Succubus Inquisition Ch. 10

Succubus Inquisition ch 10

Thorn Bentley: Adventuring Specialist

The craft of adventuring changed in a way no one could have ever predicted. The creatures that wanted nothing more than their next meal had all but vanished. The remaining bloodthirsty horrors began to evolve, thirsting for 'other' fluids, such as human essence. However, those that experienced this new phenomenon rarely escaped to talk about it. The ones that did were met with laughter and humiliation for telling such outrageous, far-fetched lies, or wet dreams as others said in rolling laughter.

For adventurers like Thorn Bentley, it was like stealing the King's jewels in an abandoned castle! He hadn't needed to use his trusty daggers on anyone or creature in almost two weeks. At first, he didn't believe all the whispers and gossip. Embarrassingly he had been among those laughing at the stories. However, he started to believe, as fewer traveling parties were being attacked on the roads. Before long it became safe to tread in the forests and jungles and all places abandoned in between.

Thorn started small with old crypts and known caves. He easily bypassed traps and secured precious loot. It had been enough to purchase a new set of leather armor. Nothing over the top or heavy. Just enough to improve his sneaking game meanwhile protecting him if he missed a trap here or there. No one was perfect, after all. His old, worn armor was proof of that. He had made plenty of mistakes in the past, mostly against creatures that were no longer a threat.

The part of his new gear that had cost the most had been the custom designed sheaths for his daggers. He had requested them to make his daggers blend in with his armor. Add a simple, worn-down looking sword at his hip and no one would notice his best weapons right there on his chest.

Several months later the adventurer sat alone in his favorite tavern, drinking ale. Thorn Bentley listened carefully to his surroundings while pretending to be lost in his drink. This was how he learned of his last 'job.' Now, however, the hushed whispers spoke of people going missing.

It had now been almost a year since monsters and the like had dwindled down to rare occurrences. His ears perked up when two newcomers sat down at a table near him. They were hunched over toward each other. Thorn took another sip, making himself appear like another drunken slob about to pass out.

"It was like nothing I've seen before. A dried-up corpse with a big o'grin on its face. Looked like it had been dead for years but it's." The hooded man gestured down between his legs, "it was still hard!" He hissed with wide eyes.

Thorn almost choked hearing that, but kept his composure, pretending to be drunk, spilling a bit of his ale. The second man laughed while the first look around nervously to make sure no one had heard him. His clothes were tattered and filthy, sweat making him look greasy.

"I'm serious, it was the most disturbing sight I'd ever seen," the man whispered hysterically while trying to keep his voice down, making his voice almost squeak.

~*~

That eavesdropped conversation kept repeating on Thorn's mind. It had been a few weeks prior, and the tales just kept coming, like the olden days. Except they weren't the once common tales of bloody, half eaten remains. Thorn didn't know which was worse though, then or now. He imagined they were one and the same, death was still death in the end.

During the tavern's busiest hour, he heard what he had been patiently waiting weeks for. Hushed whispers of an abandoned dungeon, known for its troublesome vault. They spoke of how ancient and yet undisturbed the chamber appeared. Bentley didn't wait around to hear more. He had been waiting for a lead like that. One that would set him up for life, or at the very least for a while.

That's how he found himself creeping down a poorly lit tunnel, hand on his sword's hilt, for appearances of course. The only sound he could hear in the empty stone tunnel was the persistent echo of water dripping. That and his heartbeat thumping in his ears. The boots he wore never made a sound as long as he concentrated on each step, making sure he didn't make a rookie mistake by stepping on a stick, loose stone, or the like.

In days long gone the tunnels would have been filled with half decaying monsters or giant, nasty humanoid rats. He would have needed a group of fellow brave adventurers to even have a chance of reaching the vault deep within. Now though? He just crept along, all the lonesome, keeping watch for traps.

What had scared off all the world's creatures? Or an even scarier question, had they even been scared off? What if they had all been eradicated by something much more sinister? Survival of the fittest... he gulped at the mere thought of something killing off it's competition only to lure in adventurers with a false sense of security.

Just... like... him...

~*~

It felt like it took hours to find the correct path in the ancient tunnels and enter the grand chamber the whispers spoke of. But finally, he felt the stress of his adventure lift from his shoulders as he laid eyes upon the large golden vault door. He smiled wide and walked up to it, placing his hand on its surface, only to gasp at its warmth. He had expected to feel cold steel, ancient stone or something of the like.

"Mmhmm..."

Thorn jumped a foot into the air, pushing off the vault as the strange unnatural moan echoed all around him. In a fit of panic, he unsheathed his sword, spinning in search of the culprit. Someone had beat him, reaching the vault. Frantically he searched for the possible ambush.

Alas he stood alone, he sighed and took notice of his surroundings, a noteworthy detail met his troubled eyes. Bodies everywhere in various states of decay, all around him. Humanoid remains, but not all were human. All of them shared one common trait, large smiles on their dried-up faces... just like the rumors had stated.

He started to feel lightheaded since he started hyperventilating... the rumors were true! Something was killing off everyone, creature and adventurer alike! Using the vault as a lure and taking the bait just like all of these fools.

"Screw this! No treasure is worth my life," he mumbled to himself, frantically looking for the way he entered. There were three identical doors and for the life of him, he couldn't remember which one he entered from. Had he spotted the vault door at an angle or head on?

"Damn it man!" Why didn't he take a moment to look around before rushing straight in to touch it.

A hiss and echoing grinding of gears sounded as Thorn dreadfully glanced back at the vault door. A small hatch about waist high slid open and black smoke bellowed out, as if an intense fire had started within the great vault.

If he thought he had panicked before, now his heart was pounding in his chest. He spun on his heels and decided it didn't matter which door he picked, he had to get out now. Only his panic intensified when he was met with solid stone walls. The three entrances were gone!

"No no no!!" He rushed forward, touching the wall across from the vault, hoping it was just an illusion. Either that or his mind playing tricks on him. He would be ok with either, but unfortunately the wall was solid, and sturdy. The smoke tickled his ankles causing him to glance over his shoulder. The hatch no longer spilled out smoke and he noticed the thick vapor lingered on the ground in a thick layer just at his ankles.

The tickling sensation continued as he felt his body starting to warm up. A thin layer of sweat began forming on his brow as he stared at the open hatch. Faint moans were coming from within the vault and the more he focused the more the sultry sounds echoed around in his mind as if all around him. If he concentrated, he swore he could hear a voice mixed in there.

His body was reacting even though he couldn't make out the voice's words. He gulped and scratched at his belly, just below the leather chest plate, feeling his pants getting tighter by the second.

"Put it in..."

"Give in..."

Thorn Bentley struggled as he stood there, sweating. His pants were achingly tight as one hand crept towards his belt. The other let the sword slip from its grasp, the echoing clang went unnoticed as he reached up and pulled his shirt's collar away from his neck, sallowing, staring at that small hatch, perfectly situated at waist level. As if meant for his...

Within that hole he couldn't see anything, only darkness. He took a step closer. The moans and sexual sounds pulled him as if caught on that lure he had pictured earlier. With each step towards the vault, he could make out that mysterious voice just a bit clearer.

That's it my love, come to me..."

Her words trailed off as a shiver ran up his spine. The hand at his waist pawed at his growing desire, rubbing himself through his leather pants. He pictured himself undoing his belt and placing his member within the hole, back arched in organic bliss. Only to blink away the images, as if they weren't of his own volition. Confusion mixed with arousal, clouding his mind. Despite how distracting that voice was he still glanced around the room. Particularly at the bodies laying all around him. They all looked happy, as if they felt intense pleasure... before they died.

The image of him thrusting his dick into that hole flashes on his mind again to no avail. His fear won out in the end, removing his hand from his aching crotch, and stepping backwards. The alluring voice cried out as if pained by his departure.

"Ignore them, for they can't hurt you any longer. Come to me morsel..."

The voice tickled, making him flinch as he scratched his ears. His body felt the pull as if unnaturally reeling him in. His blood kept pumping south and things became difficult to focus on. Anything other than the hatch of course. The hole beckoned for him, and his body wanted nothing more than to obey its call.

That's right, let the world fade away, only we matter, only I matter, come to me, bring me what I need..."

Thorn kept forcing himself to stop moving forward after catching himself closer and closer to the hatch than he realized. He had to shake his head to get the voice out, but it didn't help any, after the first couple tries, he gave up. The sultry voice was persistent, tempting him with sexual bliss, promises of eternal delights. His body all but hers if only his mind would just let go and give in. But alas he couldn't... the bodies all in various states of decay still looked blissfully enthralled.

That fact alone made him question everything. Had they given in to the alluring voice? Would that be his fate if he but untied his belt and thrust inside... no he couldn't even think it. The thought alone made it that much more difficult to resist the pleading voice, as if she could read his mind, encouraging those thoughts, planting those images on his mind. Flashes of him crying out in bliss, rocking his hips. Fuck, he was so hard already.

"Resilient aren't you little pet..."

The taunts and temptations gave way and he felt power over his limbs return to him. Alas the walls were still solid, and his escape appeared impossible. He looked down at the swirling smoke and wondered why it felt like it did against his flesh, warm and soothing, tickling, almost messaging the skin under his pants, into his shoes.

"If I truly can not tempt you, then the treasure is yours. But can you open the vault without first sticking your meat within my hatch?"

He spun back towards the vault with a tilted head, studying the door from afar, like he should have already done. The hatch had stolen his attention for so long it felt like he saw the actual vault door for the first time. Dwarven design by the craftsmanship although older than ones he was familiar with cracking. Stone intertwined with black iron and traces of gold that had been scraped off from middle to bottom. Someone had not wanted to leave empty handed once upon a time and took what they could from the enclosed vault. He briefly found himself wondering how it looked before being disgraced in such a way.

Perhaps someone more recently had disturbed one of the boobytraps and unleashed a spirit and henceforth the hatch mechanism. Ancient magic, it had to be, the black unnatural smoke, affecting one's flesh with deep rooted desires unleashed to one's own downfall. For it had to be a trap to place any body-part within that dark hole, he thought as he once again stared into the endless void, heart pounding, breath shallow.

"Tempting, isn't it?"

The voice wormed its way into his head again as he licked his dry lips and dreamt of endless pleasures. All he had to do was listen and obey, drop his trousers and insert...

"What harm could it be to try? You can stop at any time."

He swayed forward, a ghost of a smile on his lips. Damn it! He shook his head again, trying to focus on the rest of the door. It was a powerful defensive spell that's for sure. He just had to remember all those that failed to resist it. One glance around the room helped keep that fact front and center in his mind.

He returned his focus to the door and went to work cracking it. Sweat dripped down his forehead, into his eyes, making him pause and wipe them clear. Only to refocus on that damn hatch, now directly in front of him. The sounds coming within were quite distracting and had his blood boiling with desperation. But he kept working on the ancient lock, despite his throbbing meat that begged to be released. It couldn't hurt to multitask though, right? He could focus on the lock while he...

"That's it, thrust hard for me baby, give me everything..."

The alluring voice kept distracting him with her sexual pleas and constant moaning. Just now he felt a strong wave of bliss rise up from his crotch only to look down and realize he had at some point untied his belt and let his trousers drop around his ankles. His member stood proud and pointed straight at the hatch, pulsing with need as Thorn felt a little drool drip down his chin. He immediately snapped out of it, grabbing his pants in a rush, pulling them back up, tucking himself back within.

That was close he gasped, wiping his brow again. The vault was proving more difficult than any other he had encountered. Just how old was it? Or was he over thinking everything simply because he couldn't focus with that voice ever present, begging him to give in. It was as if his body had betrayed him as his mind was focused elsewhere and he had caught himself in the nick of time before thrusting himself towards eternal bliss. Ultimately dooming himself to lie among the countless bodies all around him, smiling wide.

Despite knowing better his cock still pulsed with need. The haunting, sultry voice had one interested simp, between the two of them, that much was certain. All he had to do was focus and open the vault!

"Yessssss right there baby!"

Bentley jumped as the alluring woman's voice cried out as if in climatic bliss just as a loud click sounded from within the massive door. He had been at it for so long his shirt had become soaked with sweat under his leather armor. Then again, he had wiped his brow countless times with the collar of his shirt to keep the saltiness out of his eyes. The awkwardness of his soaked garment made him want to remove his leathers, but he couldn't risk doing that. Absent-mindedly rubbing had his daggers hidden within the leather's design. He had already lost his sword and the black smoke made it daunting to think about retrieving it.

Anyways, he shook himself to refocus since getting distracted seemed to always bring his attention back towards the hatch, he had to keep his mind occupied with other things, like the locking mechanism, which he might have just cracked. He tested it but the large stone didn't budge. Maybe he had only gotten the first piece of the puzzle. With a creases brow he went back to work.

All the while that voice's moans kept echoing around his head. At some point the air had become sweet and he was taking deep breaths of it. The warmth of the stone door met his waist as he pushed his hips forward, sighing, letting out a deep breath of air. The voice was giggling as his eyes went half-lidded, barely paying attention to the lock mechanism. He felt his heartbeat match the throbbing in his pants and he pushed ever harder into the door, glancing down. The hatch was right there next to him. It almost felt like hands were tugging at his belt, pulling him to the side, closer to the hole.

That's it baby, breath in and let me take over. I know what you need..."

The voice cooed into his ears, making him shiver, smiling as the images flashed with greater detail.

"Pleasure always wins in the end, help me with this."

He felt a pull at the waistline of his pants. A hand of his went to the belt and untied it. His breathing got quick and shallow as the images got stronger. He wanted what they showed... all he had to do was, "giiive innnn!"

He moaned along with the voice, hand in his pants, staring at the open hatch. He squeezed and imagined himself thrusting into a gorgeous woman on the other side of that hole. She wanted it, hell she begged him for it. What kind of man would he be if he ignored her pleas? He stroked himself as he swayed side to side.

"Yes, just like that, do it, give in to your desires."

The warmth of the stone against him felt unnatural but it didn't stop him from enjoying the feel of it. He rocked his hips, using the pressure to aid in the pleasure as he stroked himself with his hand in his pants.

"What are you waiting for baby? You're so close to bliss, just give in, pull those down."

He felt himself nodding, other hand sliding off the lock mechanism, another loud creaking sounded from within the stone. The adventurer blinked, pausing himself mid stroke. "What," he croaked out, voice cracking.

"Ignore it baby and fuck me!"

But he ignored the voice instead as clarity came back to him. He gulped and stepped back, sliding his hand out of his untied pants. His cheeks flushed in embarrassment as he realized what he had been doing and how close he had come to giving in. Thankfully he hadn't pulled himself free and soon his pants and belt were returned to their previous state.

He took a deep breath of oddly sweet air and tried to tune out the frustrated phantom begging him.

"You came close, I'll admit that but alas, looks like I win this time," he spoke with pride, giving another spin to the dials and the door creaked ever louder until... dust exploded from the creases and the large Dwarven door inched towards him. He did it!

Thorn Bentley grabbed hold and pulled with all his might. Inch by inch the heavy stone laced with black iron moved with a loud screeching sound echoing around him. Ever slowly the hidden depths within we're revealed.

Unnatural red and purple light shined blindingly at him. Thorn stared; mouth gaped. For absolutely no riches or jewels of any kind met his disappointed gaze. The vault only held one thing, an ash skinned woman staring at him with luscious, red lips smiling ear to ear. She had long white hair with pointed ears sticking out of it.

Thorn stared jaw dropped, awestruck at the gorgeous woman but was mostly confused. How? Why was a woman in a sealed ancient vault?

"Come closer baby..." she purred with a sultry voice he recognized instantly. However, there was another layer he barely heard that seeped into his head like a little tickle on his mind. That strange feeling made his eyes twitch and he had taken two steps forward before he caught himself.

The adventurer blinked and shook his head, shaking loose from the compulsion. The woman didn't seem phased at all by his resistance but now he took notice of the actual vault. The strange glowing lights were coming from drawn designs on the floor, walls and ceiling. Designs in the form of shapes, and sharp lines. He recognized some from early schooling but couldn't place the rest.