Chapter 1

“Back where it all began...” Magnus said, entering the inn. The King’s Pride Inn looked almost exactly the same as five years ago when Magnus had first set foot in it. As his eyes crossed the large common room, Magnus felt a flood of memories rushing into his mind. He glanced at the table where he had first sat down with Fiona, long ago. That night had changed his life.

“I wonder what she is up to now...” Magnus thought with a pang of nostalgia, his thoughts going to his former Mistress. “She found somebody to pamper her, no doubt. She can’t live without it,” Magnus thought, feeling his mouth stretch into a big smile. It had been only a couple of months since he had left her, yet he missed her already, more than he was ready to admit even to himself. He crossed the common room and sat at his special table, delighted that it was unoccupied. Soon after, a waitress approached the table, smiling politely. Magnus watched her approach, recognizing her as Bree, the waitress who had worked in the inn five years ago.

“I wonder if she will recognize the poor farm boy from five years ago. It is unlikely, considering she must be meeting twenty new people every day...” Magnus thought, watching her approach. She swayed her shapely ass as she was crossing the room, evidently enjoying the stares that her nice body attracted. Magnus saw she was still quite pretty. Two lovely, inquisitive eyes settled on Magnus, waiting for him to order.

“I’ll have wine and some roast and potatoes,” Magnus said simply.

“Good choice, sir. Coming right away,” she said with a practiced smile. Magnus chuckled inwardly, seeing no recognition in her eyes.

“I am not so memorable after all,” he thought, watching her walk away. Her ass was really a small wonder.

The roast and wine were quite good, a testament that King’s Pride was still a reputable inn. The best in Fairfield, as its owner used to say. Magnus waved at the waitress.

“I would like to pay for the meal. I assume I need to talk to the innkeeper about a room?”

“It is best if you talk to him, yes. The meal is twenty coppers,” she said, giving him her best smile. She knew a good smile could mean the difference between getting no tip, getting a few coppers, or maybe even getting a dozen coppers as a tip, although those kinds of tips were mostly given by drunk men who would expect something more from her. She would always refuse those kinds of tips. Magnus was obviously polite and sober, so she put her hopes on five coppers. He was well-dressed and handsome, but sometimes the richest customers were also the stingiest.

“Here you go,” Magnus said, putting ten silver coins on the table (1 gold coin = 100 silver coins, 1 silver coin = 100 copper coins – author’s note). Bree watched with surprise, her eyes darting from the silver coins to Magnus’ face. Her initial surprise and delight turned into suspicion.

“The meal is twenty coppers, sir. This is ten silver...” she asked carefully.

“I know. The rest is your tip,” Magnus said, smiling at her.

“Why would you give me so much? I did nothing special serving you...” she said, eyeing him warily.

“You served me fine, but the tip isn’t for today’s service. Let’s just say you were the bringer of good fortune for me, years ago...”

“I am not sure I remember...” she said after taking a moment to think.

“Well, I was just a farm boy then, searching for somebody to teach me magic,” Magnus said, chuckling.

“Oh gods...” Bree said, her eyes going wide. “You are the farm boy who wanted to be an apprentice to wizard Brennus!”

“Yes, I was quite the attraction that night ... Yet you were the one who brought me the message from sorceress Fiona, after everything that happened. It was the beginning of my good fortune and the beginning of my apprenticeship,” Magnus said.

“So you are a wizard now?” she asked with excitement.

“Well, a mage is the right term. We are all mages until we become renowned enough to earn the title of wizard or sorceress. I am not there yet,” he said, shrugging.

“But you can do magic?”

“Yes.”

“Show me some!” Bree said, clapping her hands. She took the silver, realizing Magnus didn’t have any bad intentions.

“Sorry,” he said, getting up from the chair. He leaned in towards Bree.

“I don’t perform magic in public...” he whispered and then went to the innkeeper, winking mischievously at Bree. She watched him walk away, biting her lip.

“One ... two, three!” Magnus said, his words following his moves. He had been practicing swordplay for the better part of an hour in the spacious room on the first floor of King’s Pride. It was the same room from five years ago and he was glad when the innkeeper told him the room was unoccupied. He wondered if he was maybe overdoing the whole nostalgia thing. He was about to go into one more sword dance when a faint rapping on his door stopped him.

“Come in!” Magnus said, sheathing the sword and running hands through his hair. The exercise was demanding, yet he never allowed himself to miss it. He had taken every chance to practice swordplay with worthy opponents during his time with Fiona. ‘You never know!’ was the usual reply he was giving Fiona when she would chide him for practicing with the sword so often when he wielded so much power as a mage.

“It sure was handy when we were fighting Felcarn ... I shudder to think how that would have ended if I didn’t know how to use the sword...” Magnus thought as the doors opened to let in a smiling and somewhat hesitant Bree. She was dressed in a way that displayed her lovely curves in a much more obvious way.

“Come in! I was just finishing my practice...” Magnus said, motioning to Bree.

“Magic practice?”

“No, practicing with this,” Magnus said, tapping his sword.

“Oh ... Why do you need a sword if you are a mage?” she asked, frowning slightly.

“You never know!” he said, laughing. He felt strangely happy that he had a chance to say that line again.

“All right,” she said, chuckling.

“Come, have a seat,” Magnus said motioning to the table. He poured some wine for both of them.

“Such a gentleman,” Bree said, sitting at the table and taking a sip of wine.

“So, how are you doing, is the innkeeper treating you right?” Magnus asked, taking a swig himself.

“No small talk, mister mage,” Bree said, smirking at him. “I want to see some magic!”

“All right,” Magnus said, taking out a deck of cards. “Pick a card!” he said with a dead serious look on his face. Bree eyed him suspiciously.

“I meant real magic, not tricks!” she said, exasperated.

“I can maybe juggle instead...” he said, with a hopeful look on his face.

“Bah, so you aren’t a mage then, after all...” she said, disappointed. “Well, you are lucky you are so handsome...” Bree said after a moment, getting up from the chair and sitting in his lap. She took the glass from his hand and set it down.

“Now, mister fake mage, let’s hope you are not a fake in bed too...” she said, kissing him aggressively. Magnus returned the kiss, their tongues clashing. His lips went for her neck, kissing it sensually. Her skin smelled like lavender. She must have bathed right before coming here. Magnus felt guilty for being so sweaty after the exercise. He started kissing her neck more aggressively, giving small love bites and enjoying her moans. He got up, taking her into his arms, and carried her to the bed.

Magnus took off her clothes, revealing a lovely body. He stopped for a second to admire the view. She turned around mischievously, showing him her backside. Her ass looked amazing. Bordered by her slightly wider hips, her ass was perfectly round and still quite firm. Magnus licked his lips in anticipation.

“I will show you true magic now...” he said, plunging his face inside her ass cheeks. She gasped, feeling his tongue on her pussy. He probed deep inside, tasting the juices. He lapped up the juices, taking her clit inside her mouth and sucking on it briefly, and then plunging his tongue deep inside her folds again.

“Ahhh ... You are so good at this...” Bree moaned, her ass twitching up and down under the assault of Magnus’ tongue. He focused her clit once again and sucked on it, his tongue dancing all over her pussy until he felt her gushing in orgasm.

“Yes, yes, yeeeessss!!!” she moaned, her hips shaking in orgasm. Magnus savored her juices, stimulating her until he felt her hips settle down.

“Gods, that was so good...” she said, fighting to catch her breath.

“I am just warming up,” Magnus said and went back in, his tongue finding her anus. She shuddered when his tongue touched her sensitive ring, her eyes going wide in surprise.

“Ohh!” she moaned when he started probing inside her ass. Magnus squeezed her ass cheeks, enjoying the firm butt under his hands. He slapped her asscheeks playfully, his tongue still exploring her ass.

“Oh, gods...” she moaned, enjoying his oral assault once again. After a while, Magnus went in for the complete stimulation. He slipped two fingers inside her pussy and stimulated her special spot while he rolled his thumb over her clit. As his tongue kept stabbing her ass, her screams started echoing through the room. Magnus cast a sound barrier. He didn’t need to use his hands as a mental crutch for casting spells anymore. The focus, the flow, the energies came so easily now. He worked his tongue hard, and his fingers harder until he felt her body shake and convulse in a shattering orgasm.

“OOOOOHHHH!!!” she screamed as she kept gushing her sweet fluids all over Magnus’s face and fingers. She kept coming and coming until she felt completely drained. She slumped forward, breathing hard.

“This was ... this was incredible! I have never come so hard before...” she said, smiling blissfully. Her face was glistening with sweat.

“Still not done...” Magnus said with a smirk, taking his pants off. He was aching to feel that amazing ass squeeze his cock. Lubricating his rock-hard cock with water magic, he placed his cockhead at her anal ring and started pressing steadily.

“How the hell do ordinary people do this? Do they carry a bottle of oil or fat, or maybe some ointment to lubricate their cocks? I can’t be the only one enjoying these tight passages...” Magnus thought, his musings soon replaced by blissful pleasure as he felt his cock being squeezed tightly inside Bree’s anal passage.

“Ahhhhh!!” they both moaned, his cock pushing in and out of her ass. He began fucking her ass in a slow rhythm, giving her time to recover from her orgasm. After a while, he heard her moaning again and he picked up the pace, enjoying the sensation on his cock and feeling his own orgasm building up. He felt her hips moving to meet his thrusts, and he started fucking her hard, his cock making a squishing sound as he kept plowing her tight ass. His fingers found her pussy and he rubbed her clit vigorously, wishing to time their climaxes. He loved coming together with a woman and it wasn’t even hard for him, since he could always delay his own climax. Feeling her hips shudder, he started fucking her with a frenetic pace, letting his passion overwhelm him.

“AAHHH!!”

They cried out together once again, their climaxes hitting them simultaneously. Bree gushed her fluids on Magnus’ fingers while her ass was being filled with spurts of Magnus’ hot seed. Magnus kept thrusting with force, his cock being milked dry by Bree’s incredible ass.

“UNGGHH!!” Magnus moaned, coming copiously inside one of the sexiest asses he had ever seen. Coming down from his climax, he slowed down with his thrusts until he felt his cock had nothing more to give. He lay on the bed next to Bree who was breathing hard, her flushed face showing a wide smile.

“Damn ... fake mage you might be, but you are an incredible lover...” she said, smiling at him. Magnus chuckled, giving her ass a playful slap. They lay for some time until Bree took his cock in her hands, and feeling it swell under her touch, she started licking the cockhead playfully. When Magnus’s cock became hard once again, she placed her pussy on top of it and sat down, beginning her ride. She rode him like a wild horse until they both came once again, his seed spurting on her stomach and chest. She moved forward, sitting on his chest and watching him inquisitively.

“Why did you tell me you were a mage? I mean, you are good-looking, and you obviously have the coin ... Why would you need such a silly pickup line?” Bree asked, rubbing his chest idly. Magnus smiled at her and kept his silence.

“I am not moving off until you tell me!” Bree said, crossing her arms playfully and closing her eyes, her face taking a pouty look. She stayed like that until her eyes suddenly opened, startled by the weird sensation...

“What the...” she exclaimed, looking down at Magnus ... way down. She was floating high up in the air.

“Oh, gods!! You ARE a mage!” she said excitedly as her body flew across the room until it finally came to rest on top of Magnus. “But why did you mess with me?” she asked, her voice still showing excitement.

“I wanted to see if you would have sex with me anyway ... And as you said yourself, it is a lame pickup line!” he said, prompting their laughter.

Stepping out of the inn, Magnus paused, taking a big breath of morning air. It was time to go. It was time to see his family again. It had been so damn long ... The last couple of months after leaving Fiona’s service he had spent doing usual mage jobs to earn some coin. He had found he wasn’t so unknown in nobility circles anymore since his duel with the Illusionist was a story that was spoken in almost every inn and tavern in Highfort. The resulting fame made finding some mage work quite easy, so he did a couple of jobs and earned some good coin. He wanted to come back to his family bearing gifts and carrying some wealth. Coming home penniless, being the same poor farm boy who had left his father’s farm, would have been quite humiliating. He was about to climb into the saddle when he noticed a stray dog walking the street, hopping awkwardly. The dog was keeping his front left leg raised.

“Here boy! Come here!” Magnus called out to the dog and the dog approached warily. There wasn’t too much flesh on his body, a result of his condition no doubt. Magnus reached out with his hand, waiting for the dog to sniff him and decide if he was going to trust him. Magnus touched the leg and felt the broken bone under his fingers. The dog whimpered to the touch.

“All right, boy. Be brave, this will hurt, but only for a moment,” Magnus said, wondering why he felt the need to say the words. He took the broken leg with both hands and pulled hard, setting the bone. The dog yelped and then became strangely quiet. Magnus closed his eyes, feeling the energies flow. He felt the bone knitting, the flesh mending, the muscle regaining the tension.

“There you go, boy,” Magnus said, releasing the leg and petting the dog. The dog set his leg on the ground and made a few careful steps as if trying the leg. Magnus reached inside his saddlebags, took out a piece of meat and put it on the ground. The dog took the meat in his teeth and then ran away. Magnus smiled, watching him run like the wind. He climbed back into the saddle and nudged his horse, riding towards the main street of Fairfield and then setting his course west, towards home.

He was feeling satisfied for a while after healing the dog’s leg. His skill in healing had improved a lot during his stay in Highfort as he had a chance to browse the royal library and learn a lot about healing magic. His strong talent in healing made him very intuitive about the otherwise very complicated healing process. He was already able to heal most injuries and basic illnesses and he was capable of healing his own body of just about anything, even without thinking.

Riding through the familiar landscape made him think about his trip years ago. Back then, it took him almost two days to reach Fairfield on foot. He was riding a horse now, and he would reach the farm in the afternoon. He smiled. He was going to see his mother and father. He was going to see Lina! She would be ... eighteen, almost nineteen now.

“I wonder if she got married...” Magnus thought as the scenery changed in front of his eyes. The forest was slowly giving way to the farmland. He would be home soon. He rode for another half an hour until finally, he was at his father’s house, the house that had been his home for nineteen years. He glanced towards the field and saw two silhouettes working on it. He smiled, feeling joy and excitement. He rode towards the field, recognizing his mother’s and father’s hunched forms. They both turned towards an apparent gentleman riding a horse. Magnus’ father removed his hat politely.

“How can I help you sir?” he said, eyeing the stranger’s sword.

Magnus dismounted, a wide smile stretching his cheeks to the limit.

“Magnus?!” his mother said, putting her hands on her chest.

“Mom! Dad!” Magnus exclaimed, laughing like a madman. He felt childlike happiness overcome him.

“My son! Oh, my beautiful son...” his mother said, tears flowing down her face and making lighter stripes on her dusty and tanned face. Magnus rushed to her, hugging her fiercely and kissing her wet cheeks. He felt her melt and sob in his hug. He turned towards his father who was approaching slowly, yet emotions were evident on his weathered face.

“Son...” he said simply, looking at Magnus with affection.

“Oh, come here Dad,” Magnus said, embracing his father and feeling his still very strong hug.

“I missed you so much,” Magnus said, smiling at them “Where is Lina? Out in the woods?”

His mother and father looked at each other for a moment and then his mother started crying.

“Don’t tell me she got married and went to live somewhere far from here?” Magnus asked, feeling some of his joy disperse.

“No son, she didn’t get married...” his father finally said with a solemn voice.

“She ... ah, she isn’t with us anymore...” his father said simply. The pain was evident on his face.

Magnus felt his throat tighten. He barely found the voice to reply.

“She, she died?” he said, his voice trembling.

“Yes ... no ... Truth is, we don’t really know...” his father said, sighing emotionally.

“Damn it, dad, where is she? What happened to her?”

“She is gone ... She went missing almost a year back ... We don’t know if she is dead or alive ... We searched for her, we petitioned the authorities, we did anything we could think of ... to no avail. She is gone, son...” his father finally said.

“Maybe she ran off with some boy?”

“No, son ... she would never leave us like that. She was such a loving and respectful girl...” his mother said, her voice breaking into another bout of crying.

“If she wanted to run off, she would at least take some of her things ... We found all of her things in her room. The only things that were missing were the clothes she was wearing that day...” his father added.

“Where was she when she went missing?”

“Out in the woods, picking mushrooms ... same as she did so many times before ... We searched the whole damn place but we found no traces of her, no piece of clothing, no ... signs of struggle or blood. That is why we were hopeful at the start that she would show up ... But it has been almost a whole year...” his father said solemnly.

“Damn it, I should have been here!” Magnus said, knowing full well he had been in Fiona’s service when it happened.

“Mom, Dad ... I will go around and make some inquiries nevertheless. I will return home before nightfall,” Magnus said, climbing onto his horse. He galloped away towards the neighboring farm.

Dusk had already fallen upon the quiet farm when Magnus returned to his father’s house. He had been riding from one farm to another, trying to find some new information, something his neighbors might have seen or heard that day ... yet his efforts proved to be fruitless. No one had seen or heard anything ... In fact, the only true reaction was the one he had gotten from old Tom...

“She is a beautiful young girl, my boy ... Slavers are always on the lookout for those...”

The words grated on Magnus’ mind.

“There is almost nothing worse than getting into slavers’ hands...” Magnus thought, feeling anger stir inside of him. “I will find her, and when I do, gods themselves won’t be able to help those that harmed her in any way...”

Magnus entered the house finding his parents were still up and obviously waiting for him. He told them he suspected slavers were the culprits and saw them both shudder.

“Mom, Dad ... I really hoped to stay with you for some time but that isn’t possible anymore. Tomorrow morning I will set off in search for Lina. I give you my word I will find her ... or I will bring destruction to those that took her.”

“Oh stay with us, son ... We can’t lose you as well...”

“Miriam...” his father said. “Magnus made a decision ... the only one a man can make,” he said, watching his son with pride. Magnus nodded solemnly.

“I will be fine, mum ... I am more than capable of taking care of myself...” Magnus said and then told them everything about his apprenticeship, about magic, about all the things he had done, all the countries he had seen. Moon was high up in the night sky when Magnus finished his story.

“I will find her ... it might take a while, but I won’t stop until I find her and bring her home...” Magnus said and then took a deep breath. “ ... or until I am certain she is dead ... In which case I will not stop until I bury her murderers and kidnappers,” Magnus said with solemn determination. His father nodded and his mother took Magnus’ hand and kissed it, her tears wetting his knuckles.

“Be careful, son ... and come back to us.”

Dawn had barely broken through when Magnus mounted his horse and set off from his home once again. He decided to travel southwest to Quickriver, a town on the border of Vistania and Merania. Merania was a country southwest of Vistania, functioning as an alliance of free towns. It was a country where a lot of trade happened as its southernmost part had access to the sea. When Fiona and Magnus had traveled to Ashad a couple of years ago, they had heard the town’s name being mentioned in reference to the slave trade. They had had no chance to confirm those rumors since they crossed the border into Ashad much further to the east, yet Magnus felt it was his best bet. King Tristan of Vistania was fighting the slave trade vigorously, but it was such a lucrative business that slavers always managed to corrupt key officials in administration and army, who then turned a blind eye towards their business.

As Magnus was riding away from his home, he decided there was one more spot to visit before he departed from the farm. He rode south for a couple of minutes, farmland turning into meadows ... and there it was ... The tree he had visited in his mind so many times was in front of him once again. It was the same beautiful meadow, the same faithful old tree that had witnessed some of his happiest and most carefree moments in life. A spot where he had always been so happy and at peace. His mind wandered for a minute, remembering how Lina had wanted to teach him how to dance right under this tree ... It had been a dance of her own invention and Magnus smiled, remembering how persistent she had been about teaching him. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The meadow would be so beautiful when the sun was fully up but he didn’t want to delay any longer. The search for Lina was all that occupied his mind now. He mounted his horse again and rode off, heading southwest.

A week later, Magnus rode into Quickriver. It was a medium-sized town, which prospered by trading with the free towns of Merania. Merania had very lax slavery laws, so it made sense that slaves were smuggled over the border. After making some inquiries among the townspeople, Magnus decided not to stay in the best inn in the town or even the second best.

“I need to pick a seedy place that attracts people who might be involved somehow ... I have no time or patience to play a long and careful game, I need to bring them out, one way or another,” Magnus thought as he rode through some side streets, searching for a suitable place...

“There ... It looks inconspicuous enough, so it might be the right type of place ... I will try my luck there,” Magnus thought, turning his horse towards an inn he had spotted. He pushed through the doors and found himself in a not-so-large common room. About half of the tables were occupied by patrons who were speaking mostly in hushed voices. Maybe he found the right place, after all. Magnus crossed the common room, pretending to be uninterested in curious stares that followed his every move.

“Innkeeper! I would like a room for the night. Also some roast and potatoes and a large bottle of your best wine!”

“All right sir ... Pick a table and a serving girl will be with you in a moment,” the innkeeper said, eyeing him up and down. Magnus was dusty from the ride, but his clothes were fine.

“Here you go sir!” a plump serving girl said with a practiced smile. Magnus dug in. He had been eating mostly dried meat and cheese during the trip, so freshly roasted meat and potatoes and some vegetables on top seemed like a true feast. After taking care of his hunger, Magnus started filling his glass with wine, making sure everybody could witness his excessive drinking. The patrons were oblivious to the fact that the wine was being magically processed, of course. Magnus was heating up his drink, making alcohol evaporate due to the fact that it had a lower boiling point than water. He would cool it down the same way and then he would theatrically drink up the resulting drink which barely had any alcohol in it. Magnus didn’t care much for the taste but he decided he would suffer it for the greater good.

“Innkeeper!” Magnus said, faking a drunken voice.

“Is there any entertainment here?! Maybe some exotic girls? I feel like fondling something!” Magnus said, banging on the table and laughing.

“Err, I am sorry sir, we are not that kind of inn ... I run a respectable business...” the innkeeper said, frowning.

“Yes, yes! But surely you can arrange something eh? I mean, everybody knows slaves are being traded in this town!” Magnus said out loud and then as if realizing that he shouldn’t have said it, he put a finger on his mouth and then laughed once again.

“Sir, I don’t know what you are talking about...” the innkeeper said, visibly uncomfortable.

“Ah! Yes, yes! You know what? I will go up to my room and you try to get me a couple of juicy slave girls! I mean, regular normal girls...” Magnus said, winking conspiratorially at the innkeeper. “Just make sure they have a pair on them, you know ... Ahhh! There is nothing saucier than a slave girl!” Magnus said, getting up and staggering up the stairs towards his room. His climb was followed by many curious and angry eyes. Magnus entered the room and locked the door. He looked through the window. The night was falling on the town and lamps were being lit in front of taverns and inns and inside people’s homes. He took a big breath.

“I did my little show ... now I can only wait and hope I managed to annoy the right person,” he thought, extinguishing the lamp and lying on the bed, fully clothed.

Hours passed. The town was firmly in the grips of the night and there were no more lights to be seen through the windows of townspeople’s homes. The silence was almost complete, save for the occasional dog barking. Then, there was something. Magnus woke to the sound of clinking outside his door. The sound was hushed, but just as he could cast a sound barrier, Magnus could also enhance the sound coming from a certain source and he made sure to enhance the sounds coming from his door and window.

“Here we are...” Magnus thought, casting a sound barrier to prevent the sound of floorboards creaking, and then got up from his bed and moved to the corner from where he could watch the door.

“These are either amazing lock pickers or they had a key...” he thought when the doors opened to let in two silhouettes, barely distinguishable in the faint light coming from the window. As they approached the bed as quietly as they could, Magnus noticed they held clubs in their hands. Magnus cast a sound barrier for the whole room and closed the doors using his kinetics.

“Let’s see who we have here...” Magnus said, lighting the lamp from afar, using a tiny amount of fire magic. The men turned around, visibly surprised and startled by the sudden light. After a moment of indecision, they rushed towards Magnus swinging their clubs. Magnus lashed out with kinetics in an almost lazy move and the thugs stopped in their tracks and watched wide-eyed as their bodies were being lifted up in the air and their clubs being torn out of their hands.

“Gods! A mage!” one of the thugs exclaimed. Fear was evident on his ugly face.

“Yeah ... Now, unless you want me to turn you into frogs speak up! Who sent you?” Magnus said, looking at them with angry eyes. The thugs looked at each other and then ugly-face spoke.