Play Testers Wanted Pt. 22

"I thought I was hallucinating or just deep in my imagination. There must be something to this Chi thing, after all."

"You... I mean, it is firmly believed that the earliest martial artists tapped into the Earth's Chi to replace what they lost when the dragon lines went to sleep. It wasn't as powerful, but it served its purpose."

"Is Nick gone?"

"Nick Shaw is dead and buried. If you are referring to your head," Qui said and touched my thoughts. "Let me in, deeper... deeper. Nothing, you will recover."

"Are all Osirians telepathic?" I asked, and Qui Wan nearly dropped her goblet. "Was it something I said?"

"Yes. Déjà vu, someone dear to me, once asked me that question. I miss him so much."

"The ones we love never truly die as long as we remember them. Hey, I got you." I said as I pulled her into my arms. "Shh, it will be okay."

Qui's body shook as she wept; this time, she was upset. Something cold touched my chest, and what felt like a pressure wave erupted outwards, and the sound of glass breaking echoed in my ears. Qui Wan's lips found mine, and nothing else mattered. She handed me her cup, and I held one in each hand as she sat in my lap while my back rested against the tree trunk. Her hunger was overwhelming, like a woman in the desert that found her oasis in me. Qui's hands cupped my face as the kiss deepened. I felt her reluctance when she broke the kiss.

"That was one hell of a kiss Qui," I said.

"Wait, I never told you my name."

"When I came out of the pool and your mind touched mine, your name popped into my head." I looked down and saw something glittering on my chest and belly. "What the hell is that?"

"It broke."

"Didn't you feel it?" I asked as I set the cups down carefully.

Qui kissed me again, driving out any more questions only to be replaced by a ravenous hunger. My hands roamed over her back and down to her ass and tail... tail? I stroked the length of it and Qui nearly became unstuck. Was it an erogenous zone for her? I cupped her ass cheeks and massaged them as she loosened her robe and freed her breasts which she pressed against my chest.

"A'sanag du sai... do you remember me?"

The vision I had received when looking at the wooden sign resurfaced. A woman was watching the man drive the post into the ground. Qui was that woman.

"There was a man and the signpost on the outskirts of Iram. You were there watching him. This was before the arrival of the stone and the pool. I saw the sign in the mansion's museum and had a vision triggered by the nexus."

"Kakatul no'vemtir... the dragon awakens."

"I know. The Ghost Lines are stirring."

"And so are you," Qui said as her fingers wrapped around my erection. During the vision, she loosened my pants and gained access to my cock. "Later, I will do anything you want, but now... Unn you are much bigger than last time."

My length slid between her labia and penetrated deep. Qui renewed the kiss as she rode me. She was a gifted lover and squeezed me as her hips lifted and relaxed on the way down. I wasn't in much of a position but to sit there and let Qui have her way with me. Poor me. I broke the kiss, bent my head, and suckled her tit. Her words haunted me, but I ignored them for now. My hands returned to her cheeks and massaged them until Left announced his presence.

"Ow, something bit me."

"Hello Love," Left said.

"Sinister, I should have remembered." Following Left's lead, I lightly bit Qui's nipple. "You always were a tits and ass man..." Qui said and stopped before saying my name. Why?

"Say my name."

"When the time is right, there is no rush. If I get on my hands and knees, will you fuck me?"

"Let's make some noise."

"I knew you wouldn't let me down," Left said in triumph.

Qui took up her position with her breasts pressed against the grass and her ass as high up as she could lift it. I knelt behind her, gripped her tail, lifted it, and slid my entire length into her pussy. As I pounded her, Left gave her tail the occasional tug, which seemed to get her going.

"Come for me, you dirty little slut."

"Yes, Master," Qui groaned. "Coming!"

Her pussy clamped down tight as her back arched, and Qui's head rose as she wailed. I ground against her and watched her asshole wink at me. Temptation rose in me, but I hardly knew her, though clearly, she appeared to know me from somewhere. Had one of my clones encountered her?

"Come on; I haven't drained your balls yet," Qui said.

I began moving again, and with each thrust, Qui let out a sound or colorful curse. She had initially come off so prim and proper, yet she was begging for my cock and willing to do anything for it.

"Ooh, you got harder when I said anything. Mmm, do you want to violate me? Tell me, and I'll do it."

My thumb brushed her asshole, and she pushed against my hand. My digit slipped past her ring of muscle. Qui begged me to do it, and to show her willingness, she pulled her cheeks apart and whimpered. I pulled out, pressed the tip against her, and slowly but relentlessly pushed forward.

"Almost there, Unn, just a little more," Qui said. She breathed a sigh of relief when the head popped inside her. It was Qui that finished it by pushing her hips backward. "It is where it belongs. Now you selfish son of a bitch, fuck me until I scream."

I did as she wished. My fingers wrapped around her tail, and I began moving and using it for leverage. Each time my balls slapped her clit Qui praised my cock. Our separate hunger fed the other until I felt the urge to climax.

"I am going to cum."

"Give it to me."

We both hollered as we came together. The next kiss left me breathless. The two of us recovered quickly and continued. Qui gripped the tree trunk as I pounded her from behind when Akira arrived.

"I knew it, didn't I tell you. Only Booker can make a woman make that kind of noise."

"Ooh, she looks close to coming again," Seiren said. "A prosperous sign indeed."

"Friend Booker's performance is intimidating."

I snatched a glance sideways to see the trio of Druin, Seiren, and Akira watching us from the foot of the hill. All three looked sweaty and a bit exhausted. It seems like Akira gave as good as she got. I was oddly proud of her. I returned my full attention to the pounding I was giving Qui.

"I love an audience," Qui said just before her body shook in climax. "Give it to me; let them see you fill my pussy."

"You asked for it," I said as I snatched the Osirian off her feet, faced the trio, and prepared to fuck Qui standing up. Akira rushed up, held my cock for me and winked.

"You are all lined up." I lowered Qui until a few inches slid into her, and then as I dropped her I thrust my hips. Luckily I managed to catch her before she fell. The sound Qui made was epic. "Ooh, he's giving her his A-game," Akira said.

"His hunger is overwhelming," Seiren whimpered. "Is he always that thick?"

"Yep. Oops, it looks like a crowd is about to arrive. Better hurry, or you'll have this all over the net."

I didn't care. Qui Wan's hunger blinded me to everything but emptying my balls inside her. With a quick adjustment of my grip, I held Qui aloft and thrust as hard and fast as possible. Her cries grew not only louder but higher and higher in pitch. It wasn't until I was right on the edge that I realized our minds had linked. We were feeding the other our desire, and as I lost control and climaxed, so did Qui. Our collective cry shook the tree and caused the cherry blossoms to fall. The sweat we had worked up caused the blooms to cling to our skin and hair. Panting and near exhaustion, I glanced up to a tree fully in flower.

"When did that happen?"

"Shortly after your cock invaded my ass, I think. Perhaps a bit later, but recently. Mmm, my ass and pussy are satisfied, for now."

I set her on her feet and reluctantly withdrew. As the crowd approached, I had enough time to get pants on. Qui basked in her pleasure and ignored her nakedness.

"Did our lovemaking do this?"

"As you said, the Ghost Lines are awakening," Qui replied.

"Our proximity to the tree did this?"

"A good an answer as any," Qui said. "We can clean up at my place. It isn't far from here."

Qui collected her clothes, and there sparkling on the ground between the earthbound petals were glittering particles of glass or crystal. Now that my head was clear, I remembered the sensation of something cold touching my chest and the burst of energy afterward. Qui grabbed my hand and pulled me forward, leaving Akira with Druin and Seiren. I was sure she'd be able to hold her own and then some.

"I will try to explain and connect the dots you might not have realized were important at the time. A hot shower and cold beer are waiting."

I found her tail and bare ass quite inviting as we walked along the path. Qui kept the pace slow, so I had time to admire her backside.

"I work for Numenor as a technical advisor. Nick initially hired me, and Kat kept me on after his demise. I, along with others, created the BMI. AI are fine for most things, but even they have their limitations. I wrote the final code that allowed the BMI to function safely and efficiently. They tested the alpha and beta versions on death row inmates. Those that didn't go batshit crazy were scanned, probed, and monitored to see why they endured while others didn't. Doctors autopsied the dead to see what parts of the brain were damaged. I won't bore you with the details, but it was a matter of finding the right amount of power input to maintain the connection without overwhelming the cells and inflicting long-term damage."

"You discovered the sweet spot."

"That is one way of putting it; damn, you have me soaked all over again. Must stay on task. It is my job to monitor any unusual events inside the game. The AI collective monitors players for signs of fatigue, drugs, or anything else that might do irreparable damage."

"Thus the time limit for players to remain in the game."

"Exactly. You might recall an event that happened to you when you faced multiple versions of yourself. I wrote that code just for you so we could put things to rest once and for all."

"Yeah, what a head trip that ended up being."

"Indeed. Those weren't multiple AI pretending to be you; those were the remaining clones meeting one last time. We terminated their life signs after that event. You had to be there for reasons that will become clear in the next day or two, a week at the most."

"There can be only one," I said in my best Christopher Lambert voice.

"You and your damn impersonations," Left said, surprising Qui and me.

"You are still pissy, I see."

"Less so after the shagging you gave Qui here. I haven't tugged on the tail of so fine an Osirian in ages."

"I will take that as a compliment. The bath awaits, and I am sure you have questions."

We washed off the sweat and funk before entering the enormous stone bath. Something happened, and Qui kept quiet about it, and I suspected she wanted me to uncover the significance on my own. I let her words sink in as I repeatedly replayed the scene in my head.

"Did they receive the same treatment I did?"

"Yes, each was given an IV with a gene therapy to aid regeneration and fortify their cellular structure. Most had severe genetic drifts while one managed to escape and take up residence here."

"I was the only one to have a positive reaction."

Qui only nodded, and I tried to visualize a circle of tanks holding us in a dream-like state. My mind latched onto the opening scene from the original Alien movie with Sigourney Weaver, John Hurt, and Ian Holm. The cryo-couches were so immaculate and gleaming in the low light. So many lives were interconnected and fragile. Interconnected, the word stuck out, but I didn't know why. As far as I knew, I was the sole survivor, and I would be grateful for that and remind myself when things took a turn for the worst.

"I am grateful, and that is enough."

"Humble to the end," Qui said. "Doesn't it bother you that your woman spends time with Druin and Seiren?"

"She isn't my woman. Akira is my friend. We happen to have certain benefits."

"Monogamy isn't in your wheelhouse?"

"No, I doubt I could settle down with one woman. Perhaps it is my wandering nature."

"Well spoken. Do you love Akira?"

"Absolutely, I would do anything if she asked."

"How do you feel about me, Booker?" It felt strange when she said my name. For some reason, I expected her to use something else.

"I am fond of you, yet there is something deeper and profound. I am not sure I am expressing myself very well."

"Like a stone falling in a still pool," Qui said as she tossed a smooth white rock into the tub.

I was back on Tython, looking down at the water next to the Je'Daii temple. For a long moment, I could do nothing but stand there and exist, the sound of the insects, a whippoorwill, and the loud double clack of the Shishi Odoshi bamboo water fountain. The second sharp report snapped me back to the present. My head swiveled to see the bamboo tube filling from a bamboo pipe where water trickled from it into the tip with its angled cut surface.

"I find the Asian culture quite soothing and thought-provoking."

"Am I a man dreaming he is a dragon or a dragon dreaming he is a man. I think it is time for me to go. May I trouble you for company another day?"

"My door is always open to you... Booker."

Qui clad me in Osirian scarlet and gold, and this clothing wasn't civilian garb but the attire of a wandering monk. I suspected the colors represented a particular Osirian clan or family. A few minutes later, I was wandering around the streets of Iram. My gaze was fixed on the brick sidewalk when I noticed the cobblestone alley ahead. Curiosity took over, and I peeked and found it utterly normal. And yet I wanted to see what was beyond my line of sight at the end. So, I entered the alleyway, and everything looked mundane at first. The odd thing was the T-shaped opening at the far end, and the pull drew me down the right-hand side. There was more alley to explore and, this time, a four-way intersection. I went with my gut and went to the right again. The passage continued, and I followed the psychic tug each time I reached a choice. The alley eventually widened, and I exited it to a sunlit park.

"What the actual fuck?" I cursed, seeing the sun hanging directly overhead. "It was getting near sunset, so how can the sun just shift around like this?" I asked aloud, and Left began laughing aloud. "What is so damn funny?"

"Welcome to the Maze," Left chuckled.

"The Maze," I said and walked around exploring the park. That's right; the satyr had mentioned the Maze at the bar. The Dutchman was here somewhere, but where was here?

Four structures stood taller than the tree line. The closest was a dark stone tower, which Left said stood near the Maze's center. The other three had a spiritual aspect to them. One was a Japanese prayer gate, another was a stone circle akin to Stone Henge, and the last was an intricately carved Totem Pole.

"Those are the anchor points," Left explained. "Those spiritual icons affix the three corners of the Maze. The tower is new to me."

"You have been here before," I said, and he spoke of his visit here millennia ago.

"Long before the Egyptians built the pyramids, the Maze stood nearly empty. I foolishly explored this place and left. If I had been wiser, I would have laid claim to it and the vast power it contains. We all make mistakes." Left said, and I could feel his remorse.

"Who built this place? Hell, what is this place," I asked, and I felt Left's mental shrug.

"The best guess I ever heard is that this is a demi-plane attached to the Earth via those structures. I think it was the Anunnaki," Left offered. "Hey, since we are here, let's check out the market."

"Why not."

It wasn't hard navigating from the park to the central market. One look, and I swore I was back in the game. There were so many near and non-human races it made me, for the Nth time, question my sanity and whether or not this was a game setting. Left assured me that what I was seeing was real. The Maze's citizens and visitors blended without any apparent prejudice or conflict. Once I adjusted to the strangeness, the open-air market reminded me of something you'd see in Europe or the Middle East. Dozens of stalls with anything from food to tech to gems and jewelry. As I spoke with merchants and customers alike, I learned the Maze bordered a hundred parallel Earths and what travelers called free-floating dimensions.

"It's him," a uniformed human said as he approached me.

"Come with us," his female partner added. "Please."

"I haven't done anything wrong. I am only looking around. Your hair is green."

"Oh crap, not again," the male security officer cursed.

"Shut. Up." His partner growled.

"I am not belittling you. Green is cool."

"Green means go," the male office laughed.

"Huh?"

"Ignore him," the female officer said.

They led me to the tall, dark stone tower looming above the Maze. Near the entrance to the structure was a pair of double doors that opened as we approached. An elevator propelled by glowing blue energy rose to the summit silently and without a sense of movement.

"It has inertial dampners. It keeps things smooth," the woman explained. "You are here. The twins will see you alone. Follow the hall to the red door."

As quickly as I had met her, the doors closed, and I was alone in an executive-level corridor. Thin dark pedestals appeared every ten feet on either side of the hall, and objets d'art from a hundred worlds or alien dimensions were hovering above them. The scarlet door loomed ahead. If I were under arrest, I wouldn't be on my own. Who were these twins? My thoughts raced as I leisurely approached the end of the hallway.

"Only one way to find out."

I perambulated slowly down the path admiring the beautiful and grotesque relics, and tried to match them with the beings I had seen in the market. The red door opened without assistance, and the room beyond reminded me of the Collector from the Marvel side of the game. The rarest objects crafted from the most valuable substances decorated the aerie that looked out over the Maze.

"I think it is him," a thin, reedy voice said.

"I remember him," another soft voice added.

I saw the two scarecrow-thin figures standing on opposite sides of a catwalk that ringed the chamber's upper level. The twins were nearly identical with their coal-black eyes, narrow skulls, and long-beaked noses. They wore matching black suits with crimson trim and neckties the color of blood.

"Thank you for the invitation."

"Brother, he welcomes us," one of the twins said and smiled.

"Indeed he does," the other added.

"We are honored," they said in one voice. "The Booker stands before us. How may we serve you?"

"Serve?" I said when my stomach rumbled.

"Freak!"

"Gear!"

A man and a woman rushed into the chamber via a hidden sliding door. The man was six and a half feet tall, heavily muscled, and moved with speed and grace despite his stocky frame. The woman's feet never seemed to touch the floor as she danced in and spun to face one of the twins. She was six feet tall, clad in a black, silver, and red camouflage uniform and odd footwear. Her boots were flexible and sturdy, offering plenty of protection and maneuverability by their design.

"Food for our esteemed guest," one of the twins ordered.

"Break out the best wine for his consumption," the other dictated.

"Holy fucking shit, it's Booker!" The man cursed.

"No wonder they are in such a state," the woman said.

A round stainless steel table rose from the floor on hydraulic legs, and a matching chair joined the table next to it. I sat and the chair adjusted to my body as I settled into it. The brothers never moved, and neither did their unblinking gaze leave me.