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Chapter 3: The Cave

The lizard gasped as he pulled back from the elephant's cock, drool and cum leaking from his lips in equal measure. Coughing at the thick goo half down his throat, Nataraj slowly pulled back from Juraan's crotch and tried to force it down.

"Looks like I can finally fit in my armor now. Thanks, lizard."

"N-no problem, sir."

He rubbed his throat as the elephant rolled over to the far side of the tent, armor clanging as he pulled it on. The lizard shook his head a few times as the Outsider's cock disappeared into the metal layer, suppressing another cough or two. His throat still hurt a little bit from having it so thoroughly used last night and again this morning, and Juraan's member wasn't the only one that had been shoved past his lips.

Still, he couldn't help but feel a bit of sadness that the elephant was putting his cock and balls away. They were massive and lovely to look at, and he really wished that the fighter would leave them out like Draconicon and Urt-Gar did.

Juraan stepped out of the tent after he was fully dressed, and Nataraj followed after. Unlike the elephant, he didn't have clothes. All he had were packs, and those belonged to the masters that owned him now. Not that he minded, or at least, he didn't mind it very much. There was a good trade going on.

The other members of the Quartet were already up and ready to go, with the tents packed up and their equipment in hand. Draconicon tapped his foot against the island, while Urt-Gar and Sallius waited at the edge of the place. The lizard blushed at the sight of moisture still clinging to Urt-Gar's green cock, remembering how roughly the tough male had shoved it into his throat. That had been the major source of discomfort this morning, rather than Juraan, but the elephant hadn't helped much.

Draconicon arched an eyebrow at the elephant as they approached, leaning on his staff.

"Needed to be drained again, did you?"

"You know how my balls work, Draconicon. They need it every day."

"You know you could have gotten that boost off of me instead of getting this trade-off, if you'd just waited."

"Who says that this is a trade-off? I get to walk around with bigger balls than any of you."

"Yeah, but at least we don't have to wait for an hour each morning to get them small enough to put armor on."

"You don't wear armor."

"So?"

A little chuckle - quickly stifled - got the group looking at the lizard. Nataraj looked away quickly, hands clasped behind his back, but he knew that they were aware that the laughter had come from him. He half expected something to be said, or some spell or grope to hit him, and he braced himself.

Almost disappointingly, nothing happened, and he sighed as they just started handing him his packs. They weren't too heavy, considering the weapons and armor were all worn, but the tents were bulky enough even when broken down that he had to struggle to put it over his back. He didn't get any help with it either, as the Quartet discussed their next move.

"Sallius believes the mage sensed something last night. Is that the truth?"

"Yes, I did. There was another magic user watching us while we used the slut."

Nataraj blushed. He hadn't known he had an audience besides these four. He wondered if they had enjoyed the show.

"The same ones that sent the skeletal snakes after us?"

"The same. They probably were trying to think of how to get through my barrier. Not that they could, really, if they didn't even think to cover themselves against back-scrying."

"When did you do that?"

"While you and Sallius were teasing him with your cocks and feet."

"Heh, so you're good for something after all, Scales."

"Watch it, cock-brain, or I'll turn you pink instead of green."

"People, people. Argue about it another time. Draconicon, you said you know where they are?"

"Yes, a cave not far from here. Maybe an hour or two if we are quick."

"Well, let's not waste time. Come on, everybody; let's earn our pay."

With a wave of his hand, the dragon dismissed the runes that he'd laid around the island. As soon as they disappeared, the mists of the Deadwater started to flow in again, carrying with them the smell of must and wet decay. The lizard groaned as the smell hit his nose, and he wasn't alone in revulsion. Sallius pressed his hand to his nose, muttering against his fingers, and Juraan's trunk twitched back and forth in distaste.

It didn't stop them, however, and soon they were wading through the muck and mud again. Nataraj was thankful for the bird feet that he still had from yesterday, as they allowed him to walk more or less on top of the thick mud while Juraan and Urt-Gar had to wade through it, the thick stuff coming up to their knees at the shallowest. He remained in the back anyway; no sense in providing people a tempting target at the front of the group, particularly when he was the one carrying all the supplies.

The Outsiders didn't move like soldiers back in the city, he realized. They didn't move in a formation, nor did they have any sort of marching order. They almost seemed to be chaotically disorganized, moving however they wanted, but looking closer, he realized that there was a little more order to it, if not much.

Sallius jogged at the sides and the front of the group, frequently disappearing into the mist before reappearing and whispering to the armored elephant before disappearing again, his golden ass swaying slightly before disappearing. Draconicon walked in the middle, his staff held slightly aloft and out of the mud, and his white eyes would glint with a strange light as he looked into the muck itself. Urt-Gar led the group with his sword out, occasionally stabbing down into the mud if the dragon behind him made a sound. And Juraan - in the back but ahead of the lizard - actually seemed to direct them all with light taps of his fingers along his armor, different beats meaning different things, though what the code was the lizard couldn't quite figure out.

It was rather amazing. No spoken commands, no formal chain of command, no asking for orders. Everyone knew what they were supposed to do, and they just did it without question while being open to the others for what needed to be done.

"Don't fall behind, Nataraj. I don't think we'll be able to come back and find you if you slip from sight."

"Yes, sir."

He sped up a bit to catch up with the elephant, maintaining a pace about two steps behind the group. Occasionally he looked off to one side or the other, but try as he might, Nataraj couldn't make out anything in the mist. For that matter, he wasn't sure what the group could see either. It was like walking in a bubble of light that didn't extend more than ten feet ahead, where there could be anything outside of the bubble just waiting to kill them.

Wincing, he tried to put that thought out of his mind, but it refused to be evicted. The Deadwater was not something that he had ever thought he'd visit, and now he was here, not just at the borders - dangerous enough - but in the depths of the place, looking around for some other magic user that had watched him having sex last night. The Outsiders were chasing after something that had been stolen, he knew, but he didn't know what that was or why it was important. All that mattered was that they were chasing after someone who was good enough to steal something from a Guild, and was crazy enough to think that the Deadwater was safe. He didn't think that spoke for good chances of survival.

Whenever he was reminded of the more deadly consequences of traveling with the No Quarter Quartet, he really wondered if this was all worth it. The sex and the protection were great, he admitted, but did he really want to be stuck with a group that constantly went after the deadliest things in the world? Even if they were good - really, really good - at the fun stuff after and deadlier than anything he'd seen so far, it was something he seriously asked himself. Honestly, he didn't know the answer yet.

Sallius suddenly leaped through the mist again, landing hard enough in the mud to send some of it flying up against them. It just flowed off of Juraan's armor, but it stuck to the lizard's chest scales. As he tried to wipe it off, the lion leaned over to whisper to the elephant, and he was just close enough to hear.

"Sallius has spotted the cave, but it is guarded."

"How many?"

"Sallius doesn't know, but he thinks the people inside want another show."

"Why do you say that?"

"Sallius didn't see people or monsters. He saw..."

The lion paused, looking back at the lizard. He chuckled, smirking to himself before putting a hand over his mouth. His next whisper was too quiet for Nataraj to hear, but it got Juraan to actually blink in surprise. The elephant looked back at him contemplatively before turning to the lion and nodding.

"It'll work out, I think. If nothing else, it'll tire them out before we actually have to do something."

"That is just what Sallius was thinking."

"And you were thinking of a nice show."

"Sallius thinks the same thought occurred to you, oh armored ballsac."

Ducking the elephant's trunk with a chuckle, the lion walked up to the front of the group, probably to share the information the lizard thought. Juraan turned to him as the group halted.

"Nataraj, from what Sallius told me, there's something up ahead that we could use your help with."

"M-my help?!"

The elephant nodded, and the lizard groaned to himself. This didn't sound good. If there was anything that the Quartet couldn't handle on their own, he really didn't know what kind of help he would be, and he really wasn't sure that he wanted to know what it was going to be.

"Do I really have a choice?"

"Not really, but I figure that you might want to know ahead of time rather than getting thrown at them when we find them."

"Well thanks for that much, at least."

"You're welcome."

Ahead of them it seemed that Sallius had shared the news with the other members of the Quartet. Draconicon wore a small smirk, while Urt-Gar was openly bellowing with laughter. It was a surprisingly quiet sound in the mists of the Deadwater, but the orc still looked more amused than anything, particularly when he looked back at the lizard. The laughter started all over again then, and Nataraj felt a little more worried about what the heck they might need his help with.

Sallius led them forward through the mist, and the lizard noticed that the orc and the dragon both had their weapons at their sides now, as though they weren't worried about what lay ahead anymore. That should have been a comfort to the lizard, but instead if only made him more worried. Were they relying on him exclusively here? What in the world was ahead that he could handle but they couldn't?

It didn't take him long to find out what it was, considering it took them barely a few minutes to reach the mouth of the cave. The answer surprised him.

The cave mouth was completely blocked by writhing green tentacles, each one as thick as two of his fingers pushed together. Lines ran along their lengths, lines that looked suspiciously like the veins on a male's genitals, and the comparison only got more favorable as he saw the fluid that dripped from the tips, falling thick and white along the shore of the island the cave mouth was dug into. Nataraj turned to the party, pointing over his shoulder at the tentacles.

"Are you seriously saying that you can't handle that?"

"I'm not putting my ass near those things; nothing goes in there."

"Except me."

"Shut up dragon."

"What my colleagues mean to say, Nataraj, is that the tendrils don't pose any real threat to us. However, they would tire us out, and if they did get through the armor, they would cause a tremendous distraction. So, if you would tire them out first, that would make it much easier for us to get through and accomplish our mission."

"So, I should just let myself get fucked by tentacles is what you're saying."

The Quartet looked at each other, and gave a group shrug. Nataraj groaned, rubbing his forehead.

"Of course. Send in the slut to deal with the tentacles. Why don't other groups try such an obvious solution?"

"Sallius thinks it is because they do not travel with them."

"Their loss, our gain. The slut's damn good at what he does."

Ignoring the orc's comment, he turned back to the cave mouth. There had to be at least two dozen of the writhing things in view, and who knew how many more were hidden inside of the cavern itself. Despite the perverted looks, they looked strong, and the sheer length of the things guaranteed that they would be able to reach anyone trying to sneak inside. He couldn't see any way for them to detect the presence of intruders, but he had seen enough magic and weird things brought back to the city to know that they probably had some way of doing it.

"And here I thought my ass was safe from violations until after sunset."

"Why the hell would you think something like that, slut?"

"I don't know; maybe because that's how things have been going the last few days."

"Hehehehe, Sallius finds that most amusing."

"Why?"

"Did the dripping lizard think that we hold back so much all the time? Sallius would much prefer to have had the lizard twice more by now, and he knows that the armored ballsac, the overgrown lizard, and the brute would have you more times still."

Just when he thought that things were starting to get manageable, the Quartet informed him that things were being restrained for him. They must have been going easy on him for his first few days. If this was going easy, he was a little worried if he could take the kind of libido that they had when they weren't holding back for his sake. It must be something pretty terrifying - and sexy, a part of him thought - to behold. Gulping a bit at the thought, the lizard put that behind him for the moment and approached the cavern.

Almost as soon as he took a step out of the muck and onto the island, the tentacles turned to face him. Leaking stalks pointed in his direction, the tips moving as though they had eyes, following him as he walked closer and closer. It was a little unnerving, but there was no hiding how his body felt about the upcoming fuck. His cock pointed straight ahead of him, and his tail was rising up on its own accord, much to the amusement of the Outsiders, he was sure.

He blushed as he stopped just out of reach of the tentacles, getting a better look at them now that he was closer. Their lengths were smooth, lacking the leaves that came on vines or some of the more harmful spikes or heat vents that demonic tentacles would have, or at least so he imagined. The veins along them looked like they would provide some rather pleasurable bumps and ridges, the perverted part of his mind thought. The sane part of him was feeling grateful that he'd been opened up so much recently, or the tentacles would probably really hurt to take under his tail.

What worries remained, however, started to fade as he started to breathe in the scent of their drippings. Nataraj shook his head a few times as the musky scent from them filled his head, but his eyelids started drooping anyway. The scent was a bit like cock, a bit like the musk that perpetually lingered under the head of a male's cock, but there was something else among the scent as well. It was a spicier smell, something that lit a fire in his brain and a heat in his belly, and set his hole to twitching in need. It was almost hypnotic. No, not almost. It was.

The thought faded quickly. Before he had the chance to act on it, his body was moving forward again, and the tentacles received him eagerly. Three of them grabbed him, one around each leg and one around his waist. They lifted him in the air and held him about mid-way between ground and cave roof as other tentacles grabbed him, wrapping around his ankles and wrists and even his neck. Pulled in all directions, the lizard became a spectacle held in the middle of the tentacles, like a bug caught in a spider's web.

They moved along his body, their lengths slick and wet against his scales. Musky scents filled his nose and his mouth, making him breathe it in, taste it, smell it with every breath he took. It was impossible to escape from, and he could feel his own scent slowly being washed away by the tentacles as they stroked along his body, moving further and further up his legs, moving down his arms.

The tip of one brushed against his ballsac and he moaned in response. Taking that as permission, they moved further up his body, coiling up his thighs like snakes. Rounded tips rubbed against his upper thighs, leaving streams of silvery goo along his scales, while others ran down the underside of his tail to the pulsing opening beneath them.

He was scarcely aware of the rest of the group, all of his attention on the lengths running along his body. He moaned loudly, grinding his body against them, and as he felt more of the tentacles join in the action, he opened his mouth to beg for more. Nothing escaped before one of the tendrils shoved inside, however, cutting off his voice and filling his mouth with more of the musky, gooey goodness that they were dripping.

With it flowing directly into him, the lizard's body felt like it was on fire. His cock throbbed hard, orgasming touch free as he swallowed. His seed fell to the floor of the cave, only to be joined by another orgasm's worth of cum as another swallow brought him over the edge again. And again. And again.

As his seemingly endless orgasm continued, the tentacles pulled his legs apart and up. With his hole exposed, two of the slick lengths plunged inside him. The thickness was astounding, and were it not for the way he'd been fucked so hard last night, he might have been snapped out of his lustful trance. Instead, he moaned around the length in his mouth, arching his back and pulling his tail up as far as his tentacle captors would allow him, trying to give more access room, and even hoping for a third tentacle to join in the action.

It didn't, but the two pistoning in and out of his hole were good enough. Other tendrils rose up and stroked along his body, one wrapping around his cock and stroking it as it kept cumming, and others rising up near his feet. Grinding against his slender soles and between the three toes, they oozed more of the musky pre all over his avian feet, leaving them slick, slimy, and well lubed for the use of other tentacles.

His entire body was a toy for the tentacle guardians, and they used it. Every smooth bit of scales were their plaything, and he could feel them grinding under his arms, against his belly, around his neck, even behind his knees. They positioned him wherever they could pleasure themselves best, even as the tentacles in his hole rammed him senseless.

Each thrust from them was like a battering ram against his prostate, thick and powerful. His eyes bugged out from the sheer wonder of the feeling they gave him, his cock throbbing, bouncing with each one sliding in and the other sliding out. Schlurp went one tentacle, slide went the other, bounce went his cock. His hole twitched weakly around them, barely able to tighten around the flexible but firm lengths ramming themselves into him, and he barely felt it when a third length finally did slide into him.

He barely got the chance to enjoy it, however. Shortly after the third tentacle slipped into his ass, he heard footsteps. Wet thunks were followed by a sudden lack of support, and the lizard hit the ground hard, the tentacle in his mouth pulled out as gravity pulled him down.

Green lengths hit the ground around him, leaving him splattered with the musky fluid, but strangely, it no longer affected his mind. He slowly felt thought coming back to his head, his brain thinking about things other than cocks again. Shaking his head, he gradually pulled himself up to see what had happened.

The Quartet stood around him, look at him with expressions that varied from lusty leers to eye-rolling exasperation. Urt-Gar grabbed him by the arm and pulled him up, waving his hand in the air to dismiss some of the smell. Not that it seemed to bother the hard-cocked orc any, but he did it anyway.

"See, this is why we travel with a slut. They're fucking great distractions."

"Sallius would have preferred to see a big green rump spitted on those things."

The lion just barely ducked a punch from the orc, but he didn't get around the orc's kick. For once, the lion got knocked back, rolling in the ooze on the floor and getting his mane soaked with tentacle cum. Even Nataraj laughed at that look, though Sallius grumbled as he got to his feet again.

Juraan shook his head, pointing with his dripping blade towards the darkness further in the cave.

"Our quarry is inside. Let's get them before they have a chance to put together any more surprises for us. Draconicon, a little light if you please?"

The dragon gestured with his staff. Rather than a ball of light like the lizard expected, the entire cavern seemed to fill with light. It took Nataraj a second to realize that the stone itself was giving off the light, and not just one stone either, but the entire wall of the cave.

"If that doesn't tell those thieves they're fucked, I don't know what will."

"Agreed, cock-brain, agreed."

Further in the cave, the thieves were rapidly pulling their clothes back on and cursing under their breath. Jonnar the rat was throwing his arms around in frustration, while Hemman the panda was considering their options.

They weren't good. He'd picked this cave because there were no secret entrances for Jonnar to sneak out of or anyone else to sneak in through. That was well and good when they had the power to defend it, but considering how their defenses had been negated so easily, he doubted that they'd be getting out of here as easily as they had got in. Tentacle defense; that was the last time he would use that spell on anything or anybody. It was worthless if anyone who liked them came along.

"Do something!"

"Like what, pray tell?"

"Something magic-y. I don't know, just keep them from getting us."

"Don't you think I'd -"

"FUCK what I think, just do something!"

To make matters worse, Jonnar was panicking, and badly. Hemman wasn't sure what was worse, that the rat was starting to freak out, or that the rat was looking at him like it was his fault. Considering how good his 'partner' was with that knife he had, he didn't put long odds on getting a spell up in time to stop him in a direct attack. Oh, he might get some revenge out of it, but he doubted that he'd do any worse to the rat than Jonnar would do to him.

He looked towards the tunnel again. The team were going to have to come down that passage. It was something, he supposed; they were going to be limited on just how they could approach the two of them, and that meant they had something of a chance. Not much, but something, and he had a spell that might just be worth something still.

Before he could cast it, however, Jonnar grabbed him from behind. A sharp blade of steel pressed under his chin, the blade the slightest distance from his throat, less than the width of a hair from his flesh. The rat's fingers pressed into his arm, and the rat's breath - hot and foul - blew past his ear as he spoke.

"How the fuck did I get stuck with you? You're nothing but dead weight."

Hemman didn't dare say anything. The rat seemed like he was on a razor's edge between sanity and violence, and the least little thing could set him off.

"Miksha should have picked someone that could actually cast magic worth a damn, instead of all those little tricks of yours. Stupid bears and their fucking worthless bits of mysticism. I should just cut your throat and run. They'd never see me running past them up that tunnel in the dark."

"And what of the goods, Jonnar? Do you really think you could find them again?"

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Look for yourself."

The rat turned towards the small desk on the other side of their cavern, and in that moment of distraction Hemman acted. A small burst of fire zapped the rat in the side and gave him a chance to wriggle out of the thief's grip. Unfortunately, Jonnar managed to get a little more distance before the panda could get another spell off, and he held that dagger at the ready for throwing. Any words or gestures, and the panda knew that he was going to get that blade in either his throat or his stomach.

However, he hadn't been lying. The artifacts that they'd stolen weren't on the table, and the rat could see that. Jonnar's eyes flicked back and forth a few times before settling on the panda again.

"What the fuck did you do with our loot?"

"I hid it."

"Why the -"

"Leverage."

"What?"

"Leverage, you idiotic, diseased, mentally deficient rodent! Leverage!" The panda forced himself to take a breath, calming down. "I wanted something to keep from being killed right away if someone were to catch us. If they don't know where the goods are, they can't kill me until I show them. I didn't think that I would need it over you, too, but it turns out that a cautious thief is better than a violent one."

The rat's glare might have made a lesser man back down. Heavens knew, it almost did that for him, but Hemman held firm. Knife or no, the rat had to know that he wasn't going to get out of here with his treasures if he didn't help the warlock out. Even then, it was going to be risky, but he would wager that his partner would be less willing to cross this Miksha than he was to fight for his life. Cowardice would always win through when there was a greater fear than death on the line, and with the way there had been a tremor in the rat's voice at the name, the panda was willing to bet that fear was there.

It was. The rat lowered his knife, shaking his head and cursing under his breath.

"Where's the treasure?"

"I'll tell you after we deal with that team."

"We're fucked against them."

"Not just yet. I have one more idea."

The cavern's darkness faded quickly as they walked through it, and the goo-covered lizard was never happier to be in the back than he was right then. Guardians at the front dead, and only the enemies ahead to be dealt with? It was like he had finally gotten an assurance of safety.

Of course the group hadn't said anything of the sort, but considering what they had dealt with on the way here, he doubted that a few thieves would really cause that much trouble. Maybe against someone from the Guilds, but not against an Outsider, and not against these particular Outsiders. They were going to mop the floors with these thieves, Nataraj would have bet money on it.

"Everyone stay sharp. I don't want us to get caught by any surprises."

"No shit, Juraan. Any other pearls of wisdom?"

"Yes, Urt-Gar. Watch how fast you turn. I've seen a couple of stalagmites so far that would leave your dick bluer than your balls after that witch hit you with the chastity curse."

"Hey, you said you'd never bring that up again."

"I say a lot of things. Maybe one day you'll pay attention and I'll have to mean them."

They walked in silence after that, the lizard occasionally looking over his shoulders before facing forward again. The light spell from the dragon's magic seemed to emanate from the stones about forty feet ahead of them and forty feet back. It wasn't as tremendously far as he had first thought, but it was coming from the cave itself rather than a single ball of light, so it had multiple advantages compared to the other spells people would use, not least of which it meant that Draconicon wouldn't be seen so easily using it.

Suddenly the dragon held up his hand. Juraan stopped behind him, and a quick thump on his armor halted the other two.

"What is it, mage? We're this close to collecting a paycheck, and I don't want to wait."

"Their magic user is trying something."

"So what? Counter it."

"I can't counter it if I don't know what it is, cock-brain."

"Sallius wonders if we might be a little...exposed."

"For once, the fur-face is right. Not a lot of cover in this tunnel."

Whatever the dragon might have said in return was overwhelmed by a sudden rumble deep in the rock. The tunnel shook and pebbles began to rain from above, clinking off of armor, scales, and skin as they fell to the ground.

"What the hell?! Is he trying to bring the roof down on us?"

"No, he's not that powerful. But he's -" The dragon went wide eyed. "Walls!"

Everyone leaped to the sides of the tunnel, ducking behind what cover they could. Nataraj barely managed to squeeze behind a stalagmite before the source of the rumbling was clear.

Coming down the tunnel was a massive wall of flame. Faces stirred in the fires, wolf, lion, lizard, orc, and all manner of creatures that had been animated by the flames. They roared with the crackle of a bonfire, the whoosh of fire on wind blowing down the cavern. The heat was immense, and the lizard held his breath lest the fire scald his lungs as it rushed past.

Everyone threw up their arms and everything else they could reach to protect themselves as the flame rushed by. It scattered past the cover they'd taken, and Nataraj watched as every one of the group was swallowed in the raging inferno, any shout covered by the roaring of the flame as it got closer and closer. Soon he was the only one left.

He didn't even have the chance to run. The fire surged around what little cover he had in seconds, the fire searing the supplies he carried and his scales as well. His scream was swallowed in the flame as well, burnt away like the packs he carried. It burned, it seared, it hurt -

-and it was gone.

Where the fire had been, water now surged. It shot out of the dragon's staff, extinguishing the ravenous fiery jaws from the flame. The dragon's eyes were narrowed and his face was serious, firmer than the lizard had seen in the last few days. In seconds, the fire had been brought down, though the damage had been done. The lizard was badly burned along his back and arms, and he whimpered at the pain that he felt from the magical fire.

Draconicon and Juraan were at his side in a second, both of them kneeling over him. Despite being swallowed by the fire, neither of them were any worse for wear - though the dragon's loincloth was long gone, the lizard noticed absently - and the other two didn't look harmed either.

"How...how did...did you..."

"Enchanted rings. You don't live Outside for long without some sort of magical protection."

Everyone flashed their rings at the dragon's explanation, the orc on his cock, the lion on a toe, and Juraan on one of his tusks. Nataraj groaned a bit.

"Why...didn't I get one?"

"I didn't expect you'd need one THIS fast. I was going to give it to you tomorrow."

"Will I...even make tomorrow?"

"Of course. Now give me a second and shush."

As the dragon waved his staff over the lizard, crackling black flames emanating from the tip, Urt-Gar and Sallius looked at each other. Their eyes met, and they exchanged a single nod. Juraan caught it, and sighed.

"Yes, I suppose that is appropriate this time. Draconicon, do you mind if we take this?"

"Only if you promise to give their magic user one hell of a beating for me."

"I think we can all promise that."

As the elephant, orc, and lion stood up and ran down the tunnel, the lizard looked up at the dragon. His body still hurt, but whatever magic Draconicon was using was bleeding the pain back out of him. It was surprisingly soothing, he thought, even though he still felt like some of his scales were on fire.

"What...what are they doing?"

"They're going to kick their asses to kingdom come."

"Thought...we were here...for treasure."

"That too. But NOBODY touches what belongs to the Quartet and lives to talk about it."

"Supplies mattered...that much?"

"Who's talking about supplies? They hurt you. They're about to learn just how bad an idea that is."

Despite being referred to as an object, as something belonging to them, Nataraj felt incredibly flattered. They actually cared about him getting hurt. It was a nice change.

"Holy shit, why didn't you use that before?!"

"I didn't have them in a limited space close by before, Jonnar."

Even if he had, Hemman wasn't sure that he would have used a spell like that. The Wall of Devouring Fire was not a kind spell, and anyone caught in its way would die feeling like they were being eaten by jaws of fire. Some called it the Demon's Dinner, and it wasn't an ill deserved nickname. The panda rubbed his hands against his belly as though wiping some dirt off of himself, shaking his head as Jonnar turned to him.

"Okay, now that they're taken care of, where's the -"

"Sallius greets his enemies."

The two of them whipped around, their eyes wide as they saw a lion emerging from the tunnel mouth. Dressed only in a leather crotch pouch, the lion carried a dagger in one hand and a metal ball in the other. He walked in on bare feet, not making a single sound.

"Sallius greets you, and now bids you pain."

"And he's not the only one, fuckers."

They turned to the tunnel again as a massive naked green orc stepped out, followed by an elephant covered in armor. Both of them gulped as their opponents looked at them with as steely a gaze they'd ever seen. The elephant stepped between the orc and the lion, his trunk pointing straight at the ground and his eyes narrowed.

"I will give you this one chance. Hand over everything, and we'll leave you with just half your bones broken. Resist and -"

Jonnar leaped forward before Hemman could stop him, knife flashing at the elephant. The rat didn't make it half the distance before the lion grabbed him by the arm, the flexible feline yanking the rat off balance. The metal orb dropped from the lion's hand and smoke rose from the ground, obscuring the two fo them from sight. Metal clashed on metal in the smoke, the only sign of what was happening for those watching.

In seconds the clanging stopped, and the rat's body was thrown out. His throat was cut in a single line, and another long tug of the blade had sliced open his belly as well. Long experience told Hemman there was no way that Jonnar was getting up again after that.

The elephant turned to him again.

"My offer still stands."

Two days later they were back in the Stew Pot, but this time it was Nataraj getting served rather than them. The Quartet was off elsewhere, finding another contract, while he was arranging for their rooms at the inn and dealing with their prisoner. The lizard received a few strange glances from old customers and his former master due to his nudity in the common room, but he'd grown used to it.

Wincing as he sat down from the slight pain he still had from his burns, he looked at the panda. The team had brought him back without word of any others they'd found down at the end of the tunnel, along with the treasures that they'd been sent to get. The panda still had his arms tied up in front of him, not in restraints, but in casts after Draconicon had broken them. He had a black eye, too, though that was covered up in fur and not so noticeable. Honestly he was lucky that was all that he'd suffered.

According to the others, the only reason he lived was because he had information that could shed light on the wave of crimes across the neighboring kingdoms of late. Nataraj had only heard the name, but that was enough for him. Unfamiliar it might have been to the Quartet, but it wasn't to him.

It belonged to a businessman in the south, a citizen of the city-state of Uttomnar. That man had his hands in almost everything, even owning two of the smaller Guilds on the continent. His wealth was a power unto itself, and the influence and manpower he could summon was nothing short of terrifying.

Worse, the name the panda gave them was the one on the reward contract behind several layers of other names. Nataraj could see that he'd set up the whole thing, that he'd set something up so that he could win either way it ended.

And he knew that soon, very soon, this Miksha would know all their names. The very thought sent a shudder down his spine.

"Alright, where's the room, slut?"

He jumped as the orc walked into the inn, his big green cock slapping Nataraj in the back of the head. Despite his worries, he chuckled at that, and more as the other members of the Quartet walked in. They patted him on the head before ordering their food, sitting around the table and talking about this new contract, something closer to Sunset's Watch, the capital.

His worries faded, at least a little. Miksha was dangerous, yes. But so was the No Quarter Quartet.

The End