Sindara Ch. 04

"Travelers warned us ahead of time of your approach," she said, "I'm Nausan, captain of the militia. What business does a human have in Nelanthas, especially accompanied by a wanted fugitive and the parthen girl?"

"I am here peacefully, I assure you," I said.

"Yet you just happened to arrive not two days after we were attacked by demons," the captain said. I glanced upward and spotted more signs of the recent skirmish. Scorch marks had scored the walls, and what I had thought was a ring of rubble all around the wall was, in fact, demon bones: hundred upon hundreds of them. But it wasn't a massive horde, or else the carnage would have been catastrophic. I turned back to the guards, who, on closer inspection, I realized all had recent injuries. One of them favored one of her legs in particular, while the other leg was wrapped in a blood-stained bandage.

"I was probably brought here by the same event that summoned the demons, but I swear I had no part in it." Well, not me personally, and not intentionally at any rate.

"That sword," Nausan said, "I know it. You're a paladin, aren't you?" You noticed the other four guards reach for their weapons while Ilnara and Taolung did the same.

"I am aware that my order fought against the drakes in the last war," I said, "but I have no quarrel with you. I wish only to find three of my comrades who I believe may be lost on this world as I am."

"Well, they aren't here," Nausan said.

"That's a shame," I said, "I was told there was a sorceress here, though. I wish to petition her services." Nausan eyed Taolung now with menace.

"And what about them?" the captain asked, "This one is wanted for murder and banditry, and the other is cursed four generations."

"Ilnara saved my life," I explained, "And Taolung has agreed to redeem her crimes by pledging her service to me as my apprentice. And by The Treaty of Argendale, signed between our two peoples in peace after the war, the Paladin Code is recognized by Sindaran authority." Nausan approached closer, and I held my breath. Ilnara started to slowly draw her sword, but I motioned for her to stop. The captain of the militia was now looming over Taolung.

"I don't question your order's moral code, just her honesty," Nausan said, "You know that she killed her sensei and three other innocent people?"

"It got out of hand," Taolung tried to defend herself, "They weren't supposed to be harmed, but they drew their weapons first."

"I don't like letting her walk free," Nausan said, "But the Paladin Code is law, whether I agree with foreign laws or not. Fine, I officially recognize her as a paladin. But she may never leave your service as long as she remains on this planet." I released the breath I was holding and nodded.

"Thank you, ma'am," I said.

"What's your name, human?" Nausan asked.

"Paladin Adiran Horas, ma'am," I said, "Argendale Chapter."

"Welcome to Nelanthas, Sir Adiran," she said, donning her helmet, "Just obey our laws while your here." She whistled to the women on the wall who raised the gate for us.

The usual crowd you find at the gates of every city was present. Merchants of every kind hawked their wares, beggars sat in whatever shade they could find trying to earn the attention of whoever walked by, and children ran underfoot, threatening to trip me if I didn't watch my step. It was a chaotic din at first, but as we moved on, people stopped what they were doing and stared in awe. Before we even left the main square, the crowd had fallen silent, and the women we met stopped in their tracks as I passed.

"See, I told you there was a human," someone whispered.

"What is that thing? Why doesn't it have a tail and scales?"

"A man? By, the gods."

Some women still stared maliciously, Ilnara pulled me closer, and I followed her to the very center of the city where the tallest tower stood.

"This is it," she said finally, "The sorceress's tower."

"If she can send me home, this might be the last time we ever see each other," I said.

"I certainly hope not," Ilnara said and wrapped her arms around me for a long, sensuous kiss that made Taolung roll her eyes. I enjoyed her kiss and tried to give it back with as much passion as she gave me, but all too soon, she pulled away.

"Thanks for everything," she said, "And I hope you find your friends, wherever they are."

"I know it's unlikely, but if you're ever in Argendale, come and find me," I said, "I will be very happy to see you again if you know what I mean." Ilnara bit her lip and purred.

"Bye, little boy," she said.

"Bye, old lady," I said back. She looked back at me the whole time while walking away, and I thought she might even be crying, but she rounded the corner and disappeared before I could be sure.

"Are we really going to your homeworld?" Taolung asked.

"Honestly, I have no idea," I said, "But you seem strangely at ease with the idea of emigrating to another planet."

"At ease?" Taolung asked, "You think I'm at ease? Everything I know is here, and now I might have to throw it all away like it never existed."

"Well, I feel the same way about possibly being trapped on this world," I said, "Just be ready for anything, I suppose."

"I'm not sure I'm ready for a lifetime of servitude," she said.

"It's too late for that now. You heard the captain of the militia," I said, "You could have tried your chances in the wilderness."

"No. I couldn't have," Taolung said, "Let's just get this over with. It's easier to jump into a freezing pond all at once."

When we entered the tower, I was immediately stunned. The main chamber was vast beyond comprehension. It must have been half the height of the entire structure. In the center was a raised platform, twenty feet high, with stairs leading up either side. A huge conifer grew from the platform and reached hundreds of feet high. Its highest most branches were shrouded in fog, for the room was so high that it had its own internal weather. Then I realized this room couldn't be half as tall as the tower; it was more like half-again as tall as the entire tower. The structure was greater on the inside than on the outside. There were no windows, but it was lit from within by a spiral of floating blue crystals. They twisted around the great tree until they were out of sight in the clouds. Even Taolung stood there speechless with her mouth agape like me.

"Do you have anything like this on your world?" she asked.

"Only among the most powerful wizards of all mankind," I said, "I've certainly never met them." Then I noticed that we weren't alone. Before us was a figure in a blue cloak with a hood that hid most of her face. Only her red lips and glowing violet eyes were visible.

"Greetings, paladin," she said, "The sorceress is expecting you."

"I'm expected?" I asked.

"Nothing happens in this country without her knowing," the cloaked woman explained. Her voice was monotonous, sensuous, and inviting. Along with her eyes, it was almost hypnotic. True dragons' eyes were infamous for their hypnotic powers, and I was reminded of Sharonna's eyes as well. I shook my head and looked down at her mouth instead to break the enchantment.

"She's anxious to meet you," the woman explained, "We have seen no adult males for twenty-one years. Now, a holy knight visits our tower in our hour of greatest need when demons surround our city and choke the life out of our lands."

"You're not the sorceress?" I asked.

"I am but her handmaiden," the woman explained, "The Crystal Sorceress may never touch the ground, so I serve her in all matters at this altitude and below. Now please, follow me." She led us to a door in the central platform but held out her hand at Taolung.

"Not her," the woman declared, "Just you."

Taolung looked at me apprehensively and said, "I'll wait here for you." I nodded and followed the cloaked woman through the door.

We walked out the other side onto a balcony that was hundreds of feet in the air, and I hid my face from the biting, cold wind. I looked behind me through the open door, but the other side was a sheer drop. I cringed away from the edge and turned around to behold all of Nelanthas below me. I wasn't in the tower anymore; I was on a mountain overlooking the city from across the river.

Before I could try to wrap my head around the magical forces required for this, the woman raised a staff made of one solid crystal over her head. I wasn't certain if she had it before. Then, a light as bright as the sun shone out of it, forcing me to cover my eyes.

The light faded a moment later, but nothing happened yet. I was about to ask the woman what was supposed to happen when I spotted a being with immense wings flying toward us. It was another half-dragon woman who nearly blew me off the platform as she landed. She wore a single piece of tight, silver leather which seemed like it had to be sewn onto her body, probably a flight suit for aerodynamics. Her skin was so white it was almost silver, with metallic, cobalt hair, and she had five horns made of crystal that looked very much like the points of a royal crown.

The other woman bowed low before her and presented the staff to her mistress. I felt almost instinctually compelled to kneel as well. Even though I was cut off from my magic, I could feel the power radiating from her like heat waves.

The sorceress took the staff and said, "Thank you, Roselle. You may return to your duties."

"Yes, mistress," the cloaked woman said and left through the same door that led to a hundred-foot drop on the other side.

Magic.

I kept bowing until she laid a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Rise, sir knight," she said. I did as asked and craned my head back to look her in the eyes. I had to, or else my vision was at the same height as her breasts. They were much grander than any human woman's, and the neckline of her flight suit plunged all the down her cleavage.

"Indulging yourself?" she asked.

"Uh," I glanced down just a second, then back up at her captivating smile.

"It's alright," she said, "I have nothing to be ashamed of about my body."

"Clearly," I said, "Your handmaiden said you knew I would come. I take it you also know why I am here."

"Yes," she said, "But it's uncouth to discuss business right away. Will you please join me?"

"Join you for what?" I asked. She didn't answer, but I took her hand without thinking, and we walked back through the door into the side of the mountain. This time we emerged in a new room, clearly her private chambers. It was a large room with a tall ceiling meant for a woman seven feet tall.

The space was furnished pristinely. Every piece of art and furniture looked like it cost my entire year's wages, and I thought of my and Ilnara's families farming dirt. Magical equipment adorned every tabletop making the room a laboratory as much as a living space.

"You are my guest, Adiran, so make yourself comfortable," she said.

"I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage," I said, "You know who I am, but I barely know two women on this entire planet."

"I am Crystalline," she said, "Sorceress of Nelanthas. My mother is the queen of this country."

"Pardon me then, milady," I said, "I didn't know I was with royalty."

"And yet you bowed all the same," she said.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," I said.

Crystalline returned with a bottle of wine and poured a glass for each of us.

"Our drinks may be too potent for your kind," she said. I downed it all at once anyway and stifled a burp. I prefer an ale or a strong mead, but the wine was delicious all the same.

After that, Crystalline tried to make light conversation, although I simply wanted to move on to business. She wanted to know where I was from because she had visited Cadionia decades ago. She had not seen Argendale, but she knew of it. She also asked if I knew a paladin named Raasik, who did not. Finally, the conversation moved on to more relevant details. She wanted to know what I knew of the portal storm.

"The what?" I asked.

"A portal storm," she explained, "There was a massive wave of interplanar energy a few days ago. It's causing natural portals to open all over both our worlds for the first time in centuries."

"Interplanar energy," I said, "I'm afraid I don't know much about portals, but-"

"Please share anything you know," she asked.

"Well, my order was watching the activities of a certain demon summoner for some time. We were just waiting for him to slip up so we could safely defeat him. One of our spies told us he had left his tower unguarded, so I went with my master and two other paladins to set an ambush for him. Except it was a trap. He was waiting for us with an army of demons, and he had constructed a massive summoning ring. One of the other Paladins, Hastor, made it unstable when he tried to destroy it. I ordered us all to jump through the nearest portal that wasn't summoning monsters, and I fell into a lake. None of the paladins who went in with me came out of the same portal. Do you think we might have caused this?"

"I doubt it," Crystalline said, "This summoner of yours sounds like a second-rate magician who thinks he's a god because he can control demons. I doubt his spell had enough energy to cause a portal storm. However, all portals are connected, so your friend may have been the catalyst that made everything else fall apart."

"How do you know that for sure?" I asked.

"Because as near as I can tell, the storm's epicenter is Sindara," Crystalline explained, "Although you can't feel it, the landscape is throbbing with interplanar energy. In the last two days. I've seen creatures from all over the planes. Your summoner was trying to reach Pandemonium, not Sindara, so it couldn't have been his fault."

"I haven't seen any strange creatures," I said.

"You can't fly either, so you can't cover nearly as much ground," she said.

"Do you think the other paladins are on this planet?" I asked, "Can you see them?"

"No, my sight only extends to the borders of this nation. But I tried to cast a portal, and right now, there is no leaving this planet. In theory, they can't be anywhere else."

"I had hoped you might be able to cast a spell to track them," I said, "Using these." I withdrew the other paladins' hairs sealed in their glass vials. I thanked the gods that they hadn't been damaged in the fighting last night. She held each one to look at them more closely.

"Yes, that should work," she said, "My services don't come freely, however."

"I was afraid of that," I said, "I don't have any money."

"I barter more than I use money," she said, "There is something you can help me with, though."

"Name it," I said, "My friends' lives might be in mortal danger. I don't have time to waste." Then Crystalline started ogling me, and I recognized that very same look from Ilnara.

"Another noble came to me the other day with a request," she said, "She wanted a fertility potion."

"How could I possibly help with that?" I asked.

"The main ingredient, the base, has to be a life-carrying fluid," she said.

"Blood?" I asked.

"Well, you can use blood, but bleeding that much from you could be dangerous. Even if it's done right, it will leave you feeling weak for days, which you can't afford right now. Besides, there's another fluid that's much more... potent." She glanced at my lap, which I now realized was sticking straight up. I moved quickly to cover up, but she gently pulled my hand back.

"If you wish to be bled instead, I won't stop you," she said while staring at me expectantly.

Finally, I sighed and said, "Let's get this over with."

"I know you aren't that uninterested," Crystalline smirked. While I undressed one article at a time, she only snapped her fingers, and what little she wore evaporated into a cloud of luminous dust. Then she laid down on the bed and watched me undress for her.

"Slowly, please," she said softly and ran the tips of her tongue around her blue lips. I took my time and gave her an awkward striptease. She seemed to appreciate it since her tail moved between her legs and leisurely fucked herself with it. When I was finally naked, I joined her on the bed.

"I can sense your frustration and impatience," she said, "And I understand you want to find your comrades, but consider this part of my payment."

"Of course," I said, "Actually, I'm looking forward to this too."

"First, devour me," she commanded and spread her legs. I dutifully bent over and tried to remember everything I'd done to Nari last night, swirling my tongue around inside her until she gave me a light moan. She wasn't blown away like Ilnara was, but when I glanced up, I was glad to see her licking her lips, so I must have been doing it right. She met my eyes and smiled, then placed a firm hand on the back of my head, pulling me in deeper.

I remembered my fingers and inserted a couple of them into her slit while massaging her swollen, blue lips and clit with my other hand. After a minute of that, she tensed up, hissed, and her inner walls clamped down on my fingers, trapping me inside her. Her tail spasmed for a second, and then she relaxed and laid back on the bed. Blue mist or smoke trickled out of her nostrils and between her teeth. When a wisp of it touched my skin, leaving a crust of tiny crystals which I brushed off.

"Don't worry about the dust," she said, "It evaporates in a few minutes. Mmmm, that was exciting. I haven't had a man do that to me in two decades." So she wasn't a virgin, I thought to myself.

"I haven't forgotten you either, Sir Knight," she said, sitting back up. Then she grabbed my cock with the tip of her tail and tenderly but firmly pulled me towards her. Next, she kneeled in front of me and mashed my cock between her soft tits.

"I know those other two can't do this," she said with a hint of venom.

"The other two?" I asked, "You mean Ilnara and Taolung?"

"Yes, the two parthens," she sneered.

"Ilnara saved my life, and Taolung swore to become a paladin," I retorted, "If you're going to speak ill of them, please keep it to yourself. Or you won't get your potion."

"Then you won't find your comrades," she replied, then stuck out her long, blue tongue and started licking the very tip of my cock. A tingling shiver ran through my entire body, and I almost lost my footing, but Crystalline's tail caught me before I fell.

"You're not... the only... sorceress on this planet..." I gasped between moans. She then stuck her tongue down between her tits and lathered my testicles with it while kneading my cock between her supple breasts.

"I'm one of the few who will do business with human dragonslayers," she said.

"I haven't actually slain any true dragons," I said.

"But you're not entirely wrong about the other girls," I said, "I doubt they know how to please a man like this. Where did you learn this?"

"I came of age and was accepted into a harem at the very end of the last breeding cycle," she explained, "Not enough time to bear any children, but long enough to learn some of the more delicate points of being a woman. And before you ask, no, I wasn't accepted just because I have wings and my mother is the queen. I earned it!"

"Whoa, take it easy," I said, "I never would have thought of that if you hadn't told me."

"I'm sorry," she said, "I just hear it a lot. I forgot you're not from around here."

"How did you earn it, exactly?" I asked.

"I created a new spell to divert the weather at certain times of the year, so now Nelanthas can grow crops year-round," she said without any outward pride.

"That's a practical but not a very glamorous kind of magic," I said.

"I know," Crystalline replied but didn't elaborate further, "Enough questions, just enjoy yourself. It's the only way I'll get that potion." And enjoy myself I did, eventually having to sit down when I felt light-headed.