FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Hello all! Here is the next chapter of my Warcraft Saga. This one was particularly hard to finish. Up till now all of my "naughty" scenes were in the third person, and I tend not to use a lot of vulgarity in this story. Well, that's changed a bit. Tried out some new styles here and pushed to keep the story line moving. I hope you enjoy!

CHAPTER FIVE

It really wasn't a fair fight. The pair of black-armored figures moved through the deserted street with an eerie gliding motion like no other living thing Ren had ever witnessed. It was as though reality didn't really have a firm grip on the pair. The young warrior gasped for air as he and the Goblin, Lirrak, sprinted frantically through the village.

"Enny...*huff*...more...*huff*...bright...*huff*...ideas?"

The Goblin was referring to a few minutes prior when Ren had blasted their pursuers with an amazingly powerful fireball, conjured on the fly. The spell had immolated a huge section of the street and surrounding buildings, bearing testament to the young human's power. However, just as Ren had thought he was successful, the two black shapes had emerged from the conflagration unscathed, pieces of burning debris falling away from the unnatural armor. This was just one of several attacks by the young warrior and his Goblin companion. Cold, acid, electric, and now fire in several combinations had all failed to even slow the pursuers. Ren was struggling to think as his feet pounded the ground.

"Nope. How about...*pant*...run...*pant*...faster?

Lirrak flashed him a look that said it all - Smartass! - And redoubled his efforts. As the two fled down the street, Ren recalled the events of the day that had led up to their current predicament.

******************

Ren awoke at first light. The early rays of the sun streamed through his bedroom window and played across the dancing motes of dust in the air. The young human pushed back his covers and sat up with a sigh. Realization of the day jolted his sleep-fogged mind wide awake. Today was the quest with Lirrak! Ren hurriedly dressed, made his bed, and grabbed his loaded backpack before rushing quietly downstairs. His father was no doubt in the laboratory and Ren moved silently due to years of acquiescing to Gareth's demands of no disturbance. At the front door, the young human paused for a moment, mentally reviewing his preparations, and then headed out, shutting the door softly behind him.

Ren strode briskly down the street towards the bakery. In their discussions the previous day, both the human and Goblin agreed that it would be best to take food along to help speed the journey. Ren had packed a supply of dried meat, fruit, and cheeses from his pantry. Now he made his way to the bakery in the hopes of purchasing some travel cakes to add to the fare. Travel cakes were actually blocks of oats, grains, and breadstuff baked into bars and flavored with honey. Druhma added assorted spices, including cinnamon, which made hers the best travel cakes in the village. As Ren approached the bakery, he spotted the steady glow of a lamp emanating from the windows in the front of the structure. Thanks to the unique placement of the shop in comparison to the towering cliff sides, the sunlight had not fully reached this section of the village.

Ren pushed through the open door into the familiar front room of the bakery. He was mildly surprised to find the door open after witnessing the condition of the busty Orc the previous night. The young warrior wondered idly if Druhma's paramour of last evening was still somewhere inside the building. When his gaze swept the room, he noticed a mass of shiny black hair covered in two hands resting on the small counter. With a start, Ren realized it was Druhma, touching her forehead to the countertop and holding her head in her hands.

"Ohhhh... what was I thinking? And who left the dwarf have the hammer?"

Ren was confused. What dwarf? And why couldn't he hear a hammer?

"Say that again?"

The busty Orcess stood slowly, eyes shut, and faced the young warrior.

"Shh. Not so loud. I feel like a have a dwarf pounding a hammer in my head."

"Oh right! Sorry."

Ren stepped up to the counter. The Orc opened her eyes for the split second needed to see his face.

"Oh! Hey Ren! How are you this morning?"

"Not bad. I'm getting ready to go on a quest with Lirrak and hoped I could pick up some of your travel cakes."

"Of course! I have a fresh batch from two days ago."

Druhma turned to start across the room and froze in place, wincing in pain. Ren immediately was concerned.

"Hey! Are you all right?"

The big Orcess waved a hand at him and turned back to the counter. She stood with her eyes closed as her grimace of pain gradually faded.

"I'm going to be fine. I just have a hangover mixed with... well, something."

"Something?"

Druhma actually looked a little embarrassed.

"Have you ever done something so outrageous that it just pushed you to your limits?"

"Well yes I have, why?"

"Last night I got really drunk..."

"Yes, I remember that."

"Oh yeah... you were there...and your little Tauren hottie, Belune, right?"

Ren nodded his head.

"I'm surprised you remembered us."

The Orcess leaned over and rested her elbows on the counter. This had the wonderful effect of pressing her enormous breasts against the countertop and displaying a few acres of cleavage. Druhma grinned mischievously at the young warrior.

"Oh I remember everything, stud." Her eyes pointedly looked right at Ren's crotch and back to his face. "And I mean everything."

Ren suddenly felt the heat coming from his cheeks.

"Er...uh...oh boy."

Druhma chuckled evilly at the young warrior's embarrassment. Ren decided to try and change the subject.

"I noticed something else last night. When you drink, you have a tendency to talk a little differently. Why is that?"

The Orcess just shrugged her shoulders.

"Just because I come from the slums of Orgrimmar doesn't mean I have to talk like I do. I've worked for years to banish that accent. It sort of slips back after a drink or two."

"So I noticed."

The curvy Orc stood back up, and winced again. Ren raised an eyebrow at her.

"You sure you're fine?"

"Yeah, just little aftershocks from a fling last night."

"Oh, the Tauren?"

"Yes. He walked me home last night and..."

Druhma let the sentence trail off, wiggling her eyebrows for effect. Ren's face remained neutral but on the inside his heart was pounding. The events he witnessed last night sprung to the front of his mind, along with all of the doubts and fears that plagued him since.

"Wow. That must have been something..."

"Oh it was something all right, but when I woke up this morning, he was already gone."

Ren frowned at the countertop as the events of last night played through his mind. The sheer size and endurance of the young Tauren had brought doubts to his mind concerning his relationship with Belune. Granted, the sultry Tauren was small for her species but she was still a Tauren. Small or not, Belune was of the same race as the young bull from last night. To think that her anatomy was designed to handle him brought a shudder of despair to the young warrior. Druhma watched as the thoughts raced behind his eyes.

"Now what are you going on about? You have a bit of a pained expression yourself."

Distracted, Ren answered automatically.

"I was just thinking. My girlfriend's a Tauren, just like the guy you took home last night. If she comes from a race that is as well endowed as he is, how am I supposed to satisfy her? I mean, he was huge! I didn't...oh,crap."

Ren stood rigidly, eyes wide open in alarm. He just realized what he had said about Druhma's date from last night. By all rights he shouldn't know how well the Tauren was endowed. The young warrior slowly lifted his gaze up to the Orc's face. Druhma regarded him with a sly smirk.

"Tell me, scared stuff, just how do you know how big my bull was last night?"

Ren's mouth opened and closed as his heart hammered away in his chest. Half a dozen easy lies flitted through his mind, and then he sighed, slumped his shoulders, and hung his head.

"Um... I've been spying on you from a clearing behind your house."

The young human stared at the floor, expecting an explosion. The Orcess reached over the counter and lifted Ren's face by putting a finger under his chin.

"It's about time you admitted it."

Ren was thoroughly shocked. His eyes bulged and his chin fell to his chest. He sputtered for a few seconds before he could speak.

"You...you knew?"

"Of course. I've known from the first day you were up there."

Ren continued to sputter.

"But...how?"

Druhma flipped the counter up and walked slowly through, wincing at every step. When she reached the young human, she casually put an arm around his shoulders.

"I remember the day I was taking a shower and the glass didn't fog. That glass sheet always fogs. I was suspicious after that."

Ren was flabbergasted. All this time he had thought he was being sneaky.

"How did you know it was me? I was very careful..."

Druhma ran her free hand up Ren's chest and tangled her fingers in his hair.

"I didn't know it was you for sure until the day Brulliard fed my bastard ex to his demon buddy."

Ren didn't think he could gape any wider.

"You saw that? Why didn't you say anything?"

"I saw it right out my front windows. It was the demon who gave you away."

"What? How was that?"

In response the Orcess took her fingers out of his hair and rang a fingernail off the handle of Ren's sword. The metallic clink rang clearly in the young man's ear. Using the same finger, she pointed at the pommel.

"As soon as he pointed this out, I knew. When you try to hide from me, don't bring such shiny toys. I could see this gem as clear as day."

Ren reached over his shoulder and carefully drew his sword. Upon inspection of the end of the pommel, he saw what she was talking about. A beautiful round diamond graced the end of the sword. Inside the gem, a brilliant starburst pattern reflected the light in a scintillating array of colors. The gem was inset so perfectly flush with the surrounding metal; Ren hadn't noticed it till now. Returning his sword to its scabbard, he looked at the Orc.

"If you knew I was up there, why did you...do...all those things?"

The young warrior recalled all of the times he had been up to the clearing. In the six months since he had discovered it, he had frequented the cliff top often. He had watched the Orcess time and time again, showering, having sex, and even masturbating. All those times, he didn't see her once look out through the glass...

"You...you acted like nothing was different! Why?"

The big Orcess bent over so close to Ren's ear he could feel her tusk brush his cheek.

"I did act different. I was acting for you."

Ren turned his head at her whisper, realizing he was only a finger width from her face.

"You said you didn't know it was me until yesterday morning."

"True. But I knew someone was on that cliff top. That's what made it so fun! When it turned out to be you, well that was just an added bonus."

Ren was incredibly aware of how close she was. If he leaned forward even the slightest bit, he was going to be pressing his lips to hers. Druhma seemed to be taking pleasure in his discomfort.

"What's the matter, gorgeous? Afraid of me?"

Ren licked his lips. He couldn't get last nights images out of his mind.

"Even if I wasn't with Belune, I don't think I would be able to satisfy you."

Druhma cocked an eyebrow, and then boldly hooked a finger in the front of Ren's breeches and smallclothes. She pulled them out away from his body and casually glanced inside.

"Mmm... yeah, that would definitely satisfy me."

Ren blinked in surprise and looked down. He looked back up at the Orcess.

"Seriously? After what I saw last night?"

Druhma's gaze never left the inside of his pants as she spoke.

"Pfft! Last night was a little fun, but mostly it hurt. This is way more to my liking. After all, you're the same size as my ex."

Ren was stunned.

"What? That's not possible!"

He looked down. Upon closer inspection, he did seem a little larger. Ok, a lot larger! What the hell? When did this happen? Ren was starting to get a little confused. Granted, he didn't spend time inspecting his own equipment but he was ABSOLUTELY sure he wasn't this size when he last had sex. In fact, the last time was with that busty Goblin girl six months ago, when he bought his sword. He looked at the Orc in confusion.

"Uh...this is news to me!"

The Orcess looked in his face.

"Right. You didn't realize how big you are, huh?"

"No. Seriously. I didn't!"

Druhma let go of his clothing and fixed him with a puzzled look. His confusion must have been evident on his face because her voice grew full of concern.

"Come on, honey. Don't you ever look down once in a while?"

"Er...yes! But six months ago it definitely wasn't like this!"

"Six months?"

"I last had sex six months ago. I'm telling you, it wasn't anywhere near this size then."

The Orcess stood up and regarded him thoughtfully.

"So you're telling me you've increased in size in just six months, and that you didn't know about it? Don't you ever...you know...help yourself?"

"My father doesn't approve of that. If I did it and he asked, he has a way of knowing if I lied to him. It's just safer to refrain."

"Sounds like your father is a real wet blanket. Do I know him?"

"Gareth Mordrogon"

Druhma stood stiff and removed her arm from his shoulders.

"Gareth is your dad?"

"I'm guessing you know him."

"Two loaves of bread, one pan of rolls, and a puff pastry, every sevennight. He comes in here with Mal'therius Agromath."

"Yes, that's my father. So you can see why I listen to what he has to say."

"Yeah, I see your point. But Ren, you really didn't know about your..."

The Orcess waved a finger down in the general direction of Ren's breeches. Ren sighed and shook his head.

"No, I didn't. But I sure am going to find out what's going on. I mean, what is Belune going to say?"

Druhma smiled and put her arm back on his shoulders.

"At least she can't say your equipment is too small now, eh?"

Ren felt himself blushing at the remark. Hurriedly he tried to change the subject away from his genitalia.

"After that kiss she gave you last night, she may not even need me."

Ren smiled to show he was ribbing the Orcess. Druhma smiled back and touched his nose with her free forefinger.

"Oh I doubt that, handsome. I've been going to the Rod & Cup to eat for weeks. Ever since she met you, she can't go a few minutes without talking about you."

"Wow, I didn't know! I really want so much for us to be together. I'm going to miss her till I get back."

The Orcess dropped her arm and walked, wincing, back behind the counter. She turned and pointed at the young warrior.

"I'll keep her company till you get back. As much as she and I have talked over the past few weeks, I'm sure I can keep her spirits up."

"Thank you Druhma. It'll mean a lot to me if you can help her through this. I didn't realize how close the two of you were until last night."

The Orc leaned her elbows on the counter again.

"Like I said last night, I like the two of you. But don't worry; I'm not going to try anything while you're gone."

The Orcess reached out wrapped some of his tunic in her fingers. Her smile was a mischievous grin.

"When I get what I want, it will be both of you. My offer of last night still stands."

"You were serious about that?"

Druhma pulled him closer by his tunic until they were face to face again.

"Oh I was dead serious, stud. After the kiss she planted on me last night, I think your girl is willing too. Only question now is...how do you feel about it?"

Ren paused only a moment before answering.

"Honestly? I can't say it sounds bad. In fact, it sounds pretty damn intriguing."

The Orcess pecked him on the lips before letting go of his tunic.

"Good answer, Ren. I'll be waiting for both of you when you're ready. In the meantime, how about I get you those travel cakes?"

Ren stood in surprise as the Orc hobbled over to the breadbox where she stored her travel cakes. Unbelievably, he realized he just agreed to a threesome with the same Orcess he had been admiring in secret for months! And the strangest part was that his girlfriend had started it all! Shaking his head, Ren just hoped he wasn't biting off more than he could chew. More worrying was the apparent bodily changes he was experiencing. Upon further reflection, he realized his changes didn't stop at his reproductive organs. Two months ago, he was buying a whole new wardrobe of shirts, having outgrown his old ones. Breeches were his purchase of choice just a month ago. Ren had attributed his development to exercise and a youth-related growth spurt, now he was unsure. Before he could think of anything more, Druhma arrived with a large tray of travel cakes.

"Here you go, honey. How many of these do you want?"

"I'll just take them all please. I don't know how long I will be gone."

"Ok!"

The Orcess expertly slid the cakes into a stack on a piece of waxed parchment, wrapped them with a few deft moves, and slid the whole package into Ren's bag. When the young warrior reached for the bag, Druhma gently pulled him close by his wrist. Her arms slid around his shoulders, cupping him to her massive bosom. Ren looked up at her face and saw the slight, sad smile.

"Be careful, Ren. I know I'm not the love of your life...but I would like to see you again anyway."

The Orc leaned down and kissed him gently on the lips. Ren wrapped an arm around her waist and hugged her close. When she raised her face from his, he smiled up at her.

"I'll be careful, Druhma. Thank you for everything... and thank you for not being mad at me."

The Orcess ruffled his hair before letting him go.

"You can make it up to me later. Bel and I will be waiting for when you get back."

Ren chuckled at her and turned to leave.

Outside of the bakery, Ren paused only a moment to tuck the package of cakes into his backpack. When he looked up, Lirrak was setting on the low wall that surrounded the main well of the village, his back propped against one of the poles supporting the overhanging roof. The young warrior grinned as he approached the Goblin alchemist.

"Good morning, Lirrak! Are you ready to go?"

The Goblin patted a bulging satchel at his side.

"Ennything and evrythin ya could need ta whip up'a potion'r two."

"Good! I got some travel cakes from Druhma. We can leave right away."

Lirrak crossed his arms over his chest and grinned up at the young human.

"Looks ta me like that's not all she gave ya!"

"What? Were you watching me inside?"

"Heh... tha windows work both ways Ren!"

The young warrior shook his head and sighed.

"It wasn't what it looked like. She was wishing me a safe journey."

"Yeah, yeah...aint none'a my business ennyway." Lirrak stood and pulled his satchel around his shoulder. "Yer really startin the day off with'a bang..."

The roof over the well exploded, throwing Ren backwards across the open courtyard. He automatically tucked into a ball and rolled to a stop several paces away. Ears ringing, the young warrior looked around for the source of the blast and found Lirrak staggering to his feet groggily. Looking the other way, Ren spotted a tell tale smoke trail leading up the street to the outstretched arm of one of a pair of black armored figures. The figures began to move towards the young human in weird, slithering strides that seemed to speed up and slow down erratically. Ren gawked as one figured blinked from one spot to the next in mid stride. There was something definitely wrong about the two. Lirrak followed Ren's gaze and saw the figures.

"That can't b'good! Hit em with somethin Ren!"

The young warrior began an incantation to propel a freezing blast of cold at the approaching figures. Like his father, the young warrior sped quickly and smoothly through the spell and felt the energy sear out towards the armored figures, now two blocks away. The very air around the two froze solid, encasing the armored forms in ice. However, not a heartbeat later the ice cracked and tumbled to the ground. The two in black armor kept on coming...

******************

Ren's stamina was being sorely tested. After the initial encounter, Lirrak had hurled vials of acid, Ren had tried lightning strikes, and then the two had turned and run for their lives. As they fled down the empty streets of the village, Lirrak produced a handful of pebbles that, when thrown, temporarily expanded into colossal boulders. He chucked them generously over his shoulder as they ran. When Ren had looked back and watched one of the black-clad figures shrug off a direct impact from a huge stone, he told Lirrak to save them. The two pursuers drew within several paces and Ren shoved Lirrak into a narrow side street, an idea forming in his mind. As they continued to dodge and weave, the young warrior snatched a small handful of Lirrak's expanding pebbles and tossed them softly behind. The pebbles instantly formed a pile of boulders a few paces high, wedged tightly between the buildings. Goblin and human smiled as they ran, confident the wall of rock would at least slow the pursuit. An armored form leapt nimbly over the pile, dashing their hopes. The other figure simply plowed impossibly through the obstacle, not even appearing to slow down. The fleeing pair exchanged a worried glance as they continued to run. A fireball and a few words brought Ren back to the present.

What the hell are these things? The young human plumbed the depths of his knowledge but couldn't find any remote answer. He hadn't even heard of anything like this. He glanced around to get his bearings and realized that they had come full circle, heading back to the damaged well. Risking a glance over his shoulder, Ren noted the large size of the figures and began to get a glimmer of an idea.

"Lirrak!...*pant*...Follow me!..*pant*...I've got...*pant*...an idea!"

Swerving away, the young warrior sped straight for the hidden rope near the cliff face. He skidded to a stop at the bottom and turned to face the Goblin alchemist as he came panting in. Before Lirrak could realize what he was doing, Ren grabbed him and threw him up the rope. Startled, the Goblin clutched at the top of the rope merely by reflex. Climbing up after him, Ren called up.

"Climb! We can lose them in the trees! They're too big!"

Comprehending, Lirrak immediately finished the short climb and pulled himself over the edge. Seconds later, the young human followed. As he jumped to his feet, Ren hazarded another glance at their pursuers. The lead figure was a pace or two ahead of the other and just closing on the cliff. In eerie silence, the armored form launched itself high into the air, drawing a huge, ugly black sword. Ren's stomach clenched. The arc of the figure's leap was going to have it land at the top of the cliff, long before he or Lirrak could flee. Battle reflexes had his own sword in his hands as the black figure descended in a two-handed chop.

The midnight sky crashed down on Ren's upturned blade. Whoever or whatever was in that armor, they were STRONG! He barely deflected the attack. A blazing flurry of strikes followed as Ren danced backward, trying desperately to divert the enormous strength of the attacks away at angles from his body. His arms began to tire from the powerful blows and the young human saw the second figure crash down on the cliff top, an enormous war hammer already swinging. In the brief moment the second figure struck the ground, the first armored form had reflexively turned its head at the noise. Ren took advantage, sweeping away the black weapon and swinging powerfully for the juncture between the helmet and pauldron.

As he swung, Ren felt the sword thrum with energy in his hand. The power was warm, comforting, and tingly on his palms. The figure was turning back to the young warrior and instinctively raised a shoulder at the incoming swing. The sword grazed harshly off the pauldron in a shower of sparks and struck the helmet, edge on. Unbelievably, the keen blade partially penetrated the black steel and became wedged in the helmet. As the human tugged on the blade, the power thrummed harder in his hands and the metal where his blade touched began to change. Like fast moving rust, the metal reverted back to its original iron grey coloring in a blossoming pattern all across the helmet and down over the body of the armor. Ren had a faint perception of widened eyes behind the slit in the helmet's visor as the figure trembled through the transformation. As the young warrior finally managed to pull his sword free, the entire set of armor was no longer black. It seemed to somehow have lost its unearthliness and snapped back into reality.

The other figure, still clothed in the mind-bending black armor, rushed from where it had paused behind its partner and swung the hammer in a vicious blow. Ren scrambled backwards to avoid the swing and ducked into the shrubbery directly behind Lirrak. Keeping low and dodging tree limbs, the young warrior soon caught up to the Goblin as they fled. Exhausted, both turned, gasping, and risked a look behind. The figure with the sword turned and ran along the edge of the cliff, its movements no longer smooth or fluid. The hammer-wielding black armored form plowed through the trees, heading directly towards the breathless pair. Then, in the midst of its charge, the figure snapped a tree limb off of the trunk of a small tree. Lirrak gave a little cry, there was a flash of green light, and the figure blinked in and out of existence. Pausing, the armored form shook its head, and then continued the chase. Lirrak's former excitement palled at what he had witnessed.

"Ah! Now that jest aint fair!"

The two turned and resumed their flight, ducking and dodging as they rushed down the slope of Giant's step. Rounding a huge mound of boulders covered in moss, Ren snatched Lirrak up and continued right around the pile, placing his hand over the Goblin's mouth to stifle his surprise. The pair ducked into a thick stand of bushes and watched quietly as the armored hunter stomped past and continued into the next grove of trees. Both adventurers panted as quietly as they could, trying to catch their breath. Ren glanced at Lirrak and whispered.

"Any idea what the hell those things are?"

"I'm thinkin, I'm thinkin...I heard some rumors...but I neva thought..."

"Never thought what?"

The Goblin looked fearfully up at Ren.

"I heard some rumors tha council was gonna try ta make some special-type armor. It was so outta tha ordinary, I did'n think they could pullit off!"

"What kind of armor, Lirrak?"

"It's called Corrupted Saronite Battlegear. It's made with help from demons!"

"Demonic plate? No wonder it shrugged off all our attacks. All except the last one."

"Wha? What last one?"

"I hit it with my sword and the armor just changed. It was like it took away the enchantment."

"Yer sword? That's it?"

"I felt this power when it struck. Sort of like the feeling we got from the gold band yesterday."

Lirraks eyes lit up.

"Thassit! Ya hit it with'a healin spell! That's what'll stop demon plate! Can ya doit again?"

"I don't know...I've never done that type of spell before today. It just happened when I hit him with my sword!"

Lirrak glanced at the sword in Ren's hand.

"Nice sword. Thinkya can hit tha other one?"

Ren narrowed his eyes in the direction the other figure had gone.

"Let's find out..."

The two plunged into the brush, following the path clearly made by the armored form. Ren marveled at the fact the figure hadn't deduced that its quarry had doubled back and was now following behind. There was also the other armored figure to worry about. Ren had last seen that one moving quickly along the edge of the cliff. As he and Lirrak moved through the bushes, Ren kept an eye out for both forms.

Suddenly, the trail opened into a clearing in the flora. An enormous figure lay snoring loudly in the center. As the pair approached quietly, the slumbering form turned out to be Grelsh, wrapped in a blanket and not much else. She was sprawled on her back, arms and legs spread wide, and the single scruffy blanket only covered her stomach. Lirrak took a long look and turned to wink at Ren. The young human rolled his eyes and turned to scan the edges of the clearing. The black armored form glided from the same edge of the clearing from which the pair had just emerged and hefted its hammer.

Ren shoved Lirrak to one side and dove backwards over the sleeping Ogress. Without making a sound, the young warrior sprang to his feet and faced the armored attacker over the sleeping Grelsh. The hammer-wielding pursuer turned and started around the Ogress. Lirrak moved quickly to get behind Ren as the human slowly tracked his foe. Just then, the first armored figure stepped out from the side of the clearing. The young human immediately noticed that the inky blackness he had dispelled from the armor was slowly creeping back. The gauntlets and sabatons were completely engulfed, the darkness creeping up the vambraces and greaves. The partially darkened figure fell in behind its companion and both approached Ren. The young human had started to incant, slowly drifting to the side. The black-armored form lifted its hammer high and brought it down at Ren's head. The young warrior spun to the side and used his momentum to drive the point of his sword into the armored figure's chest. Once again, the power flowed down Ren's arms and sparked where the sword point had imbedded in the armor.

As the blackness melted away across the armor, Ren shuffled to the side, keeping the twitching form between him and the other assailant. As the other armored individual moved, it inadvertently stepped into the position for which Ren was looking just as the young warrior finished his spell. Ren's left hand blazed with light. The human jerked his sword free and punched his armored foe directly in the breastplate with his glowing hand. There was a ringing blast as the figure, and its hammer, sailed backwards into its companion. The two armored forms fell directly on to the sleeping Ogress, who awoke with a roar.

The next few minutes were frightening for Ren. Not that he was in danger anymore, at least not physically. The young warrior questioned the future status of his eyes though as Grelsh sprang to her feet and proceeded to vent her displeasure on the two armored intruders. Pieces of armor began to sail clear of the clearing, along with the weapons. There was the impression of acres of naked Ogre skin and screams mixed with growls. Ren slowly backed away into the brush, unable to avert his horrified eyes. On his way into the foliage, he bumped into Lirrak, who was watching and chuckling at the scene in the clearing. Ren turned to him in surprise as the noises continued.

"How can you be enjoying this? She's killing them over there!"

Lirrak smiled at the young warrior.

"Nah, she ain't killin 'm. Look fer yerself..."

Ren turned and looked into the clearing. The two individuals under the armor turned out to be a blood elf and a troll, both male. Both were now completely stripped naked and were in the process of being bound. Grelsh finished wrapping the troll's feet with cord. The blood elf, already tied up, wiggled and struggled against his bonds. The Ogress stood and regarded the pair for a moment, stroking her chin thoughtfully, and then proceeded to rummage around in a sack Ren had not spotted earlier. She pulled a strangely shaped flask from the sack and walked over to the blood elf. Squatting down, she poured some of the contents of the flask on the elf's flaccid member. Immediately, the elf started to scream and writhe on the ground. His penis sprang to attention and started to grow. In seconds, the elf's pole had reached enormous proportions. Lirrak shook his head.

"Oops...now she's killin'm"

The Belf stopped screaming and dropped his head to the dirt, groaning softly. Grelsh licked her lips at the gigantic erection, lying to one side and looking comically huge in comparison to the rest of his body. She used a rag to wipe the elf's member clean, and then stood above him, straddling his hips. She reached down to lift the massive erection into place and then started to squat. At that point, Ren turned away. Lirrak sat, entranced, as a series of guttural grunts and groans came from the clearing. The young human shook his head.

"Are you really going to sit here and watch her?"

Without taking his eyes off the Ogress, the Goblin responded breathily.

"Eh...I don' get ta see ennything like this ennymore. I'm gonna stick around fer a while..."

Ren sighed and sheathed his sword as he stood. As he started to walk away, he looked over his shoulder at Lirrak.

"I'll go wait at the end of Giant's step. Please don't be long?"

Lirrak waved a hand in his direction, never taking his eyes off the clearing.

"Yah, yah...don' worry! This won' take long."

Ren knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't help but glance one more time into the clearing before he walked away. The massive Ogress was bouncing up and down on the enlarged organ of the blood elf. Grelsh was enormous, and so had enormous assets as well. However, the mottled grey skin, poorly distributed weight, and lack of hygiene gave Ren no thrill to watch the act. He swallowed hard and turned to make his way down the slope.

As Ren made his way to the edge of Giant's Step that sloped down to the lower level, he reflected on the harrowing events of the morning. Questions rolled around in his head, starting with his findings in the bakery. What the hell was happening to him? What was he going to do about Druhma? Other questions followed in their wake. Who sent the armored assassins? What the hell was in that flask? Ren reached the edge of the brush line and exited Giant's Step behind the Academy. He sat down on a convenient stump and waited for Lirrak while he rolled his questions over and over in his mind. About an hour later, Lirrak came strolling out of the brush, tying his breeches as he walked. He gave Ren a jaunty salute and waited for the young human to stand and catch up with him.

"That was'a verry intrestin thing what went on back there."

"Are you satisfied now?"

The Goblin chuckled as they rounded the Academy building.

"Ah, come offit Ren! I don' get ta see stuff like'at evryday."

Upon reaching the street in front of the Academy, the pair looked down the road and saw dozens of figures scrambling through the wreckage left from their flight. Mages walked along the paths, gesturing and repairing buildings or shaking their heads at the damage. Human and Goblin turned and started for the gate to the outside, empty of travelers at this early hour. Ren turned to ask something of Lirrak but the Goblin placed a finger to his lips as the two processed through the gate. Once they were through and several paces beyond the gate, Lirrak waved a hand in Ren's direction.

"Whatcha want?"

Ren almost didn't know where to start so he figured he would go with the easiest first.

"Do you know what was in that flask?"

"Yep, wassa potion called Lover's Sting."

"Lover's Sting?"

"Yep. It's basically an amalgam of anhydrous protease solution and magically emulsified Shargat fish extract design'd ta encourage muscular hypertrophy 'n body cell proliferation."

Ren just stared wordlessly. Lirrak shook his head and blinked.

"Er...I meant it makes yer body grow..."

"You mean, this stuff makes you bigger?"

"Oh yah, it works really quick a'that dosage."

"If this stuff can do all that, why isn't everyone using it?"

"Cuz it's fatal."

Ren just stared again. Lirrak went on to explain that the potion was lethal in high doses like the one Grelsh had used. Ren shook his head thoughtfully.

"You know, it's funny. My mother made Shargat soup for me when I was young. I still like to make it to this day. How am I surviving?"

"Ya kin eat tha fish, Ren. It's whennit gits processed inta tha extract is whennits fatal."

Lirrak stopped dead in his tracks and turned to Ren.

"Waitaminnit. Shargat's one'a tha rarest ingredients on ma list. I've neva brought just tha fish inta tha village. How ya been makin yer soup?"

"Just like my mother made it. She would mix the ingredients for regular soup and then add some Shargat fish base to flavor the dish."

"Ren! Was tha fish base like'n oily powder?"

"Er...yeah, why?"

Lirrak reached over and grabbed the young human by his hips. With a shove, he plopped Ren down on one side of the path and began to rummage through his satchel. The entire time he fired off questions at Ren.

"How long ya been usin tha fish base?"

"Since I was seven..."

"How much do ya add ta tha soup?"

"Just a spoonful per pot. It's really strong..."

"How often do ya eat tha soup?"

"Well father hates it, so I'd say...four times a month?"

The Goblin grumbled something about "accumulated dosage rate" under his breath as he started to pull ingredients from his satchel and drop them into a small beaker. Ren watched the procedure nervously.

"What's going on, Lirrak?"

"Ya got tha extract in yer blood stream. It was diluted but it's slowly building up in yer body tissues. Ya had enny funny weight gain 'r rapid growth lately?"

"Now that you mention it, yes I have."

"How much?"

"Well I put on about three stone of muscle in the last six months..."

"Enny body parts growin all'a tha sudden?"

Ren blushed and looked down at his crotch.

"That's one of the things Druhma and I were discussing this morning..."

"Mmpff...Ok, I gots good news 'n bad news. Tha good news's yer gonna be ok..."

Lirrak handed Ren the beaker with its smoking contents.

"Tha bad news's yer gonna be feelin this fer about a day."

Ren sniffed the beaker. It smelled like burnt wood.

"This is going to work, eh?"

"Yep, now get ta drinkin..."

The young warrior gulped the contents of the beaker down as quickly as he could. When he was done, it left a dry, charcoal taste on his tongue, like he had just licked a burnt stick. He handed the beaker back to Lirrak.

"Will I go back to normal now?"

Lirrak gave him a small shake of the head as he repacked his satchel.

"Sorry Ren. Yer not gonna get enny smaller. Tha effects'r permanent. Least ya won' get enny bigger, eh?"

Ren pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes for a moment. He took a deep breath and stood with the Goblin. The two started back down the path leading from the gate. Up ahead, a familiar looking Gobliness approached leading two horses. When she got closer, Ren saw that it was the same Goblin prostitute from the alleyway.

"Ello cutie! Miss me much?"

Ren stopped and gaped at the Gobliness. She handed the reins to Lirrak and threw herself at Ren. As she rubbed the entire front of her body on him, she reached down and grabbed his crotch. Licking her lips, she winked up at the young human.

"Still packin'a monster! Ya ready ta stuff lil 'ol me with big 'ol you?"

The young human raised his open hands to his shoulders, trying not to touch anything provoking.

"Um...raincheck? I have to finish this thing with Lirrak."

The Gobliness threw him a pouty bottom lip but never moved. Now both hands were creeping down the front of his breeches. Lirrak stepped up and snapped his fingers in her face.

"Ey! We gotta go! Yer gonna have ta try fer him later. Now take yer pay and git!"

A gold piece vanished down the front of her dress and, with one last wink at Ren, the Gobliness sashayed back to the gate. Ren sighed and swung himself up on a horse. Lirrak followed on the other and turned away from the village. The young warrior felt his initial excitement return as he gazed around for the first time.

Ren knew the town of Shady Vale was nestled in the intersection of two cliffs. Now, as he and Lirrak trotted steadily away, he discovered that the short, grassy field he could see from the gates petered out into a thick forest some thirty or so paces from the wall. Looking to the horizon, he could see that the western cliff shrank down to some craggy hills which meander out and around to the east. The entire effect was that of a giant, protected area whose only entrance was through a thick stand of forest. Giving lie to the scene was another path, starting at the far west gate, that wound its way up the side of one of the craggy hills and vanished over the top. As the pair entered the forest, all of the sound seemed to dampen and vanish. Ren looked with surprise to Lirrak, who just shrugged.

"Tha whole place is magicked ta keep out tha general visitors. Only if'n ya know where yer goin can ya get thru tha forest."

"How in the hell do we get so many visitors, then?"

"Lotsa folks don' want'r whereabouts ta be known so they come ta Shady Vale ta hide away."

Ren continued along thoughtfully for a moment and then changed the subject.

"Any idea who those armored guys were this morning? And why they were chasing us?"

"Don' really know...but I'm gonna find out when we get back!"

Ren started to speak when a sudden cramp in his stomach had him doubling over in the saddle. He gasped and looked at the Goblin just as another slammed through him. Lirrak moved his horse closer and patted him on the back.

"That's tha antidote goin ta work. Yer gonna feel like this fer bout a day..."

Ren had never had a more miserable ride. He tried desperately to gaze in appropriate wonder as he and Lirrak traveled across the countryside but the Ogre punching him repeatedly in the gut wouldn't let him. Making camp was worse. Ren rolled around on his bedroll, sweating and moaning as the antidote did its work. Lirrak did his best to comfort him, building the fire and trying to get some thin broth into the young human. Ren spent the night in agony, tossing and turning while sleep's soft embrace eluded him completely. In the morning, the pair stayed in camp until; finally, Ren could sit up with only a slight twinge. He looked at Lirrak, circles of exhaustion under his eyes.

"That was the worst day I have ever had. How do we know it worked?"

Lirrak pulled down on one of Ren's lower eyelids and peered closely. He made the young human stick out his tongue and inspected his fingertips before putting his hands on his hips.

"Looks like we gottit all."

"Good. Let's break camp and get moving. I'll catch up on sleep tonight."

The two packed up and moved on. The miles began to vanish under the hooves of the horses as the friends chatted amiably. The following night saw Ren to bed early and the young human was in far better spirits the next morning. As the following night began to drop slowly over the horizon, Lirrak consulted a map and suddenly broke the trail, pushing through the dense shrubs. Ren followed along in confusion. As the evening grew darker, the pair continued along through the woods, following Lirrak's map. Late into the night the two finally stopped at the top of a hill. The Goblin alchemist dismounted and led his horse to the side. Ren also dropped to the ground and trailed along after. Before long, the trees opened up into large area. The young human was looking down into a partial bowl, all slopes leading to the center. At the bottom of the bowl, what appeared to be a working mine was surrounded by lanterns and roving guards. The mine itself was an ugly scar in the slope, framed with rough timber and piled gravel. As Ren watched, a short, squat figure emerged from the mine and dumped a barrel of gravel off to one side. The young human gawked at the figure. It was a dwarf! Now that he saw the dwarf, he noticed the guards were all heavily armored dwarves as well. Ren turned to Lirrak and whispered.

"What's going on? That's an Alliance mine!"

The Goblin shushed him and put one hand on his shoulder.

"Here's tha deal, Ren. Somewhere inna mine there is a coupl'a gems I gots ta bring back with us. I figger I'd sneak in there 'n get what I need while it's dark."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Yer tha backup muscle. I get inna trouble, I kin beat feet outta there 'n you kin cover my escape."

Ren wasn't too comfortable with Lirrak's plan. He didn't like the idea that he was going to be part of a robbery. When he turned to say so to the Goblin, he found he was alone. Twisting his head around, the young warrior whispered the words to his eyesight spell and suddenly the night was bright as the noon of day. Ren spotted the Goblin flitting from bush to bush, working his way closer to the mine. When he reached the last absolute bit of cover closest to the mine, Lirrak paused to watch the guards. As the nearest guard turned away, the Goblin flitted stealthily into the mouth of the mine.

Ren settled down to wait, wrapping the reins of the horses around a small tree and letting them graze in place. His chest felt tighter and tighter as the minutes droned on and no Lirrak showed. After what seemed like hours, a shout echoed from the mouth of the mine, bringing Ren to quivering attention. Most of the roving guards turned and sprinted for the mine. Suddenly, a huge puff of smoke belched out of the entrance, engulfing the Dwarven guards. Ren's eyes darted back and forth, scanning for Lirrak, when he spotted a tall, robed figure dropping from the top of the mine entrance and ducking inside. A few moments later the young human's breath caught when a group of guards, led by the robed figure, dragged a kicking, cursing Lirrak from the depths of the mine. Ah crap...

Before he realized what he was doing, Ren drew his sword and pelted down the slope towards the mine. His progress was noticed immediately and a dozen Dwarven warriors turned to rush him. The young warrior roared inarticulately and plowed into the Dwarves, letting the brunt of their weaponry glance and rebound off of his sword. When he came to a sliding stop, he was two paces from the tall figure in the robe. Two hands appeared, gripped the edges of the robe, and then it fell away to reveal a light-skinned elf in forest garb. She shook her mop of light brown hair and deftly spun an enormous longbow from her shoulder. She? Ren could see the cleavage revealed over the top of her brown vest. The appearance of the female elf momentarily distracted the young warrior from his original plan. While he gawked, the Dwarven warriors regrouped and attacked.

Undaunted, Ren settled his mind and began to fight. As he turned in a circle, he knew, deep down, that he didn't want to be the cause of death for any of his opponents. After all, Lirrak had originally intended to steal from these people. As the Dwarves charged, Ren circled quickly, trying to keep all of his opponents in view and not get surrounded. The first of the stocky guards reached the young warrior and he was forced to engage. The Dwarf swung sideways with a sturdy, two-sided battleaxe. Ren sucked in his stomach and let the top of the ax to skim past. Reaching out, he flipped the helm of the Dwarf right up off of his head and slapped him with the flat of his sword. As the diminutive figure fell to the side, Ren moved gracefully to face the next. The next Dwarf wielded two shorter swords, whistling them about in small, lethal circles. Ren parried automatically and continued to back away. He spotted other Dwarves moving to flank while he was tied up with his current opponent. Ren began to cast, still blocking his adept foe. Movement from the corner of his eye alerted the young warrior to the elf drawing her bow and letting fly. He spun gracefully and slapped the missile from the air, much to the elf's surprise. Ren grinned at her shocked face and continued to block and parry while finishing his spell. At the last word, a familiar light sprung up surrounding his left hand. Surprised, the Dwarf with whom he was fighting paused in his attack and Ren simply reached out and poked him in the chest. There was a muffled explosion, faint to the ear, and the Dwarf sailed backwards to land flat on his back. Ren spun away, already engaging the next few opponents. His sword dipped and spun, effectively preventing any damage from the various weapons against him while he continued to poke, prod, and sometimes flick with his glowing hand.

The spell of his hand was effective. Dwarves sailed left and right across the clearing, ending in moaning piles of their fellows. Occasionally, the elf would loose an arrow at the young human and Ren would spectacularly dodge or deflect the incoming missile, causing the bowman no small amount of frustration. Soon, the last three Dwarves charged as one towards Ren, hoping to overwhelm him with numbers. The young warrior could feel the spell of his hand nearing its end, so he dropped to one knee and punched diagonally into the ground before him. The resulting blast kicked up a massive amount of dirt and gravel into the oncoming guards, staggering them and breaking their charge. Ren stood quickly and leveled one of them with a spinning kick to the head. Another fell to a well-placed edge-handed strike to the soft point in the back of the neck. The third guard fought bravely, unaware that his fellow Dwarves were still alive. As he swung his single-edged axe in short, choppy strokes, the Dwarf was able to effectively block Ren's attacks and forced the human to think of another way to try to disable him. The young warrior circled as he blocked the axe, looking for an opening and keeping an eye on the archer. Suddenly, he reversed his sword, point down, and stabbed the tip into the top of the Dwarf's foot. The diminutive guard's eyes flew open wide and Ren punched him right in the nose. As the Dwarf fell backwards, the young human glanced quickly around, noting that none of his opponents were mortally wounded, and turned to face the archer and her two companions. The elf stared at him in surprise, as did the two elaborately armored Dwarves, still holding on to Lirrak. The elf shook her head and drew back an arrow at Ren.

"Halt foul one! Continue not, or I shall pierce you where you stand!"

Ren's sword was in the ready position, steady and immobile. His voice was tempered and even.

"This isn't what it looks like. Can I please have my friend back now?"

The elven woman sneered, an ugly sight on her beautiful face.

"Do you honestly think I am to let you walk out of here? You and your friend won't be going anywhere!"

"Um...ok. I realize that he was in the wrong, sneaking into the mine, but I really didn't have a chance to tell him that I didn't like the idea. I wasn't too keen on what we came here to do anyway. I swear, just let me have my friend back and we'll leave this place."

If anything the sneer grew worse. Behind her, one of the Dwarven guards took a startled glimpse at Ren's hands, handed Lirrak to his brethren, and moved up next to the elf, who continued to vent at the young warrior.

"Lies!!! Enough of this! You will say anything to free your companion so you can circle back and try again! I will not..."

"Merilwen, look."

The elf angrily snapped her head down to the side to look at the Dwarf who had just spoken.

"What is it Manus? Can't you see that I am busy?"

In reply, the Dwarf pointed directly at Ren's sword.

"Tha boy's tellin tha truth. Take'a closer look'it tha sword, Merilwen."

The elf archer turned and squinted at Ren's sword. Then she widened her eyes with a startled gasp. When she looked up again, her voice was soft and tight.

"Where did you get that sword?"

"I...I bought it. From a merchant in a Horde village."

Merilwen's eyes widened even further. She looked the human up and down and shook her head in disbelief. She then turned to her shorter companion.

"How can he even wield it? He should be engulfed in flames by now!"

"I dunno. Maybe e's notta child o' tha Dark?"

"Impossible! He would still have to take the oath! And what of Artuan?"

Ren was listening to the entire conversation, and growing more confused by the moment.

"Um, excuse me? What is going on here?"

The elf and Dwarf looked at each other for a moment before coming to some unspoken decision. The archer lowered her bow.

"The sword you wield belonged to a Knight of the Silver Hand named Artuan Bedivere. He retired some time ago and has spent the last few years escorting caravans to the base of the Stonetalon Mountains."

"Aye. Tha sword innur hand is supposta be wit him. He were takin'a coupla traders ta tha base 'o tha mountains last season 'n we didn hear from him since."

Ren looked at the sword in his hands as though it were the first time. Even in Shady Vale, he had heard of the Knights of the Silver Hand.

"He...he was a Paladin?"

"Aye. And tha sword yer holdin was his. It's got all sorta magic properties. One'a which is tha fact that tha wielder'a tha sword kinna tell'a lie while holdin it."

Ren gazed again at the sword. He looked at the elf, who nodded in confirmation. The young warrior was awed. He quietly petitioned the Dwarf.

"How do you know all this?"

"Cuz ah forged it boy!"

"You made this?"

"Aye. When ah was a wee bit younger, ah made it fer Artuan. Do ya know bout tha hidden compartment?"

Ren nodded.

"Ok. Look inside and ye'll find a figurine 'a tha Light. Artuan used it ta accent tha sword's power."

The young warrior reversed his sword and opened the compartment in the pommel. Looking closer than before, he spotted a wad of fabric tucked tightly in the furthermost reaches of the space. A sharp tap on his palm brought the bundle out into the flickering torchlight. He slowly unwrapped the thing, peeling back the coarse fabric to reveal a tiny coat of arms figurine. The statue glowed with a warm, inner light in Ren's hand. The glow was familiar.

"I...I know this power. It's like the healing spell I used on the demonic plate!"

Merilwen looked pole struck.

"You cast a healing spell? Against...what did you call it...demonic plate?"

"Yes. I was fighting for my life against some weird armor and the sword helped me."

The elf and the Dwarf watched as Ren reverently re-wrapped the figure and returned it to the compartment. He then surprised them both by sheathing his sword.

"I'm not here to hurt anyone. I'm just trying to help my friend get what he needs."

The elf archer glanced around at the scattered guards. All of them were sitting up, shaking their heads or holding minor wounds. The guard with the speared foot was the worst, and a healer was already treating him. She turned her glance back to Ren and unstrung her arrow.

"What exactly are you looking for?"

"Lirrak said something about needing some gems..."

"Lirrak?"

For a response, Ren gestured to the Goblin alchemist, who was currently sitting, arms folded, on the ground at the feet of the other ornate Dwarf. When all eyes turned to him, he just shrugged.

"I need two different stones fer ma order. I was told'ya might have'm here."

"And you thought you could just waltz in and take them?"

"Ta be honest, yep."

Merilwen made as if she were going to draw the short sword at her hip and rush the Goblin. Manus stopped her with a hand on her wrist, his attention focused back on Ren. The archer gave one last angry glare at Lirrak and then turned back as well. Manus stepped forward and addressed Ren.

"Tha thing is, you shouldn't be able ta use that sword at'all. It only responds ta tha touch 'o a Paladin. Iknow ya aint a Paladin, so how're ya usin tha sword?"

"I don't know. I've been using it for months."

Merilwen stuck a finger out at the young human.

"What I wish to know is what happened to Atruan?"

Ren found it hard to meet her eyes.

"I can't be sure, but he probably died in an ambush."

"What do you know of an ambush?"

"The area I live in is populated with individuals who make their living robbing passerby. If Artuan was escorting a caravan towards the peaks, then he most likely died in an ambush. That's how the merchant from whom I purchased this sword gets most of his items."

Merilwen's eyes grew glassy and she turned away from the group. Manus whispered to Ren.

"Artuan was Merilwen's sponsor when she join'd tha Rangers. Even tho he wassa human, his status as'a Paladin carried 'o lotta weight."

Ren stepped around the Dwarf and walked up to the elf. When he gently laid his hand on her arm, she spun in surprise. Teary eyes looked into his as he spoke.

"I am truly sorry for your loss. I'm not trying to cause you pain. I came here to free my girlfriend, not torture an elven Ranger."

"My thanks...Who are you? You don't act like someone from the Horde."

"I'm just trying to find my own way. I know how to fight, but I don't like to kill. I can use magic, but I don't like demons. All I want is to live as best as I can."

Manus poked him in the side.

"Whatcha sayin about freein yer girlfriend?"

"Oh, that. I came on this trip to earn some money to help pay off her bond. We can't be a couple until she's free."

"She's a slave?"

"Indentured servant. She can go free once the bond is paid."

Merilwen rubbed her chin thoughtfully as she looked at Ren.

"Let me get this straight. You come along on this trip..."

"First trip."

"First? You've never been anywhere else?"

"No. Just my village."

Merilwen turned and frowned at Lirrak, who just looked down at the ground.

"So you come out on your first trip to help steal some gems..."

"I didn't know about that till we were on the edge of the clearing up there. I wasn't going to do it."

The elf archer glanced at his sword and then frowned at Lirrak again.

"First trip away from your village, you get duped into helping steal some gems. Your so-called friend gets captured and you come barreling down here against a whole company of Dwarf soldiers and myself. All this to rescue a girl? She must be pretty special."

"She is."

Manus shook his head in disbelief. He turned and pulled the elf archer to the side to talk privately. Ren wandered over to where Lirrak was sitting on the ground.

"Whatcha doin Ren?"

The young warrior glanced at Lirrak's guard before replying.

"I have an idea. I'm going to work for the gems you need."

"Are ya crazy? They were just tryin ta take yer head off earlier!"

"Well your idea didn't work. Let me try mine."

Lirrak sputtered and stammered but couldn't come up with a retort. Ren walked back over to where the elf and Dwarf were talking quietly. As the human approached, the elf stood up straight and turned to face Ren.

"I wish we could help you. Even if we wanted, we couldn't supply you with that for which you are asking."

"I don't understand what you mean."

"We don't have any gems here."

Ren looked in surprise at Lirrak. The Goblin was equally surprised. He started to reach for his map, but thought better of it when the guard behind him growled. Ren struggled to recover.

"This is a mine. What happened?"

"We lost our entire shipment to a Burster."

Ren blinked in surprise. A Burster was a carnivorous worm-like creature that moved through loose soils and attacked surface creatures by springing on them from underground. Merilwen looked bleak.

"Actually, that's why I am here. I am getting ready to go and hunt this creature down."

"So you don't know where it is?"

Manus stepped up.

"Aye boy. We know where tha critter lives. I sent plenty'o lads up there ta get it, but most nevah came back!"

Ren stared at him for a brief second, and then turned back to the elf.

"If I bring back your gems, will you let my friend pick out two of them?"

Merilwen gaped at him.

"You can't be serious!"

"I'm very serious. For me, this is all about buying Belune's freedom. I'll do whatever it takes."

Belune? Is that your girl?"

Ren nodded his head. Merilwen looked back at Manus, who seemed to nod imperceptibly. Shaking her head, she turned back to the human.

"I can't believe I'm agreeing to this. It's a fool's mission, and I don't even know if I can trust you."

Ren slowly drew his sword and held it, point down, in front of his chest.

"I swear I will bring your gems back here, or die trying."

Manus lifted an eyebrow, but said nothing. Merilwen sighed and drew a map from her pouch.

"We'll keep your friend here till you get back. Let me show you where it hunts..."

For the third time in the last four days, Ren wondered if he had bitten off more than he could chew. The elf archer had indeed shown the young human exactly where the Burster stalked its prey. She had also told him how it had come to have the gems.

"The gems were in a steel trunk on their way from here to an Alliance facility up north. The escort team was ambushed in the clearing I just pointed out to you. From the survivor reports of the last three teams we sent to kill it, the trunk is somewhere inside the creature."

"Three teams?"

"I said the last three teams..."

Ren shook his head as he moved quietly up to the edge of the clearing. He had just spent the last four hours walking a granite ridgeline in a round-about path to the clearing to avoid the Burster popping out while he was moving. Now he was approaching what appeared to be a cliff face. He stopped and shuffled forward on his stomach until he could see over the edge. The "clearing" turned out to be a ragged, almost-circular scar, hundreds of paces wide, carved into the center of the forest. The open area was partially surrounded by a low cliff, some two paces in height. The floor of the open area was churned dirt, clumped and ridged like some bizarre brown ocean frozen in time. Scattered around the clearing were barely-visible pieces of armor and weapons, rusting in the damp. Ren scanned the clearing, reviewing his plan in his mind. When he felt ready, he slid smoothly over the edge and dropped to the floor of the clearing.

Almost immediately, the ground at the far edge of the clearing began to move, rolling and spouting as something enormous slithered underneath. Ren had mixed feelings as he watched the mounding earth grow closer. It was nice that he wasn't going to have to wait long to face the Burster but the size of the earthy plume told him it wasn't going to be easy. He drew his sword and watched the incoming creature, mentally reviewing everything he could remember about them. Bursters had a long, segmented, worm-like body covered in thick armored plates. The front two paces of the creature also sported pairs of armored insectile legs topped with a beaked mouth. The Burster's favorite attack pattern was to approach under the soil, safe from sword or spell, and then explode from the ground, snapping at its intended prey. Ren scrambled smoothly to one side, circling to make himself a moving target.

The incoming motion of the dirt swerved and the great worm exploded from under the loose soil. Ren had a split second impression of massive, twisting bulk and then he was diving to the side to avoid the snapping jaws. There wasn't even time to swing his sword! As he rolled back to his feet, Ren spun to face the worm but all he saw was the immense tail section disappearing into the ground. The young warrior started to run to put some distance between himself and the Burster. A slight rumbling behind him was the only warning before he was once again dodging to the side to avoid the Burster's spring attack. Rolling to his feet again, Ren realized that his only hope was to make sudden moves to the side or in random directions during the creature's attack. The young warrior started to run again, trying to think of a way to battle the creature behind him. As he ran, the churning ground behind him warned him of the impending attack and he dove to the side again.

This pattern continued for some time. The great worm would attack, forcing Ren to dodge violently, and then burrow back into the ground. The young human would then continue to run, trying to buy a moment to think. A few times, Ren managed to score a hit with his sword, but never anything with any power or correct angle. Every time the blade skipped off of the creatures plated scales, the young warrior could feel his frustration grow. He knew he could do this, if he could just find a way to get a decent strike! Ren dodged yet another attack, rolling to his feet and turning towards the cliffs. As he panted across the clearing, a glimmer of an idea began to form in his mind. He knew he was going to only get one shot at this and he needed to do it before his stamina ran out. Ren pounded on, trying to outrace the churning soil behind him.

The young warrior approached the cliff face at a full-out sprint. His heart was slamming away in hi s chest and his lungs burned for air as he pumped his legs as hard as he could. Behind him the worm closed the gap. Ren's back itched, right between his shoulder blades, and he had to mentally restrain himself from dodging yet again. The cliff wall loomed, the ground erupted, and Ren leaped and ran straight up the cliff. Time seemed to slow as his momentum carried him far up the wall, each booted toe digging into any available crack. The enormous head of the worm slammed into the side of the cliff beneath him, rattling the stone with the impact. Ren reached the maximum of his vertical impetus and simply stepped backwards away from the cliff. He turned slightly as he began to fall, raising his sword high over his head in a two-handed grip. With every last bit of strength he possessed, Ren roared mightily and brought the sword down in a vicious two-handed chop to the back of the Burster's body, just behind the worm's head. Just like the clay figure from his test, the edge of the blade sliced deep through plates, muscle, and bone, lopping the creatures head off in a spray of foul ichor. Ren landed hard, twisting a leg on ridged mound of soil. He quickly scrabbled away backwards as the death throes of the worm threatened to crush him under its twitching coils.

It was a long time before the Burster finally stopped twitching. Ren could feel his heartbeat in his throbbing leg as it finally slowed to normal levels. He sat there, observing the Burster, and giving himself a chance to recover his strength. Finally, he stood, and gingerly put weight on his leg. Luckily, despite wincing at a twinge of pain, it appeared that his leg was going to be able to support him. He limped over to the body of the worm and steeled himself to look inside the severed end of the carcass. The Burster was simple in design, organs, nerves, and cartilage all packed around a large opening that appeared to be the creature's stomach. Ren squatted, with a sharp intake of breath, and forced himself to look further into the stomach compartment. Deep inside, about a pace in from the cut, the young warrior could make out a collection of objects wedged into the opening. Ren summoned a ball of light and leaned in for a better look. The collection of objects turned out to be the partially digested remains of several armored Dwarves. Ren leaned back hastily and swallowed the gorge rising in his throat. He stood shakily and let his eyes wander down the creature's enormous length. With a huge sigh, he realized he was going to have to cut it open, pace by pace, until he found the box. The young warrior wrapped a torn piece of cloth around his face to help mask the smell and then got to work.

Ren trudged slowly down the path, dragging the big steel trunk from a rope. Its surface was pockmarked with holes and burns from the digestive acids of the worm, but it was otherwise intact. The cutting open of the Burster had definitely not been one of the highlights of Ren's life. Every slice brought a new gruesome scene to light, and the smell! Ugh! Fortunately, or not, the trunk had wedged about halfway down the length of the great worm. Ren's simple joy at spotting the thing was a sight to behold. Now he was working his way back to the mine, trunk in tow, and trying to ignore the dull ache in his leg. At first his mind wandered, thinking about Belune, Druhma, his father, and the attack on him and Lirrak the morning of their departure. The list went on and on. Soon, however, he had to start focusing as the miles rolled by and it seemed as though the crate behind grew heavier with every step. Ren lowered his head and continued on, concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other.

A few hours later, the young warrior arrived at the edge of the clearing to the mine. Letting the trunk slide down first, Ren made his way down the slope to the entrance of the colliery. The Dwarven guards spun to meet him as they heard the rattle of dislodged soil. Their eyes grew wide as the tethered case slid down the slope and came to rest in the bottom of the defilade. Ren followed right behind, walking wearily through their ranks, uncaring of their unsheathed weapons, and plopped heavily next to the case. He was still sitting there, head in his hands, when Merilwen and Manus approached. The elf was in shock when she spotted the trunk.

"You...you killed it?"

Ren raised his weary head and looked at her with tired eyes.

"I told you I would."

Manus put a hand on her arm.

"Merilwen, let tha lad rest fer a bit. Lookit 'im. He looks like 'es ready ta fall over..."

The tall archer looked down at the Dwarf.

"Why are you so quick to aid him, Manus? We know nothing of this boy."

Manus shrugged his shoulders.

"True, but ah know what kinda man it takes ta hold that sword innis hand. I would trust THAT man..."

Merilwen looked back at Ren as though seeing him for the first time.

"You are quite the enigma, human. I would surely like to know your story someday."

Ren smiled up at her.

"You wouldn't mind if I got some rest first, would you?"

Manus chuckled and stepped forward to help Ren to his feet.

"Come on, lad! Ye kin take'a nooner over here in tha shade! Me boys'll check tha trunk and then we'll talka bout tha deal we made!"

Ren nodded, too tired to worry about leaving himself vulnerable in the company of Alliance soldiers. His feelings were put to test when he followed Manus to a grassy area obviously used as a rest and medical station. Sitting on a cot was the Dwarf whom Ren had stabbed in the foot earlier. The young human sat on a cot across from him and gestured towards his wounded appendage.

"Sorry about that."

The Dwarf waved him off.

"Nay lad, dontcha worry bout it. After seein whatcha did wit tha others, I figger ya coulda killed me pretty easy iffin ya wanted. Poke in tha foot aint so bad..."

Ren smiled and stuck out a hand.

"Still, I want to apologize. You were so damn good with that axe; I had to do something to slow you down!"

The Dwarf just chuckled and shook the proffered hand.

"Flattery will getcha everywhere! Tell ye what, when yer feelin better, we kin have'a rematch. Mebbe I'll do better iffin I'm not tryin ta take yer head off, yeah?"

Ren smiled and lay down on the cot.

"Deal."

The Dwarf's chuckle chased the young human into unconsciousness.

When Ren awoke some time later, the only people in the medical area were himself and Merilwen. The elf archer sat on the cot previously occupied by the injured Dwarf. As the young human blinked the last dregs of sleep from his eyes, he saw Merilwen watching him closely.

"Uh...hello? Did I do something while I was sleeping?"

The elf continued to stare at him with no expression, making Ren nervous. Just before he opened his mouth to break the awkward silence, Merilwen spoke quietly.

"I don't understand."

"Eh, what? What don't you understand?"

"You. I don't understand you."

Ren sat up and swung his legs down to the ground. Leaning forward on his own knees, he looked the elf in her eyes.

"What do you want to understand?"

"You live with the Horde, fight like a demon, and can slay armored monsters by yourself. Yet you spared the lives of everyone you fought here and somehow managed to gain the trust of the leader of this mine. And to top it all, you did everything just to save a girl from slavery. Did I miss anything?"

"How about I'm also a good dancer?"

Merilwen finally smiled.

"Where did you come from? What manner of upbringing produced you?"

Now it was Ren's turn to smile.

"Let's just say I didn't have a wonderful childhood. Father was a disciplinarian and my mom died when I was a kid."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's all right. I miss her but I don't mourn her anymore. She was great for me until I lost her. Now she's the emotional bond that keeps my father and me together. He was a hard teacher, but I'm a better person from it."

"You certainly did well for yourself. Even now I have to say that you impress me more every minute."

"Careful, you may start to like me."

Ren's grin had the elf smiling again. She reached over and placed a hand on his shoulder, her face growing serious.

"Manus and Artuan once told me that only a Paladin who has taken the oaths can wield that sword. How you can do that is still a mystery to us. Now I have to wonder though, would you take the oaths, if asked?"

Ren felt his heart skip a beat.

"Wait, what? What are you asking?"

"I was just wondering, if you were asked, would you take the Paladin's oaths?"

"I...I don't know. To take the oaths of a Paladin is to make an enormous commitment. I don't enter commitments lightly and, right now, I don't feel ready. I wish I could say yes, but I think there are a few things I need to straighten out in my life before I can even contemplate becoming a Paladin."

Merilwen patted him on the shoulder and then stood up.

"I understand. And it's good that you feel that way. It tells me that if you should ever wish to take the vows, you will regard them with the proper amount of conviction and respect."

She gestured for Ren to stand and follow, which he did.

"If you should ever decide it is time, I would be honored if I could be present when you do."

Ren nearly stopped walking in surprise. He looked at the elf in a whole new light.

"You would want to be there? Why?"

"If Artuan's sword chose you, then I would like to be there when the two of you were joined officially."

"Thank you."

"Your welcome."

Merilwen smiled at the young human and then pointed at the mine entrance.

"Manus' men have inventoried the contents of the trunk. They're waiting for us inside."

The two entered the mineshaft. Inside, the low ceiling forced Ren and Merilwen to duck as they moved around. Just inside the entrance, the shaft widened into a large room, with a few areas sectioned off by wooden panels and doors. The rest of the mine tunnel branched off in the back of the space, disappearing into the darkness. In the center of the wide space, a table had been set up. On the table was a collection of some of the most impressive gems Ren had ever seen. Green, purple, and many other colored stones of varying sizes lay in rows across the tabletop. The flickering light from the wall-mounted torches cast scintillating patterns through the gems. Ren hung back a bit, amazed at the collection. Manus appeared through one of the doorways and came over to him.

"Ya like whatcha see, lad?"

"They're beautiful. I've never seen anything like them."

"Aye. There be nearly half'a years work lyin there. You dinna know how grateful we are fer yer help."

"It was a good deal, I think. I just wanted to be honest."

"Ah appreciate yer honesty. And speakin 'a yer deal..."

Manus turned and gestured for Ren to follow. He led the young warrior to another, sturdier door. The Dwarf produced a key and opened the door. When he swung it wide, the scene inside stopped both of them short. At a table in the room sat Lirrak and three Dwarfs. Cards and various items were piled in the center of the table. Each of the table's occupants all held additional cards fanned out in their clenched hands. Most notable, though, was that the three Dwarves were almost naked, each one sitting in nothing but their small clothes. Lirrak sat with a pile of clothes, armor, and weapons at his feet. Even as Ren watched, the Goblin slapped his cards down on the table, grinning triumphantly.

"Hah! Full house agin! Whatcha got?"

The other three players grumbled as they dropped their cards on the table. It was about this time that they noticed Manus and Ren in the room. The Dwarves leaped to their feet, standing stiffly in their skimpy attire. Lirrak just chuckled as he scraped his winnings across the table.

"Oy Ren! Havin a bit'o luck while ya were gone! Didja find tha gems inna Burster?"

"Yes Lirrak, I brought them back. Now give these guys their clothing back and let's go finish our mission."

The Goblin made a surprised face.

"Whattya mean give em back? I won'em fair 'n square!"

"I know you did, but if we want to get those gems, you're going to have to give them their stuff back, ok?"

The Goblin grumbled as he handed the contents of the pile back to his Dwarven guards. The Dwarves were nice enough to look sheepish as they took their stuff, not looking at Manus as they got dressed. Manus just sighed and rolled his eyes before turning to leave the room. Lirrak and Ren followed behind. When the Goblin alchemist laid eyes on the gems on the table, he gave a appreciative whistle.

"Whoa! Now there's 'a nice bunch!"

Ren just smiled and turned to Manus.

"Any two, right? That was the deal?"

Manus nodded his head. Lirrak saw the nod and rubbed his hands together as he looked over the stones. He picked up a large, dark stone and held it up to the light. The gem was perfectly cut, with deep purple hues and a hint of red in the center. Manus looked mildly surprised at the choice.

"Thatsa Shadowsong Amethyst. Our jeweler purified it afore we shipped it."

Lirrak nodded his head and put the jewel in his pouch. He looked over the rest of the selection and picked another from the table. It was teardrop shaped, and glowed faintly with a brilliant orange hue. Manus frowned when he saw the choice.

"That was shipped in ta add ta this load. Thatsa Luminous Pyrestone. Ye were lookin fer that all'a long?"

Lirrak nodded again.

"I gots a source who knew ya were gettin this in. It's tha whole reason I came a lookin here."

Manus rubbed his cheek as he watched Lirrak pocket the gem. The Dwarf commander then waved at the Goblin to indicate he should leave the mine.

"I figger a deals a deal. Take yer jewels an git goin. If anyone discovers I gave ya those stones, I'll be havin me hindquarters handed ta me in no time!"

Lirrak practically skipped out the front of the mine. As Ren turned to follow, a hand on his arm stopped him short. He looked down into Manus' face.

"Afore ya go, I gots somethin for ya."

The Dwarf put something in Ren's hand and closed his fingers around it. Ren looked at him in confusion and then Manus spoke.

"I like ya, lad. Yer honest, and that don' come by very often, whether yer Horde or Alliance. Iffin yer tryin ta save yer girl like ya said, then this is my gift to ya ta help ya on yer way."

With that, Manus clapped him on the back and walked back through the door from which he had originally come. Startled, Ren looked down into his hand. In his palm, a beautifully cut diamond lay winking in the torchlight. It was big, nearly covering the entire width of Ren's hand. The young human gasped at the gift. A diamond this size and quality was worth far more than the remainder of Belune's bond! Clutching the jewel to his chest, Ren turned and looked into the eyes of the elven archer. She smiled at him and nodded.

"Go. You have what you need, yes? And if you ever decide to do what we talked about earlier, ask any Ranger how to find Merilwen Colthan. I'll be waiting to hear from you."

"Thank you again, Merilwen. I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay this kindness."

"Just do kindness when you get home. There's never enough to go around."

Manus stepped out from his door and walked over to stand by Merilwen's side.

"See ya lad. Safe travels."

Just then, Lirrak poked his head back in the entrance of the mine.

"Ren! Let's getta goin! Iffin I don' getcha back sometime soon, Belune's gonna get'r tail twisted up in'r horns worryin where yer at!"

Manus and Merilwen exchanged shocked glances and then turned to Ren.

"Tail?"

"Horns?"

Ren just laughed at their expressions as he turned to leave.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you..."

Sometime later, Ren and Lirrak rode side by side through the forest. The young warrior looked down in wonder at the jewel in his palm. The clear facets would catch the rays of the setting sun and turn them into tiny rainbows on his chest. Lirrak chuckled at his expression.

"Ya did good, Ren. That bauble'll free Belune fer sure."

Ren looked up at the Goblin with a smile.

"I can't believe they gave this to me. Why would they do that?"

Lirrak creased his brows a moment, and then sighed.

"Cuz yer a good man, Ren. Now that ah look back, ah nevah shoulda asked ya ta help me steal those jewels. I was thinkin only that ye was'a powerful fighter. I fergot ya was a good kid, too. Sorry fer that."

Ren nodded his acceptance and the two switched back to small talk as the sun settled over the horizon. Three days of travel followed and Ren spent most of the trip gawking at the unfamiliar scenery. The pair were fortunate enough to go unmolested, and before long Lirrak was showing Ren how to negotiate the thick stand of trees so that the magic wouldn't turn them around. It was very early in the morning when the wall and gates of Shady Vale loomed in the distance. As they got closer, Ren's heart rate went higher and higher. He could barely restrain himself as they checked in through the gate. Inside, Lirrak hopped down and took the reins of both mounts. Ren dropped to the ground and reached for his bag. Lirrak poked him in the side as they walked.

"Ah know ye wanna rush over to tha Rod & Cup but ya need ta take a shower first. Ye look like ya brought half tha road in with ya."

Ren looked down at himself. He did indeed need to get cleaned up. If the diamond in his pouch was worth what he thought it was, he wanted to be ready for the results.

"Good idea, Lirrak! As soon as we get the horses settled, I'll run home and get cleaned up."

"Eh Ren, I'll take tha horses. You go ahead and git."

Ren smiled with delight and thanked Lirrak before rushing off. When he got home, the house was empty. Ren hurriedly bathed, shaved, and put on his good clothes. With the diamond securely tucked in a pocket, he practically ran to the Rod & Cup.

When he reached the entrance to the Inn, he opened the door and looked around as he came inside. The tavern was mostly deserted in the front section. A few patrons were eating breakfast and talking quietly at some tables. As Ren walked through, looking for Belune, he spotted Brulliard and Sergic cuddling in a booth near the back. Brulliard greeted him with a smile as he approached.

"Well hello hunky! Good to see you back! Your worried Tauren is currently out on the veranda. How did your trip go?"

Ren didn't even sit down.

"It went great! I mean, there was some fighting...and a giant worm...but I got this!"

Ren held the diamond out to show the couple. Sergic leaned forward and gazed appreciatively at the jewel. He sat back and pulled Brulliard close to him as he looked up at Ren.

"Well then, gorgeous. What are you hanging out here for? Go get your girl!"

The two exchanged a knowing look at the beaming excitement radiating from the young warrior. Ren excused himself and hurried into the back section of the inn. As he passed through, he noticed a few patrons scattered around the room in varying degrees of slumber. Empty mugs gripped tightly in fists gave evidence to a pretty big party the night before. Even as Ren walked through, a Troll dragged himself across the floor to where a female Tauren lay on her back, snoring loudly. The horned woman was dressed in a skimpy leather loincloth and bra ensemble that didn't do much to hide her body. The Troll, still obviously intoxicated, simply pulled himself up between her legs and started fumbling at his belt. Ren turned his head and pushed through the back door.

The veranda on the back of the Rod & Cup spanned the entire length of the building. It was about two paces wide and had a railing along most of its length. Tables were scattered along the edges of the porch, allowing patrons to socialize in the outdoor air. Next to the veranda, an open paddock area tucked in to the angle of the buildings. The entrance was a chute that led to the small gate in the wall used to bring in livestock. The entire setup was leftover from when the buildings were used to house ranchers to tend the cattle. Midway down the veranda was a small counter with a window that opened directly into the kitchen. On the counter sat a few ornate collectors for the half dozen or so indentured servants currently working the veranda. Ren immediately spotted Belune's jar sitting on the counter. Like her coworkers, she would often leave it sit, allowing anyone to put in tips and freeing her hands to deliver to the tables. It was a relatively safe practice since no one but her could take from the jar, or even pick it up.

Ren looked and spotted the curvy Tauren setting plates down at a table at the extreme far end of the veranda. He smiled and palmed the diamond before moving to the counter. Carefully positioning himself, he waited for Belune. The Tauren checked on another table and then started back up the veranda towards the kitchen opening. Within three strides she spotted Ren, standing at the counter and all but scowling. Confused but overjoyed, the Tauren started jogging toward him, her heart racing. When she was three paces away, Ren held up a hand, palm forward, and raised his voice.

"Stop!"

Belune slid to a stop, completely confused. Her heartbeat raised another notch.

"Ren! What's wrong? What's going on?"

Ren saw the confusion in her eyes and steeled himself

"I can't go on like this, Belune. Something has to change..."

Now she was really confused. Belune fought off a wave of panic as she looked at Ren.

"What is it? What has to change?"

In reply, Ren looked to his side and opened the hand that had been hovering over the counter. The beautiful diamond fell from his grip and rattled around the top of her jar before falling inside. Very slowly and deliberately, the young human looked back at his Tauren love.

"This..."

There was an audible click and the mage lock on Belune's necklace flared brightly. The back of the piece released and the entire thing slid down the considerable slope of her breasts. When it reached the neckline of her dress, part of the necklace caught and the other part continued to tumble through, flipping it over the hem of the dress. The necklace pulled free and fell to the floor with a loud thump. Belune gasped and put a hand to her throat, her mind realizing what had just happened. She looked down at the golden pile on the floor and then back at Ren. He stood, smiling wide now, with his arms outstretched in a universal "come here" gesture.

With a squeal that caused every head to turn her way, the busty Tauren pounded across the space between her and her soon-to-be lover. She dove into his arms and crushed him to her chest. Ren timed her charge and scooped her into the air, wrapping her legs around his waist and spinning her happily in circles. After a few rotations and several minutes of kisses, Belune finally leaned back far enough to look in the young warrior's face.

"Am I dreaming? Did it really fall off?"

"It fell off, honey. You're free."

This prompted several more minutes of kissing and pawing. Gasping for air, Ren set her down on the porch and cupped her head between his hands.

"Want to get out of here?"

"I thought you would never ask..."

He chuckled and turned to go, holding her hand. The two went in through the back door, across the room, around the Troll and Tauren having sex, and out through the open doorway. As they started to cross the outer room, a shout from a familiar table brought them up short. Ren and Belune turned to find Brulliard, on Sergic's lap, playing idly with Belune's jar.

"Leaving without saying goodbye? You're going to hurt my feelings!"

Belune let go of Ren's hand and bent over to kiss Brulliard on the cheek.

"Thank you. I couldn't have survived this without your help."

Brulliard smiled up at her.

"You're welcome. But I don't think I'm done yet..."

Belune looked quizzically at Brulliard, then Ren. When she looked back to the Belf mage, he was grinning from ear to ear.

"You see, Sergic and I have been talking. You do know he moved in with me, right? Well, we were thinking that it would be absolutely marvelous if we could keep you around a little while longer. I need someone who has your work ethics, and you need a job."

Belune's jaw dropped.

"You want me to work here?"

"Why not? You definitely know what you're doing...and the pay is good..."

Belune looked at Ren, who just smiled. She turned back to the table.

"Ok! When do you want me to start?"

"Oh darling! Not right now! You have more important things to take care of..."

At this point, Sergic spoke up.

"Speaking of which, you may need this..."

The Half-Ogre tossed Ren a small silver key. The young human plucked it from the air and looked at it in confusion. Brulliard and Sergic laughed at his expression. The Belf mage poked Ren in the stomach to get his attention.

"Up the stairs, take a left, last room on the right. I've been saving it for weeks now..."

As the words sank in, both Ren and Belune cracked big grins. Brulliard waved a hand to get their attention.

"Now, before you rush off and get naked, there is one last thing I need to talk to you about."

Human and Tauren looked at him in anticipation. The mage slid to the edge of the booth and stood up. He gathered Ren and Belune's hands and pressed her jar into them.

"This should get you started. You can buy a home, furniture, and some foodstuffs to keep you going. Now get out of here, the hormones are so thick between you two, I may have to take another shower!"

Ren was left speechless. Brulliard had just handed them a small fortune. He reached over and hugged the mage, then leaned over and hugged Sergic as well.

"I don't know what to say..."

"Say it later. Get your butts upstairs. I don't want to see your faces until at least tomorrow!"

Belune wasted no time. She started for the stairs, dragging Ren along by one arm. He caught up to her long enough to negotiate the steps without falling and, together, they scrambled down the hall to the door of their room. Ren produced the key, unlocked the door, and stepped inside to look around. The room was small, clean, and modestly furnished. A large bed sat tightly in the corner opposite the door. A chest of drawers occupied another corner and a small writing desk, complete with chair and lamp, finished out the room. Ren turned back to the door when he heard it shut.

The door of the room sported a handle and two sliding locks. Belune shoved the bottom lock home, stood to reach the other, and slid it closed as well. Without taking her hand from the lock, she turned and looked at Ren. The young warrior smiled. So many times he had seen that look before. Hunger and need danced across her features, and at any other time, or place, that look would have made Ren nervous. Now, Ren's own needs matched hers. He set the jar down on the desk, dropped the key next to it, and raised his arms out in front of him.

"Come here..."

To her credit, she didn't run. However, Belune crossed the room in burst of speed that had her firmly in Ren's embrace in a heartbeat. The young human threw his arms around her waist, pulling her tight to his body. Belune had one hand in the center of his back, between his shoulder blades, and the other buried in the hair on the back of his head. Their lips met, and the young warrior thrust his tongue into her mouth, probing and wrestling with her own. Belune groaned into the kiss and pulled his head tight, her broader tongue exploring Ren's mouth hungrily. The youthful male slid his hands up and down her back, delighting in her curves. Her body pressed firmly against him, the softness of her flesh melding to his musculature in perfect contrast. He could feel her breasts pushing into his chest, her hips grinding against his, and her tight, rounded tummy brushing delicately over his abdomen.

Ren's hands slid down over her bottom, grazing her tail, and cupped her full buttocks at that perfect spot where they met her thighs. He clenched his arms and pulled her even tighter to him, causing Belune to gasp and raise her head. Ren brushed her chin with soft kisses and began to make his way down the underside of her muzzle. Her fur was short, dense, and incredibly soft. To Ren, it felt like plush velvet against his skin. Quickly he learned that his tongue was not suited for her fur so he experimented and discovered that he could nibble and nip at her skin, causing her to gasp and sigh. Her aroma, a delicate musk mixed with wild flowers, tingled in his nose with every inhalation. The scent drove a spike directly into a primal area of his brain, igniting a lusty fever the likes of which Ren had never before experienced. He shuddered with every breath, pulling her tight to his body as he buried his face in her throat.

Belune floated on cloud of hungry lust. Ren was nibbling at her throat, causing little spikes of pleasure to sizzle up and down her spine. She pressed herself against him, trying to touch as much of her body to him as she could. Since the last night she had seen him, before he went on his quest, a smoldering sensation had permeated her body every time she thought of him. The smoldering turned into a delicious burn that soon settled in her loins and the low pit of her belly. Night after night, she had tossed and turned, desire mounting higher and higher. Now, the object of said desire was wrapped tightly around her, little flares of tingly fire moving slowly down her neck where his teeth met her skin. The burn in her belly exploded into a raging sun, crying out for his seed, begging to be filled again and again. Belune's teeth clacked together as his hands wandered past her tail again. The faint brush of his fingers at the base of that sensitive appendage railroaded an electric shock up and down her body. She felt her nethers growing moist with anticipation.

Ren was in heaven...and heaven was covered with soft fur. His hands roamed up and down Belune's body, touching her through her thin dress. After a moment, he spun her around so that her back was to the bed and leaned away. She gave him a confused look and he just chuckled softly.

"As good as this feels, there is something I want to do. Something I've wanted to do since the first night you kissed me..."

The young human bent slowly at the knees, dragging his hands down her sides and plucking the fabric of her dress with soft kisses. His lips traveled down over the swell of her magnificent bosom, across her rounded tummy, and over one hip to continue down her thigh. The Tauren shivered with every touch, her hands lightly brushing Ren's hair as he descended. When he was down all the way, Ren reversed his hands, gathering the bottom of her dress in his palms, and slowly began to lift. When the fabric reached the middle of her thighs, the young human release his hold with one hand and slid it all the way down the back of her leg to her hoof. Belune looked down at him.

"Ren, what are you...?"

"Shhh. I've seen you in dresses and I've felt you through fabric. Now I want to explore you...all of you."

Belune shivered again. The way he said those words was so erotic! Never had anyone touched her so simply, or so intimately. His hand was gentle as he stroked the skin on her pastern, and ran a finger over the cleft in her hoof, marveling at the hard, shiny surface.

Ren was entranced. The unique shape of Belune's feet was fascinating him. Her hooves were broad and sturdy, the leg above also thick to help support her upright stance. He stopped touching her hoof and slid his hand around to the back of her leg once again. He trailed his fingers up her leg, arriving at the backward-bending hock. Ren could feel her leg trembling as he traced the ligaments and joints with his finger, admiring how the bend supported her weight. He continued his exploration, dragging his fingernails up over a more normal-looking knee, and slowly slid his palm up her thigh. He stopped and squeezed once, feeling the thick muscles under a thin layer of soft padding that gave her such a wonderful shape. When his hand reached her hanging dress, he simply scooped it with his thumb and continued to lift. Higher and higher went the dress. The young human moved with calculated speed, dragging the moment out. He shifted his hands again to the sides to pull Belune's dress up over her hips. To his delight, she wasn't wearing any panties.

As her most intimate area was revealed, the first thing Ren noticed was the scent. It was a faint, intoxicating fragrance that set his mouth to watering. Blinking in surprise, the young human realized it was the source of the delicious aroma that seemed to follow the Tauren everywhere she went. Ren inhaled deeply, drowning in her fresh, clean, tangy musk. As he moved his hands to the back to free her tail from the dress, he took a moment to look her over. Her hips were well suited for childbearing, broad and curvy. Her exposed belly was taut and rounded, smoothing down to a defined crease at her waistline. A soft, plump "V" of flesh nestled snugly between the tops of her thick thighs, curving back out of sight. Ren noted the small exposure of the top of her sex with delight. The area immediately around her inky black slit was devoid of fur, the soft, dense pelt gradually returning the further away from her labia one went. Ren leaned in and kissed her bellybutton, getting a cry of surprise from Belune. He chuckled at her and continued to gather her dress up over her body.

When Ren reached her breasts, he quickly discovered that Belune's dress had a thin band of elastic that tucked the fabric in tight around her ribcage, effectively creating an integrated bra. The young warrior hooked his thumbs behind the elastic and leveraged it out and over her chest. One by one, her massive furred globes bounced free, releasing the tension on the rest of the dress. Ren marveled at the view. Each of Belune's orbs was at least the same size as his head, topped with nipples the diameter of his thumb and dark areolas that clashed with her cream colored fur. He also took note that, despite their size, neither of them drooped at all, proudly standing tall on her chest. He freed a hand to briefly brush over one, noting the firmness, and on to her side, where he could feel her ribs, rising and falling to her heavy breaths. Gripping the dress again, Ren continued to lift. Belune obediently lifted her arms into the air and the young warrior slipped the fabric over her upturned head. The Taurens hair spilled from the opening, soft and loose. Where she normally braided its entire length, now only a single small twist dangled from one side, behind an ear. Ren lifted the bunched fabric higher, nearing her wrists. He paused, and with a mischievous chuckle, took one hand and twisted the dress firmly in a circle, trapping the Tauren's wrists in an impromptu cuff. Belune glanced up at the coiled material and looked back at Ren, her face a mask of mock surprise.

"Oh come on! That's just cruel..."

Ren's free hand traced her jawbone.

"Cruel? That's not cruel. But this might be cruel..."

He leaned in and kissed her while his hand slowly began to descend. He put his palm, fingers splayed wide, on her collarbone and drifted downward with agonizing slowness. His hand slid out over the expanse of one of her breasts, stopping to tweak a thick nipple between two fingers. Belune gave a little "eep!" and sighed lustily into Ren's mouth as he continued downward to where her breast met her stomach. Slowly, he grazed his palm over the swell of her belly, directly over her navel, and continued to elicit groans of pleasure from the Taureness. When he reached her waistline, he paused only a second, and then slid his hand over her mons. Belune gasped and twitched, panting in Ren's ear as she licked his neck. With his two center fingers, the human glided gently over her pudendal cleft, rubbing in infinitesimally small circles. To his glee, she was already slick and wet with desire. As he stroked her slit, Belune moaned, eyes closed, and moved her hips in tiny bucks against his palm. Ren left her suffer a few moments longer, then released the tension of the cuffed dress and pulled it over her hands. Freed from captivity, the Tauren reached down between her legs and forced Ren's fingers deep into her passage. She kissed him deeply while she cupped the back of his hand and bucked in little jerks as his digits slid in and out of her.

Belune's mind was reeling. The erotic and intimate undressing had stoked the fire of desires to impossible heights. Where a small sun had burned earlier, a raging supernova threatened to consume her from the inside out. Every nerve ending twanged at his very touch. When he had stroked her sex with his fingers a moment ago, she almost flooded his hand with her juices. Now she rocked back and forth in tiny, short strokes, engulfing his fingers and trying to quench the inner fire roaring low in her belly. When he took his hand away, she moaned its loss.

Ren placed his hands on Belune's hips and continued to kiss her deeply. He leaned forward slowly, forcing her to step back. Her knees bumped the edge of the bed and she abruptly sat down. Smiling, he quickly doffed his tunic and leaned over her, resuming his kiss. As she fell slowly to the bed, Ren followed her down, one hand supporting his weight and the other roaming over her body. When her head hit the mattress, she sighed and lifted her chin. Ren nibbled his way down the underside of her muzzle and started towards her chest. Her fur brushed along his lips until his mouth found one of her thick nipples. He wrapped his lips around it and wiggled his tongue against the flat tip. Belune arched her back and grabbed the back of his head with both hands. As he continued to suckle and lick her thick nub, she moaned and twisted beneath him, throwing her legs out to either side so he could lie flat on her abdomen. Ren's free hand found her other mammary and gently tweaked her rock-hard nipple between his fingers. The combination of his mouth on one breast and his hand on the other had Belune gasping in pleasure.

"Gods, Ren! Don't stop! Oooohhh..."

The young human smiled around her nipple as she spoke. He could feel her stomach flexing and writhing against his bare chest. With one last flick of the tongue, he let her nub pop out of his mouth and began to creep down her body, nibbling as he went. When he reached her navel and his intended destination became clear, Belune suddenly tensed. She gripped his head between her hands and he looked up at her in surprise. Her face was full of apprehension.

"Um...where do you think you're going?"

Ren looked at her in mild confusion.

"I thought that was obvious. Why?"

The Tauren was biting her bottom lip before she replied.

"Ren, I'm a little nervous. No one's ever done that to me..."

"What? I thought you and Thorin..."

"No. When we were together, it was all about him. I never even asked...not once."

Ren just looked at her anxious face for a moment and then smiled and rubbed her thighs.

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course."

"Then lay back and relax. I want to give you something special to enjoy..."

Belune gave him one last look and laid her head back on the mattress. Ren continued to nibble his way down over her tummy. He crossed the indentation of her waistline and planted one last kiss on the top of her mons. He paused a just a moment, taking in her scent and watching her chest rise and fall in anticipation. Then he leaned in and licked her slit, hard, from bottom to top. Belune squeaked and her legs lifted from the bed briefly in a spasm. Her breathing doubled in pace as Ren paused to examine her flavor. He leaned in and dragged his tongue over her sex again, going slowly this time. Belune groaned lustily and clenched the blankets as he continued to lap at her folds. Without warning, Ren changed tactics, thrusting his tongue deep inside and scooping it across the tender surface between her lips. Along the way he bumped the little nugget of flesh under her clitoral hood and Belune tore furrows in the wall with her thick fingernails. Ren saw the flakes of wood fall from her hands and smiled. He readjusted his grip to her hips and plunged back in.

Belune was losing her mind. Never had she imagined it would feel this good. With every movement of his tongue, Ren was pushing her higher and higher into an ecstatic rush. He would tickle her inner passage and then slowly draw her button into his mouth, sucking on it gently. When he did, the center of Belune's world narrowed down to that little nub of flesh. Lightning crackled up her spine with every pucker of his lips. The nuclear inferno in the pit of her belly surged with every movement, every touch of his tongue. A wave of pressure began to accompany the burn. Ren stroked his hands on her hips, rubbed her tummy, and dragged his fingers up and down her inner thigh. The pressure began to build, higher and higher, and soon Belune found herself begging for release. Suddenly she didn't know where to put her hands and legs. The sensations pouring from Ren's ministrations were overwhelming her thoughts. Her legs wanted to keep closing on his head and she couldn't seem to find a good place to put her hands.

Ren redoubled his efforts as Belune groaned and wiggled beneath him. Every once in a while, she tried to move her legs and would stop, as if she was unsure where to put them. The human released his grip on her hips and put his hands high on her thighs to steady her legs. Belune reached down to caress his head and then seemed to change her mind at the last moment. Ren reached up and placed her hand on the back of his head. The Tauren immediately understood his intent and pulled him into her honey pot with both hands.

Ren's tongue explored her depths. He would push the tip deep into her passage, wiggle it around, and then slowly draw it up the tender skin between her tunnel and her clitoris. He would then flick his tongue rapidly against her button, sucking and lapping her juices as they flowed freely from deep inside her body. Belune started to shudder and buck her hips against Ren's face, warning him of her impending climax. He smiled and continued to brush her sensitive nub faster and faster. The Tauren began to keen with a guttural, throaty whine, rising slowly in pitch. Her hands tightened spasmodically on Ren's head and her stomach clenched.

"Ren! I'm going to...to...ahhhh!"

Her breath hitched in her throat once, twice and then she screamed as she flooded Ren's face and chest with her expulsions. The young human tried to lap up her fluids but the flow outstripped him in mere seconds. Belune convulsed, crying his name out to the ceiling, and her hands buried themselves deep in his hair as she shuddered over and over. Ren rode the wave of her climax, happily bathing his mouth and face in her sweet discharge. Before long, Belune pushed him away gently, gasping and heaving. The human watched in fascination as he received a close-up view of her folds, scrunching spasmodically in time with her climax. With a grin, Ren noticed her tiny pink pucker, just above her thrashing tail, also spasmed in time with her sex. He waited till her contractions faded away, breathing slowed down, and then planted a long, slow kiss right back on the top of her slit, causing her to jump delightfully. Ren laughed at her expression, eyes fluttering, mouth open, and chest heaving. The intoxicating aroma he had noticed earlier was now flooding his nostrils, from both inside his mouth and on his face. The entire exchange had ended with Ren kneeling on his knees on the floor, next to the bed. He leaned forward and rested his chin lightly on the bottom of Belune's stomach, stretching his arms up to lightly brush her nipples.

The couple held this position until Belune finally regained her composure. She sat up with a groan and clasped Ren's head between her hands, thrusting her tongue into his mouth, tasting herself on his lips. The Tauren drug her nails over his chest, feeling his defined muscles, and worked her way down over his abs to his waist. She fumbled blind with the tie on his breeches for a few moments and then huffed and sat back.

"You need to stand up, honey. I can't get them from here."

Ren smiled and stood. Belune quickly untied the knot and hooked her fingers in both sides of his breeches and smallclothes. She glanced up at the young warrior with an impish grin, and then yanked his clothes to his ankles. When Ren's manhood was revealed, Belune gasped and stammered at the sight.

"Gods, Ren! Where have you been hiding this?"

The young human blushed when he looked down and saw her shocked expression.

"Um...I hit a growth spurt recently?"

"This is one hell of a growth spurt!"

Ren's face started to fall as he grew concerned.

"Bel, you don't have to do this if you don't want. We can find another way to enjoy each other..."

"Are you kidding? I've wanted you for how long. I'm not going to let this get in our way..."

"Are you sure, Bel? I don't want to hurt you."

Belune gripped his semi-erect length with one hand. Her fingers couldn't even touch around it. She eyed his dimensions thoughtfully before replying.

"I've always felt a little too big anyway. Maybe this won't be as tough as it seems..."

Belune stroked his length with her hand, her eyes widening further as her attentions caused his manhood to come fully erect. She took her time, inspecting his shaft as she brushed her two-fingered hand up and down. For just a moment, the Tauren wondered if she wasn't trying to take on a little too much. Ren's throbbing erection was enormous, the same length as the distance from the crook of her elbow to her wrist! And the girth! The girl was already trying to come to terms with attempting to fit it inside. Then again, her experience with Thorin, while very pleasant, hadn't exactly tested her size limits to any great degree. Not that he was small for a human; he was just not anywhere near normal Tauren anatomy. One thing that had helped, Ren's skillful hands and tongue had helped to temporarily assuage the roaring fire in the pit of her stomach. There was a lingering tingle in her lower lips at the memory of his touch and her inner firestorm had settled to a delicious smolder. Now, eye to tip with her lover's tool, Belune's desire bloomed heavily once again. She leaned forward and dragged her broad tongue slowly up the underside of Ren's shaft.

Ren groaned loudly as Belune reached the tip of his erection. She grinned up at him and starting licking him over and over. The young human was enjoying the view; the Tauren's soft, broad nose could be seen on both sides of his pole as she moved. Belune shifted her grip to the base, added her other hand, and began another sensuous stroke up the undersize of his length, cupping his member to her face. This time, rather than lifting her tongue from his flesh and starting again, Belune continued right out to the very tip and simply took him in her mouth. Ren gasped as her warmth engulfed him, the sight of her soft lips around his girth sending shivers up and down his spine. The Tauren paused a split second, and then slowly took him in further. About half his length disappeared into her mouth before he gently bumped against the entrance to her throat. Belune wriggled her taste organ over the underside of his shaft, causing the young warrior to moan and twitch. She pulled back slowly, cheeks caved with suction, and pulled off of him with a small popping noise. She looked up at Ren.

"Mmmm lover, I'm going to have to work a little harder with you."

Ren could barely respond he was panting so hard. Obviously any reservations Belune had about the size of his genitalia were long discarded.

"Gods Bel! I've never felt anything that good before!"

Her grin turned feral.

"If you liked that, you're going to love this..."

Belune leaned forward and stuffed him into her wide-open mouth. She deliberately pressed her tongue against the underside of his shaft as she slid him further and further into her maw. When his tip bumped her throat again, the Tauren shifted her grip to Ren's buttocks and swallowed, drawing him right down her throat. Ren spasmed in surprise as Belune's nose bumped into his lower abdomen. He couldn't take his eyes off of her as she gently twisted her head, licking at his gonads and massaging him with her throat. She cupped his sack with one hand and used a finger to rub the soft stretch of skin between scrotum and anus. Ren groaned deep in the back of his throat and closed his eyes at the sensations. Never, not once, had anyone ever taken his full length, and her movement and stroking were giving him overwhelming sensations like no one had ever done before now. As she withdrew, he nearly whimpered at the cooling band that followed in the wake of her high-suction retreat. When she reached the tip, she backed away with another little popping noise and Ren's member twitched from the sensation. Belune smiled and blew a little air on the tip.

"Well, what do you know?"

"Bel...*pant*...you didn't...*pant*...have to...*pant*...go that far!"

"I know, but seeing how much you liked it, I think I'll be doing that a lot..."

"Light help me..."

The Tauren chucked evilly and leaned forward to swallow him up again. This time around, Belune only took him to within a hand of his entire length, pausing for a moment, and then pulling back, dimpling her cheeks with suction. Right before she reached the end, she lunged forward again, causing Ren to shudder as she began to oscillate up and down his shaft. Belune would wiggle and drag her tongue as she took him in and add powerful suction as she pulled back. Along with her movement, she continued to cup and caress his testes, rubbing the spot behind them in tiny circles. Ren twitched and groaned as he felt a familiar tingle start between his hips. Belune didn't just bob her head; she twisted her neck, worked her jaw, and generally tried to come at each stroke with a different angle. Ren's knees shook at her efforts as he swayed lightly in rhythm to her movements. The tingling in his stomach intensified, spreading out to his extremities. Ren groaned again and found himself putting his hands on Belune's horns.

The Tauren felt her lover's light touch on her horns and quivered with delight. Ren had been shuddering and moaning for the past few minutes, a sure indicator that he was going to explode soon. Her apprehension at his size had melted away when she discovered her innate ability to take him all the way down her throat. Now she lathered his length with her tongue as she thrust him into her gullet over and over. She relished the taste of his skin and the feel of his veiny width sliding in and out of her maw. Belune leaned forward and took him all the way again, enjoying the feel of his heartbeat hammering in the big vein against her tongue. When she pulled back, she tasted a tiny squirt of his warning juices, the bittersweet tang flooding her mouth. Ren's grip tightened on her horns and his hips started to jerk. He groaned deeply and she watched his abdomen clench. Eagerly she shifted her hands to his base and sucked powerfully at the end of his manhood.

When Belune stopped moving, Ren was too far over the edge of his orgasm to stop. Her ministrations had fanned the tingle in his stomach and extremities into a wave of pleasure that seemed to rush towards his groin. One last time had she swallowed him fully, and he tipped over the edge. His breath hitched in his throat and he gasped as seemingly every liquid in his body concentrated and tried to rush out his pole. Belune purred her pleasure at him as jet after jet blasted forth into her warm mouth. Her tongue lapped at the underside of his member, coaxing every spurt from him she could. Breathless, he could only clench and shudder with every pulse, until finally he could go no more, standing and panting as he looked down at her. Belune slowly withdrew, slurping his tool, and left go with a small kiss. She looked up at him and swallowed slowly, making sure he could see her throat move. Then she licked her lips and smiled.

"Somebody enjoyed that, eh?"

Ren didn't even have the energy to respond. All he could do was nod enthusiastically at the Taureness. His knees trembled and his body felt weak. Belune chuckled as she massaged his flagging erection. Ren stepped to one side and sat down heavily next to her on the bed. He wrapped one arm around her and together they flopped back on to the bed. When he finally got his voice back, he looked deep into her blue eyes.

"That was unbelievable! Thank you for that."

Belune softly caressed his cheek.

"Thank you too. You make me feel so good, Ren..."

Ren chuckled softly.

"I thought that was my job."

"You know what I mean, don't you?"

The young human looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Till right now I thought I did. What are you saying?"

"I spent my entire life ridiculed and rejected by almost everyone I knew. When the raiders stormed my village, it was almost a relief to be taken away. Then they talked about what they were going to do to me, when they got me back to this town. It was horrible. I thought my life was over. Then I found you...and I have never, ever been so happy, or feel so loved..."

Ren wiped away a tear with his thumb.

"You will always be loved, Belune. As long as I breathe, I will love you, heart and soul..."

She pulled him to her for a kiss. The young warrior scooted closer, wrapping his arm around her and returning her kiss deeply and fully. He started to trace his fingers up and down her side when she shivered at his touch. He dragged a solitary fingertip across her chest, just under her luscious breasts, and down over the curve of her belly. As he went lower, Belune moaned into his kiss and opened her legs. He slid his hand over her mons and slipped two fingers inside her slick passage. Belune arched her back at the intrusion and tightened her grip on the back of Ren's head. As his tongue wrestled hers across the seal of their mouths, the young warrior bent his fingers and grazed the rough patch of flesh inside her passage, just behind her pubic bone. Belune gasped at the touch, throwing her head back and grinding her crotch against his hand. Ren nibbled down her neck and chest, wrapping his lips around a thick nipple and flicking the flat tip with his tongue. The Tauren continued to moan, pulling his head to her chest and bucking her hips on his fingers. Ren suckled her teat as his manhood once more hardened into readiness. Belune writhed under his touch as her juices soaked his fingers. When her free hand found his tool stiff and ready, she opened her eyes. She shifted both hands to the sides of his head and pulled him up to where they were eye to eye.

"I want you to fuck me. Now!"

Startled by the power behind her words, Ren was in motion before he even had time to think. He positioned himself atop her and looked down to where his erection dangled above her sex. Belune reached between them with one hand and guided him to her waiting slit. She rubbed the tip of his pole up and down, slathering it in her fluids, before positioning it at the entrance of her passage. Ren cocked his hips; slowly applying pressure, until her body suddenly gave way and spread before him. The end of his shaft sunk into her up to his glans and Belune gasped, gripping his shoulders.

"Slowly! Please..."

Ren nodded and gently pushed again. The Tauren's sopping passage slowly gave way for him. As he gently probed deeper, his mind reeled at the incredible sensation. Belune was hot. The walls of her sex radiated delicious, pulsing warmth several degrees above any other woman Ren had ever known. He sank slowly into her depths, pausing occasionally to let her adjust to his girth. At about half his length, Belune contracted around him once, sending an electric jolt through his hips and up his spine. He looked down at her as she returned his gaze through her eyelashes.

"Gods, Ren. You feel soooo good..."

"Me? I don't know how I'm ever going to last if you keep squeezing like that."

"I don't care if you last, lover. We have all night, right?"

"Hmm...good point..."

Ren kissed her passionately and changed the position of his hands on either side of her. He pulled back a few finger widths, eliciting a little whine from Belune, and then pushed slowly back into her body. Her muscular walls separated reluctantly as he delved into regions of her anatomy previously untouched by any other. He drove deeper, parting her oiled silk inch by inch. Belune broke the kiss and groaned in Ren's ear. Her walls pulsed spasmodically, clenching his shaft and causing his teeth to clack together in surprise. He pushed a few more finger widths into her and then paused as her passageway rippled, milking him in a rhythmic, peristaltic movement that had him gasping in her ear. Ren had never felt anything like it. Her anatomy literally flexed at regular intervals, coaxing him to fill her with his seed. The young human shuddered and moaned at the effect.

"Ngh, Bel...how are you doing that?"

The Tauren gripped his sides as another shudder passed through her.

"I...I don't know. Gods! You're sooo deep..."

He backed out a slight distance one more time and then pushed forward, hilting himself inside her just as he felt the tip of his shaft bump gently against an inner obstruction. Belune's eyes flew wide and she produced a guttural, rumbling grunt from deep in her chest. Ren stayed still, basking in the feeling as her channel walls continued to undulate up and down his length. The Tauren trembled underneath him.

"Oooh, honey...I can't go any further..."

"That's it, Bel. I don't have any more to give."

The Tauren beamed up at him.

"How about that? We fit together perfectly..."

Ren beamed back at her. Indeed, as a key fits into its lock, Ren's size matched his lover flawlessly. When the young human shifted his weight, the resulting tiny amount of friction set the Taureness off again, her juices boiling out around Ren's length and splashing his thighs. He kissed her a few more minutes, allowing her to adapt to his size, and then drew his hips back to almost completely exit her folds.

Belune whimpered at the retreat. Ren's bulk had filled her so fully, so completely, that her head swam from the sensation. As deep as he was, every inch of him touched every inch of her. Even the slightest movement sent sparks of pleasure racing up and down her body. Now he had withdrawn and the emptiness inside cried out for his touch yet again. The luscious smolder she felt earlier had been re-ignited into a scorching blaze by his skillful fingers, and his penetration had reached directly into the center of that blaze. Her body continued to burn, begging for him to release her from her delicious torment. He paused at the apex and then plunged back into her, shockwaves of pleasure exploding from her middle. She squealed quietly at his thrust and sank her teeth into his shoulder. He grunted once, and then withdrew again only to plunge back in. Soon he had an ardent rhythm going, alternately filling and emptying her as her body bounced gently in time to his motions.

It didn't take long for Ren to start panting and huffing above his lover. The incredible feeling of her clamping down every time he withdrew from her sex had that familiar tingle starting in the pit of his stomach. This time, Ren felt as though his entire body had turned into a conduit connected to his groin. Nerve endings sang, muscles twitched, and the tingling grew and grew as he thrust harder and harder in and out of her body. Belune reached down with both hands and gripped his hips, pulling him into her with every stroke.

"Oh yeah baby! Give it to me! Give it to me!"

Ren's coherent mind fogged over and his primal brain took control, slamming into her form with audible thumps, faster and faster. The tingling all over his body began to funnel through his nerves and pile up behind his manhood. A clench, a twitch, and Ren's rhythm turned to short, hard thrusts, burying his pole deep into Belune's well with every stroke.

"I'm gonna! I'm gonna!..."

Ren stabbed deep into the Tauren and quaked powerfully. His breath caught for a moment, and then the damn burst, pouring a gut-wrenching cascade of hot, thick fluid far into the recesses of Belune's womb. The Tauren girl felt the steaming liquid strike her depths and it set off her own orgasm, back arching high and muscles tensing around him. The two quaked and shivered as each clutched tightly to the other. Ren continued to spurt seeming endless amounts into Belune's belly. Each powerful jet twisted his face into a contortion of ecstasy. As the final surges died away, Ren collapsed heavily on top of the Tauren, spent and gasping for air.

Belune also gasped for air. The young human had pushed himself to her innermost depths in the throes of his orgasm. As he came, his creamy gushes splattered against her inner walls, coating her and soothing the raging inferno that had burned within her for so long. Now she lay panting, her walls still trying to milk him of his contributions and add to the substantial puddle inside her. She turned her head to meet his and he kissed her deeply and passionately. She wrapped her arms around him and crushed him to her chest. When they stopped to breath, she smiled up at him.

"That was incredible!"

He smiled back down at her.

"I have never, ever come that hard before. Ever."

Belune licked his cheek.

"Neither have I. You bring out the animal in me..."

Ren grinned and lifted an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I noticed. Imean...'fuck me'? Really?"

Belune ducked her head and blushed bright red under her fur.

"Oh no...I'm never going to hear the end of that, am I?"

"With any luck, neither will I."

He kissed her nose gently and chuckled at her embarrassment. Then, with some grunting and straining, he pulled himself free and lay on the bed next to Belune. She snuggled into the crook of his arm and rested a hand on her belly. She glanced down at her protruding stomach and then looked over into Ren's eyes.

"Gee, honey. Were you a little pent up?"

The young human smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

"I can't help it. You bring it out of me."

Belune stroked his cheek.

"I've wanted this for so long. It's like a dream..."

Ren kissed her and stared into her eyes.

"You remember when you told me about wondering when you would ever find a guy of your own? When a guy would pick you?"

"Yeah?"

"It's me, Bel. I'm that guy...I'm your guy."

The Tauren's eyes misted over and she smiled at him.

"Finally..."

She leaned forward and kissed him deeply. Ren enjoyed the taste of her for a little while before she suddenly pulled back and grinned at him.

"So, you once told me that I bring it out of you, right?"

"Um, yes. About five minutes ago, why?"

Belune reached down and gripped his shaft.

"Think I could bring it out of you again?"

Ren smiled wide and slid his hand between her legs. Belune moaned softly as his fingers slid in deep.

"I think we can arrange something..."