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Terramagica

Chapter 03

(Under Pressure)

Written by Leo_Todrius

Supported by my Patrons

Blue canvas had been draped down over the broken windows of Terramagica, though the gaps in the material were spacious enough that there was a vague, gauzy image of the outside world visible through it. The glittering earl morning light filtered through unobstructed to dance across what remained of the glass displays that had been set back up despite being chipped in a few places. Early morning meant the changing of the guard, or rather the clerk, but for once Draeth sat on the bench next to Ori as both reflected upon the current events and had a bottle of Yam Soda.

The two had worked diligently to clean up the shop - well, perhaps only Ori had worked diligently but Draeth had worked as well. Still, with the defenses broken, Terramagica was in no shape to host its usual business. The most precious relics and antiquities had been spirited away by the proprietor and the shop had been closed. It had caused no small fuss in the community. While Terramagica was by no means the largest dealer of magical delights in Breim, it was essential enough that there was a reliable stream of disappointed customers outside.

Ori sipped on his beverage, watching the only individuals permitted in the shop as they came and went, working on repairs. Sagen had contracted a local satyr guild to do most of the repairs. Before Ori had fallen in love with his most exquisite werewolf boyfriend, his only previous relationship had been a brief fling with a satyr. In retrospect he had not been nearly as handsome as the construction workers with their silky long hair, their bushy beards, their freckles, their horns… even the way their muscled chests peeked out from their flannel shirts.

Draeth kept looking at his elfin companion and then back at the satyrs as they replaced the window frames, anchored them into the building superstructure and started hoisting new pieces of enchanted glass up into place. The human grinned, reaching to rub the stubble that darkened his broad chin. He took another sip of his drink before he decided to speak.

“Is it allowed for you to ogle them like that? I mean, you're a mated man…" Draeth said before grinning. Ori's face turned from dreamy to cross in an instant.

“I'm not doing anything… Besides, Mahno goes around sniffing other werewolves. We're wild beasts, but we're loyal to one another. It's just eye candy." Ori muttered. Draeth cracked a big grin and slapped his thick arm across the elf's shoulders.

“I'm just playing with ya kid, it's healthy, and that Mahno pup seems a lot better than your first boyfriend. I just wanted to make sure you were okay." Draeth said. Ori's face changed again, this time into a soft expression of concern.

“You wanted to make sure I was okay? Draeth, you were the one that…" Ori trailed off, not exactly wanting to make his companion live through his experience again.

“Hey, what's passed has passed. I don't remember it anyway, but we're here, a new day has dawned, and I'm getting out of here before the boss comes back and hands out the tough assignment." Draeth said, standing up and stretching with a wide mouthed yawn. Ori looked up at him.

“What do you mean, tough assignment?" Ori asked. Draeth grinned, gesturing to the construction under way.

“This isn't the sort of thing glass and nails can fix completely. It has to be curse proofed again. He's going to need a whoooole lot of ingredients, most of which can only be obtained during the daytime. And as you are his daytime employee, you're going to have to get them." Draeth grinned. Ori glowered.

“Yeah, but you know he'll need the dust of the moon pearl too…" Ori shot back. Draeth shrugged at that and sighed.

“Yeah, well… One or two nocturnal adventures won't wear me out. I'm a big boy." Draeth said, patting his gut as he headed for the door, turning sideways to slink between two of the carpenter satyrs, “Have a good day, don't get run ragged!" Draeth grinned as he exited the building, ducked under the canvas and made way for the alley where his truck was waiting.

As much as Draeth made it sound like he liked shirking work, he kind of missed it. After the episode that had destroyed the shop, he kind of wanted to get his mind off of the mystery and focus back on work… But it sat there like this gnawing void, this gap in his memory, a growing… pressure… The pressure wasn't just on his mind, though. He'd been growing more and more uncomfortable as his shift wore on, then especially when he decided to stay late and hang out with Ori. Little by little the pressure had mounted, not where he had expected it, but in his pants.

Each step had become more and more of an effort, more and more of a strain until, finally, it had transformed into pain. Draeth's staggering gait had become rougher and rougher. He reached out with one hand to brace himself on the brick wall as he hobbled out of sight. He had to last until he got home, he had to make it to the safety and privacy of his own place. No one could understand what had happened to him. He didn't even know himself. His secret just had to last a little longer…

Draeth pulled himself over to his truck, swung the door open, legged himself up in and sat down. His eyes went bolt wide as he felt his over-full udder balls trapped between his belly and the seat of the truck. He slid his ass forward and leaned back as much as he could to give them room. The truck sputtered to life and he pulled back, looking over his shoulder. With a glance around for other traffic, he sped off, passing by the front of the Terramagica shop and turning onto the road that followed the curve of the bay.

Inside the shop, Ori glanced up as the sunlight glinted off the truck. Even through the tarps, he could tell when Draeth came and went. It was just enough of a distraction that he didn't notice that Sagen had descended down the steps, his hooves somehow nearly silent despite the wizard's weight. He moved over, examining a parchment that clearly was many decades old. The satyr waved his finger, darkening the silver ink on several of the ingredients on the list, but his lips pursed as he read one of the ingredients required to re-cast the spells and charms protecting the shop.

“There's no avoiding it, I need Abyssian Feldspar." Sagen said. Ori looked up at his employer with curiosity.

“What is Abyssian Feldspar?" Ori asked. Sagen looked up with a serious expression on his face, almost as if he was weighing Ori's potential to see if he was worthy of the information.

“There are many types of stone in this world…" Sagen said sagely.

“I know, I took geology… Igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic-" Ori was interrupted with a stern look. Sagen shifted one hoof.

“Deep beneath the ocean, there is a type of stone formed under great pressure, of the heat of the planet's core and the frigid depths of the ocean's fathoms… It is this stone which we must obtain to complete the enchantments to protect the shop fully and re-open our doors. I need you to obtain it for me." Sagen said, withdrawing a pouch and tossing it to his elf subordinate. Ori caught it and grunted a little at the weight before opening it up a little, eyes widening.

“Are these… how old are these gold coins?!" Ori asked, looking up.

“They are from shipwrecks off the Hydian coast. They're worth quite a bit to the Undine." Sagen said, moving over to examine the construction work on the window frames.

“The Undine!? Sir, if you haven't noticed I'm just an elf… With just a little bit of werewolf mixed in. The most I can manage is a doggy paddle." Ori said. Sagen rolled his eyes.

“Why must the young always question their elders… There is a trader who lives on the Northern Shore, well, slightly off of the edge of the Northern Shore… He markets rare goods from the depths. You will travel there and bring me five pounds of Abyssian Feldspar. Do not return until your quest is complete." Sagen said. Ori opened his mouth to protest once more but Sagen had started to grow translucent. Apparently he had been projecting himself as a vision, hence being so light on his feet - though the coins were still a trick that Ori couldn't figure out. The elf frowned as his employer disappeared entirely.

“My quest… What is this, antiquity? No one goes on quests anymore…" Ori growled. Some of the other satyrs smirked from where they were working, causing Ori to frown even more. That being said, Sagen paid well, and he generally did like his job, as simple as it was. It'd take some effort from all of them to get back to normal. He just had to get the ball rolling. Ori tucked the pouch into his pocket and moved out of the shop. He looked both ways before trying to wave down a taxi, wondering in the back of his mind if they accepted ancient doubloons as currency.

****

There was something enigmatic about living in a coastal town, especially just a few blocks from a bay, that tarnished a bit of the luster when it came to the ocean… People traveled from all across Zago to see the Silver Sea, to feel the warm air meet the cool sea breezes, to see the turquoise waters and the white sands, to have festive drinks… It was a tourist destination, it was a focal point, and everyone that lived on the edge of it just seemed to be background noise.

So much emphasis was put on the beaches that they seemed cliché, over-done, more of the same… but Ori had been watching the water from the window of the taxi for almost twenty minutes, realizing just how lucky he was… There were people in Zago that lived in parched, arid regions. There were those that had never seen an ocean. There were those that never knew the splendor of a coconut water served from the shell… And Ori realized that he was one of the fortunate ones. Maybe his quest had some positive benefits after all, and maybe he'd be able to make some good come out of it in the end… at least for himself. Sagen had made sure that the shop would come out well.

The taxi pulled to a stop and Ori swiped his card, wondering if he'd be able to deduct it from his taxes as a business expense. Setting foot outside, he felt the warm sun shining down across him, his blond hair glittering like gold in the light. His fair skin was almost pearlescent, though some small part of him - the werewolf part - wanted to take a nice nap in the warm rays, letting it soak his bones. He shook the feeling off and headed down the path.

There were not a lot of structures that were built out over the water of the bay as the tides shifted so much, but Ori had set his sights on one of the few. It was a bungalow made of red wood, stained and varnished heavily and weathered all the same. A wide porch ran around over the pagoda style roof and there didn't seem to be any windows, just openings that looked out the cardinal directions.

The boards creaked a little as Ori reached the porch, but he ventured on. Surely that had to be normal for someone that lived on the water. He crossed the threshold into the interior and slowed to a stop, eyes widening with wonder. Ori had worked for Sagen for years, existing as a worker in a shop of antiquities and wonders. It seemed he had stepped right into another one. A fishing net was strung up across the ceiling, holding a variety of glass floats used in fishing, but the hollow glass bubbles sparkled and shimmered with memories of experiences trapped inside. Glimpses of lives lived long ago flashed inside before fading away into a fog. Another corner held the metal diving suit of an adventurer, though some small part of Ori wondered if the remnants of the explorer were still inside as well.

There were treasure chests, maps, a variety of weapons, all nautical themed objects any fan would love to have… and in that moment, Ori realized just what he had stepped into. It was a gift shop, everything one would EXPECT to find at the beach… It was a NICE gift shop. Everything looked authentic, it probably was, but it was designed specifically for that kind of audience. Ori shifted a little before he turned, a foot slipping off of the solid deck and out over open air.

The elf started to wobble, trying to keep his balance, but he'd shifted too much weight to that foot already and started to tip forward. As he did, a jet of water blasted up through the hole in the center of the bungalow, spraying Ori back. He sputtered a bit, water beading up on his skin for a moment before it seemed to move and gather into one place, forming a ball of hydration that dropped back into the ocean below. Ori stared at the shimmering water, then the wood staircase leading up from a foundation of silt and sand.

“Careful, the first step is a doozy." A melodic voice said from behind Ori. The elf turned, facing a tall, elegantly shaped individual lowering his hands from where he had been manipulating the water. The creature had to be almost six and a half feet tall, but he was leaner than Ori and even other elves. His skin was light, somewhere between the shade of a pearl and the bluish silver of an abalone shell. His hair almost seemed to shift colors from white to blond to blue depending on which direction he was facing, though it was pulled up into a bun. A silver earring hung from one ear and he wore a white button-down shirt almost like some sort of pirate. Once again, exactly what one might have expected to find at the beach…

“I didn't mean to interrupt, I was sent by Sagen Teklic, the Wizard." Ori introduced. The undine shifted a little, sizing the elf up.

“I had heard that something had happened at Terramagica, but I didn't realize it tested the strength of the wizard's strongest defenses. If he sent you here, he must really be in a bind." The undine considered, “My name is Voda, and you are?"

“Oriron Errion…" Ori introduced, “I've come for Abyssian Feldspar." he said, withdrawing the pouch and giving the Undine a glance of the coins inside. Voda looked almost taken aback.

“You came all the way out here to get Feldspar?" he asked, coming out from behind the counter. As he moved, the water seemed to shift a little, almost as if it was drawn toward this figure walking in the open air.

“I mean, Abyssian Feldspar. I've heard there are other kinds." Ori said. Voda, however, looked almost behind himself. To Ori's surprise and perhaps even Voda's, the undine laughed.

“Today… You came all the way out here, today, to buy Abyssian Feldspar…" He said softly. Ori shifted uncomfortably.

“I mean, yes? Today is the day, so they say…" Ori said, “Is there something wrong with today?" he asked. The undine shook his head.

“Several things are wrong with today, but as far as you're concerned, the main issue would be that I don't have any more Feldspar. Not up here. It was stolen three days ago. They cleaned out my whole stock." Voda said. Ori suddenly felt even more uncomfortable.

“I heard about it, it comes from the deepest depths…" Ori said, looking around, “Like some of these treasures?" he asked hopefully, “Is there a way we could get some more?" he asked hopefully. The undine shot him a look, although there was no malice in it. Perhaps it was a bit of a surprise.

“I mean normally I would for a fee. You might have been able to tell, I'm one with the water on most days… But it's not good timing. There's this big event I'm supposed to go to, and I haven't really been able to get myself ready." Voda said. Ori tilted his head a little.

“What do undines wear to important events?" The elf asked. Once more Voda chuckled.

“It's not getting ready in that sense, and to answer your question, not much… But no, what I meant was that I couldn't get myself ready. It's this big thing back where I grew up… Part reunion, part wedding. Everyone's expected to bring someone… But I've sort of been stretching the truth to my parents." Voda said softly before looking up at Ori in shock, “Why am I telling you this?!" he asked. Ori smiled a little meekly.

“My boyfriend says it's because I am a good listener… I guess it sort of doubled down after my recent changes." Ori said. Voda, however, looked even more upset. It was almost as if he'd gotten… darker? Cloudier? HIs hair was more silver, his skin tone a darker shade of blue.

“Even the elf has a boyfriend… Everyone seems to find someone. Why can't I? I mean, it's right there in the name… It's what Undines do, isn't it?" he asked. Ori wasn't sure if this creature was speaking rhetorically or literally.

“So, you stretched the truth with your parents about having… a boyfriend?" Ori asked, trying to keep him focused. If there was any way to find the Feldspar and get his quest completed, he had to take it. Voda began to circle the gap in the floor, looking into the water.

“Undines crave the companionship of another, a mortal, at least normally. They used to say we didn't have souls and had to share the souls of those that we loved. That was a bunch of racist bullshit of course, but we do have a strong urge to mate - at least most of us do. I guess I was more excited to see what was up here, to carve a piece out for myself… I kind of forgot the pursuing a mate thing." Voda said sadly. Ori smiled faintly.

“It might just not be the right time. Love surprised me; I wasn't expecting it. Maybe you just haven't reached your time yet." Ori said. Voa looked a little reassured at that, his colors shifting a bit brighter.

“I think you're right, and that's good guidance. It's good enough for me to live by, but my parents are old fashioned... I just need to buy myself some more time before I have to explain everything to them." Voda said. Ori nodded, respecting the idea. Voda looked at the elf with curiosity, sizing him up once more. Ori wasn't sure he liked that. It felt like everyone had spent all day trying to see if he'd be good enough.

“What?" Ori asked.

“What if I just needed to buy time for them to get thrown off the tracks… What if I had a boyfriend, just long enough for this event?" he asked. Ori wasn't sure he liked where things were headed.

“I… have a boyfriend." Ori said. Voda held up his hands, webbed hands, and nodded.

“I get it, I know… You're in a relationship, you have a boyfriend… Normally I wouldn't try to push or pull, I'm a go with the flow sort of aquatic myself, but… this is a desperate time." Voda said, considering, “You want Abyssian Feldspar? I can get it where we're going, but if you want it, I need you to pose as my boyfriend for this event." Voda said clearly. Ori's pointed ears blushed bright red.

“I get that you're backed into a corner, but this isn't the way to do business… I have a boyfriend, I'm just doing this for my boss, and most of all, I can't exactly last underwater long enough to PRETEND to be your boyfriend. Besides, I don't even know what my boyfriend would think of me posing!" Ori said. Once more Voda started to pace.

“Oh, of course, of course… I'd want you to ask him, get permission, make sure you're okay. I'd try to keep it as short as possible, but… the question is, how bad do you want that Feldspar?" Voda asked. Ori looked at the undine, at the hope and fear in his eyes… He recognized it, at least a little. It was a determination to succeed but the knowledge that his fate was in someone else's hands. Ori couldn't bear to look at it for much longer before he sighed.

“Let me call my boyfriend first… If you can figure out how I'm going to be able to hold my breath that long, you better get it ready." Ori said. Voda clapped his webbed hands and went back behind the counter, digging through cases of exotic and ancient materials. Ori shook his head, trying to picture how he'd even start to explain all of this to Mahno.

****

There were many sensations in life that were beyond compare; a first kiss, a rich meal, a sunset on the beach, the first transformation into a werewolf, and the feeling of a motorcycle vibrating between one's legs. Mahno loved his life, though to be fair he loved it a lot more after wooing Ori to be his boyfriend. The werewolf was leaning forward, cutting down wind resistance as he waved his motorcycle in between cars, bypassing traffic.

Werewolf couriers were a dime a dozen in Zago, but few operated during the daytime. As such, Mahno's wild antics and aesthetic drew a bit of attention. His black mohawk rippled in the air and his rust colored mutton chops seemed to be billowed and brushed by the wind. His tank top offered no protection in case of a crash, and the sun tanned his exposed skin to a rich hue. His spiked bracelets and belts glinted in the light, just like his motorcycle did.

Mahno grinned, betraying his fangs as he pulled out of traffic at the last second and pulled onto a side street, heading down a slope. The motorcycle engine growled, echoing off of the buildings, but he eased to a lower gear as he approached his destination. Checking the hastily written note tucked into his bracelet, he confirmed the address before coming to a stop. The motorcycle fell silent, and with it the vibration between Mahno's legs - at least mostly. He could swear he still felt his bike there with him even when it was off.

The werewolf slipped off his bike, opened a small side compartment near the back and extracted a red cardboard carton emblazoned with gold lettering in a hard to decipher script. Mahno moved up the stone steps to an old three-story brick and mortar house, ringing the buzzer. There was a moment's delay before Mahno's enhanced hearing heard the floor creak on the other side of the door moments before it opened.

Standing on the other side of the door was a four-foot five bobcat like woman, though her greenish-golden fur was bristled by thick sharp cactus like spines. The hair transitioned to mostly spines around the elbows and knees, and a strange segmented, branching tail swung back and forth behind her. Mahno had heard of cactus cats before, but he'd never been this close to one. Still, a job was a job. Mahno lifted up the red and gold box.

“Your lunch, ma'am, right on time." he smiled. The woman grinned, pulling out a coin purse that was hanging from a metal loop on her hip. She pulled out several blue paper bills and handed them to the werewolf. Mahno accepted the money and handed over the box. The cactus cat carefully opened the top of the carton just a little to peek inside, a smile crossing her thorny lips as she looked at the wriggling mass of scorpions inside the box.

“You have NO idea how hard it is to get these during the lunch rush." she purred, “Thank you! Keep the change and have a great day!" She said before closing the door to her house. Mahno smiled and turned around, feeling the phone in his pocket pulse; Five rapid pulses, a five-star review. He wasn't in it just for the numbers, but the reviews helped him get more lucrative clients.

Mahno carefully folded the money to tuck into his wallet when he felt his phone vibrate again, this time the long vibration of a phone call. He hastily tucked the money into his left pocket before pulling out his device. With a quick swipe of his clawed finger, he answered the call, seeing the snapshot he saved of Ori eating food on their first date. Mahno's heart fluttered as he answered.

“Hey babe, what's going on?" Mahno asked, moving back to his motorcycle, mounting his proverbial steed.

“I was sent on a quest for work, but it's taken an odd turn… I have to get this rare element, abyssian feldspar, and the only person I can get it from… wants… a favor." Ori said, hesitating. The fur on the back of Mahno's neck stood a little on end.

“What kind of favor?" Mahno asked.

“You can totally tell me no, I might even say it myself, but the undine wants me to pretend to be his date to a wedding, so his parents don't think badly of him." Ori said. Mahno blinked a few times, his golden eyes confused.

“How are you going to attend an undine wedding? And it's not your wedding, right? They need a living soul to complete themselves…" Mahno said nervously.

“It's not my wedding, no. They need a willing soul that loves them. This is just to get his parents off his back. And… I'm looking at some spine fish, a shot of some seabroth and an enchanted piece of jewelry, so I'm pretty sure I'm going to be able to make it to the wedding underwater." Ori said. Mahno sat on his bike, hearing the faint ting-ting-ting as the engine cooled and the metal shifted. He said nothing for a long moment before he exhaled slowly.

“If you think it's worth it for your job, and it seems safe, I won't stop you. I know there are times we have to do things that push the line… The werewolves have a few ceremonies and customs that I may need to call you like this myself, and if you were an actor, you'd have kissing scenes and stuff… I trust you. I just want you to be safe and come back to me." Mahno said. Even though he couldn't see it, he knew Ori was smiling on the other side.

“Nothing could ever keep me away from you. I'll come home and I'll have the most amazing stories to share." Ori said. Mahno smiled gently.

“I love you babe. Have fun. Don't fill up on shrimp." The werewolf grinned.

“I love you too. I'll see if I can bring you a doggie bag." Ori replied. Mahno chuckled at that and made a kissing sound before he hung up and returned the phone to his pocket. He sat on his bike for a moment longer, looking out over the slope that led down to the waterfront, looking at the countless buildings, homes, streets and cars. Life never was easy, he just hoped it would be easy enough for Ori.

****

Out of the many districts in Breim, the factory district was not what one would call high residency. There were, as the name implied, countless factories, refineries, warehouses and distilleries. It was a manufacturing mecca. Still, there were homes for those brave enough to endure the neighborhood and Draeth had agreed immediately upon finding out how low his rent was.

The bard's truck rumbled loudly as it came down the street, a blinker haphazardly trying to warn traffic behind him that he was coming to an abrupt stop. A garage door lumbered upward, revealing just enough space for Draeth's vehicle inside. He pulled in, edging closer to the right side to give himself just enough room to throw the driver's side door open and hop out. Several cars whipped past outside, but it wasn't the traffic that concerned him. It was the pressure in his udders that was nearly blinding him to anything else.

Draeth thought briefly of the twenty-two stairs it would take to get up to his loft apartment, each step sloshing his udder back and forth, squeezing it, kneading it beneath his belly. He groaned, his face scrunching up a bit. He couldn't do it… He was so close, but he couldn't. Draeth punched his fist on the garage door button as he ducked under it, slipping out and around the building. He waddled past the staircase, squeezed past the garbage bins with a groan and made it out to the relative seclusion of the dirt patch he called a backyard. It was fenced in, blocking off an alleyway behind, a factory to the right and another apartment to the left.

It was hard to think, and Draeth sometimes wondered if that had ever been his own strong suit even in the best of times. He reached down, barely managing to touch the button of his pants before it popped open. The zipper let out a long, gratuitous moan as it was pulled apart by the pressure inside. Draeth grabbed onto each side of his fly, tugged it out and apart, then he reached for his underwear. The cloth was already strained beyond belief.

With just a few fingers under the waistband, Draeth felt the elastic cutting into the skin on his backside. He winced, wrestling it forward, back, forward… How could it be that tight? He just had to let loose, he had to get free. He winced one more time, cursed under his breath, grabbed onto the waistband with both hands and pulled. The elastic snapped, the cloth went limp and he kept tearing. His pants fell around his ankles, followed soon after by his underwear.

Draeth was a big man in more ways than one. He was tall, a mix of fat and muscle, broad chinned, broader shoulders, a plump ass… but all of it seemed dwarfed as his engorged, swollen, larger than normal cock slowly lifted up off of the massive udder balls that had been steadily filling through the course of the night. Even his four teats seemed erect, glistening with the dew of sweat of being trapped for so long.

There had been some relief in the release, no longer feeling the outside pressure pressing in… but Draeth still felt the inside pressure trying to get out. By habit alone, he grabbed onto his cock, giving it a few good strokes before he diverted his attention downward. The brown-haired human tipped his head back, moaning softly as his fingers found two of his full teats. They were almost like cocks of their own - sensitive, fat, full, but they weren't as detailed, they weren't quite as defined.

With a careful squeeze of one and a stroke of the other, Draeth started. Shivers ran up his spine, the hair stood up on the back of his knuckles. He murmured and groaned and then gasped before the first silky sweat drops of milk precipitated from the tips of his teats and then a soft spray ushered forth. Draeth wasn't sure what had happened when he had been kidnapped, he wasn't sure what spells or curses he'd been put under… The udder balls had felt like a curse when they were full, but they felt far more like a blessing now that he was able to start relieving himself.

Moment by moment, he picked up the pace, working faster and harder, milking himself. Jet after jet squirted out into the dirt, his moans growing louder - at least until there was a thunderous crashing of the garbage cans in the alley and the thud of someone falling from atop of them. Draeth blushed, looking down at his pants. They were too far gone… He waddled over to the fence line, trying to use it to obscure himself before he stood up on his tiptoes and peered over the other side.

Sitting in the gravel, nursing a scraped elbow, was Draeth's Kitsune neighbor Chryon. The twenty-four-year-old looked a bit embarrassed, sitting on his two orange and white tails, his torn up blue jeans dusty. He looked up at Draeth's head sticking over the fence like a kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar, except in this case the Kitsune had waves of flowing strawberry blond hair down to his shoulders and a split mustache that handsomely framed his upper lip. Chryon, or Ryon as Draeth often called him, was a bit of a kindred spirit. They'd even tried to start a band together once or twice, though their musical stylings were a bit different.

“Ryon, what's going on?" Draeth asked. The kitsune blushed, only bringing out the contrast of his freckles more.

“I, uh, wasn't used to you coming home when I did. Usually you're in bed by now. Then I heard you coming into the backyard, so I was going to see if you wanted to game or something, and then I was just, uh, seeing…" Ryon said, finally pushing himself up. He flicked his tails to get the pebbles out of the fur before he looked back at Draeth with bright green eyes, his pointed furry ears twitching a bit.

“So, you saw…" Draeth murmured. The initial release and the shock had been enough to distract him from the pressure for a while, but it was steadily building back up again. Draeth took a breath before he walked over to the gate and unlatched it. If it had been anyone but Ryon or Ori he probably wouldn't have, but he opened the gate a little. Ryon squeezed in, stepping into the dirt patch yard, looking at Draeth. He'd always been a big guy, but now he also had an ample udder beneath a rather robust cock. Ryon looked up slowly.

“Does it taste milky or salty?" he asked. Draeth's eyes widened.

“What?! I haven't… tasted myself, I mean, I just..." Draeth stammered before focusing himself, “It happened when I was taken. Sometime during that blackout, I got cursed to have these. They fill up in like… six, eight hours. I haven't gone to anyone yet. It's a weird curse to have, I don't know if Sagen would know what to do. He might get mad that I wasn't able to stop the break in…"

“Dude, you can't think that way. They're your friends, and if the great Sagen Teklic can't fix it, then he'd know who can - assuming… you want it fixed. It looks pretty hot." Ryon said with a grin, his teeth glinting in the morning sun. Draeth's eyebrow quirked.

“Hot? Seriously?" Draeth asked. Ryon nodded, taking a step closer, reaching out with his black clawed hand to gently touch the edge of the udder.

“I know for a human you might not be aware, but exotic milks are a hot commodity. Minotaurs make fortunes on the side. I was just curious, cause I have a few bottles in the fridge, but it's never as good as fresh." Ryon said. This time it was Draeth who blushed, scarlet dying his cheeks behind the thick stubble.

“You think so? I mean, uh, you get it fresh a lot?" Draeth asked. Ryon shook his head.

“No, only twice. But I'll never forget it, and I don't think they will either… If you're ever game." Ryon said with a hungry grin. Draeth took a long breath. He'd been friends with Ryon, rocked out with him, even worked as a roadie with him for a week or two. This represented a stark turn in their relationship, but at the same time, what was he going to do? He had full udders and his alternatives were milking himself into the dirt in the backyard or the shower…

“You got some time? You could come upstairs…" Draeth said. Ryon's eyes closed half-way and his grin got even wider.

“I have all the time in the world, my friend…" he purred.

****

Voda moved down the steps into the water, though as his skin touched the water, the bluish-silver skin became entirely translucent, like a ghostly outline to the mass within. He dropped down further until he was waist deep, turning to look back up at Ori. Ori was still hesitant, but what Mahno had said was reassuring. He pulled off his red sweatshirt and folded it, setting it on a stool before he removed his shoes, socks and pants next, leaving him in just his underwear.

“So… where do I start?" Ori asked.

“Pick up the spine fish." Voda said. Ori looked at it. The fish was about six inches long, a dull blackish-gray with orange fins and white bony spurs along its top and bottom edge. Ori reached out and lifted the fish, wincing as the spines broke skin, poking into the flesh and leaving a half dozen tiny punctures.

“Now what?" Ori hissed. Voda smirked.

“Put the fish down." he replied. Ori scowled before he threw the fish back on the counter. Voda crossed his arms.

“Gentle, please… and now drink the seabroth." Voda said. Ori lifted the shot glass and tipped it back, letting the salty, murky, seaweed tasting sludge spill over his tongue… and start to fizzle. Ori gulped it down, using his tongue to try and sweep as much of the flavor off of his teeth as he could. He shuddered a bit before looking back at the undine.

“And next?" he asked. Voda bowed his head.

“The earring. A necklace would be too obvious, they might figure it was an enchantment. Bring it here and I'll help you put it on." Voda said. Ori picked up the small starfish shaped earring and moved over to the edge, walking down the steps. Thankfully the water was a lot warmer than he expected… maybe even warmer than he'd ever felt the ocean. It was like a nice bath… Ori smiled.

“This isn't bad." he considered, sinking to his navel in the water, being a bit shorter than Voda. The undine smiled.

“You'll want to remove your underwear, it won't be comfortable growing into them." he said. Ori hesitated before he lifted one leg, kicking up some silt before he maneuvered his underwear off, setting them onto one of the steps. He looked back at the undine.

“You know how big of a deal this is, right?" Ori asked. Voda nodded eagerly.

“I know, I know, and I'm so thankful. I'll make it up to you, and more than just the Feldspar. I know you just have to get it for your job, but I'll make it up to you." Voda said. Ori said nothing, hoping that would be the case, but he still wasn't sure just what that would look like. “Ready?" Voda asked. Ori gave a meek smile. The answer was no, but there was no going back, really.

The undine reached up, bringing the golden starfish to press on the back of Ori's left ear. The metal arms suddenly moved, hugging onto the elf's lobe. The very tips pierced the skin to anchor themselves. Ori winced slightly, but then slowly gasped, feeling a heat trickling out from his ear, down his cheek, filling his core and culminating in his legs. Voda reached out to stroke his bare shoulder.

“The spine fish gets the blood pumping, and the venom helps activate the seabroth. The seabroth changes your metabolism to work with the cold temperatures and the depths… and then the earring changes you into a form more fitting." Voda said. Ori tried to speak, honestly he tried to stand up, but he felt weak in the knees… or rather, like he no longer had any. The strength faded so rapidly that the elf toppled forward into the water, feeling the salty depths envelop him.

Bubbles rose up, his arms flailed. Ori tried to hold his breath, his blond hair waving about like seaweed caught in a current. It was a flurry of chaos, and then, somewhere in the midst of it, Ori heard something… It was soft, gentle, peaceful. It started low but built higher and higher, almost like a song carried on the wind through the mountain peaks, but it wasn't from far away. It was from right next to him. Ori looked up, meeting eyes with Voda, with an undine that had taken on another form.

Voda's skin had returned to the pearlescent bluish silver that it had started as, but where his skinny torso and stomach tapered off, a long tail cast in hues of periwinkle and purple extended. There were arcs of ribbon like fins along the tail, giving him an almost ornamental eel like appearance. His tail coiled beneath him almost like a snake's, giving him a platform as he reached out to take Ori's hand. The elf accepted it.

The undine's tune continued, allowing Ori to focus and get back upright. He blinked a little and looked down, seeing that his legs had meshed together, the flesh connecting and tugging his legs into one wriggling mass. It wasn't appealing to look at at first, but as he watched his feet flatten and flare out, the bones shifting to cartilage, he watched his muscles regroup, and then he watched his pale skin taking on a much brighter, a much more brilliant hue… At first it was pale, then pink, then shades of salmon before brightening up to an almost ruby red tone. The skin hardened, tough on the surface and meaty beneath, segmenting and splitting in geometric patterns that continued from his waist down to his fin.

Ori had been so transfixed with his tail forming that he hadn't realized that he had started to breathe again. The water flowed in and out of his nostrils, but it also was also passing over the small of his back where the skin stung for a moment before it opened up a little, feathering out as his gills kicked in. The elf's pointed ears became even pointier, the top tip honing into a spine before three more spines formed, the flesh fanning out between each point. He reached up to feel his ear, but his hand stopped half-way, a membrane connecting his fingers and forming a web to help swim.

“You make a handsome merman." Voda said, “Distinguished, vibrant." he added. Ori opened his mouth, then his eyes widened. He looked down at his chest, then back before he all but sunk to the bottom.

“I can breathe? I can talk?" he asked. Voda nodded.

“It's part of the charm. You'll be a merman as long as you have that earring on, and it comes with all the perks… Gills, the ability to communicate underwater. Part of it is vocal, part of it is mental. The charm has you covered, but we better be going." Voda said with a smile, though he paused for a moment, “Do you think we could use those coins you brought as a wedding present for the bride and groom? I didn't get a gift yet." he asked hopefully. Ori frowned, crossing his arms.

“You better get me that Feldspar after all this…" Ori said. The undine smiled sweetly.

“I PROMISE I'll make it worth your while. I'll owe you like, ten huge favors… plus the Feldspar." he smiled, “But we better get going! We want the tide at our backs to make it there in time. Come on!" He said with a grin, grabbing onto Ori's webbed hand. The undine's eel-like tail whipped out and before Ori knew it, he was being propelled through the water, heading away from the shore and toward the depths of the ocean.

****

Mid-morning light tried to spill into Draeth's loft apartment, though he had hung sheets over the windows to cut down how much made it in. The effect, combined with a bit of dust in the air, was a hazy glow. The apartment had a bit of musk to it, the scent of a virile young man living life. The fridge was well stocked with beer and meat, one wall was nearly a shrine to the art of music, showing off an array of guitars, drums, bass and a few exotic instruments from across Zago.

The door creaked as it opened and Draeth moved in. He'd hastily cobbled his pants back together as he ascended the stairs, not having the fence line to obscure his altered package from any prying eyes. Ryon followed after, wanting to pry with all his might. The kitsune closed the door behind him before moving in deeper.

“You want a beer or something?" Draeth asked before sighing, “Well, I guess not if you're going to be drinking from me…" he said. Ryon moved up and put a hand on Draeth's shoulder. Draeth turned and Ryon leaned in, planting a quick kiss on his lips. The Kitsune smiled, showing off his sharpened canine fangs.

“This doesn't have to be weird. We're just bros helping each other out… You had a long day, I'm here to help you unwind." Ryon said, reaching down to unbutton Draeth's jeans. Once more they gave up without a fight, splitting open as his udders and cock sprung free. Ryon inhaled long and slow, taking in the sights.

“You sure it doesn't have to be weird? I have udders…" Draeth said.

“And I have two tails and a dog dick, and your co-worker is an elf that moonlights as a werewolf, and the world keeps turning." Ryon said, “You probably want to sit on the couch."

Draeth looked back at the couch on the east wall, overlooking the musical instruments on the other side. He moved over and sat down, spreading his legs apart, letting the udder have as much room as it needed. His cock stood straight up in the air, fatter and longer than ever. Draeth had to admit, having it on display made him want to attend to it, even with a guest. Chryon approached with a bit of swagger in his step, pulling off his shirt, then dropping his pants. He had apparently gone without underwear.

The human drank in Chryon's body. He'd been with men and women over the years, finding pleasures in both. There were so many beautiful shapes people could come in, and Chryon had a very beautiful shape. In the morning haze, his red hair glowed like the embers of a well-tended fire the following day. He had a patch of fuzz on his chest, his pert nipples erect. His twin tails swung back and forth before he knelt down before Draeth, looked up at him, met eyes, and then leaned down.

Draeth wasn't sure what to expect at first, but he moaned with a mix of surprise and… well, he wasn't sure what it was mixed with, but the kitsune's hands were working his plump, full udder. The human moaned even louder when he felt those strong, firm lips kiss the tip of one of his teats and then start to slip down. The kitsune started slow, but he started to build his speed, working up and down, suckling, squeezing the teat with his lips and tongue, coaxing the bounty within. It didn't take much coaxing.

Ryon let out a muffled moan as the first splash of thick milk hit his tongue. It was silky, thick, warm and rich. He'd tasted several different kinds of milk, and while he wasn't sure exactly which this was, it tasted like real, wholesome milk… with a bit of spice coming from his hot neighbor. Ryon sucked harder and harder, his clawed hand stroking the udder, giving it a squeeze before his other hand lifted up and coiled around Draeth's thick cock. He started to guide his hand up and down, appreciating the girth and the length.

Draeth's eyes rolled into the back of his head, his head reclined back to the back of the couch, and slowly he lifted his arms up, spreading them over the back of the couch as well. He felt almost electric, almost like he was floating. His toes curled; his fingers dug into the couch. He moaned and lifted his hips a little - or at least tried. His udder was still rather full. Ryon suckled more furiously, filling his cheeks with the milk, gulping it down, his own erection fattening up and swelling to full mast, but his hands and mouth were all working on Draeth.

The bard's heart raced, his skin glistened. He felt warm all over, and for a moment that heat felt like… home. This was right, this was what he was meant to be doing. He was a man, but he was more than that too. He could be a provider, he could nurture, he could… not think. Thoughts melted away from Draeth's mind until all he felt was pleasure. He grabbed onto Ryon's head with his mighty fist, fingers tangling in that rust colored hair, holding him there. Ryon moaned, his tails flopping across the floor of the loft, but Draeth merely growled with pleasure.

Ryon sucked and sucked, filling his throat and his belly, but it wasn't enough. As one teat started to deplete, he switched to another, taking the tender flesh in his skilled mouth. Draeth thrashed, Ryon wriggled, and the two worked in tandem. Draeth added his other hand to Ryon's, both of them working his huge cock. Blood rushed in, coaxing it to new heights. Even with both hands, neither of them could quite cover the whole length. Draeth panted hard, moaning, his eyes squeezed tighter than they ever had before.

The painful pressure that Draeth had experienced during his shift had eased, but a different pressure was building fast. This one was far more familiar, far more manly, far more predictable. It started in his brain and his loins at the same time, a lighting fast connection. His prostate, his balls - whatever had become of them - and his udders, all working in concert. Draeth gasped, his eyes snapped open, and in one glorious moment, he came - all of him came.

Ryon was rewarded with a sudden gush of the hottest milk in his mouth, but his hand felt Draeth's fat cock almost vibrate. Thick jets of sticky, hot cum shot up, showering down across Ryon's beautiful wavy red hair. It splattered across his mane, even dribbling down his bare back… but that was hardly all. Every one of Draeth's udder teats had released milk, spraying his bush and Ryon's face, soaking him down with it. Draeth had released so much so fast that he felt dizzy, weak, and accomplished. He laid back on the couch, panting for breath, barely having enough strength to lift his head and look at Ryon.

The kitsune knelt there on the floor, cum-soaked hair, milk-soaked face, dripping and sweating. He licked his fangs with his tongue, that mustache still framing his grin. He reached down and grabbed onto his own furious red cock, gave it a few good strokes and then moaned, returning the favor by cumming onto Draeth, sending jets of silver kitsune cum shooting across Draeth's full, round belly.

Draeth shuddered, smelling the eucalyptus scent that he had not expected from the sperm, watching it cling to the tiny hairs on his stomach. The two met eyes, gazing at each other before Draeth reached down, dipped two fingers into the silvery puddle and brought them to his mouth. He tasted it and moaned softly. Ryon's cum was minty, tingly, cool and hot at the same time. Draeth grinned slowly.

“I hope you like it messy…" Draeth whispered.

“I love it… A rocker's life, am I right?" Ryon grinned. Draeth leaned forward, grabbed the Kitsune by his arms and pulled him up onto his lap, the two messy and sweaty and cum soaked men kissing each other furiously as their bodies pressed, rubbing together, their cocks getting hard all over again as they humped and ground against one another. For two beasts that stayed up all night, it looked like there was a chance they would stay up all day as well.

****

Oriron had seen countless specials about traversing the ocean on the nature channel. He'd read books about the silver and violet seas bordering Zago. He'd had little plastic toys of sea creatures… but nothing had ever prepared him for going in person, unprotected, to the bottom of the ocean. The swim over the reefs had been beautiful, then they had come to the continental shelf. The deeper they went, the darker it was. It felt like an eternity had passed, the light of the surface growing dimmer and dimmer. Ori had been concerned at first, but as they approached their destination, he started to see the sparkle of lights in the distance.

The first few sources of illumination had been bioluminescent fish swimming around, but as they approached the party and Ori started to hear the music, fish floats bobbed at various depths, shimmering with magical light. Voda navigated between them almost like they were slaloms, dragging Ori with him. Ori had gotten better at using his red merman tail to propel himself, but he was still grateful for the undine's strength.

“Okay, so about our cover story…" Voda whispered.

“We met off of the Hydian coast when you were traveling on a business trip, and me coming from such a long-ways away is why none of them know me and I don't know the area. It's cooler there so I was always cold, but this is a pleasant change." Ori said, “Oh, and my name is an honorific for an elf that my grandmother lured into the sea with her siren song." Ori said. Voda was stunned, though a faint smile crossed his lips.

“Did you think of all that on the way down?" he asked. Ori grinned and gave a slight nod. The undine nodded back and gave Ori's hand an affectionate rub before he let go. It would have looked strange to drag him in the rest of the way. Ori understood without words. His boyfriend may have been back on land, but sometimes he had a good intuition.

As the duo swam further into the party, they started to pass other guests. There were selkies and kelpies, water horses and ghost whales, but the vast majority were variations of the merfolk. Ori had never seen so many gathered together… There were some with fish tails, some with the tails of whales, and in the center of it all, blushing cheek to cheek, was a merman with a well-tanned torso atop long, thick tentacles as white as bleached coral. Sitting next to him was a siren, her black hair matching her black scales. They both looked so happy…

“Voda, my son!" a bellowing voice came. Ori was oddly prepared for the surprise, feeling a pressure shift in the water as the sound waves approached. He turned, seeing a pair of undines approaching… or more accurately, an undine the husband she had claimed from land. Voda's mother was clearly an undine, her skin the color of sea and sand, growing translucent as a few of the sun's rays managed to make it down that deep through the water. Her hair was a vibrant green like kelp, her body moving as fluid as the ocean around her. Voda blushed sheepishly, rubbing at his arm with a webbed hand.

“Hey dad. Good to see you. Hi mom." Voda added.

“I am so relieved you made it, the ceremony is in a few minutes." his mother said before turning, her solid black eyes glinting with an odd warmth and care, “And you must be Voda's boyfriend?" she asked. Ori smiled and extended a webbed hand.

“I'm lucky enough to say that I am… It feels like it's happened so fast, but I've never met anyone as eager or creative as your son." Ori said. Voda shifted a little.

“Ori, stop…" he murmured bashfully, though really he wanted to spare the elf having to come up with more backstory than was needed. Voda's father reached out and rested his hand on his son's shoulder.

“You should not turn away from love, my son… Not only is it a precious gift that enriches life more than all the treasures ever to sink to the ocean floor, but for an undine it is life itself. That is what I want for you, my son. I want you to have the richest, most robust life possible. I want you to be happy." he said. Voda looked up at his father and his mother, wishing he could tell them the truth, realizing how far he'd gone just to avoid telling them how he truly felt, how he had been living his life. He gave a soft, meek smile.

“I can tell you one thing, the love I feel for all of you really makes me feel alive." Voda said gently, looking at his parents before he nodded, “But you said that the ceremony's starting soon. We should take our places, and after the ceremony I promised Ori I'd show him where I get some of my supplies. He's only seen the Hydian coast before this, can you believe it?" Voda asked, swimming along with his parents and Ori in tow as they approached the group gathering around a rock formation that had been eroded by the tides to form a perfect ring of stone. Ori knew while the lies might have been hard, the event itself would be unlike anything he'd ever witnessed before.

****

The ceremony had been beautiful… Words exchanged before a great ring of stone, discussing the connectivity of life and time, the push and pull of two souls, how everything was infinite and yet contained in a moment. The vows had been exchanged, bracelets placed on one another, capped off by a swelling song more sonorous and moving than anything Ori had heard in his life. When the others had moved off to the reception area, Ori had taken a moment to compose himself before following after.

What came next, Ori was still taking in. Merfolk had no need for tables or chairs, but they certainly had a need to congregate and socialize and eat the many delicious bounties provided for the happy occasion. The answer had been baskets anchored to the bottom with braided ropes to heavy stones to keep them down and strong floats around the edges of the basket to keep it upright despite the current. There was still a bit of drifting, but the guests would sway back and forth as well, creating a sort of circular dance around the baskets as they pulled out seaweed wrapped sushi, blubber dumplings and sea cucumbers stuffed with underwater greens.

Ori found himself a bit ravenous, trying to reclaim the calories burned from the swim down and keeping himself in place during the ceremony. He munched on the sushi and savored the salad. The one thing that seemed to be missing were beverages, though there was certainly water everywhere… Voda had tried to eat as well, though his appetite was subdued as he felt the weight of everything around him and its rather profound significance for his personal situation.

“I can't believe the land lover there finally caught some tail of his own…" a smirking whisper came, distorted but audible enough to Ori. He lifted his head, trying to locate the source of the sound, tracing it back to the groom where he was floating with his bride.

“Merick, hush…" The siren snickered, finding her husband's comment a bit off color but apparently funny enough to laugh about. Ori's eyes glinted slightly, a hint of gold pouring into them. Something deep inside, past the fish and past the elf began to stir. This time it was the werewolf, and the beast was not pleased.

“It's a shame that this wedding had to be hosted by such glassy eyed fish." Ori announced a little louder than conversational, startling Voda who looked up. Ori leaned over, reaching to rest his webbed hand on Voda's cheek, “Come on my starfish, let's go somewhere special." he said. Voda looked confused but blushed, looking around before he took Ori's hand and the two began to swim away from the crowd. The host and hostess looked a bit scandalized at being insulted at their own wedding, but several of the other guests had overheard and were smiling at the turn of events.

With each swipe of their tails, the two ventured further and further out until they had returned to the now deserted ceremony area. The great stone ring stood as a monument in the open space, sand and silt shifting around its base, a steady current pushing through the center. Voda was the first to slow, glancing over his shoulder and then back at Ori, a grin crossing his lips. His tail flicked a bit in excitement.

“I really think that sold it! That was really over the top!" Voda said. Ori shook his head.

“It's not really my place to say, and I hope that I did a good enough job, but… you shouldn't have to go through all this. This is a lot of work just to make other people feel better about themselves, and it's at your own sacrifice." Ori said gently. Voda looked down at the ocean floor before lifting his head again.

“I know, but… my parents wouldn't understand. They have these old-fashioned ideas, they think if I don't find someone, I'll never get a soul." the undine said weakly. Ori smiled softly.

“I think they know different, deep down. You're creative, you're adventurous, you're the full package with or without someone's soul to borrow. You have your own spirit; I know that much. Your parents have to as well." Ori said earnestly, “They love you; they just want what's best. You just have to show them what that is, what that looks like. If you find the love of your life, so be it. Everyone wins. But you shouldn't have to pretend to be who you aren't in the meantime. It'll make living that much harder. You'll spend all that time pretending and never time to do what makes you feel alive." The words hung with Voda as he took a deep breath of water.

“You're right. I know it's terrifying, but I can't keep up the act. What if they ask questions? What if they want to see you again? I can't keep you on the fishing line forever… I just have to come out with it and tell them the truth." Voda said. Ori grinned, rubbing the undine's shoulder.

“I know you can do it. It won't be easy, but you'll feel so much better getting it out there and not having to live a lie. That's too much pressure for anyone to be under." Ori said. Voda swam forward, wrapping his arms around Ori. He gave the mer-elf a tight hug before releasing.

“Speaking of being under pressure, we should grab your feldspar while we're down here. It's not too far from here." Voda said happily.

“Don't forget the food, I want to give Mahno something. He's always happier with a full stomach." Ori smirked. Voda chuckled.

“I'll get him some of the best cuts of meat myself to thank him for lending me his boyfriend. Let's go, I want to get you back to land before it gets too dark." Voda said before releasing Ori, spiraling upward and then darting along the rockface. Ori's eyes went wide, but he put his red tail to use and tried to keep up, sailing through the water after the undine.

****

The hours had passed, giving way from one to the next. It had been a long day for Ori, perhaps the longest day of his life. The sun had set by the time he made it back to land, a blanket of navy blue and violet casting across the sky as the horizon glowed with brilliant shades of pink and orange. He'd given up his enchanted earring, accepted his payment for favors rendered and headed back, watching the streetlights come on. He held leftovers for Mahno in one hand, a plastic bag containing an authentic dinner plate sized clam shell with the food safely inside. The elf's other hand held the bag full of the Abyssian Feldspar.

Ori had thought about getting a cab to drop him off a bit closer, but the traffic on the Parkway had been terrible and he kind of wanted to stretch his land legs after having a tail for so long. Ori turned the corner, spotting the Terramagica across the street. The tarps had been taken down, the windows had been installed, the displays re-established on the other side. The satyr construction team had left.

“I better get paid overtime for this one…" Ori murmured, exhaling a bit as he waited for the crosswalk light to change. Before it could, a shadow shifted from the alley behind the corner building. There was movement, an approach. Ori turned to see who it was. He saw a black trench coat, leather pants, a mesh shirt, green skin, and then the most haunting glowing yellow eyes of his life, framed by a wriggling sea of snakes where most men had hair.

It struck the elf in an instant. His vision was the first to go, the wriggling snakes staying in his sights like floaters even as they kept moving around in a strange fractal optical illusion. The moisture wicked away from Ori, drying him out. The color, all color, drained away from Ori's eyes as they hardened into stone, the process spreading out quickly. His porcelain cheeks became like granite, his feathered blond hair became layered like shale. The petrification swept down his neck, branching out across his shoulders, spiraling down his arms.

The figure reached out, scaled hands snatching both the pouch of feldspar and the bag of leftovers, plucking them away from Ori's hands as they hardened to stone. The gorgon pulled sunglasses out of his pocket and slipped them back on, the circular lenses blacked out. The snakes on his head quieted down, lying flat as he turned and disappeared back into the alleyway he had come from.

A soft sound came, not from Ori's mouth or even his lungs. It was not a whimper, but a crackling as the change swept down his legs, to his feet. In mere seconds the elf had been turned to stone, standing on a street corner, hands outstretched. The effect translated outward through his clothes, his red sweatshirt turning grey until he was like a sculpture of his former self. Silence fell across the city block, the last light draining away from the sky, darkness falling across Oriron's still body.