Commander Pinter Ch. 10

"That was good," Pinter said. She wasn't lying.

"I knew you would come around," Admiral Taylor said.

Pinter settled into the bed then, expecting the night to be over, to be left alone until she fell asleep, but then his heavy hands clutched her waist. She flipped onto her stomach. "What the..."

"We're not quite done," Admiral Taylor said. He lifted Pinter's hips, poised her on her knees with her rear presented, and the rigid tip of his cock pressed against her asshole.

Pinter gasped as she realized what was happening, but she couldn't resist. "Tell me if I hurt you," Admiral Taylor said.

Of course she wouldn't. He wasn't himself, and she wasn't about to stop her captor from having his way with her. So she endured it, as painful as his initial penetration had been.

It had to be ten minutes later and he was still at it. Pinter gave the ghost credit. He could fuck for a long time, but she just wanted it to be over. The tip of his cock pushed all the way to her sphincter, and Pinter feared the inevitable when he finally pulled out. She already felt the pressure building up in her abdomen, and her clenched teeth were partly from the pain of it all but partly from nervous expectation. She instinctively clenched the muscles of her anus around his cock in a preemptive attempt to keep everything inside where it belonged. That seemed to drive Admiral Taylor wilder, and he sped up his thrusts.

"That's good," Admiral Taylor said breathlessly. "You're doing great. Do you like it?"

"Mhmm," Pinter lied.

"Yeah, you like it," Admiral Taylor said.

"Come inside me," Pinter said.

"Really?"

"Do it," Pinter said. "Come inside me. Do it now." She had her reasons.

"I'm getting there," Admiral Taylor said. "The way you squeeze me like that...AH!"

Admiral Taylor wavered. He gave another wobbly thrust, and Pinter seized the moment. She called out in her best orgasm voice, planting her chest on the bed, twisting her arms in the bedspread that pulled out from beneath the mattress. Admiral Taylor gave two more wobbly thrusts, planted himself deep in Pinter's ass, and grunted as he came. There wasn't as much fluid this time after three pops, but Pinter felt it all over the tender inner walls of her anus. She lay there beneath him, catching her breath, thankful it was finally over.

"By the gods, you're a great fuck," Admiral Taylor said as he pulled out.

Pinter clenched her insides and squeezed her eyes tight. Any lubrication there might have been was wasted, and Admiral Taylor pulled out with a dry, burning rake. Pinter's muscles rumbled as he left. A little bit of gas escaped her. Her crotch went warm as some of his fluid trickled from her asshole. She tried to fight the rest, but she let go. She groaned, and three more spastic waves flowed out of her.

"I'll get that for you," Admiral Taylor said, and he brought up a towel, wiping Pinter clean like he was cleaning a soiled baby. She lay there, all that she could do, and she endured it. She wished she was anywhere but here.

Finally Admiral Taylor collapsed on the bed next to her. A satisfied grin covered his face, and he sighed as he settled in. "Quite the night," he said. "And this is just the beginning."

Pinter forced herself to smile. She kissed him. "I can't wait," she said.

But she did wait for Admiral Taylor to fall asleep, or whatever it was he was doing now. Pinter wasn't sure if ghosts actually fell asleep, but he seemed to. His breath slowed to even inhalations. Pinter kept herself under control, not wanting to give herself away, and when he finally seemed unconscious she looked around the room.

Pinter gathered her see-through nightgown. She searched Admiral Taylor's discarded garments and found what looked like a key chain. She found one that matched the lock on the chamber doorknob, and she latched the door behind her without a sound, locking Admiral Taylor inside. Pinter was free in Skyreach.

The place was a tomb. The only sound was the muffled clap of her bare feet on the cold marble floors. A cold draft blew through the halls, and she pulled the sheer nightgown closer around herself, fighting off a shiver. Her friends were gone. Where Admiral Taylor had sent them Pinter had no idea. She didn't even know if she was still in the reality from before or if she was someplace else, someplace like where Admiral Taylor found himself, between the "real" and the nether. This place was real enough. It was the same Skyreach she and the others had liberated earlier that day. Pinter retraced their progress, realizing her bed chamber was just down the hall from Vyrex's balcony. Probably the royal chamber. She descended a number of staircases and found nothing but empty atriums and vacant sanctums. Not even the minions they had killed remained. Whatever happened had cleansed Skyreach of everything physical but herself. Pinter wondered what else could be here.

The hallway curved to the right, and Pinter followed to a set of steps that ended with a closed doorway. Something hummed inside. Something low and powerful. Purple light leaked between the bottoms of the doors and the marble floor, flashing like lightning and flickering as a shadow moved about. Pinter crept close to the doors and put her ear against them. She held her breath as she heard a voice.

"Speak, Ner'zhul," the voice said. "I am here."

That was Ephial, Admiral Taylor's executive officer who had accompanied them to Skyreach. Pinter covered her mouth, smothering her shock, and she listened.

"Is Skyreach yours?" a deep grumbly voice said. It had to be Ner'zhul. Pinter had only come across the warlock Orc once before, when Yrel had driven him back to the Shadowmoon Burial Grounds just before cleansing the Temple of Karabor of Iron Horde invaders. They knew that victory would be short-lived. Pinter cursed herself for neglecting it. Her heart raced in her ears. It was a terrible idea, but she had to see. Pinter cracked open the door.

Ephial stood in the middle of the circular room, his back to Pinter, his arms raised. Before him opened a wide portal through which Pinter could see Ner'zhul. Purple fire rippled all over the room, the ridges of the portal glowing with arcane flame.

"It is ours, Ner'zhul," Ephial said. "Admiral Taylor remains under our control. And Commander Pinter is here, alone, and his."

"Very good," Ner'zhul said. "Hellscream grows impatient. He wishes to take her garrison and be done with this nuisance."

"Does he not understand the delicacy of our situation?" Ephial asked.

Ner'zhul harrumphed. "Hellscream has little patience for delicacy," he said. "He's more the type to lick his wounds after hastily destroying his enemy."

"I'd like to make it through this as unscathed as possible," Ephial said. "I'm already dead. That's enough for now."

"We will be ready soon," Ner'zhul said. "Be sure Soulscythe is ready when I ask for him."

"Soulscythe will be there," Ephial said.

"Soulscythe?" Pinter said, and she opened her eyes wide in shock. She said it aloud!

Ner'zhul looked up and over Ephial, right at Pinter in the doorway. Ephial turned around and saw her, as well. "Stop her!" Ner'zhul shouted, and the portal closed.

Pinter turned to run.

Admiral Taylor was there. "I wondered where you'd gone," he said, and he grabbed Pinter by the throat.

"Please let me go," Pinter said as she clutched his hands, but then she lifted off the floor. She kicked her feet loosely in the air as Admiral Taylor's face elongated, his grin widened, and his jaws went lined with pointy teeth.

"You are going nowhere," Admiral Taylor said. "Like I said, you're here forever."

He grew. He expanded, and he sprouted another pair of legs until his abdomen resembled the rear end of an insect. The hand around Pinter's throat turned into a long pincer inside a slick shell. A thick plate grew from his head, and his eyes went big and bulged. He was monstrous. And he had her.

"You belong to Soulscythe, Pinter," the monstrosity had been Admiral Taylor said. "You would do well not to struggle."

* * *

Seven talbuks raced through the night. They crossed the plains of Arak, traversing the jagged countryside under the shining white moon, silver with the world around them. They were jewels in the night, and the adventurers on their backs spoke no words. They knew where they were going. There was no time for delay. The talbuks flew like comets, heavenly orbs come down to the earth and burning now with the intensity of their riders. Soon the towering peak of Skyreach appeared out of the darkness, and they raced up the winding path, executing each switchback with breakneck speed. And they were back at the gates.

Mandala leapt down from her talbuk and drew her sword and shield. Indrid was next to her, readying a small fireball in her palm.

"I'll light our way," Indrid said, winding up to toss the fireball into Skyreach's gaping front hall.

Mandala held her sister's hand. "We don't know what's there," she said.

"But it could be anything," Indrid said.

"Exactly," Mandala said. "We can't give ourselves away. It could endanger Pinter and Taylor."

Indrid cancelled her spell and put her hand on her hip. "Your feelings for your Commander cloud your judgment," Indrid said.

"Now wait just a minute," Anna said, moving in between Mandala and Indrid. She changed into a Worgen quickly.

"Anna." Jarvus put his hand on Anna's arm.

Anna shook him loose. "She has no right to talk to Mandala like that," Anna said. "It's none of her business..."

"Leave it alone," Mandala said. She stepped around Anna and looked Indrid right in the eye. "We will settle this later. For now, let's rescue who we came for so you can return to Azeroth and complete your mission."

A tense moment passed, but then Indrid stepped back. "Very well, paladin," Indrid said. "Serve the light and lead us."

Anna snarled quietly at Indrid, but the mage ignored her. They all followed Mandala into the quiet halls of Skyreach, dark now with night and quiet as a tomb. Jarvus changed into a panther and walked obediently at Mandala's side. Reshad followed them with his guards.

The silence overwhelmed them. It filled them, and the heartbeat in Mandala's ears pained her with each tick. There was nothing here, nothing visible anyway. Everything was gone. Her gut tightened at the possibility that they were too late for whatever danger threatened Pinter, but she pushed the fear away and led the group up the winding stairs of Skyreach.

"There's nothing here," Indrid said. There was nothing boastful nor crass in it. Indrid was just as fearful as Mandala.

"There has to be," Mandala said.

"It's empty," Jarvus said.

"No it's not," Mandala said.

"Mandala, honey," Anna said.

"We're not giving up!" Mandala said. "Something is here. Maybe we can't see it, but there is so much in our world that remains hidden to us. We just defended a garrison full of ghosts from an invasion. Ghosts! We walked and talked with them, and last night they fed us. They gave us shelter. Ghosts, damn you! Pinter and Admiral Taylor are here. We're not leaving until we find them, and they are coming back with us alive."

The others looked at her with pity. No condescension. No scorn. They understood how Mandala felt for Pinter, Indrid most of all, even if she didn't approve of some aspects of their relationship. Mandala loved her friends and treated them like family. Pinter was her closest friend of all now. To lose her would be devastating. The initial rumblings encroached on Mandala's heart, and the possibility of it suddenly became very real for the first time. Maybe Pinter was gone. Maybe she would never see her friend again. Mandala turned away from them, and she threw her shield with a roar up the winding hall. It crashed unseen, echoing far away in the darkness.

"I'm sorry, Mandala," Indrid said.

Mandala closed her eyes, but just before she surrendered to despair she heard it. A voice. Distant, but distinct. "Please let me go."

Mandala looked up quickly.

"Maybe we look for a few more minutes," Jarvus said.

"Quiet!" Mandala yelled. Everyone recoiled.

Mandala strained to listen again. She cocked her head to angle her ear, and through the thick silence she heard an unearthly voice, half human, half something else. "You would do well not to struggle."

"They're here," Mandala said. And she ran.

The others followed. "I don't hear anything," Anna said.

Mandala snatched up her shield and carried it ready to fight. "You don't need to," she said. "Just follow me."

They ran through the winding halls. They climbed another staircase, and they found themselves inside a wide, circular room. Mandala stopped just inside. The others gathered around her.

"There's nothing here," Jarvus said.

But then they heard it. They all did. The horrible roar of some creature from beyond our realm of perception.

* * *

The thick pincer held Pinter ten feet high in the air as Soulscythe carried her into the room. She struggled and kicked, but her vision clouded with stars. She didn't have much longer before she passed out. "I'll do what you want," Pinter said in a croak. "Just let me go."

"We're not done with you," Ephial said. "You haven't learned your lesson yet."

"Please, Admiral Taylor."

"He is Soulscythe," Ephial said. "And he can't hear you."

Pinter moved her eyes just enough to see down into Taylor's. They were monstrous and insectoid. He was Soulscythe, but as Pinter looked she saw a glimmer. Or she thought she did. She had to. "Admiral, please," Pinter said.

"He can't hear you!" Ephial shouted.

It sounded more like he was trying to convince himself. Pinter pressed on. "This isn't you, Admiral Taylor," Pinter said. "You know me. I know you. Something in you is still good and pure. We can find it. Just let me go and we'll bring you back."

The glimmer shined. Soulscythe flinched, just a little.

"Admiral Taylor is in there," Pinter said as the pincer loosened around her neck. The stars in her vision disappeared, and she could breathe. "You're a good man. You haven't been yourself. Fight these monsters, and we'll destroy them together."

Soulscythe looked long and hard into Pinter. Tension burned white hot, and Pinter held her breath. And then he threw her.

She landed hard and slid across the floor, wincing at the pain in her belly but grateful for the air that rushed into her lungs. Pinter spun fast, crouching on her knees, ready to run if she needed to.

But Soulscythe ignored her. He was after Ephial.

"You fool!" Ephial yelled. "We were so close! Do you know what you've done?"

"Never again, Ephial," Soulscythe said in a voice that came from beyond. "My betrayer." He reared up, brandishing his pincers at Ephial.

Ephial just snapped his fingers. There was a burst of light, and Soulscythe flew away, crashing against the wall of the room. "This world was ours," Ephial said. "Yours and mine. We would have wiped Ner'zhul and the Shadow Council like a muddy stain. We would have destroyed Hellscream and dominated Draenor for the rest of time. And you would have had Pinter. You always wanted her. She was yours!"

Ephial stood over Soulscythe, who writhed in pain. He opened his palm over the stricken beast. Purple flame washed over him, and the beast screamed, ripping through Pinter's spine. She grimaced at the sound, and she watched as Soulscythe changed, as his monstrous form diminished into something small and humanoid. Soon he was Admiral Taylor again, the ghost, barely mobile on his hands and knees. Ephial closed his hand. The flame disappeared.

"I will end you soon enough, Admiral," Ephial said. He turned to Pinter, and with a snap of his fingers she was frozen in place. "But first, dear Pinter, I will make you suffer. I can think of any number of things to do with the more interesting parts of your anatomy. None of them will bring you pleasure. Myself, though."

Ephial drew nearer. Pinter could only watch. He grinned wickedly, and she could only imagine the maniacal things that he conjured in that demented head of his. He opened his hands, filled with purple flame, and Pinter closed her eyes.

She didn't see it, but she heard. A rip opened up in the fabric of the room as if the air itself split apart. A golden hammer flew end over end through the room, and it planted in the floor with a blinding light that filled Pinter's head through her closed eyes.

Ephial roared in anger and pain. Pinter looked.

Mandala charged through the opening, appearing as if from nothing. Jarvus was right behind her, and there was Indrid, and Anna.

Mandala threw her shield at Ephial, connecting with his neck. If he had been a corporeal Human the triple axe blades would have decapitated him, but in his ghost form it merely stunned him. Ephial fell to his knees, and then Indrid charged up with a nice spell ready in her hands. She opened them, and a fireball sent him skidding across the floor with a pained howl.

Anna took on her voluptuous vine form and sent a wave of healing spores over Pinter. Pinter found her strength and stood, rushing to join her friends who had somehow found her in this strange plane of existence. "It was Ephial," she said. "The whole time. Admiral Taylor knew nothing."

Mandala and Indrid set upon Ephial. The Draenei sisters cast spell after spell, Mandala smiting the cursed warlock with light that agonized him, Indrid burning the air around him so he couldn't move away. Finally Ephial rose in the air, not by any action of Mandala or Indrid, but in his death throes Pinter realized. His body caved back on itself, and light ripped along his front in a growing seam. He growled in pain. "The Shadow Council will have you all!" he yelled.

And he burst in blinding light. And he was gone.

Pinter ran to Admiral Taylor, who just now found his strength and sat up. She put her arm around him and helped him stand. "I have you," Pinter said. "Easy."

"Pinter," Admiral Taylor said. "I'm so sorry. Those things I did to you. My gods."

"Stop," Pinter said. "You weren't yourself."

"But I," Admiral Taylor faltered. "He was right. From the moment I saw you in the vanguard ranks, I felt something for you. I was waiting, but then the mutiny. And tonight. How I acted! I'm so ashamed."

"It's done," Pinter said. "You don't have to apologize. I know what you are, and these monsters could never defile you."

They looked at each other, and they laughed. It was all they could do now, but it was the best they could have done.

"Ready to go home?" Mandala asked as she approached.

"I am," Admiral Taylor said. "So are the others."

* * *

Dawn broke orange over Admiral Taylor's garrison. The ghosts of his followers stood in the open, glowing silver spirits in the day's infant light. Admiral Taylor stood on the steps of his town hall to address them, and they listened. They would have followed him to the Firelands if he asked them to.

"You people are my family," Admiral Taylor said. "You followed me in life, and you never left my side in death. I couldn't have been more honored to have known you. But your time is done. I free you from your obligation. Go now as you wish, and be with the eternal."

And they were gone. Some of them turned to walk away and vanished. Some of them waved goodbye to Admiral Taylor as they disappeared. In a few moments the garrison was empty. His followers were gone. They were at peace.

"They were good people," Mandala said, and she sniffed back a tear. "All of them."

"I will see them again," Admiral Taylor said.

Mandala turned to Indrid. Her sister touched her shoulder, and Mandala gripped her tight but gentle, loving. "I am harsh with you, sister," Indrid said. "I am misguided. You love with an intensity that puts me to shame. You love, and that's all that matters. Love your life, and love who you will."