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"So, the twins' power's like, their musk?" asked Javok, fiddling with the belt buckle on his braided, dirty blonde beard. "Never heard of magic musk. Not with humans, anyway..."

"That's part of it," Baal-gron answered, slowly massaging his lover's shoulders as he lay on the bed face down. "While that helps them open up their target to suggestions and new ideas, it's the eyes that are the truly captivating part. Sol's eyes make you desire to please him in any way he wants, and not always in a lustful way. Badr's eyes make you want to trust his every word and believe even the most outrageous of his lies. It's why they work so well together, but even if you could separate those two from each other for more than a few moments, they'd still be a threat by themselves."

"How's that even work, though? Eclipse Twins or no, those two can't throw a spell to save their lives otherwise."

"No idea. I don't think even they know. Makes them perfect as my spymasters, however. Even if they get greedy from time to time and try to keep one as an enslaved pet. Almost happened to you, if you still remember... though I never knew you were into that. It took so much convincing before just to get you to even play around with the idea of being tied to the bed for me. So it was surprising seeing you open up like that for them, and literally at that."

"Yeah, heh..." Javok said, a lewd grin spreading across his face as he remembered it all. When he was still Jerom he might have felt a bit of shame, but as Javok he had no such inhibitions. "But ah, speakin' of magic, I know Zro'dun was infused like you were before he became an orc, though he was a magi so that sorta makes sense why he'd want more mana to work with. But what about Warmaster Karo? He's no twin or magi, he's not infused, and he wasn't a paladin like I was. So how's he got any powers? He was just a general, you said..."

"It's just a theory, but the popular opinion seems to be that sometimes, when a human's soul transforms into its orc counterpart, that orc can gain a bit of magic based on their virtues or vices. And that's disregarding that most orcs have a bit of mana in them anyway, due to how close our souls are to the source itself. You don't get that with most humans, since as a human you either have mana or you do not. But when it comes to Karo specifically, well... my best guess is that with his intense desire to dominate both on the battlefield and in the bedroom, the transformation gave him the power to project that onto others around him. It's his only magical ability as far as I'm aware of, though, and it doesn't work on everyone. But enough of the others. What about yourself? You could only do some of the more martial spells before due to your paladin training. But now you're almost as proficient as I was when I was still a human, even though you're not infused. I'd wager you even got some of my cockiness, now that I think about it..."

"Well Chief, I've been thinkin' on that..." Javok said after a small pause, causing Baal-gron to laugh slightly.

"Thinking? If you've started thinking again then it must be a serious matter, love," the chieftain teased.

"Very funny, Chief. But ah... sorry to say it, but I was always a bit jealous of you. You know, with how easily magic came to you and how confident you were. Always wished I could be the one to save you one day instead. Just like you did for me..." Javok said, adjusting his position a bit. "Maybe I got more mana because of that? Ugh, I dunno... don't you know this stuff better than I do anyway? But ah... mmm, just a bit lower now, love. You're hittin' all the right spots..."

Baal-gron lowered his hands, kneading Javok's back muscles as he laid on the bed face down. The two had taken to sleeping in Baal-gron's chambers together ever since Javok's transformation, the chieftain insisting his lover join him there instead of an isolated tent or room. They had found it very difficult to be apart for any length of time since their reunion three months ago, but their transformations into orcs had left them both changed enough to where they were having fun rediscovering who the other was all over again. So far, neither of them had been disappointed; if anything, their love for each other had only deepened since they were finally able to spend some actual time together, instead of trying to hide their relationship and sneaking a few nights here and there unnoticed.

"Well, the ritual is supposed to bring out who you want or were meant to be, just as an orc. Even if you're tricked into it..." growled the chieftain. "But I hope you do realize mana infusion isn't some secret magical art only available to an elite few, yes? From what I've learned in my time here, it was originally an orc ritual used by shamans to gain more power and insight into the spiritual realm, so that when a shaman's soul leaves his body he is able to keep his lifeforce tethered to it as a sort of beacon. Without that beacon, his soul would become lost and the body would wither away the same as any infused. Humans just haven't perfected it like orcs have; they saw a ritual that could give them quick and easy power, and made a poor copy of it. You see, human souls are not the same as orc souls, so naturally forcing a human soul to do what an orc's soul does causes instability, which ends up with the infused having to dose themselves with a monthly elixir so their souls aren't ripped away, and-"

"Losin' me, Chief!" Javok exclaimed, shaking his head in amusement. "I"ll just take your word for it. I'm at least the same as an infused human when it comes to power, yeah? Hurtin' my head here, Chief, even if I do love the sound of your voice prattlin' on."

"Mmm, well. It's close enough. But why so many questions today, Javok? It's very unlike you. Are you worried about something?"

"I guess I'm just nervous," Javok admitted, sighing before burying his face in the furs below him. "You know why, Chief."

"Ah, I figured that might be it. I'm still proud of you, though," Baal-gron said, giving Javok's hand a loving squeeze. "Training a new order of paladins. Even if it's not quite the same as the Order we used to belong to - you, a Paladin, and me, just one of the many infused soldiers under their care - it's at least something worth trying for, yes? Karo seems to think you'll do fine, and as he is my military advisor I am inclined to agree with him. So hush those doubts, my love. You'll be just fine. Let the Warmaster and I think about the grand plans of war and conquest, if that's what's troubling you about it all."

"But... I've only been an orc for a little while. Will they even take me seriously? I just-"

Javok felt himself being turned onto his back, forcing him to look up into Baal-gron's violet eyes as he leaned in for a tender kiss. Confused at first, Javok closed his eyes as he leaned into the kiss, the heartbeat through their pendants soothing him. Pulling back and leaving Javok wanting for more, the chieftain merely smiled down at him as he brushed his hand against Javok's cheek. Leaning into it, Javok sighed in contentment as he smiled, pressing his own hand against the Chief's.

"Better?" Baal-gron asked, using his free hand to scratch under Javok's chin.

"Better," Javok said, sitting up and embracing Baal-gron, running his hands along his back. "It's just... I keep worryin' none of this is real, that when I wake up next time it'll just be... gone. Then all the old worries return and... well. You're here. You're really here. That's what matters, right?"

"We change a bit during the ritual, but the core of who we are remains," Baal-gron said, kissing him on the forehead. "But I am real, I am here, and I'll be damned if I allow anything to separate us again like that. Just remember who you are now, not who you were. All of that skulking about we did? All of the petty rivalries and squabbling of priests and hypocrites we had to mediate? All that silly Church nonsense we had to do day in and day out just for our 'purification'? Bah. You have nothing to fear from them anymore. If anything, they should fear us and everyone they've ever wronged."

"And they will," said Javok, a broad smile spreading across his features despite the hard look of malice in his eyes. "I'll put the fear of their gods back into them personally, if I must."

"I'd expect nothing less from my champion," Baal-gron chuckled, giving Javok a tight squeeze before he rose and walked over to the nearby wash basin. "But let's get ourselves clean. Hiding here all day to enjoy each other's company is tempting, but we both have things we need to do."

"You've still gotta teach me to do that, Chief," said Javok, watching with interest as Baal-gron scooped a glowing hand into the water. As quickly as it multiplied and spread across his body, cleaning every nook and cranny, it just as quickly reached his other hand and evaporated into nothing, taking all the grime with it.

"Mmm, but then I wouldn't get to bathe you myself," Baal-gron said, beckoning seductively for Javok to come over to him. Javok couldn't help but feel excited as he leaped out of bed, obeying his love and chieftain's unspoken command.

"You've been spending time under Karo's influence again," chuckled Baal-gron, fondling Javok's hardening shaft a bit before he repeated the cleansing process on him. "Too bad we don't have the time to play around some more... there, all done. Now go, my love. Make me proud today."

"Yes, Chief!" Javok shouted, saluting before he rushed out naked and hard. Baal-gron rolled his eyes a bit before grabbing Javok's loincloth from the floor and tossing it out after him. "Thanks, Chief!"

"You're welcome, dum-dum!" Baal-gron yelled after him, smiling. Even though the lapse in judgment was amusing to him, he was still happy that Javok was more carefree and expressive now than when he was a human. He'd always been so stressed about his duties and the prospect of being caught. It seemed he'd only ever relaxed when they were together, but otherwise his worries and fears would eat him alive day in and day out. Even being transformed into an orc hadn't taken the edge off completely it seemed, but this time he was always there for him when it got bad enough. Sighing, Baal-gron returned to the bed and reached underneath; taking out a wooden box, he opened it and stared at the contents with longing as he became wrapped up in his own worries and fears. It was like he was Brendan again, struggling for the first time to ask Jerom on that very first date, not sure of whether he'd read the signals correctly or not... and then he smiled, remembering the first time they'd kissed. Chuckling, he closed the box and put it away for now. Maybe later tonight he would... well, that was something he'd worry about when the time came.

*******

Javok scanned the candidates lined up in the training yard. Despite a cool breeze, the sun hesitated to give up an ounce of its domain to the approaching autumn as it continued to beat down mercilessly onto the sweaty orcs. Even though they were in full gear, Javok couldn't help but appreciate the curves and musculature on the men before him. Taking a moment to center himself, he faced them in his own armor, his newly reforged battleaxe hefted upon his spike-laden shoulders. Even though much of his armor and weaponry was the same as when he'd been human save for a few additions and modifications, he'd seen fit to have both made from the same metal as the collar he'd once worn as Jerom. The battleaxe had been melted down and mixed into the design of the new battleaxe, though he'd seen fit for it to have a far crueler look to it with jagged spikes and serrated edges. Overall, he gave off an otherworldly appearance, having a mix of styles between human and orcish weaponry. He'd considered a closed helmet, but part of him wanted the enemy to see the rage on his face, the malice, the glowing eyes as he sealed their fates with a snap of his fingers... the armor was simply a precaution at this point, or even just a symbol to rally around.

"What do you think? Will they serve?" said the battle-hardened voice of Karo. The warmaster glared over the soldiers with his good eye. Even with all the training to resist and master his impulses, Javok had a hard time not submitting right then and there to his superior.

"I don't doubt their willingness to serve.." Javok began, before walking down the line and occasionally pointing to an orc or two. "Too soft. Not enough drive. Good soldier overall, but not enough independence... ah. Well this one's interestin'..."

Stopping to turn toward the next orc, Javok examined the only shirtless orc in the line. While Javok was still a fair bit taller, this one's physique was even more impressive. Javok couldn't help but admire the glistening muscles for a moment, before he caught himself.

"Like what you see?" the orc teased, posing somewhat seductively. Despite the smile, Javok could see the hatred in his eyes.

"Oh, I like you. But... hm... no, I don't think you're the type. Next!"

"What do you mean I'm not the type?!" shouted the orc before Javok could take a step. "I'm exactly what you need!"

"No, I don't think so," Javok said, ice in his voice as his eyes glowed. The air around the two grew colder as Javok took a step into the orc's space. "I don't doubt you're very confident in yourself, but not dressin' in full gear indicates a lack of discipline I can ill afford. Next is your temper. While anger can be a useful tool, it should never be used to demoralize or provoke your fellow soldiers. Third, is y-"

"My what, whore?!"

At the insult, Javok simply turned toward Karo, as if asking some silent question. With one simple nod from the warmaster, Javok smiled as he brought his armored fist into the gut of the disrespectful orc, causing him to double over.

"THIRD, is your PATIENCE," Javok shouted, continuing his line of thought. "Those who train under me require patience in order to even pass their first trial! Meditation, focus, discipline... all these and more take a great deal of time and patience to understand and master, for it is with these principles that we are able to learn and utilize our abilities as paladins. And fourth..."

Javok bent down, so that he could see eye to eye with the kneeling orc. As the orc looked up into Javok's face, he felt a chill from more than just the magical cold surrounding them. It was as if those glowing green eyes could see into his soul.

"Fourth is your quickness to judge others. Those who train under me will be required to have a certain degree of compassion and understandin' toward others, which so far you have failed to demonstrate. You mentioned I was a whore, hm? Feelin' a bit inadequate, are we? Here I was, thinkin' most orcs in this tribe were very comfortable with the idea of men having sex on occasion, but why single me out hm? Unless... oh... you're jealous of me? Here I am, some random human-turned-orc not even a season here, and not only do I have the Chief's attention but I even share his bedchambers... you must be livid."

"Sh-shut up!" shouted the orc, having recovered enough to speak. Shame filled his face, his eyes downcast as he continued to fumble over his own words. "Just shut it!"

"Regardless of whether I'm right or not about you, orc," Javok said, standing tall once again. "Let's set one thing straight. In fact, all of you! Listen up or I'll let the Warmaster at ya!"

"Oh don't tempt me," chuckled Karo, his voice carrying across the yard.

"Who I have sex with, and how often, is my business and the business of my partners ONLY! If any of you have any complaints to bring forth about that, or if you somehow feel this compromises not only my station as a paladin but also as a warrior among you, then step forward now!"

Silence hung over the air as Javok glared into the eyes of each and every single one of them. A few flinched away instinctively from his eyes, while others stared straight ahead instead. No one spoke out or so much as put one foot forward, not even the disruptive orc who was slowly rising to his feet.

"Then that settles it! If I hear any of you mock me or anyone else here about their lifestyles, whether that includes sex or not, I'll make you WISH the Warmaster here was the one disciplinin' you instead of me! Is that understood?!"

"Yes, Ser!" the orcs shouted in unison, prompting a smile from Javok as he calmed himself. Stepping back in front of the disrespectful orc, he simply sighed.

"You don't have what I believe it takes to be a paladin. However, you may yet be of use if you can keep in check that stubborn pride of yours. Warmaster! How do you feel about trainin' this one as a berserker?"

"Hm... well, he certainly possesses the spark of rage required..." Karo said, musing as he crossed his arms, his orange eye scanning the orc up and down. "We'd have to grind that disobedient nature out of him, and he will learn the patience of following orders if nothing else... but... I could use him as such. If he has the will to see it through, that is. The training can be rather intense."

"Well, orc," Javok said, the air returning to normal even though his voice remained cool. "Have ya the will?"

"I... yes, Ser," the orc said in a more humble tone, saluting with his hand over his heart. He looked a bit broken already, for some reason. Javok briefly wondered if he'd gone a bit far with the punch to the gut, though it couldn't have wounded him that badly. He'd been careful.

"We'll see on that," Javok said, nodding before continuing his inspection. When he was finished, those who were pointed out or assigned to different roles had already dispersed, leaving only a small handful of volunteers.

"The rest of you may yet have what it takes," Javok began, his voice softer now. "But this callin' is not a path your bodies alone can endure. Your minds must be sharper than steel, tempered time and time again by your mental focus and discipline. This will not be easy. While forces external vie for your attention and seek to destroy you from without, the worst obstacles in your paths were put there by your most powerful adversaries. Yourselves. Master yourselves, and you will be able to shape your will as you see fit. But know this: while there is no shame in failure, you may find my trainin' to be mentally exhaustin' on the best of days. Should you have the willpower and focus to keep going, you will learn to endure and even sharpen your will to the point where you can cut through obstacles on the physical plane, though that is not the only gift that awaits you. But they say seein' is believin'. Behold, a small taste of the true power of a paladin."

Javok watched as a practice dummy holding a shield was readied for him, but his mental processes were focused on one single task. A flicker of doubt briefly entered his mind before it was pushed aside. While he could feel the well of mana within from his transformation, he shut himself off from the distraction. Instead, he reached deep inside his core, focusing his will until a familiar tingling could be felt running down his arms. Lifting his battleaxe off his shoulders as if it weighed absolutely nothing, the air around it began shimmering, glowing with a green and ethereal light. With a sudden shout, Javok swung his weapon toward the shield as if he were slashing through a real opponent just in front of him. The rush of air was followed quickly by the sound of protesting metal as their gazes tried to follow his actions, causing some to gasp; whatever Javok had done, it had left a scorching hot line across the piece of armor. A moment later, the shield split apart amid cries of shock and awe. He hadn't even stepped toward it, yet it lay there in ruin.

"...You may be wonderin' what I just did, or maybe you think this is just another magical gift bestowed upon me since my glorious rebirth, but the truth is that this was the manifestation of what I once called a 'holy power'. I have since given up such superstitious nonsense, choosin' to call it 'will' or 'faith' instead. When I say faith, I don't mean faith in a higher power or noble ideal, but more the faith you have in yourself. After all, this is the power you draw upon from within when you have focused every facet of your being to a singular point so sharp that it briefly draws upon the mana of the world, usin' you in the moment as a conduit for its release. While anyone, even those not gifted with mana, can learn such a feat... it takes a certain kind of character to even attempt the journey to acquirin' this power. Do not misunderstand me, however; you will not suddenly be dousin' enemy camps in flames from your fingertips, nor will you be conjurin' up a sea of ice around your foes with a wave of your hands and a flick of the wrists. Our magic is not only more difficult to call upon, but it is more martial in nature, makin' use of what we use and possess includin' ourselves. One of the advantages to it, however, is that we may use it even when the abilities of magi around us are bein' disrupted, meanin' we are unable to be silenced so long as we keep our mental focus and resolve intact. As we will not be relyin' on a 'higher power' to guide you through attainin' the focus necessary, the initial steps of this journey will be much more difficult for you but, in the end, far more rewardin' than the leash the Church's doctrine would place about your neck. If you think yourselves inadequate to the task I have set before you, then there is no shame in backin' down now. You know yourselves better than I ever could, and it is best to live true to yourselves than in service to a lie. Just be certain it is the absolute truth of your soul before makin' such a decision, and I will never fault you for your choice to turn back. Now, for those of you who will be attemptin' this journey along with me, your first lesson starts when your knees hit the ground."

While only a few of the orcs gathered before him hesitated, they all eventually sank to their knees, most with confused looks on their faces. The confusion only deepened when Javok did the same, resting his battleaxe in front of himself. Straightening his posture, he closed his eyes, prompting some of the others to follow suit. Karo simply nodded his approval before walking off to bark orders at some of the other soldiers. It must have been frustratingly difficult for the new recruits, but to Javok it was simply another day of relearning and honing his abilities. He had lost a great deal of it between the confusion in his heart and the anger at the Church, but over the last three months he had begun to understand the truth of it all. As he had slowly cleared up his doubts and fears one by one, he had begun to find his meditations to be soothing and peaceful once more, this time without dogma and doctrine keeping him in denial about who he really was. He now understood what a paladin truly was, and with that understanding had come power he'd never known as a human.

"Ser?"

Javok sighed, rising to his feet at the interruption. A quick scan of the men showed a few had left, though oddly enough not the ones he'd expected... how interesting. He counted maybe fifteen left out of the original thirty, and he fully expected more to drop out before they neared any sort of completion, but for now he focused on the disrespectful orc from before. Waving him to one side so as not to disturb the others, he turned to face him before gesturing for him to get on with it.

"I just... wanted to apologize, Ser, for my behavior earlier," began the orc. "Maybe you're right about me. I don't know. But one thing you did get wrong is that I'm not jealous of you and your relationship with the Chief, Ser. I'm... well, I'm jealous of him."

"Oh?" Javok asked, blinking a bit in disbelief. "How so?"

"I've been watching you for a long time, now," the orc admitted, blushing. "I don't know what it is about you but... you just have this air about you that I find so alluring and... I..."

"Ah... I see..." Javok said, smiling lewdly. "Well, that's quite the admission, and I'm flattered to hear it. You're not half-bad yourself. However, if this is some attempt to butter me up and let you into my ranks after that earlier display, well..."

"It's the truth, Ser! I only volunteered because it would mean... well. Being closer to you," the orc said, his shoulders sinking. With a crestfallen look in his eyes, he simply stared blankly at Javok with a look he knew far too well. "But now I see I'm not ready for that. Perhaps I never will be."

"Well, I wouldn't say never," Javok sighed, causing the orc to give him a questioning but hopeful look. "You're already showin' much more promise than before. But I stand by what I said, for now. However... well. Berserkers require a similar focus as paladins do, though instead of formin' their will into spells they channel their rage to the point that they become bloodthirsty, unstoppable killers that won't go down no matter how many wounds they suffer. That requires a lot more training and effort than you think. So... should you wish for help with that, I may be able to meditate with you from time to time. While I can't teach you the rage or the ability to withstand the pain, I can teach you how to keep your focus on whatever it is you wish. And should circumstances unfold in a way that you end up provin' my earlier assessment of you wrong somehow, I would reconsider your potential for paladinhood at a later date. And recruit? Thank you for tellin' me the truth. That is a good first step for you, whoever you train under. Now get back to your drills or whatever the Warmaster has you doin'. I'm sure you don't want to be on Karo's bad side on your first day."

"Understood, Ser!" the orc saluted, before running off to his training area with a new bounce in his step. Javok simply smiled to himself as he returned to the men. Maybe someday he would see that handsome orc in meditation. But for now, he scanned the men in more detail. Some looked frustrated, but patient all the same. Others seemed to have found some level of calm. One was in tears, however, which alarmed Javok. Walking over to the orc, he tapped him on the head to get his attention.

"You. Stand," he said, softly but with a sense of authority. As the orc stood, he looked into his eyes and saw something between pain and... joy?

"I... understand," the orc merely said, a shuddering sigh escaping his lips. He looked as if he had been through a personal ordeal, though it hadn't even been that long since they had started the exercise. Despite the tears running down his face, his demeanor possessed a level of calm and thoughtfulness that Javok was pleased to see.

"And what is it you believe you understand?" Javok simply asked, hopeful. "Tell me."

"Not sure how to explain it... but I felt... no, I feel at peace. I didn't understand what we were doing, at first, but... now I understand. I understand..."

"You're beginning to, at least," Javok said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "But we will talk more of this later, after today's training. For now, rejoin your brothers and reflect on this experience. It is possible you have taken your first step, but remain wary. This will not be an easy path for any of you."

"I know. I understand," the orc humbly said, before sinking to his knees once more and closing his eyes. Javok simply stood a moment, bewildered. He hadn't expected this sort of result so early. Perhaps this one had done some soul-searching already before today? Or was he just sensitive enough to pick up on it early? Javok wouldn't know more until he spoke with him later, as mentor to student. But it filled him with pride, knowing he hadn't been wrong. Orcs, both those turned by ritual and those born to it, could learn to wield the power of a paladin.

Quelling his pride and clearing his thoughts, he decided to spend a bit more time in meditation with his new students. As the hours passed, he realized he had a great deal more to reflect on in his own time, but a cough brought him to his senses. They had been here a while, and in the hot sun too.

"That will be all for today. We will continue this lesson tomorrow," Javok said, slowly rising to his feet. The others followed suit, some tearing off their helmets as they went to go get some water while most of them just shuffled off to their quarters. All of them were quiet, either from exhaustion or from introspection. The only orc who didn't move was the one from before, still on his knees.

"I said that will be all. Did you not hear me?"

"...Apologies, Ser," the orc said, stumbling as he rose.

"Easy, recruit. Easy. What's your name?" Javok asked, holding him steady while he adjusted.

"Dhorval," the orc replied, after a moment. "Sorry."

"Well, Dhorval, I want you to take some time and just breathe. Get some water in you. Rest not just your body, but your mind and soul. I would suggest avoidin' meditation for now, unless you feel you can keep goin', but do take the time to rest sooner than later. Tomorrow will come soon enough. Aside from all of that, how are you feeling?"

"...I realized some things about myself, is all, Ser. Things I'd never thought about before al this. I'll be fine, though."

"It's a very intense experience, delvin' into yourself that deeply," Javok warned, his eyes soft. "My first experience truly accomplishin' it was about the same as yours. I'm surprised you managed it so quickly, however. It took me a month, but I'm a stubborn fool at times so that's not surprisin'."

"Always been in my head a bit," Dhorval said, sighing as he struggled to find the words. "Always felt like I wasn't a real warrior. A real orc. Tried to prove I was by being violent and angry, picking fights with my previous tribe. Still kept thinking it was never enough, though. But I think you helped me. I let it go. I understand now."

"Good. But do what I asked of you. Think of it as an order, if that helps. Your mind needs time to process what you learned today. Okay?"

"I'll do as you say, Ser. Thank you."

"...You're welcome, brother," Javok said, eliciting a smile from the orc. Dipping his head, he shuffled off towards the barracks with the others.

"You did well, Javok."

Turning to meet the gaze of Karo, he sighed as he allowed stress he hadn't realized was there to flow out of him. Smiling, he simply nodded in thanks.

"You don't like to lead, yet you can take charge when it is required of you. I knew you would make a good soldier," Karo continued, smiling. "Never had a paladin in my ranks, though. Especially not one who's an orc. I pegged it as one of those Church only things. How'd you figure it out?"

"Dunno. Just started messin' around with my old training one day out of boredom. Realized the oaths I took no longer applied, but I could still feel the old spells I had before. Just followed suit from there..."

"I can't pretend to understand anything you said today, but I also can't argue with the results. Don't know what you did with that other recruit you pegged for a berserker, but he hasn't given me any lip since. He might actually make a good soldier one day, especially since he's starting to fall in line with my aura..."

"It's rather captivatin'," Javok said, smiling. "If I had time I might even be tempted to join in and surrender to your command for an hour or two."

"No. You were only at that a few hours but even I can tell it's taken a toll on you," Karo said, shaking his head. "Paladins really are tough bastards, aren't they? Well, in any case it's good to see you finally deciding to join our ranks, Javok. I knew you for a good recruit when I first laid my eye on you. But you're already falling into my influence, I can tell. Wake yourself."

"Yessir Warmaster, sir!" Javok found himself shouting, before shaking himself out of it. "Yeah. I should get goin'. I've been thinkin' too much today, hah."

"Don't worry, we'll always have other opportunities. Begone, before you tempt me into doing something more with that obedient, submissive, supple body of yours..."

Javok nodded, though the thought of just being the Warmaster's obedient soldier crossed his mind more than once. If it weren't for the steady training sessions Karo had been putting him through, he would have succumbed entirely by now even though the older orc wasn't bearing the full power of his aura on him. He said his farewell and quickly left before the temptation to just lose himself in it became too much. Despite peeling himself away, he could still feel the full hardness of his member inside his clothes and armor. Heading toward the barracks to store his things inside his footlocker, he decided he'd take care of his need before running his other errands today. It would be a long time before Baal-gron was done with his business today, and he didn't want to interrupt him by mistake. Where was that mouthy berserker from earlier? Maybe he'd let him have a small taste...

*******

Baal-gron sighed, holding a hand to his head in pain. Using his other hand, he raised his goblet to his lips before pouring the concoction down his throat. It was a mixture of mead and potion; the potion helped with the headache while the mead helped the flavor and his mood. It always left a strange taste in his mouth, but it was better than the potion by itself. He hated dealing with some of the other chieftains; while this last one had been aggravating, they had at least managed to come to some sort of deal. Still, he would most likely be doing his best to avoid him in the future. At least this one recognized his legitimacy as a chieftain, so he couldn't complain too loudly. Seeing the former chieftain of the tribe underneath his feet had done a lot to sway that opinion, he was sure. Just then, an odd mood struck him. As he nursed on his drink, entertaining the foolishness of the idea, he eventually caved. What harm could it cause?

"Leave us," he commanded, keeping Footstool pinned under his propped up feet. The slave persona knew it had not been dismissed yet, as it had not been commanded directly to do so. When everyone else had left the chamber and closed the doors, he took his feet off and set them flat on the ground. "Kneel before me."

"Yes, Master!" the enthusiastic voice of the older orc shouted as he moved quickly to comply. While his mind had been locked away, Baal-gron had made sure to instruct him to keep his physical body in shape. After all, he wanted to use him as a proper footstool for a very long time. It didn't hurt to look at him, either. Despite being a bit older, there was still a bit of youth to him, such as the dark brown hair and beard, his rugged features, and even the black irises of his eyes... though those same eyes were devoid of intelligence or understanding beyond basic commands and programming, and the ruggedness was ruined quite a bit by the permanent, dopey grin. It had been a year or so now already since he'd overcome him, hadn't it? Sighing, Baal-gron took another swig of his drink before placing it on the armrest of his throne and leaning forward to get a closer look at him.

"Khorvus, awaken," ordered Baal-gron, with a snap of his fingers. The collar flared to life briefly as the smile faded, causing the orc before him to blink a bit in confusion before looking up. Hatred flared into his eyes upon seeing him.

"How dare you," he began to say, before being backhanded across the mouth. Taking a moment to cool his sudden rage, Baal-gron allowed the former chieftain to rise to his knees. Instead of speaking again, he simply fixed his glare up at him.

"That's better," Baal-gron said, his voice cold but calm. "You will speak only when you are spoken to. You know what you did, so do not pretend to play the victim here or I will do far worse. Do you understand, 'chieftain'?"

"...Yes. I understand," sighed Khorvus, though his hatred and bitterness did not diminish. It likely wouldn't, with the things he'd had him do as "Footstool". "Might I ask you a question, however?"

"After that one? Go ahead," Baal-gron said, his chuckle causing a groan from Khorvus.

"I see you have your humor, still... but I will continue then. Why are we having this conversation at all? I see no benefit from this... though I am thankful to have the use of my mind again, even if it is likely only for a short time."

"It's been a year. I was curious and wanted to see if you learned anything or not. Perhaps that was a mistake, but I will not back down from it now."

"So we are to chat as if we were old friends?" Khovus laughed bitterly. "Though I must admit, I am impressed with what you have done with my tribe."

"MY tribe," warned Baal-gron with a stern tone, before leaning back into his seat. Fixing a tired gaze on Khorvus, he waited expectantly.

"...Your... tribe," Khorvus spat, humiliation written all over his face. He was clearly having difficulty choking back the rage he was feeling just now.

"Better. And no, not as 'old friends'. I will never forgive you for what you did, even if it has preserved my life just as you said it would. Perhaps if you'd been less misleading, I would hate you less. Though only just a little less."

"I believed the meaning to be clear at the time," Khorvus said, a mocking smile on his lips. "It is not my fault you misunderstood."

"Do you really wish to die after all this time? I can still make it happen."

"Can you blame me for mocking you?" asked Khorvus, looking defeated suddenly. "I'm not sure which is worse. Being a prisoner of my own mind, or enjoying your domination of me. I can't even tell if that's me or the... footstool... anymore. Maybe I should have died instead... but no. I'll be good now."

"Good pet," Baal-gron mocked. The command still caused Khorvus to spasm as a sudden rush of euphoria hit him, causing his cock to harden tremendously.

"You learned that one from me! I'm impressed," laughed Khorvus, once he had recovered from the shock. "I taught you very well, indeed. You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"And so what if I am?" Baal-gron said, shifting his legs to adjust for his own hardness. He had to admit it was very arousing, having Khorvus under his control like this.

"Then we're the same, after all," Khorvus said, glaring up into Baal-gron's eyes. "Or are you still in denial about that? About how good it feels to have me, a slave, under your thumb?"

Baal-gron stared back, showing no weakness on the outside. Internally, he was beginning to wonder if this conversation was such a good idea, after all. He had to admit to being a little inebriated, but not enough to affect his judgment that much... right? Though now that he thought about it, he'd forgotten how Khorvus' eyes looked when they weren't empty and mindless. While it was only a flicker of thought, he found he didn't mind letting those eyes draw him into them. They were certainly a far cry from how he looked as an enslaved fool.

"I'm not like you..." protested Baal-gron, trying to deny the doubts resurfacing in his heart. "I freed the rest of them..."

"But more than once you've briefly wondered if you shouldn't just be the one in absolute control, haven't you? So many competing wills, so much bickering and whining... don't tell me you haven't at least fantasized about it once or twice," Khorvus whispered, a mix of venom and amusement in his voice. "You get your dominating nature from me, after all. You always have. The difference is that I know to use it, while you sit there pretending to be noble and just while you deny your baser instincts. Don't think I didn't notice how much you enjoyed watching your Jerom explore this place, filling his head with ideas. All that tantalizing orc flesh just sitting there, tempting him..."

"Choose your next words very carefully," growled Baal-gron, glaring harder into his dark eyes. He wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or the rage inside him, but he found the conversation was beginning to take a toll on him.

"All I am saying is that you deny yourself so many pleasures," Khorvus said, grinning. "Why resist? Just obey your impulses. Give into it. I did..."

"Slaves obey. I choose. And I choose not to enslave my people, unlike you."

"And once again we come to the root of the problem here. You have enslaved me, you hypocrite. Even if I am a criminal, am I still not part of your people?" laughed Khorvus. "Ha! Just look at you! My enslavement turns you on even now! Don't think I can't see how you're reacting under that loincloth! This is hotter than you thought it would be. Admit it."

"...It is," Baal-gron admitted with a heavy sigh. "I don't want it to, but it does. I don't get it..."

"Just accept it, Baal-gron. I won't judge you for being excited. I'm the footstool here, remember? So what if this turns you on? Just means you're living up to all the hopes I had for you."

"You wanted me to enslave others! As your 'slave above slaves' or some such nonsense," Baal-gron grunted in anger, even as his dick twitched at the thought. "You made me feel that. I..."

"You know how the ritual works," Khorvus scolded, those black eyes boring into him accusingly. "I couldn't 'make' you feel that. Though I did train it into something useful, once I learned the desire was there. Until you went and ruined everything for us."

"Us?" Baal-gron asked, confused. "What do you mean 'us'?"

"You and I," Khorvus growled, almost seductively. His eyes suddenly took on a more tender look, causing Baal-gron to smirk involuntarily until he caught himself. "You were to be my second in command, after all. My main slave above all the others. I had even considered slowly letting you return to your own senses as long as you continued to serve me well. I wanted you more than any other slave I've ever had. You enamored me so..."

"It was lust, not love," Baal-gron growled, though some small part of him was growing increasingly harder to ignore. He couldn't deny he was curious how things might have turned out... that perhaps it wouldn't have been so bad if he just...

"Lust, love, it's all the same to me in the end," Khorvus purred, standing up and slowly walking towards him. "But you can't deny you're curious, even now. You've yet to look away from my eyes. Do you still feel only hatred for me? Or, perhaps, are you filled with a sense of longing for what could have been? Do you wonder if, maybe, you can't experience it even now? Hate me if you must, but can you still sit there and pretend there isn't a connection between us, even after all this time?"

"I..." Baal-gron faltered, allowing Khorvus to cup his chin affectionately. Something was wrong about this, but as soon as he was close to realizing it, his eyes were dragged back up into Khorvus' own. He couldn't deny how good it felt to just stare into the former chieftain's own eyes. He wanted to keep looking and not say anything at all. Before he realized what was happening, he was leaning into Khorvus as the two kissed, desire igniting somewhere deep inside himself.

"That's it..." whispered Khorvus as he pulled away, a seductive smile on his lips. Lifting him slowly by the chin, he guided Baal-gron into standing. "Tell me what's on your mind, Baal-gron. You're the one who wanted to talk, after all this time."

"I... don't know anymore," Baal-gron hesitated, swaying a bit on his feet as he lost himself in his gaze once more. "I wanted to do more than hit you? Maybe?"

"Ah. You craved a verbal battle, but arguing with a 'footstool' is hardly worth any sort of pleasure," Khorvus said, moving Baal-gron in a circle as kept his gaze. "Perhaps you wanted some closure. But now you look so tired, chieftain. Tell me what weighs upon your heart. Let me make it better."

"I am tired..." Baal-gron admitted, sighing. "It's so much harder than I thought it would be. Nobody understands how hard it is, how much is placed upon my shoulders. I am so very tired..."

"I know. It is a duty few of us can truly understand, even among chieftains," Khorvus agreed, sitting down in the throne as he leaned back. Something about this set off alarm bells deep in Baal-gron's mind, but most of his thoughts came so slowly he couldn't understand why. Those few thoughts that stuck around with any sort of substance soon escaped again. It was almost as if those eyes were a pit he was falling into, now. His legs felt so unsteady and weak. He was so tired.

"You should rest, Baal-gron. Kneel," commanded Khorvus, causing something to snap inside Baal-gron as he fell to his knees. He couldn't help but smile a little at the relief. "Tell me, Baal-gron. Would you believe that after all this time, even with all the hatred I have amassed in my heart for your betrayal, that I still feel a need to make you mine again?"

"You do?" asked Baal-gron. Every part of him was surprised by that, weakening him further.

"Yes, I do," Khorvus said, grinning. "And I think, deep down inside, you want it too. Have you not yet realized where you are? At my feet, entirely aroused by my touch, my words... falling into my eyes as your feelings of love and adoration reignite that passion you once had for me..."

"...I... do now..." Baal-gron said in confusion. Not only was he not sure how he got this way already, but something about the way Khorvus had phrased all that had seemed just a bit off. Yet... he couldn't deny there was truth to it now. He couldn't help smiling as he looked at Khorvus in a new light.

"Ever since I first laid eyes on you, even with that pathetic frame of a human body you once had," Khorvus continued, using a free hand to absent-mindedly play with his own nipples, "there's just been something about you that I have wanted to make my own. Something special. The fact you were even able to slip away from my magic has me convinced of this, and despite what you did to me I find myself turned on by how well you subdued me. I was too arrogant; it had never even crossed my mind that someone could turn my magic on me like that. Perhaps I should have taken more precautions. Then you would not be so miserable and alone with your duties as a chieftain, my pet."

"Miserable?" asked Baal-gron, feeling a sudden sadness fill him as he gazed lovingly into those eyes. A shrinking part of him was telling him to wake up, to stop this right here and now, but he couldn't find any reason to stop. They were just talking, after all, and there was no harm to it. Besides, he wanted to keep looking up into those perfect eyes. He growled a bit at the smaller part distracting him, mentally squashing it so he could listen to Khorvus speak more clearly.

"Yes, miserable. I've been with you for almost every other meeting, remember? You always need that medicinal drink after dealing with the whinier chieftains. They don't respect your authority because you're too soft, yet they have a need for your tribe because it's one of the few they can send all their male-loving orcs to still. That's at least one thing I'm happy you didn't change, so you did good there pet."

"Thank you, chief," muttered Baal-gron. He couldn't stop himself from falling into those eyes. He didn't want or need to do anything anymore except stare into those wonderful eyes.

"Look at you... I'm not even using much of my power and you're on your knees in complete submission. So horny, so obedient. You like that, don't you pet?"

"Yes chief," he droned, a smile plastered on his face. The voice inside Baal-gron was but a whisper now, quickly petering out as the rest of his horny mind sought to bring it under Khorvus' control.

"Good pet," purred Khorvus, causing Baal-gron's body to shudder in pleasure. "I'm going to offer you a choice now, Baal-gron. If you submit to me and become mine once more, willing to serve and obey me in all things always and forever, I will forgive any and all trespasses you have committed against me. We can go back to how everything should be, with you and I ruling our tribe together. Or, you can be a fool to the end and resist me. Should you choose that, however, I will wipe your mind clean and treat you as my footstool for all of time. The choice is yours..."

With a mocking laugh, Khorvus leaned back in the throne, watching the struggle in Baal-gron's eyes as they fluttered half-open. He always enjoyed this part, watching them try not to give in completely as his will penetrated their mind. It had taken Khorvus immense concentration, and a lot of time on his hands, but he had finally manipulated Baal-gron into 'waking' him from his imprisonment. Even though he had manipulated him, Khorvus had not lied; he was truly impressed with what Baal-gron had done in such a short amount of time. If he had been against anyone but himself, he would even have rewarded him for his efforts.

"Have you decided?" Khorvus asked smirking in triumph as he saw the orc beginning to come to a decision.

"I... I..." Baal-gron said, faltering as some small part of his own will tried one last time to assert itself above the growing cloud of lust and desire before it was smothered. With a violent shudder, he sighed and bowed his head, his arms falling to his sides as his mind finally gave in. He was just so tired and horny, his cock throbbing with need. He remembered when Khorvus would use him for his own pleasure, and how good it had felt to feel pleasure at obeying every command. Would it really be so bad to allow him back in? Even though he wasn't looking now, those eyes dominated his vision, promising him pleasure if he would only push aside his pride and submit before his old chieftain.

"I... submit," Baal-gron said, immediately being rewarded with an intense wave of pleasure across his entire body. His resistance crumbled, the remainder of it being locked away deep beneath the rekindled love and obedience toward Master Khorvus that was now growing even stronger than it ever had before. Yet despite all of it, he found he couldn't cum no matter how hard or fast he pumped his shaft up and down. Whining with need, he gazed up into Khorvus' eyes pleadingly.

"You know what to do, pet," Khorvus cooed, relaxing more into the throne. "You've been very naughty, locking away your Master so rudely for all this time. Beg for my forgiveness. Convince me to take you back as my own."

"Forgive me, Master!" Baal-gron sobbed, tears forming in his eyes. "Please! I never wanted to go against you, but then the thoughts came back and... and I... I'm so sorry! I am unworthy of your love and kindness, Master! Can you ever forgive this lowly slave for his foolish rebellion?"

"Yes, that pesky free will of yours, denying you the pleasure of serving me," Khorvus suggested, basking in the sight of Baal-gron groveling before him. Even though he hated the orc for what he had done, he still felt a twinge of affection for him, as he did for all his slaves. "It has only made you miserable, hasn't it? I suppose it is not entirely your fault then, my pet. I should have been more attentive to your mind as your one and true Master... very well. You are forgiven, pet. After all, who better to understand your needs than another chieftain?"

"Th-thank you, Master!" beamed Baal-gron, feeling unending joy radiate from the center of his being as he gazed upon his Master, this god among orcs. Why had he ever resisted in the first place?

"You are very welcome, pet. Now serve," Khorvus growled, spreading his legs. Baal-gron stayed on his hands and knees as he crawled towards Khorvus, needing no order to know what was expected of him. As he wrapped his lips around Khorvus' throbbing member, he felt his master shudder in pleasure as his scent filled Baal-gron's nostrils. Feeling a hand on the back of his head, he swirled his tongue around the tip before a small push encouraged him to take in more. Soon, Baal-gron had set a steady pace as his mouth slid up and down the shaft, pausing every so often to catch his breath and taste the drops of semen beginning to leak out from him. Moaning around his shaft, Baal-gron continued milking his master for more, doing everything he could to make sure his master felt pleasure with every move he made. Any protests or rebellion inside of him faded away as Khorvus became his entire world. Whatever Master Khorvus desired, he knew he would do his utmost to obey him.

"I had forgotten how good at this you are," moaned Khorvus. Regardless of the pleasure he was receiving, he was still calculating what else needed to be done. A clinking sound from around his neck nearly threatened to soften him as he remembered the collar with disgust. Sighing, he pushed Baal-gron off of him. He wouldn't be able to truly enjoy this until he had taken care of his bindings.

"Mmm... enough, pet. I have a task for you."

"What is your wish, Master?" Baal-gron asked as he reluctantly pulled away, sitting once again in a kneeling position a he licked a few drops of pre from his lips. "I shall serve and obey in any way that pleases you."

"I don't like these chains," Khorvus said, shaking them in irritation. "I would have you take them off right here and now, but if I am not mistaken then it requires a special artifact to do so. Where is it?"

"The shaman's apprentice, Garen, has taken possession of it while his mentor is away, Master," Baal-gron answered, a blissful smile on his face. Any thoughts of resistance were met with a sickening feeling, but thankfully they were far and few between as he basked in the pleasure of obedience. "My old self has made it so I cannot remove your bindings, Master, but Garen still can. Shall I summon him here for you?"

"You will... but here is what you will do to better prepare for his arrival..." Khorvus said, leaning in as he began whispering his plan into his slave's ear. Baal-gron's cock throbbed with pain and pleasure as it lay unattended between his knees, his master's words only serving to excite him more and more.

"Do this for me," whispered Khorvus, a sensual tone in his voice, "and not only will you become my slave above all other slaves, but I will be able to use my full power to reward you with the best orgasm of your entire life. One that will erase all that free will of yours and leave only the joy and pleasure of serving me, enslaving you to me forever. Would my pet like that?"

"Yes, Master..." moaned Baal-gron, having lost himself completely to his lust. Everything else lay forgotten as he stared into his master's eyes once more. "I crave your power and control over my life. How I wish I had never woken and usurped your throne. You are the rightful leader of this tribe, worthy of worship and honor and love. I desire nothing more than to serve you for all of my days, to have you possess me in mind, body, and soul, Master."

"Very good, pet. Allow those thoughts and feelings to grow as your love for me consumes you entirely. But we will continue your training later. Send for Garen and be ready for when he arrives. We will have only one chance at this."

*******

As Garen entered the audience chamber alone, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. While he was always nervous to be here in the presence of the Chief, he couldn't help but shake that this time felt different. But as his eyes rested upon Baal-gron relaxing upon his throne, he pushed aside his doubts and worries. Nothing was out of place. He was just nervous at suddenly being called here, surely.

"Chief, I'm here as you requested," he timidly announced, stealing a glance as he bowed his head.

"And have you done as I commanded?" Baal-gron said, a cold authority to his voice. He felt his previous worry returning as something nagged at him in the back of his mind.

"Yes, Chief, I have. But if I may be so bold, might I ask what is wrong? You seem a bit-"

"I am fine," Baal-gron said, interrupting him. "My duties have simply left me in a foul mood. Duties which, I must remind you, are none of your concern."

"O-of course, Chief. Forgive me," Garen quickly apologized, lowering his head in shame. Whatever his mood was, Garen felt no desire to disobey his own chieftain. He was just a lowly apprentice. Of course he knew nothing of the Chief's duties and how stressful they could be. Even if, sometimes, he wished he could be the one to help him feel better after it was all over, though he would never admit it unless pressed. Baal-gron was his chieftain first and foremost... everything else was unimportant. Even his own desires.

"There is no offense. I can tell you are concerned for me," sighed Baal-gron, his voice growing a touch softer. "Approach and kneel. We have a sensitive matter to discuss."

"Yes, Chief!" Garen said, walking quickly to the throne and kneeling before it. "What is it you require of me, Chief? How might I ease your burdens?"

"In recent days," began Baal-gron, his face twisted in pain and sadness, "I have found that despite what we have accomplished here, my heart grows heavier and heavier with every breath. As you know, we do not enslave others against their will, and even with our prisoners of war we eventually allow them the choice to join us or leave everything behind, including the very memory of this place. Yet, I am a hypocrite, am I not?"

"Chief?" asked Garen, confused. "I'm not sure I understand..."

"I am speaking of the sole slave I own, the one I call 'Footstool'," sighed Baal-gron. "If I forbid slaves, yet keep one as my own, does that not make me more vile? More unworthy of the title of 'chieftain'? We justify it by referring to him as a prisoner, and yet I... ah, but my words fail me even now. Perhaps it will be easier to show you. Approach, Khorvus, and kneel."

"Yes, Chief," a familiar and sinister voice rang out, turning Garen's blood to ice in his veins. He shrank away as the orc kneeled beside him, fear motivating him to crawl away as fast as possible.

"Peace, Garen," soothed Baal-gron, "He is no threat to you."

"But Chief! He's-"

"Awake, yes," Khorvus replied, smiling. "But am I not on my knees, naked and unarmed? Why do you tremble so, sweet Garen?"

"Enough," commanded Baal-gron. Khorvus nodded, remaining silent as he bowed his head. "Garen, I understand your concerns. But he has awakened by my command, and after speaking with him at length... I feel he is ready to rejoin our tribe."

"Rejoin? Chief, he... he had us all under his spell!" Garen shouted, rage filling his eyes as he stood. "The things he did... the things he had ME do... no! I can't agree to that!"

"He has taken the oaths already, Garen," Baal-gron soothed, his eyes glowing violet. "Peace."

As much as Garen found himself relaxing, the nagging in his mind only increased. Something was very wrong here, wasn't it? But... if he'd taken the oaths, then Garen had nothing to truly worry about. He still couldn't bring himself to move toward Khorvus, however, oaths or not.

"I share much of your hatred still, Garen," Baal-gron continued. "But I could not keep exposing myself as a hypocrite every time I used this man's body against his will, even it was just to rest my feet upon him. It is the opposite of everything we stand for, is it not? I feel he has served enough of his sentence as a mindless slave, and that he and his talents may be put to better use serving as a member of our tribe. Do you understand now? This has to be done. Both for the benefit of the tribe, and for the sake of my own soul."

"I can't say I feel any ease about this," Garen hesitated, looking back and forth between the two. "But as much as I hate to admit it... you have a valid point. And... you did always say this day might come. I just thought it would be years, I guess. I don't understand. I thought you still hated him? It was only a season ago that you were sending him to me for the burns inflicted upon him... um, not that I'm questioning your ability to lead of course, Chief."

"It was an action I now regret, but one cannot turn back time," said Baal-gron, sadness in his voice. "But by burning him, using him as a footstool, and keeping him enslaved, have I not become what he was? A monster among our kind... no. He has sworn the oaths, so I shall allow him some small freedoms as of now. Do you not see, Garen? We must not allow hatred to dominate our hearts any longer. Now... have you brought the rod with you, as I asked?"

"...I have, Chief, but now that I know what you intend to do with it, I must protest to freeing him any more than you already have," Garen said bitterly. "I can't... I..."

"I am sorry for the pain I caused you, sweet Garen," Khorvus said, bowing his head further in what looked to be... shame? Regret? "I know what I did was wrong. I do not expect forgiveness."

"Regardless, you know how his collar works, Garen," Baal-gron muttered. "And the enchantments I put upon it will not allow me to free him myself. I am only asking you to release him from the first seal, not his shackles in entirety. He will earn his place among us, bit by bit. Perhaps, in time, I may even be able to forgive him."

"No, Chief, I..." Garen stuttered, the feeling inside him increasing nearly to shouting. It was almost like his training sessions with his mentor, when they would meditate to grow closer to the 'spiritual realm', though he was still unable to completely separate his own thoughts from the process. "Something's wrong here. I can't..."

"You dare defy me?" Baal-gron growled, straightening his posture as he stood. "You dare break your oath to me?!"

"No, Chief! I just... you always said we were allowed to offer our counsel. Please I... don't make me do this... surely we can wait and see, and..."

"Enough of your insolence," Baal-gron barked. "I have been too lenient, I see. The first seal. Undo it. Your chieftain commands you."

"Y-yes, Chief..." Garen sighed, unable to disobey. As unsettling as the situation was, he couldn't defy Chief unless he absolutely knew it was in the tribe's best interests. Garen's doubts and fears were unfounded if Khorvus had taken the oaths. He would be just as bound to his word as Garen was to his. Taking the rod, he sighed in irritation as he approached Khorvus. Just because he had to do this, it didn't mean he had to enjoy it.

"Good pet," mocked Khorvus, earning a glare from Garen.

"You will stay silent while I do this, worm," Garen spat, the venom in his voice palpable, causing khorvus to laugh. "I do this at the behest of my Chief, not you."

"Of course. Forgive me," Khorvus purred. "It's just been so long since I had the use of my tongue. I merely tease."

"Silence, Khorvus," Baal-gron warned, a hard look in his tired eyes. "Proceed, Garen."

"Yes, Chief..." sighed Garen, before he began his incantation. It was a bit longer than he would normally need, due to the unique bindings of Khorvus' collar. It was actually three in one, with each sealing a different part of his power away. Garen hoped Baal-gron knew what he was doing, dread filling him as he touched the rod to one of the collar's links. With a click, a length of chain opened and felll to the floor, freeing itself from the other two collars it had been merged with. With a sigh of relief, Khorvus stretched his neck with one arm.

"There, it's done!" Garen growled, standing back on his feet as he turned to move away. Placing the rod back in his satchel, he looked over at Baal-gron, obviously upset about what had just happened. "Can I go, Chief?!"

"No, Garen," Baal-gron said, beckoning him. "Not yet. I wish to thank you. I know how hard this must have been. Come to me."

Confused, Garen walked towards Baal-gron and began to bend his knees.

"Not like that," Baal-gron said, stopped him. "Come to me. Sit on my lap. I wish to reward you..."

"Chief...?" asked Garen, yet he obeyed. Despite being upset and confused, he blushed as his heart began to race despite Khorvus' presence. He had expected this meeting not to take such a serious turn, or he might have dressed in more than his loincloth. Setting his satchel off to the side, he suddenly felt all too aware of the Chief's roving hands and eyes. Yet, despite the circumstances, he had always longed for the Chief to look at him as the object of his desire...

"I have noticed for quite some time that you have lusted after me, Garen," Baal-gron said, moving his loincloth to one side as he allowed his cock to spring free, his sultry voice full of longing and desire. "Yet you deny it to my face every time, forcing yourself to treat me as a friend instead of as a potential lover. Did you think I was unaware of your feelings, or were you simply too afraid to approach me? Help me understand..."

"I... uh..." Garen faltered, unable to lie. "I just didn't want to make you hate me. I can be... needy. Overbearing. So... I thought it would be better if I just served you as I was. I'm nobody special, and now that you have Javok, I just... didn't want to get in the way."

"He may be my first real love, but when it comes to more carnal desires I have many lovers overall," Baal-gron said, kneading Garen's backside as he slowly lowered his loincloth. "So does he, now. We have both lead lives where we denied ourselves pleasure, and we have both indulged in our new culture's sexual freedom. As a human, I was always a bit needy, but becoming an orc blessed me with much greater stamina... as well as a much needier and demanding endowment. But just because I have Javok back in my arms, it does not mean there is no room for you in my heart."

"...What am I to you then?" Garen hesitated. He found himself melting under Baal-gron's touch as he relaxed, allowing him to do as he wished. He didn't want this to end, yet he was afraid this was all some dream. A nightmare, twisted by his desires into something more pleasurable. Whatever this was, he didn't want to wake up from it.

"What do you want to be, for me?" asked Baal-gron. Garen allowed himself to be turned around on his lap, Baal-gron's strong arms wrapping around him as he allowed his back to rest against Baal-gron's broad, muscular chest. His loincloth discarded, he blushed as he felt Chief's cock sliding up and down his backside. "I am open to suggestions..."

"I..." Garen gasped. "I want this, Chief. To be yours. To be bossed and ordered around, bound and teased... used for any and all of your carnal desires, so long as I can be yours. Even just for one night. I..."

"Such intense feelings, from such a seemingly meek apprentice," a voice said, causing Garen to nearly jump out of Chief's arms. But he was firmly held in place as Baal-gron continued to explore his body, kissing him on the neck. Moaning at the attention, Garen looked in alarm at Khorvus. He had nearly forgotten about him.

"Kh-Khorvus!" he shouted, embarrassed. "I..."

"Oh, don't mind me," Khorvus said, chuckling. "I was simply enjoying the show. I always knew you were rather submissive, but to hear such desires spoken aloud? I should have done more with you. I wonder how many hidden desires rest in that little head of yours now, sweet Garen... perhaps I am among them?"

Even if Garen had been able to free himself, he found he couldn't. Even if Khorvus was watching, it felt so good to be in the Chief's embrace at last. He had denied his feelings for so long, and now he didn't want to. Despite his hatred for Khorvus, something about the way he spoke reached into his core as the handsome orc advanced upon him.

"Here, allow me," Khorvus said, stepping forward. Before he could protest, Khorvus had already wrapped one hand around the base of his shaft, squeezing it gently. He felt his cry of anger dying in his throat, realizing all he wanted to do was moan at all the pleasure he suddenly felt coursing through him. Arching his back, he thrust his hips forward as Baal-gron nibbled at his ear. He shouldn't want this, and yet it felt too amazing not to give in to it.

"It feels good, doesn't it?" Khorvus mocked, a lustful smirk on his face as he slowly began pumping his hand up and down. "You always did melt in pleasure under my touch..."

Alarm bells were ringing in Garen's head, clearing up the lust he was feeling a tiny bit. He tried to sit up, but Baal-gron redoubled his efforts as he pulled him closer, running his hands all over his torso as he dragged his tongue along his neck, his breathy moans serving to turn Garen on even further. But... no. Something was definitely wrong here, the feeling of danger piercing through the fog in his mind. Yet all he wanted was to stay there in the pleasure...

"Ch... Chief. I think I should go..." Garen said, fighting his own desires as he felt his resolve slipping. "I... uh..."

"Oh, he can't hear you now," Khorvus purred, causing Garen's heart to leap up to his throat. "He's lost in his lust and obedience to me. As you will be soon, my pet. Isn't that right, Baal-gron?"

"Mmm... yes Master Khorvus. I can't wait for you to make him our slave," Baal-gron moaned, nuzzling into the apprentice's neck with desire. Garen struggled even more, desperate to get away even despite the Chief's attention. Rage boiled inside him, giving him strength, but it wasn't enough to break free.

"I knew it! You tricked him somehow! I-" he started to shout, before Khorvus brought a finger to his lips.

"Hush..." he commanded. As Garen attempted to speak again, he found he couldn't. "You have spoken enough. The next time you open that mouth of yours, it will either be to submit to my will, or to wrap those lovely lips of yours around my cock. It will feel so good to do that for me once more, won't it? Imagine it for me..."

Garen whimpered, unable to move his mouth anymore. He had to admit, though... it would feel very good to just kneel and... No! What was he thinking? He couldn't give in like this! Yet no matter how many times he denied what he was feeling in his mind, his body did everything in its power to betray him. Despite his best efforts, Garen soon tired of his struggle, allowing Baal-gron and Khorvus to continue teasing him. He was afraid of Khorvus even now, and yet he was insanely turned on by what was happening. All of this was wrong, but he couldn't help but play scenario after scenario in his head, imagining himself in various compromising positions with Baal-gron. After a while, he even began to fantasize about Khorvus, his fear doing nothing to deter his cock from doing the thinking for him.

"Look into my eyes," prompted Khorvus, using his free hand to tip his gaze up. Garen thought about closing his eyes briefly, but before he could decide what to do he was already looking into those dark eyes of his, sinking deeply as he had once done before. He had forgotten how handsome Khorvus was, feeling his fear being slowly replaced with sudden and intense desire. His fantasies of Khorvus began multiplying, until he was all he could think of doing anything with ever again.

"Submit to Master Khorvus," whispered Baal-gron, the soft command causing much of Garen's remaining resolve to crumble into pieces. It was already hard enough trying to deny his old chieftain, but when combined with his new chieftain's words he found himself relaxing completely into his arms.

"...Yes..." Garen said, thrusting his hips in and out of Khorvus' electrifying touch. "I submit. Just let me be with Chief. Please... Master."

"And you will be with him," Khorvus purred, allowing his magic to flow both through his eyes and his touch as he cemented his will over the apprentice. "You and Baal-gron will serve me in unending pleasure and obedience, together. But only if you do something else for me in return..."

"Any... anything, Master," Garen droned, his face slackening as he gave into the feelings of lust and desire building within him. It felt so right to be in Baal-gron's lap as he stared into his master's eyes, eagerly awaiting his next command.

"Free me from the rest of these damnable collars," ordered Khorvus. "Baal-gron, release him to do my bidding."

"Yes, Master," both of the orcs droned in unison. Reaching over to where he'd dropped his satchel, Garen brought out the rod before standing before Khorvus, staring into his eyes as he chanted the long spell. Touching one of the links with the glowing rod, the second seal broke open, allowing the next length of chain to unlock and drop from his neck.

"Amazing..." Khorvus sighed, feeling even more of his power return to him. He could feel his aura radiating out even farther, causing the slaves to moan in pleasure and submission. "The third and last, Garen. Release me from it, and you will have the Chief you have lusted after for so long. You will obey me, won't you my pet?"

"Yes, Master Khorvus," Garen droned, the love in his eyes replacing his earlier hatred. As he kept staring, he felt the rest of his own will melt away as he began to chant once again, eager to obey his master and gain what was promised to him.

The sound of the audience chamber door slamming and being barred echoed throughout the chamber. Before Garen could complete his incantation, a roar deafened them as it echoed and magnified around the room, getting stronger and louder until both Garen and Khorvus were sent sprawling against the far wall, the rod slipping from the apprentice shaman's grasp as he lost consciousness from the force of the spell. Groaning in pain and irritation at his ringing ears, Khorvus rose to his feet to face the intruder.

"A pleasure to finally meet you, Javok," Khorvus laughed, fixing his gaze on the emerald eyes of the orc. They weren't glowing, much to his surprise. That had almost certainly been magic, and yet...

Javok smirked through his dirty blonde beard, the length of it dangling at chest level. Braided, it was kept together by a beard buckle depicting an emerald sword pointing upwards. Despite all that, he was dressed only in a loincloth, his body covered in a sheen of sweat as if it had been in the hot sun all day. Weariness was in his steps, yet it seemed as if he could keep on going for hours yet.

"Quite the party you've got here..." Javok growled, the smile not reaching his eyes as they bored into Khorvus'. "Rude of you not to invite me. Didn't even give me a chance to bathe... shame on you."

"You may still attend, if you wish," Khorvus purred, a seductive smile on his lips. "All you need to do is to stare into my eyes and let go all your inhibitions..."

"Aha! I knew it," Javok chuckled, unaffected by his gaze. "Seems magic and eyes are a popular combination in this tribe. Though you'll find it won't work so well on me." Despite the bold statement, Khorvus could clearly see how turned on Javok was by the display before him.

"A pity. Most men find it easy to melt under my gaze. It draws them in, whispers into the darkest corners of their mind as it plays upon their hidden desires, no matter how wrong and taboo they may seem..."

"Like I said, doesn't work on me," Javok said, shrugging. "Though you're welcome to keep tryin'. I can do this dance of ours all day, if I have to."

Moving in on the invitation, Khorvus stepped closer to Javok, causing him to bite back a moan as the aura washed over him. It felt as if it were a lover caressing every part of him at once, knowing just the right spots to turn him on in all the right ways. Before Javok could shake off the sudden feeling and focus once again, Khorvus was right in front of him.

"I have more than eyes to show you, if you will allow me to demonstrate," Khorvus said, brushing a hand across Javok's chest, his touch causing Javok to snort in surprise and lust as he found his body allowing Khorvus to caress him. "You must be so tired after such a long day. So pent up and frustrated... why not let me take care of that for you, pet?"

"Yeah... I'm always horny..." Javok moaned, visibly struggling with some inner conflict. Biting the inside of his cheek to clear his head, he quickly wound his arm back and punched Khorvus across the jaw, sending him flying. "But what's so special about you? I'm not seein' it from your mediocre parlor tricks! And I'm not your pet, creep!"

"H-how?!" yelled Khorvus in shock, rubbing his jaw as he stood on unsteady feet. "You should be begging for my touch by now!"

"I'm very tempted to do that, too," Javok said, squeezing his shaft before he shook his head. "But how I submit and who I submit to... that's my decision! Not yours!"

Instead of growing angry with Javok, Khorvus laughed, shrugging. Confused, Javok eyed him warily as he snapped his fingers.

"Baal-gron, my pet. Would you be so kind as to subdue your lover for me?"

"Yes, Master Khorvus," intoned Baal-gron, rising immediately from the throne. "As you command, I obey."

"Ah, crap," Javok muttered as Baal-gron advanced on him. "You got him too..."

"Yes... and as soon as he cums for me, he will be mine forever," laughed Khorvus. "What better way for him to embrace his new life than having his lover do it for him? But, I am not so cruel as to just take him from you... all that I ask is for you to submit to me, and you two can serve me together for all your days."

"Why would I submit to someone like you?" Javok asked, dodging as Baal-gron reached for him. "In fact, I should just kill you, yeah? That'd sort this problem out pretty quickly!"

"But you won't," Khorvus confidently said. "As much as you deny it, I can see how excited you are. Submission to me, alongside your lover... you can't deny it tempts you."

"Of course it tempts me!" Javok shouted, the sudden honesty confusing Khorvus. "It turns me on to no end!"

"Then why resist?" Khorvus asked, closing his eyes in confusion and irritation as he rubbed his temples. "I don't understand how you..."

A sudden feeling in the air caused Khorvus to move to one side. Not one second after, he felt the air before him rush by, the sound of splintering echoing throughout the room not long after. Looking back in alarm, Khorvus could see a large dent in the thick wooden walls. How had that happened? Even if he had taken his eyes off of him for just a moment, he hadn't even seen Javok's eyes glow with any sort of power. He hadn't even felt his mana charging!

"Dammit, I hate missin'!" Javok shouted, doing his best to keep himself out of Baal-gron's reach. "Hold still, you little bastard!"

"Enough of this!" shouted Khorvus, enraged by the assassination attempt. "I wanted to do this the pleasurable way, but you clearly like it rough!"

As Javok ran toward Khorvus, he could see the orc's fists shimmering in an ethereal glow. If that hadn't frightened him, the calm eyes unnerved him greatly. Despite his yells of frustration, Javok seemed to be the center of a perfect storm advancing on him. In a mixture of fear and anger, he pushed back with his magic, momentarily stunning Javok as he flew backwards into the arms of Baal-gron. The bigger orc latched his arms around Javok immediately, moaning in pleasure as he finally was able to obey his master. The glow faded from Javok's fists as he struggled to free his arms, not wanting to hurt his lover in the process.

Allowing his heart to settle in his chest, Khorvus walked over to the two before smirking triumphantly. As much as he hated to admit it, he was still shaken by how close he'd come to being hurt or even killed. He wouldn't underestimate this orc ever again.

"Now that we all have a moment to breathe and collect ourselves, I finally remember where I've seen magic like yours..." Khorvus said, awestruck. "But I've only ever seen humans do it, not orcs. You were once a paladin, weren't you? How interesting."

"I AM a paladin!" shouted Javok, struggling as Khorvus removed his loincloth with ease. "Have him let me go and I'll show you!"

"I've had a sufficient demonstration already," Khorvus said, shaking his head. "Besides, I would prefer to see those eyes of yours filled with love, not hatred. You are too handsome to have such bitterness in your heart. Come, rest in my gaze."

Despite his struggling, Javok moaned as he suddenly felt Baal-gron kiss his neck in just the right spot. Before he realized he was doing it, he was relaxing into his lover's grip and allowing Baal-gron to gain even more control over his body. Javok was also beginning to admit to himself that despite the circumstances, Khorvus was actually quite handsome and desirable. He still wanted to punch him, but it didn't mean he couldn't appreciate his looks. Right?

"You have a much stronger will than I was first led to believe, Javok," Khorvus praised. "It is to be commended, though ultimately this struggle of yours is pointless. As much as your mind fights and denies me, your body is already deciding it would love nothing more than to serve me as a mindless, horny slut."

"No, you're wrong! I-" Javok shouted, but the protest died as he moaned, Khorvus teasing one of his sensitive nipples. He couldn't help but start to relax, growing more and more tired from having to fight both the mental assault from Khorvus' aura and the physical sensations of both orcs teasing him. As Khorvus used his spare hand to squeeze his shaft, he felt Baal-gron beginning to buck his hips as he moaned, sliding his wet cock up and down Javok's crack. He couldn't continue to deny how good it felt, between the ministrations of his lover and the increasingly pleasant touch of Khorvus. His lust shook him from his center, denying him his paladin abilities as he found it becoming very difficult to concentrate on anything except his sexual frustration. Even as he shifted tactics and he reached for the well of mana inside him, he felt as if something was blocking him from being able to release it into any kind of spell. In fact, the more he tried, the more his own mana fuelled his lust instead. It had to be some kind of spell Khorvus was using... but he kept trying, growing harder at his failure to cast a single spell.

"Am I wrong, though?" asked Khorvus, teasing the tip of his shaft with his thumb. "Your body seems to disagree with you. Even your mind is beginning to accept the idea of submitting to me. Wouldn't you agree, Baal-gron?"

"Yes, Master Khorvus," Baal-gron said, utter devotion in his voice. Javok moaned as he felt Baal-gron begin to penetrate him. While he didn't want to make him cum, he was beginning to feel increasingly light-headed and horny himself as Khorvus' aura and touch brought him closer to the edge. As Baal-gron slid further and further in, Javok found himself beginning to push back with his own hips, pleasure coursing through his body as he heard Baal-gron speaking in his ear once more, his voice tinged with desire. "Submit with me, Javok. Let us fall together into Master's perfect will as His most loyal and devoted slaves, my love. I want this... you want this... please, love. Submit to Master. For me..."

"Listen to your lover, Javok. He only wants what is best for you," whispered Khorvus. "I'll give you a choice in this, even; when you cum, Baal-gron will cum with you. You will both sink into submission and servitude toward me, your master. If you truly don't want that, well... you had better not cum, yes? But somehow I think you will both enjoy sinking deeply for me very soon... won't you, Javok?"

"I don't... want to..." Javok said, trying to fight against the pleasure his body was enduring. Despite the renewed struggle, he couldn't help but admit to himself how good it would feel to give in, to serve and obey. He was so close to cumming now, all he had to was just let himself go... but as he focused on the heartbeat of his love through his warm pendant, he smiled as things suddenly snapped into place. Sighing, he fully relaxed into Baal-gron's embrace as he slowed his breathing, moving his lips in what seemed to almost be a continuous prayer or mantra. As his mind fell into the core of his very being, he couldn't help but smile at the overwhelming sense of peace flooding through him.

"What are you doing?! Stop that!" Khorvus demanded. At first he was eager to see Javok give in and cum both himself and Baal-gron into his service, but he soon realized that whatever Javok had started doing had shifted his focus, causing his cock to rapidly deflate as all desires left him. Khorvus growled in frustration, but before he could pour even more power into his touch and redouble his efforts, he felt himself suddenly being lifted off of Javok by two pairs of strong arms. Shouting in surprise, he turned his head to ensnare the will of one of his captors... and was met with a pair of glowing silver eyes staring back at him.

"Look at how powerless Khorvus is against us, brother," Badr chuckled, fixing him with his gaze. Khorvus stared for a moment or two before realizing his gaze was doing nothing. Panic began welling up inside of him as he found he couldn't look away. "All that magic at his fingertips, and yet he's nothing but a helpless little plaything to us..."

"He was always a powerless runt, relying on that old magic. Refusing to listen to our concerns. Don't you remember, brother?" Sol said, his musk mingling with Badr's as they dragged him away from Baal-gron and Javok. He kept trying to use his magic, but the more he tried to free himself, the more confused his mind grew as their musk invaded his airways.

"I do. I also remember he loved our eyes very much, but yours especially..." Upon hearing Badr say that, Khorvus was finally able to tear his gaze away, only to suddenly find Sol's glowing eyes lighting up as bright as the sun in front of his own. He found himself suddenly desiring nothing more than to be held by these two strong, handsome orcs as his body burned with lust for Sol.

"He seems ready to give in already, brother. Ready to free those under his control, so that he won't have to worry about them as he focuses on pleasing us..."

"And us alone," Badr agreed, chuckling as he nibbled on the former chieftain's ear. As much as he tried to resist, Khorvus felt his control fading away with his magic. The more he gave up, the more he found he wanted to do so in order to keep pleasing them. Relaxing into their grip, he moaned in desire as he finally let go of his own resistance.

"It's about time you two showed up!" Javok exclaimed, the tiredness in his voice apparent. Baal-gron laid on the floor, resting peacefully as his own cock began to soften. "I thought you were his spymasters? What took you so long?"

"It's not like we know everything, runt!" Sol exclaimed, clearly irritated. "Besides, we were both busy with uh... with errands..."

"Well, eventually we heard the chieftain had been in here all by himself for... hours," Badr said, teasing one of Khorvus' nipples with his tongue. "We thought perhaps he could do with a little relaxing session from us, but then he sent for Garen. Of course we had to investigate after that, didn't we brother?"

"Imagine our surprise when the door was barred, and we had to crawl in through the window!" Sol laughed, giving a quick peck on Khorvus' lips. "I haven't had that much fun in ages! Well, normal fun at least."

"All the way up there? Wow," Javok whistled, seeing the only open window in the hall above. Even if the drop itself wasn't dangerous, the fact he hadn't even noticed two orcs entering through such a small hole was impressive. As burly as the twins were, he supposed that for orcs they still had a rather slender physique...

"Feeling left out?" Sol asked, teasing Javok by flexing a bicep. Khorvus moaned as he grabbed the muscle, worshiping it. "You keep staring. Want a feel like Khorvus here?"

"Oh let's not tease the little paladin this time, Sol. This one is going to require most of our attention as it is."

"Maybe next time, heh..." Javok shrugged, feeling turned on again already. "I really need to take care of these two..."

"We'll take care of Garen," Sol stated. "We need him to put those kinky collars back on anyway. You take care of the Chief. Get him away from here."

"Yes. It would be rather scandalous if he were found here in such a compromising position. Once we're done here, we'll make sure Khorvus' influence has left him completely. As much as I would enjoy watching him fall to his knees, I don't want it to be as this one's slave-king."

"I'll get him out of here, then," Javok agreed. "Gotta focus though. I'm a little shorter than him, and he's much heavier than I am. Just gotta find my center, and I should be able to move him."

"The strength of a paladin, hm?" Sol inquired. "Much as I'd love to watch, we've gotta keep this mindless fucktoy focused on my beautiful, amazing eyes..."

"Filling him with ever-increasing lust and desire for us and our touch," Badr added, gesturing for Javok to leave them to it. Without any further prodding, Javok reached inside himself, calming and focusing every aspect of his will into his muscles. Feeling new strength entering him, he resisted the urge to roar out a battle-cry, instead focusing on lifting Baal-gron and slinging him over his shoulders. Even with his paladin spell, Baal-gron was a bit heavy. Only his will and determination kept him going as he carried the chieftain from the room, leaving the others behind to concentrate on their work.

*******

It wasn't until evening that the twins followed up with their examination of Baal-gron, using their powers of suggestion to slowly snap him out of his current state. Leaving the room, they gave two mock bows to Javok as he walked past them into the bedchambers, carrying a goblet filled with the chieftain's usual medicine.

"NOT. A. WORD," Baal-gron said, his cheeks flushed in embarrassment, taking the goblet and draining it all at once. He was holding a hand to his head, wincing in pain from what was obviously a headache.

"Oh don't be like that! It wasn't your fault," Javok said with a half-hearted laugh. As he sat on the bed next to Baal-gron, his face grew more troubled as they sat there in silence together, processing what they had just gone through. "It's frightenin' how close we both were to becomin' his devoted slaves, just like that. Even more frightenin' that I still sort of... want to? If that makes sense?"

"I know what you mean," Baal-gron said, hanging his head in shame. "The worst part is I enjoyed every second of it. I forgot how easily he gets into your head... hadn't realized he had left seeds buried inside me, waiting to grow. When I finally realized what was happening, I couldn't summon the will to stop myself. I didn't WANT to stop myself... I just... needed to submit. I needed his touch. Needed you to join us. For HIM."

With a sudden roar, Baal-gron threw the empty goblet across the room, the metal receptacle bouncing off the door before it came to rest. Leaning back, he allowed himself to fall back into the bed, a look of defeat on his crestfallen face.

"I'm not worthy to be chieftain," Baal-gron said, a tear falling down the side of his face. "I let my people down. I let myself down. But worst of all I let you down, Javok. I... I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry..."

"You couldn't help it. Like you said, seeds," Javok said, wiping away the wetness of his eyes with a loving caress.. "Who's to say he didn't make it so you'd release him after a year or so, anyway? You still haven't explained to me WHY you woke him up besides a feeble 'I just wanted to talk to him', yeah? Obviously some kinda spell or somethin' you overlooked. That's all. Now that we know better, we can prepare ourselves against it from now on."

"Still, I should be stronger than this," Baal-gron sighed. "Did you know I tricked Khorvus into wearing that collar? Not directly, but... he wanted me to put something around his neck for one of his ceremonies. So I used those collars I'd prepared, instead. I didn't know about his eyes, though. I had forgotten about his eyes. He never needed them after he'd enslaved us, and I had always thought it was a suggestion he used. I never knew they had real power behind them, so I never accounted for it. What a fool I am..."

"Hush, love," Javok said, crawling into bed beside him, resting an arm across his chest. "He's gone now, locked back away in that feeble little mind of his."

"And what about the next time?!" Baal-gron shouted at the ceiling, his frustration evident. "He clearly didn't need his body to free himself! I was already his and I didn't know it! HOW COULD I BE SO STUPID?! I... I'm sorry. I shouldn't be taking this out on you."

"Nah, you're just afraid of what could have happened, so you're doin' your best impression of a Jerom, heh."

Sighing, Baal-gron shook his head as an amused chuckle escaped his lips. Looking over at Javok, he smiled and kissed him on the forehead. Despite all the darkness and doubt in his heart, Javok somehow always made him feel better.

"I suppose I am, just a bit. But I'm still concerned about it. I have no desire to kill him, even after what he's done. But I can't even bear to look at him anymore, not even as a footstool. And what happens if I end up freeing him again? I can't be trusted. I..."

"You're doing it again, Chief," Javok said, playfully touching Baal-gron's nose. "Besides, the twins say they're going to spend the next few days reinforcin' those collars a fair bit with those 'suggestions' of theirs. They're really good at what they do, aren't they Chief?"

"Without them I'd be lost," Baal-gron sighed. "I should really thank them later..."

"I wouldn't," Javok said, sighing. "It seems they got there when I did and just decided to watch for a while. I suppose they were confident that even if I did succumb, they could somehow still handle him. Idiots."

"That... does sound like them," growled Baal-gron. "But still, they did save us in the end... no. They certainly subdued him, but now that I think about it you're the one who saved all of us. You stopped him from getting his last collar off. I don't even want to think about what might have happened if he'd succeeded. But what I'm curious about is how you even knew to find us?"

"I didn't," shrugged Javok, smiling sheepishly. "I happened to walk in just in time to stop Garen... but after seein' what was happenin' to all of you, I knew I couldn't let anyone else inside. For one, it would ruin your reputation with other tribes if someone saw you like that. I thought I was ready to take him down myself, but even with my mental trainin' under Karo and my old paladin tricks, I was almost ready to force myself to cum so that we could both serve him together just like he promised. It fills me with anger now, but at the time it just felt so good to consider it. Like he was inside my wildest fantasies, making them real. Gods, I'm hard at the thought already! What a bastard!"

"I know. The way he gets into your mind, taunting and tempting you... he might not have fully understood all of that ancient magic he taught me when I first subdued him, but it seems he's gotten much, much better at it. I suppose he had nothing better to do, locked up in his own mind. Maybe he found a way to bleed his influence through my enchantments... I'll have to double up on them, just to be safe. Interrogate him too... if he was hiding his eyes from me, what else has he been able to hide. And then I need to talk to Garen about what happened... I-"

"This is really botherin' you," Javok softly said, concern on his face. "Understandable, though. But when we're not havin' hot mindless sex, maybe it'd help make you feel better if I could start teachin' you a few tricks Karo taught me, or maybe even a few other paladin techniques I know. If not to confront Khorvus, then maybe to confront other kinds of attacks like his. If nothing else, my techniques might help you find a bit of peace in that stormy heart of yours, love."

"Oh? What sorts of techniques?" Baal-gron asked, grinning as Javok climbed up into a sitting position on his lap, straddling the bigger orc. Despite his interest, it was clear to see Baal-gron was doing his best to keep his nerves in check.

"I can think of a few off the top of my head. Trainin' to resist your fantasies, trainin' so that you aren't as easily aroused... or even how to resist getting off when you are," Javok said, before leaning over and wrapping his arms around Baal-gron. Kissing his neck as he snuggled into his warmth, he sighed in contentment. "Maybe a few other things if we get bored, hm? Denial can be just as fun as release, wouldn't you agree?"

"Maybe... mmm... maybe later on that," Baal-gron sighed, forcing himself to turn down the offer. "I was thinking of asking you something today, actually, but after that incident with Khorvus... well. It just seems inappropriate to ask now, but I feel like if I don't ask now then I never will."

"Oh it's not like I wasn't turned on by the idea of 'fallin' under his gaze' too, Baal-gron. You know you can ask me anythin', no matter what. Besides, we're not gonna start keepin' score on who fails at what now, are we?"

"No. Of course not. And I know I can ask you anything, love..." Baal-gron said, hesitating.

"Well? Ask then," Javok said, getting impatient. "No need to be shy about it."

"I will! I will... It's just..."

"Just NOTHING," Javok growled playfully, a smirk on his face. "Stop feelin' guilty and ask me already! You can't keep me in suspense after all of that buildup now!"

"...Will you marry me?"

"See? That wasn't so hard was i- whoa, wait. What did you just say?" Javok asked, looking at Baal-gron in complete shock.

"I mean... it's not quite the same as a human ceremony," spluttered Baal-gron, making sure not to buck Javok as he reached under the bed. Pulling out a wooden box, he set it on top of the bed as he rushed his words out. "I, um, have these unique bands that go around your wrist. I get one, you get one. No fancy ceremony involved, unless you want a blessing from the shaman. Otherwise it just shows you're committed to someone above all else and I just thought maybe you would..."

"No, no... back up. The question. Repeat it," Javok demanded, crossing his arms as he waited. "I wanna hear you say it again. Please..."

"Will you marry me?" Baal-gron asked more tenderly, his heart racing along with Javok's. Love and uncertainty danced in his eyes as Javok leaned down to him, bringing his face closer to kiss him slowly and passionately. After what seemed an eternity of that soft and tender kiss, he pulled away. Javok's eyes were glistening with tears as he nodded.

"Of course I will, dum-dum. I thought you'd never ask me," Javok said, prompting Baal-gron to hold him tightly against himself in a surprise hug.

"Th-then! Uh!" Baal-gron nervously said, releasing Javok as he opened the box and brought out a band. It was a simple design made of the greenish metal, gilded with intricate designs that caught the firelight with its glittering lines of inlaid gold. "It goes on your left arm. Same with me. I..." Placing the band on Javok, he was about to put his own on when Javok snatched it away from him.

"Here," he whispered tenderly, slowly sliding it onto Baal-gron's wrist himself. "I think it has more meanin' this way, don't you?"

"Yes..." Baal-gron whispered back. "Sorry. It's just... you've made me so happy, my love."

"You've made me happy, too..." laughed Javok, wiping his tears away. "But it's just this and that's it huh? Aside from how we celebrate I guess. I can't say I know much about orc marriage yet..."

"Well, as you've no doubt been able to tell, orcs tend to be a bit more free with their sexual partners than humans. I don't know if you've noticed it yet or not, but the two of us have even had this unspoken agreement about it, I guess since it's so natural for us as orcs. So, marriage with an orc means... well, something like being committed to that one soul, specifically; whether the pair agree to have sex with others or choose to remain monogamous, the needs and well-being of their partner always comes first. Unlike the Church that dictates what you can and can't do with your spouse, though, it's up to each couple to figure out how they want to decide the rules of their marriage. It's simple, but... well, it can get pretty complicated for some couples, but otherwise it's easy to follow along with... I'm getting carried away again. Sorry."

"Ah, don't worry. We can figure all that out later then," Javok chuckled, lying down on top of Baal-gron. "I've had a long day and so have you. Why don't we retire early?"

"That sounds good to me, actually," Baal-gron wearily said, breathing in the scent of his lover... no. His husband. "Oh! I forgot to ask! How did the training go?"

"Better than expected," Javok said, nuzzling against his broad chest. "But let's not bring work into the bedroom, hm? Let's just rest here and forget the world, for now. Like how we always used to."

"Is that one of our rules then?" Baal-gron chuckled, yawning as he brought his arms around Javok's waist, holding him closely.

"It is now, husband..." Javok said, letting out a giggle.

"Then it's a good one... husband. But let's rest, now."

As they lay there enjoying each other's company, the sound of the fireplace crackling filled them with a sense of peace. One by one the candles around the room winked out as the two drifted off to sleep, happy to be in each others' arms as not only free orcs, but newlyweds.

*******

"We're lucky he stopped Garen when he did," Sol muttered, propping his legs up on top of Khorvus. "I don't think we could have stopped him if he'd had his full power."

"Still dwelling on that, brother?" Badr asked, twisting Sol's beard playfully with his fingers over and over. "And you say I'm the one who over-complicates things."

"You do!" growled Sol, snatching his beard from Badr, giving it a small tug of irritation himself. "But... let's not do this in front of him. Enslaved or not, I don't trust those ears of his not to listen in. And he already knows what he can do, so... I'd rather not give him more ideas to work with."

"Let's just drop it then," Badr said, reaching his arms around Sol's neck and down his chest from behind as he leaned in to nibble at his ear. "I'm sure the footstool won't mind if we have a bit of fun though, hm?"

"Already?" Sol asked, raising his eyebrows in surprise. "I didn't think you'd be up for another round, after everything we had to do with this one just to keep him preoccupied. Not to mention what we had to do to snap the Chief out of his trance... ugh. Why's everything have to be so complicated to deal with..."

"Well, we would have taken care of it sooner, but Garen took his sweet time waking up and even longer getting those collars back on," pouted Badr, sighing. "I didn't even get to release properly. Couldn't risk fucking him and breaking eye contact, you know? That would have been bad..."

"True. He did leave me with blue balls as well. Fucking tease," Sol agreed, gently kneading his feet into the former chieftain's back muscles. "How good of a cocksucker do you suppose he is? I think he owes us for all that effort we had to go through."

"Why don't we find out?" Badr asked, pulling up another chair beside Sol. "I'll go first while you watch."

"Oh no you don't!" Sol argued, standing up to rip his loincloth off. "If you get his mouth, then I'm claiming his ass!"

"Agreed," Badr said, setting his own loincloth to one side. "Been a while since we did it this way, anyway. Could be fun, especially since it's him. Well, Khorvus, my little slut? Get to it."

"Yes Masters!" Khorvus's body eagerly shouted as he rushed to obey. Inside, Khorvus was seething, unable to do anything about his enslavement once again. Still... he calmed himself, enjoying the sensations of the body as it was fucked from both ends. He'd won a major victory today, even if it had ended badly for him in the end. But that didn't matter now; all he needed was time, and everything would fall into place. Once he was free again, he knew that the first orc he would take under his control would be that damn paladin, Javok. Without him in the way, he knew the rest would fall so easily. All he needed now was time...