008

Noah looked at Clyp, waiting to hear about the artifacts Clyp had found.

“I think it is better if I share my findings with the entire group,” Clyp said. “I also wanted to highlight the anomaly occurring with the metal creature’s body. Have you noticed it?”

Noah turned to look at the corpse. It was glowing a pinkish-red colour and was semi-transparent. It seemed to be pulsing or slowly flickering, becoming first more transparent, then less, then more again. The black fluid around the corpse was experiencing the same phenomenon.

“Whoa. That’s weird.”

“Indeed. I have never seen such a thing.”

“Berenice, Kirsa, come here!”

Noah showed Berenice and Kirsa the corpse, which was glowing and fading away.

“Wow, what’s happening?”

“I do not know. I am unfamiliar with this species. Perhaps this is normal behaviour for them after death. Maybe their magical energy is being reabsorbed into the Mountains.”

“Weird.”

“While you are here, I would like to show you these artifacts I have found. Perhaps they will be of some use. We may divide them equally.”

“Okay, sure. What did you find?” asked Kirsa.

Clyp picked up a small wooden box from the table. The wood looked out of place among all the metal and stone. “This is a wondrous pair of artifacts.” Clyp opened the box, revealing a red felt interior where two gold rings were mounted. He set the box on the table. Looking down into the rings, Noah could see his own face. At first, he thought he was looking at some kind of mirror or periscope, but Clyp took one of the rings from the box and Noah saw they weren’t connected. Yet, by looking into one ring, Noah could see out of the other. The rings were small portals. To demonstrate, Clyp put his hand through the ring he was holding, and it came out of the ring still in the box.

“Whoa! That’s crazy! Can I try?” squealed Kirsa.

“Of course.”

Kirsa apprehensively put her fingers toward the metal rings and then squealed again as her hand went through. “Ahh! It works!”

“That’s so weird,” said Noah, inquisitively poking one of his fingers through.

Berenice said nothing, but her eyes were wide in awe of the artifact.

“Indeed, it is a strange and powerful device. I do not know if they have a maximum range, but they are precious either way. Of all the artifacts, this is the one I am most interested in. I hope you will allow my people to claim this artifact for ourselves. The long-distance communication these artifacts would enable would be priceless for my people.”

“You want them? What else did you find?”

“Yeah, let’s divide them after we’ve seen them all first.”

“Very well,” replied Clyp. Next, he picked up a long, brass rod. It was uniform in diameter and was topped with a smooth ball of copper. “This one is a bit dangerous, so you may want to step back.”

They took a few steps back. Kirsa clung to Noah’s arm in anticipation. Then, Clyp swung the rod slowly. They saw sparks and small jolts of electricity spray from the top of the rod. When the rod came to a standstill, the electricity stopped. He swung it again, this time harder. More electricity shot from the copper top of the rod. The electricity was more aggressive this time, and resembled small bolts of lightning. Kirsa yelped in surprise. If Clyp swung it at full strength, Noah figured the rod would be capable of creating bolts that were as powerful as actual lightning.

Clyp held the rod still, and the others stepped toward him. The air smelled of electricity, and Noah could feel his hair slightly standing on end.

“This artifact could be used as a potent weapon. Since I am a Mage, and Kirsa is not humanborn and not suited for combat, I think Noah is the natural choice for this artifact.”

“Yeah, maybe,” said Noah. He imagined himself using the rod in combat. Hitting some bandit or monster in the head with the rod and having them simultaneously covered in a web of electricity. It could definitely save his ass.

“Next, a ring with a passive effect. Would either of you like to try it?”

“What does it do?” asked Noah.

“It turns your exterior to metal.”

“What?” said Kirsa. “Can I try?”

“It’s not permanent, is it?”

Clyp handed the ring to Kirsa and answered Noah. “No, it only takes effect while the ring is worn.”

Kirsa slipped the ring onto her finger, and her skin went from fleshy orange to shiny silver. “Oh my Eye!” she shouted. “Look at me! Noah, look!”

“Yeah, I see it.”

“Whoa! I’m a metal carrot!”

“This artifact is clearly a powerful defensive item. Since Noah will take the electricity rod, and I would prefer to take the portal rings, perhaps Kirsa could take the metal ring?”

“Yeah, or maybe Berenice wants it?” Noah turned to Berenice. Her eyes were wide, and she subtly shook her head at him. “Oh-“

“What do you mean? You would give such a valuable artifact to your slave, for her to own?” asked Clyp.

“Uhh…” stammered Noah.

“What is going on here?” asked Clyp. He looked between Noah, Berenice, and Kirsa. Kirsa turned orange as she took off the ring. “Is this sheeple truly a slave, or has she been freed?”

“Well…”

“She’s just pretending,” said Kirsa.

“Kirsa!” yelled Noah.

“What? He already figured it out!”

“She is pretending to be a slave? Who freed her? This is now a formal investigation. Answer me!” Nobody responded to him. “This is a capital crime. This sheeple and whoever freed her will both be put to death.”

Noah’s heart raced. Should he lie to Clyp?

“We don’t know who freed her, okay?” said Kirsa. “But she’s not a slave! She’s free!” Kirsa smiled a bit, taking delight in throwing Berenice under the bus. Rather than angry, Berenice just looked hurt.

“Kirsa! No, Clyp, you don’t understand-“

“Stop! I will remind you that lying to an agent of the law during an investigation of a capital offence is in itself a capital offence.”

Noah shut his mouth. Fuck. If he got caught lying, he would be put to death? He looked at Berenice. She was on the verge of tears and stayed quiet. He knew he should speak up in her defence. But he would have to lie to Clyp. What if he got caught? What if there was lie detection magic or something? Then he’d be arrested and killed as soon as they got out of the Mountains.

“I will repeat my question. Who freed her?”

“We don’t know, okay?” said Kirsa.

“Very well. I am now taking the sheeple into custody under Kirsa’s testimony.” He turned to Berenice. “I do not believe I need to restrain you. But make any attempt to escape arrest, and you will be subdued and restrained. Understood?” Berenice nodded.

“Come on, Clyp, you don’t have to do this.”

“I am sorry Noah. I am a government agent. I have no choice but to uphold the law.” He was unwavering and stern.

He glared at Kirsa. She was smiling. She did this on purpose! What a bitch! Noah glared at her with rage.

“Now, for the matter of the last artifact,” said Clyp.

“Wait, what’s gonna happen to Berenice?”

“I will bring her to the outpost on the far side of the Mountains. There, she will be taken into custody, transported to the Empire’s capital, and executed.”

Noah saw Kirsa’s smile falter. He spoke. “What? There’s nothing we can do to get her off easier? Come on, it’s not her fault!”

“It does not matter. Legally, the sheeple are not considered people. I used the term executed for your understanding, but it’s more accurate to say she will be butchered. Her blood will be drained, and her meat, skin, and wool will be sold off.”

“Jesus fuck!” yelled Noah. “Clyp, come on. She’s a person!”

“No, she is not. Not according to the law.”

“But what about besides the law!”

“I hold the law above my own personal definitions of personhood.”

“But you think she’s a person, right?”

“No, I do not. She is not humanborn.”

“But she has feelings! Look, she’s crying!”

“I do not care. I will not be swayed on this point. I do not consider her a person. Nor, in my personal opinion, is Kirsa, though legally she is free.”

Noah took Berenice into a hug and glared at Kirsa. Kirsa was no longer smiling, and was looking away.

“Now, we must address the issue of the final artifact.” Berenice sobbed into Noah’s shirt as Clyp spoke. “It appears to be some kind of organ production device. Observe.” He pointed what looked like a futuristic white barcode scanner at Kirsa’s hand and scanned it with a blink of white light. Then he pointed it at the table and hit a different button. Cyan light projected from the device, and the image of an orange hand began to appear. At first, it was translucent like a hologram, but soon it became solid and then fell over of its own weight. Strangely, it did not bleed, even though it clearly contained blood vessels with blood in them, which Noah could see at the opening at the bottom of the hand, where Kirsa’s arm would be.

“The organs produced by this device are extraordinary in nature. Watch.” Clyp took the hand and stuck it onto Kirsa’s elbow. Kirsa’s flesh parted to accept the new extremity and then folded back around the hand. Kirsa then had a hand attached to her elbow. There was no seam or scar; it looked completely natural.

“Ah! Get it off me! It’s creepy!”

“I apologize. There is a second mode for removing organs created by the device.” A purple light shone from the scanner, and when Clyp aimed it at the hand, Kirsa’s flesh parted again to release the hand, which then dropped to the floor. Her elbow skin reformed around where the hand had been attached, leaving her with no scar.

Despite being upset about Berenice, Noah couldn’t help being impressed. “That is a very powerful artifact,” he said.

“Indeed. This could be used to heal any injury, in theory. Or to add additional organs to the body. Perhaps to add eyes on the back of the head. I will consent to giving this artifact to Noah as a second artifact if he consents to me taking the portal rings.”

“Fine, but Kirsa gets it, not me.”

“You want me to have two artifacts?” she asked, confused.

“No. You don’t really deserve any, but if you’re going to have one, it can be the flesh scanner thing. I’m giving Berenice the metal skin ring.”

“What! I want the metal ring!”

“Too bad, Kirsa.”

“You don’t get to decide who gets what! I want it.”

“If I can have the portal rings, I will assent to whatever Noah wants. We, therefore, outnumber you, so you will get whatever Noah assigns to you.”

“That’s not fucking fair!”

*HEARTLESS!

Noah winced at the sound, which pierced only his ears.

“Give it here, Kirsa,” said Clyp. Reluctant, she gave up the metal ring. Clyp handed the ring to Noah. He then gave the scanner to Kirsa. Kirsa looked at the scanner in disgust.

“This is bullshit!” she yelled, and threw the scanner down on the ground. She stomped off. Clyp picked up the scanner, which seemed to be intact.

Noah gave the metal skin ring to Berenice, who held it in her hand. “I’m surprised you’re letting Berenice take anything,” Noah said to Clyp.

“Ah. Well, once she is taken into custody, her property will become the property of the gemfolk. So I am in favor of her taking the ring.”

“Of course,” said Noah, shaking his head. He looked at Berenice, who was still in his arms. “Are you okay, Berenice?”

“Nay. I mean, aye. I am well. I am afraid, but I stand firm.” She sniffled.

“Okay, do you mind if I go talk to Kirsa? Maybe I can get her to take back what she said. Then maybe Clyp would have to let you go?”

“Indeed, I would,” said Clyp. “Though, in that case, I would have to arrest her for perjury. The penalty in this case would also be the death penalty.”

“Jesus. And what if she won’t take it back?”

“Then I must proceed on her testimony, and Berenice will be executed. Unless you wish to testify against her. Then I would have conflicting testimonies, and I could drop the case. Though I would then have to arrest Kirsa for perjury all the same. Unless she claimed she wasn’t lying, and could provide evidence to support that. Then it would be you who would be guilty of perjury, and you and Berenice would both be executed.”

Noah swallowed. He didn’t know what to say. “I’m going to talk to Kirsa. I’ll see what she says. Hold on.”

Noah walked around the engine to where Kirsa was sitting. She was sitting at one of the tables with her face in her hands.

“Hey,” said Noah.

“You hate me, don’t you?” she asked, turning to face him.

“No, but I’m not happy with you. You really fucked over Berenice.”

“I know.”

“And you did it on purpose!”

“I know! But babe, she deserves it!”

“How? How could she possibly deserve it? She’s done nothing wrong to anyone.”

“She keeps trying to seduce you!”

“What? No, she isn’t! You’re crazy!”

“She is! You just don’t see it because you’re so nice, but she’s evil. She’s sneaky, and she’s trying to steal you away from me.”

“That’s crazy! And even if she was, that doesn’t give you the right to get her executed! She’s gonna be killed, Kirsa!”

“Don’t call me crazy!”

“I didn’t; I said what you said was crazy.”

“It’s not crazy!”

“It is! Berenice isn’t trying to steal me.”

“Yes, she is! You said she offered you sex before, and she fell on top of you on purpose. And I’ve seen the way she looks at you. She wants to take you for herself!”

“Why are you acting so crazy?”

“I just don’t want to lose you!” She was sobbing.

“Well, you’re going to lose me acting like this. We’re barely even together!”

Kirsa sobbed, and Noah stood next to her. Noah felt uncomfortable and sad listening to her cry. After a minute of her crying, Noah spoke. “I don’t even know what to do. I’d tell you to take back what you said about Berenice, but he says if you do that, you’ll be guilty of perjury or something, and you’ll be executed. And if I say you were lying, then I’d be putting my own neck on the line, and you’d still be executed.” Kirsa cried harder. “So I don’t know what to do. I like you. I mean, we have a good connection and good times together. I don’t know that I’d say I love you yet, but I feel close to you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. But I like Berenice too. She’s become my friend. I can’t just let her die. But if you take back what you said, then you’ll die, and then we won’t be able to be together anymore.” Kirsa stood and put her arms around Noah. “I like that you like me so much you feel jealous, but you really fucked Berenice over.”

“Why do you care about her so much? You barely even know her.”

“I barely know you, Kirsa.”

“Yeah, but you’ve been inside me. I love you. She’s just a sheeple. She’s not even a person. You can get a new friend. One who won’t make me jealous, okay?”

“What, you’re saying I should just let Berenice die?” Noah imagined Berenice being butchered and her body being sold for parts. The idea made him sick.

“No, but it’s not like you’re the one killing her, right? She really is guilty of a crime, right? She’s not supposed to be free. It’s not your fault if she dies.”

“I’m not killing her, but you basically are. And I’m guilty of the same crime, right? I’m the one who freed her. I didn’t even know it was a crime, but apparently, it is, and I’m just as guilty as her.”

“Yeah, but nobody knows you’re the one who freed her, so you’re fine.”

“But I can’t just let Berenice die, Kirsa.”

Kirsa looked up at him with tears in her eyes, holding his hands in hers. “So you’re going to let me die instead?”

“I don’t know!”

“You don’t know? How could you not know? I’m your girlfriend!”

“Barely!”

“What does Berenice have that I don’t? Why would you save her over me?”

Noah sighed loudly. “It’s not that she has something you don’t. It’s that she’s innocent, and you’re not. You’re the reason we’re in this situation.”

“So you’re just gonna let me die?”

“No! I don’t know!”

“But baby, you love me, right? Or you’re starting to love me?” She came close to him and put her arms around his waist.

“I don’t know, Kirsa. I like you.”

“And you like kissing me and cuddling me?”

“Yeah.”

“And you like fucking me, right?”

“Yes.”

“And you like it when I suck your cock?”

“Uh-huh.” Noah swallowed.

“If you really don’t like Berenice like that, then she’s not gonna do any of those things with you, right?”

“Yeah, and it wouldn’t be right for me to have sex with her.”

“Right, but I can do anything you want. I can suck your dick every day. I love the taste of your cum. I can suck your dick every morning, and ride you every night. We will be the cutest, sexiest couple in the Empire.”

“Kirsa…” She was starting to rub his dick gently with one of her hands, but he wasn’t really in the mood.

“Come on, baby. You know you want me more than you want her, right? You want my body.” She pulled his hand to her chest. “You want to be inside me, right? Because deep down, I know you love me. I know you love me, but you don’t love her.”

“It’s not about who I love. You basically tried to kill her. You’re crazy!”

“Don’t call me crazy! I’m not crazy!” Kirsa screamed. “I just love you. Is that so crazy? I just want you to be with me!”

“Kirsa. You know what you did was wrong, right?”

“Yes! I know! But I had to! I thought I had to! So you’re just gonna have me killed instead of Berenice because I made a mistake?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“I’m only guilty of loving every part of you.” She was still rubbing Noah’s dick, and his body was starting to respond. He knew he should stop her, but it felt good.

“Kirsa, what am I supposed to do? How could I even be your boyfriend if you’re gonna do shit like this? Are you gonna fuck over every other girl I talk to?”

“No! It won’t happen again, I swear!”

“How can I trust that? How can I trust you after this? You fucked Berenice over because you were jealous. What if you get jealous again?”

“Baby, just don’t tell Clyp I lied, and I’ll do whatever you say from now on. From now on, I’ll be like your sheeple, okay?” She was talking through tears, and her hand was cupping Noah’s crotch and rubbing it desperately. “I know I can be a bit emotional and stuff. Just pick me over her, and I’ll do whatever you want. I won’t say or do anything you don’t approve of, I promise. And I’ll suck your dick every day.” She was now whispering. “I can learn to deepthroat you if you want.” She squeezed his dick harder, eliciting a slight moan from Noah. His dick was nearly fully hard. “I want to please you every day, okay? You can do whatever you want to me. I’ll do whatever you say. Just stay with me, and pick me over her.”

“But Kirsa, it’s not about picking you over her; it’s about who is in the wrong.”

“But at the end of the day, you’re gonna have to pick: me or her. Right?”

“I don’t know. I hope not.”

“But you would pick me, right? I swear to the Eye, I will do what you say from now on. You can fuck me every day, and every night.”

Noah looked down at the orange girl who was rubbing his crotch over his pants. Her face was a bit plain, and her skin looked dirty, but she was still sexy. She wanted him. She was wholeheartedly obsessed with him in a way nobody had ever been before, and she wanted nothing more than to suck his dick and hear him say he loved her. But did he love her? He loved Chastity, right? But, really, he had only known Chastity for like a day, right? He thought he felt love at first sight for her, and he still planned to meet up with her again, but Kirsa was right here, and she wanted him. But she was also crazy. The opposite of Chastity in that regard. He didn’t know what to do. He felt frozen. His eyes closed as he felt Kirsa squeeze a drop of fluid out of the tip of his dick. He sighed softly. He needed to analyze the situation rationally. But his rational analysis would still be based on his feelings, right? And he didn’t know what he felt. He wanted Chastity. Maybe he wanted Kirsa, too. He definitely wanted to have sex with Kirsa multiple times a day. He wanted Berenice, but mostly just as a friend, even though she was attractive.

He opened his eyes and saw Kirsa, still teary-eyed, smiling slightly at his pleasure. She quickly slipped her hands down his pants. “You like that?”

Noah exhaled through his nose and closed his eyes. Fuck. She was really going to make him cum right now. This was such a bad idea. He was supposed to be figuring out the situation with Berenice. Kirsa was in the wrong. Her soft, cool hands moved up and down the shaft of his dick, and he moaned. Kirsa was crazy. Her other hand tickled his balls over his pants. Kirsa was obsessed with him. And he liked it.

He leaned forward a bit and bent his head down. He moaned softly into her ear. She smiled and jerked him faster. What was he doing? She was going to make him cum in his pants. He wouldn’t be able to clean it right away. She jerked his throbbing cock fast, and his eyes rolled up behind his eyelids. He didn’t have a change of underwear with him.

“Cum for me, my lord.” She looked at him devilishly, but he couldn’t see her. His eyes were closed as he stood in front of her. It wasn’t long before his toes curled, and he started sputtering cum into his underwear. It squished against the inside of his underwear and covered his dick, his balls, and Kirsa’s hand.

“Oh…” he moaned quietly. His hips twitched as he came. When he was done, he stood still. Fuck. What was he doing?

Kirsa took her hand slowly out of his pants and began licking his cum from her fingers. “Mmm…” she moaned, looking to him for approval.

Noah took deep breaths, relaxing his body. He looked at Kirsa. She was evil. Why would she jerk him off at a time like this? Why would he let her? Maybe she would stop acting crazy from now on. Maybe she really would do whatever Noah told her. Probably. Maybe she was crazy enough to want him to be in charge of her and tell her how to behave. He had no idea. Maybe he was crazy enough to want it, too.

“Did you like that? Did I do good?” whispered Kirsa.

“I don’t know. Yes. It was good.”

“Good. Thanks for your cum, my lord. It’s delicious.” She finished licking her fingers and leaned up to kiss him. He dodged the kiss, afraid to taste his own semen.

Noah sighed. “Kirsa, what was that? Are you actually crazy?”

She looked hurt. “What do you mean? You liked it. You let me do it. You wanted me to do it. All I did was do what you wanted. That’s all I’m gonna do from now on. Whatever you want.”

“So, if I told you to tell Clyp you lied about Berenice, you’d do it?”

She swallowed. After a pause, she said, “Yes. I would. But you’re not gonna make me do that, right?”

He was not. He knew that much. “No. Then it would just be you dying instead of Berenice. Even if this situation is your fault, you shouldn’t have to die.”

“Thank you, baby!” Kirsa threw her arms around him. “I knew you wouldn’t pick her over me.”

“But still, Kirsa. I can’t just let Berenice get executed! I’m gonna try to find a way out of this that doesn’t involve you or me telling Clyp you lied. Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but maybe I can convince him to let Berenice go, or we can run away or something.”

“Okay. Thank you thank you thank you, baby. I love you.”

“Yeah. Thank you, Kirsa.”

“I will be such a good girl for you from now on. I won’t be crazy. I mean, I’m not crazy, but I won’t do anything you think is crazy. And I’ll do whatever you ask. And you can fuck me whenever you want. Thank you, Noah.”

“You’re welcome.” He held her for a few seconds and then said, “We should probably go talk to them.”

Kirsa nodded. “You go. I don’t want to go over there.”

“Why?”

“I mean, Berenice probably hates me.”

“Yeah, probably. Okay. Stay here.”

Noah walked around the engine in the center of the room to where Berenice was sitting. Clyp was over on the other side of the room, messing with some machinery.

Berenice was sitting with her arms crossed, looking at Noah. “Hast thou made things right with Kirsa? Will she confess that she hath given false witness unto Clyp?” She glared at him with a look of disapproval, like she knew the answer before she asked the question.

“Uhh, no. But even if she did, she would just be the one who got executed then, right?”

“Doth she not merit it for informing upon me? Alas, I can scent thy allegiance with her in the air.” Berenice raised her head slightly and sniffed. “Thy youthful essence hath marked thee as culpable as her.”

*HEARTLESS!

Ow! Fuck! Oh, God. Noah realized she could smell his semen. Noah didn’t think she would be able to from here. Shit. No wonder she seemed mad at him. He was having sex with Kirsa when he was supposed to be saving her. He deserved her anger. But he couldn’t help himself.

“I’m sorry, Berenice. This whole situation is fucked. I don’t know what to do.”

Berenice spoke, continuing to stare icily at Noah. “Thy heart doth know what to do. The just course would be to let thy love, Kirsa, take the fall. Yet thou wilt not heed thy heart, wilt thou? There are other parts of thy body that do cry too loud.”

She was accusing him of thinking with his dick, rather than his heart. Well, she had a bit of a point. He didn’t know why he was giving Kirsa so much slack. She was objectively crazy. She was willing to kill Berenice to get her way. But she wasn’t evil, was she? She was just emotional and confused. And Noah did have a connection with her – a physical connection – he had never had with someone else before. Not really.

“I’m sorry, Berenice.”

“I understand, Noah. I understand that thou art young. Thou art easily led astray by carnal desire. It doth not excuse thy conduct, but I understand it. To that end, I would fain make thee an offer.”

“Oh? What is it?”

Berenice stood up and stepped toward Noah. Her stern gaze relaxed a bit. She put one hand on his arm and looked at him, though she didn’t quite make eye contact. “I would proffer my body unto thee. Thou wouldst be able to use it at any time, in whatever manner thou dost desire. From this moment until the day I breathe my last. I would remain free, but my body would be thine, and thine alone. All I ask in return is that thou tell Clyp that Kirsa did lie about me, so that I may live.”

“But then Kirsa would die, wouldn’t she?”

“Aye. She would. But thy heart knows she doth deserve it more than I. And mine offer should sway the rest of thee.” Her hand slowly traced down his arm and then held his hand.

“Uhh, I don’t know. She made basically the same offer. Saying she’d let me fuck her and do whatever I say if I chose her. But I’m not really comfortable choosing between you two. I don’t know.”

Berenice made eye contact with him. Her small black face looked tiny, surrounded by all the wool of her white afro. She looked into his eyes and said, “Noah, thou must choose. If not by action, then by lack of action.”

She was right. Unless he could find some other way out of the situation. They had valuable artifacts, but Clyp didn’t seem like the type to take a bribe. Maybe they could run away, but where? There were gemfolk settlements on either side of the Passage. And even Clyp alone would be hard to get away from. He could blast them from a distance with his magic.

“Listen, Noah. Kirsa is young. I’m sure she thinks she means it. Until something else stirs her jealousy, or until thou dost perform an act she liketh not. Or thou dost ask her to do something she is averse to. Then, will she still obey thee?”

“I don’t know. Maybe not.”

“Right. But I can speak in earnest when I say I would obey thee totally. Though I am free, obedience is in my nature, and, as thou didst say before, I am credulous and easily swayed. Thou couldst easily persuade me to do aught that thou didst desire, no? Thou wert too kind to manipulate me so before, but now I would be granting thee my consent. Doth that not sound alluring?”

“I guess. I don’t know. It feels wrong to take advantage of you like that.”

“Truly, I would not take offence. Thou wouldst have my permission, and in sooth, I would find pleasure in serving thee.” Berenice’s hand went to Noah’s crotch. As she pressed the palm of her hand against him, he felt that his flaccid dick was still sticky with his cum.

“Berenice… It’s not right. You’re too easy to brainwash. You can’t consent.”

“I cannot consent to death either, can I? Thou wouldst have me die in terror rather than live a joyful life serving thee? How can that be deemed just? I yearn to please thee, Noah. Just let me, and swear thou wilt save me.” She rubbed his crotch with her hand as she softly spoke.

“I don’t know.” He thought about stopping her from touching him, but then Berenice dropped to her knees. “Wait, Berenice…”

“I desire it,” said Berenice. She untied the fly of his pants and pulled down his pants and underwear. Noah looked at Clyp, embarrassed, but he looked busy and probably wouldn’t care anyway. Noah looked down at Berenice. She held his already-hardening cock in her hand. The contrast between his pale dick and her jet-black hands was stark.

She looked up at him. Her long, sheep ears bent downward slightly. “Let me show thee what thy future shall be like if thou dost save me, Noah.” She leaned forward and took him slowly into her mouth. Noah moaned softly, and his head tilted back. It felt so good. Noah had had several orgasms already and wondered how many he could have in a day before his dick would stop working properly. He figured he had at least one left in him, and Berenice seemed determined to extract it right now. Her tongue moved skillfully around the head and shaft of his penis. Her tongue was much longer than Kirsa’s, and when she took him deep into her mouth, she could slightly lick his balls at the same time.

Noah moaned. This time, he was hoping Kirsa wouldn’t hear. Berenice slurped his dick with vigor. She wasn’t as quiet about it as Kirsa was. She was more aggressive and took him straight into her throat. It was strange, thought Noah. The two girls were basically competing to see who could make him cum harder, and the prize was their lives. He felt profoundly guilty, except he didn’t create the situation, and he didn’t see any other way out of it. He had to choose. Maybe there would be the opportunity to run, or something else would come up, but otherwise, he had to choose.

Berenice was making it hard for Noah not to choose her. She was quickly stroking his cock with one hand while her long tongue licked all around his balls, and down underneath. “Oh, shit…” Noah moaned as Berenice’s long tongue tickled his asshole. His knees bent a bit, but she leaned forward and kept licking. She returned to sucking his dick, but one of her hands continued teasing his balls and his taint. The blowjob she was giving him was unlike any he had had before. With his ex-girlfriend back home, she had been awkward and gagged the whole time. He came eventually, but only from sheer determination. Kirsa wasn’t bad. She had some experience, and Noah liked that she seemed to actually love doing it and love swallowing his cum afterward. But Berenice was something else. She seemed to have no gag reflex at all. Maybe Cassius, her former husband, had used her malleable nature to make her good at oral sex. Noah saw how a sheeple could easily be trained to be the ideal cocksucker.

Repeatedly, she pulled him hard into the back of her throat. “Oh God,” said Noah out loud as he could feel he was close. He felt her two hands, one on each side, pull on his ass cheeks to force him as deep as possible into her throat. Soon, he came, squirting his hot cum straight into her throat. His knees buckled a bit, his eyes closed, and he muttered as he came. “Oh, fuck… Oh, fuck…” The orgasm was powerful.

Noah stood still while his orgasm finished. Finally, Berenice pulled back and began dutifully cleaning his dick with her tongue. Then she started licking the inside of his underwear, so it wouldn’t be sticky anymore. She didn’t seem to mind the fact that it was cum she was licking. She seemed to like the taste. It may as well have been strawberry jam. When she was done, she stood up. She was shorter than Noah, except for her afro. She put her arms around him and pulled him close to her.

“I need not inquire how that was for thee, Noah.” She smiled up at him. “I was at first troubled thou mightst be spent. But I underestimated thy youthful vigour. The volume of fluid doth speak for itself.”

“Yeah. Wow,” said Noah. He was still experiencing the afterglow of his powerful orgasm and decided to sit down.

Berenice sat right next to him and wrapped her arms around him, speaking softly into his ear. “So, then, thou dost intend to accept mine offer, yes? I assume thou wert not merely taking advantage of me just now.”

Noah looked at Berenice. “Uhh… Yeah, I guess so. I don’t really have a choice, do I? I have to choose someone. And Kirsa is the one in the wrong.”

“Aye, that’s right. Pray, speak with Clyp now. It would ease my soul. Once that is done, thou canst instruct me on how thou wouldst have me conduct myself sexually from now on. I am eager to please.”

“Uhh, okay-“

At that moment, the passage leading into the room they were trapped in opened up. Where there was once a wall, there was now a tunnel again.

“Lo, Clyp hath done it! He hath discovered how to open the tunnels!”

“Yeah, wow,” said Noah.

Clyp walked toward them. “I believe I have figured out how to control the passageways. I have opened a passage which connects the gemfolk city with the gemfolk outpost on the other side of the mountain.”

Noah saw that Kirsa had come around the engine to hear what was being said, but she was keeping her distance.

“Wow, so we can get out of here.”

“Yes. In fact, I suggest we do so now. The tunnels do shift on their own over time, so it would be better to reach the outpost before the natural movement of the tunnels blocks our path. And I do not know how long the stores of mana in this room will last before the console can no longer function. Perhaps years, perhaps minutes.”

“Okay. But first… Clyp, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”

“What is it, Noah?” He stood, facing Noah, who was seated.

“Well,” said Noah. Berenice and Kirsa were both paying close attention to what was being said and were both leaning forward slightly to hear what he’d say. “It’s about Berenice.”

“What is it, Noah? I hope you have not come to beg favours from me. I will not betray my duties.”

“No, that’s not it. I want to say something about it.”

Kirsa stepped forward. “What are you doing, Noah?”

He ignored her. “I wanted to say that Kirsa lied about Berenice.”

“What!” Kirsa screamed at the top of her lungs. “Fuck you, Noah! Fuck you!” She ran forward and started trying to slap and scratch him. Clyp sent a small puff of magical force toward her. It was enough to knock her back, but not to knock her over.

**HEARTLESS!

Noah flinched at the scream in his head.

“Why would you do this to me, Noah? I thought you loved me! I sucked your tiny dick! I swallowed your disgusting cum! Fuck you! I hate you!” She tried to run toward Noah again to attack him. Berenice grabbed her from behind and restrained her arms. She fought the restraint and kept yelling, screaming, and crying. “Fuck you, Noah, you fucking bastard! I loved you, you motherfucker!”

“I am sorry-“ said Clyp.

“You fucking piece of shit! I’m going to fucking kill you!”

“Have no choice but to-“

“I’ll rip off your stupid cock and feed it hrnngh mrrph hnrg.” Kirsa’s face became confused. She looked down and realized Clyp had stuffed something in her mouth to shut her up. She kept screaming, but it was muffled by the cloth in her mouth. Clyp took Kirsa’s wrists from Berenice, and bound them with another strip of cloth.

“I apologize. I had no choice but to restrain her.” He now held one of her arms in his powerful, crystalline hand. “Noah, what were you saying?”

“I was saying that Kirsa lied. Berenice is not free. She has always been my slave. Right, Berenice?”

“Aye, my lord. Clyp, thou mayest have just witnessed me perform favours of a carnal nature for Noah. I did this in my duty to him as his slave.”

“I see. Then you accuse Kirsa of perjury, Noah?”

“Yes.”

“Very well. Then I have no choice but to keep her in my custody until we reach the outpost. Thank you for letting me know the truth. Though, know that if she is found to be telling the truth after investigation, you will both become fugitives of the law.”

“I understand,” said Noah.

“Good. Then, shall we head for the outpost? It should be only a few hours from our current location.”

They gathered their belongings and headed out. Since Kirsa was bound and gagged in Clyp’s custody, Noah took her flesh scanner along with his own artifact: the electricity rod. It crackled a bit with electrical energy even as he moved it gently through the air. He couldn’t help but be amazed by it. Berenice used a piece of string to tie the metalskin ring around her neck, so she could wear it in case of emergencies. But she didn’t want to be made of metal all the time. Clyp, of course, took the portal rings for himself.

With the artifacts and their mundane supplies gathered, they walked through the narrow tunnels. The electric shocks were as frequent as before, and the tunnels were dim. They heard signs of strange life within the tunnels, but saw nothing. It took a few hours of walking in silence before they reached the outpost.

It was night, and the pink glow of the Eye, open overhead, illuminated everything. The outpost was barely more than a couple buildings. There were no permanent residents, only a few guards and clerks. Still, more manpower than Noah would have dared try to fight.

“This concludes our journey. I have been paid already, and a gratuity is neither necessary nor allowed. Thank you all.” Clyp turned to take Kirsa toward the largest building. “You may sleep here for the night, or you may continue on your journey. If you decide to sleep here, that building has been outfitted for the comfort of your squishy, excretive bodies.” He pointed.

Kirsa screamed a muffled scream and cried. Tears streamed down her face. She shook uncontrollably and had to be dragged by Clyp into the building. The door closed behind them, and then they heard nothing.

“So, Noah, shall we perchance rest here for the night?”

Noah nodded wearily. They headed into the building. It had a bed, and it had a toilet. It had other things that you would expect a human house to have, like a counter, some chairs, and a table. But nothing was in the right location. One chair was facing the bed. The sink was blocked from use by a shelf. Oh well, they just needed the bed.

Berenice pulled off her pants, which she didn’t need now that Kirsa was gone, and threw them aside. They lay down in the bed. Noah dwelt on Kirsa. The thought of her being executed made him feel sick. The sight of her screaming and crying and being dragged away against her will made him sicker. But there was nothing he could do. Nothing but lay here and feel like shit.

“I know it hath been a long day, Noah, but if there be any pleasures I can bestow upon thee this night, anything to ease thy burden, pray, let me know. There are no bounds.”

Noah didn’t respond. He just sat, staring at the wooden ceiling, thinking about the gemfolk and his four Heartless debuffs and Kirsa until he finally fell asleep with tears in his eyes.