Chapter 5: When Demons Prey

all characters are over the age of eighteen years

***ARAN - One Year Ago, Emerin Forest Chapel***

Aran had thought his first day of training under Elaina was a nightmare, but the rest of that first week made it look like a summer evening stroll. Three times Aran had had one foot out the door, ready to run – or limp – back to his old life, but each time he’d stopped himself, if just barely.

Elaina’s training was nothing short of brutal. She had him up before the sun every morning, then would work him intensely without a break for the duration of the day, only letting him stop when the moon was high in the sky. The days were a blur of constant sparring, hunting, and learning how to use his vala. As if this weren’t enough, he was hauling water, chopping firewood and scrubbing floors, as well as preparing food for himself and his unrelenting mentor.

“Feel the vala, Aran.” Elaina repeated for what felt like the thousandth time on the night of the seventh day. Aran was sitting in the centre of the practice yard on the hard-packed dirt while Elaina paced back and forth in front of him. He couldn’t see her – his eyes were closed – but he could hear her terse instructions well enough.

“Let it suffuse you, surround you,” she continued. “It will support you, guide you and protect you once you learn to embrace it.”

Aran’s brow was furrowed with concentration, and beads of sweat ran down his chest and soaked into his linen shirt. He was amazed he had any sweat left in him after the day he’d had. The best he’d managed so far was a warm flicker in his belly which had disappeared as quickly as it had come.

“Again, watch me,” Elaina said.

Aran opened his eyes and watched as Elaina closed her eyes and took a deep breath. He tried not to notice how her generous chest expanded in the process, but failed miserably. Exhausted as he was, he was surprised when he felt his cock stirring in his breeches as he looked Elaina up and down.

Suddenly, to Aran’s eyes, a golden nimbus surrounded her, as if the very rays of the sun had gathered themselves in one place. At the same time, a warm glow flared inside Aran, and he gasped as the vala filled him. Pure light raced through his veins, and for a brief second, he was connected to everything around him; the dirt beneath him, every stitch of clothing he wore, the grass and trees and tiny insects buzzing in the warm evening air, and Elaina, who was looking down at him curiously.

Unable to stop himself, Aran met Elaina’s clear emerald eyes and smiled in joy at the life that was flowing through him. To his delight, she returned the smile, but all too quickly, between one breath and the next, the light began to fade. He tried grasping at it, to pull it back to him, but it slipped away like smoke in the wind. That second or two basking in the light had felt like an eternity, but now that it was gone, Aran wished for it back.

Elaina squatted easily before him, still smiling. “Well done, Aran. What you just experienced was your vala. I must admit; it happened much faster than I’d hoped.”

Aran looked at the ground in between himself and Elaina. “I couldn’t hold on to it,” he said glumly. “Now that it’s gone, I feel ... empty.”

Elaina nodded, understanding. “I know the feeling well. Keep training, though, and command of the vala will be yours.” After a moment, she sighed and added; “Well, I suppose you’ve worked hard enough, today. I want you to take the rest of the night off. You’ve touched the vala on your own for the first time, and that should be something to celebrate.”

Aran looked his gorgeous mentor in the eye, and she was grinning widely, truly happy for him. “That sounds wonderful, Master.” And though his body screamed at him not to ask this question, he mentally grit his teeth and asked it anyway. “Are you sure there’s nothing more we can do tonight?”

Elaina eyed him appraisingly. “No, not tonight, though I appreciate your dedication. Paladin training is hard, but its purpose is to strengthen you, not break you. Rest for tonight, and we will begin fresh in the morning.” She rose and offered a hand which Aran gladly took. “You should soak those sore muscles in a hot bath,” she said as she pulled him to his feet with ease. “We’ve had rain, and the cistern should be full.”

A hot bath did indeed sound wonderful to Aran; he’d been so weary every night that he’d barely had the energy to sponge himself down before collapsing into bed. Nodding tiredly, he began to follow Elaina inside. The rear entrance to the Chapel led into a hallway that held doors to the larder, the kitchen and the bathhouse. Aran had been in the bathhouse before, but had not yet had the pleasure of jumping into the ten-foot square and five-foot deep pool that was cut into the stone floor.

Due to the clever design of the Chapel – and a testament to the great minds that built it – a large stone cistern was nestled against the rear of the building, which collected the rainwater that fell on the roof and distributed it – when one turned the right valves – to places like the kitchen and the bath. On the left and right-hand sides of the room – as one walked in the door – were large fireplaces, and what Aran found most incredible was that the pipes running from the cistern to the bath did so via the fireplaces, and so the water was delivered after travelling through hot pipes! Truly a marvelous design!

Thankfully, there had been rain recently, so Aran had no need to haul water from the nearby stream in the forest, and as for the two big fireplaces at opposite ends of the room, he had already chopped and stacked enough firewood in here to last for days. Having already laid the hearths, it didn’t take long until the room was filled with the merry crackle of burning logs, and the air warmed quickly as Aran removed his dirty, sweaty clothes while he waited for the pipes to warm up.

On the side of the bath opposing the door were the two valves you needed to turn to start the water. There was also a third valve, which when turned would drain the bath. Satisfied that the pipes would be hot by now, Aran stepped down into the empty stone recess and turned the handles, instantly feeling the warm water on his feet as it gushed from a round hole at either end.

The pipes were large, and the bath began to fill quickly as the room came alive with the sound of rushing water. Aran sighed as he sat on the stone bench-seat that ran along the inside of the tub. Closing his eyes, he leaned back against the cool stone wall and enjoyed the feeling of the warm water rising up over his belly to his chest. Happy with the water level, Aran was just about to wade over and shut off the valve when he heard a squeak, followed by rushing water slowing to a trickle before stopping.

Aran kept his eyes closed, too afraid to open them for fear that Elaina would be standing there, as naked as the day she was born. Another side of him desperately wanted to see her in all her glory, as he had once before. Just the thought of her lush, curvaceous body had him as hard as a rock beneath the water.

“A bath sounded so good, I thought I might join you,” Elaina’s voice said, punctuated by small splashes as she eased herself into the water.

Resigning himself to yet another evening of sexual frustration, Aran opened his eyes to see his mentor settling back against the opposite side of the bath with a contended sigh. She was a little shorter than Aran, and her breasts were hidden by the high water, which was just lapping against the flaxen hair that fell to the tops of her shoulders. Even with her body hidden, her face was enough to stop a man breathing. Aran groaned inwardly. Why did his teacher have to be a beautiful woman?

“You really did do well today,” Elaina said quietly as she regarded him across the surface of the water, upon which the orange firelight was flickering.

“Thank you, Master,” Aran returned politely. “I hope to do better tomorrow.” Truthfully, he had almost fled the Chapel three times, but now that he’d tasted the vala, he wanted more.

She smiled at that. “I believe you will, Aran. You have great potential, you know.” She paused for a moment before adding, “I know I’m hard on you, but it’s for a purpose. Paladins cannot be weak, or lazy, or scared. They must be strong, courageous and willing to work. It’s what we stand for.”

Aran nodded, understanding the sense behind her words. What good would a Paladin be if he or she wasn’t those things? While he was pondering this, Elaina reached back for a bar of soap and stood up on the stone step to wash herself, giving Aran a full, unobstructed view of her body. Pale and glistening, she was truly a goddess, so generously curved of thighs and hips and bottom and a spectacular bosom that moved back and forth hypnotically as she ran the soap over her skin. Aran could clearly see the slit between her creamy thighs as she went about her business, seemingly ignorant of Aran’s hungry eyes.

Suddenly, all of their own accord and right when Elaina was soaping up her tits, his heavy balls lifted and began to churn, and his cock twitched uncontrollably beneath the water, firing off jet after jet of his seed as he sat entranced by his mentor.

Elaina must have sensed something, for her gaze fell on him and she smiled knowingly before slipping back into the water to rinse off the soap. Once satisfied she was clean enough, she turned and stepped up and out of the bath, and Aran’s cock gave another threatening spasm as he watched her round rear emerge from the water. She had two dimples on her lower back just above her buttocks, almost like a place where he could put his thumbs if he was grasping her by the waist from behind...

‘Stop it!’ He chided himself. ‘You’re not making things any easier by fantasizing about her!’ Still, he watched Elaina as she lay down face-up on the stone coping before the fireplace to dry off and enjoy the heat of the flames. Being spring, the nights were still quite cool, and a warm fire was a most welcome thing in the evenings.

Elaina’s eyes were closed and her breathing even, almost as if she was asleep. Aran liked the way her skin looked in the firelight, with droplets of water glistening on her flat belly, on her thighs, and on her breasts that were resting slightly toward her sides due to their size and weight.

“Aran,” Elaina murmured without opening her eyes.

“Um, yes, Master?” Aran asked after clearing his throat.

“I believe the fires need more wood.” Elaina said, her tone implying that he should see about that right away.

Aran didn’t see much point in delaying the task, but he also didn’t want to parade around his mentor with an erection, especially when it was inspired by her! Finding no alternative, and having no success trying to will his cock into repose, Aran just stood and climbed from the bath. He tended to the fire on his side first, adding a few thick logs that would burn for a while before he crossed to the opposite hearth. He stepped quickly past Elaina’s head, trying not to ogle her body in the process, and quickly threw a couple more logs in.

When he turned back toward the bath, he looked down to see Elaina’s green eyes open and staring at him, including his persistent erection. Not knowing what to do, he quickly covered himself with his hands and reached the bath in two strides, unceremoniously leaping into the water with a splash.

Elaina sat up and looked over at him, a twinkle of mirth in her eyes. “You’re going to have to get used to nudity sooner or later, Aran.” She chuckled, and her breasts bounced a little. Aran felt like he was going to have a permanently hard cock if this kept up. “It’s an important part of your training,” she added with a wink.

Aran didn’t understand that. Why would being used to being naked be important? When Elaina saw the confusion on his face, she merely said; “you’ll find out soon enough.” And then turned to lie on her stomach, her hefty tits billowing out to the side as she settled onto the warm stone with a sigh.

Elaina had no more to say, and when she was dry, she left the bathhouse, leaving Aran to his thoughts and his wayward member.

***ARAN – Present Day, Ironshire***

Long shadows were stretching across the ground when the Emerin Forest finally gave way to the gently rolling countryside that surrounded the town of Ironshire. Farms dotted the landscape as Aran strode the Ironshire Road, many of them with their windows already illuminated by lamplight and their chimneys streaming wood smoke into the cool evening air.

Ironshire was in sight, the massive town – at least, it was massive to Aran, but he’d never seen a town before – was surrounded by a high stone wall, above which he could make out the sloped, tiled roofs of some of the taller buildings. The Karvani Mountains loomed in the distance to the north, on the far side of the town, the snow-capped peaks lost in cloud.

The massive iron gates were still open when Aran approached, though the gatemen looked as though they were preparing to close them before dusk. Aran got a few cursory looks as he passed through, though nobody stopped him. He was keeping his vala suppressed as best he could; Elaina had taught him that it could be dangerous to use it too much in public, as it could draw unwanted attention to him, and people might mistake his abilities for sorcery or witchcraft, or other such silliness.

A wide cobblestone avenue led from the gate into the town proper, and Aran smiled as he stared at the tall, three-story brick buildings with their angled tile roofs, illuminated by the light from the streetlamps, most of which were already alight. Those that weren’t were being attended to by a couple of men using long sticks to light them. Aran wondered why they were lighting the lamps so soon; it was at least an hour till dark, but then maybe they were just being efficient.

Curiosity getting the better of him, he stopped to speak to one of the lamp lighters. “Pardon, friend, but I can’t help but ask why you’re lighting the lamps this early?”

The fellow turned to regard Aran, lowering the lighting stick he was holding. He was in his middle years, with a square jaw and a nose that had been broken more than once. “Not from ‘round here, lad?”

Aran shook his head. “Just arrived. I also noticed the gates closing before dusk. Is that normal?”

The man grimaced. “Strange things movin’ about lately, lad. Outside the walls. Couple farmers been killed, and livestock goin’ missing. Some say it’s wolves, others say it’s darkspawn, of all things.”

Aran wanted to ask more, but the fellow finished the lamp and moved on to the next one, grumbling under his breath about something inaudible.

A few folk bustled about, hurrying home for the night, mostly Human, but Aran spotted a stout Dwarf, maybe four-and-a-half feet tall, with a bulbous nose and a fiery red beard, and a slender woman that he thought might be an Elf, though she was mostly hidden by her cloak.

As he passed, shopkeepers were pulling their awnings down, business done for the day. One such shop caught his eye, or rather the woman inside did; a pretty young thing with fair skin and red curls that hung down to her shoulders. She was leaning forward to close her window when she noticed Aran looking.

“Closing up for the night, love,” she told him with a ready smile. Her eyes were sky blue, and her face was slender, with high cheekbones and full, kissable lips. She was wearing a fine linen dress that was snug in the bodice, and a generous expanse of pale cleavage was visible. Aran found her remarkably attractive. “Not sure there’s anything in here you’d want anyway, handsome,” she added with amusement. “Unless that’s what you’re into?”

Aran wondered what she meant, until his eyes fell on the wares displayed in the shop behind her. Dresses and gowns and skirts were hung about on wooden dummies; this woman was clearly a seamstress. He felt his face redden at the friendly jibe. “I uh, sorry,” he said, sounding like a fool. Despite his recent torrent of love and sex and passion with Elaina and Jeira, he found himself at a loss for what to say to a woman he didn’t know.

Despite his efforts to keep his vala down, it began to pulse quietly, and he found himself drawing closer to the shop front. His awkwardness melted, and words appeared on his tongue. “It wasn’t the dresses I was looking at.”

“Is that so?” She replied, looking him up and down with a small smile. She had stopped what she was doing when Aran first appeared, and now she was watching him intently, her eyes locked onto his, her lips curved. Aran’s vala reached out of its own accord and touched her, and he could feel her attraction, her approving response to his presence.

“What’s your name?” He asked, now within arm’s reach of the pretty redhead.

“Rayna. What’s yours?”

“Aran,” he said, offering a hand. She took it, and the physical touch increased the building attraction between them several times over. Rayna’s face flushed slightly, and her eyes widened. Her breathing quickened, which did interesting things to her low neckline.

Rayna opened her mouth to say something, but suddenly a flare of energy came from somewhere in the town, flashing powerfully before vanishing, and Aran turned to stare in that direction. That was a vala! The strength of it was incredible! No doubt that it was Master Smythe. He quickly turned back to the pretty seamstress. Their hands were still clasped, and he covered hers with his other as he spoke. “I’m terribly sorry, Rayna, but I must go. I will stop by again soon.”

She barely had time to nod and say she hoped that he would before he left, hurrying down the broad avenue. A short time later, Aran was standing in front of one of the larger houses he’d seen, a sprawling two-story structure surrounded by a well-made timber fence. The gate was unlocked, but when Aran knocked on the sturdy hardwood door, there was no response. Sure that the vala had originated from this house, Aran went back to the street and found a narrow lane between this house and the one beside it.

Sure enough, the lane took him down to the back of the big house, where there was a good-sized yard, separating the house from what looked like a forge, its fires presently unlit. The yard was carpeted with thick green grass, upon which a tall man, broad-shouldered and well-muscled, moved through complicated sword forms in the twilight, wielding the biggest blade Aran had ever seen. Long black hair was tied back from his face with a leather cord that ran ‘round his forehead, and he had a strange mustache beneath his bold nose that covered his upper lip and connected with a thick strip of hair that ran along his jawline, leaving left his chin bare.

“I was wondering when you’d arrive, lad,” Smythe said, his voice deep and gruff. His blade – a five-foot long, heavy-looking thing - continued to slice the air smoothly as he spoke.

With no doubt in his mind that this was Master Smythe – Aran could sense a commonality with the man, which Elaina said he would feel when around other arohim – he bowed his head in apology. “Forgive me, Master, I chose to help someone in need. I will gladly accept penance for being late.”

Smythe said nothing for a time as he kept on with his practice. Aran couldn’t help but envy the way the man moved; graceful yet powerful, reminiscent of a leopard, or tiger. That heavy blade would have been unwieldy in the hands of most men, yet Smythe made it look easy, like he was guiding the sword’s natural motion, rather than swinging it with force.

Elaina had taught Aran the basics of many common weapons; axes, knives, swords and whatnot, but she had always favoured the mace over anything else, and as such, had spent the most time teaching Aran about that over anything else. Aran, however, had always been interested in swords, and a jolt of excitement shot through him at the thought of finally learning to use one beyond the basics.

“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 arohim, and we should use the vala 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 Eryn’elda 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 meld with 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 melded together.”

Smythe shook his head. “Doesn’t work like that, lad. You can meld them to yourself, but not to each other.”

So Smythe didn’t know it was possible? Had Aran discovered some new aspect of the vala? 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 melded 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 arohim 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 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 she was with him; he could feel her vala.

“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 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.