juniper grabbed her dagger and slashed at the golem's heels. Marcus saw this and lifted a nearby chair and swung it over the back of the golem. Both attempts to damage it had no effect. The golem ignored them and pulled Anna's leotard to the side exposing her pussy.

The golem bowed its head down and used its tongue to stimulate Anna as it saw fit. She let out a moan of surprise and, admittedly, much needed relief as she felt its tongue tickled her clit. It was impossible to ignore the tension that was constantly gripping her body though she tried regardless. Wave after wave after wave of longing hit her every moment of every day. Even walking was enough to get her arousal going at this point. She tried to speak but could only manage small whimpers through clenched teeth as her nerves lit up with bliss.

"It's just a golem," she thought. "Like a moving sex toy... It feels so good. Fuck, it's so good!"

But the sensation grew to a fevered pitch when she felt its finger part her lips and start to penetrate her. Her body tingled all over as it rubbed her from the inside out, somehow knowing exactly where to touch her. She felt its tongue and hand dance back and forth, applying pressure and heat like the ebb and flow of the desert winds.

"Uhaah~" she moaned. Her mind was hazy from the sudden increase in pleasure. The thoughts of disorientation and panicked struggling subsided. In a matter of seconds, the old, resilient Anna was dormant and the lust that was knocking on her door had blown the wall down.

She relaxed her body and reveled in the sensation of her partner's work. A smile creeped on her face -- one not seen for a long time. She felt a prodding on her cheek and noticed the golem's cock-like appendage. She wasn't sure if it worked in the traditional sense, or if a golem could even receive pleasure. But that didn't matter to this Anna. With some difficulty trying to grab it, looking like she was bobbing for apples, she took the golem's phallus into her mouth and didn't let go.

Elani stood there and looked on as Anna started moving her head in time to the golem's thrusts. She wasn't sure if that was doing anything for the golem. But at any rate it didn't look like she was in trouble. If she was being honest, it looked like good fun.

"Elani, help us!" Juniper yelled.

Elani snapped to and turned her focus away from Anna. "Get the necklace while it's distracted!" Elani yelled back.

Juniper jumped up trying to grab the necklace, but she was almost comically too short. She turned to Elani and threw her arms out.

"Oh. Right," Elani said.

Marcus climbed onto one of the dressers and jumped up, grabbing the necklace. But the chain didn't break, and Marcus dangled briefly until his grip slipped.

"Shit, what is this made of!?"

The golem didn't seem to take notice as it continued to pleasure Anna. It was surprisingly warm to the touch and its skin was pliable enough to feel like a real person. It thrusted into Anna's mouth and pushed in far enough to make her gag. Anna could have pulled back if she wanted to. Even if she was sane, she would have liked this.

Anna had only known the pleasure of oral sex from her husband, but she got turned on by giving oral as well. The two of them would do this sort of thing all the time. Elani had always teased her about how good she was at it. She had a lot of practice over the years, and she was using that experience now on full display.

She couldn't maneuver while upside down and reflexively held onto the golem's hips for stability. Her eyes were fixed on the golem's phallus as she brought it further into her mouth. It glistened with her saliva each time it pulled away from her mouth. Each press of its tongue wore away at her resistance as the pleasure took over more of her mind.

Anna felt her body getting hot and numb. The blood rushing to her head and the sensation of being pleasured after withholding it for so long was just too much. Her voice was muffled with her mouth so full, but the unmistakable scream of an orgasm sounded through the room. The golem slowly wound down its tonguing, allowing Anna to get the most out of her orgasm. Slower and slower it moved until it gently lifted pressure off her clit once Anna's orgasm was finished. When it was done, it swung Anna back right side up and placed her on the ground.