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The screams of thousands of tormented souls woke Teryx from his slumber. Trapped in the burning ruins of the Capital he swore to protect, the blue dragon looked around but his friends were nowhere to be found. He was alone in that sea of pain and misery, listening to the cries of innocent people begging for help. With his remaining strength, he used his sword as support to get up, but the steel broke under his weight, throwing him back to the floor. And the screams became louder with each passing second, piercing his ears and his soul.

He looked up after feeling the presence of one hundred demons approaching. Before him, floating in the air, the lost Crown of Kal'Tarkarot, the King of Ashes. It's not real, that's what Teryx tried to say, but the screams silenced his voice. He repeated the phrase, angering the souls. He tried to cover his ears, but it had no use. He still heard them in his mind.

"What is happening here?!" Finally, his roar came over the screams, and everything around him went silent.

A cold shiver ran down his spine when he felt the sharp claws over his shoulders and the wolf skull appearing by his side.

"Oh, sweet child, where should we begin?"

A red crocodile made his way through the busy tavern carrying in his arms four wooden jars full of beer. He held them as if his life depended on it, trying his best not to spill much of the precious liquid. It was worthy of admiration that a creature of such size could move so gracefully. He excused himself to adventurers who gave a crap about him, much for the reptile's pleasure. After all, the runaway prince couldn't be happier for being in a place where no one cared about his lineage.

"Good lord, finally," a sky blue dragon exclaimed when the crocodile arrived at their table. Dressed in a greenish robe, he grinned and licked his lips, eager for a taste of the glorious nectar. "I can see why people say the service here is awful."

Lambert left the jars over the table and sighed in relief. "Oh, I beg your pardon, my lord. You're too busy jerking off under the table to help a friend."

"You wish it was your cock. No one's gonna notice that toothpick anyway."

"A toothpick you say? Let me shove it in your mouth if that's what it is," Lambert tried to pull down his pants, but the second dragon on the table rushed to stop his idiotic dispute.

"Calm down, you two. I wanna come back to this tavern one day". Attired in silver armor with golden details, Teryx took his jar and swallowed half of his content in a couple of seconds. Unlike the first one, Teryx's scales were of a darker shade of blue, a detail hardly noticed with most of his body covered with his armor. If it wasn't for his horns, even his face would be covered with a huge helmet.

"Who could have guessed your faith is powered by beer?" Policho asked. Even with the lower half of his face covered by the mug, Teryx could still see the mocking expression in his eyes.

"Clearly the Azurites need a female touch, desperately" the fourth member of the party--a blue rat with his left ear bitten--looked up at the other three and put his pistol back into his holster. Smaller than everyone else but with a tongue sharper than their claws, it was a mystery why Jules was an artificer and not a thief.

"Says the lady killer," Policho replied. "As if any of us were interested in females. Or in any hole in general," he said that last part looking at Teryx, who just rolled his eyes with a smirk on his face.

"I wasn't talking about having one to fuck. But Teryx here can't be our only source of manners. Even our prince has seemingly forgotten the meaning of that word."

"Try to remember which fork you're supposed to use for each food and then we talk about manners," Lambert said. The red crocodile drank from his jar, spilling some beer over his bare chest--it was dumb to call clothes the leather strips over his chest. "We're adventurers, not royalty."

"I mean, you are," Teryx interrupted.

"You get the point."

"Is he, though? The King has done a great job covering the scandal, but the latest rumor is that he's planning to erase any record involving you," the rat mentioned. Jules was responsible for keeping the group updated on the Kingdom's affairs.

"Uh, you're no longer part of the family," Policho gave him a soft elbow hit.

"I don't know why he's so mad about it. I'm the youngest of four brothers. He couldn't be luckier and he's still angry because I left. I even told him I'd go back to the castle if my brothers died for some mysterious reason."

"That's... that's dark," Policho said.

"All royal plots are."

"Can we talk about what matters? We're wasting money gossiping like court members," Teryx cleared his throat. "I received information from the White Order," that was enough to change the group's faces. "Apparently, the Children of the Raven changed their plans. The ritual will take place in three days, which leaves us with little to no time to prepare ourselves as we originally planned. While it's obvious we can't allow them to finish the ritual, in our current state we might not have a chance."

"Three days..." Policho looked down, "but it's impossible they got everything so quickly."

"The White Order has reasons to believe the Dethroned King is helping them. It's not our job to figure out how they got what they need--not for now, at least. Right now our priority is to stop them."

"Teryx, I can put my faith in our skills. But skill alone can't win a fight," Lambert left his empty jar over the table. "We need provisions we're not gonna find in this town."

"I am well aware of that, but there isn't much we can do right now."

"Besides praying for the Enlightened Ones' support? Not really," Policho added.

Jules suddenly grinned. The rat was the shyest member of the party, so seeing a big smile on him was not only a rarity but a sign that he had schemed something--usually something that ended with explosions.

"There's something we can do."

Teryx was ready to hear Jules' idea. Being the most mature member of the group, he usually was the first one to say no to his crazy plans--a mere formality at that point, since they ended up following him anyway. Still, it was his job. So the Paladin decided to prepare his lips by taking a sip of beer.

As soon as the beverage made its way into his mouth, Teryx spit it out. It wasn't the taste but the texture. Warmer and thicker. He leaned the jar to see its content, but what came from it was a disgusting-looking black substance that splatted over the wooden floor. He looked back at the jar, from which the ooze continued pouring.

He looked back at his friends. Lambert was drinking from Jules' jar, spilling some beer as he always did, but what he found in his chest was that same black ooze. He looked at the other tables, drinking and spilling the same liquid. And when he looked back at his jar, his hand dropped in, surprised and scared to see the liquid still pouring out of it, as if it had no end. It started to spread across the floor, with little tendrils coming out of it. Looking for him. Crawling over him.

"-but it's just a rumor that the farmers invented."

Teryx looked forward. They were out. The party rode with the moonlight showing the way to follow. There was no building around and he heard nothing but their voices. All the noise and smells from the tavern vanished in a mere instant, and the memories of them leaving the building and the town appeared in his mind. But it didn't make sense...

"You make it sound as if we were gonna have some kind of regret. We took stuff from dead people all the time," Lambert started to talk.

"Bad people. And bad people we killed recently," Jules interrupted.

"I don't see a difference between that and a guy who had been buried for decades. Skeletons have been buried too, and we kill 'em and steal their goodies."

"Are we really gonna start talking about morality?" Policho asked. "This was your idea in the first place, Jules."

"I'm not against it. I'm just letting you guys know they said it's cursed. Whether this is real or not, it's still worth having that info. Don't you think the same, Teryx?"

"If it's cursed, we cleanse it," the paladin replied automatically.

The group continued talking behind him, but Teryx had a bad feeling about it. Was it.. right? He remembered Jules told them about an old tomb they could stop by on their way over to the Children of the Raven's temple. "A good chance to look for some enchanted equipment", the rat said. The tomb dated from the Second Era, so there was a good chance to find valuable artifacts. But that wasn't the problem. Teryx felt out of place. Moments ago he was at the tavern drinking a black goo... but... no, they left after mocking Lambert for being the only non-blue member, as they usually did. He remembered that. And they've been riding for around 15 minutes. Right?

The more he looked around, the stranger his surroundings felt. The plateau was nothing extraordinary. Besides some farmhouses in the distance, nothing else stood out. But the dragon couldn't get rid of that pressure in his chest. The fear of something bad coming after them. He tried to put those ideas away and join his friends, but he couldn't make out a word of what they were saying. No, that feeling didn't allow him. Something was different.

Something changed at the tavern. He was sure of that. Teryx tried to remember what they did exactly, but his mind was a mess. He felt like waking up from a dream only to forget about him almost immediately. And every time he tried to replay that memory, he was more confident that they continued talking before leaving. Nothing strange happened. He didn't drink something weird. There was no black goo in his jar... why black goo?

"Teryx?"

He looked beside him. Lambert was staring at him with his head leaned. "Is everything ok?" The crocodile asked.

"Yeah. I guess I'm just tired," the words, once again, came out before he could think about them.

"Maybe our bruiser had a little too much alcohol for his own good," Policho said, matching their speed.

"You know I don't drink very often. Besides, we haven't been sleeping well these past few days."

"He's right. It wouldn't kill us to rest a little," Lambert looked around for the closest farm or barn where they could stop by. "The cultists are gonna be there tomorrow. I hope."

"The tomb is not so far from here. There's a river ahead, we could stop there," Jules moved forward to show them the way.

"For the Enlightened Ones, thank you! I need a bath so badly!" The crocodile gave a soft push to his horse's stirrups and the beast trotted away from the group.

"You're gonna take a bath before raiding a tomb?" Policho buffed before following him. "That place is gonna be all dusty."

"What? I need to relax a little. I smash better when I'm relaxed."

Lambert looked back at him, asking him to join them with his look. No, wait... he was asking something else. Teryx caught a glimpse of desire in his eyes. A flame forbidden to the sacred warriors of the White Order. He looked away, and it was then that he felt the sharp claws over his shoulders.

"And there's something else you need to, am I right?"

The deep voice startled Teryx, who pulled the horse reins a little too hard in response. The beast neighed and threw the dragon out of the mount. Teryx tried to turn and use his hands to soften the fall, but once he crashed against the ground, he sank into it for a moment and then came out. It was... soft, like mold. Teryx pressed his hands against it until one pierced the grass and went deep underground. From the hole, a black ooze started to come out.

Teryx pulled his arm out and crawled away from it. The black substance came out fast, like water. From the ground, a set of claws appeared. They slashed the ground as if it was nothing, and a huge wolf skull with its spine still connected to it came from the hole. Instead of eyes, it had flames burning like hell itself. "Guys!" He turned to make signals to the rest of the group, but what he found was the camp set next to the riverbed.

Teryx moved both hands to his head after what felt like an arrow piercing it. His mind was invaded with memories he never experienced. They rode for 5 more minutes and started to set camp there. They joked and laughed. Policho started the fire. But it didn't happen. He was on the ground, and something was coming out of it... something... something...

The dragon approached the fire, called by the dancing flames. The wood crackled, and the warmth coming from the fire was real. He was sure of it. He heard Policho and Jules' voices somewhere in the distance. Teryx sighed in relief. Everything felt so weird since they left the tavern, but that bonfire was real.

The dragon took off his armor piece by piece. For the first time in a long time, he felt glad of taking that weight off his shoulders. He let his body breathe. After a while, Teryx left the fire's embrace and walked towards the river, dressed as the young commoner he was when he walked into a Temple of the White Order, seeking his redemption. The cold air sent a shiver across his spine, another sensation Teryx embraced as real. And right when his paws touched the water, everything was fine...

"Hey, don't get too comfortable," Policho called him. "We're not staying for too long."

Teryx waved his hand in the air to dismiss his comment and walked deeper into the river. The slow movement of the river felt like a mother's caress. After countless battles, the dragon had forgotten to appreciate moments like that one, those brief instants that reminded him why he fought.

He looked at the night sky and his smile disappeared. Up there he found no stars nor moon. He only saw an infinite black void. Policho and Jules continued laughing behind him, unaware of what the dragon was seeing. He believed it was a mere illusion, but the stars never appeared no matter how long he kept looking at the sky. Instead, what he felt was the gaze of something giant hiding in the dark.

When a hand grabbed Teryx's legs, the dragon yipped and backed away. When he looked down, the clear water had become a black and thick slime. A figure emerged from it, covered in the substance. It was big and strong, with claws that could tear someone's head off. But as the slime started to come off his body, the red scales became visible...

Lambert's naked body wasn't new for Teryx. The runaway Prince--who preferred an axe over an elegant cane and leather clothes instead of fine garments--had no shame when it came to exposing himself in front of his friends. Teryx had come to terms with the fact that Lambert loved a life without manners and the bindings of royalty. He had no reason to see the crocodile in any other way.

But at that moment, bathing in a black river, Teryx was seeing the real Scarlet Prince, and the beauty of his body was indescribable. It invited him to touch each part of him, to trace the scars he had all over his chest, and to take him in his arms to offer him the protection he deserved. Lambert looked at him with green glowing eyes that disarmed him instantly and ignited a forbidden flame inside his heart.

The crocodile approached. His intentions were obvious to the paladin. He caught a glimpse of Lambert's manhood, poking out of his slit. And when he looked away, Teryx felt his own shaft growing under the wet clothes.

His friend was so close. Where he could barely move, the crocodile advanced with ease. But as he got closer, Teryx also felt something different in him. Something dark and sinister. Something... something...

He lunged over him and pushed his face into the black water. But instead of being drowned, Teryx was in front of the bonfire with the rest of the group.

"-it's just a legend. Most of the records about him are questionable," Jules was saying.

"The records we have access to. The White Order won't accept they took the help of a demon, no offense," Policho looked at Teryx, afraid he might be angry over that comment.

"None taken. Although I must say that's not information they would share with a Paladin before you ask."

Wait... was that right? Why was he talking so calmly? Moments ago he was... what was he doing? He took a quick bath and... yes, that was all. And now they were sharing a meal, as they have done so many times before. But something felt odd, out of... place. He couldn't say exactly what, but it felt like someone else was with them.

"I gotta admit it's weird. There are enough records to prove its existence but not enough about its betrayal," Policho continued. "And captured demons refused to acknowledge it was one of them. At some point, you also have to admit it's much of a coincidence."

"A demon helping mortals shouldn't be new to us," Lambert, who was in front of Teryx, took a bite of the roasted piece of meat. "After all, we're talking about a treacherous kind who would do anything to achieve their goals."

"That's not wrong. Demons are constantly in a war with themselves looking for who's gonna command their forces. Kal'Tarkarot could be a special case," secretly, Policho gave the crocodile a thumbs up.

"So special its name floats between being real and a rumor. Maybe even the records are fake," at that point, Jules was just teasing the sky blue dragon.

But Teryx couldn't pay attention to the rest. He was looking at Lambert. Something in his words told him he wasn't talking about the demons. Suddenly, he couldn't tell how safe it was to trust the crocodile. Lambert had been always there to take the hits for them, to encourage the group to fight, and intimidate their rivals with his ferocious roars. But now, Teryx saw him as a threat... or at least someone who didn't belong there. It wasn't because he was red instead of blue, as they always said. The crocodile was... different. He looked at him differently and it was driving him mad not knowing why!

And then, a wink. Barely noticeable, but he saw Lambert winking at him. Teryx swallowed. His hand twitched. His heart pumped faster. The flame of lust, one he believed extinguished, was starting to burn deep inside his chest. The soft and wet skin of Lambert's chest shone and the fire got overshadowed by the vivid tone of his scales. Was he always so handsome? He never thought of him as anything else but a friend, and now he was experiencing something unexpected...

And he realized why he was a threat. Teryx wanted him.

A small burst of flames and embers came from the bonfire after something fell over it--Teryx barely had time to cover his face. The group reacted too, but not in the way he expected. They looked up at the empty sky with their hands up.

"It's raining? Seriously?" Jules asked.

Raining. Yes, it was raining. Right after that they went inside their tents and waited. But that couldn't be, it hadn't happened yet... right? And he didn't remember looking at Lambert that way. "Because it didn't happen that way", a voice in his mind said. Teryx looked up, but what was coming down wasn't raindrops. The dragon saw his hand covered by thick, black slime. Jules and Policho rushed back into their tent while the black rain gained strength. The paladin saw the storm coming in the distance, a deep darkness covering everything in his path, leaving the dying bonfire as their last source of light.

It wasn't raining. Not that time. Teryx felt a strong presence. An evil he never faced before. The pain in his chest, what was that? The Enlightened Ones had always been by his side, but now the warrior of faith felt an emptiness in his chest that words alone couldn't describe. It was only him now. He and Lambert. Facing the inevitable. And when the embers finally died, the red crocodile pushed him into the safety of his tent...

Teryx didn't feel the fall. He was already on the ground and inside his tent by the time he opened his eyes. The storm continued outside, although not with the same intensity. An intense pleasure forced him to cover his mouth in fear of making any sound. He looked down to find an eager crocodile enjoying the full length of his cock.

"Lambert...!" He whispered. The mere image of the crocodile in that situation made his cheeks burn under the skin.

"Oh, Teryx. I never imagined your taste was this good," he pulled the cock out of his mouth and rubbed it all over his face. His tongue passed all over the hefty balls, sending another shock of pleasure to the already weak dragon. "I've been longing to taste a male like you."

"S-stop right now...!" But words alone wouldn't stop the crocodile. Not even his body tried to stop him...

So shameful... this was beyond everything Lambert had done. Chewing with the mouth open, drinking his weight in beer, being naked around them... but that was beyond it. The look in his eyes and the desperation in which he sucked off his balls and cock, those were things not even a whore would do. Lambert's actions were lust in its more pure form. And it hurt Teryx. His vow, devotion, and celibacy were broken by the lust of a friend. And the paladin was too ashamed to admit he loved every second of it...

Lambert closed once again his lips around Teryx's cock, forcing the dragon once more to cover his mouth. The memories invaded his mind once again. All his smiles. All his laughs. All the time the crocodile acted as the person he wanted to be. Teryx appreciated his honesty and was glad to have someone like him by his side, but was really how he felt? Could it be the dragon ignored something else? Something more intimate? No, he should have noticed it. He should, of course. But how could he have noticed it when he had no experience in relationships?

He clenched both fists after feeling how tight and warm his throat was. It was too much for him. The crocodile wanted him more than anything, enough to put his pride and dignity aside and engage in something so shameful as that, as long as it provided him the pleasure not even gods could enjoy. Did he act like that with other males? Teryx wouldn't dare to call himself an expert, but even for him was clear that Lambert knew what he was doing--and he was doing a pretty good fucking job. His tongue moved from side to side and up and down. The lips squeezed hard to get every drop of pre out of him. And his eyes, those beautiful, green-glowing eyes said how thankful he was for having a male like him to please.

"L-Lambert..." Teryx whispered again.

Another headache. Images of their journey flashed before him: the tomb's entrance, a secret tunnel, an old black crown. When Teryx noticed, Lambert was over him. A different tightness around his cock forced him to look down. Much to his surprise, the crocodile was riding his cock, but rather than his hole it was his slit the one being fucked, and what Teryx felt was both shafts squeezing together inside of it.

He looked back at Lambert's face. The crocodile had a dumb smile and crying eyes. Teryx wanted to say something, aware of how wrong that act was, but only moans came from his mouth. The pleasure was incredible. He felt even the smallest throb from the crocodile's cock, and he saw the small bulge his fat shaft made on Lambert's belly.

As if he had read his mind, Lambert moved one hand down until he reached the bulge. "So big... oh lord, you are amazing, my love."

Teryx whimpered. Being called like that by him. No... doing something like that to him. Despite running away, Lambert was still a prince. In his veins was royal blood. What right did he have to lay with him as equals? Even worse, to take his body like that. It was humiliating. Sinful! And for the Enlightened Ones, it was so good.

The crocodile drooled over him as he continued riding Teryx's cock. Faster and harder. His tail slapped over the muddy ground outside the tent. He made no effort to conceal his moans, already louder than the storm roaring above them. Lambert wanted that. He wanted Teryx. And he was more than glad to express how much he desired him.

"Oh Teryx, my knight in shining armor. I've been waiting for this moment so long," his voice cracked. It made him look more vulnerable. Lambert, who jumped first into battle and didn't know the word defeat, was acting vulnerable in front of him. And Teryx couldn't ignore that.

Another headache. Another flash. And now he was over him, ramming furiously his wet slit. The crocodile came a long time ago, and Teryx was using his cum as lubricant. The expression on his face proved how unbearable the pleasure was. His moans were now screams. And his eyes glowed more and more...

He loved him. It was the first male with whom he made love. It wasn't just pleasure. It wasn't something he did to survive. He wasn't simply fucking the crocodile. No. Teryx loved the Scarlet Prince, and he wanted to show him the full length of his love. A love that surpassed the one he felt for the 5 Enlightened Ones.

"Take me, my dear. Make me yours. Oh please, be my King today and always."

The dragon leaned forward and kissed him. Lambert's smile flashed in his head while he tasted the sweetness of his lips. His smile. His laugh. And his eyes. His beautiful, red-glowing eyes were like two flames burning as hell itself. Teryx put his beliefs and his rules aside and embraced his lover to let him know he was there. And the world around them faded more and more into darkness, with nothing but the flames of lust to light around them...

And the tent disappeared. And the ground disappeared. With each thrust, the dragon got closer and closer to his climax, eager to breed his prince--no, his King, and claim him. In a melting void, Teryx gave his lover a tender caress on his neck. In response, Lambert did the same, muttering a couple of words while his expression--

--the terrified crocodile cried while he tried to push Teryx away with his remaining strength. By the time he snapped out, it was already late. The paladin saw his arms falling as the light from his eyes disappeared.

Teryx jumped away from the body in horror. When he looked around, all he found were old ruins with their walls covered in sacrilegious runes. He couldn't recognize the meaning or the origin. It didn't matter, anyway--his attention went over the corpses of Jules and Policho, with their innards out and their throats cut.

Another headache. Memories invaded Teryx's mind. He saw the tomb. Useless relics. A secret passage. An infinite stairway. A deep voice came from the walls, luring them into a forbidden treasure. A promise of power. An offer to be as powerful as a God. And he saw his friends fighting him...

"Well, it seems you're starting to remember, my child."

"Who are you? What did you do to my friends?" Teryx demanded. Another headache sent him to his knees.

"Me? This isn't my work. They met their end under your righteous sword."

"Wha-? No, that's not possible!"

Teryx looked once again at the bodies. Terrified, he recognized the slash wounds and the burn marks left by the Holy Fire. Next to him, his sacred sword lay covered in blood. The memories came back to him once again. Images of a blessed chest left there by the White Order, a forbidden treasure that was supposed to remain untouched. He saw Jules opening the lock, much against Teryx's pleads. Then a fight. He swung his sword against his friends and killed each one of them.

"They fought against you, but they were nothing compared to a Champion of the Enlightened Ones."

"It... it can't be... NO! I refuse to accept this!" He repeated. The dragon was already in tears, fighting memories that became clearer with each passing second.

"Oh, but it's real. You did it."

Teryx screamed. It couldn't be. He couldn't have done that to his friends. To Lambert. His King. He saw the crocodile's body, his chest burnt by the Holy Fire, and then it came to it.

"This... t-the fire. Given by the Enlightened Ones, it can't burn mortals!"

"That's correct, oh Warrior of Faith."

"But then...," then it would mean they were demons or had been possessed by one. Only when their bodies had been corrupted by a demon's touch the Holy Fire would have an effect. Nothing else could explain their wounds.

"Oh, but you are right. A promise of power. An offer to be as powerful as a God. Who could resist such temptation but a warrior touched by the Enlightened Ones. But they? A selfish sorcerer, a shameless thief, and a depraved prince. How could they resist it? They were weak. Of course they would fall victim to a demon's temptation. The temptation of the one who betrayed its own kind and got backstabbed in return. The one resentful with the mortals who dismembered its body and scattered across the Kingdom."

They fell victim to Kal'Tarkarot.

"Weak, dumb mortals. Imagine the damage they could have provoked. You did your job. You protected the Kingdom."

He did, right? Teryx knew it was his task to slay any mortal who had made a pact with a demon or had fallen victim to its influence. It was only natural for him to take his friends down. But... was that right? He knew them very well. They weren't perfect, but their spirits were strong enough to resist such temptations. He knew it.

And Lambert, his beloved Scarlet Prince. Cursed to carry on his scales the blood of the people slaughtered by his ancestors. An innocent child who had no reason to carry with the sins of his family. No one else could have a stronger spirit. Teryx crawled back to him and took his lifeless body in his arms. He just now discovered his feelings over him. And now he was gone.

"The vessel is now broken. Now his family shall suffer the same destiny they brought to those who occupied the throne before them. But mortals' affairs are irrelevant to a Warrior of Faith. In the bigger scheme of things, their deaths are meaningless compared to a King corrupted by a demon."

"It can't be... they're innocents. My friends are innocents!" Teryx exclaimed.

"Are they? Even when they raised their swords against you?"

They did. He saw himself taking the Crown of Kal'Tarkarot from their hands. They fought against him to recover it. Desperate, with tears in their eyes, they tried everything to take the cursed artifact from him. Lambert said something... he begged. For mercy. Yes, mercy. The crocodile tried to stop him from cleansing the artifact and he begged for his life after Teryx defeated him.

"Yes, yes, he did. But you were stronger than him, right?" The voice in his head asked once again.

Of course he was. But it was under the demon's influence. The real Lambert wasn't like that. Neither were the rest of them. Policho could have finished him with a spell but he didn't cast him. Jules put his gun down instead of shooting after he lowered his guard.

"They were fighting against corruption."

They didn't want to hurt him.

"They resisted."

But he didn't.

"I saved them!"

"Does it matter?" Someone embraced him from behind. Its sharp claws cut through the armor like butter. "What's done, it's done. And you are the one who survived. You are the strongest one."

He was. He had his convictions and his faith. Nothing else could be stronger than that. And yet, Teryx felt defeated for the first time in his life. Without his friends and his family, he was nothing. Without Lambert, he was alone. They would have followed him to Heaven and Hell. He had to do the same for them.

"... bring them back..." he muttered.

"Oh? What did you say?"

"Please, bring them back. I'll do anything for you, just bring them back. Bring him back to me," Teryx begged the entity behind him. He felt tears rolling down his cheeks and the unbearable pain in his chest from losing his family and his lover. He meant those words. He would do anything to have them back with him.

"So be it, oh, Warrior of Faith."

The body in his arms melted into black slime, and so did the other two. The substance started to come out from the walls and the ground, then it dripped from the roof above his head, as if the ruins were bleeding. No, worse than that--he was inside the beast. Lured by an unknown power, the party walked into the guts of whatever was buried there. A distortion like that could only mean one thing...

The torches died, and Teryx was left alone inside an infinite... darkness? No, deeper than that. A void. The most terrifying layer of reality. It devoured him in a matter of seconds. Even his link to the Holy Light wouldn't reach him there. He was now a mortal. No, he wasn't even that. He was nothing as there was nothing there.

Some slime fell over him. It was heavy and warm, like a giant's saliva. Teryx quickly wiped it off his body. But the more he cleaned, the lighter he felt. Astonished, he realized the slime was melting his armor and clothes without hurting his body, and what he was wiping off was the remnants of his blessed armor.

The rest of the slime fell on its own, leaving him naked and exposed. What a shameful look that was, stripped off his clothes and honor by the hands of a demon. But if that was the price to have his friends back, he would pay it gladly.

"Even in this condition you try to keep your dignity," said a deep voice that came from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. "Admirable. Yes, yes. Let's put those convictions to test."

There was no way Teryx could notice the tentacles. They wrapped around his ankles and wrists, raising the dragon from the ground as if he was just a puppet. Another one wrapped around his neck, but it didn't choke him--it acted as a reminder of who was in charge.

"Oh, Warriors of Faith. Cowards who rejected their own mortality and the very own reason for their existence. You all follow the Holy Light out of fear, not respect. You fight and die for Gods who would not move a finger for you. You are no better than the sinners purged by your sword, for those depravations you reject are deeply rooted in your heart."

Two more tentacles crawled up his legs. The others squeezed his limbs to keep him in place. Teryx was afraid of what was coming, already conscious of the price to pay. A temptation he would resist, just as he did before.

The slick tentacle reached his hole. Teryx experienced a huge discomfort when the tip moved around it, pressing softly against it. Teaser. Rather than being straight to the point, the creature wanted to show him he wouldn't go anywhere in a while. The worse he could make things for Teryx, the better. But he was sure of his convictions. He had faith in his spirit. He would do it for his friends.

After a while, the tentacle put some more pressure and slowly made its way inside his hole. Teryx clenched his fangs and tried to ignore the awkward sensation each inch provoked. "Remember your training", he said to himself and repeated in his head the commandments he must follow as a Paladin of the White Order. However, the demon made sure to remind him there was no safe place there, not even his mind, and the tentacle around his neck tightened until it broke his focus. He was now once again conscious of the appendage invading his body, and no amount of concentration would work again.

A deep growl came from his maw. It didn't hurt, but the tendril still made him feel incredibly uncomfortable. Teryx felt inch after inch penetrating his hole. At that length, it became impossible for him to restrain his body from twitching. It started with his legs, but the arms followed right after. A useless struggle against his binds to try and stop it from going any further. It felt so deep inside him that he was afraid it might come out through his mouth.

Instead of that, what invaded the dragon's mouth was the tip of the tentacle around his neck. He refused to let it in, clenching his fangs together as hard as he could. In response, the tentacle choked him into submission. As soon as he opened his mouth, it went right in and didn't leave no matter how hard Teryx tried to get it out.

Eventually, the dragon ran out of strength. His body succumbed to exhaustion and went limp. He was now at its mercy. And the Demon was more than happy to take advantage of it.

"With no physical strength, all you have left is your devotion, right? And that alone should protect you. Is that what you think? But, you see, that's exactly the part I enjoy the most."

With no warning, Teryx felt one more tentacle--this time it wrapped around his ball sack. A muffled whimper came out of his mouth, but there was nothing he could do. He resisted the degradation, but all the stimulation was simply impossible to ignore. He was fully aware of their presence. And the demon hasn't even started...

When it was satisfied, the tentacles began their sinful dance. Teryx's body jerked with the first thrust against his ass. It came most of it out, then it went back in. Slow. As slow as it could. So did the one inside his mouth. Having them inside was awkward already, but the movement made it worse. And all he could do was endure it.

Sadly for him, his body had reactions he simply couldn't contain. With the initial stimulation given to his balls, the dragon's cock started to come out inch by inch. Teryx looked at it, putting some effort into stopping it, but it was useless. His manhood had a mind of its own, and it responded to the pleasure provoked by the tentacles. Some seconds after, his cock was fully out and throbbing.

"Now this is what I call a mighty sword. Why would you hide something like this?"

Teryx couldn't see anyone close to him, but he felt a hand grabbing his cock. Huge and strong, it squeezed the shaft until a glob of pre came out from the tip.

"Why would you hide these feelings? I might have restrained you here, but you were already a puppet for a bunch of old males who had never held a sword in their lives. Is truly faith what guides you? Or is it fear of what they told you?"

One second hand moved over his chest. If there was someone behind him, it was huge. Its invisible claws moved carefully over his chest, but the mere contact was enough to cut through the skin.

"All these feelings the White Order consider sacrilegious. All these emotions they force you to suppress. An entire life wasted under the idiotic idea that you were above everyone else because you followed an idiotic light. The better person, right? But no matter how much you try to bury what you really are, you can't fool your body."

The tentacles increased the pace. Just barely, enough for Teryx to notice it. He ignored the demon, for its tongue was as sharp as its claws. Just another attempt to deviate him from his path.

"Is pleasure that bad? A lover's embrace is worse than a lifeless body? That's what they make you believe, right? There is no room for such desires in your life. But they exist within you."

Be strong, he said to himself. The awkwardness from the tentacles began to fade. The movement became bearable. He had faith in himself and his mission. He would endure the demon's test and would bring them back.

"But you are aware of that, right?"

A strong wind took him by surprise, and when Teryx opened his eyes, he was face to face with a huge wolf skull. Through the empty eye sockets he saw the spine connected to the skull; coming out of it, hundreds of small white tendrils that acted as strings to move its claws.

"None of you follow the path of the Holy Light. Sooner or later, you step out of it. Just one time, they won't notice it. But one time isn't enough. It happens more and more. And you justify all those transgressions with your actions as paladins. A village saved is worth dozens of sins committed. And you know it."

There was... something... strange in its voice. Deep. Ancient. Wise. Teryx tried to ignore it, but he couldn't look away from those empty eye sockets. The more he looked into them, the clear the demon's image became.

The only thing that made him break eye contact was a shock going through his entire body. A strong body spasm followed by a forgotten yet familiar feeling. Teryx tried to hold both legs together. Pleasure. Teryx experienced pleasure again, like the night he slept with Lambert... no, it was different. What he did with the crocodile was wonderful and perfect; what he felt at that moment... was real.

The memories came back and flooded his mind. But in none of them he laid with Lambert as he did before. There were hidden intentions behind his actions, yes, but the crocodile never approached him that way. He respected him and his faith. Unlike him...

"A fantasy. That's the sin you allow to yourself. An idealized feeling you've never experienced... until now."

The dragon moaned with pleasure. The tentacle inside his ass grew in size and began to fuck him faster. His throat was invaded too. The discomfort faded and had been replaced by an unknown pleasure. Real pleasure. He squirmed in place. It was too much. It was too intense. After all the pain he endured during his life as a paladin, that was the first sensation stronger than him.

And he wanted more of it.

"This is what you've been dreaming of. A lover's touch. Allow me, then, to show you my love."

The skull moved down. Teryx was afraid of what was coming, but there was nothing he could do to stop him, and... did he really want to stop him?

NO. He shook his head. Refuse those impure thoughts, he said to himself. Fight that pleasure. Your convictions shall be stronger than anything!

But no matter how hard he tried, it was impossible to ignore the pleasure. The tentacle was already squeezing his prostate, causing more pre to come out of his cock. He never imagined a fall into madness and despair could feel so... good.

The third tentacle gave a soft tug to his ball. The wolf skull was in front of his cock. Teryx felt a chilling breath over it. He begged for the demon to stop.

"This is my proof of love to you."

A cold sensation wrapped his cock in an instant. A viperine tongue immediately moved up and down his shaft. It felt like being struck by lightning over and over again. The bindings tightened to stop him from struggling, an involuntary response from his body. It became impossible at that point to even hold his tears. The tentacles were a lot already but adding that demonic mouth into the mix just pushed the paladin more and more into desperation.

Stick to your convictions, he said, convinced that it was all he needed to survive. Be strong for the Order and the Enlightened Ones. Resist the temptation and the humiliation. Your heart is stronger than this.

But words alone wouldn't stop the tentacles from ravaging his body. Deeper and faster, showing no mercy for the trembling warrior. He was lightheaded for the lack of air and noticed each movement the tentacle made inside his hole. The tongue wrapped around his cock started to jerk him off as if it was a hand, while some invisible lips squeezed the shaft.

"You're strong, I can feel that. But this burden over your shoulders is stopping you from reaching your full potential."

Another shock of pleasure. Teryx wanted to scream, but only saliva dripped from the sides of his maw. It was...

"Unbearable, right? Of course it is. Pleasure is unbearable. One of the most powerful and intense sensations the body can go through. And there are more. They are all buried deep within your mind. I can set them all free."

Then, something changed. He felt something inside his head. It wasn't the voice--no, that thing was long and warm and... slippery. It moved around his mind, poking at it, trying to get inside.

The shocks of pleasure became stronger. Teryx couldn't stop his tears, but he refused to give up. He wouldn't beg, he wouldn't give the demon that pleasure. And in response to his resistance, the tentacle inside his ass grew in size and stretched his hole more and more. And it moved quicker and deeper, forming a small bulge in his belly with each thrust.

"Why should you live as a slave when you can be a King? You can't save the world as a pawn for those who can't fight their own battles. I can give you the power you need. I can set free the real dragon within you. All you need to do is let. Me. In."

No! He wouldn't let it win. Teryx was a paladin of justice, a warrior of faith! He had the Holy Light to show him the way. He wouldn't fall over this sinful and disgusting and sacrilegious and delightful display of debauchery that he was enjoying to his heart's content. The tentacles released his hands and the dragon rushed to hold the wolf's skull, keeping it in place as he started to facefuck the demonic entity while shoving himself into the thick appendage inside his ass.

Something pierced through the barriers of his mind. It felt like someone fucking hard and rough his own brain the same way he was fucking himself and the invisible maw. It felt it reaching every corridor and door of his brain, breaking the walls that he erected a long time ago, and releasing the dormant beast he imprisoned from the moment he became part of the White Order.

His maw received a wave of thick and warm black ooze, one the dragon tried to drink as fast as he could--a monumental task even for him, and some of that slime came out and ran down his chest. Teryx found too many flavors in it, more than he could imagine. And he felt the slime running down his throat and moving all across his body and his mind--it coated everything in black until there was no trace of light in the dragon's brain.

With more energy than before, Teryx continued his brutal fuck at the demon's mouth. The tentacles held to his legs firmly, and the one inside him started to feel more like a finger. Suddenly, the dragon imagined being held by a giant. But it didn't stop him. All he wanted was that pleasure to never end.

His mouth finally got released, with the appendage shooting some slime at his face. With nothing else to restrain him, he moaned and drooled and roared as he never did before. The flame of lust had given his eyes a red color. His body transformed within the demon's grasp--it became bigger, stronger. It resembled the shape of the ancient dragons who ruled the skies centuries ago. And even a beast of such size and strength was under the control of a demon.

With a potent roar, Teryx finally released his seed for the demon. A massive load of dragon cream came from his fat cock and vanished into the invisible mouth of the old entity. At the same time, the last tentacle inside him bred him with more of that cursed seed, quickly filling his insides. Teryx squirmed as the pleasure increased with each passing second. It was immense, unbearable, maddening... and he wanted more of it. He squeezed his ass around the fat tentacle, trying to keep inside as much of its seed as possible, but a lot of it managed to squirt out of him, disappearing into the infinite void.

The climax continued for what could very well be some seconds or a century. It didn't matter for Teryx, not anymore. He went beyond the limits and the dragon was no longer himself. All he wanted was to repeat it over and over again. He couldn't imagine why something so glorious could be labeled as wrong, but he decided to never live under those prejudices again. He was now free, and it was thanks to the creature below him.

"Now you see it. What you are truly capable of," the wolf skull released his cock and moved upwards until he was face to face with Teryx. "But even this won't be enough. My champion, you still have to face the real desperation ahead."

The skull opened his maw. Its spine wrapped around Teryx's body, and the tendrils pierced through the hard scales. The pleasure became terror as the demon closed his fangs over his face, trapping him in an even deeper and more painful darkness...

His sword broke under his weight. His shield, shredded into pieces. The void disappeared, and he found himself in the capital. The city he swore to protect was in flames. The sky above him was plagued with demons. And what was left of the castle was being ravaged by a giant. A Lord from Hell.

Teryx looked around. Jules had been impaled to a wall by dozens of spears, and Policho laid over a pile of corpses with an axe on his back. But Lambert was nowhere to be found. Instead, he found a crown lying on the ground in front of him.

"What is this...? What kind of illusion is this one?!" The dragon yelled.

"Not an illusion. A possibility," said the demon in his head. "What you're seeing is one of the Seven Lords. The Crimson King itself," the invisible claws closed over his shoulders. "Summoned by the same cult you were sent to stop."

"B-but...the White Order never told me this. The ritual was a portal, not a summoning!"

"And you believed what the White Order said. They, who worked alongside a demon and learned how to control them. That's why they sent you and your friends," one of its sharp claws ran slowly and carefully across his neck. "The key is the Scarlet Prince himself. In his body, he carries not only the blood of the previous royal family but of the children of the Crimson King itself too. He is the key to release and control a Lord. And those pulling the strings are the elders of the White Order who want nothing but a world ruled by them."

"They... they wouldn't..."

"Are you still being loyal to them? Why would I lie to you? Me, who released you from those chains."

The Crimson King. Even the Holy Light wouldn't protect him from the maddening effects its pure presence could provoke. If this was the future ahead of them, what use his sword would have against it?

"The path of the Holy Light is straight. If you stick to it, this would happen no matter how much you try to stop it. But there are options. Other paths. Other Kings."

Teryx felt something else looking at him. The circular crown was still there. He crawled to pick it up from the ground. It was made of black metal with golden details on the edges and an inscription in a language unknown to him. Despite its size, it felt extremely heavy in his hands.

"This world is corrupted. You know it better than anyone. You have seen the aberrations committed by those on the Throne. But you can do better than that. You can rule this world the right way. Alongside the Scarlet Prince."

Was that right? Of course it was. He was aware of the atrocities the White Order had done in the name of their faith. He knew from Lambert of what the King had done to many innocents. He heard from Policho how far other sorcerers had gone in their search for knowledge. And Jules never skipped the details of the dangers of war machinery. The world was corrupted...

Something was inside the crown. A dim, dark presence, but it was there. It didn't feel like any other demon Teryx had faced before. It wasn't strong. It wasn't mad. It was only there, living within the crown. Dormant. Waiting.

With his convictions renewed, Teryx put the crown over his head. Immediately, he opened his eyes--something else opened his eyes, but Teryx was looking through them. Small claws appeared across the circumference and pierced Teryx's head. The dragon screamed in pain, and he felt the claws injecting a thick and hot liquid inside his head. The crown started to melt as it merged with the paladin, who tried his hardest to bear the excruciating pain.

The liquid filled his head and started to move through his body. On his fours, he took what was left of his armor as if that would relieve the pain. When he looked at his arm, he saw the slime traveling through his veins, burning them and leaving a black trace behind.

"Relax, my child. You are worthy of my essence."

He wanted to die. The melting liquid was burning his body from the inside. He continued taking off his armor, unaware that he was already naked and his claws were removing some scales. Some flames started to come out from his maw. His insides were burning and something else was growing inside.

"The King of Ashes shall rise again. My Champion, unleash a grey winter over those who betrayed me! Earth and Hell shall face my wrath!"

The wolf skull appeared from behind him. Its lower jaw fell to the ground and the rest of the skull adjusted to Teryx's head as a helmet. The spine latched onto his back, and the tendrils pierced the skin. Teryx looked up and unleashed a sea of flames that devoured everything around him...

... until there was nothing left but ashes.

The crown of Kal'Tarkarot exploded into small pieces. Three of the Azurites covered their faces from the shards and noticed the blast sent Teryx away. The dragon flew across the room and crashed against the opposite wall.

"Teryx!" the trio yelled, running towards his friend. They checked for any injury, but he wasn't bleeding and he still had all his limbs in the right places and angles.

It took Teryx a moment to get back into his senses. The armor absorbed most of the damage, but it didn't prevent the back pain while his friends helped him back into his paws. His vision became clearer, and a quick look at his surroundings put his memories back into place.

The forgotten tomb Jules mentioned had a secret passage, just as they expected. They all tried to act surprised after finding that old crown sitting right there, a trap so obvious that only a fool would fall for it. Teryx did his usual cleansing ritual, and the old trinket exploded.

Which meant all that he saw was an illusion provoked by the curse. Stronger than what he expected, but nothing impossible for the Holy Light.

He took off his helmet to rub his temples, feeling a headache incoming. "I told you I could handle it."

"I would have preferred it complete, though. I can't sell those shards," Jules said to break the tension.

They slowly started to laugh at his joke, as they usually did, and they helped Teryx to get out of the tomb with the few valuables they found.

As soon as they walked out, the first thing they noticed was the gray sky above their heads.

"Huh, the sky was clear before we went it," Policho said.

"Maybe another storm is coming?" Jules tried to guess.

"We better ride, then. We have no time to lose".

As soon as Teryx approached the horses, the creatures neighed with fear. Lambert and Jules tried to soothe them, but the moment Teryx put a hand over his steed, the creature went back to normal.

"It's a huge storm," the dragon said.

A moment later, the party was riding towards their destination, with Teryx taking the lead. The sky ahead of them was dark as night.

"Well, we couldn't find anything worthy in that tomb. What's the plan now?" Jules asked.

"We do exactly the same we always do. We go in and slay anyone wearing the same clothes," Teryx always made that joke. He mentioned how curious it was people wore similar clothes whenever they jumped into a temple or ruins or a camp. They guys found it funny, and it became the one joke that relieve some tension before the battle.

Except for this time. They noticed Teryx said it with a serious tone, one not so common on him. It was understandable, after all. That was a suicide mission, one they could simply ignore. But they wouldn't do it. Teryx set them all into that same righteous path he followed. It was no longer for the money, but the safety of the Kingdom and its inhabitants. Going there was the right thing. Dying there... they were ready.

After riding in silence for some minutes, Lambert told Jules and Policho to make some distance. He approached Teryx until both were riding side to side.

"You know... we could die there," the crocodile said.

"That's the worst way you could start a conversation," the paladin replied. A glimpse of a smile appeared on his face.

"Yeah, you know I suck at talking," they remained in silence for a moment, then, he continued. "Are you afraid?"

"No. I'll take care of you."

He was talking about the party, of course. But Lambert couldn't stop himself from thinking it was addressed to him. He felt his cheeks getting warmer, and looked away. How idiot could he be? Having that kind of thought over a paladin. Well, no one would arrest him or execute him as long as he didn't make a move, so it was safe.

"I...We'll take care of you, too."

"You have to. I'm your healer, after all."

Lambert chuckled. He then looked back at the storm ahead.

"We should take a rest after this," Teryx suggested. "I have a feeling huge things are coming for us after this, and I wanna have you by my side."

"We'll follow into Hell and Heaven."

"I bet you will."

The old ruins of High Rock Castle were hit not only by a storm but also by the Azurites' ferocity. The party made its way through the building killing anything that moved, from mortals to familiars alike. The cultists offered a strong resistance, of course, but their spells did nothing to the paladin leading the group.

Teryx fought like he never did before. He experienced the joy of killing for the first time. From wielding his sword in the name of justice to being aware that he was in control of their lives, the dragon moved through the castle with a smile that grew with every kill. By the time they reached the final chamber, his armor was covered in blood.

His friends didn't question his action. The destiny of the Kingdom was in their hands, after all. A time like that required violence and nothing else. So when the cultists summoned a lesser demon to aid them, the Azurites let the anger guide their movements.

The combat was fierce. The demon--some type of bear with the head of a bull--proved itself a worthy opponent. Even after Jules took down the remaining cultists, the creature remained in the realm. Teryx and Lambert did an excellent job getting its attention, which gave Policho time to cast some of his most powerful spells, destroying a good portion of the tower in the process. Jules's pistol found its end after the rat used a special kind of ammo to blind the demon, which gave Teryx an opening to slash its tendons, forcing it to kneel. By gathering all his strength, Lambert gave the final blow, shoving his axe right in the middle of its head. And just like that, it was over.

The rain coming through the hole Policho made washed the blood away. It was the only thing they heard for some seconds before Policho let out a victorious roar, followed by Lambert. Teryx wanted to join them, but he was far from them. And something else was already on his mind.

"Wonderful. What a magnificent display of strength, my Champion," the voice in his head clapped. "I knew those chains were slowing you down. Now you'll see what you're truly capable of."

"Yes. I haven't felt better," Teryx muttered. He saw his friends celebrating the victory, too busy to notice anything weird behind him.

"Great. I knew you were worthy. A throne is waiting for you. And for that, we must put everything in motion," the claws gave Teryx a soft caress on his cheek. "Your consort awaits."

With that said, it offered Teryx a letter. The seal was broken, but he recognized it immediately. And he knew Lambert would do it too.

"Ok, ok, let's wrap this up," Teryx called them while moving closer to the group. "I don't think they'll be sending reinforcements, but we should start looting this place and get the hell out of here. I don't wanna see another cultist in a while."

"I don't think there's nothing worthy here besides the demon. Why don't you go and check the library while I harvest it? They might have some hexes," Jules suggested.

"Not my thing. But I have some buyers in mind," Policho led the way. Teryx made Lambert a gesture to follow.

The library was on ground level. They were looking not only for spells but also for the people behind the cultists. Of course, Teryx was aware of the truth, but he needed everyone else to believe something else. Starting with Lambert. While no one was looking, he put the letter under a bunch of scrolls Policho ignored. He waited a couple of minutes to ask the crocodile to take a look at the table. And after that, all he did was wait.

When Lambert found the letter, his expression showed he recognized the wax seal, just as the dragon expected. Incredulous at first, he waited a moment to open the letter. But as his eyes read its content, it became impossible for him to hold his tears.

Policho had noticed his reaction too. Both waited for what Lambert had to say after he put the letter back on the table, but the crocodile didn't say a word.

"Hey guys, I managed to get some organs, but most of the... what's going on?" Jules had just walked in, and he immediately noticed something had been horribly wrong if the crocodile was crying.

"I need a moment alone," Lambert said and walked out of the library.

Policho was the first one to act. He took the letter, but the first lines said everything he needed to know. "That bastard," he cursed and clenched his fist around the letter.

"What happened?" Jules asked again.

"King Rikart. He's the one who helped these fuckers!"

"Wait, Lambert's father? He's with the Children of the Raven?" Teryx exclaimed.

At that point, even Policho was in tears, unable to contain his anger. He smashed his fist against the table, breaking it in half. Teryx picked up the letter from the ground.

"It... it makes sense," Jules started with a horrified expression. "There have been conflicts at the border, and rumors of an upcoming war are getting stronger. King Laikus' army has been getting stronger over the last year. It shouldn't surprise us he's willing to do anything."

"But this? He's worse than his ancestors! We can't stay here and do nothing!"

"And we won't," Teryx said with a strong voice. "But a letter won't prove anything. We have to be discreet about this. No one can't know what we discovered here. Not until we gather more evidence. This letter alone won't prove anything."

Policho and Jules weren't too convinced about it, but there wasn't a lot they could do at the moment.

"Poor Lambert... I can't imagine how he's feeling right now," Policho mentioned.

"I'll go talk with him. You two go back and inform the White Order about our success. We'll meet at the usual spot," Teryx ordered.

"Yes," they replied together. Then Jules added, "Be careful. I believe someone's watching us."

Teryx gave him a reassurance nod and the duo left. The dragon then took a last look at the letter before it turned into ashes.

"Kings come and go. But Lords are eternal."

He left in search of his reptile friend.

Minutes later, he found Lambert in a bedroom located on the east tower. The crocodile was looking through the window and had a perfect view of his friends leaving the ruins. When he heard Teryx walking into the room, he let out a long sigh.

"You know... this is why I left the castle at the end. It's always one scheme after another. A plan to make an alliance, to break an alliance. Everything I did was part of a fucking plan. What kind of life was that?"

Teryx didn't reply. He knew the crocodile wasn't expecting an answer.

"It shouldn't be a surprise he's capable of going this far. My great grandfather murdered a bunch of kids. They weren't even 5 years old. Why should I be surprised that my own father would make a deal with a group of fanatics just to keep his crown? It runs through our blood, I guess."

"No. You're not like him."

"You think so? Because I thought he would be a good King. A better King. And I was wrong. Will my brothers be better than him? Will I be better than him?!"

"I know you are. Right here, right now."

"But how long that's gonna last?" He faced Teryx. The dragon never imagine he would see Lambert like that: wounded, angry, disappointed. "I'm a vivid proof of the fucking monsters my family is made of! This body is proof of that!"

"You're more than your family legacy. I know what you're capable of," the dragon moved closer to Lambert. When he saw the crocodile didn't reject him, Teryx held both of his claws. "We've been traveling for so long that I know the kind of person you really are. I know you from head to toes--in more than one way," the silly joke managed to get a giggle out of the crocodile. "You're not like them. You will not be like them."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I have faith in you. More than..."

"More than what...?"

Teryx sighed. "We'll find a solution. We're not gonna stay arms-crossed. Whatever he's planning to do, we're gonna stop him."

"You're asking me to fight against my own father."

"If he's not the right person to sit on that throne, we must do whatever it takes to stop him."

"Whatever it takes...," the crocodile pondered about those words for a moment. After that, he looked back at his friend. "This is gonna get us killed, you know?"

"If we fail. But we won't. Not as long we stay together."

He was moving closer. Lambert finally noticed his presence, and while he couldn't show any blush on his cheeks, his expression was enough to say how embarrassed he was over the dragon's proximity. He tried looking away, but the presence was too strong to simply ignore.

"You know, I can't tell why but... I always feel encouraged to keep on going with you around," the crocodile offered him a shy smile. "Isn't that... weird?"

"I don't see anything weird about it. I could say the same about you."

With his hand holding Lambert's chin, Teryx made his move. His friend realized what he was doing and rushed to stop by holding both hands in between them, although not quite convinced of it.

"W-wait, what are you doing?"

"Something I believe you've been wanting for so long."

"Oh lord, was I that obvious?" He turned his back to Teryx, covering his face in shame. "I'm sorry, Teryx. I swear it wasn't my intention. Please don't force yourself just to cheer me up."

Lambert expected many responses, but not that one: Teryx hugged him from behind, placing both hands over his chest. The dragon hugged him several times in the past, but that was the first time he felt so close to him.

"I'm not forcing myself to do anything."

"... what about your vow?"

After hearing that, Teryx made him turn again so they could be face to face. For the first time ever, he saw fear in Lambert's face. Fear of the unknown. Mixed with the excitement of love.

"There's a stronger light guiding my path now."

He never imagined Lambert's lips could taste so well. Despite his wild appearance, the crocodile gave him a slow and tender kiss, with both hands holding him by the hips. Teryx followed his pace, enjoying each second of it. It was incredible an action so simple could tell so much about the real Lambert than all those years of friendship. He read in those lips the noble and humble person he was, and his fear for the burden he carried. Through his embrace, he discovered the fragility of a soul begging for help. And when they broke the kiss, Teryx saw a gleam of hope in his beautiful green eyes.

Pieces of armor fell as they made their way toward the bed. Their movements reflected an eagerness usually seen in young, inexperienced lovers; both shared a giggle with the pieces of cloth that took them the most to remove. And when they were finally naked, only Lambert looked away at the size of Teryx's manhood.

"Is there something wrong?" The dragon asked in a suggestive tone.

"No, it's... I... how do I put it..."

Teryx took Lambert's hand and guided him to his cock. The crocodile yipped but didn't move it away.

"Go ahead. You'll be feeling more in a moment."

He knew it wasn't the first time Lambert had sex with another male, so seeing him act that shyly before he was cute. The crocodile waited a moment before gathering some courage to feel more of Teryx's cock. When his hand finally moved, Teryx sighed with a huge smile on his face. His hand, while huge, knew how to touch such a sensitive part. Lambert touched it with both hands, moving one down to his balls while the other played with the tip and the ridges under it. And when he gained more confidence, he also increased the pace.

"Oh lord," Teryx whispered. His tail lashed against the bed. Lambert knew exactly what he was doing, that little kinky prince. He let him continue for some minutes, giving him time to feel more comfortable with the idea of what they were about to do.

Lambert didn't say anything during that time. It was clear, judging by his face, that he still had trouble believing that was happening. A fantasy made true was a joy not many people could experience. And there he was, jerking off the dragon he had been admiring in secret for so long. In his hands, he held the wet and throbbing cock he had been tasting in dozens of dreams.

"Lambert..."

"Yes?"

"I wanna make you mine. Right here. Right now."

He didn't even wait for an answer. Teryx threw him over the mattress, where the crocodile got on his fours and raised his legs, exposing his hole. A prince in that position was a privilege none other male but Teryx should enjoy. He knelt behind him and rubbed his cock against the eager hole--was it wet enough? Time to find out.

Much to his surprise, his entrance was tighter than expected. It took some effort to get the tip inside, even with all his pre. Lambert had ruined the sheets and mattress by that moment, but he didn't stop Teryx from pushing more and more of his cock into his hole. He even shoved himself into it once he had half of it inside. They moaned together, and Teryx had to stop himself from pressing too hard his claws against the skin. Instead, he hugged Lambert's tail from the base and pushed the rest of his cock until he was balls deep inside him.

Teryx was drooling already. It was incredibly hard to resist the urge and just fuck Lambert to his heart's content. He will, but not yet, for he wanted that moment to be special for both of them. Instead, after giving the crocodile some time, he started to hump slow, pulling most of his cock out before shoving it back in.

The moans Lambert was making were music for Teryx's ears. Between the thickness and his ridges, each thrust stimulated the crocodile enough to make him do those delightful sounds. It felt as if no one had fucked him like that before. Was that the case? Teryx really wanted to ask him. He wanted to hear the crocodile saying no one had done that for him. How glorious would it be to know he was the first one making love to him.

Deep inside his fantasy as he was, Teryx didn't notice when his thrust became faster. Even when he tried to keep the romantic touch, his body acted on its own. The lust was slowly building up inside him, feeding that inner beast trapped within his soul. And it wanted more.

Soon enough, the wet slaps and moans became audible outside the bedroom. Their bodies were covered in sweat. And the dragon was drooling over his chest. The more he fucked Lambert, the more he wanted to ruin him. It wouldn't take long for that beast to take over. Not when his own body was already transforming without the crocodile noticing it.

Hump after hump, Teryx took those same feral attributes from before. Thick smoke came out of his maw with each loud huff he made--it gathered around his face, taking the shape of a wolf head. It then moved down his arms and the center of his back. As his body continued changing, the smoke vanished to reveal the huge skull covering Teryx's head, and his hands wearing the sharp claws as gauntlets, and the long spine fused to his back.

By that moment, he was fucking Lambert hard and rough, provoking an intense pleasure in both of them. Teryx smelled his lust. His lover wasn't thinking anymore about romance or a special moment. He wanted more of that maddening pleasure.

"You like this, don't you?" But it wasn't Teryx who asked. The skull did it.

"Yes..." Lambert replied between moans.

"Have you felt this good before?"

"No... never."

"Is this pleasure enough for you?"

"No... no! It's not enough!"

As soon as he heard that, the skull closed his fangs over Lambert's shoulder, hard enough to pierce the skin. The crocodile moaned loudly, but he didn't have time to cope with the sensation--Teryx had pulled out his cock only to shove it into his slit. Fucking one was tight enough, but with Lambert's cock out of it, the slit was even tighter. And, judging by those loud moans, it was more sensitive too.

"Then I'll give you what you want," the skull bite him again, and his claws went across his chest hard enough to leave a trace of blood.

But that was a pain the crocodile enjoyed. The sheer ferocity and passion almost made him cum. His entire body squirmed under the massive size Teryx has adopted. His face showed how dumb the pleasure had left him. And his dragon didn't stop for a second. Not even when he tasted his blood nor when he felt the warm liquid in his hands. At that moment they were both animals, and he would fuck him like one.

The reptilian's cock jumped up and down with each thrust, throwing strings of pre all over the bed. It throbbed hard, extremely close to climax. At the speed Teryx was drilling his slit, it wouldn't take long. The drooling crocodile moved a hand down until he found the bulge Teryx's cock was making in his belly. It was hard to believe something so big could have made it into a slit so tight, but here it was, being squeezed by the inner walls and making a wet mess the more he fucked him.

Teryx was close too. But he didn't want to finish yet. He wanted that moment to last forever. Lambert was his, and Teryx wanted it to stay like that, so no one else but him could put a hand over the crocodile. His crocodile. His prince. Without moving his fangs apart, thick smoke started to come out through the skull's nostrils. It lurked slowly over Lambert's face, covering it completely.

"Lambert. My love. Stay by my side and this moment shall last forever. Reign by my side, oh glorious Scarlet Prince."

What was that? A proposal? There was something ominous in his words, but he couldn't tell what. No, Lambert wasn't thinking anymore. Trapped in ecstasy, the crocodile couldn't think of anything else besides the cock ruining his slit and the claws carving his skin. His platonic love for Teryx and the happiness of laying in bed with him blinded him from the poison the demon injected through his fangs, and before he could even notice something was wrong, the corruption had reached his heart and mind. Proof of that was the skull made by the smoke that had covered his face and jaw, a sign of obedience and loyalty to the King of Ashes.

It was his climax, the last nail to the coffin in which his spirit was trapped. As Lambert started to cum all over the bed, his will faded into oblivion, and the only thing left in his mind was his lust and love for the dragon he called Teryx. He came a lot, and each shot squeezed Teryx's cock, enough for him to cum alongside his lover. The dragon shoved his cock deep inside his slit and filled his insides with a huge load of his seed, enough to make his belly grow a little, and too much for his slit to handle--right after his second shot, the cum came out of the slit to mix with the puddle Lambert had made over the bed. The strong musk coming from it only prolonged both orgasms. The roars of pleasure made by both beasts made the entire castle shake.

After a brief rest, Teryx started humping again.

It had been a month since the battle of High Rock Castle, and the rumors of the return of the Scarlet Prince, the fourth son of King Rikart, had put the entire kingdom in a great mood. It was what they needed after the declaration of war from the West. Of course, the King hasn't announced anything yet, but members of the Court mentioned they saw the red crocodile inside the castle.

Of course Policho and Jules heard those rumors. The duo was afraid the Children of the Ravens had done something to them after they never arrived at his base. Jules looked into the castle for secret tunnels, and Policho used localization spells, but nothing worked. And now his red friend was back at home, and they wanted some answers.

Inside the castle, the King couldn't contain his happiness. He pretended not to care and even threatened to erase any record of his existence, but deep inside he missed his boy. King Rikart was sure his travels had made him into a better person, and one that would definitely help in the upcoming war.

In a throne room with carved pillars and portraits of the members of the family, the old crocodile waited for his son to arrive. He sat on a wooden throne with claws and fangs carved on its sides. The court members were there too, excited to see what kind of person the Scarlet Prince was now. They said someone else accompanied him, a huge dragon attired in bone armor and a wolf skull for a helmet.

After a long wait, the golden doors opened and Lambert walked into the Throne room, wearing the same fine clothes he had on him before running away. His father smiled and, guided by his love, left the throne and ran to meet with his son. The court exploded in claps and tears when the two finally embraced for the first time after 5 years.

They gave the father and son a moment, conscious of how much this reunion meant to them. So they waited. And waited. And waited.

And when the golden doors closed, the old King looked over his son's shoulder and inspected the dragon who came with him. But he found no eyes in those empty sockets. And the fumes coming through his nostrils turned into ashes. With an increasing fear, the King realized his son was not the guest he should be greeting.

"Don't worry, father," Lambert whispered. "I'd brought another Lord for you."

Outside the castle, Policho stopped in the middle of the central avenue. He extended his hand and caught something small, barely visible, almost like a snowflake. After taking a look at it, Jules approached and gave it a puzzled look.

"What is it, snow?" The rat asked.

The blue dragon took a closer look, then gazed at the gray sky above them. "No. It's ash."