The Pact Ch. 08

"Hey," Lisa asks suddenly, as they are walking back to where they left the ranger, "Do orcs have a soul?"

Steve sighs and says, "You've been talking to Barry. He's full of shit. Don't believe anything he says."

"Oh. Good," she says, then looks alarmed as they get in sight of the brook and see Bubba's lifeless body floating in the water.

The paladin just gives an irritated sigh and mutters, "Damn pooka." He strides up to and into the water, holding out his hand and proclaiming, "Begone!" There is a flash of green light and a significant portion of the water around the half-orc rushes away in the form of a free-standing wave. Steve pays it no mind as he hauls Bubba back onto the shore and turns him over.

"He's not breathing!" Lisa exclaims helplessly.

Steve leans down, puts his lips on the ranger's, and gentle exhales into his mouth. A second later, Bubba's eyes open. The elf backs off and says, "Welcome back, big guy."

Bubba coughs and sputters, "Thanks."

The elf looks at him thoughtfully, then lowers his head and kisses him. Bubba makes a surprised sound, but doesn't protest. As the minute drags on, Lisa has to sit down and catch her breath. When the kiss finally ends, Steve simply says, "Hmm," and stands, helping Bubba to his feet.

The half-orc just blinks and looks to be in shock.

Lisa says, "Good news. Orcs have souls!"

Bubba gives a half-hearted thumbs up, then glances back at the water.

"Yeah, no more swimming for thee," Steve says, taking his arm and moving him a further away.

The half-orc looks at him and says, "Why'd you kiss me?"

"Isn't that how these things work?" the paladin says in mock confusion. "I saved the damsel in distress so I get a kiss?"

"No... " he says, shaking his head in confusion.

"My mistake, then," Steve replies brightly. He runs a hand down the half-orc's bare chest and says, "Ah, the clothing situation. Lisa, give Bubba back his shirt and return my cloak."

Lisa sheds her clothes with typical abandon while Bubba continues to look stunned, just staring at the elf in disbelief.

The paladin raps lightly on the trunk of a large oak and calls out, "Vivian?"

The head of a dark-skinned woman emerges from the wood. "Oh!" she says, "Hi, Steve!"

Steve gestures at Lisa and asks, "Do you have something she could wear?"

She looks the warlock up and down and nods, saying, "Give me a moment," before disappearing back into the tree. A few minutes later, when the dryad emerges, she is carrying an opalescent gray gown with long sleeves. She helps Lisa get into it and then smoothes the lines with her hands. When he fingers brush over her swollen stomach, she frowns and says, "You don't feel pregnant."

"She isn't," Steve says, dryly.

"Oh!" Vivian exclaims, removing her hand and looking apologetically at Lisa, "Faux paux!"

Lisa smiles and shakes her head, saying, "No apologies necessary. I have a tenant!"

"Ew," the dryad remarks.

"It isn't as bad as it sounds," she protests.

"It really is," Steve replies.

Lisa glares at him and says, "You're just jealous because Pokey's been inside me and you haven't."

Vivian holds up her hands and says, "I am not getting in the middle of this."

The warlock doesn't pursue the matter, instead twirling in her new dress. She exclaims, "I can barely feel it! It's like being naked."

"It's silk," the dryad explains.

"It's wonderful! Thank you!" she replies, throwing her arms around her and looks about to kiss her when their eyes meet. Lisa is lost in their dark brown depths, seemingly transfixed.

"You owe me," the dryad purrs in a deep, sultry voice, wrapping her arms around the woman possessively.

"Vivian --" Steve begins, with a warning tone.

She interrupts sternly, "She owes me," without breaking eye contact.

"I owe thou," the paladin retorts.

"Then you wear the dress," comes the reply as the dryad gently urges Lisa to the soft, mossy ground.

Bubba looks at Steve, uncertain what to do. The elf holds up a hand to him and says to Vivian, "Be nice."

"Oh," she purrs, "I intend to be." She runs her hands down Lisa's body and Bubba swears he can see her fingers elongate for a moment, like branches of a tree. Once she's no longer looking into her eyes, Lisa blinks like she's just woken up, but does not protest when the fey creature lifts her new dress just enough to get access to her pussy. Fine fingers pry apart her thighs and the dryads head dips down to taste her. The warlock moans, allowing her head to fall back on the grass, eyes shutting as she shudders in response.

Bubba just looks around awkwardly, then sidles over to Steve and whispers, "This happens a lot here, huh?" He gestures at the two women.

Steve shrugs and nods.

The half-orc shuffles his feet, glances around again to avoid staring at the lovemaking, then steps in front of the elf so his back is to it. He asks, "So, you are going to be a man again now?"

"Why do you ask?" the elf replies.

Bubba shrugs, looks down, and says, "Just making conversation."

Behind them, Lisa very loudly announces her first orgasm to the woods, breaking the sacred silence. Steve frowns slightly and peers over Bubba's shoulder to see Vivian shifting positions so she's straddling his friend's face, her clothes shed and her own cunt now hovering over her lips.

The half-orc looks up and narrows his eyes angrily at being ignored. He moves to the side to block the paladin's view and demands, "Why did you kiss me?"

"I already told you," he replies.

Bubba stares hard into the eyes of the obstinate elf, as if trying to will him to answer truthfully, then spits out, "Fine!" But, rather than storming away, he drops to his knees and begins to clumsily undo Steve's belt.

He's very satisfied when the paladin's usual air of detached calm is shattered with a frantic, hushed, "What are you doing?"

Bubba just glares up at him and yanks down his pants. For a moment, he stares at him, as if daring the elf to say something. When he doesn't, he takes the rapidly hardening cock in his hand and then loses his momentum a little while he seems to be trying to figure out what to do with it. He leans forward and takes the tip of it in his mouth. He's surprised at the unexpected jolt of lust this gives him, which is further stoked when the elf gently rests a hand on his head and urges him further. He moves his rough hands to the paladin's slender hips and takes more into his mouth.

None of this is visible to Lisa, whose field of vision is consumed by dark brown thighs and the damp patch of black hair currently consuming her attention. The dryad's skin smells of her tree and her secretions are sweet sap. The warlock feels intoxicated as she laps them up. Her senses become confused. Sometimes there is a soft woman above her, but sometimes she's trapped in the unyielding branches of an oak, unable to move. Vivian, however, has an excellent view of the elf and she watches closely for a lapse in his attention, which definitely seems forthcoming.

A riot of emotions demand the half-orc's attention and he feels the panic of having rushed in rashly to something he wasn't altogether prepared for. His actions were taken out of spite, he thought, an attempt to get a rise out of the frustratingly obtuse elf. But he's unable to deny how much he wants this and how much the kiss and how he felt during it, prompted this. He can't really ruminate on it, though, as the unfamiliar experience of having a cock in his mouth demands focus. He is clumsy and it frustrates him, but each response he gets encourages him and gives him another jolt of desire.

The elf whispers softly, "Thou art doing well. Just mind thine teeth and don't be afraid to use thine tongue." He's trying hard to keep his voice steady and failing. He glances frequently towards Lisa and Vivian, both to keep an eye on the dryad and because he's anxious about his friend observing. The half-orc is certainly a novice but Steve can't ignore the enthusiasm and desire to please. Despite himself, his urgings become more insistent. He closes his eyes and loses himself to experience.

As Vivian orgasms, she glances back at the elf and smiles slyly. She lifts herself off of Lisa and helps her to her feet, keeping hold of her hand so she can lead her back to her tree while the paladin is distracted. The dryad tries to meet the warlock's eyes again but Lisa notices her companions and stops moving, causing Vivian to lose the grip on her hand. The faerie slides up beside her and tries to coax her into motion, but she's rooted to the spot, dumbstruck by the spectacle. Finally, she gives up with an exasperated sigh and stalks back into her tree.

With a choked cry, the paladin comes, thrusting his hips into the half-orc's face. Bubba is, unsurprisingly, surprised and nearly chokes on elf-cum. He recovers and, though somewhat disgusted, he's really turned on and revels in a feeling of power. For a minute, he doesn't move, letting the cock in his mouth soften as he teases it with his tongue, just to make the elf squirm. His hands hold Steve's hips firmly to prevent his escape.

The ranger feels a hand on his shoulder and Lisa's voice hot in his ear, whispering, "I think you're going to kill him." She gentle urges him back onto his heels and then helps him to his feet. Half-orc and elf just stare at each other.

Steve swallows and asks, haltingly, "Why didst thou do that?"

Bubba replies coolly, "Figure it out." Impulsively, he leans in and kisses him, hard and quick.

After the half-orc walks away, Lisa teases, "I wouldn't read anything into it," as the paladin pulls back up his pants.

"So," Bubba asks, "We have a quest?"

Steve, thankful for the distraction, says, "Yes, time to have another talk with Tess. The trick will be finding her."

"Tess?" Lisa repeats.

"I'm sorry, the one thou callest the Necromancer," he explains with a distasteful look. He adds, "I really don't like that name."

She notes, "So, you know her?"

He nods, saying, "I was around the last time she was active," and kneels down to summon a portal, murmuring, "Stygia."

"Wait, wait," Bubba interjects, "We are going to the underworld."

The paladin nods, standing and wrinkling his nose as a foul wind blows through the portal. "It's always the best place to start where she's concerned," he explains.

Lisa peers through the doorway hesitantly, then says, "Bleak."

He nods and steps through. All of the color seems instantly washed out of him and he appears somehow older, more tired and less vital. He turns and gestures them through, saying, "In many ways, it is the opposite of Faerie, a land drained of life and emotion."

The warlock moves to join him and feels the effect instantly. Where entering Faerie made her senses more aware and her passions stronger, here everything seems muted and her emotions are instantly subdued. She has a sudden wild urge to throw herself on one of the men in an attempt to stoke them but the energy to do seems elusive.

When Bubba follows, he stops short, like he's hit a wall, and says through gritted teeth, "This is a terrible place."

"Agreed," says Steve, "Let us not linger." He gestures to a short tower in the distance, almost invisible amidst a tangle of dead, twisted trees. Dust stirs at their feet as they move towards it and the only sound to be heard is the cawing of crows but even that sounds distant. They trudge rather than walk, each step seeming to take more energy than the last. By the time they arrive, even the effort to raise a hand to lift the knocker takes a tremendous force of will.

Several minutes later, there is the sound of a bolt being pulled and the door creaks open just enough to cast a sickly line of light on the ground between them. A voice from inside demands, "What do you want? Who are you? Go away! We don't like visitors here."

"Open up, Harry. It's Steve," the elf replies.

"Who?" comes the curt reply.

"Steve, knight of the Emerald Order," he adds.

There is a long pause, followed by a whispered, "Oh. Yes. I should have expected you." The door is opened the rest of the way, revealing a winged demon the size of a toddler. He reluctantly waves them in.

The lowest level of the tower is spartan, not much more than a fireplace, a small bed, simple table, and chairs. The imp closes the door behind him and then climbs up onto one of the seats, where a wooden box has been placed to let him sit and still see over the top of the table. The three of them take the remaining seats.

"So, Harry. What happened?" Steve begins.

The imp shrugs and replies, "What always happens. She got a new idea."

The paladin sighs and asks reluctantly, "What is it this time?"

"Elementals," the little man says.

Steve sighs and observes, "It's better than demons, I suppose."

"Hey!" Harry protests. The paladin gives him a sarcastic look and he drops the indignation and grins, admitting, "Yeah, you're right. We suck."

"Any idea where she's gone?" the elf inquires.

The imp smirks and says, "The elemental vortex, of course. Keep up, will you?"

Lisa finally interjects, "Can we just back up a second? I'm not following any of this."

Harry snorts and complains, "Amateurs!" Steve leans over and punches him in the nose. "Hey!" he protests again, this time more sincerely.

"Tess doesn't like death --" the paladin begins.

"Who does?" Lisa asks, incredulously.

Steve takes a breath and continues, patiently, "It is one thing to complain about, dread it, or fear it. Tess is... a bit more powerful, so she wants to do something about it."

"What?" she asks.

"Fix it," he answers.

"Fix it," Lisa repeats, then adds, "By raising the dead?"

He nods. "For thou mortal folks, thine souls move on once thou art dead, so she needs something else to animate the corpses, so they can 'live again'. Last time it was demonic spirits. Now, apparently, it is elemental spirits."

"But why?" she asks.

"She's batshit crazy," interjects the demon nasally, rubbing his bloody nose.

Steve nods in agreement.

"What is she?" Bubba asks as his first foray into the conversation.

The imp grins and says, "He's a bright one." Steve looks uncomfortable. "What the elf doesn't want to say is that she's a goddess," the wee demon continues.

"Wait, she's a death goddess?" Lisa blurts out.

"No, no," Harry says, "No, indeed. She was a goddess of life and spring. Of rebirth."

The paladin sighs and adds, "Until she went mad."

Bubba says, slowly, "So... we are going to try and kill a goddess?"

"Oh, heavens no!" says the imp, "Best we can do is talk her down."

The half-orc rubs the bridge of his nose and tries again, "We are going to try to reason with an... insane... goddess?"

Steve shrugs and says, "I was willing to come by myself. Thou didst insist." He looks back to the imp and says, "Thanks, Harry. We'll send her back to thee as soon as possible."

"I've been jailer here for a long time," the demon whines, "Can't I get a little consideration?" He looks imploringly at Lisa, who arches an eyebrow.

Steve follows his gaze and says to Lisa, "Up to you."

Lisa gives him an odd look and the elf gives her an uncharacteristically mischievous smile. After a few moments of trying unsuccessfully to read his mind, she turns back to the imp and says, "Sorry little guy, just not feeling it."

The imp gives her a murderous look, but the paladin steps between them and says, "Better luck next time, Harry."

"I don't have to stay here, you know!" he replies, petulantly.

"Thou canst leave any time thou pleasest," Steve agrees, holding the door for the other two.

The imp glares at him and the elf just shrugs and closes the door.

"What's the deal with him?" Lisa asks.

"He was the one selling Tess demonic souls the last time around. The Lords of Hell were not pleased when they found out," he explains, then puts a hand on the wall of the tower and says, "This is the only place he's safe." When he looks back, he frowns, his gaze going past them.

Lisa and Bubba turn and see a host of shades emerging from the dead trees.

"This is the other problem here," Steve says, getting out his sword, "Strong, vital life forces like ours attract the wrong sort of attention."

"What do they want?" the warlock asks.

"Life," he says.

She looks back at them. "They seem so sad," she says.

"It is the nature of this place," he replies with a shrug.

Bubba sighs and gets out his bow.

Lisa steps forward and raises her voice to say, "You're happy!"

The crowd stops shuffling and murmurs a monotone, "Oh." Without a change in expression or posture, they wander back towards the woods.

"Hrmph," the warlock grunts in disappointment.

Bubba says, "You can convince them they are happy but you can't make them happy."

"There is a lesson to be learned there," Steve says pointedly.

She turns and faces the elf and asks, "Would it help if I fucked them?" There's the hint of a smile behind the words.

"Not really," the elf says, putting away his sword and summoning another portal. "Sex here is awful," he explains.

"How would you know?" she replies.

He grins and offers, "Maybe I've fucked the imp." Hot air gusts through the gateway and he steps through.

Bubba comments, "I think he's loosening up."

She grins and says, "I guess he just needed a blowjob."

The half-orc blushes and looks self-conscious. He says, "I... " and then can't seem to find the rest of the sentence.

"Don't overthink it," she says and steps through the door. He frowns and follows. They find themselves back where they started, in the market square, though now it is late and only a few souls linger. The three back their way back to the Buggered Goat, which is overflowing with patrons. Lisa fights her way to the front, helped by her reputation for setting the regulars on fire, and shouts to the bartender, "Room?"

He shakes his head and yells back, "Full up!"

She frowns and the man reflexively covers his crotch with his hand. Lisa makes her way back to the others and shakes her head. They leave and consider their options.

"I saw a place over by the bath house," Bubba offers.

Lisa frowns, trying to remember, then says, "The posh place? That seems expensive."

The half-orc shrugs and says, "We aren't hard up for coin right now."

"Fair enough," she concedes.

They proceed to what turns out to be called "The Cup and Coin" according to a sign depicting a gold coin submerged in a delicate wineglass. Upon entry, they find the common room nearly deserted. Lisa frowns and says, "I don't get it."

Steve opines, "Merchants have the money to skip town. The scum at the Goat are stuck here through the siege."

They walk up to the bar, which is an elaborately carved affair behind which is a rack of dusty bottles. The proprietor seems quite pleased to see them. "How can I help you, my fine people?" he gushes.

Bubba shrugs and says, "Give us your finest room."

"Of course!" he replies, his volume increasing a step. "Would you be wanting a meal tonight?" he asks, hopefully.

"Sure," Lisa says.

"Here or in your room?" he asks.

She looks around at the numerous empty tables and says, "Here's fine."

"Toby! Come and take their bags! Eliza! Tell the kitchen to bring dinner for three!" he shouts. A skinny lad comes to relieve Bubba of his pack and two young women start hauling food and plates out to one of the tables.

As they sit, Lisa asks the paladin, "Do you think Pokey needs to eat?"

"I'm still not sure what that abomination is," he replies.

She whistles and then grabs the edge of the table, eyes wide and body stiff. She grunts and then relaxes, giving reassuring looks to the two men, who are half out of their seats. "It's okay," she says, "That's gonna take some getting used to." One of the waitresses screams and runs back into the kitchen when she reaches under her dress and pulls out the squirming mass of tentacles.