Out of time

Riddle me this: http://pastebin.com/4ycQ7PrU
King of the Ring: http://pastebin.com/2zT6N11S
The Great Hunt: http://pastebin.com/taTBYKtw
On the Dice roll: http://pastebin.com/3tEQFwMD
Rat Problem: http://pastebin.com/X38sN277
----
“Pupils glowing a hue of purple...” The doctor stood before me, his fingers stretching my eyelids away as he examined my eyes. His beaked white mask and cloak were unsettling, like a plague doctor from the dark ages. But he spoke with confidence and didn't stutter his words, the only doctor in the entire area and, thankfully, he was a good one.

“Veins are a similar colour... Heartbeat increase spontaneously, struggles to control libido, patient has admitted to tasting grapes and olives in his breath...Hurm...” The doctor listed off all of my conditions, tapping the beak of his mask and looking up into the air.

“So, what is it Doc?” I asked him, clearly nervous.

Wolfgang, the captain of the town guard stood at the other side of the room. Like Gunther, he was one of the only humans in this world that came close to an actual friend. He had his arms crossed, glaring at me with furrowed brows, like he already knew the answer.

“One final test.” The doctor spoke up, picking up an apple and tossing it up once before catching it in the same hand again. He handed it to me and stood back. “Could you squeeze this for me?”

I looked at him and shrugged, spinning the apple in my hand once before giving it a squeeze. It splattered underneath the pressure of my grip, sending juice and pulp into the air. I jumped back with a resounding “Jesus!”, nearly falling off the chair I was sitting in.

“Holy hell...” Wolfgang cursed, standing straight and uncrossing his arms.

“And enhanced strength.” The doctor added like it was nothing. “Clear signs of demonic poisoning.”

“Wait wait wait wait!” I coughed. “Hold up! Demonic poisoning!?”

The doctor paused, looking over to Wolfgang and then back to me with a shrug. “That is what I said, yes.”

“I don't understand.” I admitted. “Are you saying I'm going to turn into an Incubus?”

“Oh, no.” The doctor tried to reassure me, waving his hand dismissively. “Demonic curse leads to an Incubus, you are poisoned.”

“I'm not following you, doc. Whats the difference?”

He sighed. “A curse attaches itself to your soul, it corrupts and changes it completely to suit the needs of whomever cursed you. For you, the demonic energy is in your blood, with less subtle effects as you can clearly see.”

I looked at him with a raised brow, he sighed again.

“A demonic curse finds passage way through...Well...The Penis. From what you told me, your little intruders dropped concentrated energy into your mouth.”

“I think I follow.” I said, nodding. “But what does that mean.”

The doctor went quiet, a deathly silence fell in the air.

“It means your turning into a husk.”

My mouth went agape, I didn't need to be the most renowned scholar to know what a husk is.

“You have a week, two at most.” he informed me. “By then most of your reasoning in your brain will have turned off. You'll be wandering the lands looking for demon realms, your mind wanting only intercourse until you starve to death...”

“It means.” Wolfgang interrupted, his face grim. “Your going to turn into a walking dildo.”

I gulped the dryness from my throat, my heart tingling and my legs weak with fear. “W-what do I do!? There has to be something I can do!”

“Calm down, my boy. Calm down!” The doctor commanded. “Luckily for you, there is a cure.”

I let out a sigh of relief, chuckling and tapping my forehead with my palm, unaware that he was going to continue.

“Unluckily for you. The main ingredients for the concoction needed, Whitegale, only grows in one place...”

My smile quickly turned into a frown once again. “Whitegale forest...” I muttered, looking up at him with defeated eyes.

“Whitegale forest.” Wolfgang repeated. “That's three days out on horseback.”
“And right through Ecclesiarchy territory...” The doctor added.

The doctor began to pace around the room, his hands locked behind his back.
“If he passed by anyone they would see his condition right away. He would be strung up and hung before the night is done...”

Wolfgang looked off to the corner in thought. He bit his upper lip and sighed before looking back at us.

“Not unless he goes through Cartuga...”

My eyes darted between the doctor and Wolfgang. “Why, whats going on in Cartuga?”

Wolfgang looked down on me and sighed.

“A few months ago, Cartuga's ruling house was violently put down during a bloody coup, the rival house of Hule was brought to throne. Hule was always known for its piety and they have a big enough force of fanatics to hold to their claim. As their first act, Hule was backed by the Ecclesiarch to call for a Crusade against their northern neighbours, Vellond, and bring back Tiberius Crom's head on a pike.”

I thought on his words, standing up from my chair with new hope. “So what you're saying is-”

“Emperor Crom caught wind of their little plan and struck first. Last we heard the entire northern front of Cartuga was under the Legions control.” Wolfgang explained.

I couldn't help but smile. Though he scared the living shit out of me, Tiberius was a surprisingly reasonable man, even if he was unbelievably cocky. “The Butcher of Ardok” as they called him was from Earth like myself, but I may never know just how he became so colossal in stature or so powerful physically.

“Then that's where I'm going.” I said confidentially. “I like my odds better with the Legion around more than the church and its endless supply of inquisitors and flagellants.”

I moved towards the door, stopping to reach into my pockets to pay the doctor. He took the coins in hand, rustling them once in his palm before nodding.
“Wait!” he shouted, stopping me in my tracks. “It would probably be wise to warn you...To not have any...Fornication while your out on your quest. It only makes the poison work faster...And well, we all know that's what you're known for.”

I looked at him blankly, my body still frozen in a running position.
“Wait, I'm known for having sex?” I asked.

“With monsters...” He corrected me. “Your famous for having sex with monsters.”

My limbs dropped back to a neutral position. “What, seriously?”

“Yes.” Wolfgang added. “You're like a five coin prostitute around these parts.”

“Really!?”

“And your name travelled fast around the monster community.” The doctor said with a impressed tone. “Its not often you hear of a man that has relations with monsters so casually. They're usually dead or taken, you're quite the catch, Marcus. So try to stay out of sight.”

“Don't the wilder ones just whisk away their 'husbands' anyway?” I asked him.

“Yes, but for one to do it willingly, a “heretic” as the church would brand them is quite a surprise.”

Wolfgang added to the conversation. “For a lot of monsters, not having to tie down their 'husbands' and living life like an actual family is a fairy tale come true.”

I stood in silence, the realization of their words baring down on me. I was treating these monsters- these women, like they were there solely for pleasure. Chances are the ones I had been with have some feelings for me...

The doctor charged forward, pushing at me with his hands. “Now go! Go! We've kept you long enough!”


I burst through the door, turning towards my home just outside of town, I had to grab supplies and leave immediately, I didn't have time to spare and my condition would only get worse over the days.

“Marcus!” Wolfgang called back, following me from the doctors office.

I turned back to him, eager to run back to my house and get the hell going. Wolfgang knew this all too well and didn't waste his words.

“Grab your things, get to the guard station, I'll make sure a horse will be ready to go as soon as you get there.”

“You sure about this?” I asked him.

“I'll fill out the paper work later!” He said as he turned to run to his guard station. “You get your ass moving!”

I nodded, leaving a trail of dust behind me as I sprinted towards my home atop its hill outside of town. What would have taken the wind completely out of me didn't phase me one bit this time around. The effects of the poisonings early stages were very obvious and very misleading. Its no wonder so many people fell under its curse so easily. I've never felt so in shape in my life, though my year of mercenary work and hard labour did wonders for my body, this was incredible. Even the hill leading up to my house didn't slow me down.

I stopped my spring at the porch, brushing myself off and opening the door. Food, water, medical supplies, and weapons are what I would need for this journey. When I entered my living room I was instantly greeted by the sound of humming from a familiar voice. My heart sank in my chest as I heard it coming from the kitchen.

I turned the corner to find Cleo in an apron, dusting my counters and tables, her tail wagging playfully behind her. Her ears perked up on her head, turning towards me with a big smile.

“Oh, Marcus!” She exclaimed happily. “You weren't home, so I thought I would surprise you by cleaning up everywhere!”

“G'uh...” I gulped, watching her as she turned back to dust. My eyes were fixated on her figure and form, her bottom shapely underneath her wagging orange tail. Unable to control myself, I stepped forward and closed the distance, wrapping my arms around her.

She gasped in surprise, her paws dropping her duster before pressing against my wrists.
“Well aren't you feisty today.” She said with a giggle.

I took in her scent deeply, my arms moving across her chest until I cupped her breasts in each hand. She purred and pressed herself firmer against me, her tails brushing against my legs. I fondled them lovingly, licking her neck and cheek as if I were tasting a fine delicacy. I began to squeeze her breasts, not nibbling at the skin of her neck, my breath becoming more desperate and frantic.

“Marcus...” Cleo suddenly whimpered, struggling against my grip. “Marcus, you're hurting me!”

Her words seemed to get through to me. I instinctively let go with my left hand and slammed it against my jaw, pulling myself away from her with a almost animistic growl. I tripped over my kitchen chairs, slamming down and rolling off the side of my table.

“Marcus!” Cleo cried, running to my side.

“Cleo...” I groaned, my head pressed against the wood floor. “Cleo, I'm not doing so good.”

I looked up at her, the purple of my eyes glowing brighter than they did before. She gasped arched back, bringing her paws to her mouth. “Your poisoned!” She cried, reaching out with her right paw as if to touch my shoulder.

“I gotta go...” I said to her, looking up with desperate eyes. “I gotta get to Whitegale forest and get some stuff for the doc... He can fix me up.”

“I'll come with you!” Cleo insisted, ready to stand up and march out that door with me at a moments notice.

“No!” I ordered. With a big gulp and a cough, I stood up to my knees, putting my hands on each of her cheeks. The doctors words were heavy in my mind, and this proved it. I meant something to her...

“Its too dangerous to have you with me...” I told her, my voice still horsed. “Its hard enough to control myself right now. If I lose that control, I don't know what I'll do.”

“Marcus...” Cleo whined, tears welling in her eyes. She covered my hands with her paws, sniffling.

I pulled her in, pressing my forehead against hers. I was afraid to know what would happen if I did anything else, and I wasn't willing to risk it.

“I'll be back, okay?” I tried to reassure her, brushing her cat ear with my hand. “You stay here and watch over everything. And I'll be back.”

Cleo's lip trembled. She looked down on the ground and shook her head. I pulled myself away from her and stood up, taking in a deep breath before bolting up the stairs in the living room. I threw on my hoodie as soon as I saw it, its patches of improvised leather boasted my past battles proudly. My sword, a hunk of iron smashed into what you could call a blade has served me well this past year. I tied the scabbard to my belt tightly as if it were my life line.

Bracers, I bought them months ago but never bothered to use them for one reason or another, this time I wasn't taking any chances. They fit tightly, leaving no room to wobble or fall off. I grabbed my pack from the floor, running through the house and grabbing medical supplies and other things that might come in handy. I grabbed anything that would last the journey in my kitchen, looking at the bucket of meat buns on the counter. With a “Fuck it.” I grabbed two and threw them in my bag.

I was prepared, I had everything I needed and I threw myself out the door. I stopped right away, Cleo was standing at the bottom of my porch, her paws locked in front of her as she looked towards the ground. This Sphinx was the first girl I had been with when I got to this world, and she may be also the first girl I've hurt. How could I have been so stupid? I walked to her side, looking at her one more time before giving her a smile.

“I'll be back, I promise...” I told her with a scratch behind the ear. “You wait and see.”

Cleo looked up at me, wiping the tears from her eyes and giving me the best smile she could muster. With a final nod, I ran down the hill, not stopping until I reached my next destination.

I blazed through town at top speeds, dodging the foot traffic the best I could from street to street. Many people and monster simply got out of the way of the human battering ram while others tried to stop me for one reason or the other only to be toppled over with a loud “Sorry!” before I continued my march.

The guard station was just ahead, a horse already prepped with a saddle with Wolfgang holding to its reins. He spotted me right away and moved in a fashion so that I could get on to the horse.

“Its the fasted horse we got!” Wolfgang yelled. I leaped on to its back without missing a beat, sticking my feet into the stirrups and preparing myself to guide the beast.

“Don't wait for me!” Wolfgang barked. “You don't got time for goodbyes! Go! Go! Go!”

I nodded, kicking at the horses sides until it was in full gallop, within seconds I was outside of the town and distanced from it, following the road surrounded by green fields. Whitegale forest, it was monster territory to be sure, but more than that. In that forest, it may still stand. The box that was once my apartment bedroom lying in the grass and bushes and trees. The last piece of my life I left behind without second thought, I hope I have time to return there, and pick up some of the old pieces I forgot.

--
In the entire year I've spent in this world, I have come to the conclusion that there really isn't much to do on your down time outside of walk around, sleep, or read. Although their language in similar to mine, their alphabet is completely different. I took it upon myself to learn to read and write their language, and thankfully outside of a few remote locations, reading isn't just a thing reserved for nobility.

Until forty years ago, Vellond was the universal name for the region in the north where the woodsmen and mountain folk resided. At the time, they were primitive to their southern cousins, even to the church and their stagnated ways. A confederacy of loosely allied tribes that came to one another's aids in times of strife and nothing else.  They lived in huts, had no settlement larger than a two hundred people, and generally kept to themselves.

What they did have over their rivals was their weaponry. The steel they used to forge their swords and spears and axes were leagues ahead of their competitors. Looking closely, you could see whee the steel was segmented together, giving the weapon a sort or runic design.

The Vellond people's lives continued as usual, they hunted, they gathered, they raised their young, and occasionally, they fended off their enemies that saw them as nothing more than savages to be subjugated. This pattern continued until Tiberius Crom appeared from nowhere.

When the Ironhawk tribe's chieftain finally passed away, they were met with a problem. There was no heir to the position and the idea of the tribe splitting was no longer as far fetched as originally believed when more and more ambitious tribesmen stepped up to the plate. But when the day came when the Ironhawks prepared to bring steel to each others throats, Tiberius Crom appeared and bested anyone who dared stand against him, proclaiming himself the new chieftain of the tribe.

In the span of a year, Tiberius marched his new found force from tribe to tribe, subduing all who stood in his way. Many even joined him willingly, seeing him as a beacon of light that would pull the Vellond people from darkness. All who resisted Crom's rule was crushed, and the survivors were taken in as his people like nothing had happened. Soon, the assassination attempts and declarations of war ceased, and Tiberius Crom declared himself ruler of all, creating the Empire of Vellond.

The ways of old were gone, soon the people erected cities of stone, their roads bricked and their walls fortified. In as short as fifteen years, Emperor Crom had not only modernized the Vellond people, but surpassed their southern neighbours in many ways.

Exactly twenty years ago, south of the Vellond boarder, there was a forest infamous for its gathering of Amazon tribes. No one was ever able to dislodge these monster women and soon they paid dearly. The Amazon warrior A'kahna, brought the warring tribes under one banner and declared herself Warrior Queen. With the promise of new opponents to fight and new men to rape, her army set up and brought nation after nation to the sword.

With her numbers swelling and her thirst for both violence and sex never quenched, A'kahna marched her armies into Vellond's boarders, and Emperor Crom rode out to meet her. And after a year of bitter fighting, A'kahna had finally met her fate at the axe head of Crom himself, bringing her armies and campaign to their knees. The Vellond legions quickly expanded into A'kahnas conquered territories and subjugated them for themselves.

The traditional practice of “Holy armies” would be to hang or burn these Amazons at the stake. But Crom gave them two choices. They could either disperse and find a new place in life, banished from their homes. Or they could swear loyalty to Vellond, and adopt her culture and practices as citizens. Most of them accepted the latter.

This event is the spearhead as to why Vellond is so hated today by the church, seeing the military juggernaut as heretical and blasphemous. Not that this has stopped Crom's rule. Vellond has no expanded its boarders since that war, vouching rather to simply wait for their enemies to come to them and then consume their territories rightly after they are crushed. The best defence is a impenetrable offence, it seems.

--
I followed the road west for the first three days only stopping to sleep or piss or allow my horse to rest. The place I called home was far behind me now, and I had no choice but to trek forward. The sky above was an ominous grey, the sun barely visible behind the thick smog. I had passed the boarder into Cartuga the night before, and the roads were understandably empty.  Not even a bird in the sky, it was eerily silent, save for the grunts of my horse.

“Still got a long ways to go, don't we?” I asked the horse, who of course didn't answer me. Not that I would be surprised at this point if it did.

I gazed on ahead, the road escalating up a rather intimidating looking hill.
“Well, shit.” I cursed, hopping off my horse and grabbing my pack. “Not going to make you hoof it up there with me on your back.”

“Get it?” I asked the horse, patting its side. “Hoof it?”
“Yeah, you're right, it wasn't that funny anyways...”

I held on to the horses reins, leading it up the hill. My feet slipped and strained constantly, causing the horse to stop to let me get back to my feet.

“Just a couple more steps...” I groaned, pulling myself up with my free hand until I finally broke the slope of the hill.

My sigh of victory was taken over by a feeling of dread instantly. Below me stood a graveyard, the crows circling over head and their caws a constant. Hundreds, possibly thousands of bodies strewn across the fields below, banners of war protruding defeated from the ground.

I was suddenly struck by the smell of death the moment I began my descent from the top of the hill, a sickly stench of blood and guts waited for me. Many of the slain had barely any equipment to speak of, their armour consisted of petty metal bands or leather bindings. The ones with chain mail or, rarely, plate mail didn't seem to fare much better. Their weapons were pathetic, broken swords banded together with metal clamps, and spears that were simple sticks with sharp objects at the end of them. This was a volunteer force if I've ever seen one, pious men who were promised victory but were only granted death for their arrogance.

Very few of what I suspected to be their opponents strewn over the fields, large figures in intimidating armour lay on the ground as well as their enemies, their swords were large, sharp, and intimidating and their square shields were reminiscent of the Roman Scutum from earth. Their uniforms carried the mark of the legion, obviously something pulled their comrades away before they could retrieve their dead.

A morbid curiosity got the better of me, glaring down at the legionary's corpse. I got down to one knee, looking over the corpses onyx coloured armour, the war hammer still gripped in his hand was still ordained with the guts of his last victim. I placed my hand on the visor of his helmet and pushed it upwards. The being inside was definitely human, a man in his later stages of life, a tragedy that he had to die out here of all places.

“Human, huh?” I said to myself, closing his visor and stepping away from him. My eyes gazed upon the fields of the dead for another legionnaire, spotting him not far from the last.

I made my way to the corpse, careful to not slip on the blood slicked grass below or trip on the corpses in my way. I knelled down beside this one as I did the last, pushing up the visor of the dead warrior to examine his face.

Only it wasn't a him, it was a her. A brown skinned woman with silver hair, her eyes lifeless and cold. She had pointed ears pressed back by her helmet, and her sword was had a more tribal look to it.

“Amazonian...” I muttered, closing the visor. Tiberius didn't seem to have a problem with non-humans in his army, his speech of equality between the two races seemed to be sincere.

It was time to get back to my horse, standing up from the corpse. I was then suddenly hit by excruciating pain in my knee, crying out in pain as my right leg crumbled under me. I fell to a knee, the only one refusing to bend. A javelin pierced the back of my knee and shattered the cap completely, the metal jabbing through my flesh and skin.

“No...” I cried to myself. “No! No! No! Damn it no!”

“What're 'ave here, then?” A voice asked, I could hear them approaching from behind, though there wasn't much I could do.

By the sounds of it, there was three of them. They begin to circle around me, one staying at my back and the other a few steps to my front, the last one standing only inches away.

“Some poor cretin pocketing from the dead?”

I didn't answer him, I was in too much pain to say anything. The man crouched down to my level and slapped me upside my head.

“Well, t'aint yer lucky day.” He mocked me, his buddies laughing. “As punishment, I thinks we're jus' gonna take what y'got on yeh and leave y'here to die.”

I could feel a sudden burning in my heart, an unbearable pain in my chest that I couldn't seem to shake. My teeth gritted until the gums underneath them bled, filling my mouth with my own blood.

“So, what're you 'ave to say fer yerself?”

I threw my head upwards to look at him, barely a tooth in his mouth, his face was fat and dirty and he smelt of booze and piss. He wore a cotton tunic, covered in god knows what and he was carrying a regular hatched in his right hand.

His eyes widened as he noticed the purple glow in mine, opening his mouth to call out to his boys, but I wouldn't let him. My right hand wrapped around the back of his head, pressing firmly against his skull while my left smashed into his mouth. I felt his jaw crumble under the pressure. He didn't even have time to scream before I twisted his neck.

His cervical vertebrae snapped with a sickening pop, his head twisting backwards until what was left of his jaw could touch his back. I was splattered in the face with his blood, something that only seemed to aggravate me further. He gurgled once before falling backwards, giving me enough time to wrap my fingers around the javelin and tear it from the back of my knee.

I didn't even feel the pain, nor did I understand how I was standing again, but I didn't care. I turned to the one behind me, who was stumbling for the dagger at his side. I threw the javelin and caught him in the chest, the man let out a yelp of pain as it pierced his heart and anchored him against the ground.

The last was already on the run, bumbling and slipping his way passed the bodies and blood. I grabbed the hatchet from the body of the first man and strong armed it as much as I did the javelin. The hatchet met its mark with expert precision, cleaving into the mans skull and stumping at the neck. The body stumbled on its feet before tripping over another corpse.

I began to pant with exhaustion, falling over and looking up into the sky.

“Its getting worse...” I wheezed out the words. “I can feel it getting worse.”

I looked down at my knee and expected the worst, only to find exposed skin stained with blood, but no wound to speak of. My kneecap was perfectly formed in its original position and I could stand with no pain. An ability I would much like to keep, but not at the expense of my own free will.

I spent too long here, and I don't want to know how much of my blood was boiled with that little encounter. I began to feel uncomfortable now, a constant tingling coursing through my skin that put me at unease.

With the field of corpses cleared, I dashed off with my horse in the direction of Whitegale.

I gained distance from the battlefield, not willing to be caught up in anyone else that was coming that way. It was miles behind me in the time span of two hours, and I didn't look back. Every now and then I found myself having trouble breathing, a strange sensation flew through my loins and I was constantly thinking about sex or past sexual experiences. My condition was getting worse, that battle sent my adrenaline through the roof, and I don't know how much time I cut from my chance of making it to Whitegale and back.

My mind was lost in thought, I didn't even notice the man and his horse yards ahead until I was too close. He noticed me as I got too close, standing from the roots he was inspecting and drawing his bow.

“Halt!” he ordered. I stopped my horse immediately, throwing my hands up in the air. A javelin in the knee was manageable with my tempoary abilites, but I wasn't going to risk seeing what a broadhead would do to my brain at this range.

“Under who's banner do you march?” The bearded man asked me, his green eyes gazing at me from under his hood.

“I-” I stuttered my words trying to keep myself calm. “I'm just a traveller is all, sir.”

The mans eyes scanned me, stepping closer to me with his bow still at the ready.

“This war has made these lands ripe for the picking by cretins. How do I know you're not a highwayman?”

“Look.” I exhaled the word, taking deep breaths to help me maintain my composure. “I understand your suspicions. But I'm sick, really sick. I need to get to whitegale as-”

“Whitegale?” The archer interrupted, taking a step beside my horse and examining my eyes.

“You have demonic poisoning!” He stated the obvious.

“Yeah, that's why I need to get to Whitegale as soon as possible.”

He looked me in the eyes, unflinching and lowering his bow. With a sigh he stepped away from my horse.

“This road has become the front line for both Cartuga and Imperial forces across the province.” he explained, pointing down the path. “There aren't many of the former on the road for obvious reasons. But if you do see a patrol or a march, it would be wise to hide yourself or cover your eyes. The new regime doesn't look to fondly to types like you.”

The archer grabbed his horse by the reins and stepped aside, presenting the road to me. I couldn't help but stare at him before he shrugged and actually presented me the road with a gesture of his hand.

“U-uh, thanks.” I coughed, galloping off with my horse and leaving the man behind me.

The war had stabilized itself across the roads, according to the archer. This road is relatively deep into Cartuga, which means Tiberius wasn't pulling his punches, not that I see him as the kind to do so. I could see from the corpses on the ground a few miles back that the average Vellond man is a statue compared to Cartuga's fighting forces. Years of traversing mountains and enduring harsh weather must do numbers on a mans body.

The day was coming to an end and the sun was going down. I didn't want to take my chances on the road at night with whatever could be lurking in the dark. I found myself in a hamlet connected to the road just as the sun was fading away over the hill tops. It consisted of six houses and a well off to the side, deathly silent and not comforting. The hamlet was abandoned by its small population, must have fled when they heard both the Legion and the Cartuga army was marching towards them.

“Hello!?” I called out just to be safe.

Nothing, not peaks from the windows nor the slamming of doors. The hamlet was completely deserted, must not be of strategic value. The hamlet had a very quaint inn, it couldn't have anymore than three rooms inside of it. I approached the door and found it ajar, the entrance littered with pieces of clothing and tools, someone must have left in a hurry.

“Guess rent is free tonight.” I joked as I pulled a key from the wall, making my way into the first room and throwing my things on the ground. Sleep in an actual bed seems like the right idea.

I made extra sure my door was locked, even going as far as to put anything heavy and would make a noise if it was opened in front of it. The idea of maybe a soldier or a vagabond walking into my room while I was sleeping worried me, but the idea of some brave monster that hid among Cartuga for so long finding me and having a little fun worried me more, I didn't plan to turn any time soon and time was running out.

Sleep was harsh, constantly waking up in cold sweats or unbearable aching. I got what sleep I could, but I knew I couldn't keep this up, I was beginning to think that this was a one way trip. I sat up in my bed, pressing my palm against my forehead. The sun was just barely poking out over the hill, dawning the morning dew in a orange light. It was time to go.

I ate little and got back on my horse, who seemed to be unhappy with the hours I chose to wake him. Still, we couldn't stay here.

Hours passed with only the sounds of galloping hooves to break the silence. I was lost in thought once more, trying to keep my mind off perverse imagery. I thought about what I was going to do if-...When I cured myself. Probably take a really long nap, maybe have a drink and then take a nap, or have a long bath and take a nap. One way or another that god damn nap was happening!

My train of thought was rudely interrupted by the sudden change in the air. It put the horse at an unease and filled me with my own sense of dread. Even from this distance I could hear the sounds of shouting, crashing, and marching feet.

“Careful now, boy.” I ordered the horse, galloping him along off the beaten path and into the fields.

We found a hill looking over the landscapes below, off in the distance I spotted the source of all the chaos. Two armies stood facing one another for what seemed like miles. Thousands of men from Cartuga prepared to clash with the soldiers of the Imperial legions.

To my left was the Cartuga army. Men wearing tabards dawning the holy symbol of the church roused themselves for combat. Their captains shouting words of encouragements to the cheering of their men. In the centre of their lines, six priests stood atop an altar on wheels, reading from the holy book and casting the men below in incense while while a few raggedy looking men pushed the altar guarded by its own unit of soldiers wielding spears and kite shields. The army was set up more like a tidal wave of men than an actual cohesive force. Pockets of soldiers wearing similar tabards stood shoulder to shoulder all throughout the line, it was clear that they were all picked from different locations.

The Cartugan knights galloped through what little openings there were in the giant mass of soldiers, their armour gleaming against the sun breaking through the clouds above. Distance was kept from the mad men flagellants, their bodies practically nude and covered in scars with only a few holy scriptures pressed against their flesh with hot wax seals. They carried anything that you could consider a weapon, from broken sword hilts to pitchforks to maces to kitchen knives, I could hear their babbling from here.

I remembered the spy glass that was always sitting in my back pack, pulling it from its resting place and bringing it to my eye for a better view. Trebuchets were firing off into the field between the two, as if hoping one would get a lucky shot and smash into the enemy lines. Neither were at range for any of the boulders to be accurate just yet.

To my right, Cartuga's challengers seemed like a much more imposing force. Their lines were split into regiments, their thick armour daring their enemies to strike. The legionaries stood shoulder to shoulder proudly, their long swords that would need to be held by both hands for most men rested confidentially in each of their grips. On their left arm was a shield held by the knuckles, a tower shield not so different from the ones used by their Roman counterparts back on earth. And like the Romans, each of the Legionaries on the front seemed to be carrying a rather imposing javelin, much larger than the one that was stuck in my knee yesterday.

With my spy glass I spotted the lines of missile infantry behind them. Archers in lines four men deep, even from here I could spot the elves among their ranks. To each flank of the battle lines was a rather boastful amount of horsemen, heavy Calvary would be like a wrecking ball on the field today.

Vellond's strength lied in both its heavy infantry and its Calvary, though their long bows were nothing to scoff at either. Though it didn't take a genius to tell that there was more behind this strength and discipline than just training. There had to be more to the Imperial Legions than just hard work for them to be this powerful physically.

My spy glass trailed further back the lines, past the reserve auxiliary and engineers to atop an overlooking cliff just high enough to get a full view of the battlefield. And there stood Emperor Tiberius Crom, The Butcher of Ardok himself. My eye scanned over him and his cohort, his face concealing helmet looking straight ahead and waiting for the inevitable. Then he suddenly perked his head upwards like he just noticed something, and slowly he arched his head to his left towards me.

He was gazing right at me through the dark of his helmet, though I couldn't see them I knew our eyes were locked. Without even a second beat, Tiberius simply waved his arm in front of his chest as if to say “Don't come any closer.” before looking back at the field.

The sudden blowing of horns caught me off guard, the earth trembled with the sudden cheers and cries of the Cartugan force, stomping their feet and smashing their shields while they taunted their Vellond counterparts. I could hear one of their holy men shout from this distance, though I couldn't make out what he said. And with one final war cry and wave of a knights sword, the army charged forward, arrows flying through the air as they did so.

They were more like a mess of brawlers than an army, pulling and pushing at one another while gaining on the stone cold wall of swords in front of them. They seemed to ignore the rocks smashing into their ranks, sending men off their feet or crushing them against the ground, you really didn't need to aim your war machines when your enemy was so mobbed together.

Halfway through the field now and the casualties were already showing, men tripping over bodies as they tried to get at the clearly superior force. An elf behind the ranks of swordsmen shouted as both men and monster nocked their bows. The strings were pulled back and after another shout, the arrows were set loose into the air.

On earth, there was a battle during the Hundreds years war at Crecy. Many historians debate exactly how the battle went, but it was certain that the English bowmen stood out from the rest of the army. The French expected to fight a standard battle, only to receive arrow after arrow in their bodies. The Welsh Longbow meant a greater range against whatever the French could field at the time. The Vellond  equivalent was no different.

The arrows rained down against the Cartugans, dropping them in rows as arrows pierced their chest, limbs, and skull. Still they pressed on, doing whatever they could to defend themselves against the barrage of arrows with whatever they mustered as a shield. And even through the rows of their own dead, the Cartugans managed to close the distance even further, only to face another hail of projectiles.

The legionaries raised the javelins and let fly, sometimes even nabbing two Cartugans for one javelin. This was all I needed to see to know that I would rather take my chances with a Lizardman than fight one of these guys. Their arm strength was amazing, inhuman even, that they could push someone of their feet like it was a shotgun round even from that distance.

The Flagellants were the first to close the final gap, waving their weapons in the air and screaming like mad men before crashing into the shield wall brought up by the Legionaries. What came next was nothing short of a massacre.

The Legionaries moved expertly with their weapons, cutting through men like a scythe cut through wheat. I spotted a man being stabbed in the stomach by a Vellond long sword only for him to be thrown  over head of the Legionary, flinging him and his newly relieved intestines through the air.

The legion pressed its own advance, the edges of their shields finding marks in men's stomachs or faces before delivering the final sword blow. The lines thinned out to let through a new wave of soldiers, these ones carrying war hammers in hand instead of a sword, destroying shields and skulls alike.

Not long after, the Cartugan line began to waver. The final blow was the pincer by the Vellond Calvary that crushed them at both sides. Within minutes after that, the horde dispersed and fled for their lives in all directions with the horsemen hot on their trail. Just as fast as it started, the battle was over. From what I understood, before the coup Cartuga boasted a rather impressive contingent of Men at Arms before most of them were either banished or executed for being loyal to the true king. Maybe if the new guy could have boasted the same, then maybe they could have held their own in this fight. Instead all they could offer were farmers turned soldiers and raving lunatics led by primpers on horse back.

“Marcus.” A voice suddenly called out. I nearly fell off my horse with a sharp yelp, looking to my side. A Vellond soldier on horseback stood before me.

“Jesus Christ, man!” I wheeze. “Scared the shit out of me!”

“My Emperor:Tiberius Crom, wishes to have a word with you.”

I was led to a command tent not far from the cliff side Tiberius was overlooking. Inside was a table with a cloth map of Cartuga and the surrounding areas. Each wall was guarded by a Legionnaire in ceremonial armour and commanders and scouts of all kinds were bustling around trying to get one thing to another.

 “You're far from home...” Tiberius stated, looking up from the map. “And I don't believe you would risk a war zone to bring me a gem.”

“Well, no Emperor Crom, I'm still trying to work on that...” I told him.

Tiberius stared at me, now that I wasn't a battlefield away he could get a good look. “You're sick...” he stated bluntly.

“Yeah... Demonic poisoning.”

“So, you're heading to Whitegale, then.” He asked me, handing the map to one of his subordinates.

“Yeah...”

“If you hurry on, you can be there by nightfall.” he informed me, lifting his axe from its spot on the ground.

“But that would imply my patrols wouldn't stop you every step of the way.”

Tiberius beckoned me to follow him outside of the tent. “The main road is now entirely in Legion hands. And I don't think Cartuga has any chance of retaking it. Fools truly believed that they could fight us head on.”

I remained silent, following on as Tiberius explained the situation to me.

“Even if I gave you a seal, the patrols would still stop you before they could look at it. So I'm offering you an escort.”

“Escort?” I repeated his last words.

Tiberius nodded, “Sir Shuram!”
“Coming!” A boisterous voice called out.

From in between a group of tents came a portly looking man in shining plate armour unlike that seen in the Legion. He was dressed much like a well off knight from one of the southern lands, his pauldrons carrying a symbol of a lion battling a serpent intertwined between two roses. The man boasted a rather impressive moustache, large and bushy and twirling at the ends, his chubby cheeks rosy and his eyes brown.

“What is your bidding, my liege!?” The round man in armour asked with a salute, his brown, twirly moustache bobbing against his lip.

“Marcus, this is Ezekiel Shuram.” Tiberius introduced him.

“Ah, Marcus, is it?” Ezekiel asked, taking my hand in his and shaking it. “I am Ezekiel Shuram! Of House Shuram-Shuram! At your service, sir!”

“Ezekiel's father pledged his loyalty to me during the Amazon war. To reward his service I allowed them to keep their land and title.”

“The Shuram's are the only knights in all of Vellond! A title we boast proudly!”

“Sir Shuram.” Tiberius brought his attention to the fat knight. “My acquaintance here requires an escort to Whitegale forest, you're one of the only men I can trust with this task.”

“Whitegale forest!?” Ezekiel gasped. “Why, Dark matter had turned that blasted forest into a demon realm over a year ago! What the devil for!?”

Ezekiel looked up at me, standing a foot shorter than I. He narrowed his eyes into mine before widening them in shock. “Good heavens, lad! You are terribly ill!”

Without even a chance to protest, Ezekiel grabbed my arm and dragged me along.

“I shall do so without question, my liege!” Ezekiel cried, saluting Tiberius one last time.

We rode off minutes later, Ezekiel rode beside me on a night black horse. His halberd rested on his shoulder and his Bascinet helmet strapped to his side.

“Do not worry, boy!” Ezekiel yelled out. “I will not allow harm to come to a friend of the Emperor!”

“Uh, I don't think we're friends! He even called me an acquaintance!” I yelled back.

“Nonsense! He may not say it, but Emperor Crom would not send out a man to assist you if he didn't give a single damn about you! You two must have something in common!”

“Yeah, I guess we do!” I called back, unwilling to give him the real details about our similarities.

Ezekiel insisted that we ride throughout the night, even after the battle he had just participated in, he didn't show any signs of slowing down.

He did his best to take my mind off the task at hand, telling me grand tales of his errant and the battles he fought alongside Crom. When A'kahna marched her armies into Wellloch, the defenders were crushed in as little as two weeks. But Thane Shuram of Meadowlake refused  to hand become the equivalent of cattle for over sexed over stimulated warrior women. For the duration of the war, Thane Shuram and his two thousand men at arms waged a desperate guerrilla against the warrior queen until their lands were finally liberated by Crom's legions.

He saw Crom lead from the front, and was humbled by the titans bravery and strength and swore an oath to the Emperor and Vellond. Emperor Crom was humbled by the Thanes and his men and their tenacity through the worst of the war and allowed House Shuram to hold their claim over Meadowlake and its keep. Thus making House Shuram-Shuram the first and only knights chapter in all of Vellond.

The day had finally come when I stood before Whitegale forest, the place that marked the first stepping stone in my journey of this new world. I was tired, my body screamed at me to find some way to relieve the tension in my loins, but I refused it the satisfaction.

“This place...It puts me at an unease...” Ezekiel admitted, hopping from his horse and gripping tightly to his Halberd.

“What do you mean?” I asked him.

“I do not fear monster, dear boy.” He told me right away. “There are far worse things in this world than a woman with a hyper-active libido...”

Ezekiel gulped, digging his feet into the dirt. “Dark matter lives in these woods...”

“Dark matter?” I asked him with a raised brow, it was a name I've never heard save for passing mentions from books written by the church.

“Aye lad, Dark matter... They take the forms of women like their monster kin, but they're direct agents of the Demon King herself... Succubi who can think only of spreading their influence through the places where monsters roam.”

His voice was low and frightened, in the day that I've known him I was sure he was only capable of loud laughs and bravado. He turned to me, the clear fright in the eyes of such a upbeat man sent a shiver down my spine.

“I've seen one in my life, and pray I never see another. When the count of Narugass was put under a spell by a powerful Succubus, he opened the lands boarders to any and all monster's that wished to stay in his lands. At first no one thought anything of it, that all the fear mongering the Church did was all but a lie...But then it came, all that demonic energy drew the Dark Matter to Narugass, It descended upon the lands and wreaked havoc instantly...

“The woman beside me transformed and mutated before my eyes, sprouting the legs of a spider that replaced her own. Men in all directions screamed out as their bodies overtook their minds, I myself could barely hold on to my own humanity. The human women became monsters, the monsters that already lived there became savage, and the men became no more than puppets... It took thousands of men to retake Narugass, some of them to never return, either dead or dragged away to the Demon Kings realm...”

I was overcome by an overwhelming sense of dread, the look in Ezekiel's eyes was too much on my already clouded mind. He shook his head and waved away his own fears, looking to me, his face serious.

“The demon energy in there will increase the spread of the poison in your body.” He explained. “I suggest you do not linger there for too long, less you attract unwanted attention.”

I nodded, wiping my mouth against my sleeve. I turned back to Ezekiel, concern in my eyes.

“Ezekiel...If I don't make it. If I turn into a husk.” I put my hands on both his shoulders. “If I'm not back by sundown...Please don't let me turn into that thing...”

Ezekiel stared at me, that look of poetic heroism returning to his face.
“My boy, I have complete and total faith in you! But if you do not return victorious. Then on the honour of House Shuram-Shuram I shall put your soul to rest!”

I nodded once more, a little peace in my heart. With our final goodbyes I turned to Whitegale forest and started my hunt.

For the first time in days, the sun beamed clearly in the sky above, leaving trails of shadows across the ground of Whitegale. The forest was named after the herb that grows specifically here, which was exactly what I needed for the cure. The forest was eerily quiet, not a bird in the sky, though I guess that was to be expected from a demon realm.

I journey further into the forest, keeping my mind on one of the many stories Ezekiel told me during our journey together. I day dreamed about fighting dragons, the evil kind of dragons, not the ones that live here. I day dreamed about piloting a giant robot, or being a super hero, or a surfer, or whatever came to my mind to keep it off of sex.

The energy probed and tried to twist my mind, piercing my heart with anxiety and excitement, though I ignored it the best I could. Whitegale lived up to its name, it was supposed to be a flower with white pedals, the fluids in the stems were known for warding off demonic energy and if concentrated, could kill it all together.

Deeper and deeper I trekked into those woods, and not a single sight of any monster, much to my luck. I didn't even have a proper direction to where I was going, instead I simply looked at the ground and surrounding areas for anything that looked like a flower.

After hours, I finally spotted something in the corner of my eye, noticing it as Whitegale right away. My heart skipped a beat as I made a mad dash for it like I was racing someone for a prize. With a heavy sigh of relief, I picked the flower from its roots, not even noticing what it was attached to.

The flower was growing from the side of a building, a single room to be exact, like it was torn from the building and flung here. This was my room, my home. Was my home...

I knew I had to hurry, but something compelled me to look inside, to reminisce on nostalgia. I spent so much time in this room it was practically a jail cell, but it was still home. I moved around the battered box until I found the hole that used to be a doorway, climbing inside and looking around. Moss and other plantlife was growing through the wooden flooring, my desk and my computer have been completely overtaken by fauna. The video games on my shelf were drenched in rain water to the point that many of them no longer had their cover art. The boxes for my classic computer games were mush with the CD cases jutting out from the destroyed cardboard.

My bed however, was clean, like someone has been taken care of it. This had become someones home. I shouldn't linger for too long, but still, there were a few things I had to grab. My drawers, although broken in, still had some extra clothing inside, still good to wear if I cleaned them. And finally, a chest under the bed, left untouched by whomever called this place home now.

It was still intact, warding off anything the weather could throw at it defiantly. I flicked open the locks and lifted the lid, looking inside in hopes that everything was still there. And it was, stacks of comic books, things that got me through my early days in the Americas. I always regretted not taking them with me, and now I had a chance, they wouldn't slow me down, not anymore.

I began to toss the in my bag, anything from European crime dramas to Superman. Finally I got to my favourites almost at the bottom. The super soldier with the star spangled shield, he stood proudly on the cover of the comic, holding the American flag in one hand and his shield in the other. I couldn't help but smile.

“Good to see you again, Cap.” I said to the comic before throwing it in my back.

Before I closed the lid, I noticed a package at the very bottom. It was from Amazon, looks like I never had the chance to open it. I remembered buying it but I couldn't for the life of me remember what was inside.

I opened the seal and pulled out the book. It was a manga, one I remember ordering out of embarrassment. I couldn't help but laugh when I saw the cover, covering my eyes with my hand. The cover was a Lamia with red hair, her hands locked above her head and her long tail wrapped around a rather distraught looking man.

“Everyday life with Monster Girls, huh?” I said to myself, chuckling like an idiot. “You and me both, buddy.”

I looked a the book, flipping it over to the synopsis without reading it.
“Eh...What the hell.” I said, tossing the book in the bag with the rest.

I turned around to leave, lifting my back pack on the ground and stopping dead in my tracks. Before me stood a monster, and she didn't seem so happy to see me. Her arms hung at her sides, her striped, gigantic paws baring her razor sharp claws. Two tiger-like ears sat on her head, twitching impatiently and her tail swished behind her aggressively.  She wore very little clothing, with green plates barely covering her large and supple breasts and revealing her toned and muscular stomach. A Jinko stood before me, and she didn't look pleased.

“Who are you?” She asked, brushing her long flowing hair away from her bright brown eyes.

“Uh...I'm Marcus.” I choked, gripping my bag against my chest like a nervous school girl. “And I was just leaving.”

“Marcus, huh?” She scoffed at my name. “And what is “Marcus” doing in my home?”

“W-well...This used to be my home, actually. But I sort of had to leave. You're more than welcome to have it.”

The Jinko chuckled, closing in the distance between me and her. “I don't think I needed your permission, little man.”

I looked off to the side, she was now close enough that I could smell the fragrance of her sweat, something that was driving my brain and loins up the wall.

“Right, of course you don't, its all yours now anyway, squatters rule and the like.” I cut off my rambling, pointing towards the doorway with both my thumbs. “Hey, it was nice meeting you, Ms. Giant tiger lady, but I uh, I have to go.”

As I turned towards the door, the Jinko's claws pierced the wall in front of me, stopping my advance.

“Oh no, don't go.” The Jinko taunted, baring her teeth. “I have a certain hate for intruders that I would like to deal with.”

“I'm sure your a nice lady.” I stammered, my entire body going numb. “But now really isn't the time for that.”

“For what?” She asked. “You've been around other monsters for far too long, little boy. We're not going to have sex. We're going to fight.”

“Also sounds like a swell evening.” I lied. “But still, I can't really do that right now. See, I've got this thing in my back and I'm just not really feel-”

The Jinko caught my cheeks between two of her claws, lifting my face to get a better look at it. An evil smile formed on her mouth.

“Oh my, somebody has been dabbling in things he shouldn't dabble it.”

“Woah now.” I spurted from between her claws. “I didn't dabble in shit, I'm the victim here.”

“I take it the strength had already kicked in.”

“N-...No...” I lied.

“Somehow I don't believe you.” She whispered, wrapping her claws around my shoulder.

“Isn't there someway we can just talk about thi- Oh no!” I was lifted from the ground, thrown through the doorway that I was trying to escape from, I smashed into the ground hard and rolled until I almost fell into the river situated just a few yards from the room.

The throw knocked the wind out of me, forcing myself to my knees with a cough. The Jinko leaped after me, sliding across the ground on her landing. I fumbled for my sword and drew it from its scabbard, doing my best to keep whatever composure I had left.
She charged in, swinging her massive claws towards my chest. I brought up my sword to defend, and although my muscles and stance held, my sword did not. I slipped to the left as my blade shattered from its hilt, falling and rolling on the ground.

“You gotta be kidding me!” I yelled, looking in disbelief at the pile of junk that was once my most trusted steel.

I brought my attention back to her, the Jinko was already on the attack again. I was caught in a flurry of claws, dodging and weaving in between her lightning quick strikes. Pain struck me at certain points as the flesh on my cheek and sides opened up, fast enough to deny her the killing blow, not fast enough to get out unscathed.

I managed to weave around her, grabbing her by the tail and swinging her with all my strength. She yelped when she was taken off the ground, span around in circles once before being tossed towards the house. But, like expected from a feline, she landed on her feet and launched herself into the fray once more, the ground cratering under her powerful legs.

I managed to duck under her lunge, twisting around to face her only to receive both her feet to the chest. I tasted copper in my mouth and blood against my lips, her strike shattered my ribcage completely. With whatever I could muster as a cry of pain I smashed against the ground below, holding my arms against my chest and groaning in agony.

“Its not over...” She growled at me, flicking her claw. “Get up, I know you're healing in there...”

I could feel my body restructure itself in my chest, but other than that, I felt something else, something overtaking me. I started on my knees, and then on one foot and a knee, twisting my shoulder blades to the sounds of several unnatural pops and cracks. I could see the glow of purple in my peripheral, each breath was raspy and vicious in my throat.

I set my glance on her, a stare harsh enough to even make the mighty tigress flinch in her step. I bore my teeth at her, clenching my fists until they cracked before leaping forward.

The Jinko yelped, not expecting me to go on the offensive. She gasped for air as soon as my shoulder collided with her gut, throwing her off her feet. With a roar, I lifted her over my shoulder, my arms wrapped around her back, and finally with a twist of my torso, I tossed her over the side of the cliff.

She screamed in terror before I heard the splash. I looked into the river to see her floating down stream, looking up at me, her body shivering and her eyes furious.

“Sorry!” I yelled out, finding it within me to calm down. “But I'm in a hurry!”

I didn't want to risk her getting the time to pull herself out of the river and find me again, grabbing my things from the ground I dashed off, trying to ignore the unbearable pain in my heart.

The fight took too much out of me, I stumbled from tree to tree, desperately clawing my way out of the shrubbery towards the forests edge. My eyes watered, I couldn't think straight. Still I held on, I knew I wasn't going to make it anymore.

I fell over a bush into the clearing, Ezekiel spotting me from around the canteen he was drinking from. He was surrounded by a unit of legionaries now, they must have found him not long after we arrived.

“Zeke!” I cried out, clawing at the dirt in an attempt to return to my feet. “Zeke!”

“By the heavens above!” Ezekiel shouted, dropping his things and running to my side.

The legionaries followed in step, surrounding me in a semi circle as my body no longer obeyed my commands.

“What do we do now?” A legionnaire asked, looking at the Knight.

“He's too far gone, we should put him out of his misery.” Another suggested.

“No!” Ezekiel barked, looking down at me. “He has the Whitegale, we can still save him!”

I was foaming at the mouth, my eyes rolling into the back of my head. All I could think about now as my mind slipped was Cleo and the promise I made, the promise I broke.

Ezekiel dropped to his knees, grabbing me by the collar of my hoodie.

“Forgive me, my boy.” He muttered, raising his free hand into a fist and smashing it into my face.

And then everything went dark.