The Shadow Doctor Ch. 04

During the baseline testing on push-ups, Yelena had made it to twenty-five repetitions before she began to tire, but pushed on at his encouragement and reached thirty-four before she declared herself unable to continue. She was a fit young woman, but she had not done that exercise often and her muscles were unused to it.

Tam brought out an enchanted rod he had used testing animals in the past. It was engraved with the character for lighting, repeated three times down its length. He activated the first character with his chi and touched the rod to Yelena's arm. She yelped in surprise as sparks jumped from the tip. He explained the three levels of shock the rod could produce to her, then activated the second character and shocked her again. She collapsed with a cry of pain, her muscles still twitching even after he removed the rod.

Tam crouched down beside her. "Now, Yelena, do you feel that fear of the second level of shock will motivate you to push yourself to your limits?"

"Yes, I'm extremely motivated. Please don't shock me."

"If you want to avoid the shock, all you have to do is sixty push-ups. Get started."

Yelena gulped in fear, but got into position and began. She slowed as she passed thirty, but pushed on, sweating and straining. At thirty-seven, her form slipped, and Tam let her feel the first level shock again and made her repeat it. At forty, she began to beg and plead for mercy. When Tam threatened her with the second level, she managed to push through six more before she collapsed, utterly unable to continue.

Satisfied that she was at her limit, Tam used the spell and commanded her to begin doing push-ups again. Yelena instantly resumed form and began to smoothly push out repetitions, trembling as she reached the top each time and sobbing but continuing to push up and down with perfect form. She made it to a total of a hundred push-ups without pause before Tam stopped her, worried that she might tear a muscle. He took a towel and carefully rubbed the sweat off her, making her drink as much water as she could hold. After she had stopped shaking, he had her lie on the table and gave her arms and back a gentle oil massage.

"I think that's enough physical exertion for today. You did very well, Yelena. You pushed yourself as hard as you could to make the test valid, and then we learned that under my command your limits are far beyond what you thought. We won't try and determine what your true limits are until I can think of a way to do it that ensures you won't be badly injured in the process."

"Define badly injured." Yelena frowned over her shoulder at him as he worked on her back.

Tam laughed; he was glad to see Yelena retained the ability to be sarcastic despite what he'd just put her through. "Well, I suppose anything worse than what you've already endured would merit discussion. Anything that really hampers your ability to function, or that won't heal in a week or two."

"So, no more piercings then, that's good. I swear, every day you find new ways to make me feel pain. You're up to three today already – the crop, the shocks, and the push-ups. Four if you count the strain from binding my arms that tightly while we fucked. The ass-reaming hurt too by the way, I just wasn't counting it because it wasn't new."

Tam smiled. "Pleasant memories; I quite enjoy how you squirm when I fuck that firm little ass of yours."

"Please, can we talk about anything else? Um, where on earth did you find that horrible little lightning rod? And how do you have an enchanted tub that heats the water for your bath, or make this stupid sash on my arm knot itself, or those lamps in here? I've never seen anything like those before. If something like that tub is possible, wouldn't everyone want one?"

"Well, that can be a complicated or simple answer. How much do you know about chi workings?"

"I know that chi is the basis for Han magic. It means something like life force, or energy. I've seen some pretty incredible things at the martial arts challenges in the Square of Flowering Hands. But everything I've seen or heard about doing magic with chi involves the body – making yourself stronger or faster, turning your skin as hard as iron, jumping to the top of a building and things like that. There are some legends that chi magicians can summon fire or wind like our wizards back home, but I've never seen that demonstrated in person. Are you saying that your enchanted objects are powered by chi? I've never heard of anything like that."

"It's still relatively rare. During the warring states centuries, all chi workers had to focus on martial capabilities, as even sages or healers would be challenged by warriors who wanted prove their strength. The process of enchantment, infusing one's chi into an object or another person, was first used in healing, and then extended to weapons and armor. Since the First Emperor unified the land and introduced the era of peace and prosperity we enjoy today, men like me have had the opportunity to focus on the use of enchantment instead combat. Healing has been revolutionized in the last two centuries, and things like the enchanted tub are simple to make now if you know how."

Tam poured some more oil on his hands and moved to massage Yelena's legs as he continued to lecture. "Enchanted objects are not commonplace for two reasons. First, because each enchantment is bound to the enchanter's chi. I could enchant a sword to make it supernaturally sharp and give it to a warrior, but if I do not personally replenish the chi, the spell will cease to function within a few hours or days."

"Even if I wished to perpetually replenish the enchantment, I would not do so because of the second reason enchanted objects are rare. By law, only those of imperial blood may employ personal enchanters. The governor of Nihai is a distant branch member of the imperial family, and he has two men as court enchanters, ensuring that he lives in perfect comfort. Fortunately, the emperors in their wisdom have not chosen to forbid enchantment for personal use, so I am able to make tools to make my own life easier and more comfortable without breaking the law. I can also gift enchanted objects to my friends or servants, but that risks an investigation to ensure I am not receiving any recompense for the gift and thus breaking the law. My only personal constraint is the amount of chi I have available to infuse and recharge objects; for instance, I have to charge the tub in my bathing chamber and the one in the servant's wing each week. The tub in the bathing chamber reserved for guests is also enchanted, but I don't waste chi keeping it charged."

Yelena propped herself up on her elbows and turned her head to watch him as he worked. "If that's the case, it seems like everyone would want to learn to work chi. There must be some reason they don't – do you have to be born with natural ability or something like that? That's how wizards back home say our magic works."

"I can't speak to your home, but I suspect that the truth is not what your wizards say and it is actually more like it is here. Theoretically, anyone can learn to use chi, but there are three main limiting factors. First, the amount of chi a person is born with varies. Training can deepen the pool you can draw from, but some start with a puddle and others with a lake, with most somewhere in the middle; if you start with a puddle, there is little point in training. Secondly, you must find a teacher. The knowledge is valuable, and those with the power are not incentivized to share it easily. Finally, even with natural ability and an instructor, the process of actually learning to access chi is very difficult. Many students take years to reach the first stage or give up before they reach it. Roll over, I'm going to go ahead and massage your front since I've done everything I can reach in this position."

Yelena frowned thoughtfully as she rolled onto her back. "So, I guess I'm actually an enchanted object now? All those characters you painted onto me in the Tong basement were like a complicated version of what you did when you painted the belt sash. How often do you have to infuse me to keep me under your control?"

Tam gave her a light slap on the hip, smiling as he did so. "Calling my masterpiece a complicated version of a simple binding spell is a profound disrespect to my genius, girl. The enchantment I cast on you is likely the most complex spell ever cast by man. If I were foolish enough to publish it, scholars would weep at its subtlety. And I never need to recharge it; one of the many ingenious aspects of the spell is that it is powered by your own chi."

Yelena smiled at his mock indignation and stuck her tongue out at him. "Oh, yes, Master is a veritable demigod of intellect. This humble slave is honored that he deigns to speak of his mind shattering brilliance to a mere mortal like herself."

Tam laughed. "Well, you seem to be recovering from your exertions. Lie still and let me finish this massage."

Yelena complied for a few minutes then began to squirm slightly. "Master, do you have a hard-on?"

"Why do you ask?" Tam had indeed developed an erection as he focused on massaging her without the distraction of his lecture, but he didn't plan on giving that information away for free.

"Well, my pussy's getting wet and I'm feeling horny. And while this is a very good massage, it wasn't exactly arousing me until the last minute or two. And then I remembered that I get wet now whenever you get hard, so I thought that might explain things." She blushed and looked away.

Tam gave up on the massage and began to toy with her nipples, which had hardened into erect little nubs between the silver wings bracketing them. "That's a good deduction, slave. And you're right. What should we do about this?"

Yelena glanced at him then looked away again. "Well, since you went to the trouble of making a rule for me, I suppose you probably think you should use my wet pussy to get your dick wet." Her tone was sarcastic, but Tam had seen her eyes darkening towards jade.

"You could have phrased that more respectfully, but you've got the right idea. To encourage more respect in the future, go put your plug in before I fuck you."

Yelena groaned but refrained from any further verbal complaints. She slid off the table and went to fetch the butt plug, oiling it with the massage oil before squatting down to work it into her ass. Tam undressed while she did so.

Tam positioned Yelena bent over the table, head down with her elbows braced. Despite her protests, the arousal his erection induced in her had her quite ready for sex, and she willingly spread her legs wide and pushed her ass up into the air, her pussy fully exposed and ready for him.

Tam took a moment to admire the view. The oil coating her skin glistened in the light of the smokeless lamps and gave off a light scent of sandalwood. He ran his hand possessively over her ass, toying with the base of the plug where it protruded, making it shift inside her. Yelena whimpered and pushed herself back to press into his hand.

"I love having your exotic body available to fuck whenever I'm in the mood. Do you like being available to satisfy Master at his whim, slave?"

"No Master, I don't like being your fuck toy."

"But you want my cock, don't you?"

"Yes Master."

"Beg for it." Tam slid his hand over his cock, pulling the foreskin back, and rubbed the bare head up and down her dripping slit.

Yelena moaned, feeling what she wanted so close. "Please, Master, fuck your slutty slave in her needy pussy. You turned her into a cock hungry little slut with your spell, please let her feel you inside her. She wants Master's cock."

She squirmed under his hand, trying to snare his cock with her opening. Tam stepped back slightly and gave her a hard slap on the ass, the sound of his hand impacting her oiled flesh echoing in the room. Yelena yelped and stilled herself.

He repeated the cycle a few times to amuse himself, teasing her until she begged and twitched, then spanking her until she held still again. Finally he gave in and grabbed her hips, pushing into her sopping hole with one long hard stroke. Yelena was so on edge from the teasing that she had a small orgasm as soon as he entered her. Tam fucked her hard and fast, finding himself almost as impatient as he'd made her with the teasing. He grabbed the plug and pushed it down so that it pressed against his cock through her inner walls as he fucked her, and Yelena gasped and came hard, her body shaking as she wailed. Tam felt his own orgasm take hold, and pulled out of her in time to spray the second and third shots of his cum over her back and ass instead of inside her.

Yelena dropped to her knees, leaning against the table to brace herself. She moaned softly, one hand rubbing between her legs to prolong her pleasure. Tam stepped over and grabbed her collar, pulling her against his leg. She knew what he wanted without prompting and turned her head to suck him clean. Tam patted her on the head then gave her permission to clean up and get dressed. He pulled his own clothes back on then spent his chi recharging the various enchanted objects in the lab, draining his reservoir to allow her qing to refill it.

Finished, Tam turned to inspect Yelena. She was waiting by the wall in her skimpy silks, her face still slightly flushed. "Time for another test, slave. Don't worry; this one won't require any physical exertion. Pull a chair over to the table and sit down."

He gave her another cup of water and let her relax while he set up the test. Tam took a tray and set out a dozen different small objects on it under a cloth. Placing the tray on the table before Yelena, he lifted the cloth just long enough to give her a brief glimpse at the array of trinkets before hiding them again. He asked her to describe each of the objects and how they were positioned relative to each other; she managed five out of the dozen, not bad for the half second he'd given her to view them.

He then used the spell and commanded her to describe them, and she closed her eyes and described each one with perfect detail. They were both excited by the performance, and after duplicating it with a different arrangement, Tam had her try to describe various memories from her past. Some details were permanently lost to the fog of time, but each time he added the command, Yelena was able to produce details her conscious mind could not reach unaided, marveling as she remembered details from her childhood she hadn't realized she still retained.

They went through different memories of hers until Tam noticed that it was almost time for his meeting with the scroll merchant. He called a halt and had Yelena help him tidy up the lab. She glanced over at him as she was putting the tray away.

"I have a question, Master."

"Go ahead and ask it."

"There's something I don't understand about what we were talking about earlier. You said that the control spell you enchanted me with is powered by my chi. I thought chi was just a Han magic?"

"You have chi. Everyone does. I suspect that the wizards in your own country draw on chi to fuel their spells, though they likely call it something else. Sadly, they are even more secretive about their techniques than we are. I have been unable to procure any texts on foreign magic, besides secondhand histories and unverifiable legends. Anyway, you definitely have chi, and your natural starting point is quite strong; you actually have more chi naturally than I did before I began training."

Yelena eyes widened "Wait, does that mean I could learn to work chi? You just said I have the natural strength, and you could be my teacher. You wouldn't have to worry about sharing power, because you would still control me. All I'd have to do is pass the third hurdle, actually learning."

Tam frowned in thought. "I suppose theoretically you could."

Yelena slid to kneel before him, taking Tam's hands in her own. She looked up at him pleadingly. "Tam, Master – please, would you teach me how to use magic? I used to dream about being a wizard when I was a little girl. You said you wanted me to be happy being your slave; I still can't imagine how that would be possible, but this would help. I could be useful, too. Imagine having a chi user under your control, completely obedient to you. I'd be the best slave wizard ever, I promise."

Tam laughed. "I'm sure you would be, especially since I've never heard of a slave wizard before. And you're right, the possibilities are tempting. I never considered the idea, but I can't think of any way it would hurt to let you try. Very well, I'll show you the first lesson tonight."

Yelena squealed and lunged at him, hugging his hips. "Oh, thank you Master, thank you!"

Tam awkwardly patted her on the shoulder until she let go and sat back. Yelena was smiling, the first genuine smile he'd seen on her face. Tam grinned back; her happiness was infectious.

He made himself look more serious. "Don't let yourself get discouraged by failure though – the first lesson is extremely hard. It took me six weeks to first touch my chi, and my teacher said I was a prodigy. Ho Tien has been trying for four months and hasn't touched it yet, which is more normal."

Yelena nodded, but he could see she didn't believe him. He had been the same way when he started, full of confidence. He liked her enthusiasm, though it remained to be seen if she had the determination to actually succeed.

Yelena smiled all the way back to his chambers, but sobered when Tam locked her into the sirik. "Whenever you're out of my sight, you'll wear this. I'll leave it up to Lin Song to decide if you can be trusted without it, so you'll have to convince her that you're a biddable and willing slave, but do it without revealing our secret. I've given her permission to discipline you if she feels it's necessary, and you may have to give her an excuse or two to discipline you over the coming weeks to convince her that you're learning. Use your best judgement on the balance between submission and your natural insubordination."

Yelena nodded. As long as she was aware of the need, the rule to preserve the secret would ensure that she acted as he wished in the matter. He dropped her off at the kitchen with instructions to eat there and help the staff out if needed then went to his lunch meeting.

Tam enjoyed a pleasant lunch with the merchant, served by Tan Jiao. They talked scholarship then retired to his study with tea to examine the man's selection. Tam found several scrolls that interested him, and depleted most of his research budget for the month. If he hadn't spent so much money on Yelena, he would have bought the man's stock out, but he had to settle for the best pieces, asking the merchant to save two of the more esoteric texts for him to acquire later if possible.

Once the merchant left, Tam meant to go find Yelena and continue testing her, but he got distracted by one of his purchases. The merchant had managed to find a rare copy of a scroll by Sian Fei, the legendary doctor who had first successfully treated tumors of the brain. Tam considered Sian Fei one of the titans of medicine, and had based portions of his control spell on concepts first proposed by the man. He had read all of the published excerpts of the man's work before of course, but this was a full copy of one of Fei's earliest treatises, and there were several fascinating details the excerpts had left out.

Tam lost track of time, as he usually did when absorbed with new knowledge. The first hint he had that the afternoon had passed was when the door to his study opened and Yelena entered with his dinner on a tray.

Yelena set the tray on his desk with a bow then knelt beside his chair with a light rattle of chains. "Mistress Lin says that she does not need me for the rest of the evening, and I am to serve at your pleasure."