Chapter 2: Fugitives

The waning moon cast its light, draping the shadows of the passing clouds upon the town. The white radiance streamed through the glass windows of a room at the inn, leaving two figures, Noah and Valia, standing in the thin darkness and relying on their sense of taste and touch. They savored each other’s sweet flavor as their lips formed a seal of passion and their tongues danced.

Their embrace was tender, and though their hands wandered of their own volition, it was more than attraction that bound them together. Outside that room was a world of enemies, forcing them to stand back-to-back and fight for their lives, but in this tiny bastion of comfort and privacy, they could finally face each other.

Valia pushed Noah’s jacket off his shoulders and removed his shirt, and he went to work unfastening her leather corset. More than simple armor to protect her stomach, it made her already-ample breasts appear even more prominent. As it fell away, he felt her relax in his embrace, as her true self continued to emerge. Next, he began unbuttoning her shirt, but excitement pulled his mouth from hers, and he began kissing her neck. Her ebony skin felt so smooth to his lips, and he could detect every tremble of excitement that moved through her.

She hummed in bliss and removed her shirt, letting her breasts reacquaint with his massaging hands. His fingers sank into her flesh, unable to fully hold her endowment. This was not their first time being intimate, but their weight and softness still left him spellbound, while his every gentle caress and powerful fondle invoked a quaking breath of euphoria from her. She soon stepped back and fell back onto the bed behind her. Her long silver hair scattered as she fell, like a bird of living glass stretching its wing.

He undid the laces of her boots and pulled them off, then kicked off his own while she unfastened her belt and removed her leather pants. They hugged her perfect ass as though painted on, but now, she lay bare before him, gazing lovingly with eyes that gleamed in the dark like stars. Though revered on the battlefield as one of the greatest sword masters in the world, it was not the passion of combat that filled her.

Noah crouched down and ran his lips and tongue across her thighs, his every touch making her gasp. She spread her legs and invited him to continue tasting her. Her arousal was undeniable, a wellspring of sensual nectar, and Noah went down on her like he was dying of thirst. She had a sweetness that his past human lovers lacked, the taste of an elf.

“Oh God! Oh yes!” Valia moaned in ecstasy as she ran her fingers through his hair.

She’d arch her back when he played with her clit, massage her breasts when he stimulated on her gate, and moan to the heavens when he explored her depths with his tongue. It was all a testament to the intensity of Noah’s oral skills, leading to orgasm after orgasm that swept through her like a tsunami. The warmth of her legs on the sides of his face made him feel like a cat in a sunbeam, but with each climax, she squeezed his head ever tighter, eventually forcing him to move on.

He held himself over her, savoring the expression on her face. She was one of the most beautiful women he had ever met and perhaps the most interesting he’d ever had by his side. Even after living for thousands of years, seeing that glimmer in her eyes and the look on her face as she gazed at him made his heart flutter the way few women could. She wrapped her arms around his neck in a tender embrace, gentle but unbreakable.

Her body welcomed his penetration, and a joyful coo passed her lips. It took him only a few moments to reach his preferred rhythm, a steady chain of thrusts that let him enjoy her tongue swirling around his mouth. She held him tight, even wrapping her legs around his waist as though fighting to hold onto every passing second, but her embrace loosened when he picked up speed. Her feet rose with his intensity, soon up in the air with her toes curling while soft murmurs became a moan.

She was like an elegant Stradivarius, crafted by divine hands, and Noah used his bow to produce a melody that would awe any who heard it. His vigorous thrusts did not ease with time, and every gyration of his hips would bring her ecstasy. When he wasn’t kissing her lips or neck, he’d hold himself over her, relishing the sight of her breasts tumultuously shaking with each thrust and the look on her face as she moaned to the gods. The pool of moonlight moved from the floor and onto the bed as he finally climaxed, and only now did he stop to catch his breath. Valia, too, was out of breath, overwhelmed by bliss.

She reached out and cupped his cheeks. “Where have you been all my life?” she murmured, inspiring him to lean down and kiss her.

“I’ve been around.”

Valia rolled him onto his back, now straddling his lap. He had gone flaccid after his orgasm, but she wouldn’t let such a thing get in the way. She grasped his deflated member and dotingly stroked it, and once he had regained his erection, she rode him like a wild stallion. She rose and fell, bouncing on his cock with erotic delight. He noticed the light in her eyes, the same light he saw when he fought her for the first time. It was the light only those she truly respected, those she considered an equal, got to see.

As a warrior, her physical strength was immense, and her womanhood gripped him like she was trying to siphon his very life force, and the warmth, the softness, made him not want to pull out. The moonlight illuminated her like an angel, while her movements and moans were deliciously sinful. The way she ran her fingers through her hair and rubbed her breasts, the lewd pitch of her voice, and the infatuation in her eyes left Noah mesmerized.

She’d lean back and undulate her body like a belly dancer for Noah’s viewing pleasure, then lean forward and gasp as he massaged and sucked on her tits. Lust and excitement left her nipples pert, making them all the easier for him to wrap his lips around and tease her. Her strength failed after climaxing, and she’d drape herself across him, letting Noah buck his hips and drive into her with powerful thrusts.

After his second shot, Valia dismounted and took his deflating member in her mouth. In the brief time since they initiated their relationship, her bedroom skills had grown by leaps and bounds, and she dedicated herself to returning the pleasure he heaped upon her. She was a fast learner, but with someone like Noah as her partner, that was natural.

Her movements were committed, from running her tongue up the shaft to sucking on the glans. She took her time with it, pampering Noah with the softness of her mouth and salacious efforts. He stroked her hair and caressed her cheek as she worked to convey his appreciation. Once he regained his rigidity, she turned away from him and shook her ass, inviting him to hit all the walls once more with the moonlight shining off her back.

He returned his sword to her sheath, taking her from behind with unbridled vitality. He had a solid hold on her hips, and his eyes were glued to her ass; toned, round, and beautiful. It clapped loudly against his lap over and over, sending ripples through both their bodies while his cock thoroughly ravished her depths. Her lewd voice demanded freedom, and she’d cry out to him and the gods in the same breath. It was a perfect addition to the thumping of the bed and the lascivious echo of flesh striking flesh. He was fast and powerful, but she took it all with a moan and a smile.

“I’m cumming! I’m cumming!” she exclaimed as her body went completely limp.

Noah moved atop her, continuing to drive deep while running kisses across her shoulders and neck. His weight comforted her like a blanket, and her warmth drew him like a moth to a flame. He wrapped his arms around her, and they lay on their sides, with Noah’s dynamic thrusts wrecking her composure and making the bed rumble across the floor. Her raised leg granted him better access while their tongues swirled in an adoring kiss once more.

Further heightening her pleasure, Noah went to work massaging her breasts. They overflowed from his grip, demanding his kneading fingers. His thrusts didn’t slow, even as he played with her nipples. It was impossible to resist them, but Noah managed to free one hand and stroke her clit. Valia’s euphoric voice could almost shatter glass, but there was still further to go. Noah broke their kiss and wrapped his lips around the tip of one of her long elf ears. It was more than Valia could bear.

“No! Please! It’s too much! I’m going to go crazy!”

A cruel man, Noah ignored her and continued his four-pronged assault, resulting in Valia climaxing harder than ever in her life. The sky outside was clear, but a sensual summer storm raged within that room. They continued like that for a while, pushing the limits of their bodies. Like Noah, Valia’s physical stamina was almost beyond measure. At times, she’d beg him to let her rest, but as soon as he’d stop, she’d be on top of him, as if possessed by demons of lust. Drenched in their sexual fluids, their bed served as the stage upon which they danced the night away.

After several spirited hours, Noah and Valia finally collapsed, laying side by side and gasping for air. When on the road, they couldn’t go at it so long and vigorously, so they wanted to enjoy this room to its fullest. Once she had caught her breath, Valia got up and left the bed on wobbly legs. It took all of her strength just to stand, when a normal person would be numb from the waist-down.

She reached into her bag and pulled out, of all things, a gonlief cigarette, one of the last from Colbrand. A smoke after sex had become a habit of theirs since they were intimate for the first time. Valia lit it with a match and took a drag, then leaned against the window frame and stared at the night sky. Noah watched her, burning the sight into his memory. Every inch of her was perfect; her long legs, sultry hips, toned belly, bounteous tits, and symmetrical face. It was as if some amatory sentience had sculpted her.

The moonlight shined off her body, polished from the moisture of their passion, and every strand of her hair gleamed like ice, accentuated by the thin wisp of smoke rising from the end of her cigarette. After their hardcore romp just minutes ago, all Noah wanted was to brush his fingers across her cheek and kiss her like it was their first time all over again.

As he gazed upon her, Noah began to hum a soft tune, the smoothest jazz. Valia’s pointed ears twitched, and she flashed him a smile. “What is that? It’s beautiful.”

“Just a song you remind me of. Looking at you now, it’s like I can hear it echoing through the room.”

“Is it one of the songs on that phone thing?”

“Regretfully, no. But if I had the right instrument, I’d play it right now.”

Valia giggled and returned to the bed, sitting on Noah’s lap and sharing her cigarette. “Lie to me,” she said as he released a cloud of smoke.

“What?”

She leaned down and whispered the words once more in his ear. “Lie to me. I want to see how good you are.” She sat back up, running her hands across his chest as she awaited his response.

Noah smiled and took another drag. “I am so sick of you.”

“My, my, you aren’t nearly as convincing as you think you are.”

He held her hand and interlaced their fingers. “Well? I’d like to see you better.”

Valia once more leaned down and kissed him. “I’ve had better.”

“Sorry I’m so inept,” he said between gasps from their ongoing kiss. “By the way, the room silencer burned out a while ago.”

“Very funny.”

“No, I’m serious. See?”

Valia looked to a nearby table, where one of Noah’s magic tools sat. It consisted of two round pieces sliding together, completing a magic formula that would block all sound from leaving the room. The problem with magic tools is that they deteriorated rapidly with use. The carefully-inked inscriptions in the wood now looked like they had been scrawled with a hot iron.

“Oh God...” Valia muttered.

“I think it was when you had your tongue in my ear that it started to smoke, and I think it finally gave in when I was gripping the headboard. I’m surprised you didn’t notice first, but I guess you were preoccupied.”

Valia rolled off him, covering her face with her hands and groaning in embarrassment. “That was hours ago! You mean everyone in the inn heard us?”

“The way you were moaning, they probably heard you all the way in Vandheim.”

She slapped his chest. “Oh, shut it.”

“When I was in the town of Clive, I gained quite a lot of infamy for that. Sorry, but if you’re going to travel with me, you should get used to everyone hearing you orgasm.”

“That is not something I want people to know about me!” Then, despite her anger, she started to laugh. “Though I suppose I would sound rather ungrateful if I complained about you making me cum too loudly.”

“Well, maybe a little bit.”

“I guess it’s back to having quickies in the woods.”

“We’ll manage somehow.”

Valia kissed him once more. “Can you hum that song again?” Noah recited the melody while she snuggled up against him, stretching her arm across his chest. “Just like that. Sing for me, please,” she murmured as she closed her eyes. Noah pulled the blanket over them and continued humming while Valia drifted to sleep.

The sun had risen when Valia awoke, her slumber interrupted by movement outside. “They’re here,” she said.

Noah was standing by the window, looking outside while he fastened his belt. “It appears to be two bronze knights and a handful of soldiers.”

She yawned and stretched. “That’s it? Well, in that case, I can just go back to sleep.”

“As much as I would love to join you, I’m hungry enough to eat a horse, and we can’t exactly sit down for breakfast right now. So come on, up an at em’.”

She sighed and stood up. “Fine, but I don’t normally get out of bed for anything less than a silver-rank.”

“But you’ll get in bed with a bronze?” Noah teased.

Valia walked over and kissed him on the cheek. “Only because you asked me so sweetly.”

She turned to get her clothes, and Noah playfully slapped her on the rear. He looked out the window as she got dressed. “They’re talking to the innkeeper. He must have heard you moaning my name last night and connected the dots.”

“Oh sure, blame this on me.”

“Do you want to get the horses, or shall I?”

“You do it. I have a better chance of talking these guys down.”

After they got dressed and gathered their things, they left their room and split up. Noah activated his magic, and his mana formed a protective shroud, rendering him invisible to even the sharpest eyes. More than simply bending light or optical camouflage, it was the power of illusions, concealing almost every facet of his existence, both his presence and influence.

His complaints of hunger were apt, and were it not for the noise-canceling effect of his mana shroud, his growling stomach would have been audible to all those he passed. He headed for the stables out back, and while preparing the horses, Valia went downstairs into the bar, where the innkeeper spoke to the two knights. They were both in their twenties, but might as well have been children in terms of a threat. Upon her arrival, they turned and grabbed the hilts of their swords.

“So, you’re here for me after all,” she said.

“L-L-Lady Valia Zodiac, u-under royal decree, we are here to place you under a-arrest,” one of them stammered.

“Calm yourself. You’re brave enough to follow orders and face me. I give you honest praise for that. However, I’m sure you’re also smart enough to know what will happen if you draw your swords against someone of my rank.” The two men were struggling to keep their nerve. “You seem like good men, and I am still loyal to Uther, so I would take no pleasure in harming fellow knights, nor am I a danger to the citizens.

Let me leave this town peacefully, and then you can tell your superiors we were gone before you got here. It’ll be easier and safer for all of us if you walk away and let me be someone else’s problem.”

The knights relaxed and let go of their swords. “You’re free to go,” the other said, unable to look her in the eye. He then spoke outside to the soldiers. “Stand down; we’re letting them leave.”

“Thank you, kind sirs,” Valia said with a nod. She then laid out some coins on the counter. “Innkeeper, a round for these sons of the Uther and the underappreciated soldiers standing outside.”

She strode past them and stepped into the street. The soldiers waiting were dressed in cheap armor and armed with second-rate swords, but they were smart enough not to go against the orders of the knights or ignore the warning of the elf. They parted and let her walk by as though she was a leper. Valia headed to the stables behind the inn, where Noah was prepping the horses to depart.

“They’ve agreed to let us leave, but let’s not push our luck.”

“Your intimidation level is downright intimidating. Those knights didn’t even really challenge you, did they?”

“Even a disavowed gold-rank knight still has some authority.”

“This is why I’ve always found young bodies annoying. I’m not old enough to be charismatic, but too old to be manipulative.”

They worked fast and then rode away from the inn, leaving the small village and starting on the road to resume their journey. They had spent the last ten days riding westward through goldenrod pastures and under the branches of towering trees. They crossed streams and navigated the rocky contours of Uther with the summer sun overhead. The countryside, a beautiful cascade of unspoiled nature, stretched to all corners of the horizon.

Their destination was the nation of the elves, Sylphtoria, hidden deep within the Anorvan Forest. Hopefully, Valia’s brother, Valon, was hidden there as well. He lost his sanity in a magic experiment gone wrong, and in his madness, nearly destroyed the kingdom of Uther and fled after raiding the royal vault. Noah and Valia were tracking him down, but it wasn’t easy.

All three were now the kingdom’s most-wanted criminals and pursued by the Utheric Knight Order. There was also the private bounty on Noah’s head, a veritable fortune drawing every manhunter in the country. He and Valia had initially planned on nipping that in the bud after leaving Colbrand, but with the added heat on Noah, lingering in Uther was too dangerous.

They passed by travelers, adventurers, and merchants on the road and took precautions to hide their identities. Noah wore a wide-brimmed hat, pulled low, and smeared some mud on his cheeks that would look like facial hair at a passing glance. Valia concealed herself with a cloak, as elves, especially dark elves, were rare to see outside their homeland. Fortunately, their horses were bred and trained with the utmost quality, outracing the wind and resistant to fatigue. Miles melted under their galloping hooves.

When they felt they had reached a safe distance from the village, Noah and Valia stopped to eat breakfast atop a crag overlooking a green valley. The sky was clear, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of the forest. It was a summer morning of indescribable beauty and blissful serenity. Noah and Valia feasted on bread, cheese, and fruit, and washed it down with pine needle tea. It was a traveler’s breakfast, but on a day like this, any meal enjoyed outside was a picnic.

“I could spend all day here, savoring this view,” said Valia.

“I know what you mean.”

“A long time ago, before we came to Uther, Valon and I traveled with a nomadic tribe for a while. The children had never seen elves before, so they were wary of us at first. One day, the caravan set up camp in a valley like this, and a gang of mountain bandits attacked us. Valon and I fended them off and saved the caravan, and after that, the children looked at us like gods. They made up songs and would imitate us in their pretend fights. It was so cute.

I remember one girl, this adorable little blonde cherub, only about waist-high. She’d follow Valon wherever he went, tugging on his clothes like he was leading her through darkness. I taught her how to make flower crowns, and after that, she’d make several each day and insist we’d wear each one. You should have seen how she’d smile. That was a few hundred years ago, but sometimes, when I see wildflowers, I think of her.”

“I had a daughter like that once. She loved nature and was obsessed with flowers. The floor of her room was always littered with dry petals, and she learned gardening from a young age. She grew up to become a famous artist and environmental activist. She’d arrange flowers to create these amazing images that could only be seen from the sky, like gargantuan mosaics. She also worked to plant trees in areas destroyed by logging and fire to fight desertification. I think her name was ... Mary.”

“It’s strange hearing you say that with such a young face. How many children have you raised?”

“Raised? Over a hundred. Sired? God only knows. I’ve also buried my fair share.”

“Do you ever miss them?”

“Some more than others, but so much time has passed that all my children are long-dead by now. In a way, that makes it easy because I never wonder about what I might be missing out on. I may not know the endings, but whether they were good or bad, their stories are closed. They lived, they loved, and they died, while their children carried those stories with them, and so on and so forth, until the names faded off the covers.”

“Perhaps that’s why you have your gift of reincarnation, so that you can remember them. As long as you live, so too shall they live in your memories. You are the only record of their existence that can never be destroyed.”

Noah looked up at the sky. “All records inevitably crumble away.”

After eating, they get back on their horses and descended into the valley. A road lay between the mountains that would carry them west, but they did not get far before an annoyance presented itself. A stone barrier stood in a narrow chokepoint between two cliffs, capable of halting a cattle stampede. The roadblock was manned by more than a dozen soldiers and knights, inspecting everyone trying to pass through the valley. Noah and Valia hung back around a bend in the road, out of sight of the men standing guard.

“This isn’t good. I was expecting the usual roadblock and toll with maybe a few extra troops, but they look ready for war,” said Valia.

“So, shall we try to sneak through, fight through, or bypass all together?” Noah asked.

“Even at night, I doubt we can slip our horses through that gate, so stealth is out, and we may be fugitives, but I don’t want to harm knights and soldiers either. Besides, doing so would bring even more attention and fury from the kingdom.”

“We’d have to backtrack to the village to find another road, and they’re surely blocked as well. Over the mountain, then?”

“It seems we’ll have to. But, hopefully, our presence will remain unnoticed.”

They chose the mountain that seemed most accessible for the horses and abandoned the road. They moved under cover of the trees, and when the ground sloped or became too arduous, Noah and Valia would dismount and lead their horses on the best route they could find. Birds chirped in the branches overhead, and insects clicked beneath their feet, but it was the larger animals they were focused on. Monsters ruled the wilderness and tended to attack anything they outnumbered or outweighed.

Danger soon found them as they were crossing a shallow brook, leading their horses by the reins across the slick rocks. Noah stopped when Valia, her pointed ears twitching, suddenly raised her hand.

“What is it?”

“Goblins, lying in wait. See those thick trees over there?”

“I’ll take care of them.”

Noah left his horse to Valia and activated his magic. As he walked through the creek, his mana spread across the water, hiding his steps and scent. Even when he stepped in the mud, his footprints didn’t appear. He hiked up the opposite bank and meandered his way to the trees Valia pointed out.

He found the goblins watching Valia and waiting for her to enter the range of her bows. These savages had the size and strength of children, but were armed with weapons and could take down large prey with their superior numbers.

He approached the first, standing by with a wooden club and waiting for the order to charge. It had no idea of Noah’s presence, not hearing his footfalls or the unsheathing of his sword. Nor did the other goblins hear his decapitation, only the slumping of its body onto the ground. Realizing one of their own was dead, they closed ranks, scanning for their hidden enemy. Noah dispatched them with several swings, his sword effortlessly slicing through flesh and bone. They didn’t even have a chance to block before dying.

As their butchered carcasses bled out onto the forest floor, Noah did a quick search of their possessions. Goblins were scavengers and loved anything shiny. Noah managed to collect a handful of coins, but found nothing special. After cleaning the goblin blood off his sword, he returned to Valia.

“All set?” she asked.

“Yep, let’s go.”

Noah and Valia resumed riding through the wilderness, eventually managing to exit the valley. Continuing west, they moved on and off the road whenever needed. Monsters occasionally attacked, but the two had enough strength and skill to handle any threat. Finally, with the sun setting, they turned their attention to finding a place to make camp. They came across the remains of an ancient settlement, just one of countless others scattered across the land. The wooden beams and floorboards had turned to dust long ago, and the few stone remnants had become thrones for the trees.

“Built by the elves?” Noah asked, brushing some moss off a protruding stone wall to examine the masonry.

“So close to Sylphtoria, there’s no question. Normally, elven architecture and stonework can stand the test of time, but this area has likely seen countless battles. If I remember correctly, these lands were once ruled by Thurin Eltoseer, an elf lord from the first age after the fall of the Enochians.”

“He was famous for taming a wyvern, I believe.”

“You know your history.”

“I practically lived in the academy library.”

They settled in the ruins of a stone building with one remaining corner still standing. While Valia set up camp, Noah went out to find their dinner, and as the sun began to dip, he returned with a rabbit and a sack full of scavenged ingredients. Valia built them a cozy shelter, one that would keep them warm and safe, as well as conceal their fire.

While the horses nibbled on grass, Noah skinned and butchered the rabbit. Next, he glazed it with a sauce made of edible berries, added some seasoning, and set it on a spit over the fire. He then took several wild mushrooms and sautéed them in a skillet, using a mixture of animal fat, lemon, and wild onions.

“This is ridiculously delicious. You remind me of David Covington III,” said Valia between bites, holding a cooked rabbit leg in one hand and a cup of wine in the other.

In preparation for this journey, all kinds of fruits and vegetables were dried using alchemy and rendered into powder for drinks and seasoning. The wine was similarly concentrated and could be added to water to create a potent drink.

“I figure I can afford the effort to step up my cooking in the wild,” replied Noah as he chewed on a mushroom.

“I imagine you have a great deal of cooking experience.”

“There were a few lifetimes where I was completely devoted to studying food, cultivating my knowledge of recipes and techniques until I was revered as a cooking god.”

“You’ve never come off as someone who cares about being the best in anything.”

“I’ve lived long enough to master just about every hobby, discipline, and field of study. I embraced the challenge of getting to the top to fight off boredom, like playing a game until I had won in every possible way.”

“I can understand that. I didn’t necessarily become a sword master out of boredom, but from a might-as-well mentality. Valon and I were already a hundred years old when the power of Zodiac manifested within us. From then on, you could say our path was laid out for us by the stars. We had to know where these powers would take us, what heights we could reach with them, what we would become once we mastered them, and why they were given to us.”

“You assumed they were given to you?”

“Well, I can’t pretend I never wondered if there was a reason for us to have the power of Zodiac, if it had been given to us for some noble purpose. Do you ever wonder why you have your illusion magic?”

“Not why, just how.”

“So you’ve never considered the possibility that your abilities were given to you?”

“It’s flawed reasoning to think that something you don’t understand is the result of a higher intelligence.”

“Do you believe in anything? Any kind of divinity or providence?”

“Let me put it this way: if you ask whether or not there is meaning in the universe, then the answer is either yes or no. It’s a 50/50 chance that meaning or divine will is in effect. If such meaning exists, then you have to elaborate on that meaning. You must consider the doctrine of every faith and every conceivable belief regarding the purpose of existence.