Fire Knight Katrina Ch. 04

Chapter 4: Nude In Wider Public

Suddenly, a meek voice from behind the gates called for the city watch commander. A small, hooded man appeared behind the pikemen line.

"Sorry, I apologize, sorry," he shouted each time he awkwardly bumped into one of the soldiers. Katrina just noticed that under the coat, this man was very well-dressed.

"What is it?" Gerda asked with pressure.

"I'm a coachman sent here by the counselor and mayor's main advisor, sir Gunther. sir Gunther instructed me to make sure that the firewielding knight is escorted to the town hall immediately upon arrival, for the fate of Zardiw depends solely on her."

The redhead folded her arms across her beautiful, bare chest and glanced at the commander. There was a hint of gloating in her eyes.

"You're telling me I have to let these... Immoral deviants in? Everyone's gonna look at them. We also have a bunch of children running around, how will you explain this to them?"

"I apologize," the coachman replied, "but such is the order of sir Gunther. It goes without saying that sir Gunther has discussed it with The Mayor himself."

Gerda let out a defeated sigh and, with a titanic effort of will, ordered her guards to step aside and open the gates. There was disgust in her eyes as Katrina and Sophia's nude figures were riding by her and into the town. The travelers were greeted by the view on a paved road, surrounded by rows of neat two-story wooden houses with colorful rooftops and smoking chimneys.

The air was filled with sounds of rolling carriages, shouts from a nearby marketplace, and the chiming of enormous church bells echoing throughout the whole town. The mighty figure of the town hall was visible in the distance, it towered over the wooden houses, the state-owned buildings, and the market tents alike. There were about two dozen people nearby, who saw the nude girls as they entered. Some were clearly weirded out but seemed way too focused on their own problems to stop and give a proper reaction. The coachman handled it from there: he offered the girls his carriage and ordered Ash to be taken into the stables.

"Alright. But be sure to feed her the best wheat and only serve her spring water. None of your hydromancy garbage," Katrina said seriously as Ash slightly headbutted her breasts, not wanting to be taken away from her owner, "and read her a bedtime story if you want her to sleep well."

"You're joking, right?" A stableman standing nearby chuckled.

Katrina folded her arms on her beautiful naked breasts and stared him down. She was dead serious.

"Alright, no need to get rowdy," the middle-aged man said as he took Ash away.

"Please, my beautiful ladies," the coachman invited the nude girls to sit in a beautiful carriage, the black hull of which was lined with patterns made of solid gold.

"Beautiful? Sure. Yours? I don't think so," Katrina jumped into the carriage, enjoying the softness of the seat on her naked butt.

Sophia let out a sigh of relief and got into the transport as well. At least now they won't be stared at by everyone around them. The blonde sat cross-legged and covered her boobs with her hands, her heart was still racing from that encounter with the guards. That entire sequence was both incredibly scary and incredibly embarrassing, her memories of it already got clouded. And yet, here she sat, all rosy from the shame, with her nakedness free for everyone to enjoy. Despite everything, her decision still seemed right. "I must be going crazy," Sophia thought to herself.

The carriage bolted forward, sometimes jumping on the paved city roads. Katrina kept talking to the coachman about the city situation and how everyone is feeling about the mage craze. It seemed like the town didn't go into a full panic like the redhead initially feared, but the worrying, uncertainty and fear were still all there. Many people preferred to not come out of their houses unless in dire need, townsfolk became secluded and quiet, and some places became off limits for everyone.

"Some of the crazed mages are still in the town, too," the coachman explained, "you see, not every single one of them became brainless and feral like an animal. The curse affected each of them differently... Uh, you'll see."

"Noted," Katrina replied in a concerned tone, "I'll truly prefer to see everything for myself. Speaking of which, please get that ugly roof away. I want to see more of the city, and the city to see more of us!"

"I'm sorry?" The coachman obviously didn't hear her.

Katrina launched her athletic legs upwards, as if doing a plank, and pointed with them at the carriage's roof. Sophia let out a gasp, her hope for a pause in being the center of attention melted right in front of her eyes. The coachman heeded the request, and the gusts of wind hit the pair of nude bodies with a pleasant chill as the carriage's roof folded behind their backs.

"Topless, just like us!" Katrina smiled at Sophia, the latter gave out a burst of nervous laughter.

They passed different streets and districts, so familiar to the blonde and so new to the redhead. A craftsmen district with its nearly perfect pavement and square buildings made out of stone, many holding a sign telling what the owner was good at. A trade district with its large marketplace, lined with all sorts of carts and colorful tents. The military district was instantly noticeable due to the large, imposing figure of the barracks made entirely out of black bricks with large purple banners on its sides. There were soldiers training there, the city watch, and the local militia, clearly agitated due to the current situation. The carriage even passed the slums with its dugouts and old houses with leaky roofs, where the dirt of the unpaved road splashed the girls' bare feet while the poorly dressed beggars nearly blocked the road. Besides the ones they saw, there was also a noble district which was off limits for now, and the mage district which, as the coachman put it, was "separated" from the town following the craze.

The carriage moved pretty fast, but the gorgeous nude women were still catching all kinds of glances and stares from the passersby. Katrina didn't notice them as much, nor did she care. The nude girl was way too busy spectating this scared yet vibrant town. Besides, remembering where all the districts are seemed very useful for her future escapades. Soon the redhead even stood up, placing one leg on her seat, to see everything better. Of course, now everyone could also see Katrina's entire figure in all of her great nakedness from every direction.

"Hey, Sophia, look, you can see the entire street from here. Get up!" The knight grabbed her companion's hand, urging her to share this exciting moment.

"N-no thanks. I've already s-seen it," Sophia giggled and covered her chest as she saw Katrina attracting dozens of curious eyes to the carriage. The blonde could only hope that Mr. Ridzwalt, their mayor, will be tolerant enough to let this naked furia carry out her mission.

***

Mr. Ridzwalt carefully lowered his watering can above the line of potted greenery at the windowsill. As the cold stream reached various small plants, the mayor noticed that one of them, a nice yellow flower, has started to wilt away. He must've forgotten to water it earlier. In a swift move, the mayor lifted his hand, his fingers shining with soft, green light, and touched the withered flower. The lighting transferred to the plant, engulfing it in its shining. A second later, the plant rose up as good as new, no signs of wilting at all. Being a lifewielder never seemed pointless. The mayor smiled through his large mustache and was about to close the curtains, but noted that something was happening at the town square beneath his window.

A carriage bearing Gunther's sigils has stopped near the city fountain, and two people walked out. These were beautiful, young women with shapely figures, and they both were completely naked. About two dozen people who were at the town square noticed them immediately and rewarded them with their stares and comments. The girls seemed to act very differently, as the first one, a nice-looking redhead, strolled in a relaxed manner, waving to the people, smiling, and replying to their questioning looks. She wasn't just entirely shameless, she seemed to actively enjoy the attention. Another one, a cute blonde, was the complete opposite: she covered her privates with her hands, walked fast and all hunched over so people couldn't see her very well, and her eyes constantly darted left and right to see whether someone was staring.

"This is Katrina the firewielder, sent by The Supreme Judge," Gunther's soft voice said behind the mayor's back.

Ridzwalt nearly jumped as he heard his advisor. He just had a habit of appearing way too suddenly. His tall, skinny figure clad in a black magic robe with golden ornaments was akin to a shadow. The piercing gaze of his dark eyes could make anyone worry, even the mayor himself sometimes felt uncomfortable. The enchanted bandages covering Gunther's hands and head made him look even less human, he was closer to some kind of a mummy or a monster from a child's dream. The advisor's figure was always a stark contrast to the mayor, who was a rather large man with a round face surrounded by gray hair and a good-natured look in his emerald eyes.

"Interesting. And with her..." Ridzwalt started.

"Sophia. One of the local priestesses, abandoned her oath to the church and ran away to the forest. A traitor," Gunther said calmly.

"Huh. Interesting company," the mayor got surprised, "alright, let her be, the blonde might be useful for that knight, healing magic and all."

"Also, Gunther..." The mayor asked with uncertainty, "do you think the judge is pulling something here?"

"What do you mean, sir?" The dark mage replied, his voice a bit muffled due to the bandages.

"I mean... I understand that she must be a strong firewielder, but she looks more like a girl from an elven dance show at a late stage of her performance."

"She is in her birthday suit, yes. And she seems rather proud by it," the mage said with a slight grin, "the judge didn't specify this fact in his letter. But to me, it doesn't come as a surprise. The Supreme Judge always had a fascination with nude female bodies. Many said he indulged in it to an unhealthy degree. Now, whether it's some kind of a plan or he simply lost his mind in his impulses is unknown to me."

The mayor let out a sigh. Zardiw wasn't the most conservative town in the kingdom, mainly due to the ten percent of its population being solar elves. And these elves were known for their careless lifestyles and a culture called "naturism", they'd practice nude gathering in secluded natural locations to deepen their connection to the natural gods. But these places were truly secluded, no one ever thought about strolling naked through the town square. It was weird and out of place for pretty much any zardiwian. However, the mage craze was far weirder.

"Ugh. Alright, no matter," Ridzwalt concluded and waved his hand, "we need anyone we can get right now. If she's a good warrior, she'll be helping us to keep Zardiw safe, and I don't care if she wears only a scabbard while doing so. Treat her like what she is, a knight."

"Understood, sir," Gunther gave him a nod.

A minute later, two nudies were standing in front of the mayor's desk in the middle of his spacious cabinet in the town hall. Their bodies were such a stark contrast to the room's cold colors, dark furniture, and humble bookshelves filled with serious and monotonous works that the mayor could only look at the girls with awe. Katrina proudly introduced herself and her companion, who only nodded and gave a slight wave with a hand that covered her breasts.

The redhead told everything about her firewielding, how her old magic is unaffected by the craze, what her mission is and how she looks forward to ridding the city of the wizard corruption. The nude knight ended her speech by kneeling in front of the mayor with her sword in front of her, offering it to the noble cause. The priestess followed the example by awkwardly squatting beside her.

"Thanks, but there's no need to be so formal," said Ridzwalt with a kind smile, "maybe you two want a cup of tea? You must be tired from the road."

"Oh, thank gods!" Katrina nodded and arose, swiping the dust off her bare knees, "I'm all for being more informal. I heard you folks need me to kick some crazy wizards? I'm absolutely ready, just as my cute companion!"

The blond girl got up and gave a small nod, her eyes focused on the floor. While the tea was brewing, Gunther brought out a large map of the city and its outskirts. Its colors paled in comparison to the brightly red crosses covering more than a dozen of random places throughout the map, it seemed like they were only painted recently. Katrina quickly realized that the marks noted the rogue mages' locations. The advisor added that these weren't ordinary wizards from the school. Originally, almost two hundreds of them went insane, but the noble city watch (with the help of some mercenaries) was able to either kill or capture about a third, though suffering serious losses.

Another third became trapped in the magic district when the mayor ordered catapults to bombard the only bridge connecting it to the rest of the town, cutting the mage academy off as the last resort. Some passed out or killed each other, and the resulting number of crazy mages roaming around was close to fifty. Yet, the dozen marked by crosses were the most dangerous, as they were archwizards, former teachers, and professors with according levels of magic. They had varying abilities, but each one of them could plunge an entire district into chaos on their own.

"As you can see, the situation is quite dire," Gunther said, pointing with his finger, "we are holding our ground, but only because each of the mages seems to be doing something entirely random. They don't have any coordination, but should they all attack us at once..."

Katrina nodded. The issue was obvious, as each of the wizards seemed to prefer a different place. The wheat fields outside of the town, the canals stretching from the nearby river, some spots in the dirty slums, one even got into a brothel.

"Oh, was that one a geomancer? I think I already killed him," Katrina pointed at a cross placed between a bunch of trees.

"Yes... I heard the rumors about him being found dead. So be it, now there's only nine left," Gunther said and looked at the mayor, the latter gave him a confident smile and removed the cross.

Katrina liked their impressed looks, as she preferred her actions to speak for her. Then, there was a knock on the door and the mayor's eyes shifted towards it. The nude redhead recognized a familiar armor clanking and touched the handle of her sword. Gerda walked in with the same serious, unfriendly expression and saluted to the mayor. The redhead confidently stared her down, just like at the gates.

"Oh, greetings, Gerda. We were just about to discuss our tactics regarding the craze," Ridzwalt said, inviting the stoneborn to join in.

She gave Katrina another scornful look and tried to dispute her nakedness once again. Yet, the mayor and his advisor didn't mind the nudity at all and made her focus on more important matters. With this, they started talking about the mages and how to better handle them. It was decided that Gerda and the city watch will be able to deal with regular mages, but Katrina and Sophia will have to find and remove the archwizards. Katrina took note of every mage's abilities and positions, her cunning brain already devising various ideas on how to fight them and not the people get hurt. The girl was very attentive, soaking all useful information she was given while also suggesting tactical decisions and ideas of her own. They were well thought-out and quite useful due to her vast experience as a fighter.

But, as she was kin on mixing business with pleasure, the redhead also took time to tease Gerda with her poses. Katrina suggestively bent over the map in front of the stoneborn as if to point at one of the crosses, causing her to refocus her gaze. Then, she put her foot at the table, allowing everyone to glare at her tight, alluring pussy. She frequently made hand gestures that made her large breasts bounce and jiggle, attracting the gazes of everyone in the room. Near the end of the discussion, Katrina even got as far as putting both her knees on the table and practically standing on it on all four with her amazing backside pointed right at the city watch commander's face. Gerda was incredibly annoyed, yet couldn't do anything about it. As Katrina saw the anger on the stoneborn's face, she replied with a small, contended grin. Her little revenge for that situation at the gates was served perfectly.

Of course, the commander made one more attempt to convince the mayor that Katrina should wear armor as a militia to hide her nudity. Yet, Ridzwalt replied that technically the redhead didn't count as the militia, and wearing anything would impede her ability to fight, which was unreasonable. Gerda walked away defeated, while Katrina thanked the mayor for being such a good leader. They finished talking over some chamomile tea, discussing Katrina's nearest tasks and her accommodation. Gunther suggested the naked girls live in an elven inn to the south, as the solar elves had a more positive outlook on nudity in general.

"Also. One last request," the advisor added, "please... If possible, try to not kill the archwizards, but bring them to the town prison near the military district. There are efforts on making an anticraze potion, led by our mayor himself, and we'd like to save as many people as possible. We're unsure of what caused the insanity right now, but it's clear that the majority went rogue against their will."

"Sure," Katrina nodded, "but remember that there will be situations where I won't have a choice, unfortunately."

Their discussion was over, but as Katrina and Sophia left the town hall, the redhead asked her companion to wait for five minutes, as she wanted to ask Gunther about something, personally. The blondie looked left and right, afraid of all the people walking nearby, but Katrina reassured her and advised her to hide somewhere if the embarrassment will be too much. The redhead met Gunther on the staircase as he descended with a collection of various documents in his bandaged hands.

"Did you want anything?" He asked politely.

"I couldn't have noticed that you are also a wizard, sir," Katrina casually leaned against the wall, partially blocking the counselor's path, "were you also involved in the zardiwian magic academy?"

"No, I wasn't," he replied calmly, "the chancellor of the academy had another trusted archwizard who became a professor in the arts of dark magic. I merely observed their work as part of my duties, being the mayor's advisor and the head of the city council. In case you're wondering, I'm fully satisfied with my position and wish the professor to be returned to sanity."

"It is very nice of you. But I also noticed that you seem to be the only wizard who was somehow unaffected by the craze. What is your secret?"

"Oh, there is no secret. You see, the insanity takes one over when he tries to cast a spell. In a tragic turn of events, many mages went insane as they tried to defend themselves from other crazed mages with their spells. You are safe as long as you're not using any magic. However, many mages still suffer the secondary effects... An itch of sorts. Imagine having chickenpox, but instead of wanting to scratch your skin, you want to use your magic. Not a very pleasant experience, but indulging in it to get relieved will only make it worse."

"So... You're feeling it every moment? How did you manage that?" Katrina raised her eyebrow in surprise.