Magic has Benefits Ch. 03

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Oskar had wanted to get far away from the town, so he rode the poor horse a little faster than was probably necessary. They galloped down the main rode as fast as the gelding could carry the two of them. It wasn't a very large horse, but Riley didn't really weigh much so they made good time.

Speaking of Riley, he was holding on to Oskar for dear life. Oskar found it strangely adorable, as he barely felt his arms around his waist. Riley really wasn't very strong.

"Is there any... oof! Particular reason you're going at a breakneck pace!?" Riley raised his voice over the clattering of hooves on packed dirt, "looking to get rid of me as fast as possible?"

At this point, the sun had fully set and Oskar, having been pulled out of his focus, pulled on the reigns, causing the horse to slow down.

"My apologies," Oskar looked back at the now dark road with a frown, "I didn't like the looks those folk were giving us. Staying around longer than we did would have tempted our fates."

"So?" Riley huffed, "You think any of those inbred morons were an actual threat to people like you and I? We probably could have turned the entire town of Lilly Wallow into an impromptu graveyard, with what remained of their houses as the only tombstones."

Oskar frowned, "Riley. Why do you speak like that? Everyone in that town had a life. Every life has..."

"Don't give me the whole 'all life has meaning' talk," Riley snapped at him, "A large number of people exist purely to waste our oxygen and food. And all they give back is close minded, bigoted drivel. You can't seriously look at me and say that entire town's worth of people amounted to the value of just a single one of you or me. Let alone the both of us. So if they had attacked us, why shouldn't we defend ourselves? What good are they going to accomplish in their entire lives that we as a pair couldn't trounce in an evening of effort?"

Oskar didn't say anything for a moment, just listened as Riley ranted, the anger he felt clearly etched into each syllable. Though clearly Riley was now waiting for him to respond. He had the horse go forward in a small trot while he mulled those words over in his mind.

He finally spoke, "Perhaps. Perhaps we will amount to more than they will on a wider scale. But out there somewhere, a child is playing with their father and both are happy. Their positive energy feeds into the world, and you told me yourself that energy can power your magics. But for that father to leave one day and never return, because I felled him? That happiness is dashed from this world. Aside from the magical implications that would interest you, I simply don't want to be the cause of a stranger's grief, if I can help it. Be that of a husband, wife, child, or parent."

Riley huffed at that, "I watched you kill three goblins not but a week ago. You didn't even blink."

"They were trying to kill us," he sighed, "Listen Riley. I'm saying that I agree with you to a point. But back in the town, there was a way out that didn't require violence, so I took it."

"Speaking of," Riley shifted on the horse a bit, rubbing against Oskar's back muscles. Oskar tried not to notice, "I had begun to suspect that I'd somehow grown a soft spot for you over the time I'd known you. That your words only worked on me. But you just talked our way out of a forming mob. I've never been able to accomplish something like that without literal magic."

"I told you before," Oskar tried not to feel too flattered, but smiled a bit anyway, "My father was a well mannered scholar. He was well learned in many things, but he was an expert with people. He was actually briefly part of the King's court."

"You're joking," Riley smiled as well, "Surely not!"

"Well, he said he was," Oskar chuckled, "And considering his tendency towards rather brutal honesty with my sister and I, I don't see why he would lie. But I suppose it's a possibility."

"Well, I honestly don't doubt it," Riley's smile and tone turned soft as he leaned his head on Oskar's back, "As I said, you're more rare than your amulet. I've seen dozens upon dozens of magical trinkets. But I can count on one hand the amount of people I can stand, let alone actually like."

Oskar gave a small smile before saying, "Let's make camp, shall we?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A half hour later, Oskar and Riley were situated next to a glowing fire. A tent had been set up close enough to the fire to be exposed to some of its warmth, but not close enough to be at risk of catching flame.

Riley was warming his hands with a thick blanket over his shoulders, clearly feeling the chill of the night much more than Oskar. He shuddered and pulled the blankets closer.

"I am suddenly reminded of why I don't like camping," he muttered a bit into the blanket.

Oskar had been staring into the flame. A nagging thought had been brewing in his mind all day. As he stared into the flickering light, a question began to bubble to the surface.

Riley slid closer to him, now shoulder to shoulder with the half orc, "Are you cold too darling? Cause I was thinking... I could probably find a way to repay you for the horse..."

The sultry tone was back, and he reached one of his cold hands up to place it on Oskar's warm neck.

Oskar chuckled, "You say that as if you're providing a service that would usually require payment."

"Well, you know what they say," he slid on to Oskar's lap and wrapped his arms around his broad shoulders, "If you enjoy what you do, you'll never work a day in your life."

They brought their lips together and began to kiss each other next to the warm glow of the

campfire light. As the flame light danced across the trees and the faces of the odd pair, the question burned hotter in Oskar's mind than he suspected the fire did.

He pulled away and his soft smile faded to something more serious, "Riley. I have to ask you something. Something you said earlier really bothered me, and I want an answer from you."

Riley pulled back, arching an eyebrow, "Yes darling?"

"If... if a spellcaster used a spell to make me do something I didn't want to do... is that it?" He asked, looking more anxious than Riley had thought Oskar was capable of, "Do I just have to do it? If another wizard told me to stab you, would I not be able to stop myself?"

Riley let out his musical chuckle, "It depends on how you're stabbing me if I should be concerned or not."

"Riley, please... I'm serious."

Riley's mischievous expression melted into a more sincere one, "Well... yes and no. You remember how I gave you the anti-venom to the Svenvasp sting? I told you most other mortals probably would have died from it long before they got it treated. You managed to tough it out. Think of magical effects like that, but instead of it being your physical fortitude, it was mental. So that venom probably would have killed me if it went untreated for as long as you did, but another spell wielder would have a very hard time making me do anything I didn't want to. I've trained my mind extensively."

Oskar pondered that for a moment and then asked, "So... is it enough for me to have all the general knowledge that I do? Or is it more than that?"

"It's definitely more than that," Riley gave a small chuckle, "I cast one spell on you and it was during our first ever round of sex. You flopped right over, remember? You think a shove like that could have toppled you normally? Probably not, but the magical nature of my spell was too foreign for you, so it worked."

Oskar drummed his fingers across Riley's thighs as the wizard was still straddling him, "Is there a way I could prepare myself? Mental training perhaps?"

"Sure," Riley shrugged, "But the best way would be to simply have spells cast upon you so you could recognize how it feels like and therefore how to resist."

Oskar nodded, "Would you do that for me?"

Riley seemed briefly taken aback by that. He raised his eyebrow again and said, "You want me to cast spells on you?"

Oskar nodded, "Please. I want to be prepared."

Riley blinked, "What...? Like right now?"

"If you wouldn't care," Oskar gave Riley his most sincere smile, "I want to know how to protect myself, and I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have as a teacher. I trust you Riley Volstrand."

Riley stared, wide eyed. He didn't say anything, but Oskar could see something in Riley was deeply appreciative, but simultaneously distrustful. And from what Oskar knew, it wasn't that Riley distrusted Oskar.

It was that he distrusted himself.

Riley turned away from the half orc, looking away from the warrior and the warm fire to instead gaze into the dark shadows of the woods. He didn't say anything at first. The firelight illuminated half of his face but cast the side closest to Oskar in shadow. This did little to hide the troubled look that had graced his features.

After a moment, he took a small breath and said, "You'll eventually learn not to. You may even learn that tonight if you give me power over you. I told you before darling, I'm a megalomaniac. Power goes to my head and I love forcing people to do things, especially when they don't want to do it. I'd only hurt you."

Riley almost jumped as the large half orc hand gently touched his cheek and pushed Riley's face to look at Oskar's. They stared into each other's eyes for a long moment.

"I trust you Ry," he said in a bit of a growl, "And you're not going to change that by doing what I told you to do. I am aware of the potential consequences, and yet I'm giving you the go ahead. Please. For me."

The slight wizard's eyes began to moisten slightly and his jaw fell a little slack with emotion. Before that got too out of hand though, he blinked hard and smirked mischievously.

"Very well, consider this payment for the pocket watch," Riley laughed and pushed himself off of the half orc, "Stand up and draw your sword."

Oskar frowned as he started to stand up as well, "Riley... I don't want to hurt..."

"I'm not going to make you stab me," Riley rolled his eyes, "Not yet at least. I'm going to make you drop it. I swear, almost a fifth of the sentences you've said to me have had 'don't want to hurt you' somewhere in them."

Oskar was still a little concerned, but he knew he was barely getting Riley to do this in the first place. He figured arguing with him would be counterproductive. So he drew his sword and held it to his side in a non aggressive manner.

"Alright, now ready yourself," Riley instructed, looking at him intensely. Oskar noticed the pink glow in his eyes intensify, "Try to hold on to your sword, no matter what you do."

Oskar gave a curt nod and clenched the hilt of his sword until his knuckles turned white. He had been obsessing over this worry since Riley had mentioned it, and he was desperate to retain full control over his actions. He...

"DROP IT."

Riley's voice came to Oskar from every direction at once. From all around the treeline that surrounded their campsite, from the ground beneath him and the stars above. From outside of his own self... from inside.

The chorus of voices spoke in different pitches and different tones, some angelic and some demonic.

Oskar blinked at this strange occurrence and looked over to his hand to see it empty. His sword was in the dirt next to his feet. He looked up at Riley, stunned by this. Riley was simply smirking.

"I told you darling, it's very difficult to resist," he seemed smug somehow. Was it in an 'I told you so' sort of way? Or was this the megalomania that he had warned the warrior about.

Oskar let out a huff and picked his sword back up, "Again please. I want more practice."

Riley chuckled, "Very well. Prepare yourself."

Oskar opted this time to stare at his sword hand. He clenched his fist again, preparing himself. This time, he wouldn't let the strange voices distract him.

"DROP IT."

Much like last time, the voices came from all over, but Oskar was ready this time. He stared at his hand and willed himself not to let go. Just as he willed himself to take another step in his long journey through the desert. Just as he willed himself to fight the monsters of his past, both physical and mental. He clenched his jaw, a vein on his temple bulging. His hand shook for a moment, his fingers threatening to let go. He grounded his teeth and his legs shook.

And then the voices passed, his sword still in his hand.

He exhaled heavily, not having realized sweat had began to bead up on his forehead and chest. He grinned excitedly and faced Riley.

Riley's eyes were wide and his jaw was slack with shock. He was looking at Oskar with a mixture of astonishment, amazement, and even a little bit of annoyance.

"That... how...!?" Riley stammered a bit, looking at the sword and pointing.

"I just... really don't like the idea of being a puppet..." Oskar explained, a pride welling in him.

He had just resisted magic.

Riley's expression hardened and the irritation was now clear, "I see."

He walked over to the fire, where they kept a collection of sticks to add to it. He yanked one up, walked until he was facing Oskar and held it out. Without waiting for the warrior to prepare himself, he dropped the stick.

"DROP IT."

Oskar felt his whole body lurch this time. This was Thaumaturgey and the difference was immense. His body shook violently and his knees gave out beneath him as the mental effort almost physically exhausted him. His arm felt as if it was holding up an entire horse by itself, and the strain of holding on to his sword was unbearable. It was as if the sword weighed more than ten anvils and was also sending electric pulses up his tendons. Oskar felt himself yell with exertion as he refused to let go of his blade.

The feeling passed and Oskar had to reach out his spare hand to catch himself as he nearly collapsed into the dirt. He was breathing heavily, sweat coating his body and tremors running through his muscles.

But the sword remained in his hand.

He got shakily to his feet and fixed his eyes across the camp to Riley, who had crossed his arms and was staring. Oskar couldn't tell if the wizard was more impressed or more indignant.

Oskar couldn't help himself. He grinned as he sheathed the sword, "Well master mage. It seems I'm capable of resisting at least a part of your talents."

Riley clenched his teeth, "That was just a weak spell. Plus, you knew what my intent was. If you didn't know, you wouldn't have been prepared and wouldn't have been able to resist me."

"I think you're just a sore loser."

Oskar had meant for that statement to be in good fun, to be a harmless jest. But in his current state, he huffed it in a way that may have been construed as goading.

Riley's eyes narrowed and he sneered, hissing out his next words, "You think so, Mr. Grawl?"

Oskar hesitated, "Riley, I didn't mean to..."

"You know, I'm interested to see something," Riley interrupted him, "You've judged me for being angry and I've yet to even see you raise your voice. I think it's high time I see what an angry Oskar looks like."

"Angry?" He frowned, "What...?"

"ER IRA ADPREHENDET VOS."

Oskar flinched and readied himself. He heard Riley's voice do that weird everywhere and nowhere thing... but nothing else seemed to happen.

He scoffed, "What, was that one a dud?"

His tone and even the words surprised him. He hardly ever spoke in such a disrespectful way.

Riley gave a cocky smirk, "Ah! As I guessed. Subtly isn't your strong suit, is it?"

Oskar almost growled, and his tone was deep and irritated, "What in the nine hells are you on about you fucking...?"

He clamped his mouth shut. Cursing? At Riley? He wouldn't dare.

"You fucking what?" Riley cupped a hand behind his ear and cocked his head towards him, "I didn't catch that last part."

He was goading him. Oskar knew that and it wouldn't have worked five minutes ago. But for whatever reason, he felt heat rise in his shoulders, neck, and face.

"You arrogant, cocky, know-it-all slut!" He yelled, closing the distance between them in two easy strides.

Riley didn't even flinch. In fact, the smirk only widened, "All these things are correct, yes."

Oskar was right in front of him, a towering mass of muscle and frustration. His chest was heaving and he was glaring down at Riley with burning orange eyes.

"You think you're better than everyone! All those townspeople? Beneath you. The fucking king? Beneath you! Me!?"

"Come on now, you know the only time you're beneath me is when I'm taking you for a ride," Riley let out that musical chuckle again.

Oskar growled, "Are you treating this like a joke? What even is this!? It's like I'm more mad than I've ever been! And I just... don't..."

He stopped, now considering what was happening. Why was he so angry? Why... he almost started to calm down out of pure confusion.

Riley wasn't about to let that happen though. This was just getting promising.

"And yes, everyone is beneath me," He snapped Oskar out of his thought, "There isn't a mortal being alive that is more important than me. Especially to me."

"That is just so...!"

"Arrogant?" Riley ventured mischievously, "Selfish? Like I've got some kind of God complex? Check, check, and check again Mr. Grawl."

"Stop calling me that!"

"Or what?" Riley chuckled again, and at the moment, the sound was maddening, "You gonna take charge? That would be a first since we've met. By the weave, even sexually I'm the one pushing you around. You treat me like I'm made of a thousand year old parchment! You couldn't put me in my place even if you tried!"

There was a part of Oskar's brain that immediately recognized what this was. Riley was an opportunist, and was using this moment they had created to make Oskar act more aggressive sexually, which he had obviously refused to do. He was much bigger and stronger than Riley and was always afraid of hurting him. That part of him was yelling from the back of his mind, telling him to calm down. This was a spell, and he shouldn't let it effect him like this.

At that moment, Oskar might have been able to snap out of the stupor he'd been put in. But maybe... maybe this would be okay.

So he gave into what was in this moment, instinct.

"Is that so?" He growled in a dangerously low tone, mocking Riley's words from earlier.

"It is s..." Riley managed to get out.

Before Oskar's hand shot up and grabbed him by the throat.

Riley's eyes briefly shot open in surprise before taking on their slutty stare.

"Really?" Oskar chuckled darkly in a condescending manner, taking his other hand and grabbing the back of Riley's soft head, "this is turning you on? Just how deeply have you fallen into degeneracy?"

"I'm not sure..." Riley gasped through Oskar's grip, "Why don't you... do some research and... we'll find out together?"

"You fucking slut," Oskar let go of his neck. He placed the hand across the side of his head, a large thumb placed under his chin. He pushed diagonally up and back, forcing Riley's head to face upwards. Oskar descended on his exposed neck and began to aggressively suckle the soft skin.

Riley gasped as his neck was suddenly under assault. Lines of electricity were already shooting through his body as Oskar went to work. He left behind various hickies as his lips suctioned against Riley's throat. This was easily far more aggressive than the man had been and truthfully, Riley should have been satisfied and kept his mouth shut at this point.

But he never really was satisfied, was he?

"Really...?" He breathed past Oskar's efforts. The warrior was massive and made Riley feel incredibly small in his embrace. The heat was rising between them rapidly, which only added to both their arousal, "You call this... putting me in my place...? I've seen mama cats use more bite force... to pick up their newborn kit..."