A Paladin's Training Ch. 05

"No penance required, lad," Smythe said as he turned smoothly. Dark eyes regarded Aran, glittering above that strong nose, reminding him of a very large bird of prey. "We are Gifted, and we should use the Gift to help where we can, provided it does not endanger what few of us remain."

"I agree, Master," Aran said respectfully.

"Are you going to come in?" Smythe asked curtly. "Or are you going to spend the evening out there in the lane?"

Realising he was still on the other side of the fence, Aran quickly found the side gate and stepped in, closing it behind him.

"Who needed the help?" Smythe inquired.

"A Wood-Elf," Aran replied quickly. "Her sister was taken by ungol in the Emerin Forest."

The bigger man's bushy eyebrows rose, and he rested the flat of his huge blade on his shoulder. "Ungol in the Emerin? Are you sure, lad?"

Aran nodded. "I thought they were all long dead, nothing but stories and myths, but the Elves say the spiders were never wiped out, they just hid underground."

Smythe exhaled, blowing out his mustache. "I can believe that. How many were there?"

"We killed three -- well, Liaren killed two, and helped me with another -- but she said a dozen of them attacked her village. They killed all but the three we fought."

The big Paladin grounded the point of his sword in front of him and folded his hands atop the pommel, which came up to his chest. "Not easy to kill an ungol, lad, Smythe said, his face hard. "You're lucky you're not dead, or in a cocoon."

Aran agreed; without Liaren, he doubted he would have survived that encounter. He needed to work harder, to improve. "Master, Liaren said that there is a distant shadow growing, and it stirs the dark creatures of the world, which is why the ungol are surfacing."

"They're right." Smythe said flatly. "I don't know what's causing it, but there's strange things moving about outside the town walls some nights, and it's got folks unsettled." That confirmed what Aran had heard from the townsman earlier. "Did you find the sister?"

Aran nodded. "By a miracle, we found her, but she was bound up in a cocoon, barely alive. Fortunately, I was able to Bond her, which seemed to help."

"Interesting," Smythe said slowly, stroking his mustache. "Then what happened?"

"Well," Aran began, "Induin -- the sister -- asked me if I could also do the same for her twin, so we could all be Bonded together."

Smythe shook his head. "Doesn't work like that, lad. You can Bond them to yourself, but not to each other."

So Smythe didn't know it was possible? Had Aran discovered some new aspect of the Gift? Or did he have an ability that other Paladins didn't? He took a deep breath. "With respect, Master, it did work. In this instance, anyway. The sisters are Bonded to me, and I to them, and they to each other."

Smythe said nothing, studying Aran for long moments before speaking. "Well, lad, if what you say is true, you may have done something that's never been done before, according to the histories, anyway. Elaina did say you were special, and it looks like she was right."

Aran felt somewhat buoyed by the man's praise, but Smythe had more to say, however, and his face hardened. "And it's my job to make sure it doesn't go to your head. You know how tough Elaina is?"

Aran nodded, well aware of how hard Elaina had pushed him in his first months, making him think of running away more than a few times.

Smythe stepped around his sword and moved closer, looking down at Aran sternly. "Well, she's that tough because I trained her to be that tough. You're the first new Gifted we've seen in decades, and I'm not going to let you waste any of that talent by letting your head get too big for your hat."

Aran nodded quickly. "Yes, Master."

"Good," Smythe said curtly. "Your first lesson begins now. Get rid of that clumsy mace and grab a practice sword from the rack over there." He pointed to the wall near the smithy, which did indeed hold a rack of weapons. Aran obeyed immediately, dashing to the rack and taking a blunt longsword, leaving his mace and buckler in its place.

"You will forget what you know about that ridiculous bludgeon," Smythe demanded, seeming somewhat prejudiced against maces. "And you will devote yourself to a more elegant, civilised weapon. One of precision and grace, which, if wielded properly, will be far more dangerous than any metal ball with spikes on it."

Smythe pulled his massive blade free of the grass and began to teach Aran the intricacies of the sword, at a much deeper level than Aran's rather brief sword lessons with Elaina. Aran applied himself with vigor, and the lesson carried on long into the night.

*

"Aran.... Aran...."

A distant voice echoed through Aran's dreams. A familiar voice. He was floating in blackness, in a void of nothing. He listened intently, hoping to hear it again. Suddenly, he felt a tugging sensation in his belly, as if he were being drawn by some strange force.

"Aran... Aran..." The voice was louder now, closer. Without knowing how, he moved toward it, following it. It was a woman's voice, one he had heard many times before.

A pinprick of white light appeared before him, shining in the darkness, rapidly growing larger, until it filled his vision, surrounding him, suffusing him. A rushing sound filled his ears, then light and noise abruptly vanished, leaving him standing in one of the most beautiful places he'd ever seen.

A warm afternoon sun shone down from the cloudless blue sky, and all around him, Aran saw nature at it's finest, a valley seemingly created by a master painter. Lush green grass tickled the soles of his bare feet as he turned, taking it all in. Before him, a gentle waterfall cascaded off a rocky overhang, filling a large pool ringed by green trees and ferns. A small stream led away from the pool, merrily bubbling its way down the valley. A gentle breeze caressed his skin, seeming to carry away any cares or troubles. This place just felt... right.

"Ah, you heard me calling," the familiar voice was no longer distant; it was right behind him.

He smiled, recognising the voice, but deciding not to turn right away. "How could I not? I've dreamt of you every night since I left." He didn't need to see Elaina to know was with him; he could feel her Gift.

"And I you," she replied, closer now.

Unable to delay himself any longer, he turned around. Elaina stood palely naked in the afternoon sunlight, all lean muscle and ample curves, her beautiful face beaming. Just the sight of her had him hard as diamonds.

In kind, despite the warmth of the sun, Elaina's nipples were hard, her face a little flushed, and her heavy breasts were rising up and down as her breath quickened. He stepped closer to her, their bodies almost touching as he reached out with a single finger and gently ran it from her collarbone, down between her breasts, to just below her navel.

Elaina sighed as he let the finger travel back up her flat belly, over a mountainous breast, circling a crinkled, pink nipple as it made its way up to her face, where it traced her full lips. Obediently, she opened her mouth and took his finger in, suckling it gently. Aran cupped her breast with his other hand, squeezing firmly as her fingers encircled his cock and gently stroked him. His beautiful former mentor's eyes locked onto his, her expression telling him what she wanted.

Elaina lay down on the soft grass and opened her long legs, her smooth nether lips glistening slightly with her wetness. Aran settled down on top of her, resting his weight on his elbows, gazing into her eyes for long moments, their lips finally coming together as he gently entered her slick pussy, slowly pushing until he was buried to the hilt, his smooth balls resting against her bottom.

"Mmmm," she whispered, their lips still touching. "I've missed this." She wrapped her legs around his waist as he began to slowly rock his hips. The afternoon sun slowly disappeared as they made love, taking their time, savouring every sensation, every kiss, every touch.

*

Much later, the two Paladins lazily swam in the rock pool, luxuriating in the clear, surprisingly warm depths. The moon had long since risen, the reflection rippling on the surface of the water. They had spoken not a word for a while now; words were increasingly unnecessary the more time they spent together.

Elaina waded over to the waterfall where the water was shallower. She stood, letting the water run down her body as she closed her eyes and tilted her head back, enjoying the feeling. Aran sat on a smooth rock against the edge of the pool, chest and shoulders above the water, happily watching Elaina enjoy herself, her heavy tits swaying as she ran her fingers through her short flaxen hair.

Satisfied, she dove back in, disappearing under the water before popping back up right between his legs, her emerald eyes gleaming in the moonlight.

"That was wonderful! You have to try it!" She said happily as she put her hands on his knees and pushed up to kiss him. He kissed her back before she spun around and sat across his lap. Aran put his arms around her waist and she leaned into him, sighing in contentment, her cheek resting against his chest.

"So where exactly are we?" Aran asked, lazily stroking his fingers over her hip.

"This is the plane of Aros," Elaina replied. "Any Paladin of Aros can access this place, once they're trained to do so, of course."

"That explains why it feels so right here, like being at home." He thought for a moment before asking, "did you bring me here?"

"I was searching for you in the dream," she began. "But when I found you, you were almost here of your own accord."

"I was?"

Elaina nodded. "You would have found your own way here sooner or later, as your connection to Aros grows. Seeing how close you were to finding it, I just gave you a little nudge."

Aran smiled and squeezed her bottom. "I'm glad you did. What do I need to know about this plane?"

She shifted from sitting across his lap to straddling his thighs. Aran hoped whatever she had to say wasn't of great importance; her massive tits right in front of his face made an impressive distraction. Nevertheless, he managed to look her in the eyes. Well mostly, anyway.

"There are a few things you need to know." His buxom former mentor said, taking on the tone she used when instructing him. "Firstly, time works differently here; we can spend hours here, yet only minutes will have passed on the physical plane.

"Secondly, while you are here, your physical body is still in your bed at Master Smythe's. You still need actual sleep, however; being here requires energy, and if you spend too long on this plane, your physical body will eventually waste away, though it would take weeks in the real world for that to happen.

"Thirdly, as we carry the Gift of Aros, this plane will shape itself to our desires. The more you come here, the more you will be able to influence it. Like so."

She turned her head to the side, concentrating, and the water next to where they were sitting began to rise in a small dome. The dome slowly extended upwards, stretching, taking shape. After a few moments, a ridiculously well-endowed water-woman stood before them, preening and posing provocatively. Aran reached out to touch her, his hand passing right through her thigh and out the other side. Elaina relaxed her concentration, and the water-woman collapsed with a splash.

"With practice," Elaina told him, "you will be able to alter anything around you, and tailor this place to suit your needs. It will become something of a sanctuary to you. Also, you can meet other Paladins here, provided you've already met them in the physical plane."

Aran considered the possibilities of this place, a fun thought coming to the fore. Concentrating on his own body, he imagined his cock to be absurdly large. Immediately, it began to grow. He was already hard with Elaina straddling him, but she was sitting back a little, so his erection wasn't actually touching her body, just pointing straight up under the water. The growing member quickly broke the surface and continued upwards, thickening as it went, now more than a foot long.

Elaina looked down and laughed. "I shouldn't be surprised. Give a man the power to alter something and the first thing he does is make his cock bigger!"

Aran laughed with her. He was now over two feet long and thicker than his wrist, standing up in a proud, purple-headed salute. "I just wanted to see what was possible," he said glibly.

"You have no idea," Elaina said in a smoky voice. "Watch this."

Before his eyes, her already magnificent breasts began to expand, becoming wider and rounder, until each was easily the size of a watermelon and more, so large on her chest that her torso was hidden. Any woman in the real world with breasts this big would be incapable of walking, yet here, they appeared to be no burden.

Grasping his huge rod with both hands, she brought it to her monstrous breasts, guiding him into her impossible cleavage. Even his enhanced cock nearly disappeared altogether in the abundance of titflesh. To his delight, she squeezed her mammoth jugs together, trapping his length between them, and began to rock them up and down.

"I want you to shoot your seed all over me," she whispered huskily. "I want you to come so much that these fat tits are completely covered in your juice. Can you do that for me?"

Aran grunted in reply, just watching her huge orbs pumping up and down his length, the pale flesh jiggling up and down. He focused, increasing the size of his balls to accommodate the extra juice he would need to fulfil his lover's request. He was already leaking copiously, the fluid providing lubrication in the deep valley of her chest, and a wet sucking sound echoed around the pool.

He enjoyed the titfuck for some time, but eventually decided he wanted to see the end result. With a groan, his horse-sized cock spasmed, erupting like a volcano, spewing rope after rope high into the air.

Elaina laughed as it rained down on her, coating her hair, her face, and her enormous breasts. Aran was amazed at how intense his climax was, the pleasure seeming to go on much longer here than in the real world. Eventually, the torrent slowed, then stopped. He couldn't help but laugh as he took in the sight of his lover, literally dripping with his seed.

"Well, that was fun!" She said with a giggle, sending quakes through her enhanced chest.

Aran nodded in agreement. "I think I'm going to like this place!" Not concerned about his fluid all over her, he grasped a huge tit in each hand, marveling at their ridiculous size. "I just want to appreciate these before you change them back."

She giggled again. "You can have them anytime you want, donkey-dick. For now, I'm having a swim." At that, she fell backwards off his lap and into the water.

*

Much later, Aran and Elaina lay on the soft grass, staring up at the myriad stars dotting the night sky while he told her about his encounter with the Elves in the Emerin Forest.

"Wait a second," Elaina said, turning toward him and leaning up on one elbow. "Say that part again."

"I Bonded them both," Aran repeated. "And in doing so, somehow Bonded them together, the Bond we have works all three ways."

"Amazing," Elaina said, a thoughtful look in her eyes. "There was nothing in Maigan Ezra's book about this, nor have I read about it anywhere else."

"Smythe said he'd never heard of it, either," Aran said, sitting up.

"Well," Elaina said after a moment, remaining where she was. "Perhaps Aros has Gifted you with something new, or maybe it's been possible all along, and we just didn't know."

Aran nodded in agreement, placing a hand on her hip. "Those were my thoughts, too. I suppose we will find out sooner or later. Perhaps you or Smythe can try it for yourselves?"

Elaina sat up, shaking her head with a smile. "Not me, stud. I'm currently not Bonded, so unless I go out and find two people just for the sake of the exercise, it will have to be Smythe."

Aran was surprised to say the least. "Really? You're not Bonded? Why?"

The busty Paladin sighed. "There was a man, years ago. His name was Kellen. He wasn't Gifted, but he was special. I Bonded him, and a few months later, he was killed."

"Oh, Elaina," Aran said, feeling her pain. "That couldn't have been easy."

"It wasn't," she replied, a tinge of melancholy in her voice. "I have never felt greater pain than in the moment I felt him die. It almost destroyed me. Since then, I've been reluctant to Bond again."

"Understandable," Aran said gently, putting his arm around her.

She shifted closer to him, resting her head against his shoulder. "A Bond between two Paladins is a little different to a Bond between Gifted and non-Gifted," Elaina explained. "I read about it in Maigan's book. She describes it as being more intense, a more intimate union. Unfortunately, the book never mentions the effects of death on a Bond between Gifted, but I can imagine it's much more painful for the survivor. That's why I never Bonded with Smythe, even though he offered."

Aran nodded slowly, resolving to choose his Bonds carefully. However, even knowing all this, he still felt no regret at Bonding with Jeira, Liaren and Induin, for which he was glad; he liked having them as a part of him.

He was also glad he had refrained from offering to Bond with Elaina, which he dearly wanted, but not if she was still healing from Kellen's death. Hopefully, she would come to him, if she ever decided she was ready. Bringing it up now would surely only cause her more pain, so he remained quiet.

They spent the rest of their time on the Plane of Aros in silence, sitting together until the sky began to turn grey, making love one last time before returning to their bodies.

***

***HENLEY SMYTHE -- The Plane of Aros***

Henley Smythe sat cross-legged on the peak of a towering mountain, looking down on the green valleys far below, serpent-like rivers undulating sinuously through the landscape. He liked being up high, and seeing things from up above; he felt more in perspective when he could see how small things really were, in the grand scheme.

He was on the Plane of Aros, and as such, had made the air a comfortable temperature, rather than the freezing wind one might expect at the top of a mountain. He wondered if Aran had discovered the Plane, yet; if he hadn't, the lad must surely be close. Only a year into his training and already his Gift was shining like the sun. In all his one-hundred and five years, Smythe had only met a handful of Paladins - rare as they were - and none of them were anywhere near as strong as Aran would be, himself included.

Smythe was already half-convinced that Aran was the one prophesied to bring the Order of Aros from the ashes, though only time would tell. A presence suddenly appeared in Smythe's awareness, accompanied by a husky, attractive voice, one he had not heard in far too long.

"So, what do you think of him?"

Standing, he turned to face Elaina, unable to stop the broad grin spreading across his face. What a woman she was, naked -- as was he, as clothing was pointless in this place -- with that short, flaxen hair, those stunning emerald eyes, and that ridiculous body that looked superbly fit yet also deliciously rounded, with breasts that even his large hands couldn't completely capture.

Smythe took a moment to answer her question, taking his time to appreciate his former apprentice. Eventually, he nodded. "The lad is something, girl. He's going to be more powerful than he knows."

Elaina flashed white teeth in a dazzling smile before vanishing, only to reappear with her arms and legs wrapped around him, her lips seeking his.