Starry Resonance Ch. 09

"You think I won't be as hungry as you?" Elly said.

When they reached the bottom, lights came on to reveal what has been Yvain's main home since the carriage was created. An unostentatious but expansive room that allowed for the type of movements superhumans were used to making, even with the use of weapons.

Nora let out a small gasp. "I know I shouldn't be impressed by now, but it boggles the mind that something like this could exist or that Roesia created it. It almost feels like a manmade dungeon."

"You're right to feel as such, it was only through extraordinary circumstances that this was possible," Yvain said. "One being the source of power holding it all together. The other, forbidden schematics our lovable sorceress stole from the academy."

"That's... something I never though her capable of," Nora said.

"Not if it's related to magic and advances like this," Yvain said with a laugh.

Elly had gone on ahead to the small locker room where they kept their gear.

"Follow me," Yvain said to Nora.

His master was already half naked and putting on her customary battle garments.

"You think you could lend her a pair?" he asked.

"No," Elly said.

It was worth a try. She handled her combat attire almost ceremoniously, so it wasn't surprising she wouldn't risk others using them.

"It's alright," Nora said, "I'll be fine with what I'm wearing."

"You'll certainly be fine," he said, "but your clothing will be ripped to shreds."

Nora looked at him with understandable confusion.

"You'll see once we begin," he said and then sighed, "I guess we can always just give you one of Elly's sets."

"That's what you should have asked for from the start," his master said dryly as she easily pulled out a normal looking attire of a dull gray color from the wooden locker and handed it to Nora.

"You can do whatever you want with those. I'm never going to use them anyways," she said.

Nora laid eyes on the new clothes with a helpless smile.

"You just wanted me to be in a skimpy outfit, didn't you?" she said in amusement.

Elly suddenly stood upright and said in a harsh tone, "It's not a 'skimpy outfit'."

Nora was taken aback but took no offense and just gave an apology. It seemed to appease his master as she didn't say anymore and walked out.

"Don't worry," he said, "she can take a lot of insults to her person in easy stride, but any mention of those clothes and she loses it."

"I'll remember from now on," Nora said and began to undress, starting with her shirt.

Yvain stood behind her and crushed her tits in his hands, pulling her toward his chest and eliciting a small moan.

"But yes, I just wanted to see you in skimpy attire," he said softly in Nora's ear.

The goddess slightly trembled and gave a pant as he released her. Her nipples were already hard as rocks, begging to be abused more. He wanted to do nothing else, but it was better to just finish their training with Elly first.

"Maybe we can work something out in the future," Nora said heatedly and continued to change.

Yvain nodded eagerly before turning his back--lest the goddess's body tempt him more--and quickly put on the clothes meant for the training room.

When the couple walked out, Elly was standing by the console that controlled everything there.

"Did you explain to her how this place works?" she asked.

"It's simple," Yvain began. "Gravity is increased here, allowing us to push ourselves to limits normal training wouldn't allow."

"Gravity?" Nora said with a tilt of her head.

She didn't know what gravity was? Yvain looked to his master for help.

"It's what gives your body weight," Elly said. "I don't know the details, but just remember that once I turn it on your body will become heavier. I'll start low so you can become accustomed to it."

Saying as much, his master turned a dial on the almost transparent bluish screen.

Yvain immediately felt his every limb become slightly heavier, but at this point he could handle this much with ease.

Nora didn't look affected either. The goddess slowly moved her arms around as she looked herself over with a surprised smile. She then bent backward all the way down until she was forming a perfect bridge before lifting one leg and then the other in succession to stand on her arms.

"How do you feel?" Yvain asked, feeling a warmth in his chest at the sight of his girlfriend enjoying herself within the context of training.

"Words would fail to do justice," she said. "The benefits of such technology don't fail to make themselves clear to me."

"I'd say this is closer to magic than technology, but Roesia could probably come up with a more accurate description," he said. "This is also the reason for our special clothes. They were enchanted by her so that they wouldn't be affected. Elly's apparently already had that effect."

"You should stand on your legs again," his master said. "I'm going to increase it up to our normal amount."

Nora did as such and spun back onto her legs before giving Elly a nod.

"Wait," Yvain said and went to stand behind Nora, wrapping his arms around her stomach, right beneath her breasts. "I'm sure you can handle it, but this is your first time experiencing this."

Nora didn't seem bothered at all by his caution and gave a hum of consent as she readied herself.

He gave Elly a nod and his master turned the dial up to their usual point, four times their body weight.

Nora's legs were immediately bent by the sudden shift, but Yvain stopped her from falling on her butt.

"You weren't kidding," she breathed out which made him laugh.

Slowly, but steadily, she rose to once more stand on her own and Yvain released her. She then repeated the same process than before, this time a look of consternation covering her brows.

"Do you both train like this without using starlight?" she asked.

"That's correct," Elly said.

"Going any higher would be detrimental, as you can imagine. But," Yvain looked at his master with an eager smile she returned with a toothy grin, "thanks to you, now that we've understood starlight better it'll be possible to do so."

"And you do this every day?" the goddess asked.

Yvain shook his head, "We wouldn't have the energy to do anything else. Only twice a week."

"Though with what you've told us about ranks," Elly said, "something tells me we'll be able to increase that amount as we become stronger."

"You're not wrong," Nora said almost in a grunt as she stretched her limbs.

"If you want, we can lower it for today," Yvain said with a taunting grin.

Nora glared at him, "Just tell me what we'll be doing."

"Rudimentary exercises," Elly said. "Then we'll start those we've developed ourselves based on our extreme physical capabilities."

"Easy enough, I'll follow you'll lead," the goddess said.

And follow she did. Push-ups, squats, handstand push-ups, chin-ups. They used their bodies along with what little equipment they needed to train, all while at four times their body weight.

At first Yvain thought his girlfriend would struggle to keep up, having never experienced such a thing before, but it seemed that being in a higher rank of power truly came with its benefits. There was no other explanation for how he and Elly were sweating profusely by the end while she had but a slight sheen.

"What's next?" Nora asked with a slight pant.

Elly took deep breaths as she cooled down her body and prepared herself for the next barrage of exercises. "We'll start again with push-ups, only this time we'll be pushing ourselves off the ground and try to go as high as possible."

It wasn't just push-ups. They had a more difficult variation for everything and took no rest. Yvain was struggling to see straight by the end of it. But that was the point. To keep going until one could go no more and then keep going still.

Nora was in better condition than him and Elly, who was harshly panting and grunting every move she made, yet her clothing was absolutely drenched. Her hair matted.

Yvain found it funny how he couldn't even get excited about her curves being shown off or the display of strength in her muscles. He was fully concentrated on not throwing up and finishing just one more repetition or exercise.

Finally, the time came when he could no longer keep up and limply fell on the ground. What was four times his weight was now an invisible mountain attempting to crush him flat.

Elly fell next, but Nora kept going.

"You'll just continue all night," Elly said with a rare laugh, "but we're done. Mind turning it off?"

Nora stood with a grin and moved to the control panel. "What should I do?"

"Just turn it all the way to the left," Elly said.

A full breath of fresh air crushed into Yvain's lungs as his body was released from the pressure. Breathing, standing, walking, everything became infinitely easier. It was a feeling he cherished. A sort of testament to his work.

The trio then went back to the locker room and grabbed towels.

"Are you ready?" Elly asked after everyone dried themselves as best they could.

"Always," Yvain said.

He stepped back out, both women following behind.

"So hand to hand only?" Nora asked as everyone stood in the middle of the wide room.

"We were supposed to use weapons today, but this little accident put it on hold," Elly said as she showed off her casted arm. "Regardless, this is just as important."

Yvan's master took her stance, modified for her unusable arm.

"And no starlight?" the goddess asked as she took her own. This one different from what Yvain was used to seeing. It almost made her look defenseless.

"That's for next time," Elly said as Yvain prepared himself for the incoming barrage of attacks.

Instead of attacking though, both women shot out at opposite directions.

First they somehow help each other tease him, now they knew how to work together? If he stood in place, he'd be smashed between them. Already they were beginning to curve toward him.

Yvain pushed off toward his master first. He was excited to finally have a chance to fight Nora, but he also wanted to win. Elly was the weakest, and she was already injured.

He would only have time to land one hit though and that would be toward her ribs.

A chill then ran down his spine and Yvain ducked.

Nora's leg flew over him, intent on landing on his head but missing.

"Of course you're fas--"

Elly's leg came crashing forward. Yvain guarded against the hit and used to force to pull back and roll away as Nora gave chase.

Why did he even try to talk? They wouldn't allow it. A part of him had wanted to share with Nora just how happy he was, but he could do that with his fists.

Yvain stood up in the same rolling motion and met his girlfriend head on.

It was weird clashing with her. The method he was used to relied on meeting brute force with brute force. But Nora was all softness. His hits failed to land solidly and hers returned as a counter he barely guarded or dodged.

They exchanged less than a handful of blows before Elly was on him. She came from Nora's open side and kicked forward, forcing him to guard. Doing so left him open though and Nora's fist landed on his face before he was sent flying.

There was no way he was going to be able to do this without help from starlight. He and his master were already almost equal. Nora vastly outclassed him. And both women covered each other.

Yet the thought of doing so felt like he was admitting defeat. They weren't using starlight and his master was even injured.

Nora didn't give him any more time to think and the couple clashed once more. Her eyes were all focus, but he could see a small smirk saying 'I told you so' that irritated him.

For the most part he could keep up with her, if not in equal measure, then in defense. But there wasn't enough to surpass her. And soon, as he feared, Elly was upon him.

This time he moved in the opposite direction of the goddess to use her body as a shield from his master. It worked momentarily, but Nora simply adjusted her own position along with his, allowing for Elly to come in.

Yvain tried to guard against both women's attacks with his arms and legs, shifting his body to soften the blows. It was more than he could handle.

Nora used his weakened defenses to land several hits across his body and face followed by Elly again kicking out and sending him flying. Only this time the damage was greater.

"Son of a bitch!" Yvain yelled on his knees as he spat out some blood. One thing was Elly, but he would not lose to Nora.

"Do you give up?" Elly asked.

"No!" Yvain said roughly and stood, taking his stance once more.

Nora smiled at him as she and Elly took their stances again.

Yvain initiated this time. He rushed both women, specifically Nora, and created a feint that paid off beautifully. The goddess guarded and Elly attacked but he was prepared for it. In one smooth motion he dodged and then repeated the move from yesterday, tackling his master to the ground.

No yelp came this time, but a small grunt of pain as his body slammed her fractured arm. Both flew a few feet with Yvain easily landing on top at the end and landing several punches on Elly's face since she could only try to guard with one arm.

He didn't forget Nora, the goddess reaching them even faster than his master had. It didn't matter though. She made a move he never expected and tackled him off, same as he had done to Elly.

The only difference was that he was the one to land on the bottom, the goddess raining down punches on him. She felt light though. And somehow her attacks felt weaker than his master's. In other words, soon after the hits began, he was able to fling her off.

Yvain stood and took a breath, but Elly, as always, was right there in the small window of perceived respite and kneed his stomach.

He got the breath knocked out of him and Nora showed up with another barrage of body hits that ended on his face.

A last, powerful kick, courtesy of his master, sent him flying for a third time.

Yvain rolled before coming into a full stop. More blood spilled from his mouth, a now split lip, and his forehead. Some of it went into his eyes, partially blinding him. He wasn't registering any of this though. He was seeing red.

He stood and took his stance. Both women took that as an indication to keep going and rushed him. Their tactic was set. Nora would go in first and Elly would follow.

How dare she act so arrogant? Yvain thought. I could have crushed her in an instant if I had only come to my full potential. A raging tempest churned in his breast that was pushed to untold proportions thanks to also losing to his master so much.

For how long must I be humiliated by her?

Nora and Elly were almost upon him.

Yvain cycled starlight through his body.

"Stop!" he commanded.

Nora completely froze, her attack only a few inches away from his face.

"Don't--!" Elly's distorted voice came but it didn't reach him.

Pulling every ounce of combat experience, every bit of starlight and rage, Yvain threw a hook at Nora's face.

He could almost, in slow motion, see how her skin distorted under the pressure of his attack. Pliant and weak. Her unmarred eye wide at the sudden development.

A shockwave burst out from their spot and the goddess shot out, reaching and smashing the wall in less than a second. The impact revibrating in Yvain's ears.

Elly ran to were Nora laid unconscious.

Feeling spent after the sudden outburst, Yvain attempted to calm his breath, but it was impossible. He harshly inhaled and exhaled as he ran the hand that had just attempted to break Nora's skull over his sweaty hair. Flinching, he switched to the other and once more attempted to calm his breath.

Elly checked Nora's her pulse, breath, and injuries. After a few seconds she gave a sigh of relief; the goddess was okay. His girlfriend was okay. The love of his life. The woman who came to Empryon to rescue her daughter Charlotte.

Yvain still couldn't calm his breath, no matter how much he tried. It was actually speeding up.

How was he any better than her ex-husband? Or even the fat man he condemned in his mind?

Suddenly a fist landed on his face, making the room spin before landing sprawled on the ground.

"I deserved that," he said.

"It's not about whether you deserved it or not," Elly said. "You were beginning to hyperventilate so I stopped it."

As if to prove her right, he was able to take a deep breath and hold in his bosom for a few second before strongly exhaling.

"She's... she's okay, right?" he asked with a slight shake of his voice.

"A nasty bruise will grow on half her face," Elly said. "She probably won't be able to see through one eye for a couple of days. I couldn't find some of her teeth either--probably scattered somewhere around here. Other than that, yeah, she's okay."

"We should still get her to see someone, we can go to Triven."

"That would have been a good idea if she hadn't killed the Cosmos agent," Elly said.

"Fuck," Yvain breathed out as he sat upright. He looked to where his girlfriend still lay.

There would be no coming back from this, but he needed to at least take care of the current mess.

"Let me get her to bed and I'll come help clean up," he said as he stood and walked to Nora.

When Yvain arrived, the part he attacked was on full display; an angry bruise already expanding and deforming her beautiful features. A small puddle of blood that had stopped growing was underneath her, limbs spread about brokenly.

Guilt tore at him as he gazed down on the heartbreaking picture of his actions.

"Don't worry about the mess," Elly said. "Just take her to bed, maybe hold something cold over the swelling."

Yvain nodded in thanks to his master, but he couldn't bring himself to speak anymore. He picked up Nora as carefully as if holding a newborn and left the training room.

He tried to understand why he did what he did.

Never had he felt such a rage. Neither had he lost his senses in emotion. Maybe with Selt? But had known the kid wouldn't die. This was different.

Getting beaten up by Nora unleashed something he hadn't known was there. Now that he did, he didn't know what it was. Only that it was spurred on by violence.

Was he just a sore loser? He had lost plenty in the past, even almost died fighting a dragon. It wasn't about losing.

Nora looked as if she was just resting peacefully in his arms. Her breath came steadily and softly.

It's her, there's no other explanation. He could ascertain now that the moniker of master wasn't just for sexual gratification. Neither was it some contrived idea the goddess had created in her mind. He had completely controlled her body in that split second. She had not expected it. And he had been free to hurt her as he pleased.

His reaction had been to hurt her, hers had been to protect him back at Cosmos.

A shiver of disgust ran through his being. How could he had done such a thing? How could be so weak to allow himself to do such a thing?

Thankfully no one was in the living room to see the spectacle and Yvain was able to bring Nora to their bed without interruption. He quickly took care of his injuries, went to kitchen and wet one of the towels with the coldest water he could get from the faucet.

When he returned, Nora was awake. The goddess simply laid in bed with an unreadable expression, looking up at the ceiling.

Yvain closed the door quietly, almost as if trying to not be found or heard and walked to her side with the wet cloth.

Nora looked at him with that same unreadable expression while saying nothing.

Yvain held up the towel.

"M-may," he stopped and swallowed a lump threatening to choke him. "May I?"