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Master of Hearts

“I barely remember the elegance of a tree as I stare up into its branches as they dance in the wind, there leaves whispering a thousand different songs; all of them fleeting as they die in the wind. The curl of the leaves is lost on me as they fade and crack in autumn frost, how they die, breaking to the simplest of touch. The days meld into one when I'm without you, the seasons pass like days, the sun and the dying moon, rising and falling with the waves of the shallow sea. I stare at my reflection hoping to see you beside me, but I just see your memories distorted on the waters of puddles I pass; I see you, I wish you were walking beside me on the streets, and I die when I reach for an empty hand, for a ghost on the winter breeze."

The words burned the pale lips, of a human who lounged on his rifle, the frozen barrel teething his cheek as his sweat froze into a pale white frost, exhaling a frozen mist a soldier adjusted his hat and swept the moisture from his hair, rolling it back beneath the hem of his desert green cap. “That felt a little too personal," Connor whispered to himself, as he folded the worn journal between his fingers and laid it on a plastic bench beside him, before laying the rifle on the ground beside him as he checked his watch, “Twelve forty-five, the envoy should be here by now."

“It is here, I can feel their heart beats." The cold whisper of a corpse echoed in his ear, as bones cracked and snapped as the head of a deceased male looked at him, it's eyes nullified by shadows as black blood poured from it's decaying lips and from the frozen spike gutting him; and even though such a broken creature was inches from gnawing on his ear, Connor barely flinched as he rolled his eyes. “You're disgusting Tethys."

“I beg to differ, I've seen some of the things that get you excited." The cracking voice countered before guttural air escaped the corpse as it spasmed, the decaying remains dissolving into a puddle of black ichor beside him, that slowly faded away as the shadows of the ruined apartment building absorbed it's previous inhabitant.

“I'd rather not talk about sex right now, I haven't masturbated in fourteen fucking days, and the fucking chastity cage is starting to chafe." Connor fumed as he picked up his modified rifle, and with a sharp flick snaped down the single barrel of the rifle like a double barrel shotgun before loading a crystal tipped bullet by hand into the compartment before snaping it closed, “Well, I told you it was a bad idea to wear a chastity cage while you were deployed, but Nooo, you wanted to show you're master that you were an obedient little fuck boy." Tethys nagged like an impersonal friend, as ethereal blue light poured from Connor's fore arms and into the rifle, marking the rifle with ornately carved blue runic designs.

“You can say all the “Told you so's" on the trip back, but for now just please define the targets." Connor limply agreed as he raised the rifle to his shoulder, and leaned into the stock, turning his attention to the scope that swirled with a blue vortex, as reality and colored drained away leaving only an abyss, with shapes outlined by neon blue lines, buildings became transparent, and roads and obstacles melted away as a trio of trucks rolled down the old highway, the reinforced bumpers slamming old cars out of the way as the leading truck plowed through the desolate, bombarded road.

Connor adjusted his sights and the trucks melted away to expose humans and their circulatory systems, and the parts of an engine. The primary targets were huddled in the back of the second truck, shackled to the bed, forced to bow as their necks were chained to the floor. “Where do these bastards keep coming from?" Connor whispered as he adjusted his sight and waited for the trucks to pull into range.

“You humans are like cockroaches; you'll find a breeding ground wherever there is food and no one stomping you out." Tethys mocked with cold contempt before resigning herself to the recesses of Connor's mind, gently pulling back his focus so he could take his shot. “Forget the warmth of spring, and let the cold settle in, and desiccate; and let all things return to their eternal winter; and freeze." Connor whispered into the receiver, his words directing the magic in the rifle, pouring it out into a blue alchemical sigil that hung in the air in front of the barrel; pulling the trigger, the crystal round exploded out of the rifle and shattered into a shimmering mist, disintegrating into a cloud of magic that turned into shards of ice that ripped across the sky like glistening hail stones, that punched through the hoods of the truck and into the engines, freezing them solid, the gears seizing up, forcing the trucks to lock their breaks and come to a crumbling halt. The steam hissing out of the open wounds as boiling engines baking in hundred-degree weather settled and cracked under the temperature differential.

One by one, disheveled bandits, zealots, and hunters stormed out of their trucks taking defensive positions, in the nearby area before quickly being killed in a perfect ambush from all directions. One by one, they crumpled under expertly aimed rifles, until there was only silence as everyone waited to see if anything else might have heard their attack; but only tumbled weeds danced across the broken road, the wind kicking up warm dust in subtle winds that rolled over the nearly empty town.

When nothing came, the old highway silent and the bandits all but dead from blood loss, did anyone move, one by one, compatriots broke cover and steadily paced closer to the trucks; while Connor tapped the upper frame of the window and created a thread of water, and repelled down the sun baked brick building, before breaking the shell out of his rifle and loading another. Keeping his eyes on the shadows that were locked away behind broken windows. Giving a two fingered salute to his friends as he approached, to show he wasn't dangerous or under anyone's control, he joined everyone beside the trucks, “Mr. Locksley does it again, were you trying to show off today?" Akanya laughed, his heavy Nigerian accent echoing out as he rested his hands on the M-16 across his chest.

“What, would you rather I hit one at a time?" Connor chuckled as he leaned over the edge of the middle truck to see Eric Yu, pulling the black sacks off the heads of the kidnapped humans who were all but naked, scared and horribly sunburned, their skin baked and peeling around the whipping marks that clawed their backs leaving horrible red gashes.

“Of course not, it wouldn't be a surprise then." Akanya laughed as he leaned on the hot metal, and shook his head, “No matter where I go, it seems like nothing changes. There will always be monsters who prey on the weak."

“Are you two going to stand around and keep talking or actually help me get these people back to the truck?" Eric countered out of annoyance as he flicked his hand in the air, creating a sharp burst of green light, dividing the metal in the chains, cutting the prisoners free.

“Aren't they already in a truck," Liam laughed, a red headed Irish boy, who drummed on the side of the truck, as if his pathetic joke wasn't clear enough. Eric glared, his hand teasing the trigger as he fumed, “It's a hundred and fucking five today, I'm hot, and I'm tired, now if you make me wait another second, I swear I'll beat your ass."

“How about you show some respect instead, asshole" A gruff male voice countered, shutting down the side conversations as the back of the truck lurched as a Mincridarn climbed up on to the bed. The anthropomorphic two-toned Pitbull sweeping his rifle back as he leaned down to help lift a timid naked woman off her knees, who hid her face behind her ragged and crimped dry hair. “Please forgive these idiots, we'll get you back to camp and the healers can get you cleaned up." He apologized for the group, the women barely nodding as Eric Maul, grabbed her beneath the arms and lifted her to the ground with ease.

Everyone could feel the retained rage of the Mincridarn officer, so everyone just shut up and obeyed the slightest glance, if anything was said, it was only reassurances to the victims and to offer them food and water while the canvas covered transport drove back to base.

The base was a magically fortified compound with stone walls and monolith towers, filled with tents with modified carports used as overhangs to shelter the large military transports. It wasn't a huge base, just a wayward encampment, a forward base created to provide shelter for the recycling teams. Teams that were sent out into the unkempt and hazardous areas beyond the capital city, where magical corrupted spirits, the possessed, and zealots and hunters roamed, to collect resources from the decimated towns across Nevada, South Western Utah, Eastern California, and Northern Arizona. It was a dangerous but worth while job, it paid well, and it was one of the most respectful positions in the army.

But even after driving and idling for over an hour, Eric was still spiteful, and though he was capable of hiding it around the victims, it took moments for him to express his rage after they had been logged in the medical tent. He spared no one as he grabbed everyone's shirt collars and pushed them into their barracks. Throwing them in so hard that Dale lost his footing and landed on his ass. “YOU'RE FUCKING LUCKY I CAN'T TAKE YOU IN THE BATTLE CIRCLE AND BEAT YOUR ASSES UNTIL YOUR BONES BREAK! WHAT YOU FOUR DID WAS A DISHONRABLE SERVICE, THOSE PEOPLE NEEDED OUR HELP AND ALL YOU COULD THINK ABOUT IS YOUR SELVES! IDLE CONVERSATION! JOKES! DO YOU THINK THEY WERE LAUGHING YOU RED HEAD PIECE OF SHIT!" Eric howled in anger, barking as he stomped his foot between dale's legs, almost castrating the poor male if he been an inch off.

“No sir." Dale answered painfully before Eric reached out, and grabbed Eric Yu's shirt and dragged him closer, “YOU ARE A FUCKING SOLDIER! THIS IS A BATTLEFIELD! YOU'RE HERE BECAUSE IT'S YOUR FUCKING JOB! AND YOU WILL ENJOY YOUR FUCKING BREAK WHEN I SAY SO, NOT BEFORE, AND YOU WILL NOT EVER FUCKING RUSH A MISSION BECAUSE YOU WANT A DAMN SHOWER! YOU'LL WORK UNTIL I SAY YOUR DONE!" He added before pushing Eric back until he was on his ass, before turning his attention to Connor and Akanya, “You two, focus, do you understand! Do you realize how bad you look when you're idly talking next to wounded beings? They need your help, that should always be your first priority! Not compliments! Do you understand!?"

“Yes sir, sorry sir." They both responded but Eric shook his head, “Why the fuck are you apologizing to me, I'm not the one you disrespected, if you want to do the right thing, apologize to the people you ignored." Eric seethed, taking a deep breath before calming down, “but that was a good shot Connor, and that goes for all of you, we don't have the resources to waste bullets so every bullet should be worth it." He finished with the simplest and most respectful of praises as he reached out and clapped Connor's shoulder. “We've been out in the field four a few days, get some rest, do your reports and give your boots and guns to Eric, he's on cleaning duty for the next two weeks."

“Dammit… Really?" Eric groaned until he was firmly smacked in the cheek, “You should know better and if you don't like the work, leave, because this is our job. Respect it. Do you understand?" Eric submit to the heavy words and nodded, “Yes sir," he painfully accepted and Eric nodded as he pulled the strap of his rifle over his head and laid it flat on Eric's bed.

“You're dismissed," Eric finished finally letting everyone breathe as the tension finally broke, but that only lasted for a moment until the flaps of the tent opened up, a naked female Mincridarn, strut in, wearing only bandages around her wrists to create makeshift gloves, “Major Anara," Eric greeted with a faint bit of shock, bowing in respect to the commander, everyone else quickly snapping to the side to salute her, no one daring to look higher than her knees or lower than her neckline.

“I have new orders from General Garus," she explained as she handed over a letter to the officer, who skimmed the papers, before sighing out of annoyance, “I understand, Connor Mason, you are being relieved of your position, and you are to report directly to the main offices in Avonmori."

“Wait… What? Are you serious? What for?" Connor asked as the Major rested her hands behind her back, “You are being promoted." She answered, the entire squad balking at the answer, “You are being reassigned to the training grounds to train the next generation of rangers."

“But I'm not a teacher?" Connor protested and the Major shook her head, “I wasn't either, when I was ordered to train soldiers, but I still did it, and you should be honored; you were specifically chosen because of your combat abilities, you were the top of your graduating class, when it came to both long-range tactics, and magic, your missions have been nothing but exemplary. But your ability to handle long ranged weaponry is what made the general feel it was necessary for your skills to be passed to the next generation of soldiers."

“Major Anara, I just… I joined the recycling division two years ago. Doesn't this feel a little inappropriate, I'm pretty sure there are far more people qualified to teach your military courses." Connor countered but the Major shook her head, “You are young, but you have already out classed several older competitors, even before you joined the military, your name was already being considered for the position after your sixth straight wins in the sport shooting competition."

Connor's voice collapsed as the Major reached out and pat his head, “You will have a couple days to consider the opportunity, while the office processes your promotion, so pack your things, a transport is already on it's way here to collect you."

“Yes Ma'am," Connor relented with a heavy breath, that was soothed by heavy pats before the naked feline left, her voice quickly changing as she took control of a training regime and charged after the error.

“Fuck, where's a beer when you need one?" Eric Yu, sighed, “wished we had chance to celebrate your promotion."

“No alcohol, or drugs are allowed on base you know that." Eric corrected off hand, “But I got sodas in the fridge, I ordered them the other day." He noted waving off to the small mini fridge by his bunk.

“Did you know this was happening?" Dale asked, sitting down on his own bunk while Eric went to go get the sodas, and the Pitbull nodded, “I sent in a recommendation with last week's files, so I expected something like this would happen."

“Why did you recommend me sir?" Connor begged for an answer and Eric smiled, “Because you deserve it, it's my job to train you, to develop your combat abilities. To help you work as a team, but you've always been an outlier, different. You're too good, and it's been creating a dysfunction in the pack. I'm ok with the competition you create between everyone, but everyone is starting to rely too much on your abilities to save their asses; you're starting to become the center point for battle plans, rather than a part of them. If you go down the rest of the team goes down, so I asked the head offices to reassign you to a position where your abilities would be put to better use." Eric explained as he sat at the edge of a bunk, “It's not about who's the weakest link, but about who's the biggest outlier, the beings we fight, they'll see how well you fight and mark you as a dangerous threat, so they'll attack everyone else instead. By removing you, everyone else will grow stronger, evenly, they'll be able to work better off each other than fighting alongside you."

The tent was silent, but after all the time they spent together, no one really had the spine to dispute Eric, for the most part; he had never been wrong. He wasn't perfect, but his judgment never seemed wrong. “I get that, but I can't teach other people how to shoot? I don't know if I can do that?"

“Trust me you'll do fine," Eric countered with a smile as he accepted a soda from Eric Yu, before tearing off the cap with his fang and spitting it into the trash can across the tent. “I want all you to know that no one here is weak, you're all good, but you can be better; so, don't think I'm trying to bash you." He added pointing to the rest of the group before he took a sip.

“Well, we'll miss having you around Locksley," Akanay smiled as he clinked his soda with the rest of the group, as they all gave broken congratulations and farewells, before watching Connor pack up his things and empty out his locker, waving him off as a Humvee came to drive him back to Avonmori.

The entire ride was quiet, Connor didn't have the heart to talk, not after he had to say goodbye; he loved being on the battlefield, he loved fighting; it made him feel like he was doing something to protect the world. However, for as much as he liked it, he knew deep within, it was just a means of an end. He needed to get inside Avonmori, he needed to live in it, he needed clearance to move around freely without being stalked by drones, droids, and security cameras. Avonmori maybe the last sanctuary on Earth, the last remaining city, but it was also the biggest target on the planet, because it's where humans congregated, the only resistance against corrupted magical beings from taking over the world and find an escape from the abyss. But there were more dangerous threats than the growing armies of possessed corpses, corrupted elementals, and spirits, it was the fact that ancient and evil magical weapons were being spread to salt the earth and burn down the last remaining haven.

“You've finally done it, we're right where we need to be." Tethys whispered through his beating heart, his blood vibrating with her subtle words, echoing out from deep within an abyss in his own mangled soul. Connor barely glanced at the driver before taking out his phone, a compact glass screen, that lit up after charging it with a burst of magic. Connor wasn't going to try and talk, he'd look insane, so he answered with a private text knowing Tethys would be able to read it, “I know, but what now? How am I going to find these “Soul Swords" you've been talking about?"

“I'll teach you how to hunt them, but for now, we wait, we can't do anything until we're free to walk around the city. So just keep following orders, “Yes Ma'am." Connor answered making Tethys stab at his liver, “I may be an immortal, but I'd rather not be refered to as an “Old Woman", I have a name, use it." Tethys scolded, before retracting her claws from Connor's liver, diving into the darkness of Connor's subconscious, leaving his mind empty and quiet as he watched Avonmori come into view.

Once called Las Vegas before the Surge, Mincridarins helped repair the decimated city with magic, helped establish the democratic government and rebuilt the economy from scratch which is why they were allowed to name it, Avonmori, which translates as “Sanctuary" in one of their ancient magical tongues. But it wasn't just a simple city of brick and stone, it was a living wonder, as all of Avonmori lived beneath the branches of a tree, a mountain of living wood, and emerald leaves, the lowest branches hanging miles above the tallest building; while it's roots spread out around the city limits creating a star shaped wall a quarter mile thick, pack with artillery around the city.

Avonmori was born from Las Vegas' ashes for several reasons, it was close to Area 51, which was one the few “intact" bases in America, so their construction equipment and resources were still operational and plentiful; secondly it was in the middle of a desert, which is the one place where all corrupted spirits hardly traverse because the weakest spirits burn in the light. But Avonmori also served as a terraforming project for the Mincridarins who wanted to see if they could reseed an inhospitable environment with life and prosperity; they had succeeded admirably. Allowing the titanic tree to sustain millions of people, with it's hanging gardens, and it's blossoming fields beyond the city limits, it's presence set foundations for a traumatized peace where the remaining humans could redevelop in relative isolation and grow once again; but it could all come burning down if the smallest conflict got out of control.

The life of the farmlands helped Connor breathe as he felt like he was finally home but was distracted by the Colossal gates that the Humvee rolled up under. Mincridarins watched the check point, and one by one, they walked around vehicles scanning VC's, Vital chips, which stored all of a beings private information, from social security to banking numbers, even biological data that allow emergency services to act without hesitation and minimal questions. Once implanted they were soul bound to an individual, so they'd be wiped if ever removed, and were anchored to the bone in the lower right arm so they could never be taken out without ripping a sizable divot out of a person's forearm. The VC's were meant to distinguish friend from foe, which is why everyone had to be scanned not just the driver, which is why Connor had rolled down the window and let his right harm hang against the baked metal as he waited.

A burly female weasel wearing robust kevlar plate armor, a mash-up of modern and medieval armors, looked down at him and smiled, “Connor Mason, I've always wanted to meet you." She greeted after she tapped the tablet against his wrist.

“You know me?" Connor asked as the weasel checked the results, nodding as she listened, “You're a sixth time city Marksman champion, a competitive combat artist, and well…" The weasel leaned in just a little bit tighter, “You're pretty good looking too, a dangerous combination." She whispered with scandalous intent as she “Adjusted" the zipper on her pants.

“You're not bad looking yourself, but a little late, I've been claimed." Connor chuckled as he punched at the Mincridarn's shoulder as hard as he could without looking like an idiot. The weasel smiled and knocked knuckles with him before knocking the roof of the Humvee. “Roll along, keep her slow while moving through the tunnel." She ordered before walking down the row of steadily growing traffic.

Avonmori's tunnel was warded with the most powerful runes that could ever be devised, they were capable of atomizing some of the strongest spirits, and it always made Connor feel tingly, as if his whole body had been hit with an electric wand. But more than that, as vehicles passed through the long tunnel, they were scanned with illusion breaking spells, and to examine for anomalies or errors. It had been common for spirits to try and sneak into the city thinking they could bypass the wards, but they'd only end up dying, it had been so common at one point that newspapers stopped reporting on it. However, once all the scanning was done, the entire city opened up to them as traffic broke up into several high way routes that ran through the entire city.

Before one could be chosen, Connor leaned forward and tapped the driver's shoulder, “Can you take me to the Cavern?"

“I was told to bring you right to base," The soldier answered, and Connor exposed a glass tube sealed with brass with small multicolored orbs bouncing around on the inside, “I have souls to drop off." Connor explained, and the driver exhaled and nodded, “Alright, but if I get in trouble, I'm blaming you."

“I figured," Connor answered with a laugh as he sat back down and watched as apartment complex and packed city streets passed by, as they drove across canals filled with aquatic Mincridarins, and passive spirits, and beneath train and trolly tracks. The city was too packed for everyone to have a car so public transportation was developed to be widely accessible to everyone and everything, and even roads were easier to cross because of bridges and tunnels that circumnavigated the roads all together, so traffic never had to stop.

The entire city was shrouded in darkness, for being a city that was supposed to be a haven against the dark, it was smothered by it thanks to the hanging gardens that created a thick canopy of life that barely any light was able to pass through; so, all of the city streets had to be lit with fluorescent and neon lights, whether these lamps were lit with electricity or magical crystals just depended on the neighborhood. There was no real “Ghetto" in the city because magic was able to sustain it all, by cleaning, repairing, and modifying it as needs be, so even impoverished citizens could live like royalty because there was no real cost to building or maintaining anything, the city was all but self-sufficient, making food the most expensive commodity.

The only real distinction between social status was whether you lived on the trees trunk or beneath its roots, because on the tree trunk is where the government sat watching over everything, this included the Mincridarn embassies for Mincara, Matra, Leggala, Adestria and Ende, the five primary Mincridarn countries on Ecorein, their home world. The Cavern was one of the mincridarn embassies, specifically Matra's, which wasn't normal by any standard, the very idea of what an embassy represents might as well be flipped on its head in the Cavern, as it's place of passion, and simply put, sex; by all accounts the Cavern might as well have been a brothel, but it had enough class to still hold respect amongst governing powers who barely tolerated it thanks to its ambassador, Ravinith.

Ravinith, could easily be considered a perfectionist, in business, in people--“in" people, as well as magic. He may run one of the most promiscuous institutions in Avonmori, but everyone respected his abilities, resources, and connections, but he wasn't the person Connor planned on seeing. He planned on seeing someone far more depraved, something/someone who lurked in Ravinith's shadows, in the Cavern, Donmanthu, a demon of depravity and passion, an Incubus.

Demons and Angels were made tangible and real thanks to the magical Surge that ruined the world, their very existence was able to make people turn away from most religions, as they could undeniably prove that they're gods were real, that they existed; and that most of all, their gods wanted to help and protect humanity. Which is why they had sent Angels, Demons and Spirits, to Earth, to train and protect the last surviving peoples around the world, so not even the darkest demon was a monster, a curse, or a blight, they were a blessing, saviors, and heroes in their own ways. However, for all the good that the help was, some still saw it as a lie, that the true enemy was the Mincridarins, and their false gods, and that it was the duty of humanity to protect humanity itself, not some depraved monsters. Which is how the Zealots and Hunters coming into existence, using their own ideals and religion to kill and hurt anyone they saw fit, or anyone who dared to get in their way.

Donmanthu, is one of these monstrous Demons that the Zealots and Hunters hate most of all, because he was a soul collector, a bookkeeper of the abyss whose only job was to make sure that all the spirits that escaped hell were sent back to finish their sentence. He wasn't a monster, it was just his job to show no mercy, and pass judgement with a heavy hand which is why he offered rewards for anyone who can reclaim the spirits that fled from underworld.

Connor was just turning in the souls he had collected because not only was he getting rid of evil and or corrupt spirits, but because the rewards were legendary. Domanthu offered strength no mage or spell could provide, he altered the body and soul, and drastically amplified the innate and natural abilities of mortals, giving some humans superhuman strength, speed, intelligence, senses or healing factors; of course the bonuses were limited, the body and soul could only take so much alteration, but if done right, and in the right hands, his gifts pretty much created superheroes.

“We're here," The driver noted as he rolled up into a parking garage near the Matra embassy, which was crammed with cars and trucks, so much so that it took nearly twenty minutes to find a parking space; but once settled, the driver sighed, “Make it quick Connor," He waved off as Connor dropped to the paved concrete, “I'll try, but…Donmanthu… he has a way of making people linger." Connor explained and the driver bobbed his head in agreement, saying nothing else as the door slammed shut.

Getting to the main floor of the embassy was easy, it was just an elevator ride, but the Cavern was a renowned high end “club" that suited both male and female tastes, so there was a line running down the street with people waiting to be let in, a line that thankfully Connor could ignore, as he walked by the crowd the rioted in protest for his line cutting. He would have ignored their complaints until a woman latched on his arm like they were dating, “Are you going inside?" she asked with a bright smile as she did her best to flirt and expose her body as a means of persuading him, “I have my own business." Connor answered as he kept walking regardless.

“Business? All work and no play, how about I buy you a round of drinks instead?" She offered as Connor walked past a Rhino, named Benthum or Benny, Ben, Bennett, a male of many names, a gray behemoth who was quick to scoop up the women in one arm as they passed the secondary entrance, “Wait what are you doing? I'm with him?"

Benny laughed at the idea, “Female, you are not his type, plus, I'm not blind, I saw what you did, now you can either wait at the back of the line or I can ban you for violating a worker." The female collapsed for a moment in the male's arms, “Worker… He works here?"

“With what he does… he might as well," The Rhino chuckled, having no issue with hiding his budding erection in his tenting kilt, “Are you going to stay awhile; my shift ends in a couple hours?" Benny asked as he set the woman down and locked the magical barrier with a swipe of his hand, before he scanned and examined the next few in line. “Sorry but you're a little late, you're going to have to talk to my owner about that." Connor chuckled, the Rhino's ear's spiking up at the comment, but before he could say anything Connor was already gone, the black doors swinging behind his ass.

The first floor was nothing more than a locker room for guests, as lanes of lockers lined the primary hallway leading to the stairs and elevators that took everyone to the primary club. No one was told to get naked, but it was part of the club's dynamics that it was implied, if someone came to the Cavern, it was because they were looking for sex, not to get drunk or to hang out. So as Connor walked by completely clothed, people were quick to start mumbling in confusion but didn't stop him. Where Connor was going, only a select few could go, and that was only if they had been previously branded, a token of appreciation for Donmanthu that gave special benefits, like access to a gateway in the Cavern that led directly into the underworld.

The Gateway in particular was a framed poster on the wall, that changed to advertise for special events, it was meant to look inconspicuous, and would only open for those with unyielding intent. Which meant there was a special way of entering it; mainly a person had to walk with a perfect and even pace towards the poster with their branded hand up, and through the poster with such clean timing that they step over the lip of the frame mid-step. There can be absolutely no hesitation, or else you'd run straight into the poster as if it's a wall. There were several stupid videos of people replicating and failing exactly what he did, and one of them was probably of Connor. There had been a day he didn't get through until his tenth time, it was Donmanthu's most humiliating pleasure, he loved watching people constantly run into a wall, so much so that he had a camera set up just to record such failures.

But once again Connor succeeded, and the glass folded around him, opening up into a black void; Connor kept his pace, feeling Donmanthu's ancient purple eyes fall on him, scan him, and when the dark warden was satisfied with what he had seen, parted. The void cut by a solid line of violet light, doors opening up to a pocket dimension, the incubus' perverted temple; a mausoleum of polished black marble, laid out like a throne room, with the black dragon at the center of it all. Every aspect of the room reflected the cold abyss of the underworld the demons and angels had described, a frozen and frosted hell, where Connor's breath hung in the air, the floor nothing more than black ice. The walls were divided by shelves and columns, once meant for displaying the dead the stone shelves were filled with thick codex's, books bound in mortal skin, fur and scales, while the jagged columns, like ruffled feathers dove into the floor. The room was lit by four columns of Silverline crystal, each glowing with a corrupted purple hue, that held off the writing mass of spirits and shadows that clawed at the walls trying to escape their prison.

Donmanthu, an ancient black dragon with daunting power boiling in his purple eyes and pulsing through the bones that defined his body, closed his eyes, and leaned on the armrest of a black stone throne, his one free hand masturbating as an afterthought, out of boredom, his pre a neon fluid that created a slick and sticky paste, that left thick webbing between his palm and dick as he relented and sighed, “Are you going to keep staring or are you going to come here and help?" Donmanthu asked as he glanced at Connor, who approached with soft echoing steps.

“Sorry sir, but I'm just here to turn in some souls." He answered much to the grumbling dragon's disapproval, who licked his tacky hand clean before summoning a leather bound codex from the shelves along the walls.

“Souls." Donmanthu demanded, holding out his hand as he spread the book open on his dick, using his own thick segmented member like a book stand; the 10-inch shaft an inch shorter than the spine of the book. Connor quickly pulled the glass pendant off and let the necklace coil up in his musky palm.

Donmanthu's brow flexed in surprise, rolling the glass tube between his fingers as he flipped through the pages of the book, “This will be enough to give you another boon."

“I know, I just don't know what I want to do with your gift." Connor nodded as he took a step back from the muscular behemoth.

“I told you before, that your constitution is already four times stronger than any humans, making your bones like iron, your skin a malleable concrete, immune to non-magical diseases and poisons, and your loins are fertile… maybe a claw over productive." He teased with a small knowing smile as he glanced down at Connor's groin, “You're nothing but a horny rabbit, quick to finish, but relentless, be warned that this is the curse of your body, strong and quick to recovery, but with near unsatiable passion; increase it much more and you might lose your mind to the head between your legs." He chuckled as he continued to flip through the pages, “I can already feel how swollen your balls are; you play a dangerous game chastising yourself, wait much longer and your poor boys might just pop under the strain." Donmanthu teased with a gentle swipe of his tail, probing the cage beneath Connor's pants.

Connor shuddered, and he clenched his fists as he restrained himself and breathed, as he pushed the tail away, Donmanthu relenting for a moment until he tucked his tail up into Connor's ass, making him cry out in shock and pleasure, pushing the breathless male on to his toes, tickling the tender and puckering ass left unused and unchecked for weeks on end. “I know, please, sir, I'm saving myself for someone." Connor begged as he was forced to step forward, the tail bending him over until Connor was left with no option but to support himself by leaning on the dense knees of the scaled incubus.

“Oh," Donmanthu smiled, “Whose the lucky guy whose stolen your blade?" he asked, interrogating, torturing Connor with his tail until the small human buckled under the pressure and gave a breathless cry, “Plleeeass-Ahhhh….Fuck! Banavi…Banavi Newport." When the name finally slipped his lips Donmanthu smiled, proud of his victory and only pulled his tail back a centimeter, but kept it primed in case Connor decided to misbehave again, “Now was that so hard?" the demon laughed, just starting to lightly twist his tail in quarter turns, trying to drill through Connor's pants.

Barely letting Connor breath, Donmanthu framed Connor's jaw, and stroked the pale cheek with his thumb, as he took the pendant and started to spread the souls out on the page one by one, the names of the souls forged themselves into an ethereal, warped demonic dialect, that was impossible to read, and Donmanthu took his time as he reveled in Connor's broken pleasure, who in turn struggled to keep his calm; he didn't want to climax and waste all the time and effort he had spent controlling himself, holding himself back. But his mind begged for release, forcing Connor to fight tooth and nail to hold his hand back as he was left with an undying urge to pleasure himself, to relent and submit to his primal urges. But most of all Donmanthu loved listening to Connor's docile and whimpering moans thes shackled male produced behind his clenched teeth, the broken cries an orchestra of pleasure, a passionate song that he just couldn't get enough of, if only he could record the soft sounds. However, there was only so much time Donmanthu could drag out by moving as slowly as he possibly could, so when he finished, he praised Connor's restraint with a kiss.

Connor was far too horny and physically exhausted to resist the slender tongue that fucked his throat, Donmanthu's saliva painting Connor's throat purple, and staining his saliva with neon pre; the thick paste gluing Connor's tongue to his jaw, leaving him vulnerable to the sensation that left him begging for more as he kissed Donmanthu and sealed their lips together. Through the kiss Connor could feel his mind slipping away as Donmanthu consumed his magic, draining him of his strength, and infusing his own scales with a gentle glow, the abyssal power defining Donmanthu's irresistible sculpted scales, broad chest, and shoulders.

However, Donmanthu was a demon above all else, and as soon as he could feel the chastised climax building between Connor's legs, he pulled back, and let his tongue slither free. Connor's stretched esophagus feeling empty and unsatisfied, his body collapsing between Donmanthu's legs, forced to prostrate to the incubus' eminent member. The neon purple pre dripping like an oasis in a desert, tantalizing and necessary, Connor wanted it, and his body needed it to survive his dry spell, so he leaned in and swallowed the head, sucking out the demon's seed and filling his stomach with thick cold sludge, like refrigerated pudding.

Donmanthu folded the book and let it rest on his thigh as he pet the suckling human's head, like a father feeding their newborn son, he leaned back and stared up at the abyss in the ceiling, coiling his tail around Connor's limbs so he couldn't touch himself.

The moment of pleasure felt as if it was frozen in time seeming to drag on endlessly, minutes passing into hours and hours into days. Connor couldn't pull himself away, his thirst unsatiable as he continued to suckle, drinking in Donmanthu's gift, until the dark warden finished, feeding the devoted boy his infernal seed, Donmanthu's thick liquid masculinity pouring down Connor's throat and into his gut, before spreading through his body with a burst of magical power, staining Connor's veins purple before the energy quickly faded; but once the dark power had settled, Donmanthu dragged the relentless babe off his dick.

“You already have a body strong enough to take any beating a mincridarn might give when they mount you, so instead, I will curse you by amplifying your senses, forcing you to feel, smell, taste, every ounce of fluid as they fill you, and gift you with the ability to see their smiling muzzles in the darkness." Donmanthu blessed as he swept up the last bit of his seed before swallowing his own fluids, “What do you say?" Donmanthu stabbed as he lifted Connor by his bound limbs.

“Thank you for the blessing sir." Connor exhaled, his lips stitched together by strands of neon seed, panting, he was still limp, recovering from all the fluids that left his gut feeling heavy and full.

“Good boy, now go find your master so he can milk you." Donmanthu ordered, as he uncoiled his tail swiftly, dropping Connor to his knees, his exhausted body crumbling to the floor; tired, only breathing, barely functioning as his stomach churned and tried to process the dense slime locked inside his gut.

“Sir, this might be the last time I see you." Connor apologized through heavy breaths, causing Donmanthu's smile to collapse, “What are you talking about?"

“I got reassigned, I won't be able to hunt any more. I'll be working on base."

“So this is goodbye?" Donmanthu asked as he leaned back into his dark throne, Connor nodded, “Most likely," he agreed, just starting to push himself off the floor, much to his bodies protest, so he could sit on his ankles.

“Well then, you'll have to stop by when ever your at the Cavern then." Donmanthu groaned as he stroked his brow with a sharp claw.

“I will, if, that's ok with my master." Connor countered, making the Dragon's muzzle twitch in annoyance as he restrained himself, watching Connor slowly stand up, and clean his clothes with his magic, sweeping the neon stains into his mouth so he didn't waste anything.

Donmanthu stood up and towered over Connor, shaking his head as he reached into the lip of Connor's pants and wrapped his claw around the elastic band of Connor's underwear and tugged sharply. The underwear turning into an ethereal black mist that he dragged out, and held up in the air as it reformed into blue briefs, thoroughly soaked with sweat. “How childish, if you wear these, I can see why you enjoy being caged. I'll keep these, I always did enjoy your scent." He chuckled as he spun them around his claw, “You know Connor, I'm curious, you're possessed, aren't you?" He abruptly asked, his presence stiffening, “I'm a gatekeeper of the underworld, my job's to make sure that no one enters the abyss with more than their soul, do you honestly think I didn't know?" Donmanthu glared down at Connor, “I've been patient with you because you have been helpful, but you're leaving now and I can't let an undocumented spirit wander around the mortal plane, so if you want to leave this place, you will tell me whose inside of you." His growl echoed off every wall and made the ground vibrate with the deep base in his throat.

“Ok, but you have to promise not to say anything." Connor agreed, barely flinching at the pressure Donmanthu was trying to dominate him with, which only seemed to anger the Warden even more, as Donmanthu's claw tapped Connor's throat. The very weight of the glowing claws made Connor's throat trickle, blood trailing down the side of his neck, and staining the hem of his white undershirt, and expose the silent threat as it was clear that Donmanthu had every intention of ripping out his throat.

“I am Donmanthu, the lord of perversion, a deep warden chosen by the gods to regulate the possessed and control the spread of the spirits into the mortal world; you will answer me Connor Mason, who is within you!" Donmanthu ordered, his voice slamming into Connor's mind, Connor's lips slipping as he tried to retain the name under the compelling nature of the nomenclature magic; however, the tension passed with a cool wave, as Tethys bubbled up from deep within, her power surged through Connor whose hand lurched forward and grabbed Donmanthu's wrist and started to push it away.

Donmanthu, flinched as his entire limb shook, as he struggled to regain control, his eyes gaping as he struggled to understand, he recoiled in shock, and stared at Connor as he was forced to sit in his throne, and before he could mutter a single word, Connor's free hand reached into his muzzle and grabbed his tongue, and pulled, dragging Donmanthu's head forward so the dark warden was forced to look into Connor's rapturous icy blue eyes. His tongue was left flailing as Connor's eyes burned with frozen rage, glowing with a newfound life as Tethys answered, “I am Tethys."

The mere mention of the name made Donmanthu collapse as he lost all will to resist, and he pushed himself from his throne, before falling to his knees to prostrate to the vessel of a Demi-god, “Mention my name, threaten me again, and you'll be known as Donmanthu the dickless, understand?" Tethys warned as she let the demon's tongue go, so he could properly bow to her.

“Of course, please forgive me for violating your vessel; first-born." The demon lord apologized as Tethys slammed her heel into the crown of the dragon's head, laying it flat on the ground to muzzle him. “As annoying as you are my vessel likes you, which is why I'm sparing you of a well-deserved penectomy; plus you might actually be useful, you're the only being on earth who has access to a gateway, and I'll need a way to communicate with my kids, understand?"

“As Ice," Donmanthu grumbled from beneath her heel, which relented, “Mention this to anyone-"

“I won't, I'd never endanger your vessel," Donmanthu interrupted, closing his eyes as he didn't dare look up at the frozen nature of the first born. Tethys took a moment to breathe herself before crossing her arms as she stepped off the dragon's head. “Please forgive me," Donmanthu begged as he offered Connor's underwear back to Tethys, who shook her head.

“Connor wants you to keep it," Tethys countered as Donmanthu retracted his hands in confusion, “I don't get it, but he liked the way you toyed with him." She explained as Donmanthu dared to slowly sit up, “Thank you," He accepted pulling the underwear against his chest as if was a prized treasure, but Tethys only shook her head, feeling a wound cut across Connor's heart as she walked away, “And so it begins," she whispered, stroking the wound as she retreated into Connor's mind as they passed through the gateway.