Redemption of a Fallen Hero

Prologue: A Giant Amongst His Peers.


Arrayed in front of me, all the people I had saved. Every one of these mortals owed their continued existence to my power, my whim. The evils that had plagued their lives were vanquished by my hands. And yet, here they are, standing against me. Even the members of my team, practically my adopted family, were leading the charge against me.

"Stand down, Kid!" one of the insignificant flies shouted. "This doesn't need to get worse than it already is. No one else has to get hurt!"

"I did all of this for you, don't you understand?" my amplified voice rang over the crowd. "I am your savior! You all praised me, cheered me at my triumphs. But now you persecute me, and for what? Because I seized power you dared not? Because I went the lengths necessary to finally bring peace?"

"Because you've become a monster, my love." A sharp pain in my back preceded the gentle voice in my ear. "Your grasping for power has taken from me the young man I fell in love with, Kid. For your sake, and the sake of the world, this must end. I'm sorry."

I turned to see Alison, the girl who I had planned to marry, holding a dagger, the remains of a green substance mixing with my life's blood on the blade. Betrayed by the only one I thought I could still trust, oblivion washed over my senses, and I knew no more.

My name is Theodore Sentrossi, called Kid by my friends, and things were not always thus.

"Sentrossi. You stand here today accused of crimes against mages, humanity, and all of reality as we know it. Your pursuit of dark and tainted magics has sickened your soul, and frayed the tapestry of existence. How do you plead?"

Bound with spell woven steel, barely able to lift my head under the weight of the chains tying me to the symbols suppressing my powers, I stared at the judges who would determine my fate. In a last act of defiance, I spat in the face of the judge directly before me, malice dripping from my gaze.

"The war is over, peace is restored, and now there is no need for soldiers. I did what had to be done, but now you fear that this dog who served you so faithfully will bite it's masters. Well screw you, that's what I plead!" The indifference on the judges faces infuriated me more, driving me to higher levels of rage. "You call me tainted because you are too afraid to seize this power for yourself. You fear me because I have become akin to a god. Why should I limit myself? What good would that have done while cities burned and babies died?! I'm a hero, dammit!"

"We cannot deny the contributions that you have made for the safety and security of this world. This is why we offer you a choice other than death. Can you not see? You have become the very thing you fought against! Monster I name you, and tyrant you would become. It is the judgment of this tribunal that your dark powers be locked away, your tools of evil stripped from you. For your own protection, as well as that of our world, we hereby banish you to another realm, never to return. May the gods have mercy upon your soul, wherever you end up."

With that proclamation, a searing pain erupted in my chest as a brand burned itself into my flesh, sealing a large portion of my magics. The floor below me opened, a dark portal leading to who knows where. As my chains released me into the abyss, I only had time for one last retort: "I shall have my vengeance!"

Falling through a dimensional rift is never a pleasant experience. Lights and sounds assaulted my eyes as the layers of the multiverse peeled away, sending me further through space and time. When my fall finally ended, I crashed into tough, unyielding ground, a cloud of dust rising from my impact. The world around me was bathed in night, with a great many unfamiliar stars gleaming in the sky.

Nearby my destination, a walled city stood. It appeared medieval, small by my standards, but more than likely a capitol city of great import at this level of civilization development. As I struggled to my feet, several soldiers poured through the gates of the city, hurrying towards my position. Each wore gleaming armor, with red and gold embossing depicting some religious looking symbol. One among them carried a staff, with the same symbol attached to the top.

They began shouting at me in a language that I could not fathom. I gathered my spiritual energy, tapping into one of the few skills left to me. With a gesture, I reached into the mind of one of the soldiers and drew upon his knowledge to learn the language. As I did, the symbol atop the staff emitted a strange beam of light, pinning me to the ground.

"Ahh, a mage! The Order is always in need of your kind. Sergeant, bring him to the keep for... reeducation." My last glimpse was of the one carrying the staff, looking back at me, before my senses fled, leaving me to exhaustion. Chapter 1: The Truth about Monsters

"Your eminence, we find ourselves unable to probe his mind. His thoughts are alien to us, and there is much we cannot access. We were only able to determine that he comes from a realm other than ours, and most of his magical ability is locked away."

I awoke to the sound of a conversation between the man who had captured me and another that I couldn't see. I tried to move, but found myself bound around my hands, feet and neck. The cold of a metal table chilled me through my clothes as I scanned what I could see of my surroundings. Grey stone walls were barely lit by flickering torches, casting shadows deep into the corner I could see. Keeping my eyes mostly closed, I stared through a slit in my lids as the conversation continued.

"Well, neonate, it appears that we will have to employ more drastic measures. Bring forth the Witch we captured yesterday. Tell her we will grant her freedom if she can peer into this ones mind and unlock the secrets he holds. Also, have her identify the brand on his chest. The design looks familiar, but it's meaning eludes me."

"But your eminence, surely you don't mean for me to give that abomination freedom?"

"Of course not!" The other voice snapped, disgust and fury uncontained. "Do not think to accuse me of such a transgression to our faith. When she is done with what we need, kill her. Then wipe his memory and begin reeducation. As soon as we know what that symbol means, we can remove the seal on his power and put him on the front lines. There is no room for error on this one." With that, I finally got a glimpse of the speaker as he made his way out of the room. Dressed in elaborate robes, he resembled a bishop of one of the religions from my realm. His aura, however, fell over him like black slime, making him look like a tar covered beast.

His apparent subordinate followed him from the room, only to return shortly after, dragging someone behind him. The appearance of this person almost caused me to lose my composure, as my rage and energy built within me. A girl, no more than fourteen years of age, dressed in the tattered remains of a black dress. Lash marks, bruises and a limp evidenced constant torture and abuse. Yet her eyes were lit with hope, the faint hope of escape from this nightmare.

"All you have to do is tell us where he comes from, what he can do, and how that mark is sealing his power. When you have done that, you will be free to go." While the man's face remained mostly impassive, his eyes were gleaming mischievously, relishing his deception. The girl walked tentatively forward, muttering a spell and placing her hand on my brow. When her mind touched mine, however, she recoiled, fear spilling across her features.

"Madness, demons, monster." At first muttering in a low tone, sweat pouring down her face as the blood drained from her skin, she pointed her finger at me and shouted "monster!" She cowered in the corner, hiding her face and clutching her knees.

"What? You must have gone simple, creature. The only monster in this room is you. Now get back to work!" The man kicked her over and over, punctuating his statement with blows to her sides and legs. My rage got the best of me then, and my control snapped. Energy poured from me, heating the ropes binding me to the table until they broke. Unbeknownst to me at the time, but a tiny fissure appeared in the seal. As the priest turned towards the sound, I rose from the table, quickly gaining my feet and slamming into him, shoving him against the wall.

"Foolish creature, what do you know of monsters?! The one that dwells within your own breast is greater than the one you beat so mercilessly. And the one before you is more monstrous than any you have ever encountered!" I threw him across the room, his head smacking against the table I had occupied. "You aren't worth my energy, worm."

Turning to look at the quivering child, I instantly regretted my words. I didn't want such an innocent creature to fear me; I was still human, after all. Besides, something about her was off, made me want to hold her in my arms and chase away her fears. Shaking the feeling away as sentimental nonsense, I addressed her.

"They were going to kill you after you gave them what they wanted. I don't know who you are, or why they despise you, but it seems safe to view you as a comrade in this hellish place. Are there other prisoners here?" She lifted her head and nodded to me, fear still clouding her features. My heart sank at the look in her eyes, tears inexplicably forming in my eyes. "Come now, child. You have no need to fear me, I am not your enemy. I am a soldier, a tool, nothing more. I won't hurt you."

She seemed to gather some willpower, nodding sharply once as her face hardened with determination. Her dress threatened to crumble as she rose to her feet, tatters falling away and revealing youthful pink skin where it wasn't covered in welts. I grabbed my shirt, a simple button up white dress shirt, from where it was thrown, along with my undershirt. I also had khaki colored cargo pants and steel toed work boots, thankfully not removed by my captors. After donning my undershirt, I handed the child my shirt. "So, what's your name, kid?" I asked, turning to let her dress.

"I am not a kid!" I instinctively turned back around at this exclamation, to see she hadn't buttoned up the shirt yet. Her hands were on her hips, pushing the shirt back and revealing her tiny body. I turned away quickly, embarrassed at seeing that my shirt was all she was wearing. "And my name is Lilac." She cleared her throat and I turned around, finding her finally buttoned up. Somehow it made her seem more lewd, however. Guess I'm not getting that shirt back, I thought.

She stared at me, her eyes the same shade as her name, a frown on her face. "You know, it's rather impolite to ask a lady's name without offering your own." Her expression, so childish despite her earlier proclamation, brought a smile to my face.

"My name is Theodore Sentrossi, but my friends call me Kid." A wave of melancholy swept over me. Not anymore they didn't. I had no friends anymore. My expression turning serious, I pushed the thought away. "No more time for idle chatting. Show me where the other prisoners are, and let us leave before I feel the urge to destroy this place." A hint of fear flashed behind Lilac's eyes at my sudden change of tone, but I couldn't worry about that. Any minute more of these priests could arrive, and my powers were not up to a blood bath.

Lilac led the way, and as soon as we exited the room, I could hear voices, crying out in fear, despair and pain. All of them sounded like women. I was standing in a long corridor, filled with doors on either side. I immediately started rushing to each door, melting the locks, directing Lilac to search for prisoners. When we were done, we had found four other women... of a sort. One of the women had the lower body of a snake. Another had fur, and her hands and feet were actually paws. The third woman looked mostly normal, besides her darkly tanned skin, white hair and pointy ears. The leather outfit she was wearing didn't leave much to the imagination, but also revealed signs of torture.

The only one who didn't appear bruised was the fourth woman, but that wasn't the only thing that set her apart. With pointy ears, curly horns, red eyes, large black bat-like wings and a strange, heart tipped tail, it was almost difficult to notice how sexy she looked. She was well endowed, breasts barely contained within the skimpy piece of cloth that sufficed for a shirt. Another piece of cloth was wrapped around her waist, almost too short to count as clothing. Long, supple legs barely supported her as she tiredly made her way from her cell.

The last one was also the one who had the most violent reaction to my appearance. As soon as she saw me, she crouched down in a defensive position, her fingernails extending to near dagger length. Fear and loathing mixed in her eyes as she readied herself for a charge. Hearing the sound of metal armor clanking and booted feet running, I didn't bother to take the time to defend myself. Inscribing burning symbols in the air, I used one of the earliest spells I had ever learned to engulf the hall with light, giving myself over to the magic and trusting it to take us somewhere safe. As the flash faded, we ended up standing in an open plain, the sun shining brightly above us. My magical exertions caught up with me then, stopping me from dodging the demonic woman as she plunged her claws into my chest. "Why does this always happen to me?" I mused aloud, staring at the eight claw like nails embedded in my chest. "Everyone I save, every time, turns against me." Unable to hold it back, I coughed, spraying blood in the face of the demon impaling me. This apparently knocked her out of her rage, a look of surprise forming on her face as she finally noticed her surroundings.

The next few events happened rather quickly. My attacker withdrew her claws from my chest, stepping back in horror and confusion. As I fell, I felt small arms catch me and steady me as much as they could. A burning, searing pain erupted from my chest as blood quickly left through my wounds. The flow was staunched soon, however, when another substance began to flow from the crack in my seal. Black, sticky, almost tar like, it quickly covered my wounds and began to spread further. I turned my head, looking towards Lilac, who was struggling to set me down gently. "Run" I whispered. "Run for your life."

Gathering up all my strength, I pushed myself away from Lilac, rolling away while shoving her back. "Run! Escape while you can..." The darkness covered my face, cutting off any other warnings. Feelings and thoughts rushed through my mind, somehow both mine and yet alien at the same time. Blood, death, chaos! Reason fled before an onslaught of rage and blood lust. My armor complete, I stood, taking in the sight of the weak creatures surrounding me. The fear of my appearance was clear on their faces. Before them stood a being of almost total darkness, the only things marring the blackness were two red orbs for eyes, and faint light trying to break through from my chest.

The demoness was the first to react, throwing curved blades of purple energy at me. I dodged each of these, zeroing in on her as my first target. I assaulted her with a series of punches and kicks, laughing at her futile efforts to block. With how weak she was from her torture and imprisonment, she stood no chance of fighting back. Before long she put up no resistance at all, barely able to even stand under the onslaught.

Moving quickly, I grabbed her by the wrists with one hand, while my other went to her throat. "Is this all you can do? Why did you even dare challenge me in the first place? I have wiped entire armies from existence with a thought. I have crushed mountains under my heel, and devoured stars whole. I am a god! I will consume this puny world, and all else within my reach. Beg me for forgiveness as your new god, and I will make your end swift." I cackled madly, increasing the pressure of my hands, relishing in the pain it caused.

"Stop it big brother!"

I turned to see Lilac, tears flowing from her eyes. Instead of terror, pity stained her features. Pity, for me? I released my grip on my prey, bringing my hands to my head. -This isn't right, she was just afraid-. She attacked me she needs to die! -I'm not some demon, destroying the ignorant and innocent, damn it!- They all need to die. Our darkness shall consume all. -No, this has to stop!- I reached up to my face and began rending the armor over it, screaming from the pain it caused. As I struggled, the seal on my chest grew brighter, burning away the darkness and dissipating it as smoke.

With the armor dissolved, I dropped to my knees, panting heavily. At least I'm not bleeding to death anymore. The question is, how do I salvage this situation? I'm the proverbial stranger in a strange land, with no way to tell who I can trust and who I can't. Regaining my bearings, I noticed that two of the women at least took my warning to heart, as I couldn't see the snake woman or the dark skinned lady anywhere. For the first time, I carefully examined the woman with the fur. Staring at me with a calm curiosity, she was licking her paw, then wiping the ears on top of her head. Her fur was an orange color, covering some areas of her arms and legs, with matching colored hair and ears. All of these features pointed to some sort of human/cat hybrid.

Lilac had a look of relief in her eyes as I pulled myself to my feet, but her lower lip was trembling. I gave her a small nod, trying to reassure her, before turning to face the poor woman I had brutalized. Honestly, I had expected her to be running for the hills. Well, flying, I guess, with the wings she had. What I didn't expect was the look she was giving me. Her long green hair was soaked with sweat, hanging wildly around her face. This served to accentuate the pure animal lust pointed in my direction. Arousal poured off of her in nearly tangible waves as she stalked towards me, her nipples clearly defined through her 'shirt', a squelching sound drawing attention to the liquid flowing freely down her legs.

Now it may surprise people, but not only had I never encountered this level of lust before, but I was still a virgin. My girlfriend back home was of the 'wait for marriage' persuasion, and since I only just turned 19 I wasn't quite ready. Besides, with the war raging across my world, I had just never found the time. So even though I was developing a rather painful erection, I did the first thing that came to mind; I ran. Musical laughter rang out behind me as I took off at a dash, almost daring me to look back. I didn't, which is why I was so surprised after getting a mere ten yards when something soft and heavy landed on my back, bearing me down.

I was roughly flipped onto my back, giving me an unobstructed view of a gorgeous pair of double d tits. Apparently that wasn't the only piece of clothing my attacker had removed, as I could feel her womanhood pressing onto my stomach, juices leaking through my shirt. She reached down and grabbed the back of my head, pressing my face into her ample bosom.

"You didn't think you could engage in all that foreplay and then leave, did you? Such a lack of manners! When you make a woman wet, you have to take care of it. And I'm not stopping until I'm satisfied, mister 'god'." The smell coming from her was intoxicating, making it difficult to form any kind of thoughts besides plowing into her. I did manage one coherent thought, pulling my face out of her cleavage just enough to talk.

"Don't rip my pants, okay? These were really expensive."

Chuckling at my request, she turned herself around, straddling my face as she undid the button and zipper of my pants and began pushing them slowly down my legs. With her juices dripping in my face, the tantalizing view and scent of her vagina inches in front of my eyes, all control disappeared as I buried my face in her slit, lapping at her juices like a cat to milk. A husky moan escaped her throat and her arms buckled, forcing my pants down much quicker, my exposed member slapping her across her face. She wasted no time, engulfing my penis with her mouth all the way to the base, her throat convulsing around the tip. With my advanced state of arousal, plus my complete lack of experience, I immediately came, surprising her as she quickly sealed her mouth tight in order to swallow everything I poured out.

I collapsed against the ground, twitching and shaking, completely dizzy from the rush. I was so dazed I didn't know what she was doing until I felt stimulation on my cock again. Opening my eyes, I saw she had turned around, and was massaging my dick with her tail. "What did I say, lover? I told you we weren't done till I was done, didn't I?" Her eyes were practically glowing, showing an even deeper hunger than before. As my manhood became erect again, I managed to ask her name.

"Lira." After that, she did something I really didn't expect. She wrapped one coil of her tail around the base of my shaft, squeezing tightly. The pain caused my head to clear for a moment, and I stared up at her, gasping. Just as quickly my senses fled as she slammed her hips down onto mine, taking my cock in with one quick motion. We both moaned in unison, the mixture of pleasure and pain pushing me into overdrive. She slowly started to grind above me, but I wasn't holding back. Grabbing her waist, I began to forcefully slam myself up into her, bringing appreciative noises from above me. Before too long I was ready to blow again, slamming faster and faster. When my body tried to erupt, however, I felt a sharp pain, the flow being cut off by the vice like grip of her tail.

I froze, the discomfort halting my movements. Lira kept going, picking up the pace to make up for my lack of movement. Twice more I nearly came as she bounced on my member. Just as I was beginning to think it was my fate to suffer death by snu-snu, she increased her speed even more, her movements becoming a blur. Her eyes rolled back, tongue hanging out of her mouth, she released a scream of ecstasy, her orgasmic juices pouring out from around my cock. As her pussy squeezed tight around me, her tail finally let go, eliciting a cry from me that was halfway between a moan and a roar as I was finally allowed to cum. I felt suction as Lira's nether lips drew every last drop of semen from me. The last thing I heard before I fell asleep from exhaustion was Lilac.
It had been seven years since I had slept as well as I just had. With the nearly non-stop nature of my life since awakening to my magic, I'd only be able to sleep five or six hours at a time, often literally keeping one eye open. The only thing that worried me upon waking up was a heaviness I felt in my arms and legs. As I opened my eyes the source of that heaviness became clear. Lilac had her arms wrapped around my right arm, and she was sucking her thumb. Aww, that's cute. Lira had my left arm pressed tightly between her breasts. That's...hot. The as yet unknown cat girl was curled up across my legs, her head resting in my lap. That's just odd.

Unwilling to move and disturb the sleeping females, I stared up into the slowly brightening sky. It appeared as if I had slept through most of a day, since it was daytime during the previous day's events. As the rosy glow of sunrise spread above me, I contemplated the cage I'd been thrown into. By the little I had managed to see of the town I had encountered, this was definitely a pre-industrial era world. Evidence pointed towards humans existing on this world, but there appeared to be several human hybrids as well, judging by the ones I had rescued.

Before I knew it, I was analyzing the situation as if preparing for war. My mind was automatically cataloging everything I had learned thus far, as well as what I still needed to know. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts. The war is over, man. Even if it wasn't, you're stuck here, far from it all. Then the realization hit me, like a tangible blow to the chest. I'm never going home. All the sacrifices I made, everything I went through to make my world safe and protect the people I loved, mean nothing. My parents, my friends, even my girlfriend, threw me away when I lost my usefulness.

I started to cry. I was pressed into combat at age twelve, fighting a war unknown to most of humanity. My life was lived around blood and fire, pain and tragedy. Now that there was no war, no impending conflict, my life had little meaning. Sobs wracked my chest as my tears fell in torrents, the state of my life finally catching up to me.

Of course, this woke the ladies up. Lira started rubbing herself against me suggestively, then pulled away in confusion. Lilac sat up and stared at me, tears clouding her own eyes. The cat girl moved beside me, then drew me into a gentle hug, placing my head against her shoulder. "It's okay, Jenna's got ya. Breathe." She rubbed my back as she addressed the other girls. "It's alright, you two, ya didn't break him. My mother told me about this, they call it 'soldiers heart'." As she said this, she pulled up the back of my shirt, drawing gasps from Lira and Lilac.

Even with all the miracles of healing magic, my battles had left scars over most of my torso. In the light of the morning sun, scar tissue from cuts and burns stood out white against my light tan. "I found these as I was cleaning him last night. It reminded me of my father, who was an Order foot soldier. Mother said he did the same thing eventually. Just give him a minute, he'll be fine."

As she was talking, practically cradling me like a child, I realized how much of a wuss I seemed at that moment. Pissed at myself, I gently pulled away from Jenna, stood and walked a short distance, wiping my eyes. Great first impression, jackass. First you go apeshit, then you break down like a little emo kid. Turning back, I saw concern mirrored on all of their faces.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, ladies. Rest assured, I'm fine." Reaching into one of the cargo pockets on my pants, I pulled out a battered looking cigarette case and pulled out a smoke. A thought occurred to me as I lit up, and after exhaling I held it up. "Don't suppose you guys have cigarettes on this world, do ya?" To my relief, Lira pulled out a pouch of tobacco and crude rolling papers, though I wasn't exactly sure from where. Relieved on at least that front, I walked back over and sat down.

"So, since it appears I'm going to be sticking around here, I may as well learn what 'here' is. So, can I get a little world history?" My own nonchalance impressed me, but it was hard to stay feeling down when a hot demon chick was blowing heart shaped smoke rings at me. "As I pointed out before, I'm not from this world, and everything I've seen so far has me pretty damn confused."

Jenna chuckled. "I could tell that when I was cleaning you..."

"Wait, what do you mean cleaning me? You don't mean...?"

"Yes, I do. Anyway, welcome to Eden, young man." She then began to explain about a great many things; the Demon Lord and how she turned all the monsters into mamono, or monster girls, the Order and the Fallen God, and all the conflicts spreading between them. She also described several types of mamono, identifying herself as a Werecat, Lilac as a Witch, and Lira as a Succubus.

"Your turn, big bro! Tell us about yourself and your world." Lilac was practically brimming with curiosity.

"I guess a formal introduction is in order..." I cleared my throat and straightened myself up. "My name is Theodore Sentrossi, but my... well, you can call me Kid. I am a mage, which is similar in a way to a Witch, I guess. In my world, we had several groups of mages constantly at war, all fighting for the right to change the world as they saw fit. I worked with a group that were trying to spread magic to the whole world. Some of the other groups wanted to destroy magic. Our real enemies, however, were the ones that wanted to destroy everything."

"I learned of my power when I was twelve years old. All of the groups wanted me to join them, but I chose the good guys. From that moment, I became a soldier in what seemed to be a never ending war. Everyone fought, no one won, and the world suffered for it. I did what no one else was willing to do, and seized power to win the war. When we had won, my superiors saw my power as a threat, so they sealed it away and exiled me. That's how I ended up here."

Jenna gave me a strange look, almost as if she could tell that I was holding something back, but didn't say anything. As I finished my tale, I took in my surroundings. I was on a large flat plain, no signs of civilization around me. The only landmark was the edge of a forest, quite a distance to the north. I accessed one of the few magics left to me, and poured some of my energy into the ground, tendrils spreading out from me to explore the territory for me. I encountered many strange tunnels towards the west, almost like a giant ant nest. To the east, several miles away, was the town we had escaped from. I wished I could sense people with this power, so I could know what kind of chaos I had left behind. To the south was a village, much smaller than the town and with no giant stone wall surrounding it.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm pretty damn hungry right now. There seems to be a village to the south, so I'm going to head that way." I stood up and dusted myself off. "I know you ladies are probably capable of fending for yourselves, but it would ease my conscience greatly if you came with me, at least until we find non-hostile civilization. Besides, you can't wear just my shirt forever." I ruffled Lilac's hair, and she blushed furiously. With everyone nodding in agreement we set out, my stomach rumbling. I could really use some coffee, too. Hope they have that here.

It was several hours of walking before we reached the village. Lira offered to carry me there as she flew, but the look in her eyes told me we wouldn't make it to my destination. She kept staring at my hands when she thought I wasn't looking, then touching her neck, a pleasant smile spreading across her face. Lilac kept trying to hold my hand as we walked, but I didn't let her. It was best if she didn't get too attached; being an only child, I had no idea how to deal with a little sister, especially one as clingy as her.

Since there was no cover near the village, I decided we would all walk up together. The residents would have seen us by now, and if we had to deal with Order troops, I was fairly sure I could handle them. To my delight, we were greeted by a familiar face, as the snake woman, who I now knew as a Lamia, shouted "There he is!" and quickly came towards us. Several other mamono, and a few men, followed suit.

Despite the Lamia's speed, a practical mountain of a man was the first to reach us. I was startled by his size and speed, too slow to even go on the defensive as he ran up to me. He grasped my hand in both of his, my digits disappearing into his massive grip as he shook them up and down, tears flowing freely down his face.

"Thank you so much for saving my wife! I am in your debt forever!" His deep voice was unnerving, wracked with sobs as it was. It was like watching a giant weep. His wife put a hand on my shoulder. "My name is Christie, and this is John. I would like to thank you for rescuing me, stranger. I had been held by the Order for over a month before you came. Imagine my surprise when I arrived during my funeral!" She leaned in close and whispered in my ear. "I didn't tell anyone about your odd transformation. It would only cause panic and fear, and I owe you at least that little discretion."

Nodding, I gave quick introductions before I was cut short by the loud rumbling of my belly. With a sheepish look on my face, I asked about acquiring some food. My new found friends took me by the arms, leading me towards a two story building, the sign above it declaring it an inn. Inside, the place looked more like a bar then any kind of hotel or inn I had ever seen. Christie went up to the bar, speaking with the man behind it, before he announced free food and lodging for the 'hero' and his friends. I was led to a table, and a plate of meat, bread and cheese was placed before me. As I began shoveling food into my mouth, relishing the taste with a distinct lack of preservatives and artificial crap, a voice behind me asked what I wanted to drink.

"Please tell me you guys have coffee. If so, fill up one of those really big beer cup things with it. Oh, and about a quarter of it filled with milk, if you could." I heard a giggle at that, and turned around, knocking my head into the largest set of sweater meat I had ever encountered. Wrapped in what looked like a cow patterned sports bra, each breast was almost twice as big as my head. Even more amazing was their resistance to gravity, standing almost straight out from a lithe and thin body. As the owner of the massive love pillows backed up a step, I could see her face. Small horns protruded between two cow ears above a cute, round face, framed with short cut hair. Her blue eyes twinkled as she said "Sure thing, sugar," and sauntered away, her cow like tail swishing back and forth. My mouth hung open and I stared, dumbstruck.

"If you leave your mouth open like that, a Beelzebub is gonna land in it." I turned to see Jenna smirking at me over a plate of food. Lira and Lilac were seated as well, not even bothering to contain their mirth at my reaction. "Carol there is a Holstaurus, a cow type mamono. It's said their milk has amazing properties; you have good taste for an outlander."

As I tried to hide my embarrassment by eating, a tall glass mug of light brown coffee was set in front of me, the contrasting colors of the milk and the coffee still swirling together. I was more distracted by the pair of melons placed on my shoulders, nearly engulfing my head while miraculously staying in their shirt. "You just let Carol know if you need anything else, sugar." A suggestive tone invaded her smooth drawl. "And I mean anything..." She gave a playful squeeze of her breasts and left, as an uncomfortable tent formed in my pants. Just as I was concentrating on reducing my boner, I felt a strange rubbing motion over my clothes. Looking down, I saw Lilac's foot rubbing back and forth across my hidden erection, a lewd smile spreading across her face.
"Aaaaaah! What the fuck?!" I jumped back, knocking my chair over as I quickly backpedaled, pointing at Lilac's foot as though it were a large, poisonous spider. "What the hell?" I sputtered. Ingrained social training took over, and I held my hands above my head. "Everyone here is a witness! I did not touch her, nor did I welcome or encourage in any way the advances of a minor." Looking around, the faces surrounding me were showing either amusement or confusion. Lilac, however, was shaking, her eyes closed and her head down.

"Hey, listen, Lilac. I don't mean any offense, but you're a child. Where I come from, that leads to about 10 years in prison. Besides, I'm not a pedophile, okay? And at your age, you shouldn't be sexually active, or even performing lewd acts like that..." She looked up at me then, and my mouth snapped shut with an audible click. "Stupid, stupid big bro!" she shouted, then ran off up the stairs, slamming the door of one of the rooms we were given. The look of sadness and dejection she had given me were heartbreaking, and I just stared after her. I felt hands return me to my seat after it was picked up, and I drank several large gulps of my coffee.

"Sorry, Kid, I forgot to tell you something about Witches." Jenna looked at me sheepishly over her food. "Witches look like little girls, but many of them are probably old enough to be your mother, Lilac included. Some are older still, constantly preserved in their chosen form. When she calls you big bro, it's not some cute term of endearment, it's her claiming you as her mate."

Before I could respond, a man burst through the doors of the inn, winded and panting heavily. "Order...troops...incoming...small group...Witch Hunter." The panic was instantaneous, several people grabbing makeshift weapons while others hid down a trapdoor behind the bar. I walked out of the inn amidst cries of warning, telling me not to go out. I was annoyed, having my first relatively peaceful moment shattered by this intrusion.

It took a few minutes, but I managed to reach the soldiers before they entered the town. The first thing I noticed was the bandage on the head of the man in the lead. The room I was held in was poorly lit, but I recognized Lilac's tormentor. Four soldiers, reminiscent of images of Templar knights from my own world, followed behind him with swords drawn. Rage began building in me, and I felt a tightness and a burning sensation in my chest. Pulling up my shirt, I saw the crack in my seal for the first time, along with the black fluid bubbling from it. As tempting as it was to unleash what power I could from it, I decided to use my own skills to win here.

I knelt down on the earth, digging my fingers into the dirt below me. Sending tendrils of energy into the soil, I began to isolate different minerals. When I found what I was searching for, I used my magic and my knowledge of metals to bring together a weapon. As I rose, I drew a five foot spike of iron out of the ground. Only about an inch thick and coming to a very sharp point, it resembled a giant nail. I brandished it like a staff, my training in the martial art of Do lending me confidence in it's use.

The soldiers walked towards me, warily eying the weapon I had pulled from nowhere. They stopped about ten yards away from me, weapons at the ready. The bandaged man spoke up, holding a hand up to halt his companions. "Outlander. We are in your debt. If our scryers hadn't tracked you to this place, we would never have known that it was a colony of heretics. If you put up no resistance, we will deal with this blight, then escort you safely back to our city to stand trial. If you fight back, we will have no choice but to kill you. So please, feel free to fight back." The man smirked as he finished talking, and lowered his hand. The soldiers started to cautiously advance.

I began to twirl my staff, it's weight making a thrumming sound as it cut the air. "I'll give you one warning, jackass. Leave in peace, or leave in pieces. One thing is for certain; you shall not pass!" I felt a little silly when I shouted that last part, but it fit. One of the soldiers came at me at a run, swinging his sword above his head. Still spinning my staff, I knocked his sword away, breaking his wrist with the force of the impact as the sword spun out of his hand. I followed that up with several quick strikes to his elbows and knees, shattering his armor and his joints. I finished by slamming the blunt end of the pole into his chest, knocking him flat on his ass, screaming in pain.

The other four charged me then, surrounding me quickly and swinging their swords in unison. The air hummed with the speed of my staff, spinning around me in a defensive maneuver, blocking the nearly simultaneous strikes. Then, one by one, I aimed for wrists and elbows, disarming and crippling them. Their screams fed my fury, and a familiar sensation of bloodlust rose within me. As the attackers drew back, I used the pointed end of the staff to catch the bandaged man through a chink in his armor.

The red glow of my eyes was reflected in his fearful ones as I lifted him bodily from the ground. "What is your name, weakling?" My voice had dropped several layers in pitch, becoming a low booming snarl. "Kenneth." His voice was little more than a whisper. "Well, Kenneth, you should start praying to your god now." This time, I controlled the dark energy pouring from my seal, sending it flowing down my arm, over the staff, and into the man's armor. Gibbering screams poured from his throat as the darkness melted his flesh. Bloody fluid poured from him, containing tiny bits of still dissolving tissue. Finally, his armor collapsed, the dark tendrils drawing back and revealing nothing but bones.

I turned to the remaining soldiers, who were quaking with fear. The smell of defecation was readily apparent, and fluid was leaking from their armor. "Return to your pitiful city, and tell them of what you saw today." I walked over to the first soldier who attacked me, driving the spike of my weapon through his head and into the ground, silencing his wailing cries. "Tell them to learn fear, and to dread the sound of my boots. Warn them to hide, and huddle around their candles and fires, for true darkness has come. Tell them that if any of these villagers come to harm, I will know it, and I will come. For every one that is harmed, I will take ten. The streets will run red with the blood of the wicked, for I am death, and none are safe! Now go, before I decide it only takes one to deliver this message."

I turned my back on the fleeing forms, my rage dying down within me. That's when I saw the villagers, who had come to try to aid me. Looks of horror and disgust were spread across every face. Some were even vomiting, sickened by the battle. Even Lira turned away from me, her face white as a ghost, refusing to meet my gaze. Carol walked towards me, and set a large pack a short distance away from me, then backed away quickly, almost tripping in her haste.

John moved towards the front of the crowd. "There's a pack of supplies. We owe you at least that much for saving my wife. But we ask you to leave now. You're no longer welcome here."

I fumed, familiar feelings rising. "I just saved your asses, and you kick me out? The only thing people like that zealot understand is overwhelming force! I did what was necessary!" Man and mamono alike visibly flinched as I shouted.

"You didn't have to be so cruel about it." Jenna said, stepping forward. "You could be a great man, Kid. But until you find your humanity, you will be no better than those you slaughtered." With that, she turned her back and walked away, the rest of the village following suit. The only person I didn't see was Lilac, who was probably still in her room. I regretted not being able to apologize to her, but I wasn't willing to risk the ire of the people to go talk to her. I picked up the pack, cleaned my weapon, and walked away.

You know they will never accept you. You are a monster, made in my image. Even other monsters fear you. Just accept it, and rule them all with a bloody fist! The familiar voice, the source of my dark power, slithered through my mind.

"Shut up."

And that speech you gave? Beautiful, a masterpiece. I got shivers just listening to you. Ah, when you fully mature, what a sight you will be.

"Shut up! I am no slave to your impulses, no puppet for your desires. I'm the one in control here, so you just shut the fuck up!" Not knowing what I was doing, I placed a hand on my chest over my seal, pouring energy into it. Relief flooded me as my skin flowed, reforming the cracked seal. With the dark influence cut off, the full weight of my actions struck me. Dropping to my knees, I stared at my hands as if they were covered with blood. "What have I done?" "Archbishop Bartholomew, we have just received a message by magic for you, red classification." A folded red sheet of parchment was placed on the desk, immediately picked up by the wizened old hands of the archbishop. Unfolding the parchment, only three words were written there. He has come. Setting it down with shaking hands, he turned to the messenger.

"Do you know the prophecy of The Traveler?" The other man shook his head. "It is foretold that a man will appear from another world, wielding the powers of darkness and calling himself death. He will become the ultimate tool, ensuring victory to whomever he serves. Spread the word to all who serve the Order; find the outlander, and bring him to me by whatever means necessary. If this is not possible, kill him. He will serve the Divine, or he will perish.

***


It had been three days since I left the village, and I was hopelessly lost. Not like I had anywhere in particular to go, but somehow I felt worse for being unable to find a single other person. By the end of my first day, I had reached a forest with spacious pathways between the trees. That first day was uneventful, peaceful even. The second day was a bit rougher, as the trees grew closer together, and the shadows they cast making me feel eerily like I was being constantly watched.

After a few hours on the third day, I saw smoke rising ahead. It had the look and smell of a controlled fire, more than likely through a fireplace. I picked up the pace, glad for some signs of civilization at last. When I reached the clearing, I found strange rock formations, natural chimneys exuding the smoke. I turned to leave, figuring my senses were off, when I heard a loud crack, like a bullwhip. I immediately spun in a defensive posture, bringing my staff to the ready.

"It is rare indeed for a human to walk into our settlement willingly. It is fortunate; my daughter needs a new plaything to take her mind off of her recent ordeal." Facing the voice, I saw my worst nightmare made real. Dressed in a tight black leather dominatrix outfit, one of the race that Jenna had identified as a Dark Elf stood a few yards away from me. She carried a whip, and had several ropes and other bondage gear arrayed on a belt around her ample hips. Her figure was amazing, muscular and sexy at the same time, with D cup breasts barely held in her corset.

The problem stemmed from my biggest weakness; a rare form of claustrophobia. Whenever I felt myself trapped, be it in a small jail cell or a large house with no way out, I panic. It would be even more severe if I was tied up. I was surprised, however, when a pair of arms wrapped around me from behind, pulling me into a tight hug.

"You cannot touch this one, mother. We have orders to take him to the Demon Lord herself, remember?" I could feel the woman's breasts through my shirt, whatever she was wearing doing little to hide the erect state of her nipples as she held me tightly.

"Wait, Karena, this is the human who helped you escape? I thought you said he was a warrior. He looks too... frail. I know, I shall test him!" A wicked grin spread across her face. "I will break him, and then you will see that no human, no matter how helpful, is worth daydreaming over!"

I turned in the grasp that held me, facing Karena. Up close, I was struck by the beauty of her face, her gorgeous smile actually making me blush. A strange idea came over me, and I leaned in closer, planting a kiss on her lips. Before she could recover from the shock, I leaned back and pulled her arms away. "I'll be right back, beautiful. First I've got to teach mommy over there not to judge a book by it's cover." With a strange look in her eyes she stepped back, a sigh heaving her C cup bosom.

I noticed my confidence level felt boosted, and combined with my flirting, I recognized the influence of my Avatar, Sylph. I rode the waves of feeling she generated within me, taking up a combat stance as a breeze rose around me. "Milady, my name is Kid, and I take offense at your disparaging remark. Please, give me your name, so I know who's ass I'm going to have the pleasure of beating."

"You have cheek, human. I admire that. I am Mistress Yula. Remember that name; it's going to be the first words out of your mouth daily when I break you!" She flicked her whip at me, the tip moving with incredible speed. I sidestepped, then launched into a run, carrying my staff over my head. Unconcerned with my strange tactic, Yula drew her whip back to attack again, and that's when I struck. Slamming the point of my staff into the ground, I used it like a pole vault, balancing my momentum as I launched myself feet first into her. I crashed into her as she was flinging her whip forward, my feet slamming into her ample chest. As I hit, I bent my legs, then pushed off, somersaulting backwards while kicking her off balance. Falling threw off her whip, which lashed around her, wrapping her up and tripping her to the ground.

Honestly surprised at the quickness of my victory, I stared dumbfounded at the grounded mamono. My feelings of celebration were cut short as the sound of creaking wood erupted around me. Looking around, I was surrounded by Dark Elves, many with bows drawn, sighting down arrows at me. "Aw, fuck." By a quick estimation, I figured I was outnumbered by about thirty to one. "You know this isn't fair, right ladies?" I jumped back as Yula stood back up, having disentangled herself.

"Who said we were supposed to fight fair?" Yula rubbed her chest, which was probably quite sore. She used the distraction this caused me to snap her whip at me again. Instead of dodging, though, I caught the whip on my staff and yanked hard, disarming her. I then surprised her again by dropping both weapons to the ground. I changed my stance, bringing my left leg into a toe down position, and raising my fists in front of me with the palms down, elbows partially cocked and level with my chest. It was obvious she had never seen Muay Thai before, as she started to laugh hysterically... until my knee caught her in the jaw.

Shaken by the hit, she quickly regained her balance and began throwing punches and kicks my way. She was clearly unskilled at hand to hand combat, as she was slow, her blows having very little force to them. When she started to tire, I went back on the offensive, launching jabs and hooks, with the occasional kick to the shins or the head. Eventually she dropped to her knees, and I was barely able to stop a kick before it would hit her neck. As it was, it looked like a show of ultimate control, the toe of my shoe touching her throat. I stepped back, then offered my hand to help her up.

"Your humiliation was never my goal, Mistress Yula. I just wanted to show you that not all humans are weak and worthless. I am proud to call myself human, and I hope that you can understand that pride when we speak together." I then turned back to Karena, wary of the arrows still trained on me. Karena was stunning, her white hair, red eyes and dark skin clashing in such a way that I couldn't stop staring. Her outfit was similar to her mother's, but it seemed to fit her curves better. Since I wasn't escaping from a dungeon or being attacked by a demon lady, I could appreciate her appearance. It also helped that her wounds seemed to be healed.

"I'm glad to see that you made it to your home safe and sound. Now, did you say something about the Demon Lord herself wanting to meet me?" I put on my best winning smile, while picking up my staff and uncurling the whip from around it. I noticed Karena pointing behind me, stifling a giggle. I turned to see Yula sauntering towards me, brushing dirt from her plush posterior. I held her whip out to her with a slight bow. As she hung the weapon on her hip, I saw the archers put away their bows, walking over towards us.

"My daughter was right, you are quite powerful for a human. However, I saw no evidence of the magic you supposedly wield, or the demonic form she described. Were you... holding back?" I could tell the question was loaded, and knew if I answered wrong, there would be trouble.

"You used no magic against me, so I used none against you, just as I dropped my weapon when I disarmed you. As for the 'demonic form', that power has only one purpose; to kill. To be honest, I was exiled from my home because of that power, and when I finally thought I had found a peaceful place, it got me turned away from there as well. So yes, I held back, if only in such a way as to fight you on equal footing." I saw several of the Dark Elves nod at this, apparently satisfied with my reply.

"Well then, Kid, I invite you to dine with us. I promise we won't do anything you don't want us to. We can discuss arrangements to get you to your audience with the Demon Lord as well." I felt arms and breasts encircle my arm as Karena glomped me from the side. "You'll have to forgive my daughter, she has been acting strangely since she returned to us. She even refuses to interact with our slaves; your the first male she's even approached since she's returned." Karena smiled at me as we walked into one of the stone structures, which turned out to be entry ways to a set of underground caverns.

I couldn't stifle a gasp as we entered the main chamber. Men, in various states of undress and wearing bondage gear, worked around the place, setting large tables and cleaning. Seeing me walk in unbound and armed, several lifted brooms or other items, bearing them menacingly. What is this, Stockholm Syndrome? My escort of Dark Elves all shot them what looked like menacing glares. I couldn't quite tell though, as the men looked relieved and went back to work. I was told that food would be ready soon, and I could take a look around or speak to my fellow humans until then.

I chose one of the broom wielders and approached him, asking about the conditions he was living in and why he continued to stay. "I'll tell ya, most of us here used to be Order soldiers. When we got nabbed, we found out that these dames aren't all evil and vile, like we was told. Yeah, they's into the whole master slave thing, but I actually like it. Hell, we all do. Those that don't usually get sent elsewhere, paired with a wife that they can appreciate." He stared over my shoulder at a particularly busty elf. "I tell ya, after years of living on the orders of my superiors, this place is paradise. I still get orders day to day, cause that's what I's good at, but I don't hafta kill no one." Several other men nearby nodded in agreement, and a smile spread across my face.

These ladies act all tough, but they're just big softies. They give these men love and stability, the two things they crave. Now I really want to meet this demon lord. Wandering around, I saw more evidence of the care taken for these 'slaves'. Rooms were furnished well, although in a style best described as 'raunchy dungeon'. Just about everywhere I looked I could find primitive first aid kits. Bathing facilities were plentiful, although it seemed these were also used sexually. One thing that worried me was the smell; a sweet, flowery scent that tried to dull my senses in areas of high concentration. Several times I had to stop and clear my mind, trying to get rid of an unwelcome erection.

When I noticed food being set out, I moved back into the main chamber, where I was directed to a seat near the head of the table. Most of the other men sat at a separate table, but some sat at the feet of their 'masters', lovingly being fed by hand. While I couldn't exactly understand this behavior, I could understand the love shared between the men and the elves.

The food laid in front of me looked delicious, and I began to heap my plate with whatever I could reach, especially when I spied small loaves of bread soaked in butter and garlic. One thing I avoided, however, was a fruit cocktail, which smelled suspiciously of the same flowery scent I had encountered earlier. There was visible disappointment on the faces around me as I passed over that dish. As I finished eating my fill, some sort of honey confection was brought around for dessert, but I declined, feeling too full.

"So, Kid, now we come to business. The Demon Lord's territory is two days journey from here. Once you reach the edge of her kingdom, she will have servants ready to take you the rest of the way. However, there is one minor snag; there's an Order army camped at the edge of her territory, trying to 'purify' the realm. We aren't sure how to get you past them without engaging a large battle, which we aren't ready for." I lit a smoke, leaning back in my chair. Yula looked frustrated at the situation, as if she hated having to admit weakness.

"I have an idea but I need to know, what do you do with the uniforms of your, uh, slaves?"

"We save them, and sell them to other races who work with metal and cloth. Why?"

"You'll see." I turned towards the men's table. "Any of you happen to be scouts or message runners?" Several of the men nodded. I chose one with a similar size to my own. "You, help them find your uniform. I need to look the part." Yula's eyes lit up when she grasped my plan, then darkened again.

"You do realize this will be extremely dangerous, right? The witch hunters will be able to sniff out your magic, and none of us will be able to accompany you. Superior to most humans you may be, but even you cannot fight an army. We should think of a safer way; her lordship would be very cross if you were to die on her doorstep because we couldn't secure you properly." Before I could respond, another man came up to me, holding a strange uniform I hadn't seen before. Magical energy danced along the metal. The man carrying it looked much different than the others, dressed in normal clothes and no bondage gear.

"Your plan needs some work, young man. This is a Hero's uniform. This will not only give you a good reason to be there, it will also explain your magic. Not only that, but no one will question you if you walk right into the Demon Lord's domain. In fact, you might be able to cause some mischief while your there..." Everyone around, myself included, broke into huge grins as he detailed his plan. This was gonna be fun. When all the details were worked out, I covered a yawn, the large amount of food I had eaten making me sleepy. With promises to begin my journey at first light, I was led by Karena to a room so I could sleep. I faced the bed, and as the door closed behind me began to undress for sleep.

As I settled down into bed, I felt someone else climb in with me. Karena lay beside me, fully clothed, shivering slightly. Without thinking, I reached over and brushed some hair away from her face, and as I touched her, a vision assaulted my mind.

Karena was strapped to an x shaped contraption, mostly undressed. Men stood around her, brandishing implements of torture. Barbed whips, hot metal rods, blades of various sizes and sharpness, along with things that I couldn't describe were being used on her, causing immense pain. When the men had finished that portion of their fun, each one took turns ramming themselves into her, violating her as roughly as possible, some wearing items on their members designed to cut and tear. As each one finished, they pulled out and shot their spunk into a bucket on the floor, denying her the spiritual energy she needed to heal.

When the vision finished I drew Karena to my chest, cradling her in my arms. I rocked her back and forth gently as her sobs tore at my heart. Someday very soon, I am going back there, and I'm going to destroy them all. I went to sleep with her in my arms, and hate in my heart.
Just what in the hell have I gotten myself into?!
"No fair, I saw him first!"