FSE

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Chapter 3

"Liars and Hypocrites"

Rana's words ricocheted in his head."Pretend what? . . . Rana?" Wallace's worried voice pierced the Dragoness' deep emotional trance. She shook her head lightly, partially snapping out of it. Rana's eyes briefly flashed an intermixed canvas of green. The luminous color spread to her cheeks, exuding obvious signs of embarrassment. Suddenly her words came spilling out, capitulating with a sigh. "I'm sorry, Wallace." She said regrettably. "I wanted to wait until we were under the full moon. I've been feeling stir-crazy. There's been so much on my mind lately. So much, it . . . hurts." She confessed, limply dropping her chin on his lap. Her eyes flickered, anxiously focusing on his face. "I'm not sure how to tell you this, Wallace, but-" She paused, glistening a blush of virid embers. Wallace's head tilted, confused, but also infatuated with her flickering vibrancy. "As a Dragon, I have an intense . . . need." She imparted, eyes panning off to the side.

"They begin as simple desires, then grow into harsh, persistent pangs throughout my entire body. If a Dragon decides to fight these urges for more than a week, it evolves into a fever of colossal proportions; somewhat of a lust-madness." She elaborated. Wallace's expression wavered, her startling words seeping into him as a blush of his own began to fill out and burn his cheeks.

Wallace shrank with worry, his tone and expression oozing pity as he spoke. "I knew you could be a bit flirty sometimes, but Gods . . . you've been holding that in this whole time?" His head tilted, brows lifting empathetically. "That doesn't sound healthy, Rana. We've been doting on each other back and forth for months. I didn't even know this was a concept." His frown weighed deeper, locking onto her with sympathetic eyes. "You know you could've just told me, right?" He asked, flaring a twinge of guilt.

Rana leaked a mild chuckle, giving him pause as she lifted a bittersweet look. "Wallace. There's something . . . a bit silly I've wanted to ask you." She mentioned.

Wallace lifted his brow, somewhat thrown off. "Sure, Rana. I wouldn't laugh at you." He assured, smiling tenderly.

She cracked a grin, appearing uncertain of that. "I hope so. I don't know if anyone's ever asked you this . . . but are you aware of just how strapping and handsome you are?" She asked, her face truly puzzled.

The question lagged a bit, delayed before reaching his mind. After a brief pause, Wallace's face lit up . . . though not with flattery. A broken laugh escaped his throat, splintering into a faded titter. The chuckling continued, until his eyes returned to her stolid expression. His laughter died the moment his pupils caught on her serious gaze, growing genuinely confused. "Wait . . . are you being serious?" He asked, his face painted with disbelief.

"Yes, Wallace. I am." She said sternly, seeming somewhat offended.

An awkward pause silenced their conversation as she lifted her head from his lap. Their eyes connected as his brow arched skeptically, silently holding back a chuckle. "I think I beleive in ghosts now." He quipped.

Rana reeled back an inch, initially caught off guard. She felt a saddening sense of remorse as she gave her retort. "That's not funny! You're a gorgeous man!" She objected, narrowing her virid eyes, causing him to flinch back. "Beleive me Wallace, if you weren't a handsome man, we wouldn't be having this conversation!" She added, grumpily groaning into her claws. Rana didn't shy away from the topic's core. While heavier concepts did loom within the shadows of the unknown, this was still a problem she wanted addressed.

"I've been losing my mind around you, Wallace! You have this . . . this-" Suddenly distracted, her eyes trailed along his slightly barreled chest, and down his barely visible abdominals. "Oh Gods . . ." She shuddered at the topic. Her legs almost buckled into a light quiver. Her neck arched back, aiming an anxious, yet endearing smile. "And it doesn't help that you're my type either." She imparted, showing a rare moment of bashfulness. Wallace gazed into her exhausted eyes, feeling an expanding void of pity in his belly. He heard Rana's breath deepen, likely due to marinating on the subject, feeling a wave of heat emanate from her feminine figure.

Of course, now of all times, something snarky had to slip out. "Great. So I'm some kind of 'type'?" He questioned, faintly cringing. Immediate regret came with the comment. 'Damnit Wallace, shut up!' he thought. That irking expression faded quickly, his teeth clenching as he realized what he'd said.

Rana curved a half-smile, crossed between love and frustration. "You are your own unique type, Wallace." She said mirthfully, brushing off his pettiness. Her body shimmied forward, stopping closely at his face. He could only blush deeper, staggered by the Dragoness' beauty as her heat climbed over his cheeks and the air alike. Before he could question her actions, Rana's maw tilted down, planting a delicate kiss on his neck. Initially starting out gentle, Rana's tongue danced along his nape, sensually lapping at him, like a true woodland beast tending to its mate. Her legs gave way to quivering, just as her lick ended with one long, sensual stroke across his shoulder. Wallace felt a bestial grunt rumble from her throat, shaking the air within the dome's interior. A fleeting twinge of irritation clenched over her eyelids as their gazes met again. "Wallace, I'm . . . I'm not sure I can hold this any longer." Strained her deepening voice, as if in pain. She fought in vain to keep a stoic face, incrementally crumbling into a passionate haze of lust.

Rana's posture receded, shedding its sophisticated front as she rose to her forelegs. Her eyes suddenly leered into his soul, burrowing deeper the more he stared back. The stance wasn't entirely predatory, but definitely wild, especially as her broadening eyes glinted with a palpable thirst. Her haunches lifted behind her, tail rising and swaying pendulously like a massive serpent fused to a voluptuous lioness. He couldn't help but realize in that moment, just how attractive a Dragoness' body could really be. Such a healthy, curvaceous figure, bending suggestively in favor of a dance he knew he truly wanted. She could've morphed into anything, yet his desires remained fixed, preferring her current form anytime. Wallace's mouth opened, seconds away from replying, only for Rana's index to press against his chest. Any more than a single finger would've launched him. Instead, he slid a mere foot, heart pounding inside his chest.

He gazed up, awed by the Dragoness' graceful bulk looming over him, her tail oscillating in twirling rhythms, like a giant weightless constrictor. That regal stretch of muscles paired stunningly with the rippling, green-tinted abyss writhing around them. "Y'know, I could've just laid down for you." He said, half-bothered. She reached over, lightly pressing one of her claws against his lower abdominals, now trembling much less, using precise and measured motions. "Maybe. But that wouldn't be as fun." She joked calmly. Perching one foot on his chest, Rana's other three feet slid backwards, eagerly pushing her verdant, twilit eyes past his waist. Her maw hung ajar, hovering there for a moment, letting a warm, repeating blanket of steady breaths steam against his navel, coaxing a shudder from his voice.

Wallace leaned up, eyes anxiously brushing contact. "Wait, a-are you really gonna . . ?" He shook his head, cutting himself off as a bashful look settled in. Wallace focused on the virid embers smoldering in her resplendent orbs, not just hearing —but chiefly feeling— a low, gentle growl closely reverberating through his pelvis. Her draconic voice rattled the very air. "Don't worry . . . just lay back, and embrace the pleasure. The more you enjoy this, the more I'll enjoy myself." She insisted, tilting her head into a euphoric smile. The calm satisfaction in her tone soothed his nerves, turning the lukewarm air into a light blanket. Wallace took a deep breath, poorly doing his best to remain restful with a galloping heart. Rana's clawed digits carefully avoided lacerating his thighs, keeping him still by gently wrapping her tail over his feet. The snakelike appendage slithered past his knees, carefully clenching and coiling past his legs and upper waist. Along the way, her tail dexterously came back around, undoing the upper-half of his buttons, effectively loosening his shorts.

He leaned up, unprepared as he spoke through a quavering voice. "Rana, wait . . . I-" Wallace's words got lodged in his throat as she fluttered a caring glance. Her appendage slinked around the remaining buttons, quickly writhing down and tilting them out of each opening. Her tail's accuracy gave him pause, an impressed look spreading over his face. "Wow," he blurted with a hush. Hearing his awe, Rana trilled a mature giggle as she loosened his shorts, using her tailtip to grab under the hem. In one swift motion, she stripped them off his waist, making him flinch as the article flung across their private dome. His mind reeled, unsure of how to react, aside from vaguely reciprocating her contagious giggles. They laughed gently together as she caressed his thighs with her claws, rocking him slightly with the excited wag of her tail curling around his lower half.

With that, he allowed her access to his most amorous regions, trustfully letting Rana's digits spread his legs apart, watching her face draw closer to his buttoned undergarments. They were a mahogany color, with three crimson buttons leading down the contained crotch area. A deep rumble quaked from Rana's throat, her radiant green eyes suddenly piercing his own. The end of her muzzle stopped centimeters away from the fabric, her enchanting voice dropping an octave as she stared into him. "Do you want to see a neat trick, Wallace?" She whispered sonorously, quirking an endearing grin.

"A trick?" He parroted awkwardly, eyes shifting. "Y-yeah. I guess." He stuttered weakly, laying silently still as a rush overwhelmed him. That full-blooded feeling only grew as her muzzle prodded into the fabric, pressing weight into his most intimate flesh. Needless to say, he was already engorged below, throbbing ceaselessly beneath that thin layer of cloth. Without warning, an exciting warmth of writhing wet muscle began to curl against his underwear. Her eyes never broke contact from his as her large, dexterous tongue slowly clasped around the uppermost button. Its mesmerizing motions manipulated the polished circle with perfect precision, maneuvering it deftly through the opening. Taking a deep, powerful breath, her movements hastened in eager pursuit of her treat, tautly wrapped in a fabric scented in arousal.

Her muzzle moved down an inch, tongue gliding and dancing along the way as she leered seductively into his gaping eyes. She sighed, adeptly swirling her tongue around the next button. Wallace's face froze, eyes wide with astonishment as her maw and tongue kissed its way to the last one. He throbbed under the fabric, feeling her heat and writhing pressure.

Rana shook a growl through the cloth, rumbling through erogenous zones as her tongue caressed the thin fabric separating his priming length from her taste. He felt its slick, heavy pressure massaging around his furiously throbbing bulge, barely holding back a full-on moan. Wallace was never one for self-pleasuring. It just wasn't him . . . which was why every touch of her salivating maw —from faint to assertive— was like an electric blast of raw, unrelenting bliss, both carnal and mental as his golden eyes gaped at her. He was utterly stunned by the sensations of strong wet flesh dragging in long, swirling, drawn out strokes over his thinly-veiled fabric. Each languid caress imbued a euphoria so intense, he nearly thought his mind was breaking . . . especially as her tongue curled perfectly around that last remaining button, pushing it through the slit with effortless precision. Wallace's chest rose and fell, his breaths bordering on rapid.

Amazingly enough, they'd only just begun. His undergarments opened, welcoming Rana's warm breath as it spilled inside. He stifled a gasp, watching her kind face extoll his own, hazily relishing the organ below her. The steamy sensation was almost like entering a hot bath, if one were rigid and pulsing with arousal. His excited shaft was larger than average, barely reaching past seven inches, yet that hardly mattered to a shapeshifter. Her tongue lingered steadily, just centimeters above it, each throb almost entirely glowing the distance. He felt a flicker of panic, possibly from the tension. An extra strong throb randomly pressed his penis to her tongue, causing his body to twitch, shake, practically convulsing below the waist. She caught it instantly, swiftly wrapping around the phallus faster than a snake securing its prey.

An abrupt tidal wave of bliss zapped up his torso, from every wet, coiling motion of her tongue, as it slowly began to slink down like a tight-fitting spring.

Initially panicked, an intense heat rose in his chest as he watched Rana's eyes fall into deep concentration, her head tilting sensually in eager motions.

With his undergarments slipping halfway off, her talented tongue swiveled down like a serpent. His eyes softened as she tasted his oaken musk, gazing into her's with admiration and shame. "Wh-why are you doing this?" He entered a strong whisper, baffled as he watched her, barely able to keep his head up as she pleasured him beyond mortal description. "Rana . . . I truly don't deserve you." He said, his vision blurring with moisture, physically and emotionally overwhelmed by her affections. As her warm maw continued to massage down his phallus, Wallace drifted into a relaxed, heart-pounding bliss, almost closing his eyes as a soft gasp escaped his lips. He wouldn't let himself sink into pleasure just yet, returning her ministrations by reaching over and imparting a scratch behind her ears.

She reacted with a muffled hum, claws desperately clenching his hips and contentedly sinking in for a deeper taste, eyes hazing shut in a state of tranquility. His claws curled into her as hid arms swung desperately around her head, embracing her as his teeth clenched together, straining to keep himself calm as her tongue tasted fully around his cock. He could feel a pressure swelling up within his rigid length, as little wet slurps sounded below. Wallace fought the urge to let everything loose right then and there, clenching the ground in an act of futile resistance. He wasn't made of stone, especially as her graceful motions crossed with a passionate gaze, tongue clinging to his throbbing flesh as she sank down with one final, tasteful swallow. Her maw pressed down hard, hilting deep between his legs. Wallace's buildup wasn't long, much to his dismay.

He stammered, hips bucking halfway, his ears brimming with heat as she slurped in fluid motions, tongue coaxing his impending climax with deft, deliberate precision. Their eyes connected, her gorgeous emerald orbs glowing into his as her expression softened. He could feel her emotions; the enigmatic tenderness and love as she welcomed the sweet-salty taste of precum. He held out as long as humanly possible, until a vocal trill vibrated into his waist, rattling through every fleshy stroke of her tongue. He felt it in his flesh; tingling and quaking over his sensitive rod. Wallace hadn't noticed his own hands jolting forward, clawing into the side of Rana's fuzzy face, raking sensually through her cozy, striped fur. She responded with a deep, sonorous growl that flooded his emotions with a palpable joy.

He could feel the tingles of fondness resonating within her enveloping muzzle, making his legs weaker as she nudged inwards, nestling hungrily between them. Rana's haunches rose with a sensual sway, slackening her tail to keep it beneath his neck for support. His breathing climbed, reaching higher and higher, until he eventually peaked, abruptly slipping into an airy gasp. His fingers clenched and fondled at her features as he felt himself release, plunged into a state of overwhelming euphoria as he erupted, unloading into her warm, undulating gullet. He sucked in another breath, speaking carefully through an unsteady exhale. "R-Rana . . . Oh, Gods, h-haaah." He extolled in a fit of bliss, feeling her drink him down, spurt after spurt down her throat. She responded wordlessly through tasteful utterances, delighting in the robust flavor of his erogenous flesh.

Her eyes rolled back as she moved it around with her tongue, letting it shoot in excessive spurts over her tastebuds. Rana couldn't help herself, growling again as she struggled to keep her glowing eyes straight. Wallace's legs twitched through the remaining ropes of cum he'd shot down her throat. She held herself there for almost a minute and a half, simply relishing in that moment, letting him pulse and moan as he let her swallow the last of his copious sperm. The sensation was raw and entirely new to him, conjuring a tinge of anxiety through all the head-pounding pleasure. Wallace's voice cracked as he spoke through shaken vowels, trying his best to form a sentence as Rana's tongue swirled around the entirety of his oversensitive flesh. "Rana, s-slow down." He gasped. His bare length had already expended enough, leaving the starry ocean dome spiraling as he tilted his head, resting back from nervous exhaustion and bliss.

Rana's piercing, verdant eyes receptively flicked towards him as she gave an endearing smile, cock still sheathed in her maw. She slowed down incrementally, milking all she could from those languid motions, her muzzle still clamped tight, tongue swirling along and kneading into his swelling shaft with slow, sensual strokes. Wallace's bare chest heaved up and down, his waist held in place by the dragoness' herculean claws as he shot half-siphoned ropes into her gullet. Her throat undulated in unison with each spurt, gulping it down, but only after gathering a thick ounce and cycling it over her tastebuds again. He could hear an audible, sighing "mmmh" as she slipped into a half-lidded gaze. Her fuzzy, muscular tail twitched underneath his neck, nearly jumping up with the excitement of a young doe as his pulses and twitches persisted at a rapid-fire rate.

Wallace's claws were still protracted, intimately raking through the beige fur at the rightward angle of her mandible, silently rewarding her efforts. Now that he'd been completely drained, his tightened ministrations turned to calm and gentle scratches, which Rana visibly enjoyed with a cute, smitten grin. He reciprocated with a tired, but satisfied smile, watching her steadily pull away in one long, slippery, drawn out massage. Rana was so precise in drawing back with her tongue, he'd have to strain himself to hear the quiet slurps along the way. The mild, releasing force of suction made him stifle another gasp, left raw, throbbing and bobbing almost tenderly in front of her glowing green eyes. Wallace's claws still scritched beneath her chin, now cupping to hold her face while intimately caressing it with his palms. Their contented looks reflected in each other's eyes.

She was still a convenient size; somewhat larger than himself, and able to enjoy his gentle strokes to the fullest extent. Rana's rumbles shook the structure around them, happily letting him draw her in closer, and cozily relaxing into his embrace. For sixty-two seconds, there were no words . . . Just fiery flecks of passion swirling past them inside the globe, joined with the deep and harmonious echoes of dancing bubbles not far outside of it. It wouldn't have been socially acceptable, two people simply staring into each other's eyes like that, as if entranced by euphoria itself. Wallace and Rana enjoyed the serenity for one final moment, before he broke the silence with an offer, glancing deeper into her brilliant green eyes as he spoke. "Let me . . . do the same for you." He said through heavy breaths, curving a cordial smile. Wallace didn't know what came over him, or at what point he decided to take charge, even if just a little.

As he stood up, his arms guided her body, gently pushing her backwards. Surprisingly, Rana held no protest, compliantly letting him coax her into a belly-up position, even offering to spread out her shapely legs, openly presenting her thick, muscular tail and haunches as her neck craned to look at him fondly. She gave him a little smirk, and that was all it took to hear his thundering heartbeat. He leveled down, laying frontward on her tail for better access, granting a closeup view of her soaking sex. Centered between her spreading thighs, her nether lips glistened with moisture against the verdant glow of their sinking vessel, completely unobstructed as Wallace mentally prepared himself. At the cusp of her thighs, her beige fur was plentiful, attached to a generous curvature of natural muscle. The dragoness' labia was covered in an extra thin layer of fur that started along her inner thighs at medium length, suffusing shorter towards the sweetly aromatic, throbbing center.

After an undetermined period of time spent ogling the heated sight, his gaping eyes shook back to awareness. Rana blurted the first vowel of a muffled chuckle, amused with his reaction. Wallace didn't say a word, cheeks reddening as he ignored her stifled mirth, steadily closing the distance between his lips, and her's below. For a brief moment, that semi-smug grin on her face shrank like a fading flame, slowly suffused by a rising panic. Rana huffed, body inching up and down with every sigh, feeling his teasing breaths tickle her needy folds on loop. He was hesitant, holding himself there just a centimeter away, premeditating how to treat her. Ironically, this naturally worked to arouse her even more, making Rana's lower half wiggle and squirm with anticipation, sharp toes curling with every second he left her crying nethers untouched.

Her features tightened with barely restrained lust, fusing a mix of frustration and admiration alike. She gave an irritated moan before responding. "Wallace . . . Just kiss it." She ordered through clenching teeth, reverberating a needy growl through the dome. Her wanton hips bucked automatically, trying desperately to land there mark, but he drew away, using his catlike reflexes to deftly maintain the same distance at all times. He saw her expression go on and off, teetering between demure annoyance and overwhelming need. "Damn it, Wallace. Please . . . stop teasing!" She ordered aggressively, vainly trying to mask her arousal. She called his name once more, this time with true desperation. Wallace's golden gaze flicked up, taking in the glow of her sincerely begging eyes, clearly watering with inexpressible need. Not solely instinct or desire. —NEED.

Her tail rose up like an angry snake, sneaking above the region between her splaying legs, and bending diagnally downwards with fluid precision. The appendage arched, slithering forward, until pressing gently at his scalp. The moment he felt Rana's tail begin to apply pressure, her voice rumbled with command. "Get down further. Now." She ordered calmly, yet powerfully, forcibly sinking his head down, and finally feeling the touch of his soft human lips stretch against her labia. His motions were constant, thoughtlessly parting and caressing her soaking entrance with sensual fervor. Her erogenous zones heated up all around her labia; burning at her inner thighs, under her tail, and especially deep within the center of it all. The real fun began when his tongue joined the mix, triggering a mild gasp from her briefly parting maw. "There, that's it, Wallace. Very good!" She praised aloud, sighing deeply with relief.

Through all of the intense pleasure, Rana's quivering frame struggled to support her neck, ready to collapse in favor of simply laying there in bliss. Regardless, her eyes remained fixed on him as she expertly controlled the force of his ministrations. Her tail languidly caressed his head like a loving serpent as he savored her, playfully circling her tailtip through his cascade of golden hair. All the while, he intermittently split his focus, eyes flitting up for a quick glance at her doting gaze. For a moment, he caught a hint of clear, genuine limerence. The peculiar expression gave him pause. Rana huffed in and out with a glint of unbridled joy in her eyes, bordering on obsession, ears ramped back through a vulnerable, longing smile. It was a different kind of emotion; beyond carnality, emanating a verdant flame of warmth and love in her eyes.

Despite the untenable fires of lust, he felt the palpable tenderness sparking between them. For Wallace, however, that feeling was laced with a persistent, nagging confusion. He tried to ignore it, his eyes shifting in rumination, before promptly working himself back into her shapely inner thighs. With each stroke of his tongue tasting between her inner lips, Rana's wings twitched with her trembling, upraised legs. Her tail held firm to his head, guiding his aim, sweeping it across in patterns that made her wet tunnel contract over his tongue, tightening with near-rapid convulsions. He'd never done anything like this for anyone, but somehow, he knew she was dwindling at the edge of her peak. Rana's tail pulled his hair as it jerked on mere impulse, dragging his lips squarely over her needy pearl. Her erogenous anatomy was uncannily similar to that of a human female's . . . given, not that Wallace would know. He simply did what felt right in collaboration with her guiding tugs.

He was so rigid, it almost hurt. Wallace watched in awe as he worked her raw; the hypnotic arches of her buckling haunches as they slackened in repeating cycles under his slow, drawn out strokes of tongue and clasping lips. A pounding heat ignited in his chest, blasting waves of euphoria through his insides, pumping his cheeks, ears and shaft with an overwhelming bliss of hot blood. The strong, yet malleable walls fogged up from Rana's rumbling breaths, obscuring there transparency as his head's movements grew with passion and intensity, gradually suffusing her long 'huffs' into impassioned sighs. In-turn, her recurring sighs ascended, pitching into a series of explicit moans. The pitch of her voice fluxed into melodious consonants, shaking through the vessel, nearly mistaken for a demon lurking beyond their current lodging, timed in perfect unison with her tail grappling hard around his crown.

Wallace's heart sped into overdrive upon the palpable quaking of the air and walls as she roped him in, head-and-all, cramming his mouth and face as her rapidly clenching confines. Rana's control spiraled away into burning bliss, her head tilting back intensely as she writhed and humped those shapely haunches into his face, blurring their target in the fury of her climaxing heat. While startled, Wallace held his breath just in time with her flooding gates. Her hips buckled, squeezing out a generous splash that soaked his features in sequence with her contracting tunnel. Her labia kissed over most of his face, her sodden tunnel sucking and pulsating around his features. An interlude of draconic rumbles rattled the fogged up dome, building as her beastly growls wavered, cracking into feminine cries. As if to mask the silly utterance, her aggressively deep snarls sparked into a regal, blasting roar.

Wallace's body lurched back, though prevented by her immovable tail. Rana's eyes clamped shut, her wings a smoldering green as they gracefully stretched and spanned. Her tail kneaded and dug into his hair, ruffling the golden silk in a near-spastic sequence of aimless motions. Her legs spread further astride, openly embracing every little unfettered ministration. With how deep he was, every involuntary twitch was known to him. Wallace broke through his shock of hearing that splitting roar, decidedly pushing his lips further, and gently cradling over and circling her clit with his tongue. Surprisingly, it made a difference, changing her tune like the fragile touch of a record player. She practically sang a song of euphoria, but with moaning, growling and powerful rumbles. Distorted extolments shook through her otherworldly sounds. "Y-yyes! Wallace!" She exclaimed with heartfelt praise, mouth hanging ajar as her neck arched to ogle his features with her glistening green eyes.

Wallace couldn't free himself, not that he wanted to. Something had him drunk; intoxicated, as if on pheromonal fumes. The taste was faintly sweet, almost like nectar, and he could feel himself dwindling at the edge as well, ready to burst any second. Her essence flowed as each contraction squeezed his mouth, washing his face in crystal-clear lust as she gyrated her hips in rolling circles across his features. Rana's mind was lost momentarily, her half-lidded expression dopey and muddled in pure ecstasy as she came again, and again over his handsome face. An eruption of his own launched without warning, overwhelming Wallace's senses with an orgasmic zap of physical pleasure seizing his manhood. The involuntary spasm overtook him, and he couldn't cease the rapid fire of white ropes coating the base of her tail.

He recovered his breath ever-so-slightly from the centimeter's distance of precious air, climaxing in a state of unwavering bliss, renewing over and over with each generous rush of cum firing out in seemingly endless spurts. After a while of being smothered in her aromatic sex, unloading his sperm onto the base of her tail, he finally gave her a pat on her hindquarter. Wallace got dizzy as she took a moment to register, room spinning around him before she unclenched her tail from his head, letting it slacken to the floor. Her sensual rhythms slowed into languid grinds, eventually going limp at the arch of her back and haunches. He sucked in a sharp breath, relief and pleasure alike sweeping him up in a current of freedom and bliss. Watching Rana curl on her side, tail held close, he beheld the way she orgasmed; muscles spasming and twitching in endless convulsions, barely reminiscent of an intense seizure.

He almost called to her, hand outstretched in pleasure-addled concern, only to notice this was no fit of illness. Her safety was evident by the curling of her maw, quirked into a euphoric smile like no other. Without realizing, Wallace felt himself slowly growing weak at the knees, wobbling mildy before surrendering to a gentle collapse. He laid outstretched across the floor with Rana beside him, both taking immense pleasure in a feeling they'd waited so incredibly long for. A wave of draconic trills reverberated the vessel's interior, rising and falling in a steady cadence, as if emulating a snore. Neither of them was falling asleep, instead taking a moment to recover in their intense afterglows. They kept their eyes peacefully shut, serenely basking in the muffled sounds of rising bubbles dancing towards the deep black sea's darkened firmament. It felt like sleep, though it was merely the sheer weight of tranquility descending over them.

Time drifted slowly, like the mysterious critters floating past their peripheral vision. The dome was cozier than his own cabin, presenting like an encircling aquarium. Technically a 'reverse-aquarium', if he thought about it hard enough.

His gaze was torn between two marvels: The glassy, deep-sea eels swirling in front of them, flaunting their bioluminescent displays, as if showing off . . . and Rana's relaxed body laying back, her spreading thighs twitching as she enjoyed the afterglow of an intense orgasm. Despite being enraptured in brain-busting bliss, her tail still managed to stretch over, tip resting on Wallace's shoulder. Her testing tugs managed to catch his attention, causing him to look over. Rana had one hand draped over her smiling face, as if overwhelmed, peeking at him between her digits. Her voice was rich with arousal as she spoke through labored breaths. "Wallace . . ." She paused, breathing so heavily that the dome flexed around them. "that was . . . amazing." A contented sigh blew between her unexpectedly cute fangs as she smiled, mouth ajar as her eyes drifted shut. Her head sounded with an almost goofy dull 'thud' against the floor, making Wallace suppress a faded chuckle.

His silent laugh waned as he cocked an eyebrow, smirking timidly. "I'm actually kind of surprised. To be honest, I was afraid you could do better for yourself using your tail." He admitted, sheepishly staring back.

Rana's head leaned up again, neck arching as she hazily ogled him. "That's foolish. Tails don't have a kind soul, or a handsome face. Me being alone with my tail means nobody to love . . . to embrace . . . or to kiss." She informed, fondly resting her nebular green eyes over his figure. Her expression melted into a heartfelt gaze, soaking up the view of his blinking golden rings. Unlike his eyes, which almost had a glow to them, Wallace's longish blond hair was tinctured in a tint of lime, emanating from the ceiling's epicenter. He blushed at Rana's previous words as she gave him that besotted stare. "I guess that is true." He admitted pensively.

The sinking dome's velocity waned with gradual subtlety. Regardless, his sensitive inner ear still felt their descent slow to a steady crawl. Wallace pondered the seafloor's mysteries as he rested his hand on Rana's tail. She grinned, slithering it around his forearm and gently pulling him in. "Get over here." She beckoned playfully, wrangling the boy closer, letting him stumble, fall, and ultimately splay across her torso. Wallace didn't protest, claws curling into her fur, and restfully nuzzling his head into her chest. Her expression lightened, nearly beaming before masking the expression with calmness. "We'll arrive soon, so don't fall asleep." She advised. He nodded silently as she raked a draconic claw through his golden locks. Rana's chinchilla-soft pelt covered the bulk of her sultry curves, supplying a cozy resting spot for him to nestle into. He enjoyed every inch of it, beginning to purr, this time without fear of criticism, only then opening his eyes for a quick response. "I won't." He said peacefully.

The same eels from earlier twirled about in rhythmic motions, some occasionally bumping the vessel. They seemed to be . . . playing? Wallace turned his face to peek at them from Rana's fur, arching a brow at the phenomenon. "Are those eels?" He asked, distracted.

Rana's eyes finally ripped away from him for a moment, easily recognizing the creatures. "Oh . . . Those are Fluorite Eels. They're preforming thier love-ritual. Not many people get to see this." She said knowingly. Her tail snaked along his chin, caressing his features, as if unwittingly. "It's a photokinetic species. They like to gather near light sources deep within dark waters. It's how they find their mates." She pointed with her index, tracing along their fluid movements. "That dance they're doing is their way of showing sheer, unbridled joy." She added as her claw lit up, playfully drawing lines of flickering green embers in the air, tracing their movements.

His thoughts swam like the eels before them, head tilting to look at her with a mild grin. "Kinda how I felt when you came over today." He chimed, reaching up to place his hand in her's. Rana felt herself grow veritably lighter, heart booming all over again. "When I saw your face through my window this morning, my whole day instantly got brighter." He reminisced, snugly smiling into her warm pelt.

Rana felt a euphoric, rising pressure fill out the inside of her chest and stomach, threatening to breach her control. "Careful, Wallace, those are powerful words. We might start all over again." She warned, suppressing the urges deep within.

"I wouldn't mind that." He gave a distinct smile, curving up the left side of his lips and accidentally giving a wink. Something about that made her freeze. Rana's emerald eyes only widened marginally, before becoming lost in another world. She was caught off guard, stuck on him in a pause that ironically reversed his cheeky grin. Wallace arched his brow, narrowing the other. "What's that look for? Is something wrong?" He asked, tilting his head "Umm . . . Rana?" In a moment of misled fear, he turned around, looking behind himself, paranoid he'd spot a colossal sea-monster ready to swallow them whole. Nothing was there. No, she was definitely staring at him, for the most-part. His hands reached in front of her face as he laid belly-down over her torso, fingers snapping twice. "Rana! You in there? Hey, Rana!" He called out, head tilting into a frown.

Rana's eyes flickered back to awareness, finally blinking and refocusing on his anxious features. She smiled, barely. "Sorry, Wallace. I was just . . . thinking about something." She said, glancing down briefly.

He folded his arms, almost reprimandingly. "Gods, Rana. What was that? You looked like you were already at the bottom." He joked nervously.

She smiled, faintly hinting at hidden traces of anxiety. "I can get like that sometimes. It's just flashbacks. My father used to do it too." She explained. A wave of calm visibly washed over his face.

"Actually, I've been wanting to ask you . . . is there something down there? At the bottom, I mean? I kind of feel like you're taking us somewhere, but I never got around to asking about it." His elbows propped on her chest, leaning up at her.

"Your intuition's keen. We're visiting some friends of mine."

His inquisitive look deepened. "Friends? At the bottom of the ocean? What kind of 'friends' are they?" He shuffled slightly through her fur, getting more comfortable.

"Very good friends. I wanted to introduce you, and also maybe catch up with them."

"You made it sound like we were sightseeing instead. Why didn't you tell me about this before?"

"Because you wouldn't believe me if I told you what they are. Aren't you an atheist?" She questioned.

A look of brief surprise swept over his face. "No, I never said that." He denied, mildy bothered and giving a suspicious look. "I only said my grandpa was like that. Maybe it kind of rubbed off when I was small, but I believed you when you said Gods were out there." His brows narrowed in thought, becoming pensive. "Wait . . . is there a God down there?" He asked, voice trembling lightly in a humorous tone. His smile revealed a detectable shade of anxiety, as if hoping to be wrong.

Rana shook her head. "No, but you'd still be surprised. There are things you need to know about this Universe we live in, and I don't know anyone who can explain them better than my friends." She surmised, curving a light, reminiscing smile.

"Okay, wow. Assuming they have stuff like that figured out, they're obviously not human . . . Are they Dragons?" He asked with intrigue.

She nodded. "Just one of them. His name is Altair, and he'll talk your ear off, so be prepared for that. The other's name is Elli, and she's very sweet. But she's shy, so if you ever think she's ignoring you, remember that it isn't personal . . . understood?"

Wallace gave a casual nod of understanding. "Sure. I mean, as long as you're not making me talk to humans." He agreed, partially lessening her concern. "Honestly, I suspected I'd be meeting another Dragon eventually," he added, hints of excitement flickering in his eyes. "but where exactly are we headed? Is it like a cave, or a sunken city?"

Rana gave her best poker-face. "I won't tell you. I want to see your reaction when we get there." Only her eyes seemed to smile.

Wallace deployed a sly grin, fighting off a frown. "Is that right? I . . . guess that's fair." His brows loosened subtly in low-key disappointment. "I mean, I like surprises and all, but still . . ." His claws curled into her tuft as he paused, chin resting on her chest as he smiled softly, giving a long sigh. "You're gonna give me a panic-attack someday, Rana." He said, holding back a smirk.

She reflected a similar smile, their eyes connecting as her fuzzy digits rubbed his back. "I did that back in the sky over an hour ago, remember?" She teased playfully.

"Nuh-uh!" He denied jokingly. "I was so traumatized, you gave me suppressed memories. Now I can't remember a thing!" He jested, weighing his chin on her sternum.

Rana laughed, her breath somewhat forced as her eyes panned off to the side. Then she whispered something under her breath. "Deepest Amian-slip of all time." She said through a subtle sigh. The Dragoness muttered those words so quietly, she hadn't even realized she'd said it aloud. Overall, she'd forgotten Wallace's meticulous ears.

His eyebrows cocked, chin lifting from her chest tuft. "Amian what?" He questioned, his smile flipping into a confused frown. Rana's ears and eyes perked up as he repeated the phrase. "—Amian Slip?" His voice cracked from the pressure of lifting his head.

Rana's eyes gaped for a split-second, fleetingly in shock. Though they'd reverted back to normal twice as quickly. Her demeanor loosened almost forcibly, becoming maturely relaxed once more. "It's a phrase referring to soemone's actions when their fears speak for them, subconsciously." She said, softly smiling back.

Wallace noticed the nearly instant shifts in her series of expressions. He began with a stare, promptly narrowing his brow at her. Rana's head inched back unwittingly as the air thickened like a weighted blanket. The surrounding water-pressure played no hand in the lingering tension. "And that's what it means?" He asked in monotone, face falling plain. Rana had a clear view of his golden irises. Her tail arched, brushing along the floor, and nestling into her side.

"What? Does it sound fake?" She questioned.

"No, the word doesn't." He specified, officially frowning. "Are you afraid I won't understand the real meaning?" He guessed uncertainly, lip curving as his chin propped onto his palm. "I'm no genius, Rana, but I've gotten used to the slurs back in Lurwelk. So you won't hurt my feelings if you admit it." He said, his expression rising humbly.

Her face seemed too plain, almost emotionless, as if containing a torrent of anxieties. Whatever the case, she kept a stoic attitude. "It's just an untranslatable word. Drelek-to-human can be long and challenging to dissect." She assured him, much to his disbelief.

"Okay . . ?" He arched his brow. "Fine, don't tell me. You spoke Dragon language to me at least once, and none of it sounded anything like that word . . ." He said astutely. His golden eyes became stern and serious, closely peering into her like a disappointed cat. "I think you're lying, Rana." He said boldly in monotone. Wallace's claws retracted at the ceasing of his own steady purs, leaning up with his arms pressed to her chest. He stared all-the-while, deeply into her averting eyes.

A resplendent green light flared within the flesh beneath her fur, climbing through her cheeks as embers smoldered like glittering flakes of energy. "I wasn't. The translation's just too rough . . . really." She assured plainly.

He tilted his head as he questioned her. "Then why are you blushing?" His eyes narrowed.

"Because of the way you have me." She said, gazing up at him, curving a bashful, coquettish smile. He noticed her uncharacteristic expression, joined with that playful tone.

A look of surprise crossed with the weight of partial nervousness on his face. "The way I . . ." He paused, leaning up briefly to observe his position. "Wait. No, I wasn't—" He cut himself off, his expression returning to its typical shyness. His shoulders slumped, sighing in surrender. He slowly nodded from side to side, curving a tired smile. "I wouldn't have enough in me for another round. I'm empty!" He defended mirthfully. His grin turned soft, gazing down at her fondly. The Dragoness had a particularly endearing face, as if she'd been caught committing a silly crime. Wallace couldn't help faltering his interrogations, expression lifting into a smirk. "Hey. I haven't seen that look on you before." He said curiously, tilting his head. "It's . . . cute." He quirked an inconspicuous smirk.

Wallace felt the Dragoness' heart suddenly gallop beneath his legs. She gave a deep giggle, her head angling sweetly into a demure pose. "I'm cute? Why, I've been completely unaware this whole time." She said playfully, her tail swaying behind him. Her green orbs relaxed, gazing into his topaz eyes. Wallace basked in that moment, letting the deep sea's ambience soak his mind in a gentle sense of peace. His chest felt like the sun, and for a moment, he couldn't see anything else . . . except for her. Rana felt a surge of emotion, causing her to lean in, beelining for his lips. No dramatic tilts or turns, or hazes of passion this time. Just a radiating love as he fondly accepted her ministrations. They stayed that way for a good minute, simply holding each other tenderly, their smiles gently beaming. The lingering aftermath left a warmth and fuzziness he'd only known from storybooks, keeping him mesmerized, even as their kiss steadily parted.

His nearly vacant eyes doted back, contrasted against the sudden abruptness of what came seconds after. Wallace's attention snapped abruptly over Rana's shoulder, pupils shrinking as he focused on a heart-stopping sight; patterns of azure light suddenly faded in through the murky darkness beyond them. An empty blue circle sharply branched into labyrinthine lines expanding outwards. It was hard to discern the silhouette's features, yet the glowing conduits were cut off along the sides, chalking up its shape to that of a standing pyramid. Wallace gasped, unable to form words as his head tilted upwards for a better view.

Rana followed his gaze. "What is it?" She asked, initially confused. Her eyes joined his as she twisted around, catching on the shrouded spectacle. Now she understood his frozen reaction. Her tone flowed smoothly, soothing his senses. "Oh, there it is. We're finally here." She said casually, her wings stretching laxly beneath her.

Wallace's paralyzed features slowly changed as he gawked at her, then back at the colossal object. Rana's placid tone had effectively calmed his nerves, yet a hint of anxiety still remained. "Rana . . . What the Hell is that?" He asked, faintly quivering in astonishment.

Rana squared to her feet, stepping closer and stopping beside him, facing the ancient structure. "That's Elli's place." She replied, quirking a pleasant smile. Her tone flowed with a palpable comfort as she explained. "Don't worry, this is likely the safest place on our world." She said with confidence.

His golden eyes surveyed the structure with wonder, mouth ajar as a silent 'thud' shook the vessel, signifying the end of their descent. The seafloor lit up around them, basked in a blanket of flickering viridescence. Strange glittering rocks —possibly silver coral— sparkled against the stretching green light. A persistent wiggle of excitement impeded the smooth motions of her tail as she watched his expression marvel.

Their luminous dome drifted closer towards the towering, alloyed structure, its patterns expanding with each yard they progressed. Rana's fuzzy bulk curled possessively around him, wings, tail and all. Her eyes concentrated, muscles stiffening as her tailtip smoldered a bright green, plunging down and melding into the floor's center. "Now we dock." She said laconically, in light of her tightening focus.

Wallace spoke cautiously in measured syllables. "Dock? . . . Is there even an opening anywhere?" He questioned, forcing his best efforts to stay calm.

"Straight ahead." She answered quickly as their organic vessel came to a slow crawl, inching feet away from the anomaly's polished black surface.

He scanned left, then right, returning a narrowed look of confusion. "Call me insane, but I don't see any entrances on this thing." He said shakily. An abrupt, but mild pull staggered his footing. A triangular cutout slid down into the structure's mass, leaving a three-pointed aperture, thankfully large enough for their vessel to float through. He could feel an oddly controlled, steady current of water pulling them towards the empty space, as if mechanically. The volitive drifting sensation was unsettling, but twice as fascinating. In that moment, it didn't feel like Rana's movements, especially since her tail had already unplugged from the floor, relinquishing her control. Her body relaxed, sighing, neck bending in and nuzzling a random kiss into the side of Wallace's lips. He felt his heart decelerate, displacing panic with warm fondness as they briefly exchanged a comforting smile. As they pulled through, their features washed over in a pure white light, overwhelming the intensity of even Rana's luminescence.

Unlike his expectations, there was no water flooding the neon-white floor. As they entered, he could see the wavering outline of dark seawater struggling to breach the triangular threshold. It never spilled in, merely forming a writhing aquatic wall as they beheld an entirely new atmosphere. More piercing light washed over their features as the vessel's flesh smoldered a vibrant green, picking apart and evaporating into dancing embers. It all merged into virid streams, drifting back and absorbing into Rana's beige coat, her muscles glowing green as it cooled off inside. With the vessel fully evaporated, another white surface revealed itself below them. The corridor was tall and spacious, leaving Wallace speechlessly in shock as Rana's tail hooked eagerly around his waist, guiding him along.

A strange, almost subtle resonance reverberated throughout the triangular hallway, as if something were buzzing through his chest. He stopped briefly, staring dumbfounded at the invisible vibrations. "What the- . . . Do you feel that?" He asked, curiously patting down and over his torso with concern. They were nearly at the hall's end.

Rana's graceful legs stopped briefly, nodding patiently as her neck curved, head glancing back towards him. "It's a cleansing technology. They're called 'photosonic baths'. They breathe a mix of light and sound that kills impurities." She said wisely. Rana made sure to avoid words like 'bacteria' and 'emit', knowing they weren't local in today's human vocabularies.

"This is madness." He said, breath-taken. "How is it that you even know about-" Wallace was once again cut off as they walked past the ending threshold. His jaw dropped, body petrified in a look of shock and wonder. He gasped, goosebumps running down his back. Entering his view, the hall broke out into a vast, tiled room, brimming with rich, dark soil and lush green plants; a mix of harsh tropical rainforests and exotic flowers dappling the expanding junglescapes. Crystal-clear water flowed impossibly along the walls and ceilings at different points of gravity. Each gravitational orientation of the interior possessed its own glittering body of water, stretching to impossible lengths and bending spatial laws like weak tin. Literally several watery horizons harmonized a series of peaceful, steady swishes within the architectural oddity, playing out a sonorous orchestra between three separate beaches, each scattered and twisting among the floor, walls and ceilings.

Broad pillars of white marble connected obscurely into seamless corners, while some appeared to stretch endlessly towards the sky, reaching through infinity. Despite nature's presence playing a predominant role in the aesthetic haven, artificial tiles could still be spotted, imbedded within open regions of thinning sand, roots and water. He was likely the only human of Planet Rana to behold a waterfall roaring upside-down, crashing in ways that made the other interconnected lakes and oceans ripple restlessly. Clear cascades flowed off the moaning cavernous walls on his right, rocks entangled with tropical scenery. On his left, Wallace had trouble understanding at first, but looming vastly above him was a clouded sky. The sun's warm rays heated his skin, and each cloud drifted lazily upon a matching breeze. Wallace's mouth opened to speak, but Rana's voice cut in, incidentally stealing his line. "What in the world is this place?" She asked, her tone hinting at surprise.

Much to his confusion, Wallace turned around, facing her in question. His stare felt almost reprimanding. "What??" He echoed, curving a muddled grimace. His volume dropped, eyes slowly shifting in minor shock. "Rana, what do you mean? You're the one who took us down here." He reminded.

"I know. But this place changed since I last came here. This chaos wasn't here before." She said insistently. Rana's pupils scanned around as she ambled between looming seascapes, each cold-colored slate breaching the structure's Euclidian boundaries in ways deemed impossible. Wallace followed, curiosity bubbling in his chest as he caught up. "This is the most incredible thing I've ever seen! How are the waterfalls upside-down, and . . ." A stammer wedged in his voice. "h-how are there oceans on the walls? What kind of world is this?! Look at that! The damned sky is underwater, Rana!" He exclaimed in a panic, pointing up with his finger.

Her tail slunk over his shoulders, giving them a gentle pull. She lowered her head, offering a glimpse into her nebular green eyes. "Calm down." Her tone flowed smoother than the glassy waters, giving him pause. Wallace's shoulders loosened, feeling her tail's muscles writhe and knead into his neck, expertly working away some tight knots. He deflated with a wavering sigh, running his palm across her soft appendage. "Here, I'll help." She said, briefly trilling a faint rumble. The massage was intricate and languid, sending lovely little blasts of dopamine through his brain. He smiled gratefully, seeing her round emerald eyes mirror his own. "Oh . . . Gods. Wow, Rana." He extolled, feeling the shock of his surroundings lessen. The releasing pleasure of her muscles sinking into his own overshadowed the shocking aspects of their surroundings. His eyelids fell halfway, feeling the situation's gravity lighten. "That's . . . really nice." His words flowed out, as if automatically. A steady purr rose from his throat, reverberating through her tail. "How are you doing that?" He asked contentedly.

She made it look all too easy. That was to say nothing of her vast experience and knowledge of human biology. Rana chuckled, tail working its magic as she flexibly arched her muscular body around him, faintly snickering. "Your reaction was priceless. Looks like I got more than I bargained for." She teased, smirking pridefully. Nestling into him, her neck craned inwards, doting through an uncritically fond stare, before dragging a long lick across his collarbone. An electric shiver ran down his spine, causing him to blow a tremulous sigh. Why that specific spot and particular gesture invoked such a reaction was beyond him, but it felt nice.

His gaze turned towards the Dragoness with an appreciative nod, body leaning into her touch. "Sorry. I guess I just lost my marbles for a second. This place is . . . indescribable." He scanned around once more, his eyes squinting as they caught on various impossible geometries. Exotic flowery trees resembling palms warped through the air, leaves branching through spacetime at bizarre angles, bending up and down simultaneously. Viewing them directly made the muscles on his head pull stiff. None of this should've been possible.

Rana's attention joined his curious eyes, carefully examining the unfamiliar —yet familiar— atmosphere. "I think I see some areas that haven't changed. We should trek around; see if there are any entrances to Elli's room." She bent her legs, lowering down behind him. "Hop on my back." She insisted, stretching her wings low, like a ramp. Wallace side-tilted his head, flashing a reluctant look. Seeing his fear, a muffled laugh rumbled in her throat. "Don't worry. Even I don't feel comfortable flying in here. We'll search on foot." She assured, reading him receptively.

He soon caved in, trustfully crawling up her wing to sit down. "Alright, I'll keep an eye out . . . if that even works around here." His bare feet hung astride her body, feeling an arching leaf brush across his toes as they moved forward.

Wallace scanned their surroundings with awestruck wonder, watching varieties of streams and multicolored flora pass by. He spotted various animals on occasion, typically aquatic or semi-aquatic. Some resembled sharks with glowing blue leopard patterns, swimming within suspended spatial rifts of water. One specific critter resembled a furless bunny, presenting fishy scales suffusing into black dorsal fins that fanned out at each curve of its frame. It hobbled behind a giant mushroom, strangely disappearing at the cutoff of its beige stem. Simultaneously, another one of exact appearance exited from a distant cave up ahead. The rocky mouth was separated by a steep drop, where water cascaded down, roaring loudly into another lake. He shot an odd look, rubbernecking silently, until his claws tugged on Rana's soft coat. She stopped, attentively turning her neck back to check on him. "Is something wrong?" She asked, putting her luminous green eyes on full display.

He glanced at the fungi, finger pointing. "A weird bunny just went behind that mushroom . . . and I swear, the same one just came out of that cave." His index shifted to the creature, leading her gaze towards the cavern's entrance.

Curiosity changed her direction. Rana's head peeked around the thick stem, wings jerking at an abrupt change of scenery, now seeing liminal walls of rock casted in shadow. Her head withdrew, sticking her tail behind the anomaly. The very same one poked out from the faraway cave, wiggling freely. They both observed it, completely transfixed, taking time to truly absorb the occurrence. "I think I understand what's happening now." She concluded, returning her gaze.

"It's a portal, almost like . . . from fantasy books."

"Almost, but not quite."

"Really? Well, what is it then?"

"It's called 'non-Euclidean'; space and shapes that defy there own fundamental rules." She explained.

"Oh, um . . . okay?" He said, scratching his baffled head. "That doesn't really clear it up, to be honest." His disoriented eyes nearly crossed as he glanced at her. "Everywhere I look, it's like I'm in a fever-dream. Why does everything look like this?" His tone dwindled with uncertainty, unsure of wether he was complaining, or intrigued.

"I suspect one of Elli's sisters is visiting. Their presence is powerful, and it often effects their surroundings. This is likely the result." She elaborated.

A frozen look of concern stuck to Wallace's face. "Holy shit. That's . . ." He cut himself off, caught between the words 'terrifying' and 'incredible'. Unable to finish, he dropped both adjectives. "So that's, what, just from being around?" He asked in bewilderment.

Rana's wings glowed a fiery green, shrinking and retracting into her shoulders in order to fit through the mysterious space. Her voice strained as she crouched halfway, lowering her head. "I might as well tell you —erm— now . . ." She began padding through the humid rift as her voice continued. "They're DemiGods; Elli and her adopted sister, Rell."

Wallace strained to think about it, claws bunching at handfuls of fur. "So it is true? . . . Gods really do exist?" He questioned, staring in all directions; at all the apparent surrounding evidence. He gently released his grip, mind stopping at a strange realization. "Wait a minute. Who or what the Hell adopts a DemiGod?" He asked nervously.

Rana's careful strides took them behind the approaching fungal stem. They scanned the mushroom's umbrella as its trunk thinned out into a sort of upward threshold. Soft, gill-like structures beneath the fungus' top warped into corrugated stone, turning rougher, astounding them as their perspectives took them around a seamless corner.

She gave a brief side-glance, before continuing to scan the morphing area. "Good question. I've actually had my suspicions about their mother; Drakna, The Light-Dragon Queen." She noted. The open outside air hardened into rock, ceilings dripping with milky-blue stalactites. "She's a wonderful person, but has never taught any of her seven DemiGod children —blood or not— how to grow a spine." She complained, thinking back irritably. Felraya's mischievous red eyes flashed through Rana's head, as if her conscience were making a reminder. 'Except for one' she thought, correcting herself. Fel didn't need to be taught. In fact, given her history, that crazy cat needed to dial it down . . . by about a billion.

Wallace had plenty of questions prepared, but only one could come out at a time. His first inquiry cut through her sinking ruminations. "Light-Dragon Queen?" He parroted, staring blankly. "She must be important." He said, eyes delving deeper in thought. "Sooo, is she a smalltime Queen, or, some sort of cosmic ruler?" He asked, suddenly rapt with interest.

"Little bit of both." She answered, legs stopping for a moment to survey the warping terrain.

Wallace pondered quietly as they beheld their half-faded surroundings, trying not to let his pounding heart distract him from the conversation. "She sounds powerful." He almost trailed off, eyes brushing across a non-Euclidean matrix of intersecting crystal biomes, suffusing slowly into a cavelike exit. "What does . . . Drakna do?" He asked, question nearly faltering, as his topaz eyes brightened in the deepening darkness.

"She's definitely powerful, moreso than the DemiGods. While they're only half-Gods, she has an extra quarter God blood, making her a three-quarter breed. The rest is that of a Light-Dragon, making her even stronger. Furthermore, she commands light and shadow, which gives her full control over matter." She explained thoroughly.

He took a moment to absorb the knowledge, registering each detail by some fluke of luck. "By the Gods, wouldn't that just make her —well . . . a God?" He guessed, almost critically. "I could've guessed there were other types of Dragons, but I still had no idea." The air swished with watery music as his eyes drifted down in bemusement. "Are Light-Dragons any different than regular ones?" He asked somewhat eagerly. His eyes wandered idly ahead, seeing Rana nod.

"Extremely. Only a God, DemiGod, or unspeakably terrible entity can kill a Dragon . . . but nothing in the Universe can slay a Light-Dragon. Their existence is without a trace of death."

"Gods." He said, overwhelmed and shaking his head. "So then, what does that make Drakna?"

"Deathless." She said with finality. "Dare-I-say, Godlike." Her tone subtly wavered, hardly masked by stern eyes.

"Alright, let me go over this again, and tell me if I get anything wrong . . . A three-quarter-God raised seven DemiGods . . . and one of those DemiGods created this place?"

"More or less." She approximated a shrug. "Though this is more of an inborn ability of Rell's. Her power rules over the domains of space-time, but Elli's has everything to do with water and ice. Since they're in the same place, their effects on this environment have merged."

"Unbelievable . . . You weren't kidding about these 'secrets'. I'm still not sure if I beleive it." He caressed his forehead, easing his tired features. "Do we know how far away she is?"

"Actually, Wallace . . . this is it. I'm unsure how, but somehow . . . you spotted the foyer to Elli's room." She said, her tone surprised, yet leveled.

Wallace arched his brow, looking around and back. "We just came out of a cave exit, Rana. Pretty sure I don't see a foyer anywhere." He corrected, making a face as he surveyed the area.

"This is different." She objected, facing forward on sauntering claws, and popping the scattering pebbles of a new, craggy terrain. "Look at those stalagmites up ahead." She directed him with her tail, pointing forward.

"You mean those ones?" His finger traced a sturdy pair standing side by side, perfectly parallel to another set of stalactites hanging above. Droplets of water beaded at the bottom formations, aberrantly dripping into the top pair.

"Look harder. Those are made of marble. I believe they're actually pillars, just outside of Elli's room." She looked around studiously, gears turning in her brain. "We just need to approach them at a different angle." She said musingly.

Wallace blinked thrice while shaking his head. "What you just said made absolutely zero sense." He said with vague annoyance.

The air rumbled with her muffled laughter. "You'll see what I mean. Watch the way they change as we move." She urged, suddenly changing direction and moving right. Nearly objecting, he kept his mouth shut instead, letting himself witness the anomaly. She kept her eyes locked on the stretching minerals, as if on a tether. Wallace decided to bare with her, watching the shapes of each formation shift as they walked on an axis. Slowly, the sharp white rocks extended, each tip tapering further at there sharp points. Wallace's eyes gaped as the opposing rocks eventually merged together, melding and thickening into cylindrical marble pillars. A tall, heavy silver door stood centered behind both constructs, as if cutting into existence, towering several steps up onto a small, craggy plateau.

Symmetrical streams of crystalline water ran up the threshold's lancet frame, merging into a network of grooves along the door. The tiny lines of channeling water shaped into a large design on its exterior; a sidelong depiction of a horselike face with fins cresting up the neck, and descending halfway down its forehead. Wallace noticed multiple octopus tendrils arching over its head, tying the sleek, metallic design together. Anticipation hung in the air, urging them with the tacit invitation of a powerful DemiGoddess. The door's engraved image stared into them, as if someone were already watching.