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Kory and the Rogue Mage 2013 Gren Drake

He blinked, consciousness returning. There was a stable around him, one in rather poor condition. The walls were warped and light shone through the gaps between the boards. The roof had even larger gaps, allowing in even more light, and it appeared the wind had torn away a large piece of the roof at some point in the past. At least all these gaps let the light in; the windows were boarded over and the large doors were closed. The remains of stalls stood scattered throughout, little more than posts sticking out of the bare earth. A few boards were scattered across the top, looking ready to crumble and fall, suggesting the former presence of a hayloft. The air was filled with a mouldy, decaying smell that almost had to be the walls; there was nothing else to decay.

Unless it was him? No, he was pretty sure he was both alive and not sick. He felt wrong, but not unwell. Raising his head, he blinked as he looked around, trying to remember his name. It took him a worrisome moment; his head seemed to be in a cloud of fog.

Kory. Yes, that was it. Slowly, images of village life, of working with his father at the forge, of his mother's cooking, of the villagers and the farmers bringing in the harvest, filtered into his mind. One particular farmer's daughter featured prominently. She was beautiful, with a ready laugh and a playful, mischievous nature. He'd been on his way to see her, to visit her family's farmstead, ostensibly to take a load of repaired equipment out.

But it hardly seemed possible that those were really his memories; nothing indicated why he was in such a desiccated stable. Besides, everyone he could remember was human and, indeed, he remembered having tools in his hands as he worked the forge.

He didn't have any hands now. His body was still covered in thick muscle, but it was encased in the body of an animal. He had four legs each ending in broad paw with vicious claws. There were no thumbs, but his toes were reasonably dexterous, at least compared to most toes. He had a massive barrel chest that was presently stretched over the ground. It flowed out into a graceful tapering tail that moved easily, even if it was twitching more with every part of himself he examined. Part of his body was covered in fur, what would be the upper part were he to stand on all fours (though thinking of standing like this made his stomach uneasy; that was how animals stood, not people!). A thick mane ran along his spine; he suspected it would be mostly white if clean, but at the moment there was enough dirt and grime that it appeared to be greyish-brown. It seemed he hadn't been able to bath recently.

Shifting his legs, he looked between them before sighing in relief; he was no less a man than his memories suggested, at least in that respect. But it was a limited relief, Everything was still present, but it had taken a more bestial guise, his flaccid shaft replaced with a sheath.

While he was hardly in a position to look at his head, he wished he could; it felt wrong, too heavy and oddly balanced. He ran his tongue over his lips, quickly regretting the action as he tasted the filth that seemed to cover his entire body. But he did discover rather more lip than expected. With equal parts dread and curiosity, he brought what he could only call his forepaws to his face, carefully exploring it by touch. His face extended out far more than it had any right to, suggesting that it had a bestial snout. Hard surfaces poking out the top of his snout and the sides of his head suggested horns.

Further self-investigation was delayed as he heard the over-sized doors creak open. He jerked his head towards them, staring as they moved in fits as though whoever was behind them was having trouble getting them to move. Not that this was much of a surprise given the condition of the building. Every time they moved they let out a loud screech that pierced his ears and made him wince. It took several minutes for the doors to open enough to admit a pair of human figures.

Well, human-shaped figures; one was clearly a woman, but a woman with a tail of bare skin ending in a massive ball of fluff. Her tail stuck out through a tear in the back of her ragged clothes and was matched by her long, graceful hair that flowed over her shoulders. Her clothes looked more suited to a beggar and did little to conceal her full bosom or her pale skin that looked as though it had never seen the sun. There was a strange, distant look in her eyes as though her mind was not at all present and she walked with a stumbling gait that suggested she was paying little attention to where she was going.

But then Kory's eyes moved to the other figure and his vision was tinged with red. Before he was even aware of the motion he was throwing himself forward, stopped only by something digging into his shoulders, holding him back. A collar! He remembered, now, seeing a chain, though it hadn't seemed important before.

Prevented from reaching the unknown, but entirely human looking, figure, he found himself snarling and growling. He crouched as if to attempt another pounce.

All of which was quite strange because he could not recall the figure at all. The stranger was not particularly threatening, either; he was shorter than the woman he'd come in with and flesh on his body seemed to hang loosely from the bone with neither fat nor muscle beneath it. He had trousers in no better condition than the woman's clothes and a tunic hung open to reveal his chest and the ribs that were visible under his skin. A large book was tucked under his arm and though Kory could see there were words along its spine, he couldn't make out what they said. Admittedly, he wasn't very good at reading at the best of times.

"You are awake," the stranger said, approaching until he stood just out of Kory's reach. The ease with which he did this suggested it was not the first time. The woman moved with him, always a few steps behind. As they got closer Kory could hear that she was muttering.

Kory didn't reply, too distracted by the unexpected and inexplicable rage that filled him at the sight of this man. Whoever it was, he was possibly the least threatening man Kory had ever seen, especially given the claws Kory's new body seemed to have. He concentrated on breathing deeply, forcing himself to become calm, even as his ears remained perked, listening to what the man said.

"I was so hoping the spell would destroy your recent memory, but it seems you still remember me. A shame, but you never can trust those ancient mages. They were so paranoid and left their books with all manner of nasty traps."

Slowly, Kory felt himself calming down and settled back down to the ground. He even suppressed his growl, though it reappeared whenever he wasn't focusing on it. But he couldn't entirely clear the tension from his muscles and his lips still seemed to be pulled back slightly.

"Good, good, get in control of yourself. If you can I might have a use for you. It would be very rewarding, I assure you. If not," the man shrugged, "well, I can still find a use for you. Angela, help him settle down."

"Yes, of course Rupert." Her voice was flat, toneless. She walked over and crouched next to Kory with no sign of fear. She didn't even seem to acknowledge his presence until after she'd crouched down.

She put her hands on him, stroking his mane and rubbing his flanks and shoulders. Despite her apparent mental distance from the world, her hands expertly sought out the tension in his body as though it were something she had done many times. He felt himself relaxing further as a new calm flowed out into his body; even his face relaxed, his eyelids drooping. Despite this, he could still feel the rage burning within him, its fire banked but far from extinguished.

"Enjoying Angela's attentions? I could give her to you, make her want to serve you in any way you could desire. You may not be human now, but that doesn't mean you don't still have desires and needs. Or hormones at least." As Rupert spoke he walked to the opposite side of the stable and set the book on the ground, flipping through it. "She sees what I want her to see, hears what I want her to hear. Even her thoughts are not wholly her own, though I admit to having a less complete control of them."

Kory remained silent; his head lay on the ground now as Angela massaged the muscles of his neck and shoulders. All Kory's troubles seemed miles distant. Having her touch him again, always, now that would be nice.

It felt like a dream as he watched Rupert work, taking a half-rotten stick and using it to draw in the ground. First was a circle, drawn both carefully and slowly. Then around it what looked like writing only Kory couldn't even recognize the letters, let alone the words. It was obvious that the man was preparing some form of magic. Perhaps it related to himself, something that would help explain what had happened to him.

His muscles tensed again as he thought about what had happened to him, but the woman's continuing efforts kept the tension from lasting. He hadn't even begun thinking about how he might get whatever had changed him cured before her hands sapped his tension; once again everything seemed to be distant as he was distracted by skilled hands. Still, he knew that he might care later when those hands were absent. As it was, he was liable to fall asleep if Angela continued, but he could hardly bring himself to stop her.

Once Rupert finished drawing the strange words, he began drawing a design surrounding them, expanding outwards to almost reach the edge of the stable and nearly within Kory's grasp. As he continued, the man worked faster and faster. It took Kory a while to realize that the shadows in the stable were growing longer, signalling the setting of the sun. No candle or torch could provide as clear a light, especially given the condition of the stable.

Rupert did not finish before it became dark. Cursing, he gathered up his book then turned to where Angela continued to massage Kory. "I will be back with dawn; do not disturb my work." He gave Kory a glare that failed to penetrate Kory's massage-induced bliss. "Come, Angela. I have need of your assistance myself tonight. I must do all I can to prepare for the morning."

"Of course Rupert." She rose, Kory sighing as her hands fell from his body, and she followed Rupert out. They did not close the door behind them, sparing his ears the noise, but even unchained he did not think he would have been able to squeeze through the opening. Besides which, it hardly seemed as though the walls would've held him anyway.

Even without her hands continuing their work, the bliss induced by the massage remained; with the oddly threatening man and his spell no long present, Kory found it impossible to avoid sleep.

* * *

A hand touching his fur woke him. Kory opened his eyes, blinking as he looked around. It was still dark; the only light came from a single candle that rested on the ground a short distance away. The sight of the open flame in likely highly flammable building took his breath away until he realized that it was not close to any of the rotted wood of the stable. Chained as he was there would be no way for him to escape if a fire broke out.

He looked see who was touching him; Angela was crouched next to him. "I am to satisfy your male needs. You are to know what he can offer." Her voice was still a monotone and as she hadn't lowered it, it rang out in the otherwise silent night.

He shook his head, his mind working slowly. Satisfy him? It was obvious that Rupert was trying to buy his loyalty; why the mage would want to was less clear. Especially why he didn't just use another spell like he had on Angela; she seemed entirely compliant.

Gently, she rolled him onto his side, then his back. He went along with this, shifting only just enough to keep from lying on the chain attached to his collar.

As she stood he saw she was only wearing a loose robe. Then, with a shrug, she wasn't wearing even that. It fell, revealing her body as it did. His eyes followed the top of the robe, looking over her body as it fell past her breasts, nipples stiff in the chilled air, past her lean stomach and down her legs.

His eyes stopped at her waist. At first staring at her exposed, glistening sex, before being distracted by the tail that hung behind her, swaying slightly. She seemed unself-conscious about the extra limb and, indeed, entirely unaware of it.

She swung a leg over him, crouching over his exposed belly. Her legs rubbed against him, sending a delightful shiver through his body. Her hips rocked, rubbing against his exposed hide even as she leaned forward and took his head in her hands and nuzzled his nose.

Already he could feel his body responding, a familiar-yet-unfamiliar shifting in his loins as his shaft swelled out from where it was hidden. But despite his body's obvious approval he made no conscious response; her interest, while not feigned, hardly seemed willing either.

Shifting upwards, she leaned forward further, rubbing herself against him. She draped her breasts over his snout, seemingly unmindful of his horns, allowing their soft flesh caressing his fur. He was overwhelmed with the smell of her and also, unfortunately, Rupert. The man's smell clung to her body. That was what decided him and despite the way he could feel his cock throbbing he shifted back.

Or tried to at any rate. It was disconcerting to realize that his arms, forelegs rather, were not designed in such a way to allow him to push himself away when he was on his back. It seemed that simply moving away would not be an option.

He pulled his head away from her as much as possible, leaving it resting on the ground, but that only encouraged her to lean forward more, her hands slipping over his body to stroke his cheeks and neck. She was rubbing her cheek against his snout even as he felt something brush against his shaft. What was it? Both her hands were on his neck and her thighs were wrapped around his chest.

Her tail! It stroked his sensitive flesh, sending shivers through his body. No! This wasn't what he wanted. He tried putting his forepaws against the ground again, hoping to push himself away, but to no effect. Even as he gave up the effort he realized it was probably just as well; he'd have been liable to accidentally penetrate her.

Desperate, he put his paws on her chest, feeling her very erect nipples under them, and pushing. She didn't resist, but moved her hands to his paws as she was pushed upright once more. She held them in place as she looked down at him with a vague smile. He tried to pull his forelegs away from her but she held them fast, the only effect being to rub the calloused undersides of his paws against her nipples. He felt the shiver this sent through her and a moan escaped her lips, the only sign of emotion he'd seen in the entire time he'd known her.

Her tail had brushed along his penis as he'd pushed her upright and his shaft throbbed painfully now. He wanted to bury himself inside of her, unload his seed into her. He needed to get her off of him, away from him, before he lost control.

With a harsh shove, he sent her tumbling backwards, then rolled over and scrambled along the ground within the limits imposed by the chain. As he did he watched her.

She picked herself up, seemingly undisturbed by his actions. Looking up at him she ran her hands over her body, one caressing her breasts, two fingers of the other slipping into her sex.

He averted his eyes, trying not to think about the uncomfortable way his shaft was bobbing with his movements. Only moments later her hands took a hold of him, holding him in place, forcing him onto his side. He strained against her seemingly implacable grip as she bent down and ran her tongue over his shaft. He shivered, even moaned, despite his efforts to ignore her touch.

It wouldn't take much more before he reached his climax and briefly he considered letting her continue. But unwilling oral sex was no better than unwilling penetrative sex. This time, though, he was in a better position to do something about it.

He pulled his thighs up against his chest, getting his legs between him and Angela. This pushed her mouth away from his shaft, but did nothing to dislodge her hands, one of which immediately slide down his chest and between his thighs. Before it could reach its destination, though, he put his hind feet on her chest and shoved with all the strength his hind-legs could give.

This, it turned out, was quite a bit. Angela was thrown into the wall and hit it with a thud before slumping down. He stood, getting as close to her as he could. She didn't seem to be moving. The chain kept him from reaching her and his penis seemed indifferent to her fate, still bouncing below his belly as he walked and throbbing for attention. He turned away from her and rolled onto his side.

He ignored his penis, not wanting to think about sex after what had just happened. It certainly didn't seem like the right time to get off! No doubt Rupert would be rather upset in the morning, but Kory doubted there was much more the mage could do to him. He laid his head on the ground and closed his eyes. Even if he wasn't going to be able to sleep, he would at least make the appearance of it.

Then he felt hands on his shoulder. His eyes opened, staring at Angela above him. Would the woman never give up? Admittedly, she was under the mage's mental control, but she'd seemingly just shrugged off being slammed into the wall. He could even see scrapes from where she'd hit the wall; was she some kind of undead monster? He squirmed beneath her, trying to get away.

"Wait!" She said and gave him a smile. The anxiety in her voice made him stop and stare.

"I- I am myself again," she continued. "I think it was hitting the wall like that." She crouched next to him, resting her hands on his side now, but not trying to hold him.

"Do you-"

"Remember? Yes. At least, everything recent. I think the rest will return in time." She settled next to him. "I can feel it there, just out of reach." Her smile turned sad as she rubbed his flank. "Thank you." He returned her smile, or tried to; it didn't feel like he was succeeding very well.

Shaking his head, he looked up at her. "It wouldn't have been right."

"No, it wouldn't," she agreed. As she spoke she stretched out on the ground, pressing her body against him.

"Um, what are you-" His eyes narrowed, watching her. Was this some kind of trick?

"Don't worry," she interrupted him. "I'm still me; I haven't lost myself again. But Rupert sent me to show you what he could offer. If you send me away he'll take that as refusing him." As she spoke she wrapped an arm around him, pressing herself against him. He didn't try to push her away this time; not only did she seem entirely willing now, she didn't seem to be trying to get into his non-existent pants.

"If I stay," she continued, "he'll think he's succeeding. He'll wait longer before he kills you and will pay less attention before. I won't be able to keep him from noticing I've recovered for too long, but it might be enough for me to get the key to your collar from him. Then you can deal with him while he's distracted by his spell." She gestured towards the partially complete spell across the stable.

"But-" he protested. She seemed intent on pressing herself against him, wrapping her body around his. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders just behind his forelimbs, her fingers meeting in the mess of his mane. Of her legs stretched over him while the other slipped between his legs; he could feel his cock pressing against it, hard as ever thanks to the press of her body against his. Her tail was loosely wrapped around his leg, its fluff brushing against his sensitive flesh.

"It's cold in here," she said. He couldn't feel it, but he was partially covered in fur and she was entirely naked. "I wouldn't have cared before you broke the spell, but now I can't help it. This way I can keep warm without drawing Rupert's attention."

He didn't reply, nestling his snout into her shoulder; it felt good to have her wrapped around him like this. Hopefully the farmer's daughter from his memories-her name, he recalled finally, was Faith-wouldn't find out. He was sure he'd been involved with her before all of this. That was provided that she was still willing to have anything to do with him, and provided he survived, of course. He couldn't bring himself to complain, however, even with unsatisfied lusts keeping him from rest for far too long.

* * *

Morning came with a thud. A thud, it was soon revealed, that was the door of the stable being slammed a further open and Rupert forcing himself inside once more. As before, he carried his book with him, tucked beneath his shoulder. His first glance was to the partially completed design visible in the morning sunlight. He opened his book and set it book next to design. Only then did he turn his eyes towards Kory.

Angela's arms were still wrapped around Kory, and he could feel her face against his neck, her breath blowing over his hide. Her hands were clasped together where they were buried in his mane. He could feel her fingers twitch which suggested that she was not as asleep as she appeared to be.

"I see you enjoyed the attentions of my assistant last night," Rupert said, staring at Kory from the edge of his design. Or perhaps staring at Angela; they were close enough that it was impossible to tell. And was that jealousy lurking in his eyes or was Kory just imagining it? "Would you like to do so every night? I need a bodyguard and a watchman, something you could do well. Indeed, that is why I made you; intelligent enough to understand complex instructions, powerful enough to be useful, yet lacking hands that might incline one to interfere." Rupert strode over and stood in front of Kory's head, forcing Kory to look up to see him and getting a good view of the mage's thankfully clothed crotch. "A delicate mixture you are. Human for the mind; I need someone who not only understands my words, but also their intent. Dragon for strength and ferocity and perhaps a bit of intelligence. But not too much; I've no interest in one with a dragonish nature! Then a mix of dumb beasts to blend out those features not so desired, but not so much as to blend out that mind."

Kory stared at Rupert, not really seeing the human standing over him as he thought desperately. Though he wasn't surprised that Rupert was responsible for his transformation-the man had already revealed himself as a mage-he couldn't help but dwell on the combination, a chill going through him. Would he even notice if his mind was weaker or duller? How would he know if his thoughts were that of the man he'd been, a dragon, or a beast? Could he even know?

"Bah!" Rupert said as he returned to his spell. "I created you for this task. I would not recommend turning me down." Then he fell silent and started going over the work of the evening before. It took him much less time to check it than he had spent creating it, but given the improved light this wasn't a surprise. After making a few corrections to the existing design, he completed it, working slowly enough that shadows cast by the ruined roof could be seen to move. Angela shifted during that time, but not much and she remained pressed against him as though he were a giant teddy bear.

"But now," Rupert said eventually as he turned once more to Kory, "you will witness my greatest work yet!" He laughed with a sour, forced sound. After a final glance at his book, he pushed it away and closed it. Facing the spell, his eyes locked on its design for a moment before he spoke.

"I call thee!" Rupert said, his voice booming and loud inside the decaying stable. The words surprised Kory. While not at all a mage, he had been under the impression that spells required no magic words or chants. Those, he had understood, where signs of charlatans. As he spoke, Rupert cast his head back and his arms in the air, seemingly addressing the crumbling roof with his words.

"I call thee, Abbarax, Lurker in the Unending Abyss, Devourer of Lost Souls! I call thee, Abbarax, He Who Waits Beyond Mercy, He Who Watches Without Passion! I call thee, Abbarax, Before Whom All are Equal and All are Unworthy! I call thee thrice and bind you to this place. By your name I call thee! Come forth!"

There was no flash of lightning, no roll of thunder. Both, Kory felt, would have been appropriate. Neither was there any other sound but the echoes of Rupert's words. Kory was straining his neck to watch the circle, as was, he realized, Angela, though it was out of character for one spellbound as she had been.

Darkness was leaking into the circle. That was the only way Kory could think to describe it. Darkness was leaking in, devouring the light until none remained, only a cylinder of darkness. Then it faded, leaving only a remnant of shadow hanging in its place.

Inside the circle was Abbarax. At least Kory supposed it was. The creature, presumably a demon of some sort, was squatting on all fours and, in that position, didn't quite make two feet in height. Its skin was midnight black, without any touch of light or reflection, but its eyes glowed with a sickly green light that tinted everything before it. No pupils or whites were in those eyes, those spheres of swirling greenness. A long tail curled around and ran along the edge of the circle a short distance. Ears swept back from its skull, balanced by a blunt snout. Claws adorned its feet and, though it was hard to be certain, thumbs appeared to adorn them as well.

Abbarax grinned, revealing incongruously long teeth with serrated edges that were, no doubt, impossibly sharp. It glanced towards Kory and, while it did not speak, there was no doubt what its words would have been: I am here.

Rupert stared at it. The demon did him the courtesy of staring back, tilting its head after a moment. "Speak!" Rupert shouted at it. "Speak that I may know you." A shockingly red tongue slipped out of the demon's mouth and licked its lips, seemingly unhindered by the teeth it must have passed through.

"Speak that I may command you!" Rupert took a step forward. The demon looked away from him, its eyes searching until they found Kory once more.

Release me. There was no sound nor any words, really. Just the raw desire and the knowledge of the demon's will boring straight into his mind. Kory's jaw hung open, his mind stunned. As his eyes had meet the demon's he had felt a portion of its will and intellect meet his own. A portion that could crush him, destroy him entirely if it so choose, without an effort. Only two things kept Kory alive. One was the binding circle. The other and more important thing was that the demon did not want him dead. From that brushing contact he knew that it did not care about mortal life and death save, now, for one.

Rupert would be in a bad way if it escaped. When it escaped. The mage was still trying to command it, his words and gestures becoming increasing frantic. Kory barely noticed, though, his attention entirely on the demon that still watched him. Slowly, almost reluctantly, he nodded.

"I will try," he mouthed.

Then his attention was pulled away by a flash of light; Rupert had knelt, touching his hand to the spell he'd laid on the ground. With a flash of light it disappeared. Instead, a metallic collar appeared around the demon's neck where it snapped into place.

Abbarax turned and looked up at Rupert, one brow raised. It picked at the collar with a claw a few times, then settled in to watch Rupert.

"Speak, I command you. By the power of the binding spell of Arthur the Dark, speak!"

Abbarax didn't reply.

"Why do you not speak? I have conjured you and bound you just how Arthur the Dark specified in the Black Grimoire of 53 Exciting Things to Do on a Rainy Day." Rupert held the book up as though in proof of his words.

The demon rolled its head back, staring at the sky for a moment.

"Bah! I will consider this and return shortly to give you what you deserve, demon." Turning, Rupert stalked out of the stable.

"I'll see if I can get the chain loose," Angela said after Rupert was gone. She moved over to where it was secured and started pulling, pushing, and twisting it. Kory only watched her for a moment, his eyes drawn back to where Abbarax still squatted. It hadn't moved from the spot. Then, seemingly coincidentally, the demon's eyes drifted back towards Kory. Once more he found himself gazing into their depths.

Once more he felt the brush of that immeasurably vast mind. Abbarax was annoyed. It was not a comforting discovery, but it was alleviated somewhat by the knowledge that Abbarax was not irritated with Kory, but with Rupert. The next knowledge to come into his mind had no such comfort. His head ached as his mind unfolded with the knowledge of the events that would occur over the next few days, as clear in his mind as if he had already lived through them.

Rupert would command Angela to his bed that night, planning again to send her to Kory when he'd finished. Though she would try to hide it, he would realize she was free of his control and kill her. A day after that he would conclude Kory was not going to aid him and he'd use Kory's soul to summon a horde of lesser demons as servitors. Knowing that it would only be a few weeks before Abbarax would be unwittingly freed was no consolation. Neither was the suffering Rupert would endure at Abbarax's will.

"No," Kory whispered.

"What?" Angela asked, pausing in fiddling with his collar to stare at him, eyes wide. "But we need to get you free. If I get too close to him he'll know I'm free and kill me."

Act. The thought hung in Kory's mind, not quite his own, but more coherent than anything the demon had put there yet. Act or die.

Abbarax's gaze was unyielding. It did not care if Kory succeeded, if he lived or died. It was patient and would have Rupert in its grasp one way or another soon enough. But it was willing to let short-lived mortals earn a brief moment of gratitude.

Eventually, the demon turned its gaze away from him to watch the door.

* * *

It was about an hour before Rupert returned. Kory was alerted just before he entered the stable by the demon suddenly moving. It slipped one claw under the collar and tore through it like paper. Holding the now broken collar in its hands before its body it took a bite of the metal. Kory could hear the metal being crushed as the demon chewed. When it swallowed a visible lump went down its throat. Then it took another bite, grinding this one noisily between its jaws as well and leaving only half the collar.

Rupert walked in just as the demon was swallowing that bite. It gave Rupert a toothy grin then tossed the remaining half up in the air. It tongue shot out, wrapping around it and pulling it into its mouth, chewing and swallowing once more. Rupert paled, but did not slow his footsteps. He was carrying a couple of buckets. He set one down, gesturing to it as he continued towards the demon.

"Angela, give this to Kory." He didn't look at her as he spoke, his attention entirely on the demon. "So Abbarax, how would you like some stew to devour?" The demon stared at Rupert, head tilted.

Kory blinked. He stared at Rupert as Angela shuffled over to get the bucket. Just as she reached it, she tripped. Kory was confused for a moment; for all that the stable was falling apart, the floor was almost entirely clear, probably for the benefit of Rupert's magic. Then he saw the stub of the candle she'd brought in the previous night, now rolling across the floor.

As she fell, Angela collided with Rupert, her hands grabbing at his clothes for balance. There was the sound of cloth tearing.

"Get off!" Rupert shoved her away and she fell to the ground. Seemingly unperturbed, she opened her hands, letting bits of fabric fall out. Then she finished retrieving the bucket.

Once she'd returned to Kory, Angela set the bucket down next to him than crouched down next to him. He glanced in the bucket, seeing what appeared to be some kind of stew. He glanced up at Angela, but she shrugged.

With a shrug he started to eat, keeping an eye on Rupert and Abbarax as he did. Rupert had approached the circle, holding the bucket out as though it were some kind of treat.

Up until this point Kory had had a vague sense of competence from Rupert, a sense that the mage knew what he was doing. Now that was replaced by the image of the mage treating the demon as though it were some kind of pet he wanted to teach tricks to.

Using a short stick, Rupert held the pail over the edge of the circle so the demon could get it. "I've got lots more if you behave."

Though the demon's eyes had no discernible features, Kory could have sworn he saw them rolling. Then, to his surprise, it struck, sticking its head out and sinking its teeth into the pail. Broth leaked out onto the ground. Abbarax transferred the bucket to its hands, not pausing before it started to eat it. And not just the stew. Indeed, the demon seemed to be unaware of the difference between the stew and the bucket, eating both equally. This resulted in quite a mess, but it also kept Rupert's attention.

Kory's attention was drawn by a quiet 'snick' near his ear. He turned his head to see Angela hold up a key. She leaned in next to his head. "I got it when I fell into Rupert," she whispered. He nodded, standing. Though he could see the collar and chain on the ground below him, he still moved slowly until he was past where it had once reached.

Then he contemplated Rupert. The mage was dangerous, no less so because it was becoming increasingly apparent that he didn't actually know what he was doing. Kory wondered how fast he would react, especially given the way his attention was attracted by the demon's antics. But then, Kory didn't just need to get away. He had no doubt the mage could track him somehow and he doubted Rupert would take kindly to an escape attempt, not to mention potentially angering Abbarax after agreeing to release the demon. No, he needed to stop Rupert more permanently, though he shuddered at the thought.

Still, it seemed like it would be easy enough. He still remembered the way Angela's breasts had brushed the horns on his snout. He didn't let himself to get distracted by the memory, though, lowering his head as he took a few steps back. Then he charged forward. Rupert seemed to hear him and turned, but not fast enough to accomplish more than being run through the front rather than the back.

Kory looked up; Rupert's eyes were wide. It was the most intimate encounter with death Kory had experienced and while he couldn't feel Rupert's guts on his horns, he could feel the warm blood leaking over his snout and he could taste it when it dripped into his mouth. He could smell Rupert dying, the smell of blood filling his nostrils like he'd never experienced before. Of course, he'd never shoved his face into someone's body before, either.

He took a few steps backwards, but Rupert, stuck on his horns, moved with him. He took a few more steps, moving more quickly. His eyes went wide, staring at the writhing body stuck to his face. It would not go away; he could not escape Rupert even now.

He bucked his head and felt the body shift. Repeating the motion, he could see Rupert begin to come free. He was getting the dying man off his snout! Unfortunately, he was also causing more blood and even viscera to leak out, splattering across the stable and his face. This only fuelled his panic and he started throwing his head around, glaring at Rupert's body as though his gaze could force it free.

Finally, Rupert's body flew off, landing on the ground and sliding along it. Rupert now had a large hole in his stomach with bits hanging out and scattered around. A few bits of viscera stuck to Kory's horns as well, but he continued to shake his head until they flew off, splattering against unseen surfaces.

Then he realized where Rupert had landed. The body had landed on and wiped out a segment of the writing and circle around the demon. Said demon looked up and gave Kory a wide, toothy grin. Then it looked down at Rupert who, Kory realized with a shock, was still both alive and conscious, if barely. The demon moved a few steps, squatting next to the mage's head. It laid a hand on the man. Blood stopped leaking from Rupert. The demon looked down into the mage's eyes, eyes that suddenly went wide.

Angela seemed to materialize at Kory's side, a bundle of cloth in one hand. "Let's get out of-" She was interrupted as Rupert began to scream. It was a single, long, continuous sound, one not natural to any human throat. Kory couldn't help but look, seeing the mage's body arching, his hands clenching and his fingers digging into his palms, causing more blood to leak out.

Angela leapt onto Kory's back, her heels digging into his sides and causing him to break into a run even before he realized what he was doing. She leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and her bare breasts pressing against his mane. He could feel her bundle pressed between his back and her body, far harder than any clothing had a right to be.

He didn't stop running until the screams had faded into inaudibility in the distance and the stable was long out of sight, hidden beyond the mass of trees that composed the forest around it.

* * *

It was still early afternoon when they finally stopped. Kory's legs were burning as he stumbled to a stop and every inch of his back ached. The cool sensation against his feet as he entered a stream was part of what brought him to a stop.

Angela dismounted, her feet landing in the shallow stream with a splash; she was still clutching her bundle of clothing. She dropped this bundle on the bank before moving into a deeper part of the river, a small pool that had formed between a tight cluster of trees.

Recovering rapidly now that he didn't have her weight on his back, he investigated her bundle, curious about the hard surface that he been pressing into his back during their flight. He pushed aside the expanse of thin fabric with his snout and forepaw, hating the reminder of what he'd become.

The cloth was, he realized, the robe she'd been wearing when she'd come to him the previous night. Which meant that she was still naked. He shook his head, stifling a growl as he realized he'd been so panicked during his flight that he hadn't even realized he was being ridden by a naked woman, even if not in the sense he would have preferred.

This was followed by the realization that he, too, was entirely naked. He was standing in the middle of the forest, naked, and unlike Angela he didn't even have any clothing he could wear. He plopped down on his belly, head drooping and his eyelids shut as he realized that even when they found their way back to civilization he still wasn't going to have any clothes.

He rolled onto his side, looking over his body, glaring at it. There would be no clothing for him until he got cured, not unless it was entirely custom made for him. And even then... he allowed the thought to trail off as he glared at his forepaw; dextrous it might be, but it was no hand.

He rolled onto his back, intending to lay his head down and try to forget about everything, but felt something hard press into him, covered by the fabric of Angela's robe. Right, he had been investigating what Angela had brought wrapped in that fabric.

He finally pushed it aside, revealing a dark, rectangular shape. A book. The book. He froze on seeing it, a shiver running through his body. He could, barely, read the title emblazoned across the front: Black Grimoire of 53 Exciting Things to Do on a Rainy Day. Despite the book's upbeat name, it seemed good for little more than destroying lives; he wondered why Angela had brought it.

"Hey, Kory," Angela called. He looked up to see her still sitting in the pool. She had her tail in her hands and was vigorously rubbing the tuft of fur on the end below the surface. The pool was not very deep; it barely came up past her naval, but at least the flow of water kept any dirt that got stirred up from muddying it.

Rather than reply, he just settled back onto his belly and admired her body, though her tail rather detracted from the otherwise attractive picture. Humans were not meant to have tails, but even as he decided that he realized his own tail was swishing contentedly.

"Come here and I'll help clean you up. You look a mess and the blood on your snout is going to give anyone we encounter entirely the wrong idea."

She had a point. He stood and plodded towards her, watching her even as he stumbled over the uneven ground. Once next to her he settled back down, albeit with care; he didn't want any rocks poking into sensitive spots. He was close enough to her when he stretched out that he was able to rub the hide and fur of his flank against her as he lowered his body into the water. Immediately he could see the water around him darken, though at least the grime was quickly swept away.

Even just the feel of the cool water itself washing over him seemed to help relieve his stress. Angela gently gripped one of his horns and used it to lower his head into the water for a brief moment. The fingers of her other hand massaged the fur on his snout while it was there, working the bloodstains out.

He could see red-tinted water flowing away, washing away the signs of his desperate act, but he knew that it wouldn't be as easy to wash away the memory of how it felt when his horns pierced Rupert's flesh, or the look on the mage's face when Kory turned to run.

Still, the feel of Angela's gentle fingers on his snout was quite sensual and he enjoyed the feel of her unclothed body against his own, especially since the warmth of her skin contrasted so much with the cool water. His eyes slid shut, the only thing keeping his head from settling into her lap being that it would have required breathing water.

Despite the chill water flowing over them, he felt his loins stir and his cheeks burned. It was hardly the first time a woman's touch had gotten him aroused, but it was the first time he wouldn't be able to hide it, at least if he stood. Damn the lack of clothes! At least, thanks to the chilled stream, his arousal didn't last much longer than her touch, though he still felt quite relaxed even after she stopped.

"You know," he said softly, not wanting to disturb the peace he felt, "I don't exactly have any clothes."

His eyes were still closed, but he felt her shift. "You'd look rather strange with them anyway. I'm afraid you do look rather like an animal and people will react probably to you as one. I brought the book in the hopes that a mage will be able to cure you, but we're going to have to find one first."

Kory sagged a bit. Her words weren't a surprise, nor did they break the peaceful feeling. Still, it did make everything seem just a little darker, but she had reminded him of one hope; what one mage could do, surely another could undo.

"Here." She put a hand on his shoulder as she stood. "Let's follow the course of the stream; it should lead somewhere eventually, even if we don't get there by evening. I'm sure everything will seem more normal once we're back in a village."

He had his doubts, but he still rose and followed her. He watched her ass as they walked, tail and all, appreciating the view. Even when she pulled the robe back on the motion of her tail made it easy to watch.

---

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