FSE

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Chapter 2.

Noldar woke up early in the morning, as sunlight dipped in over the crest of the hole above them and caused the den to start turning brighter. He'd always been an early waker; his body set on the clock of early rising at first light for farm work on plantations.

For a short moment, a feeling of dreary annoyance fell over Noldar as he first woke in the darkness of the bedroll, not realizing it was that at all. The silence that hung heavy over him was like any other morning, and for a moment the thought that everything had merely been a dream took control of his waking awareness. It was really dark, he must be in that damn box coffin again as punishment. The two men must've pummeled him senseless and he imagined Rook as a dream...

But that thought was quickly dismissed as he realized where he was as he felt Rook's body taking in a deep breath behind him, then rumbling in his sleep. Noldar's eyes went wide as he turned his head to see where the light had been coming from up above. He was still in the bedroll, still in the cave with the upper ceiling of straight holes, still with a huge, hulking wolfman next to him, who had apparently turned around at some point in their sleep and they were now back to back.

It hadn't been just a dream.

But that was quickly tempered by the knowledge of Rook's quest returning to his memory too. That wasn't a dream either.

"Oh dragon of life...I'm going to freaking die..." Noldar half laughed quietly, but he took in a breath. He was in no danger yet, and Rook seemed to hint that he wanted Noldar as a traveling companion to combat his curse; he surely didn't expect him to fight his family with him, maybe fight bandits, which Noldar was very confident he could manage.

He had also said he'd get him weapons and armor today. He'd be protected and have a weapon. He'd look like a free kobold.

Oh yes... Noldar realized, letting out a short sigh, not quite -as- free. But...this was a far better form of servitude than he was accustomed to, he was sure of that.

With that affirmation in his mind, Noldar turned and he snuggled in against the red furred wolfman, rumbling lightly as he tried to go back to sleep at least until Rook himself woke up.

______________________

When Rook did wake a few hours later, they got ready to leave very quickly. Rook explained that considering his affliction, time was not a luxury he often could afford.

Noldar understood this, so he prepared himself as instructed without question, tying up his own ankles lightly with a rope so that there was about three feet for the kobold to walk with. Rook then tied up his wrists and held the end of it as four feet, which would give Noldar room to walk somewhat freely but still have to keep near Rook, and also detour anyone seeing the still naked kobold from wanting to try and snatch him.

Rook lifted the cave up to ground level, and then they were on their way back into the city down the path about thirty minutes later. They moved in through the gate without much issue, though of course, the sight of a red wolfman tugging around a naked kobold still made the guards turn their heads and watch them till they'd turn the corner.

Walking through the waking city this early in the morning, not many were about quite yet, passed out from nights of drink and merry making. The few that were bustling about were city workers, mostly impoverished looking with rags, though some of these were at least brightly colored. The people at least had spirit. Food was cheap so their lack of lots of gold was not too bad of a thing for families. Housing was just sometimes harder to come by. But heck, outside of city walls, no one would stop you from chopping down a few trees from a large forest to build yourself a cabin on the sides of roads. You'd lack the protection of a city, but building it close was not stopped.

In this city though, people were more well off than others by the average. There were rows of housing that Noldar and Rook walked down, where plenty of families did live, rented out or in some cases, given in return for service to the city by the royalty there. Knights, Entertainers and Artisans of Magic, Inventors, Alchemy, and other general 'Arts' often lived in more lavish places closer to the castles of the city. Laws of most kingdoms were standard fare; tax or service to the city for living in it. Tax went to the royal family, who then, were supposed to, use that to prepare themselves and others who wanted to protect their homes and the citizens against wild threats such as dragons, undead, pillagers and the like, and just in general keep order within the city walls and around it.

Though a few of the major cities these days are expanding into armies, these activities go unseen and disguised as additional protection for the city.

Most cities were then connected to a Central Market; a strip of the city usually in the middle or perhaps in patterns. One end of the Market went from the city's main entrance or in the case of a coastal town, the port, and the other end ended at the castle. All artisans or other business folks owned shop buildings or had stalls out in the streets along these. Shops of all kinds existed in any one city, and if it didn't have what you were looking for, the next city down the road, even though that would be a few days' travel, may have it. Inns and bars and restaurants of all kinds also dot these streets.

Rook and Noldar entered the market strip of Lapis at around 7:30am, which was just a simple straight line down the middle of the city vertically, the castle to the north and gates to the south. There were more people here, mostly humans but a few beastmen, cats and dogs mainly. Many continued to pause and stare at the strange sight of Rook and the naked Noldar, but just went about their business shortly after.

They approached a shady, black tiled but wooden building which had a sign that hung over the street in front of the door. The sign swayed with the breeze of the city. It read, "True Alchemy".

Rook approached the door and tapped it two times in a spot close to the doorknob, then four along its front. Noldar's ears flicked as he heard the lock of the building make a soft 'click' and then Rook opened the door to swing it inward.

"Ah, Good morning Rook." A happy, buoyant voice said within the shop, as Noldar followed in, "Ohhhhh..." The voice cooed, and the door swung closed gently on its own after Noldar stepped in.

The kobold's nose was assaulted by a variety of different smells, but it thankfully gave the place a nice and pleasant scent and it wasn't overwhelming. There were stacks of scent sticks along the left wall, on the other end of the store were racks of potions of varying sizes with small signs detailing their names and uses. Along the right wall was a counter. More higher quality looking items held behind glass cases were along this counter. Behind the counter, a tall Dragonborn wearing a bright robe, grinning slyly with one lip curled over his left teeth.

He was dressed in a bright purple and gold embroidered robe. The gold sparkled in the somewhat dim light of the shop, as Noldar realized the only things lighting up the store were several candles along the roof, stacked along the rafters. This store was spooky as hell but very intriguing in what offers it may give.

"I see how it is you're able to be here so early today, Rook. You took my advice hehe."

Noldar shifted his head in surprise at the statement from the shopkeeper, his eyes looking to Rook. The wolf leaned against the front counter close to the dragonborn, smiling at Noldar. "This is Balthazar, the store keeper of True Alchemy. He is the person I have brought you to meet that will supply us with armor and weapons. Here, once that door is closed, all the previous rules I told you about don't apply anymore, just like in my Dens."

This made Noldar relax, as he let the preface of the Master and Slave relationship drop and he smiled at Balthazar, "It is nice to meet you, Balthazar, sir."

"Armor -and- weapons now? You're going to take him to that tag team tournament..." Balthazar eyed the wolfman curiously, for the moment not yet addressing Noldar. "Aren't you glad I read that little tidbit about how versatile kobolds are to you?"

Rook huffed, "Shut up..."

The shopkeeper giggled and clapped his hands, he suddenly started speaking draconic to Noldar. 'Noldar, tell me about your clan, I would love to learn about where you are from like you've told Rook.'

Noldar frowned, but the fact that the dragonborn spoke to him in their tongue like this made him want to speak, so he did. 'You speak to me as if you already know I come from a clan...'

Balthazar giggled, his purple scaled head dipping down, shiny purple eyes closing within the hood, 'Forgive me, hehe, I have curses of my own. You being in my store allows me to read your mind, but only truly your most prominent thoughts.'

'I see, then you can perhaps know everything I would say already anyway, hmm?' Noldar snickered, unable to hide amusement. 'Look away...I have nothing I wish to hide...if you are Rook's friend.'

Noldar came closer as the other dragon kin hummed, 'Friend is what the relationship is somewhat...though he is more of a business partner. There is more to my curse than what he has told you, but that is my own to reveal.'

"Anyways." Balthazar stated in common, returning his attention to Rook and Noldar understood that the conversation between them was discontinued, "What are you here for exactly then?"

"Some leather armor for him, like you made me, infuse it with Protection From Physical, Elemental, Magic."

"Hmmmmm that's pricey you know..." The dragonborn said this pointedly to the wolf.

"I know, I told him it would be, and to make the decision himself when he sees the cost."

"Hmmm...very well. Noldar, would you follow me please? I will help you in the back of the shop. Rook will stay here."

Noldar looked at Rook, mostly for confirmation and his assurance nothing would happen to him.

Rook however, couldn't really sense that whole desire as he stated, "Follow him Noldar, you can trust Balthazar. He'll tell you the cost and you can decide what you want to do."

Noldar frowned somewhat, but he nodded, "All right."

And so Noldar went around the counter to follow Balthazar through back door that also closed behind him on its own.

Noldar froze again. The front of the store had been dark and dreary but inviting, but here it was somewhat brighter, and it was huge. The size of the store outside could not possibly accommodate the size of this back room! There had to be some kind of magic at work here, extra space behind doors.

"This is a pocket dimension." Balthazar did then explain outloud, sensing the kobold's emotions and thoughts of surprise. "I store many things here. Look up."

Noldar did, and he gasped further. There were just floors of...things...too many to take in fully. Shelves upon shelves of books sat next to items of various different looks. Plantlife, animals, and magical looking objects that seemed frozen in place.

Noldar focused instead on what was directly in front of him on the first floor of this pocket dimension, seeing tables of study it seemed, books opened to particular pages, and even one that was writing itself, the pen dipping to ink and then continuing the work. There were a few alchemy benches with rows and selves of glass containers with herbs and other reagent looking items placed in them.

Noldar looked toward the book and leaned close to it as he followed Balthazar through the workshop. Suddenly the dragonborn covered over the book with his body as Noldar drew close. "Nope, not that book hehe."

The book suddenly floated up and away into the air above them, circling and out of reach. "That's a special project, eyes only. And by that I mean mine only, not even Rook's." The shopkeeper rumbled.

"Come on, this way instead please, everything is fascinating I know but I implore you, -do not- touch anything if you don't already understand what it is." Balthazar firmly stated, his eyes flashing a bright glow at Noldar, who nodded quickly.

"Good boy~" Balthazar chuckled, patting Noldar on the head before he snickered and turned again to lead the way. "This way please."

Noldar didn't really know to be annoyed or some other emotion towards the dragonborn's strange and quirky behavior, but he followed him readily towards another door.

Balthazar opened this door to another separate room. It was not a very large room, but it was well lit so that Noldar could tell immediately what the device in front of him was. It was something familiar to him from a few other slavers in his past.

It was in essence, a milking station, powered simply by magic spell with glass tubing. They were not common, being somewhat tricky to construct even for seasoned artisans, but this one looked well used. Claw marks were scratched into the metal and had huge tears as if being constantly chewed on one end.

Balthazar closed his hands together as he stood next to the door, "One of these vials...is the cost for your armor to be enchanted as requested..." He held up a large, rum sized bottle to Noldar. The kobold's face paled and his eyes grew wide, as it took him several seconds to even manage to form something to respond with.

"The whole thing? And you're meaning with...my cum?"

"Correct. The milking device will keep you stimulated until you produce enough."

"And...this has to be the cost?" Noldar's mind considered his own refractory period and wondered if he could manage to hold himself through what may take him four or five orgasms without some kind of well...perhaps just mental exhaustion making him pass out.

At this question, Balthazar grinned, "If it would help to explain why it is the cost, it is because by using your own 'essence' as a fuel to my charms, I can make your armor nigh indestructible, as your own essence will protect your own existence. It will recharge quickly, like a kind of shield against harm. It has limits, but in pinches, it is the best kind of charm you are going to be able to have. It will protect against projectiles, forceful direct blows like punches and such, as well as magical forces to some lesser extent...depending on how powerful the magic user."

The long winded explanation was paused as Balthazar tilted his head, "Understand?"

During the explanation, Noldar continued to listen to Balthazar's words but his eyes wandered back to the large metal slate the machine was hovering over, the straps worn but the leather still looked strong, unfrayed. Probably magical too.

At him asking if he understood, Noldar nodded, but he had another question that wasn't quite related, but he wanted to ask it anyway. "Has...Rook been in this...?"

Balthazar looked at the device and huffed, "Yes well...damage Rook does to my things tends to stay longer before the objects fix themselves. Not too long ago he had to get my assistance with this device in keeping him contained for a night. It is something that happens every now and then. But everytime it suffers some damage."

"Fixes itself...?"

The dragonborn grinned slyly, eyes glinting white a moment before going back to normal bright purple, "Sorry, I won't explain that to you. Those are my own secrets."

Noldar nodded in understanding, the eye glint was enough to tell him not to question the dragonborn's magic. "There is no other way this could be paid though?" He repeated the question simply because it hadn't really been answered, only why the cost was what it was to start.

"A large sum of money could do it as well, but the cost of such would be large, and quite a dent to Rook's wallet. I am sorry, but I do not use my own stores of gold for the cost of my 'customers'. Rook, and by extension you, are like business partners as well, but that is as far as the use of our resources are shared. Books upon books that you could learn from, if you wish. Perhaps you may like to learn magic?" Balthazar tilted his head.

Noldar eye's widened at the offer. "You are offering to teach me magic...?"

"No, I am offering to give you books on magic. I'm not capable of teaching you magic myself." Balthazar chuckled, "Like a library to burrow from as you journey with your new Master, who is still waiting for you. You need to decide if you are going to do this or not, Noldar. He doesn't like his time being wasted, you know. Everything in this shop is at your and Rook's disposal, but in this instance, you're both asking me to create something, and this is the cost."

Noldar realized the truth to Balthazar's last statement, every minute was another one towards the end of the day for the wolfman. He closed his eyes with a deep breath, "All right...I will try at least, I am just unsure if I can fill the thing before falling apart."

Balthazar chuckled as he slid into the room first then and Noldar followed in behind him, the door stayed open. The dragonborn began to set up the machine, reading the tubing with a new "mouth" that would better fit the kobold's slit. Noldar shivered and he felt something akin to dread, but not the kind he wanted to run from. Now that he was close to the device, he could smell it. This place just smelled of Rook. The Lycanroc's own musk was thick in the air. Without the campfire scent to add to it, it smelled like once wet now dried, dirty earth.

"Huff, his scent is just everywhere..." Even Balthazar mentioned it as he was adjusting the straps to a closer frame to hold Noldar's body. "Damn wet dog odor too..."

So this wasn't his normal scent. Noldar kind of inwardly sighed at that, he realized if this was his normal, he would've smelled like this earlier. It was, of course, easy for Noldar to guess what had the Lycanroc wet in this room.

"Up you get Noldar." Balthazar said as he turned the table more vertically, so that the kobold could slide up into the restraints.

Noldar carefully lifted himself up onto the restraints, standing up upon the ankle locks so that he could reach into those meant for his wrists at first. Balthazar more finely tuned the height of the restraints as Noldar settled onto the block, and then he sat the block slowly back into its horizontal position, and then locked Noldar's ankles down as well.

"Now then..." Balthazar grasped the long tube of the milking device, now set with a flat, squishy kind of mat at the end. With a flick of a switch on the side, sudden suction had the thing firmly sucking upon the Kobold's still naked body.

Noldar eeped, not expecting the sensation to be so sudden already, but it was effective. He blushed as he felt himself beginning to get hard, his member hardening into the sucking device and the now slickened insides of the canister it was connected to.

And then suddenly, a sharp pain to his rear made him let out a short yelp of shock.

Noldar looked down towards Baltahazar, as the dragonborn had poked a needle syringe into his thigh.

"H-hey, what is that?" That wasn't involved in any discussion, but suddenly the absolute rush of need Noldar felt had him overwhelmed and squirming as the machine kept pumping his cock.

"Hehe, it was just a little aphrodisiac, it may help with your needed amount." The purple dragonborn chuckled, and then set the needle syringe aside, before starting to step back towards the door. "I'll be controlling the device just outside this room." As Balthazar spoke, the cloud of desire and need that filled the kobold's mind grew very quickly and it overtook the concern he had felt upon seeing the syringe.

Noldar struggled against the binds of the machine as the stimulation was steadily becoming overwhelming, his cock throbbing with bursts of pre that he could see flowing up within the pumping tube just beyond the chamber his cock was in. The pressure of the chamber kept milking on his cock with a hard suction, the air pressure always rising to a spiking wave of intensity like someone's body would flex as they neared an orgasm of their own before suddenly releasing. The kobold's knot reacted to the milking squeezes and Noldar almost felt himself reel over the edge of release more than once, but the pressure would leave just before it finally crashed on him.

Noldar squirmed in the constraints each time, panting heavily as heat flushed through his body, before being steadily milked back to that edge once more. Gritting his teeth and letting out little gasps as he felt it coming close only to suddenly fall back again at the end of it for the fifth time finally sent him into a frustrated frenzy. Noldar bared his teeth and growled as he tried to squirm again, the machine wasn't letting him finish, was that also just some form of magic...?

Probably, as the device kept seeming to milk him at a steady rate, but only increased that suction and pressure to the point that he was about to burst before suddenly letting up a few more times yet, the last sending the kobold into a reeling fit on the metal slab. Just as Noldar started to finish coming down from that last edge, the machine suddenly began to vibrate and its suction and milking went back into a hard fashion. The suddenness and power of this spiked his pleasure right off the bat, his knot suddenly bursting into full bloat as Noldar's entire body fidgeted and shuddered from the sensation.

Noldar groaned and his body arched off the table with the crashing pleasure. Thick ropes of kobold seed began to spurt from his tip and flow through the tube, to be collected in the waiting vail on the table. His pre had already made a somewhat small pool in the thing, but the viscosity of his seed quickly filled the bottom and a good fourth of the container, but by then this edged finish was over and oversensitivity was taking over. The machine didn't stop though. Its job was to make sure Noldar remained stimulated and hard until his refractory period was over, and then force him into another orgasm quickly.

Noldar had expected this, knew it was going to happen even from his past experience with these machines, but he'd never had a drug given to him that also was making feel so horny or had the machine seem to edge him to the point that he had such a hair trigger. Even while sparks of overstimulation were flowing up the kobold's spine, he was eager for his next orgasm and yet exhausted.

He shivered as he felt his cock give a weak throb and he bit his lip, the milking chamber stroking his cock slowly bringing it back to vigor, the oversensitivity was faster to fade than normal because of the aphrodisiac.

But still, Noldar bit his lip as he groaned, feeling pleasure start to rise again steadily. He gripped his hands tightly together while gritting his teeth and trying to just ride it out, knowing what his goal was and the path to it helped. It was difficult to just -enjoy- this kind of forced pleasure though.

Especially as now that he'd had the first orgasm, the machine's spell that he was familiar with kept going on him hard to bring him into a second. The pressure and tension was enough itself to begin forcing seed from his balls, which began to spurt out of his cock with some steady throbs, but it wasn't yet a climax, just the aftershocks of his first being squeezed from him.

He was already really close though, with how hard the machine went at him though it was getting difficult to ride the pleasure, oversensitivity still tingled around his tip and his knot buzzed from the overstimulation. And that was when suddenly, the machine stopped all together. Noldar slumped, blinking and panting. He looked over at the vail. It was only about a third full.

He was given about ten seconds before the device shuddered back to life over his cock, the pumping chamber slow at first and then going up to a slow speed to build Noldar back up to that high level of pleasure and keep him there.

Noldar's eyes squinted, he understood then. Balthazar had direct control of this thing, it wasn't following a set pattern, the dragonborn was clearly just good at reading someone's body. His eyes shot up at the dragonborn, who noticed his look. The kobold's breath was too ragged at this point to really speak, but his somewhat annoyed glare made the shopkeeper giggle.

"Relax~ It's more fun that way."

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At the front of the store, Rook was currently leaning against the counter with a regal looking elf standing a few feet just to the right of him, also leaning against it. The elf had entered the store shortly after Balthazar had taken Noldar to the back, and it'd been about twenty minutes now.

Rook was calm as could be, he knew what was going on back there and the time spent so far was actually time he felt he could use gathering his thoughts. When the elf came in he gave the regal looking guy a respectful step back to make room at the counter but remained quiet. If they were entering this store, they probably knew they weren't entering a normal place.

'However...' Rook thought, looking down at the way the elf's fingers were starting to rapidly tap upon the wood of the counter in dwindling patience, 'perhaps he doesn't know after all hehe'

The Lycanroc had no doubt that the dragonborn knew the elf was in the building. This was -his- store. Balthazar had strange ways about knowing where everything in the huge place was and doing very strange and sometimes very dangerous experiments that he wanted Rook's assistance with; in case things needed some killing.

"Where is the blasted lizard..." The elf growled out, not seeming to anyone in particular, looking around the shop idly at the same time.

"In the back." Rook rumbled, the elf's eyes swerving onto the red wolfman as he spoke.

"What? You knew this whole time and just let me stand here?"

Rook smirked and he clicked his tongue, showing off his teeth carefully to the elf. "Careful sir, if you know what the storekeeper here is capable of, you should know what rules are for any fighting in here. Even the -uppity- "I'm royalty" kind. You'll get kicked out of the store...again." Rook smirked. He knew who this elf was, it seemed afterall. "King Tren'bron. A pleasure to see you." Rook spread out his big paws with a sly grin.

"You speak to me like this you damn dog..." The elf snarled again, but he puffed himself up and tried to regain himself, taking a deep breath while Rook snickered. The steel armor he had was shiny, no doubt had its own enchantments to increase its strength. The orange, red and green bright trim along the royal crests on his shoulder pads was that of a tree with a sword upon it, the tip pointed up through the canopy of the tree. An emerald green snake coiled around the shaft of the blade, its head open over the end of the sword as if it was about to try and swallow it and the tree at the same time. Rook didn't know the name of the kingdom.

"Hehe, you probably don't even recall me your -highness-" Rook enjoyed teasing royalty, at least ones that he believed had little to no honor like this one anyway. "I remember you scrambling out of the door at some point, about five years ago, after you lost trying to win something in a game of chess against him. Ya tried to win his service and lost hehe." He sang the last sentence with some kind of giddiness he often didn't show. Being in safe places like this shop allowed Rook to relax very differently after all. There was no way he'd act like this outside...

"And you won it?" The elf snapped.

Rook shrugged, "Naw, I just happen to have a unique set of skills that make me a very valuable business asset to him. Just as you happen to be of royal blood and probably have...decent combat prowess from your upbringing." Rook tried to admit, "I suck at chess, only played it four times for fun against him. I'm keeping my bet for when I really need something and think I can beat him."

The elf smirked, lip curling towards his left cheek, "You have a funny way of talking, I find it hard to tell if you are being insulting or friendly, using it as a mask or just intending to do both."

"When people don't see me as a beast, that tends to happen easily sir." The wolf smirked back. "And I am just giving you my thoughts in honesty. Respect is given and given back, not earned."

"If Balthazar trusts you as a business companion, perhaps you might be able to assist me." The elf slid his fingers somewhat across the counter, his demeanor suddenly changed.

"Perhaps...it depends on the request you have..." Rook said lightly, the way the elf had suddenly switched in his attitude toward the Lycanroc's teasing wasn't lost to him, and he did know better around types like King Tren'bron.

"My daughter has been here, recently, I need information on where she is-"

"Wouldn't be able to help ya there. I don't know what Balthazar knows, even if I am his partner." Rook interjected, the way the elf's tone of voice was quickly telling along with his words that he was just trying to charm him. "I'm not like him, I don't just -know- things, to be honest, I doubt Balthazar can do the same. He pays for his information somehow..."

"You mean how you search for your family, Red Beast?" The king elf sneered, lip curling up. Yup, that friendly demeanor was quick to drop. "You have the same kind of goal I do, don't you?"

"My goal is not yours." Rook narrowed his eyes, he wondered how the king elf had found out about him so thoroughly. Yet here the elf also was, not trying to destroy him like Rook knew some elves would try to. Cursed beings were seen as blights on life to elves.

"Hmmm, perhaps not exactly a similar drive..." The king growled, tapping his fingers on the desk again "I search her out to force her back home, and clear a family tragedy, while she runs off with a woodself from the wrens."

"Perhaps for the best. My drive is that of...personal family drama." Rook narrowed his eyes, his own tone returned to some disdain as the elf king showed his hand anyway, of course he'd been acting.

King Tren'bron growled again and his long nails dug into the wood as he huffed, "I'm leaving...whatever duties you have here, guard dog...you can tell him I'll be back again."

With that curtly said, the elf turned and made towards the door, his clattering armor clanking as he gripped the nob and ripped the door open, but the city beyond was not the same one he had entered from, it was the one Rook had just came from, cold chill of the approaching fall in the morning air still.

Tren'bron slammed the door shut and he looked up at the ceiling with a yell. "Damn you ya dragon you make your door put me back where you -know- I came from!"

There was a short and quick click on the door as the king pulled it back open and the elf, seeing that he was back home as he intended, stalked out. The door closed firmly shut behind him.

"Oh good...thought he'd never leave." Balthazar slid around the back door just seconds after the uppity elf had left.

"Why do you refuse to help him exactly? He knows the entire time he's here you're just avoiding him..." Rook asked, knowing this was actually a common thing for the elf king to come in here and try to pry information out of the dragonborn using his magical scrying items to help find his daughter. When scrying for a mortal, it was somewhat easier than what Rook was attempting. Entities like his family were well aware of when they were being watched like that, and only very powerful things could hope to either pass by unaware or keep them in sight without them noticing.

"He doesn't deserve the help, and I don't feel like he's begged for it enough yet. The foolish king lost sight of his own kingdom's issues. That's why his daughter ran away. Now he's even more hung up on trying to find her rather than fixing that main issue." The Dragonborn made a show of fanning his nails out in front of himself.

"How's Noldar?" Rook questioned then.

"He's doing well...just had his third orgasm, going on his fourth...vail is almost full too, he responded well to the aphrodisiac I make from your blood and se-op..." The dragonborn stopped himself, but he smirked as he knew he'd already let it slip.

Rook closed his eyes with a frown forming on his muzzle, slumping slightly, "You do what now...?"

Balthazar was quick to flee to the back of the store again, swishing a hand over his shoulder somewhat rapidly. "Never mind!"

At this thought of blood and semen though, Rook was reminded of his idea the night before. "By the way, there was something I wanted to ask you about...something about...that other side of me."

Balthazar smirked, grinning, "Ask away. I know well that I'm really the only channel you have for communicating to him, even though he is yourself...hehe."

_________________

Noldar's vision was very blurry and he mumbled when Balthazar finally seemed to tilt the table vertical.

He wasn't able to focus but could somehow stand when the storekeeper undid the clasps around his wrists and ankles, the scales now looking slightly bruised from his fidgeting, and he slid to his feet. Actually, he realized he wasn't standing as more than just leaning against the big metal bench. His cock buzzed, ached, as it hung between his legs loosely after that final, fifth orgasm. Finally, the jar was full.

Noldar was aware, but his body was just exhausted. Trying to move his leg felt like the attempt just kind of stopped at his waist.

"Take your time to recover." Balthazar said in front of him, kneeling somewhat and reaching into a pocket in his robe and pulling out a blue colored vial. "If you do trust me, this will help you recover your stamina quickly." He said, uncorking the small vial as he held it.

The offer of recovering quickly was more desirable to any worry the kobold had and he nodded, his mouth falling open with panting breaths and the dragonborn carefully dripped the blue liquid down the back of his mouth as Noldar swallowed. He was glad he did it like this, as the taste that lingered on his tongue was not very pleasant.

However, the effect was very quick, just like the aphrodisiac he had been given. Noldar's body quickly felt refreshed, the buzzing fading and he was able to wriggle his legs finally.

He was still just a little shaky as he began walking forward, but he accepted Balthazar's guiding hand towards the front of the shop again, where Rook was waiting for him. It'd been about an hour since the effort had started, the time getting to the fourth and fifth orgasm had taken some extra effort.

Thankfully, it seemed to Rook, his interaction with King Tren'bron had helped make the amount of time taken seem far less important. There was still a good amount of time in the day anyway too.

When Noldar was ushered back to the front of the store with Balthazar's assistance, Rook was quick to make sure Noldar was okay.

"I'm fine Rook...sir." Noldar added the last bit at the end in a somewhat delayed fashion, something he fell into pattern with now due to his course of time as a slave.

"I'll need another hour to properly enchant some armor and a weapon and such for him. What are you wanting for weapons, by the way?" Balthazar asked them both, looking down at Noldar and then back up to Rook a few times.

"Get him daggers, a sword and kite shield, and a bow. Stick with leather for his armor, I've seen him move and he's quick and agile, I'd like him to be able to keep that. He definitely has traits as a Berserker." Rook rumbled; Noldar accepted the insight as he kind of wanted to keep that movement too. The selection of weapons Rook was offering to him through the statement wasn't something he was going to say no to either.

A short time later, Balthazar came back carrying an armful of items, laying them out across the counter towards Noldar in a clattering pile of chaos, one of the daggers fell to the ground as it rolled out from the pile after the dragonborn flopped it all onto the table.

Noldar bent down to pick up the weapon and turned it over in his hand as he stood back up, examining it. It was held in a leather like sheath holster that he could hook to the belt strap that was on the new pair of leather armor pants that he quickly noticed on the table too. Along with a chest guard and some forearm guards, it'd keep his major body protected and let him keep freedom of movement.

The sword and shield would offer him a different kind of style than he was accustomed to, but Noldar was confident he could pick it up quickly. The bow was what really drew the Kobold's attention though. After setting the dagger down next to everything else he wrapped his fingers around the limbs of the bow and lifted it. He pulled it close and began to look it over.

It was a traditional looking bow, but the tightness Noldar felt from the string told him it would shoot strong like a compound bow he was used to seeing other hunters use. He determined this was probably thanks to whatever enchants Balthazar put on it, as the string pulled back and the bow bent to his strength with ease even though he -knew-, with how tight the string felt it wouldn't have been possible to so easily pull. He held a pose like he was going to shoot an arrow for a moment, finger pointed out like he was aiming and tilting his head somewhat into the view.

It'd been forever since he'd been allowed to hold a bow, it currently felt a little alien to him...but he was sure he'd get back into that zone he knew he had back in the valley as a hunter.

"We have arrows too?" Noldar asked, suddenly thinking of doing target practice at some trees.

Balthazar sighed, leaning forward with a purposeful slump. "Forgot those..." He grumbled and turned to go back to the backroom, the door closing behind him.

Rook called after him, "Oh! Can we get a spear instead of the sword and kite shield!?"

"Needy BITCHES!!!" The Dragonborn's voice screeched back, but it only made Rook chuckle, as suddenly the sword and the kite shield vanished, the pile of armor clattering as it settled.

Noldar looked at Rook, "How am I to carry it all?"

The Lycanroc grinned at the kobold, reaching behind himself. He pulled free another item Noldar hadn't yet been able to see since the Lycanroc had kept it hidden in his mane of fur. His backpack. It had a large pocket sleeve and then holsters on the sides and back with velcro straps. The cloth material it was made of looked tough but malleable and sturdy. It looked so expensive, a proper adventurer's pack really. Rook held it out to him while rumbling. "This is yours for now."

Noldar stammered, "W-what...?"

Rook giggled, "I mean it's yours in that now that you're with me, as my adventuring companion, you get to hold the backpack." He stuck his tongue out with a grin, "It'll hold your things though, and whatever we put in it, it won't feel any heavier than it already is. It's enchanted just like my other bags of holding."

Noldar was still happy to be able to receive the backpack, even if it was still technically Rook's. Just then Balthazar came back, the door swinging open and he emerged holding a brown leather quiver full of about 50 arrows carefully stacked within it and a metal pole staff. The shopkeeper placed the quiver on the counter before he spoke to Noldar.

"Noldar, what kind of weapon do you prefer as a spear if meant for killing? Don't speak, just give me a kind of...mental picture."

Noldar didn't really understand what Balthazar meant, but there was an instinctual image that popped up in his head at the Dragonborn's words, and it made the larger dragonkin grin. "Got ya..."

He lifted the metal pole up onto the counter, one hand holding it steady and flat over the edge of it while he placed his other hand over the end of the staff. A bright, white glow appeared from Balthazar's hand to cover over the weapon and he hummed pleasantly, a happy grin on his muzzle. Shortly after, there was a bubbling sound coming from where his hand met the staff.

Noldar watched in amazement of the magic as Balthazar lifted his hand from the end of the staff, metal seemed like it was flowing from his palm like water...it rapidly coalesced and hardened into curved and sharp looking blades. The liquid like metal seemed to fill the air as if there was an invisible mold. In less than about thirty seconds, Balthazar had crafted a spear that screamed it was as deadly as it appeared...

Four blades extended from the tip in a cross pattern, curved downwards like scythes about a foot long each, while another fifth blade extended straight out from the staff, the base of the point was thick and then became a sharp point at the end. You could throw this spear at a creature and it'd sink into its hide, the scythe like blades would act like hooks.

"Hehe, krafty 'bold..." Balthazar snickered while he held the staff up to examine the blades, making sure his work was as sharp as he could do. "That image you gave me screamed that you want to kill big things..."

Noldar blinked. Did he...?

He didn't get the chance to ask or elaborate though, as Balthazar was quick in putting the items one at a time onto the backpack, slipping the staff through some holding grips on it's right side and then securing it with one of the velcro straps, then doing the same with his bow and putting that on the other side, and finally connecting the quiver to the back so that its arrows would poke up over Noldars right shoulder while he wore it.This kept his bow readily accessible on his left side, he'd be able to switch weapons quickly this way if he needed.

Balthazar helped Noldar in shouldering the backpack to check; it fit him well, and then he just as quickly pulled it back off his naked body. "All righty orange boy~ ya look all set, get the undergarments on and then strap on that armor!"

Just a few moments later, and Noldar was geared up, wearing well fitting, slightly green and tan leather armor with the backpack with the weapons attached to it at his sides. He looked like he had always been an adventurer rather than a slave. Blathazar let him see himself in a mirror, the faded green of the armor melded with the bright orange of his scales in an odd contrast but-

"I've seen far worse fashion." Rook snickered out as he came to stand just behind Noldar, putting his big paws on Noldar's shoulders and the kobold had to turn his head back to look up at the big wolfman.

"Wonder what kind of nickname you'll end up getting traveling with me." He snickered at Noldar, and the kobald gave a slight smile before looking back to his reflection. Looking at himself like this...he felt powerful just from it alone.

_____________________

About ten minutes later, Noldar and Rook left "True Alchemy" with their given gear. Balthazar promised the interested kobold that he'd select some 'beginner' books for him to learn some magic from. The next time they visited he could take them with him.

Shortly after they left the store, Noldar noticed Rook's demeanor fell right back into that big burly warrior kind of feeling. He tried to match it and follow right behind the wolfman as he was holding that length of rope between them again, connected at the hip where it was tied to his new belt loops. Noldar might've looked more like an adventuring kobold now, but they would continue to try and keep up the look of Master/Slave like this.

Rook led Noldar back outside of the city and back out into the forest to his camp. Once they were there, the wolfman let go of the rope, but he didn't remove it from Noldar's belt as he spoke. "All righty, so...to tell you my plans today."

Noldar's ears both perked at this and he gave a short nod to signal his attention when the Lycanroc turned towards him. "We're going to spar, you and me. You with your daggers, me with just my hands."

"With...just your hands?" Noldar repeated. His initial surprise was tempered by the knowledge he had over Rook's powers so far, but he was left curious on how Rook could be so confident of himself.

"Hmmhmm, I'm sure once you make contact with me with one of those daggers you'll understand why I'm not worried."

Noldar began to remove the backpack, pulling his arms through the straps to kind of let it slide down the back of his legs until it sat on the ground behind him. It's bulk kept it standing upright. The kobold felt a new appreciation for how its enchants kept it so light despite its apparent weight. He undid the rope from his belt as Rook continued to explain.

"I want you to come at me as if you intend to seriously injure, or even kill me."

This made Noldar pause his work in undoing the knot of rope to look up towards Rook, but the Lycanroc continued on, "I need to see your skills firsthand to know what you are capable of alongside me in fights; so that I know what kind of opponents you can face and overcome."

Noldar nodded shortly, but his mind was suddenly in conflict. He finished undoing the rope and then pulled the pair of daggers out of their sheaths at his belt, hefting them into his hands. Their weight felt well balanced for him, just as Balthazar had mentioned to them back at the store, they were enchanted specifically for his own grip and almost felt like an extension of his own body.

He didn't want to fight Rook though.

"Sir...I..." He paused, which made Rook wave his paw in a circle.

"Speak your mind...again I have no qualms about your thoughts, just in how you react to my words or actions in response to them."

"I don't want to fight you..." Noldar sighed, "You've given me new life and purpose. I don't want to hurt you."

A few seconds after Noldar spoke; only enough for him to know that the kobold was done speaking, did Rook suddenly lunge forward. Noldar didn't even get much chance to respond, as he took a moment to even realize the Lycanroc was lunging at him that he couldn't have stopped the wolfman's huge paw grabbing around his neck, picking him up into the air briefly, and then slamming him down to the ground.

Noldar gagged as his throat was squeezed in the Lycanroc's paw, his body flashing with pain after being slammed down. Rook kneeled over him and growled, "If you're really feeling like that, then you've just told me you're going to end up useless to me. What if I actually end up dangerous after I defeat my family? My Elemental side may turn against us once we kill them. Doing so thereby also destroys the other Elementals they've fused with themselves, and I don't know what it's thoughts are on us destroying other elemental beings. I have no idea what -its- opinion on that is. Perhaps we'll come across something actually strong enough to hypnotize even me, and I'm turned against you."

Suddenly Rook would feel a poking against his side, along with the slight sound of a 'tink tink tink' of metal against metal. He looked briefly down at his side, where Noldar was attempting to stab him with one of his daggers, rather fiercely it seemed, but the Lycanroc's own fur was clustering into its metal-like state seemingly on its own to protect him. This was his Elemental half doing that. Rook himself was never quite aware of it, but he knew it protected him.

Looking back towards Noldar's face, the Lycanroc was momentarily surprised at the look of pure spite the kobold had fixed him with, his face had turned into a viscous looking snarl. "You're full of yourself it seems. Someday you won't have whatever it is you have to protect you. Remember you had said last night, as a shaman berserker you're already hard to kill. What about this right here? No fur, means stab, means bleeding out and dying. If your overconfidence doesn't get you killed, your sympathy and own lack of awareness will!"

With that shouted, Noldar's other hand suddenly punched the Lycanroc's face. Here, his fur didn't bunch up, mostly because such an impact would've rattled him far more than the punch itself harmed; and so Rook grunted and fell back from the kobold slightly, which let Noldar scramble out from under him, as he continued to shout.

"You lack fear of death because of your immortality! Well news flash if you don't remember, I don't have that! You ask me to fight you as if I intend to kill you, well, how are you going to fight me in response?! Is my entire time with you going to be you treating me like I'm disposable?!"

The facade of master and slave was dropped as Rook sat back on the ground, right leg bending up and the other stretching out, and he rested his right arm over his knee as he would look away. "No...of course not. What I said before is true, I need to know your capabilities myself so that I can determine what threats you can handle on your own. You listed a few 'normal' kinds of things you've fought against in that fighting pit in the city, but as you've pointed out yourself just last night too, I'm going up against things that could potentially just blow you away by looking at you...quite literally. Raze, one of my family members, holds an Elemental of Wind and Air. He could lift you up into the air and just...let you drop. Zera controls a Elemental of Ice and Water, he can freeze you in a block of ice for all time...both are ways I've personally watched them kill already..."

A moment of silence hung between them, before Rook leaned forward, his eyes staying glued to the ground in front of him. "I can feel vibrations through the earth and ground...my own Elemental is that of Earth and Stone, as you know. You've seen what it lets me do, I can fold the ground itself as if it is made of paper. Think..." He fixed Noldar a firm stare. "If I was to truly lose control of it...what kinds of ways do you think my Elemental could do to kill you? I could tell you of many that I know I've done in the past...but I think...the most brutal way it could would be to just bury you into a shallow grave for you to slowly suffocate..."

"That side of me is a completely different...person." Rook said, putting his paws together, "I have no idea what he thinks about our situation...about what I have been intending to do with his power. My only method of asking that side of me questions is by giving them to Balthazar and the next time I need his help with my curse, he asks them and tells me the answer. Yesterday you made me think of something about myself and that side of me. I won't tell you what the question is...but its...important to how I will go forward."

Rook fixed Noldar a look, "I wasn't going to tell you until later, but tonight you will be sleeping here on your own while I go back to the store for that reason. I'll be in that machine myself tonight...and he'll ask that side of me that question while that damn machine milks me for all it can."

Noldar's demeanor did not change much from the Lycanroc's words, and although the knowledge that he would be alone instead of with Rook that night made him feel a pang of remorse, he still snarled, "That doesn't change your lack of respect to death."

"You're incorrect..." Rook continued, "I have the highest respect of death...I suppose I cannot prove such a thing, but it is one of the many reasons I did not try to destroy the men who I saw beating you. Death is a busy entity...it has more important souls to worry about."

This made Noldar pause. "An...entity...?"

"You'll understand it, should you ever be near death..." Rook said softly, his eyes looking out to the distance. "I've died before Noldar...you think immortality means you don't get to see death?"

With this, the wolfman began to stand up again, brushing off his legs with a sigh. "Nevermind on sparring...we can save that for tomorrow. Another reason I wish to do it is because of the fighting tournament happening soon. I have little doubt of your ability to handle a human or other humanoid opponent now, but again, I worry too about keeping you safe from the more powerful things I will be targeting."

"Stay here...I will be back in the morning...there is food in the packback and I trust you know how to build your own fire, you'll find tools in the pack for that too. Just reach your hand into the pockets and then think about a flint and steel or the like and grasp around, like I told ya last night..." Rook said this while he lifted his paw slightly, the deep bit of earth opened up next to them in the clearing. A staircase etched itself out from the wall of the square opening and its walls to lead the way around the pit to the bottom.

Rook then started to leave the clearing, after just a few steps Nodlar called out to him.

"Wait." He reached with his hand, "Sir...Rook..."

"Hmm?" Rook looked over his shoulder at the kobold.

"You are...actually leaving me here for the whole day...?" Noldar questioned, a look of pure confusion over his face now instead.

"My plan for the rest of today was to spar until it got close to night, but you've made your thoughts on that clear. And I honestly no longer feel that it's necessary for the kinds of opponents we may face in the tournament. You have confidence, and already have plenty of experience against humanoid opponents, and that should be enough for now." The Lycanroc lightly waved his paw somewhat dismissively.

"What? But I-"

"If you expected that I would be around you at all times well...I guess you have incorrect expectations to address yourself." Rook just gave a little chuckle as he continued to walk away, "Perhaps then you'll be less inclined to question my intentions or have such an angry reaction."

Noldar's eyes went a little wide at this statement. What...? He...slammed him against the ground though! And then he...had...

The realization of their relationship returned to Noldar. Rook was in charge, he had bought him. He was allowed his own opinion sure, and Rook was and by far, the kindest and most exciting Master he'd had. But it was exactly as he had said, 'you've just told me you're going to end up useless to me'. What if those situations ended up true...?

But the kobold didn't get any chances to try and put his thoughts together or argue further, as the Lycanroc kept on walking, eventually disappearing from his sight into the trees.

Noldar was left alone in the clearing, with the backpack and weapons.

The thought floated in front of his awareness. He could just take these and leave, never look back.

But...he had nothing else.

'Shit...why did I even get so angry...? I should've just accepted his request to spar...' Noldar inwardly sighed at himself. 'I can't just leave...I know nothing about the rest of the world except being a slave...don't know my way back home...'

And so Noldar hefted his pack and then started to make his way down the stairs, where he would resign himself to waiting. A self imposed punishment to his own disobedience.