Chapter 46

Within a few days, word of a Wizard's Adventure Troop spread out among the teenagers of the estate. The estate manager told me that about fifteen teenagers had indicated an interest in the secret art training. The set of tools I mentioned were a Bolo, throwing nails and spring-daggers for disarming opponents. I felt the coming invasion of the island in my bones and this was just one element in my plan to build up a strong resistance force in our area. I wasn't training soldiers but I was shaping minds and building a certain esprit de corps. All the necessary tool orders were already on hand from local craftsmen. I'd received the shipments of Bolos quickly, since I put a premium price on an early delivery.

I continued my normal routine in the morning and in the afternoons I began helping some estate guards make ghillie suits. It wasn't long before a few marines started to take notice of our strange sewing and the nets. Our sewing circle grew bigger every day and my stories about elite warriors called rangers grew more detailed. We called in a few elderly fishermen and temple seamstresses to work on general purpose camouflage nets. A moment of inspiration had me run over to the manor smithy and put in a small order for a metal device. I checked back with the smith each day to look in on the progress of the spikes.

I tasked my hands with making further smoke bombs for our estate guards to use. The smoke-bolts didn't take long to produce and I concocted a number of bulky, smoke grenades too. The various threats to my family had me thinking and reconsidering gunpowder for the estate's use. Gunpowder availability was a huge decision, and I wasn't going to impulsively share the formula. Our supplies of the black powder in Juniper were rather meager and I wanted my homestead to have the larger supply. If the knowledge of gunpowder quickly spread, my little hamlet wouldn't be able to repulse an opponent with a larger economic base and population. Did I have enough other tricks to counter the current danger here? Having a fallback plan, even if it included a few black powder surprises, felt like a reasonable compromise. I gathered the required components and worked in a little time to build my surprises.

By the time the week was out, all the men had finished making their camouflage suits. Oddly enough, the mixture of marines and estate guards, whom I thought of as Special Forces men, bandied around the name of ranger and wolf for themselves. They bluntly asked me to settle the disagreement on their name, so I announced they were my rangers.

I turned the training of the new rangers more towards concealment and hidden movement maneuvers. They loved the challenge of sneaking up on unsuspecting estate guards, accustomed to the usual boring routine of patrolling the estate. After a few humorous incidents of lazy guards being tied up and put on display before the temple, a change came over the estate, with all the guards becoming more attentive and aware of their surroundings. The new ghillie-suited warriors became feared by the common man. The net effect was better training for my hand-picked men; and vigilant estate guards as well.

A weathered voice called out his approval, "You inspire these men, Von." Hajin looked particularly pleased how close our ranger-marines were able to get, before he spotted them during an evening meal on the back patio of the manor.

"Thank you, Hajin. That is high praise, but it is these ranger-marines that achieved the surprise and earned your praise," I answered.

"An effective leader praises his men. You create new tools that will surprise many on the battlefield. These Wolf Rangers, as they privately call themselves, are another new tool you present to me," Hajin clarified, while pointing to the trio of camouflaged men surrounding the patio. The three men rose and stood in the high grass, only ten feet away, listening to us with smiles on their faces.

"Your praise honors us all," I said, half-laughing with embarrassment. "Hajin is a true warrior's mentor," I thought.

We discussed the teen group I'd started and the nature of the new skirmish weapon they were learning. Hajin liked my ideas for how the bolos could take down fleeing men or disrupt a horse charge and we swapped banter over our meal. We were all but done when Katsu came out in her sheer temple dress. This was the first time Hajin had seen the Port Lord's ex-wife in months and he looked shocked.

Our regular bonding was indisputably clear, Katsu's skin and cleave now looked younger. The nanomites' makeover had transformed her body into prime health, just like Derwen's magical adjustments. My new lover's allure was three-fold more apt to raise my base instinct since her breasts had become perky and her muscle tone now rivaled her daughter's more youthful suppleness. Lady Katsu's entire outlook on life had turned when I had stopped assaulting her with my anger and shifted to dominating her with my body magic. Katsu's change of fortune also seemed to increase the raw sexual energy in the household. Every day the staff saw and felt the newly unleashed passion from Katsu as she fell back into her temple training like a hungry lioness on the hunt.

"Lady Katsu, I was just departing. If you'll excuse me, I must complete an inspection. Good day to you. " Hajin said, his face quickly turning to me with a searching glance. The mercenary commander retreated hastily with the rangers around the side of the house. His rapid speech and quicker departure had Katsu beaming with pride.

"Your new figure and lovely attire has defeated a mighty commander. He is unaccustomed to an assault of such beauty," I quipped, a broad grin growing wider.

"Master, it is so freeing to display your body magic. I love showing other men what they can't have, flaunting your ownership and command over me. I enjoyed seeing the great Hajin the Silent so stunned," Katsu answered, pulling me into a passionate kiss.

She whispered in my ear, "Derwen and I have decided it is high time we directly experience the pleasures of your flesh together. We know you are ready, so my younger sister sent me to collect you." Lady Katsu was as clever as her sister and I'd learned my new lover's meticulous chronicling of my quiver's availability and recharge times. Our mindlink had grown since we consummated our union under the willow tree and with Derwen in residence, an emotional triangle of connected souls dominated all our waking moments. I felt each sister's stream of emotions, as it ranged to wonderful highs and down to teary lows. With Derwen's powerful emotional link I'd enjoyed a series of feelings that can only be described as pinnacle moments of bliss. Now with Katsu in the link, the feedback from intimate moments was breathtakingly beautiful, as the love and affection from both sisters bathed me during my manly release.

"I am sure we will all find this a productive and pleasurable experience," I promised as she took my hand and guided me upstairs.

We all slept well that night.

As the sun spread its rays over the horizon, I awoke rested and refreshed. In the predawn light, I observed the sisters as they slept back-to-back off each side of me. I had to turn my head left then right to capture the view of them in their repose. My mind turned to decipher the images of my nightly dream, which informed me of rain showers for the day. I resolved to work with the temple guards today, reviewing the usage of the spring-loaded weapons I'd purchased from the traveling smith for them. I'd barely had time to stretch and yawn when Mercedes and Weaver flew into the room; the door crashing against the wall, shocking my lovers from their sleep.

Both temple maidens were crying tears that streaked their faces as they each jumped on the bed, crawling up to me. I had no idea what youthful problem they wanted to deposit upon me, and Derwen's and Katsu's emotional surprise was forced on me from our link making it harder to keep my focus. Derwen pulled herself back against the bedpost, arms crossing with irritation at the disruption to her sleep while Katsu just sat up in bed, more worried than surprised at the loud intrusion to our rest.