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Chapter 33
The Crimson Scourge
Getting to Airyglyph was as easy as Albel said it would be. There was a unit of Glyphians standing by to aid the soldiers in Peterny and they had no protests when Albel asked to borrow two dragons and one rider. The spy wasn’t certain if they obeyed because they feared the Wicked One or if the situation worked out in the favor of the two soldiers affected. The one who relinquished his lesser dragon seemed rather happy with the idea of staying in the city while the one going with them wanted to go to Airyglyph right then.
No one made a comment when Nel ended up riding with Albel. From her assumption of Glyphian mentality (or rather what she believed went through the minds of average soldiers), they probably guessed that Albel would rather have a woman ride behind him than another man. Then again, perhaps they were actually more mature than she gave credit for. Most higher rank soldiers acted more professional than the lower rank ones.
It was late afternoon when they landed outside of the gates of the royal capital of Airyglyph. In a couple of hours, the sun would go down and it would fall below freezing. Albel promised that it shouldn’t take that long and that they would be in Kirlsa before the sun set. Nel had no arguments there- she didn’t want to wake up another morning in the forsaken kingdom. Though apparently she wasn’t the only one.
“Why?” Fayt inquired after Albel made the declaration. “Is it because you can’t stand the cold to stay the night here?”
“Silence, fool!” he sneered before he risked a glance at the spy. Nel crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at what she had just learned.
When the dark swordsman wasn’t around her, he was socializing with Fayt. Somewhere along the line, he had gotten over Fayt’s preferences and developed a friendship of sorts with the boy. Nel supposed it was inevitable considering that Fayt had earned his respect. But she was a little interested to know how Fayt knew that Albel didn’t like the cold.
She recalled the time they stayed the night in Airyglyph, back when the Wicked One first joined the party. He taunted her for not being able to handle the cold and yet he kept in the fact that he hated it, too. She wondered if he was trying to act brave walking around his room in the nude. Though she had to give him some credit- all because he hated the chill didn’t mean he wasn’t used to it.
“Hmph. I was born and raised in Kirlsa- I didn’t have any reason to stay this far in the mountains for more than a night,” he explained as they headed into the city. Come to think of it- that explained why his room in the castle didn’t have much in it. In the few times she visited during the war (when he was not in the city), she noticed that the room looked as if it was barely lived in.
“Hey, was it my imagination, or did it seem like there were no Executioners in the region?” Fayt eventually asked, trying to change the subject to spare Albel further torment.
“I noticed that, too,” Nel replied as she recalled catching sight of the snowy slopes before landing. The usual monsters seemed to be about- and they didn’t seem to be affected by the Vile Wind. “I wonder… Is Aquaria the only kingdom affected by this?”
She didn’t have access to current reports from her subordinates in Greeton, so she had no way to confirm that Aquaria was the only one. She made a mental note to check with her agents in Sanmite and those listening for news in the north for confirmation of increased monster activity.
“I would imagine they view this kingdom as one that could die off without any help,” Albel said in a scoff. He was actually telling a half-hearted joke and proved it by adding in a more serious tone. “I suppose the real reason would be because there is no easier way to reach here on land than through the Kirlsa path. The old man is doing a fine job of keeping the worms at bay from there.”
“Makes sense, but what’s stopping them from landing nearby? I thought they came from space,” Nel inquired as she glanced to the boy for an answer.
Fayt scratched his head as he thought it over. “Well, since they’re programs, I would guess that they form from a certain point on the field. I don’t think the new models can fly or travel through space like the first set of Executioners, so I would guess that they’re coming from a point in the Kirlsa/Aire Hills.”
It did fit considering that Maria created a gate in that area from when they visited from 4D space. Maybe that was a point of origin for 4D beings. Unlike Airyglyph, Aquios was accessible from other routes. The Executioners could easily bypass Arias and Peterny by crossing the rivers.
“Anyway, we should get whatever this is done with so we can get back to focusing on the Creator,” Fayt suggested as they entered the castle.
Albel had made Nel promise not to tell Fayt the reason why he was there, knowing the boy would try to stop the Wicked One. He would rather have the boy learn the truth at the last moment so that it would be too late. He valued Fayt’s ability in battle enough to trust that he could beat him- and he didn’t mind if the boy learned of his past so long as he didn’t gossip to others. Albel knew he could threaten him to keep silent if need be.
It was true that in the time of getting to know Albel and since exploring new worlds, she had gained an appreciation for Airyglyph and the struggles they faced in order to survive in a barren land. But none of that newfound respect changed her view of its king. She still hated Arzei greatly and chose to remain in the back of the throne room as the Wicked One approached the throne.
The king was quick to admonish Albel for suddenly disappearing, but he also expressed some relief to see that he was alive and well. He had to remind Albel that he left without notice and even pointed out that Woltar was worried about him. While Arzei was speaking in a formal tone, he was laying it on rather thickly.
Albel didn’t fall for it- instead he replied in a flippant manner like he was joking around with an old friend. “Allow me to apologize for that. If I must be punished, then so be it… But first, I have something I must do and I beseech that you lend me the sword.”
Perhaps it was the royal blood in him that made him treat his king as an equal, but Nel would
never speak to her queen in such a way. Anyone who didn’t know the arrangement between Arzei and Albel would’ve thought the dark swordsman had no respect what so ever. In fact, the soldier standing next to the throne immediately took offense to the Wicked One’s words. The spy could tell by the armor that he was from the Dragon Brigade and most likely had no love for the man Vox despised.
“How dare you address His Majesty in such an irreverent manner! Such insolence will not be tolerated. Remember to whom you are speaking!”
“It matters not. Do not let it bother you,” the king responded, proving that he was either used to the treatment or that he knew his place. Nel was amused with the thought of the latter, but knew it wasn’t the case- Albel did as he pleased and Arzei simply let him because he knew the knight had the kingdom’s best interests in mind. He probably viewed the attitude as something to accept in exchange for a loyal subject.
The Dragon Brigadier wanted to argue and express his reason why the Wicked One should know his place, but the king wouldn’t hear of it. He silenced the soldier once again before he focused on Albel again. “You mentioned a sword. And just what sword might that be?”
“You know which one. The Sword of the Crimson Scourge. What other is there?”
His answer only served to infuriate the soldier. “Are you so great a fool? The sword is the Kingdom of Airyglyph’s royal treasure! So you think the king would readily hand it over to such and insolent fool as you?”
The spy had forgotten that Albel’s lineage wasn’t that well-known, even though the Wicked One wasn’t really keeping it a secret. He actually had every right to take the sword if it viewed him worthy. Though the soldier was reminding her greatly of Lasselle and she had to wonder if being closed minded and prone to fits was a requirement for someone to stand beside the throne. One would think they could easily pick up the inference that Albel had certain privileges due to his ability to get away with speaking to his liege so informally.
But the treatment the Dragon Brigade knight was giving the Wicked One could be lingering resentment that made him vent his frustrations without due cause. Arzei simply glared at the man, earned an apologetic bow for speaking out of turn. Nel was half expecting to hear a ‘silence Lasselle’ since the situation seemed so familiar to the audiences she had with the queen.
“It might seem late for such a question… But allow me to ask,” Arzei started before his tone turned incredulous, “Have you gone utterly mad?”
Nel smirked behind her scarf and shook her head. Did he really need to ask? Of course Albel was slightly insane- or rather, he was far from what society would deem ‘normal’. Even the Wicked One stifled a chuckle before he explained, “I can’t even answer that. But the truth is, we have no other choice. Using that sword’s power as soon as possible is the only solution I can think of.”
Nel considered his words- with the way he was describing the situation, he was making it sound as if they desperately needed the sword and that wasn’t true. In reality, the ‘choice’ they didn’t have was to convince him to not test himself. He was too stubborn to back down once he made a decision.
However, Arzei wasn’t aware of the Creator or that there was anyone behind the Vile Wind. After Albel corrected him that there were ‘greater threats’ (but didn’t explain what), the king acknowledged that they needed the power of the Crimson Scourge to save their lands.
“However… Are you capable of mastering it?” the king asked, expressing the same concerns Nel did earlier. “As far as I’ve witnessed, the only person that magic sword has ever acknowledged as its master was your father. Vox, too, tried to wield it, but he, in part, fell under its sway.”
Even though the spy was far enough back to where the king couldn’t see her features, she held back in frowning. This was the first she heard that Vox was under the influence of the Crimson Scourge. If the stories were true, then it certainly explained the man’s behavior in his bloodlust and his callousness in using his comrades and innocent civilians as pawns.
But what really made her angry was the fact that Arzei was aware of it. How could he allow a possessed man to lead his armies? Did he care more about winning a war with a power-crazed man than the safety of his own citizens? It seemed Arzei took after his uncle- he was just as manipulative and cold-hearted as Vox.
And where was Albel in all of this? Surely he must’ve known about it and yet he didn’t seem to question his sovereign’s rule. Of course, it wasn’t as if he agreed with Vox or the king- he just did as he saw fit and did the real work of protecting the country alongside Woltar.
“What will happen if you lose the battle to the sword and it ends up ruling your mind?”
Nel watched as Fayt titled his head in confusion before he glanced back at her questioningly. He didn’t understand what the king was concerned about or what he meant about losing to the sword. The spy could only shake her head slightly, silently telling him that she couldn’t say anything right then. When Albel answered, it only made the boy even more worried about what was happening.
“Then it shall mean I was not equipped to save our world. These outsiders will take over for me, I’m sure.” He gestured to her and Fayt by inclining his head back in their direction. It was then the king noticed Nel’s presence and frowned slightly. She couldn’t blame him for being suspicious of an enemy spy in the middle of his court, but she wished she could control his facial expressions better. He could’ve alerted his guards that there was something wrong and caused a tension.
“I’ve brought these two to bear witness and to prevent anything…regrettable should I fail to master the sword,” Albel continued to further reassure the king and explain why the spy was here.
Arzei let out a sigh and shook his head before he relented and decided to acquiesce his request. He admitted that he didn’t want to lose Albel, even if it were for the sake of the kingdom, but he was unable to fight against the Wicked One’s resolve. It was funny hearing his concern, considering he knowingly left Albel in the dungeons long after the war was over. Nel wasn’t sure what to believe from that man- she couldn’t even discern if the king had any real love for Albel. She felt the dark warrior was only viewed as a valuable tool whose only purpose was to protect and serve the kingdom.
The king soon stood from his throne and dismissed any soldier that offered to company him. He then gestured for Albel and the others to follow him to the treasure room to begin the ritual.
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The treasure room in Airyglyph was rather small and plain compared to Aquaria’s. Realistically, the amount of gold and valuables they did possess was a bit more than one would expect from a country so poor and barren. There certainly wasn’t enough there to fund the people should disasters occur.
The area the treasures were stored in was a cramped room with what almost looked to be an entrance to a cellar in the center. The doors actually led to a small pit that housed the valuables. In the center of the piles of gold coins and jewels lied the cursed magic sword of legends.
There was a short set of stairs that led into the pit and Albel climbed down them so he could stand before the sword. Nel found herself standing behind Fayt and the king before she realized the irony of the situation. Arzei- enemy of her country and the one who ultimately started the war was standing before her with his guard down. She could easily assassinate him if she wanted to. There were no guards around and she was still armed- there was nothing that could stop her from exacting revenge for her kingdom right then and there.
…But, she knew the consequences if she acted so rashly. Without Arzei, the throne would go to Albel and the knowledge than an Aquarian took the life of the king would spark an upset among the people. War could start again, against Albel’s wishes. Nel hated Arzei to the point of wanting to kill him, but there was no point in doing so now. His death wouldn’t bring any glory or relief- it would only complicate things.
Even so, she couldn’t stop herself from gripping Albel’s katana tightly as she suppressed the urge to run the king through with it. Before the Wicked One approached the Crimson Scourge, he unsheathed his sword and gave it to her while proclaiming that he would soon get a new one. She saw through his half-hearted attempt at bragging- he was trying to reduce his battle capabilities so that she and Fayt would have an easier time killing him should something go wrong.
It was then that she remembered the boy’s presence and the fact that he still didn’t know what his true role was in this ceremony. Albel wanted to assume that he would fight back if attacked, but she feared that Fayt would try to show mercy at the last second. Even if he did, she vowed to follow through with her promise. Fayt could hate her for it, but it had to be done- Albel wouldn’t want to live if he was some puppet for a bloodthirsty tool of war.
Nel listened on with some guilt as Fayt questioned the king about the sword and learned of what Albel was risking. It was too late to stop anything, so it was okay if he knew now, but she still felt terrible that she had to keep it a secret from him until now. It was only going to be worse if Albel didn’t succeed.
“How awful!” Fayt yelled, looking about ready to storm over to the dark warrior and try to change his mind, but the king silenced him. Nel could sense the boy wasn’t going to listen and quickly placed her free hand on his shoulder in a tight grip. He gave her a betrayed look as she shook her head as a signal to not interfere.
“O Sword of the Crimson Scourge. I command you to recognize me as your master. And I command you to grant me your power!”
As Nel thought about it, it had been a while since he last sounded that confident and arrogant. Was it a front for the sword? Or was he feeling more like himself now that he was trying to conquer yet another element of his past?
There was silence after Albel’s words- everything felt still, as if time stopped. It felt like several minutes had passed as the Wicked One stood very still. It seemed like nothing was happening, but Nel could somehow feel the power that was emanating from the sword. Something was going on, but she wasn’t certain what.
She felt like she could breathe again when he finally moved and muttered, “Damn… what was that voice?”
Voice? Did he hear something? There were some old legends that the magic sword could talk, but she didn’t hear a thing. If there was a conversation, it must’ve taken place in Albel’s mind. It wasn’t inconceivable since there were many old relics from Aquor (or perhaps stolen technology from Greeton) that required mental energy to function.
Suddenly the Crimson Scourge glowed brightly, enticing Albel to take it. Nel bit her lip as his hand inched closer to the hilt- this was it. Would the sword accept or destroy him? He lifted the sword from the gold and examined it for a moment before he sheathed it. When he turned to face everyone, he seemed fine. His eyes were clear and nothing appeared to be out of the norm for him.
Arzei was the first to realize that Albel had succeeded and let out a sigh of relief. “Well done. A splendid accomplishment indeed, Albel.”
After that, he immediately turned on his heel to leave. The spy had to move out of the way so he could. She then remembered that she was still gripping Fayt’s shoulder and let him go. Just as soon as she did that, he rushed over to Albel to check up on him. Nel glanced for a place to leave the now unneeded katana before she also approached him. She would be lying to herself if she didn’t admit that she was both relieved and very happy that he succeeded. For a moment she was worried that she would really have to honor her promise to him.
But the smile that was about to form on her lips faded when Fayt began to give him a piece of his mind. He was rightly upset over not being told what was going on.
“Albel, why did you have to risk your life like that? What would’ve happened if things went badly? Surely this sword isn’t
that important!” he ranted, unable to control his emotions. The boy had been so worried that he wasn’t sure what he should be feeling.
“Fayt, calm down,” Nel urged as she wondered how they were going to handle this.
“Why didn’t you tell me anything?” he continued, this time looking at Nel. “Did you
want to see Albel to fail?”
The spy glared at him for his words and the boy immediately appeared apologetic. “Sorry… I just don’t understand why this was kept a secret from me. Don’t you trust me?”
She then shook her head and crossed her arms. “It’s not that we don’t trust you. We both knew you wouldn’t favor the idea of risking his life.”
Albel then joined in as his claw draped over his new weapon. “You’re too soft, fool. This was a test to prove if I was really strong enough to face the coming threat. My father once protected this kingdom with the Crimson Scourge by his side. I cannot continue to carry on his legacy if I’m too weak to master his sword.”
It surprised her to hear him say that much. He usually didn’t like talking about his father that often, but she figured he was a little more open around both her and Fayt because they both knew what it was like to lose a father. With them, he didn’t have to go into detail to get them to understand and thus, he didn’t have to think too hard about him.
Fayt’s features immediately softened and he rubbed the back of his neck as he backed away a little. “I understand why you wanted to do it, but I still don’t see why it was necessary. You’re strong enough without it. Why can’t you see that?”
“In some respects, I did see it. I wouldn’t have come here today if I didn’t think I was ready,” he replied before he closed his eyes as a throb of pain flitted behind his eyes. The sword left behind a mild headache after talking with the Wicked One, but he reassured them that he was fine- he just needed some rest.
It actually reassured Nel to hear that he was positive he would succeed earlier and that her presence was only a precaution. He recognized the fact that he could be overconfident at times and sought to prevent the damage it could cause.
“All right…” Fayt eventually said after he sighed. “You passed and there’s nothing to worry about now. …Just don’t keep things like that from me again.”
They both nodded to the boy, but Nel knew she and Albel would continue to not tell Fayt anything dangerous. The point was to not let the boy try to convince them to change their minds- which was the real reason why he wanted to be told beforehand.
With the task done and nightfall quickly approaching, they immediately departed for Kirlsa so that they could get some rest and return to Aquios first thing in the morning.
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Albel was the first to leave them when they reached Kirlsa. He seemed rather tired as he headed over to Woltar’s mansion, so the spy and the boy didn’t stop him. Nel stopped Fayt before they could reach the inn.
“Why don’t we save on the Fol and stay with my contacts? Astor has an extra bed for you,” she suggested before she added, “and I could find someone else to stay with.”
Fayt wasn’t fooled as a grin appeared on his features. “You mean you want an excuse to sneak into Albel’s room and sleep with him.”
Her eyes narrowed at him as a frown formed on her lips. Her scarf hid half her face, so the boy couldn’t see her full emotion. She then crossed her arms and tried to shrug dismissively. “Maybe- it depends on how he is feeling.”
She knew that’s what Fayt wanted to hear, but she also frustrated him by sounding as if she didn’t care either way. He was becoming such a busybody about her relationship with Albel, but she understood why. He didn’t want her or Albel to be hurt in the end. It was still none of his business, though.
Fayt let out a sigh and shook his head as he changed direction and began walking over to Astor’s house. “Fine.”
She wanted to leave an extra threat with the boy about keeping her whereabouts a secret from her cousin, but she decided that he wouldn’t break her trust. There were already rumors flying around that she eloped with Albel, but her reappearance with the Fayt and the others proved it wrong. It wasn’t that she was embarrassed that she was seeing Albel- she just didn’t want anyone to think she could be in a relationship. It could lower the morale of her troops.
As a leader, she set an example by putting work before pleasure. If her subordinates knew that she could fall in love and spend time with said lover like any other person, it could inspire them to slack off more than usual. She had to appear above that ‘silly nonsense’, as she once called it, so that others would know to focus more on duty than on their feelings. …But then, maybe they weren’t taking her seriously. They
still snuck off during inappropriate times to fool around.
Nel made sure to not make it obvious that she was heading to Woltar’s manor by heading down alleys in the opposite direction and disappearing into the shadows. She soon found a roof path to take that would enable her to jump down inside the count’s small courtyard. Once she was sure that it was clear of guards, she entered the property and immediately sought for a place to haul her up on the top of the mansion. She had a fairly good idea where he was despite her limited visits to the manor.
The window to the corner room was open and she soon knew it was the correct one when she leaned forward some and caught glimpse of the claw in the sill. With the practiced grace she honed during the war, she skillfully flipped herself from the roof and into the opening. She then quickly leaned her upper torso forward to balance herself, only to come face-to-bare chest with Albel. It could’ve been one of her smoother entrances if she had thought to check where he was in the room before making her move.
He gave her an amused look as she slowly raised her head to meet his eyes. Had he been an inch closer to the window, she would’ve crashed into him. She wanted to berate him to cover her mild embarrassment, but she knew that if anything had happened, it would’ve been her fault for being careless.
She could tell something was clearly on his mind when the amusement faded into a light frown and he turned away from her. “Is something the matter?”
“I’m tired- that’s all,” he replied. She shook her head and studied him carefully. If he were really tired, then he would be in bed. No, something was definitely bothering him and she had a feeling that it had something to do with the sword.
“Anything you want to talk about?” she prodded, ready to drop the subject if he really didn’t want to say anything.
It took awhile before he answered. “…Not particularly. You’ve heard it all before.”
There was some silence before he decided to continue. “The sword asked me what I hated- it said that it was the root of all power and tried to lead me astray by listing people I could’ve loathed. …In the end I wasn’t confused- I knew who was to blame. Everything that had happened in my life was my fault alone.”
She didn’t say a word as he revealed that to her. Come to think of it, there was a time when he mentioned his self-loathing before.
…If you end up hating me… It’ll just be something else we have in common. Albel’s strength came from hating himself and his faults and he put himself in a never-ending cycle of it. He will probably never see how he improved for the better and blame himself even more for any small act that went wrong. She didn’t want him to live that way, but at the same time, if he didn’t have that source of abhorrent thoughts, then would his strength go away? Would the Crimson Scourge no longer accept him as his master?
No, that wasn’t right. She believed the sword saw his worth because he was taking responsibility for his own actions rather than blaming someone else. Albel didn’t have to hate himself- he just needed to learn from his past mistakes and keep from repeating them.
“After all this time and you still feel that way,” she commented lightly as she tried to take a few steps closer to him. “Sure you’ve done some bad things, but you have become a better person- the fact that you recognize your faults proves that you can continue to change yourself. I think it’s time you considered learning to forgive.”
He roughly shook his head as he turned away from her completely. It was then that she noticed his hair was down and covering his back like a long silky cape. “Don’t be a fool, woman. Maybe I can attempt to repair the damage my mistakes have caused, but there is no changing my past. My arrogance and weaknesses will always be present within me and I could destroy another innocent life if I’m not cautious.”
Nel resisted the urge to huff in annoyance. He just wasn’t getting it- or perhaps he didn’t
want to. If she didn’t know any better, she would think he was
afraid to forgive himself because he didn’t want to ‘let his guard down’ and make another dire mistake. It didn’t have to be that way and the spy decided that she was going to help him realize that. He did so much for her when they returned from 4D space, so it was time for her to return the favor.
She could see that it would take a while to get him to listen to her, so she was going to have to take it step by step. The spy used one of her hands to gently move his hair over his shoulder to expose his back and Dragon Rune. She then leaned forward to press her face against the curved red lines before her arms wrapped around his torso.
“Fine- hate yourself if you must,” she replied, deliberately letting her lips move against the skin of his back. She knew he was sensitive there and that even the slightest touch would drive him mad. “At least someone loves you.”
He tensed then, and she wasn’t sure if it was in reaction to the sensations he was feeling or to what she told him. She smirked against him before she let her fingers gently trace the taut muscles of his abs. Surely he was aware of her feelings? Then again, he could’ve been stunned that she would confess it.
Both his hands came up to stop hers. They were stark contrasts- one being cold metal and the other being warm and alive. “Are you certain that’s how you feel? Do not forget that I tricked you into becoming my mate. I took you for my own selfish gain and I didn’t care how you would feel about me in return.”
“That’s what you say, but you do want me to return your feelings. Don’t get me wrong- I
did resent you at first,” she admitted as she rested her forehead against his back, “but now that I know you better, I know I can see myself by your side. I love you
because of who you are. You’re willing to protect your country without harming mine and I can easily support you for that. Our goals are the same- even if they’re for different kingdoms.”
She could even say that it was his weaknesses that helped her to fall in love with him. He was strong in battle, but he had his doubts like everyone else- and he had moments where he couldn’t contain his pride or selfishness. He wasn’t perfect. She did acknowledge the fact that he took her against her will because he loved her, but he also gave her enough space and supported her when she needed it. It wasn’t as if he was forcing her into a role as his wife- she got to choose how she would live with him.
Nel managed to free her hands by gently kissing his rune and made him lean back against her as he reveled in the sensation. She wasn’t sure if he was going to let her get away with it for long, but she was going to show how much she loved him. She kept her right hand where it was to trace the lines of his muscles gently as her left hand slowly trailed down to his side and slipped under the slit of his sarong.
She let her teeth gently graze his skin just as her fingers darted under the material of his loincloth and wrapped around his member. He was only starting to harden and the joint act was quickly arousing him to where his underwear was getting too confining.
“Nel!” he hissed in pleasure. She knew exactly how to disarm him and bend him to her desires, though at the same time, he knew how to make her legs feel weak. He could just as easily turn the tables if she paused for even a second. She kept a firm grip on his shaft, applying pressure near the base as she let her free hand work on the leather strap that held up his belt and sarong.
The material soon pooled at his ankles and his loincloth joined them not long after. He still had his leggings and boots on, but she didn’t think she had the chance to get them off before he could make his move. Instead, she managed to turn him and push down his top half so that he was hovering over the end of the bed. He tried to look back at her as his arms quickly supported him up, but she continued to trace the patterns of his rune with her tongue while steadily squeezing and pumping his member with both hands.
“How do you like it when I’m the one being forceful?” she inquired with a grin as she drew out another pleased moan from him.
“Too good…” he answered her before he bowed his head. “Enjoy it while it lasts- I’ll be on top next.”
She let out a short chuckle before she gently dragged her fingernails over his head and then moved lower to fondle his scrotum. It was a little awkward trying to reach him from behind since he was taller and wider than she was, but she couldn’t help but feel empowered and aroused by it. She was still fully dressed while he was mostly naked and at her mercy. It was a lot like the first time she took charge.
She briefly entertained the idea of making him beg like how he would sometimes do to her, but decided against it. This wasn’t about power or who should be on top- it was about making him feel good and arousing him beyond all reason. He was never the type to beg- and he was strong enough to knock her back and take over if he really wanted to.
Nel decided to take it a step further and see how much he would take by wedging her knee between his legs and rubbed against his inner thigh. She moved him to spread his legs a little more before she rested her leg on the edge of the bed to support her weight. While keeping one hand on the head of his penis she lightly trailed the fingers of her other hand down to his upper thigh and around to the back to palm a cheek of his bottom. She then pushed her fingers under to touch the area of skin behind his scrotum and indirectly press against his prostate- just as he liked it.
She briefly mourned the fact that she couldn’t go retrieve the sex toy and give him direct stimulation, but she had no idea where he had hidden it. Come to think of it, the last time she had seen it was on the Aquaelie… hopefully it made it into one of their traveling bags.
“
Yes…” he groaned out as his body tensed beneath her. He nearly threw her off when his body shook and he tried to thrust in her hand. The spy quickly spun him around and pushed him back on the bed while he was still disoriented. He had a satisfied expression on his face and his eyes were glazed over as he willingly lay back on the cool sheets. His erection was stiff and pointing upwards, still waiting for its release.
There was a fond smile on her lips as she approached the bed until she was against the edge again. His legs were hanging off the edge and she briefly settled herself between his knees long enough to make her fingers teasingly crawl up his thighs. When she found the hem of his leggings, she backed away, dragging both articles of clothing with her. She stopped when she reached his boots and took the time to take them off so that he would be completely nude.
“Temptress…” he growled out as he recovered. “Attacking me from behind like that… and you’re still dressed.”
He made the motion to get up and pull her unto bed, but she pushed him back down with just a hand placed on his chest. There was a mischievous glint in her eyes as she asked him, “Did I say I was finished with you?”
She hovered over his shaft and placed a feather light kiss on the head before she began to remove her scarf. She made sure to drag it across his exposed body before she tossed it to the ground.
He shivered at the contact before he reacted rather loudly to the feel of her hot mouth at his tip. She swirled her tongue around edge and let one hand gently apply pressure at the base.
“Woman…” he muttered out in warning after a long drawn out cry of pleasure, “I don’t think I can last much longer.”
She took that as her cue to pull down her underwear. She was already dripping wet from her earlier actions and it collected in the crotch of her panties, pulling down a line that ended up leaving a wet trail down her legs and stockings. Albel didn’t waste any time as he sat up and cupped her face in his hands. He pulled her head up to his so he could kiss her before his arms wrapped around her body and held her tightly against him. He then fell back, bringing her with him. She ended up sprawled on top of him with his hardness pressing against her inner thigh.
Nel knew he was close and tried to move so she could position herself above him. She wasn’t concerned with her own pleasure this time- she only wanted him to feel good. Just as she was about to sink down on him, he grabbed her and forced her down by his side.
“You’re not ready yet,” he murmured insistently as his hands started clawing at the clasps of her leather armor to remove them.
“I’m okay-” she tried to protest, but he pressed his lips against hers roughly. He then grabbed her wrists when she tried to reach for his shaft. He was very close and wanted nothing more to finish, but he wasn’t about to let her go unsatisfied. He didn’t care what she had planned- it was
his turn now.
He took the time to kiss each fingertip of her hand before he carefully pulled off the fingerless gloves and armguards with his teeth. He ignored the pain in his loins as he proceeded to crawl on top of her and remove the rest of her clothing, kissing every inch of skin as it was exposed to him. She was soon moaning when he started to lick and bite each rune he could find on her person.
She still wanted to pay more attention to his needs, but he was making it hard for her to concentrate. She tried to touch him again, only to have her wrist held captive under his metal hand. But his touches quickly ignited the heat within her core and made her anxious to have him inside her. When he reached her thighs, he was only able to push down her stockings to her ankles before he realized he couldn’t ignore it any longer.
Nel couldn’t hold back her bliss as he pinned her to her side and entered her. One knee was draped over his shoulder as he pushed in all the way and claimed her lips once again. She eagerly kissed him back before she her hips slightly to convince him to keep moving.
“I don’t deserve you…” he growled feverishly near her ear as he sped up his thrusts. The spy wasn’t having any of that- it was true that he took her because of his own selfish desire, but there was no point in regretting it now that she was returning his feelings. Honestly, one would think he
wanted to stay miserable…
“Then you shouldn’t have claimed me,” she taunted between short gasps. “You have me now and I won’t let you go. You’re
mine.”
He gave her a smirk after he heard that and pulled back enough so he could peer down at her features. “You’re confused woman- you belong to me, not the other way around.”
“It works both ways,” she replied with a grin of her own. Albel accepted that with a short grunt of amusement before he changed his angle slightly so he could drive into her deeper. Any other words that could’ve been exchanged were cut short as the heat caught up with them and they reached the peak almost at the same time.
Nel bit down on his shoulder to muffle her cry as he growled her name above her. They ground against each other to prolong the sensations before their bodies relaxed and fell back on the bed. Albel made sure he was laying in a way that wasn’t crushing her as he recovered from their latest intimate encounter.
After a while, the spy began to stir by stretching under him and bringing her hands around him to gently rub his back. “Feeling any better? Or do we need to do this again until you forget your self-loathing?”
He was silent for a while and she wondered if it was a bad idea to remind him of the minor slump he was in before she seduced him. But she soon felt a smile on her shoulder before he replied, “I don’t think we have the capacity to make love until we die.”
She wasn’t sure if he was trying to joke or imply that he would never try to forgive himself. The smile was a little reassuring- he was feeling a little happier, leaving her to believe that it was possible to could keep him that way if she continued to comfort him.
“That won’t stop you from trying, will it?” she inquired before she placed her hands on his chest and gently pushed up. He understood the silent request and rolled over for her so that she could sit up. She then worked on removing her stockings and boots so that she would be more comfortable for bed. “I don’t think I’ll mind making you forget about your troubles.”
He didn’t reply to that- he was more interested in watching her remove the last bits of clothing. When she dropped her boots over the edge of the bed, his arms encircled her and he nuzzled the bridal rune on her shoulder. “I want to go again.”
It was getting late and they needed to get up early, but for once she didn’t care- she wanted to play, too. Albel had a nearly evil grin on his face as he pulled the covers over them and started their game all over again.
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It took me awhile to have the time to explore the new layout of the author's panel and be able to update, but I finally got around to catching everything up on this end. For everyone who still has the old address to my profile page, you might want to save the new address (just click on my penname to get there). The old address didn't show my new bio message telling everyone that I've been updating on my wordpress site this entire time. Sorry if you've been waiting for an update this entire time without knowing- I just discovered that the old address wasn't using the new bio and there was no way for me to change it.
Anyway, we're getting close to the end of the story. I'll be updating here again, but if there is ever a problem with the site, then wordpress will also have the new chapter up to read. Thanks again for reading!
