Chastity smiled up at Noah. He was lying on his back in bed, naked from the waist down. Chastity smiled at him, but Noah’s dick was in her mouth. His white shaft went into her dark lips, disappearing down her throat. She smiled with her lips around his dick, and she blushed. She softly moaned. Happily. Her tongue pushed slowly against the bottom of his shaft, and he moaned back.
The bright sun shone through the large bedroom window, making it hard for Noah to look directly at Chastity. But he felt her. She was sucking his dick, but slowly and playfully. Lovingly. The entire room flickered with bright orange light. The room was made of light-coloured wood. The walls, the floor, and the ceiling. But the orange, shifting light made it orange.
Noah felt her lips reach the base of his dick, and he moaned again. He looked behind her, squinting at the sunlight. He could see a vast city, with skyscrapers made of light wood. The city was covered in trees and other greenery. And orange flames. The city was burning. Even from here, Noah could feel the heat of the inferno on his skin.
Chastity sped up, sucking his dick faster and using her hands to pull his hips toward her mouth. He watched the flickering orange light from the flames against the wall as she sucked on him and licked him with her tongue. When he was close to orgasm, his legs tensed up, and his mouth hung open in an O-shape. She smiled with her eyes as he finished into her mouth, and his cum squirted into the back of her throat. Noah closed his eyes and moaned.
Noah opened his eyes when he was done cumming, and saw Kirsa with her orange lips around the base of his dick. He looked around. “Wha-?” He was in Kirsa’s roofless dirt house. The sun was shining down on him and was hot on his bare white skin. He was fully nude, as was Kirsa. She moaned softly, and then she slowly pulled his dick out of her mouth. She swallowed and then smiled at Noah.
“Good morning, Lord Noah!” She sat forward, supporting her weight on her hands, so Noah would have a good view of her dangling tits. She swayed from side to side slightly.
Noah just groaned. He was still feeling spaced out from the orgasm, and he had a pounding headache. He rubbed his eyes.
“Aww, you have a headache?” she asked and then laughed out loud. “You’re a lightweight, huh?”
Noah groaned again.
“Well, did you like the blowjob? I was deepthroating you all the way.”
Noah nodded. “Yeah. Was good.” It was very good. His head pounded. And he was hot. The sun was hot on his skin. He was going to end up with a sunburn if he didn’t put some clothes on-
His clothes. Shit. They were still at the hot tub. Shit. Did they walk home naked, then? He guessed so.
“Do you have water?” Noah asked.
“You betcha!” said Kirsa. She sprung up and dashed into the kitchen, returning with water. Noah sipped on the water she brought him and groaned.
Soon, she was guiding him through the village with a towel around his waist. She was fully naked. She wasn’t the only one in the village wandering around naked. Apparently, other people had lost their clothes at some point last night, too.
He sipped his water and squinted his eyes to avoid the bright sunlight from bothering him. Their clothes weren’t where they left them at the hot tub. Noah felt nauseous, both from the alcohol withdrawal as well as guilt. He cheated on Chastity. Not technically, since they weren’t together, but yeah. He had sex with Kirsa. He lost his virginity. It was amazing. He regretted it.
He was led down the road by Kirsa’s hand. He wasn’t really paying attention. He drank the rest of his water. He wanted to do it again. But not with Kirsa. He wished he had done it with Chastity. What an idiot he was!
“Hey there! Yeah, this is Noah! He’s my new boyfriend.” Noah couldn’t really hear the other person she was talking to, or he didn’t care to listen. “Yeah, he’s a lord! I know! I love him so much. You love me too, right Noah?” Noah groaned and nodded. He would have to do something about that.
He was walking again. His head hurt a bit with each step. The sun was bright in his eyes. They stopped.
“Morning, Mrs. Pea!”
“Morning, dear. Who’s this fine young man?”
“This is my boyfriend, Noah! He’s a lord!” Noah groaned but didn’t care to correct her.
“Well, that’s just amazing! Come in!”
They walked down into another roofless house.
“Do you need some clothes, young man? Baldwin left some of his clothes here before he moved out to the country. If you want to take some of it, I think he wouldn’t mind. You look like you’re about his size. Hold on a second. And do you want some more water, my lord? Or juice?”
Soon, Noah was adequately clothed. He looked like an extra in Game of Thrones or something. But Kirsa was smitten. “You look so nice in red, Noah! Doesn’t he look nice in red?”
“Yes, I think the colour is flattering on you, young man. You know, when Baldwin first got that shirt…”
Noah wondered where Berenice was. He’d have to find her before he left for the Rainbow Mountains. And he’d have to figure out how to shake off Kirsa. Not that she was terrible, but she was in love with him, and the feeling wasn’t mutual. He was in love, but not with her. The only thing he loved about her was between her legs. Well, she was friendly. Maybe he wouldn’t hurry to get rid of her. He felt conflicted. But he did have to leave soon anyway.
“Alright! You’d better get yourself some clothes too, young lady. The children will be back this afternoon!”
“I know; I just love the sun!”
“I know, we all do! Have a good day, Kirsa. May the Eye watch over you both!”
They started walking back down the road. Noah thought they were going to the center of the village to grab some leftover food and drink from the Festival, but he didn’t remember what was said. He was still feeling sick. He deserved it. He deserved to feel like shit. He fucked up last night. How did it happen? He didn’t remember ever deciding to cheat on Chastity, but before he knew it, he was in bed with Kirsa. She eased him into it like a frog in boiling water.
Berenice. He saw her sitting at one of the tables in the center of the village. Most of the stalls were still set up, and there were broken plates, streamers, and garbage all over the ground. Nobody had cleaned up yet. Everyone was too hungover. Berenice was sitting on a large, orange man’s lap. By the stem on his head, Noah figured he was a pumpkin man. Maybe the same pumpkin man she was dancing with last night. He could hear her giggling from here. Her black arm was around his pudgy, orange neck, and he was smiling slightly while she laughed.
When they came close, Noah stepped away from Kirsa, who followed him, and walked up to Berenice. “Hey, Berenice. How was your night?”
“Noah! Thou dost appear a pitiful sight! Didst thou imbibe too freely last night? Mine eyes did witness you in the heated bathing pool. It seemed you were in high spirits, aye?” Berenice smiled at Noah and Kirsa. “Mine name is Berenice, and who might thou be?” she asked Kirsa.
“Uhh, I’m Kirsa. Kirsa Carrot. And Noah is my boyfriend now!” She put her arm around Noah and got on her tippy toes to give Noah a kiss on the cheek. He groaned.
“Oh? ‘Tis a pleasure, Kirsa. This is Peppon! He and I are now in courtship! We are to be wed in the springtime! I am overwhelmed with joy, Noah!” The plump orange man she was sitting on smiled uncomfortably. His teeth were very crooked and orange-yellow in colour. Noah frowned at her.
“You two are getting married? So soon? But you just met, didn’t you?”
“Aye, but I am in love! ‘Twas love at first sight for us both. He hath abundance, intelligence, and comeliness, too. He embodies all that I have ever yearned for. I have never loved another, nor ever will I.” She leaned up and kissed him on the neck, and then again on the cheek. He smiled and kissed her on the lips. He was rather hideous, and the sight made Noah cringe. His teeth reminded Noah of pumpkin seeds. “My affection for my husband Cassius was but a shadow, Noah. Peppon is mine true soulmate! He and I shared a night of pure enchantment and pleasure. Our bodies entwined in the deepest, most tender passion. Our souls are now one. He is the finest lover I have ever known. I was brought to the height of ecstasy over 100 times, Noah!”
“Wow, good for you,” said Kirsa, rudely. Berenice was unfazed, still smiling brightly.
Noah stared at Berenice. “Berenice, what happened last night? Why would you fall in love with this guy? No offence.” The pumpkin man looked offended, but said nothing.
“What? How could I resist? Behold his fair visage! His muscles strong!” He had neither of these things. “These fine robes of silk!” He was wearing a ratty old rag. “His heart is gentle! His wit is keen. He is, in truth, the paragon of men!”
Noah’s blood began to boil. He knew how vulnerable Berenice was and how easy she was to take advantage of. He looked the pumpkin man in the eyes with a fiery, hateful stare. The pumpkin man shamefully avoided his gaze. But Noah didn’t want to say anything. Despite not being a muscular bodybuilder like Berenice seemed to think, the fat orange man was still taller and much bigger than Noah and could probably cave his skull in. He looked thuggish and maybe dangerous.
Fortunately, Noah didn’t have to say anything because Kirsa did. “Eww, Peppon, you creep! Did you trick her into thinking you’re amazing so you could fuck her! Eww!” She smacked the orange man on the chest, who started to protest, but Kirsa cut him off. “That’s gross! And who would want to fuck an animal like her anyway! You two are perfect for each other, you worm!” The pumpkin man stood up, and looked around frantically. Kirsa kept slapping him on his chest and arms. He locked eyes with Noah and found no comfort in his stare.
“It’s not like that! I- Uhh-“ The pumpkin man backed away from Kirsa, then turned and ran awkwardly down the road.
“Pervert!” she shouted after him.
“My love!” Berenice shouted and tried to run after him, but Noah grabbed her wrist.
“Stop, Berenice.” She looked up at him, confused. “He’s not your soulmate.”
“What, he is not? How can this be? My heart is certain.”
Noah sighed, rubbing his temples with his fingers. “Berenice. I’m sorry, but this Peppon guy lied to you. He’s not super strong, or super smart, or anything like that. He’s a fat, ugly pumpkin man. He lied to you.”
“What?” asked Berenice. Her eyes were immediately full of tears.
“Everything he said to you last night and today was a lie, Berenice. Don’t believe any of it.”
Berenice’s mouth hung open, and he stared in his direction. “Oh mine Eye. What a fool I am.” She started to sob.
“Aww, girl, it’s okay. Come here.” Kirsa took her into a hug. “Peppon is a fucking creep. I’m gonna tell his mom he did that. She’s gonna beat his stupid orange ass.”
Berenice sniffled. “Thank you.”
“Should we tell her it didn’t happen?”
“What?” asked both Berenice and Kirsa at the same time. Kirsa’s face brightened with realization, and then she nodded.
Noah put his hands on Berenice’s shoulders. “Berenice, nothing happened between you and Peppon last night, okay? You never spoke to him. You don’t know who he is. You didn’t have sex with him or anyone. Nothing bad happened. You are okay. You are happy. Okay?”
Berenice sniffled and nodded. “Verily, I thank thee, Noah. Thou art full of kindness. Thou art correct. Naught out of the ordinary did happen last night. ‘Twas but a delightful festival. Naught else.” She seemed to cheer up quickly.
“Good.” Noah pulled her in for a hug.
She asked, “But the pair of you, did you two engage in the act of love last night?”
“Uhh…” Shit. Noah didn’t want to lie to her, but he knew it could come back to bite him later with Chastity if he didn’t. “No, we didn’t.”
“What!” exclaimed Kirsa.
“Relax,” he said to her. She quieted down.
“Ah, I see. ‘Tis but mine own fancy taking flight once more. Forgive me, Noah.”
“It’s okay, Berenice. It’s not your fault.” He rubbed the wool on her back and hugged her.
Kirsa frowned at the two of them. “Okay, guys,” she said, pulling them apart. “That’s enough. Let’s go to my house so I can get some clothes, okay Noah? The kids are coming back to the village soon.”
“Okay,” Noah nodded. Then, he turned to Berenice. “When are we gonna leave for the Rainbow Mountains?”
“I know not, Noah. Whenever thou art prepared, I shall be ready.”
“Wait! You guys are leaving? I’m coming!”
What? She was going to come? “Kirsa, we’re going to be gone for a while. We might not ever come back. We’re going to the Toldenhold. It’s far away.”
“I know how far it is!” She looked angry. “I’m coming! I’m your girlfriend, so I’m coming!”
“Well,” said Noah. He couldn’t think of any reason he could give to not allow her to come. “I guess you can come.” Shit. He would need to find a way to get rid of her before he met up with Chastity.
“Of course, thou art welcome to journey with us, Kirsa.”
“Great! Why don’t we go to pack up some stuff at my house, Noah?” She winked at him. Oh, God. More sex already? He wasn’t opposed, but if they kept doing it so much, his penis would get sore. He admitted that sex was one significant perk of bringing her along.
“Sure. I shall wait for you two here, alright?”
“Okay,” said Noah.
He was dragged back to her house by her hand. As they walked, he asked her about her house and if she had to pay rent or something.
“Don’t worry. It belongs to the village, so they’ll let someone else move in once I’m gone.” They climbed down the stairs into the house. “But I should bring anything I care about and anything we’ll need for our trip. Hmm…” She started packing things into a backpack and a second backpack for Noah. He tried to help her a bit, but mostly he wanted to drink more water and rub his temples.
“Noah.”
“Yeah?”
“I think our trip through the Rainbow Mountains is gonna be really romantic, don’t you? I know it’s dangerous, but you’ll protect me, right?” She stood close to him, holding his hand and putting her other hand on his chest.
“Uhh, yeah. It’s dangerous?” Noah asked.
“Yeah, I mean, we’ll have an escort, but sometimes there’s monsters and stuff, and sometimes people do get trapped.”
“Great,” grumbled Noah.
“But you think it’ll be romantic, right? Just you and me, in the dark tunnels, only able to find each other by touch…”
“I guess so.”
“But… Are you sure we have to bring Berenice? You’ve only known her for a couple days, right? She’s basically a stranger. Do we have to bring her?”
Noah frowned. “She was coming before you were. You don’t want her to come?”
“I mean, I don’t hate her, but I don’t like you hanging around other girls. And she was hugging you for so long earlier. She’s clearly into you. I don’t want her trying to steal you from me.”
“She’s not interested in me, Kirsa.” This was all becoming a bit much, Noah thought. Maybe it would be better to break things off with Kirsa after all.
“You said she tried to have sex with you!”
“Yeah, but she was just offering because she’s nice. She isn’t attracted to me. I think she’s like in her 30s or something.”
“Yeah, ‘cause I just offer my pussy to everyone in town just to be nice! Yeah, right! She just wants you. She knows what a catch you are, and she wants to steal you from me. She’s gonna make you cheat on me as soon as she has a chance. I don’t wanna lose you right after I found you, Noah!” Kirsa’s orange face was turning red with anger. Noah felt embarrassed. He figured anyone walking by the house could hear her yelling at him.
“Relax, Kirsa.”
“Don’t tell me to relax!”
“Stop! Berenice is just my friend. She can’t make me cheat on you. I’m not a cheater, so I’m not gonna cheat on anyone, ever. If I ever had sex with her, it would be after I broke up with you.”
Kirsa looked like she had been stabbed. “You’re going to break up with me?”
“Uhh, I wasn’t saying that. I was just saying if.”
“But why would you even consider breaking up with me? Don’t you love me?”
“Yeah. I mean, kind of. I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“We just met, Kirsa! Jesus. I like you, but please try to relax. You’re freaking out over nothing. Berenice and I aren’t going to have sex, okay?”
“You swear?”
“Yeah, I promise.”
She hugged Noah. “Okay. I trust you. But you better not betray me.”
“I won’t,” he said. He sighed. “Okay, can we finish packing?”
She finished putting stuff into bags and handed Noah a backpack to carry. They packed some food and water, and various other supplies. By the end of it, Kirsa seemed to be in a better mood.
“I’m sorry, Noah, I can get so angry sometimes. But she was making me mad. She was clearly trying to hug you to make me jealous.”
“I don’t know about that.”
“Well, whatever.” She laughed. “I can’t believe I was worried about you cheating on me with her. A sheeple. Like, what are the chances, right?”
“I guess,” said Noah.
“Like, she’s kinda ugly, isn’t she? Her black skin is hideous, and her wool is dirty!”
“I don’t know. I think she’s alright.”
“Yeah, but just alright. Not hot, right?”
“Yeah,” relented Noah. He was just glad she wasn’t yelling at him anymore.
“Not hot like me, right?”
In the light of day, Noah didn’t think Kirsa was particularly hot. But looking at her wide hips and big boobs still made his dick twitch. “Yeah,” he lied.
“I think you’re hot, too, baby. You are so handsome. And your cock is so big!” It wasn’t, really, but Noah was flattered at the compliment. It was in comparison to her tiny hands, anyway, which were soon holding his partly erect cock. They dropped the backpacks to the ground, and she started jerking him off. She pulled him by the penis to the bed, got on top of him and rode him. She held him tight while she rode him, and they finished at the same time while sticking their tongues in each others’ mouths.
“I love you, my lord.”
“I’m not really a lord, you know.”
“You’re my lord.” She kissed him again.
They were soon cleaned up and meeting with Berenice.
“Are you ready, Berenice?”
“Aye.” She had gotten a leather bag from somewhere and filled it with food and supplies of her own.
“Great, then let’s go already. How long is it to the Rainbow Mountains from here?”
“I think it’s like a four-hour walk. I haven’t been near there since I was a baby. A baby carrot!” She laughed way too hard at her own joke.
They left the village. As they went, Kirsa yelled some quick goodbyes to some weary veggie people who looked to have just woken up, hungover. Berenice walked slightly behind them. Kirsa had her arm interlocked with Noah’s.
There were more and more trees as they approached the Rainbow Mountains. Some had yellow leaves, and others were dark purple. The Eye still stared down at them. Noah wondered how long it would stay open. He asked, and Kirsa told him about a week.
The Mountains themselves were huge and cubic. Their colour was an opalescent rainbow gradient that shimmered in the sunlight. The Mountains were tightly packed, and there wasn’t a clear way through. Apparently, though, there was a passage consisting of a network of caves and tunnels.
About halfway to the Mountains, Noah stopped to pee. He broke away from Kirsa and Berenice and walked to a big tree to pee on its bark.
“So…” whispered Kirsa to Berenice. “Don’t you think Noah and I make a cute couple?”
“Verily, of course. Thine youthful vigour doth balance his lack of spirit and youthful inelegance. And I’m certain he doth appreciate thy sensual attentions.”
“What?” Kirsa squinted. “Are you calling me a slut?”
Berenice opened her mouth in surprise. “Nay, Kirsa! Mine intention was not to give offence.”
“Whatever. Just don’t try to steal Noah from me, okay? And wear some pants. I don’t want you tempting my boyfriend.”
“I need not breeches, Kirsa. I have mine own wool.”
“Are you kidding? I can see your nipples and your pussy lips! That’s hardly clothing. Other sheeple wear clothes, right? Why don’t you?”
“Kirsa. Thou art jealous. Other sheeple may don clothing if their lord so requires, but most do not. And worry not, for I harbour no intent to steal Noah from thee. Be at ease.” Berenice tried to smile at Kirsa in a reassuring way, but Kirsa didn’t seem comforted. Kirsa’s face was scrunched up in skeptical anger.
“Just cover your pussy, okay? I don’t want Noah seeing it and getting any ideas! Here.” She handed her some pants from her backpack. “Put these on, okay? I’m ordering you to put these on!”
Berenice took the pants. “I am a free woman and not beholden by thine orders. Yet, for peace’s sake, I shall obey.” She shook her head in disapproval while she put on the pants.
“Hey,” said Noah as he walked back to the group.
Kirsa smiled and ran toward him. “Noah! You’re back!” She threw her arms around him, and one of her legs raised up behind her.
“Yeah, I was only gone for a second. I hope you two are getting along.”
“Yeah, totally!” said Kirsa. She put her arm around Berenice’s shoulders. Berenice was still bent down, pulling on the pants. “We’re like best friends already, right Berry?”
Berenice finished putting on the pants. “Aye, Kirsa, I believe we may get along, so long as thou canst allay thine jealousy.”
“Jealousy? Who’s jealous? Of you?” She made a disgusted face.
“Why are you wearing pants, Berenice? I thought you didn’t need pants.”
“Aye, indeed I do not. But the young one is green-eyed and fretted that the sight of mine tender flesh could sway thee from her grasp.”
Noah narrowed his eyes and looked at Kirsa. “Really, Kirsa? I just told you that Berenice and I are just friends.”
Kirsa’s face was red with embarrassment. “Yeah, well, I just wanted to keep it that way! I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you!” She hugged Noah tightly. He patted her on the back, trying to comfort her.
“It’s okay, Kirsa. I’m not interested in Berenice, and she’s not interested in me, so don’t worry about it, okay? Let’s just keep walking.”
They started walking again. All seemed resolved to Noah. But, when he looked away, Kirsa whispered to Berenice. “Way to rat me out, you bitch!” Kirsa kicked Berenice in the leg, hard. But, not wanting to cause more drama, Berenice stayed quiet.
Soon, they were at the foot of the Mountains. They saw a large steel gate in the side of the Mountain, so they winded toward it. It was guarded by two humanoids, though they were made of crystal. One was green, and the other purple. They wore no armour or clothes.
“Noah, recall thou must not divulge to them or anyone that I’m no longer a slave, alright?”
Noah nodded. Noah’s group approached the guards.
“Halt your approach! Who are you?” spoke the green guard. He was entirely naked but stood alert on one side of the gate.
The crystal people, presumably gemfolk, looked like humans, but like they had been chipped from giant gems. Their skin’s surface was rough like it had been formed with a chisel. And they were translucent. Noah could see right through them. Their stares looked vacant since they had no pupils. Their genitals were visible, Noah noticed, but seemed as crystalline and sharp as the rest of their bodies. The two men looked strong and hard. They would probably hurt to punch.
“Hi, we’re just wanting to go through the passage,” Noah said. “We’re on our way to the Toldenhold.”
“Hmm,” said the green gemfolk guard. “Your statement may be a lie, depending on whether or not we allow you passage. For if we bar your passage, then you’ll not be going to the Toldenhold after all, correct?”
“What?”
“Your statement was a conditional lie. If we bar you from passing through to the Toldenhold, then you are not on your way to the Toldenhold, so we would be retroactively right to bar your passage.”
“Ah,” said the other, purple gemfolk. “But if we allow them to pass, then we will have been right to let them pass, as no lie will have been uttered.”
“True, true. It’s a logical conundrum.”
“What are you glorified pebbles even talking about? Open the gate!” demanded Kirsa.
Despite being made of crystal, both of the guards furrowed their eyebrows at Kirsa. Their bodies moved freely, despite looking like crystal statues. “We are not slighted by your insult, carrot woman. It would not be rational to allow our emotions to be captured by your speech.”
“Agreed. And well put, Krk.”
“Now, back to the matter of the logical conundrum.”
“Indeed, it is troublesome when philosophical logic interferes with our duties. Once again, in order to determine whether or not to open the Logic Gate, we must resolve a paradox.”
“Excuse me, would you two quit yapping and open the gate?” said Kirsa. “We don’t have all day!”
The guards ignored her. “Well, we could assign the statement made by the young humanborn a truth value of zero point five. This resolves the paradox, but it leaves it ambiguous as to what we should do. If someone makes a statement with a truth value of zero point five to an officer of the law, is that considered lying to an officer or not?”
“Or perhaps we should open the gate halfway?”
“Or let them halfway through the gate and then close it on them.”
“Hey!” said Noah. “You’d better not close the gate on us! How about this, how about you let me amend my previous statement?”
“An amendment? As in, you did not voice your intent correctly?”
“Very sloppy of you,” spoke the purple guard, “though it would imply that you lacked the necessary mens rea to commit an offence.”
“That depends on what his amendment will be,” said the green guard.
“Of course,” replied the other guard.
Noah shook his head. “How about, instead of saying we’re heading to the Toldenhold, we say we intend to head to the Toldenhold? That works, right?”
The green guard stroked his chin. “Indeed, I see no paradox there. Do you, Krk?”
“Hmm. Upon consideration, no, I don’t, Brkink.”
“Great, whatever, so can we go through the gate now?” said Kirsa. She tapped her foot impatiently.
“No, first, we have to ask the standard battery of questions.”
Kirsa sighed loudly. “What? What do you wanna know?”
“First: what is your business in the Gemfolk capital?”
“We’re just passing through to go to the Toldenhold! We already said that!”
“Please be patient, miss Carrot. We are just following protocol. Second, do you intend on using the passage through the Rainbow Mountains?”
“Yes! For the Eye’s sake!”
“Very well. And third, where is your final destination?”
Kirsa turned to Noah. “I’m going to kill him, Noah! Stop me from killing him!”
“Did you just threaten an officer of the law?” asked the green guard. Both guards shifted to some kind of karate combat pose.
“No! No!” said Noah. “She was just joking!”
“Ah. Fleshfolk humour. My apologies.”
“I don’t understand the need for jokes, Brkink. I’ll never understand them.”
“Me neither. Anyway, travellers, please answer the question.”
“Uhh,” replied Noah. “We’re going to the Toldenhold like we said.”
“Thank you. Next question: Are you prepared to pay the customary and non-negotiable fee of fifty pieces of silver per person or slave for an escort through the Passage? Or, failing that, are you willing to sign a waiver stating the gemfolk are not responsible for any loss of life or limb that occurs during your passage?”
Noah paused and looked to Kirsa and Berenice. Kirsa spoke up. “Yeah, fine, we’ll pay your stupid fee. Hold on.” She dug in her bag, pulling out coins of various denominations. She handed the coins to the gemfolk. “There, now open the gate for us.”
“Alas, we cannot.”
“What? Why?” yelled Kirsa.
“We regret that in order to open the gate, we would first have to open it halfway. Then, to open it the final half, we would first have to open it one half of that distance. And then, to bridge the final quarter of distance, we would have to open it half that distance first.”
“Indeed, we cannot open the gate one hundred percent. It is a logical paradox.”
“We can, however, open the gate halfway. Then, if you still don’t fit, we can open it another half of the remaining distance. If you still don’t fit, we can repeat this process any number of finite times. But, to open the gate all the way would require infinite steps to be completed in a finite time, which is illogical.”
“Fine,” said Noah, who could see they would easily fit through the gate even if it was opened only halfway. “Open it halfway.”
“Very well,” said the green guard, and he passed through a locked door in the side of the Mountain, and the gate began to open.
It stopped halfway, and the green guard emerged. “Take these tickets. They will serve as a receipt signifying that you have prepaid for an escort through the Passage for two people and one slave. Bring it past the city to the Passage entrance, and you will be assigned an escort.”
Noah took the tickets, and they walked under the steel gates. Noah had to duck to fit under, as did Berenice due to her wool afro, but Kirsa walked straight through. Kirsa clung to Noah’s arm like she would drown without him.
“Can you believe those guys? So annoying! No wonder nobody likes gemfolk.”
“Aye,” replied Berenice. “They are indeed vexing.”
They entered a tunnel with a smooth crystal floor and crystal walls. The crystal was the same mostly-opaque opalescent crystal the entire Mountain was made of, which varied in shade based on the elevation, giving the Mountain a rainbow appearance. The passageway was triangular in shape, such that the walls were also the ceiling. The tunnel was lined with dimly glowing sticks mounted on the walls. Noah thought he could see some balls of light faintly moving through the crystal behind the surface of the walls, but he wasn’t sure.
They walked down the tunnel for several minutes. Noah wondered what the gemfolk city would be like. He didn’t know there would be a city inside the Mountain, only the Passage through it. After a few minutes of walking, they arrived at a set of stairs that turned down and led into the city.
The city was embedded in a giant cavity within the Mountain. The cavity was in the shape of a cube, but tilted on one edge, so the city on either side sloped down toward the center. The city was enormous. Buildings in the city were primarily constructed from wood or normal stone rather than crystal. They looked fairly mundane and medieval and formed a contrast to the smooth, perfectly cut crystal cavity the city sat within.
The entrance to the city itself was gated off, and a guard asked them if they were there for the city or the Passage. When they said Passage, he waved them toward a rope bridge that hung from the crystal walls on the edge of the city. They would walk above and around part of the city before disappearing into another tunnel.
Noah and his group eyed the rope bridge skeptically, but Noah stepped onto it. The bridge creaked and swayed, but it held.
“Mayhaps we should proceed one at a time?” gulped Berenice.
“I don’t know, I think it’ll hold. It’ll take too long to go one at a time. Come on.”
“Wait for me!” yelled Kirsa, running onto the bridge. Berenice followed.
As they walked, they looked down on the city. It seemed to be well-organized, divided into city blocks. The buildings sat on constructed wooden terraces to accommodate for the sloped crystal floor. The city went right to the edges of the hollow cube, prevented from expanding further by the hard crystal. Noah didn’t see any farms or fields and wondered where they got their food. Maybe just from trade? Maybe they didn’t need to eat.
They walked for nearly an hour on the bridge before finally reaching the end. It led to an opening in the side of the crystal wall, which looked to have been roughly chipped away. Compared to the smooth, perfect hollow cube shape that the city sat inside, it was a hack job.
In the opening was a small wooden building and several gemfolk walking around or standing guard at the far gate, which must have been the entrance to the passage through the Mountains.
“Welcome, travellers!” spoke a man made from yellow crystal. “Do you have your tickets?” Noah nodded and showed the man his tickets. “Very well. One escort for two people and one slave. I assume the sheeple is the slave?” Noah nodded again. “If you need any food or beverages for the trip, you may purchase them in the office there. We also have facilities if you need to engage in your biological excretory functions.” Noah looked at the gemfolk’s transparent stomach and assumed they probably didn’t need to poop, so the washrooms would have been made just for travellers.
Kirsa had to pee, so Noah and Berenice waited for her.
“Art thou eased?” asked Berenice when Kirsa came out of the wooden building.
“Yep! But this red gem guy was staring at me the whole time until I made him look away! Like, who doesn’t put a door on their bathrooms? What creeps!”
“Aye, verily, that is disturbing.”
“Okay, can we go now?” asked Noah impatiently. Kirsa and Berenice nodded, and Kirsa returned to her usual spot clinging to Noah’s left arm.
They walked to the gate and spoke to the guards there.
“Greetings, travellers. I understand you require an escort. I will be your escort through the Mountains today. I am a Mage of the fourth level specializing in the Force school. I hope this will be acceptable.”
“Yeah, that’s fine. Is it dangerous?” asked Noah.
“Yes,” said the guard. “Deaths and disappearances are not uncommon. However, with an escort, you minimize your risks. Not only am I trained for combat, but we are also kept abreast of the latest mappings of the passageways, so we know the best way to go to avoid getting lost. And, should the Mountain shift, we know enough of the passageways to hopefully find an alternate route. We are also capable of using small sounding devices for detecting nearby passageways.”
“The Mountain shifts?”
“Yes. passageways regularly open or close. The crystal is too hard to chip away at in a reasonable amount of time, so if a wall appears behind you, you are trapped unless you can find another way around. The passageways do not change randomly, but the algorithm they follow is unknown. However, there are certain statistical patterns the changes do follow, both temporally and spatially.”
“Okay, but, like, what are the odds we get trapped or something.”
“Quite low. Less than ten percent.”
“Ten percent!” yelled Kirsa. “What the hell?”
“I notice you have become angry. I think your emotions make you weak,” said the guard. He was a green gemfolk. He wore no armour but wore a hiking backpack. He looked identical to his kin, aside from his colour.
“Yeah, well, you’re all a bunch of creeps!” said Kirsa. Berenice stared at Kirsa, hoping she would shut up, but she didn’t say anything.
Noah intervened. “Okay, okay, enough. But really, though. Ten percent? What are the odds that we die if we get trapped.”
“There are too many variables to provide a reasonable estimate,” said the gemfolk. “Death is one possible outcome. I cannot say more.”
“Okay, well, hopefully we’ll be fine.”
“I don’t know, babe. Maybe we should try to go around or climb over the Mountain or something. It’s not safe!”
“I warn you that such a circumnavigation would take weeks. Whereas travel through the Mountain would take only about a day. With the natural predators and hazards in the area, you would likely be no safer.”
“It’s okay, Kirsa. We don’t have a choice. And we’ll probably be fine, right?”
“Probably, yes.” spoke the guard.
“Okay, fine, whatever. But if we get trapped, I’m gonna freak out!” said Kirsa. Berenice stayed quiet.
“Very well then. We will undertake the journey immediately. It is customary for us to exchange names. My legal name is Clyp. What are your legal names?”
“Uhh, I’m Noah, and this is Kirsa-“”
“Kirsa Carrot!”
“Yeah, and this is my, uhh, my slave. Berenice.”
Berenice nodded but said nothing.
“Very well. Now that the formalities have been completed, I shall open the gate, and we shall enter the passage. First, however, I have to give some warnings. First, do not venture down any unauthorized passageway. All passageways are unauthorized unless verbally authorized by me or unless I lead you down them. Second, do not touch anything unusual. Death may occur as a result.”
“What!” said Kirsa.
“Finally, if any biological life forms are found within, whether plant or animal, do not consume them. They are not carbon-based and are toxic to your bodies. Furthermore, do not allow such animals to consume you.”
“What!” screamed Kirsa.
“Right this way. I shall open the gate, and we shall proceed through.”
The gemfolk, Clyp, turned a crank, causing the steel gate to retract up into the ceiling. It retracted three-quarters of the way and then stopped. Beyond the gate was a dark, triangular passageway, which quickly faded into darkness. Clyp took a glowstick from his backpack and lit it, and beckoned them to follow him.
This tunnel was smaller than the entrance to the Rainbow Mountains. They had to walk single-file, with Clyp at the front, then Noah, then Kirsa, and Berenice at the back. Since the glowstick wasn’t very bright, Berenice walked in near darkness. Worse, the tunnel wasn’t oriented so the floor was flat. Instead, the whole tunnel was tilted, so they had to lean to the side as they crawled through. The tunnel was nearly black, but parts of it glowed slightly with the occasional ball of light which appeared somewhere within the wall and then faded.
The floor was flat, but the walls were covered with complex geometric patterns formed from the same crystal rock as the rest of the Mountain.
“Is the whole thing gonna be pitch black?” asked Kirsa.
“Yes. Stay close,” replied Clyp.
They walked for several minutes in silence. Noah felt unnerved, walking forward into the darkness. The entrance soon disappeared behind them. Noah shivered. Aside from their steps, everything was quiet. The triangular tunnel twisted and tilted slightly through the Mountain. Soon, the triangle was oriented with its point down, so they had to walk with one foot on either side of the triangle and duck under the flat ceiling.
“Who dug this tunnel? This is crazy!”
“Nobody dug the tunnels. They form themselves. The passageways are magical and pre-date the gemfolk. Nobody knows who created them. Turn left up ahead, and follow me.”
The tunnel branched in two, and they took the leftmost path.
Noah’s finger stung suddenly, and he pulled his hand back. “Ow!”
“What happened, baby? Are you okay?”
“I got zapped!”
“Yes, that will-“
“Ow! Fuck!”
“That will happen sometimes. Different areas within the Mountains possess different levels of energy, and this energy will discharge into your bodies.”
“Great,” said Noah. They kept walking. They were now even more on edge as they walked. Occasionally, the dim tunnel would be brightened by a shock as one of them was zapped. The zaps were harmless but painful and annoying, and they couldn’t anticipate when the next one would come.
“Ow, Clyp! Why does the tunnel keep zapping us?”
“I don’t know. However, I am immune to its effects.”
“Well, good for you!” said Kirsa, angry at having just been shocked again. “Is this gonna happen the whole time?”
“Probably,” said Clyp. “This is my first time serving as an escort.” He kept walking, and the others followed. Noah prayed they wouldn’t get lost. The tunnel twisted, so they were soon walking on flat ground again.
“So, Clyp, you’re a Mage, right? What abilities does that give you?” asked Noah.
“Ah. Mages do not have abilities. Instead, there are four schools of magic, each with subschools. We place points into subschools. One can spread their points between multiple subschools, but to do so is suboptimal. I have placed all three of my points into the Attack subschool of the Force school. As such, I am qualified to be an escort through the Passage.”
“Hmm. So, if you don’t have abilities, then what can you do with your magic?”
“I am able to fire projectiles of force from my hands. Three points make my projectiles quite strong and fast. Watch.”
Clyp stopped and held out his hand. The air rippled out from his hand, and the ripple went forward and quickly out of view. “That projectile was large, albeit slow. It would not be lethal, but would cause significant harm. I can also create a larger number of small, fast projectiles. I can vary the speed and size of my projections of force. They all cost Mana, of course.”
“Mana? Does that refill every day like Favor?” asked Noah.
Clyp turned and looked at Noah, staring at him for several seconds. “No. It refills continuously over time. I will have replenished the Mana I spent for my demonstration within the hour. Of course, it only replenishes because I am a gemfolk. We have a natural capacity for mana generation. Other inferior species require costly artifacts called mana batteries. As such, most Mages are of magical species, such as gemfolk. Many major cities have gemfolk Life Mages on staff in their hospitals.”
“Oh, wow. So, Mage is basically a dead class if you’re not a gemfolk.”
“That is correct. Unless, as I said, you purchase a mana battery.”
While Noah and Clyp talked about classes and levels, Kirsa and Berenice talked quietly about getting shocked.
“Ow, shit!” said Kirsa. “This tunnel sucks! Berry, how come you don’t seem bothered by it?”
“My apologies, Kirsa. I am endeavouring to stay quiet, such that the gemfolk doth not realize I am no slave. ‘Tis a great transgression for me to be free.” She whispered quietly enough that Clyp could not hear.
Kirsa replied, “Shit, right. And that nerd probably would rat you out. I bet he would.”
“Aye, I deem he would. So, pray, speak not to me unless you must. Ow! Zounds!” Berenice recoiled from another shock. “Speak not unto me if there be no need, and if thou must, address me as thou would a serf.”
Kirsa nodded. She raised her voice and said, “Alright, you slave bitch! Keep up, or I’ll whip you!” She was smiling.
“Aye, mistress!” Berenice replied loudly in a tone of false subservience. Quietly, she added, “Albeit, thou art without a whip, Kirsa.”
“Shut up, Berry! March!” Kirsa giggled at her newfound power.
“What’s going on back here?” asked Noah.
“Oh, nothing,” Kirsa whispered. “Berry’s just pretending to be a slave, and we gotta play along.”
“Oh, right. Okay.”
They kept walking through the tunnels for hours, following Clyp’s direction. Frequently, one of them would shout in pain from getting shocked. And Kirsa would regularly tell Berenice to keep up or else.
They came to a point where the tunnel branched in three directions.
“Ah, hmm,” said Clyp. “We are supposed to take the rightmost passage, but as you see, it is blocked.”
“Ah, what is that? It smells like shit!”
Noah gagged. He looked at the passage, and it was almost entirely blocked by a mound of black-brown slime of some kind. Mould, maybe?
“The blockage looks soft. Noah, perhaps you can have your slave clear the blockage?”
Noah, still gagging, looked guiltily at Berenice, whose face scrunched in disgust. She shrugged at him. “I don’t know, Clyp. Is there another way?”
“No,” said Clyp. “There is not.”
“Okay, so we have to clear a passage through the sludge?”
“Yes. Otherwise, we must return to the city. My apologies. But you don’t mind having your slave clear the blockage, do you? We can wait back that way while she works, as I see the smell offends your delicate bodies.”
“Uhh,” replied Noah. He couldn’t really say no without revealing that he cared about Berenice, and that she wasn’t really a slave. Wasn’t the penalty for her being free the death penalty? He swallowed nervously.
“‘Tis well, milord. I shall obey,” said Berenice. She stepped forward.
“That’s right, you fat sheep! Get to work!” yelled Kirsa. She laughed at Berenice. Berenice stepped past Kirsa, but when they passed, Kirsa went to slap Berenice on her butt cheek, and some electricity arced between them and caused them both to yell out in pain. Kirsa fell back against the wall, and Berenice fell forward, toppling onto Noah, who fell back.
He hit his head on the hard crystal floor and saw a flash of white as his brain shook inside his head. He was then underneath Berenice, whose wool-covered boobs were in his face. He mumbled something from underneath her, but his voice was muffled, and nobody heard him.
“My apologies No- uhh, master!” Berenice stood up, as did Kirsa. “If thou desirest to whip or, uhh, spank me for mine insubordination, I shall submit. Pray, forgive me, milord!”
“No,” said Noah, sitting up, holding his head. “No, it’s fine, Berenice.”
“Are you sure? I think we should spank the bitch!” said Kirsa. She was joking, but there was a subtle viciousness in her voice. “Come here, Berry! Let me spank that black ass again!”
“Kirsa, stop.”
“Are you all alright? Have your fragile bodies been damaged?”
“No,” said Noah. “We’re alright.”
Kirsa stayed silent, crossing her arms.
“Berenice?” asked Noah, looking at the blockage. It looked as foul as it smelled.
“Aye, milord. I shall remove the obstruction.”
Berenice dragged herself begrudgingly toward the blockage. She cupped her bare hands and started to scoop the sludge. Immediately, she started retching. Noah and the others walked back a ways through the passage to get away from the smell. They left Berenice the glowstick, which means they walked into darkness. From the end of the tunnel, they could see Berenice working but not each other.
The stale air in the tunnel was a bit cool. Noah shivered. Noah and Kirsa set their backpacks on the ground and then sat down to wait for Berenice to finish moving the blockage. Clyp turned to watch her work. It would probably take a long time. Noah and Kirsa had drinks from their waterskins and whispered amongst themselves.
“You don’t think it’s funny that she has to do that all by herself?”
“No, it’s disgusting. I feel bad.”
“Well, I don’t. It serves her right for falling on top of you like that. I know she did it on purpose.”
“What? I don’t think so.”
“Yeah, I can totally tell. She keeps doing stuff like that. She’s totally trying to seduce you, because her boobs are bigger than mine! I saw how she fell on top of you with her boobs right in your face.” Noah couldn’t see her face in the darkness, but he bet she looked contemptuous.
“Kirsa, just relax. Her boobs touched me for like two seconds. That’s it.”
“And? Are they better than mine?”
“Berenice’s boobs? I’ve never seen them,” whispered Noah.
“You felt them with your face! They’re bigger than mine. Admit you like them more.”
“She’s a sheep, Kirsa.”
“So? I’m a carrot!”
“I like your boobs more, okay?”
“You do not!”
Noah’s voice was annoyed. “Yes, I do. Are you calling me a liar? I’m telling the truth.”
Kirsa made a pouty noise. They sat quietly for a minute. The only sound was Berenice’s occasional gagging or vomiting as she worked hard in the distance.
A minute later, Noah felt Kirsa crawling onto him. She grabbed his hand and put it on her clothes over her boobs. “Do you really like mine more?” she whispered, even quieter than before. Even though her face was within an inch of him, he couldn’t see her. It was too dark. He felt her breathing on his face.
“Yeah,” said Noah. It was true. Maybe just because he’d never seen Berenice naked. He’d probably have to shear her to see her naked. The image of Berenice sheared naked was a weird one, and he returned his thoughts to Kirsa. His hand was on her boob, over her clothes, and squeezing her.
Soon, he felt a hand on his hardening dick, and then Kirsa tried to reach into Noah’s pants.
“Wait,” he whispered, quiet enough for only Kirsa to hear.
“What? Nobody can see.”
Noah’s heart beat fast. Clyp was right behind Kirsa, but it was true. Even if he looked right at them, it was too dark to see anything. Kirsa’s nimble hands started to move again into his pants, and her fingers wrapped around his cock. She tugged on it teasingly for a while, while they kissed in the darkness.
Soon, she pulled it out of his pants entirely. She was wearing a skirt, and so all she had to do was pull her underwear aside to let his cock inside of her. She sat down on him, and he entered her. She put her hands around his head and kissed him softly.
“Ah,” said Clyp. “I have never witnessed copulation before.”
“Ah!” screamed Kirsa, falling back off Noah. “What the fuck?” Noah’s eyes looked up at Clyp’s silhouette in shock. He covered his exposed dick with his hands.
“Have I committed a social faux pas? My apologies.”
“You can see us?” asked Noah.
“Yes. As though you were standing in the light of day. Gemfolk possess darkvision.”
“What the fuck!” repeated Kirsa.
“I apologize. If you don’t want me to watch you copulate, I could go stand nearer to Berenice and give you some privacy. I don’t have a nose, so I wouldn’t mind the smell. Alternatively, if you don’t mind me watching, perhaps you could choose a more revealing position for me to watch your genitals-“
“Ew! Go away, Clyp!”
“Sorry,” said Noah.
Before he turned to go, Clyp said, “You know, it is irrational for you to not let me watch. It’s not as if your copulation will be modified by my observing it.”
“No! Go away!”
Clyp turned and walked toward Berenice. When he was far from them, Kirsa straddled Noah again.
“What a creep,” said Kirsa.
“Yeah. He doesn’t mean anything by it, I think. I don’t know if his species has sex.”
“Still! He wanted to watch! Or, maybe you wanted him to watch, huh?”
“What? No!” said Noah.
Kirsa laughed. “Yeah, I bet you get off on having an audience. You dirty boy!” She started stroking his cock, getting it hard again. “Maybe we should have Clyp and Berenice come over here with the glowstick, and they can both watch me ride you.”
Noah shook his head. Realizing she couldn’t see him, he said, “Uh-uh, no way.”
Kirsa giggled and slid him inside her. They made out while they fucked. Since he couldn’t see her, his mind kept imagining it was Chastity he was fucking instead. Though he felt guilty, he got really into it, and kissed Kirsa passionately while they made love.
Berenice vomited again. She had piled most of the thick, black slime into one of the other passageways, and her arms were covered up to her elbows. Seeing that her work was mostly done, Noah and Kirsa walked arm in arm toward Berenice and Clyp.
“Heaven’s Eye, preserve me! Demons in Hell.” Berenice turned to them. “Hail. It appears you two have been having a better time than myself.”
Noah and Kirsa turned toward each other and smiled at each other, slightly embarrassed.
“Well, the path is mostly clear. Simply watch your footing.”
Clyp led the way through the now-clear passage. The walls and floor were still coated in slime, but it was possible to mostly avoid it except on the bottom of their feet. They gagged as they stepped through the muck. Berenice stayed far at the back, because she smelled horrific, even after trying to clean her arms with some water.
It was only another twenty or thirty feet before they reached another pile of black slime. Fortunately, it was in a side passage and was not blocking the way. They heard something chittering in its direction, and Noah was glad they didn’t stop to figure out what was making the sound.
They came to a fork in the tunnel. Just as Clyp went to lead them down the right passage, the walls became bright, emitting a bright, white light, and the Mountain started to rumble. The path in front of Clyp slammed shut, as did the passage behind them. Then, the walls grew dark again.
“What?”
“What happened?”
“That was not supposed to happen,” said Clyp.
“What do you mean, it wasn’t supposed to happen?”
“The passageway. It was not supposed to close. This makes no sense.”
“What?” asked Kirsa as she clung more tightly to Noah.
“I said this makes no sense.”
“What? Are we trapped?”
“Hmm. No, I don’t believe so.” Clyp checked a small metal device in his hands. “I think we just need to make a detour. Come this way.”
“Oh, Eye,” sighed Kirsa. “I thought we were trapped!”
“Well, there’s no going back,” said Noah, turning to look at the passage behind them. It continued a few feet behind Berenice and then terminated in a wall. There was no rubble or any sign that there used to be a tunnel there. The tunnel just stopped abruptly in a wall of opalescent crystal.
They continued. As they walked, not only would the tunnel occasionally shock them, but every few minutes, the stone would glow brightly, and they would hear another loud slamming sound of tunnels somewhere in the Mountain nearby.
“Hmm. All of these tunnels are supposed to be staying the same right now. This is unusual. I would suggest we return to the City, but our way is blocked. Therefore, we must continue.”
They pressed on through the dark, twisting tunnels, hoping they would not become trapped and die inside the Mountain.