The World Unshattered
Ikumi couldn't believe what she was seeing. She'd been warned by Chiyo's letter that things were bad. She'd struggled with the memories of the creature that attacked her in the cave- forgotten in her torpor but slowly coming back- on her frantic ride to Frostspire. She knew that strange and evil things were happening, but to see Yumi naked and being allowed to freeze to death in front of an audience of at least a thousand men was not something she was prepared for.
The soldiers were readying bows. She didn't have time to ask questions.
"Tori, the basin!" she shouted.
Her new friend cawed and tipped it over with his foot, pouring oil into the trough and sending the flames roaring back to life. Ikumi worried about the oil that was spilling everywhere else- she didn't want to burn Yumi alive- but she couldn't afford to be careful. She tugged on Tori's reigns and sailed into the air, climbing and diving as a hail of arrows was loosed at her.
Tori was a powerful ally. Ikumi had asked the spirits for a lot by calling on him, and she likely wouldn't be able to summon anything else for weeks, but she had no choice- Frostspire was far away, and by the time the message had reached her days had already passed since it was sent. Tori dodged and rolled through the air, landing in front of the strange queen who sat on her throne, watching this madness.
"You must be Queen Tomiko," said Ikumi.
She knew she wasn't safe where she was, but she had to keep the soldiers distracted. Yumi was still helpless, and she had no idea when her backup would be arriving.
The woman on the throne didn't answer. She didn't even move. The expression on her face didn't even move as the guards that had been flanking her pressed forward with their spears. Ikumi lifted off again, Tori's wings beating as they flew out of range. They pivoted and dove into a nearby group of bowmen, turning the entire formation into a sprawling mess.
Ikumi ducked just in time for a spear to fly over her head. A creature was rushing at her. It looked like a woman, but she was taller than any man in Umai, powerfully build, and had a horn sticking out of her head. Tori took off before she could reach them, but Ikumi made a note not to land too near to her again.
She flew over the heads of the soldiers, too close to be targeted by archers but out of range of their swords and spears. She heard the shouts of anger and frustration as they swung at an enemy they couldn't catch. They probably didn't know how scared and nervous she was. What she was doing was crazy, and she still hadn't wrapped her head around it.
When she looked back to Queen Tomiko she saw that she was standing and raising her arms, holding them out to her sides. Ikumi was still wondering what she was doing when she heard the rumbling.
A roar, deep and menacing, vibrated outward from under the castle. A large tunnel that ran into the ground under the palace, the entrance iced over, shook as something inside stirred. There was an awful crash, and flying out from an explosion of ice and sound was a gigantic creature, glistening blue in the sunlight.
It was long and covered with scales like a serpent, but with many pairs of short legs. It needed no wings to fly, but slithered through the air as a snowy gale erupted from its mouth. The thing's jaws were wide enough to swallow Ikumi and Tori whole, and it lunged toward them fast enough to make good on the threat.
Tori turned sharply, avoiding the snapping fangs, but the dragon's head swung around with incredible speed to make another attempt. Ikumi's heart was beating furiously as she urged Tori toward the spires of the castle, hoping to tangle the dragon amongst them. They spun around towers and hurled through the tightest gaps they could find, but the dragon stayed at her heels, nipping at them so close that she worried that Tori was losing feathers.
She dove under his body and turned straight up, climbing to gain some height while he rearranged himself to come after her. At the peak of her ascent she dared to look over toward the plains nearest to the palace entrance. The army- the one she'd seen approaching on her way over with its red and orange banners- was about to descend upon the courtyard.
Chiyo fought to calm herself. The execution was well underway by now, but there was nothing more she could do about that. There was no way she or Miyoshi were getting out of Frostspire without being caught. She had to trust in Ikumi. She had to do her part in the palace, and she had to be calm and focused for that.
She was wearing the guard uniform that Miyoshi made for her. It worked well enough- she'd been able to spend the last three days sneaking around, taking measurements of the rooms and hallways of Frostspire without being caught. Now she was standing at the junction of two major hallways, not far from the palace entrance. She looked around the room again, finding each mark. They were all still there- nobody had noticed or removed them. She checked under her feet to make sure. She was in the right spot.
Chiyo took her staff and began to fill it with magic. From inside her pocket came a buzzing sound. Miyoshi's timer was giving her the signal to start.
Chiyo shouted and let a blast of magic fly. It coalesced into an orb and when it hit the wall, right where the first mark was, it bounced, ricocheting down the hallway. There were people in the room, but no soldiers- and they were too confused to act. Chiyo minded her rhythm as she shot out more bolts of magic, each hitting a different mark and bouncing down a different path as they scattered throughout the palace.
Jurou approached the small, buzzing thing carefully. It looked like a bug, but made out of tiny springs and gears. The rest of the soldiers on his patrol circled around it, closing in. What was it? Some kind of prank? What lunatic would do that in Frostspire, of all places? Was it a distraction? He looked around, but saw nowhere than an ambush could be coming from. The thing itself seemed harmless, aside from the shrill noise it was making.
A strange slapping sound caught his attention, and he turned in time to see a glowing red orb fly into the room, bouncing between the ceiling and floor of the hallway. It was fast, and before any of them could move, it landed right on top of the buzzing contraption.
Jurou was clear on the other side of the room, his vision spinning, before he worked out that he had been hit by the explosion. That was as much as he could do before he passed out.
Miyoshi watched from behind a pillar as the guards gathered around her singing bug. She counted down the seconds until a green blob landed on top of it, the magic blasting outward and engulfing the soldiers. All of them went down.
A dozen explosions echoed throughout the castle, all landing in the space of a couple of seconds. Chiyo's timing and calculations had been spot-on. It was all over before any of the soldiers could register the danger. Now most of the guards remaining in the palace were down. So far, all was good.
Chiyo sank to her knees. Putting out that much magic in such a rapid succession was incredibly draining. People all around were staring at her, but none of the them had moved yet.
"Hey," said one man, "It's her! It's one of the women Her Majesty is after! Get her!".
Chiyo pointed her staff at him and let one last spell go. Lightening ripped across the room and struck him, knocking him out. Everyone else ran and left her alone to catch her breath.
Akio munched on the flavorless jerky that he'd scrounged from the last soldier he'd managed to get the drop on. It would keep him going for a while longer. He hoped it would be long enough to figure a way out of these damned mines.
The tunnels sank further and deeper into the earth than he'd ever imagined. There were far more of them than could possibly be worked, forming a massive labyrinth under the palace. For the last three days Akio had been waging a guerrilla war against Tomiko's soldiers, drawing them as deeply into the mines as he could, then picking them off as they grew too spread out and disorganized.
It wasn't mere carelessness on their part; the tunnels twisted back on themselves and connected in strange ways. There was no way to communicate as they ventured further in after him, and there were just too many tunnels to keep them all sufficiently guarded when Akio could take on any small group of them and win.
Jinpachi had, somehow, convinced the palace guard that he'd been the one to call them when he found Akio and the four women in the storeroom, and that he had chased Akio into the mines when he ran, hoping to catch him. There was nobody else to take credit- Minoru had disappeared- and there was certainly enough confusion during the battle to leave everyone impressionable.
Akio's spy had been helping him in small ways ever since. He couldn't dare to venture deep into the mines himself, but when Akio had the soldiers at their most strung out he was able to slip past them and get close to the entrance, where Jinpachi had set up a hidden cache where they could exchange information and orders. It had been a while- Akio had no way of telling exactly how long- since he'd been able to get to it. The soldiers weren't pursuing at the moment, drawing back to the entrance. It was a bad time to move forward, but he might have to risk it if they committed themselves to just starving him out.
"Akio."
Akio drew his sword and spun to meet the voice.
"Minoru- you traitorous pig," he snarled.
"Traitorous? That implies that I was ever on your side. Maybe if you hadn't decided to backstab Taiko and change the mission at the last minute you would be back home by now, doing terrible things to innocent women."
"I'm going to find that crystal that sustains you and-"
"Shut up. I've been working with Chiyo and Miyoshi. They've got a plan to save Taiko and Yumi. And to help Tomiko."
"Help her to do what?"
"Be a better person. The important part, as far as you're concerned, is that this is your best opportunity to get out of these mines alive. Queen Tomiko has ordered Yumi's execution to draw you, Chiyo, and Miyoshi out. She got a little more than she was expecting. The palace is almost undefended, and Jinpachi has managed to send a call for help to one of your armies. He has my crystal right now, which is why I've managed to reach out far enough to find you."
"I don't expect cooperation from you, but they're going to need your help taking the palace entrance upstairs. Just go fight your way out, and we'll take whatever collateral assistance you manage to provide in the process."
Minoru vanished without letting Akio respond. Was it a trap? Was he helping Tomiko's men, trying to lure him out of the mines? It was possible, but Minoru was also capable of tracking him without being seen. He could have led the soldiers to him without ever giving him an inkling of the danger.
Akio tossed the rest of the jerky aside, dimmed his lamp as much as he could, and started for the palace. At least this way, he would know where the trap was waiting for him.
The mines were empty. Even the outer ring of checkpoints that he usually had to fight through were unguarded. It made him nervous, but he pressed on. The gate that separated Frostspire from the mines had a few soldiers, but Akio dispatched them quickly, leaping from the dark and cutting them down before they could get their bearings. He left his lantern with them and rushed into the palace.
The first group of guards he encountered were all unconscious, lying scattered about a scorch mark on the ground. He ignored them and found the stairs to the ground level. Two soldiers were left blocking his way. They didn't last long.
Akio hadn't realized until now how ready he was for a knock-down, drag out fight to secure his final victory. He'd been sneaking around for too long, and with his army nearby- at least in theory- he was ready to crush Tomiko's forces once and for all, and claim her for his slave. He'd have the other four as well; hopefully he would be in time to stop Yumi's execution.
When he reached the palace entrance he saw a half-dozen soldiers- all scrambling to get the gate open. He could hear the sounds of a battle raging outside, and could only guess that Tomiko's army was trying to retreat inside of Frostspire.
With a shout he charged, slamming his shoulder into one soldier and smashing him into the gate. Even as the man was still falling Akio swung at his nearest compatriot, hitting him in the head with the hilt of his sword. The other four men working to open the gate ceased as they drew their swords to face him.
Akio struck a weapon out of its wielder's hand while it was still fresh from the scabbard, then swung his blade in a wide arc that sent the man scrambling back into the soldier behind him. The other two assaulted him, but he easily parried their swords, then swept low to slice open a leg. He blocked the next attack and grabbed the man's arm, twisting it until it broke.
The two remaining men shouted for help, but whatever soldiers were supposed to be nearby weren't responding. Akio finished his opponents off with a series of fierce, aggressive attacks that overwhelmed their defenses, leaving each open for a finishing blow.
He didn't have much time to rest. The gate was closed, but the doorway next to it was still open, and men were starting to come through. Akio rushed to engage them, throwing his back against the door to crush the man coming in while stabbing at the other to keep him at a distance. He had to dodge to the side to avoid the counterattack, but it left the man open for a kick to the gut and a knee to the face. Akio let the man caught between the door and the frame spill out clumsily before slamming it again in the next man's face. He kicked the soldier on the ground in his side, then put all of his weight against the door, trying to hold it as long as possible.
Twice he was pushed away, but both times he downed the soldier trying to come through and regained his position.
The screams from the other side of the gate told Akio that the palace's defenders had fallen. When silence had reigned long enough he opened the door, ducking quickly as one of his own men loosed an arrow at him.
"Watch your fire, you imbecile!" he shouted, privately admiring his speed and aim.
"Lord Akio?"
It was Captain Gyokusho, one of his men that commanded the forces kept near Tomiko's border.
"Yes; I've secured this side of the gate. Hurry up and send some men to hold the room."
Soldiers dressed in his colors poured through the door, getting to work on the gate and moving to watch the hallways that led deeper into the palace.
"My Lord," said the Captain, "The battle outside has gone well. What forces we didn't trap and defeat were scattered, along with Queen Tomiko. The... uh... there is a dragon outside, my Lord. It appears to be occupied at the moment, but if it turns on us there will be trouble. The Queen also has other forces moving in, and we believe that her wyvern riders will be here before long. We'll be outnumbered badly if they all get together."
"Then get the army into the palace. We'll draw up plans for the next stage of the battle in there."
The sound of ice cracking accompanied the opening of the gate. Before his soldiers could begin their march inside he stepped through, running out into the courtyard.
"My Lord, where are you going?" shouted Gyokusho.
"I'm looking for something that Queen Tomiko may have left behind."
"Something that belongs to me," he added to himself.
Taiko screamed for the thousandth time. The monster was sitting now with her on his lap. His hands were locked around her waist, lifting her body and bringing it down again onto his cock, over and over while his hips added force to the collision. Her shins were against her chest, contorting her in a way that wasn't comfortable just to be held in, let alone be fucked in.
She'd lost track of all of the positions she'd been put in so that he could find a new way to drive himself into her pussy. He was fucking her with the rabid frustration of a creature that always felt like he was about to cum, but could never get his release. He hadn't tired in the slightest, even though he'd been pounding away at her non-stop since before she could remember.
Taiko knew because he'd shared the curse with her. It didn't feel like it had when Yumi was making her cum. It had at first, but now it just felt hollow, like whatever part of her was capable of feeling physical pleasure was gone. Hollow and painful. She'd been beaten raw before a quarter of the time that had passed so far, and each time he dropped her into his lap Taiko felt like she was being torn open.
Her head rolled back limply and she groaned as her body cramped, wanting to cum but not being able to.
Miyoshi tried not to look nervous. Most of the palace guards had been taken out by Chiyo's ploy, but the door to the dungeon where Taiko was being held still had two men stationed in front of it. She approached them openly, dressed in her fake uniform, and held out a folded piece of paper with as much stiff formality as she could manage.
"Orders from Her Majesty," she said, waiting for them to take the note.
One of the soldiers grabbed it while looking at her skeptically.
"The Lady Oni Yokubō should be here personally to handle any business," he said. "We aren't even allowed inside."
"I'm just delivering the message," said Miyoshi, trying to keep her back straight and her gaze level.
"What the-"
Miyoshi took that as her cue. She snatched the table leg that was strapped to her back and smacked the soldier over the head while he and his comrade were preoccupied with the piece of paper. He dropped down, clutching head and yelling, while the other reached for his sword. Miyoshi kicked him between the legs, wincing herself as she saw his face.
The piece of paper and the face with its tongue sticking out that was drawn on it drifted to the ground while Miyoshi grabbed the keys from one of the men and hurried open the door. One of the soldiers caught her ankle as she slipped through, but he screamed and let go when the door slammed on his wrist.
She turned and locked the it before either could man could get to his feet to push it open again. She stepped back just as they began pounding on the other side, satisfied that the reinforced door would hold. She rushed down a bleak passageway and threw open the first door she could find.
It wasn't Taiko, but it was someone who needed her help. The poor woman was hanging from the ceiling by her elbows, and she'd obviously been whipped. Hard.
"Hold on," she said, grabbing the woman's legs and lifting her up. It wasn't enough to get her loose from the ceiling, so Miyoshi had to let her down again and find a chest- she didn't want to know what was inside- to drag over and stand on. It was a struggle to get her down, and when she finally came Miyoshi wasn't able to hold her up. They both fell to the ground, hitting the ice hard.
Miyoshi knew she didn't have time to sit around hurting. She worked as fast as she could to get the woman untied, starting with her elbows before freeing her hands. The woman could barely move her arms, even when they were free, and Miyosh had to help her get her gag out.
"Who are you?" asked the woman, her voice weak. "Why are you... why are you helping me?"
Miyoshi hugged the her, her heart broken by the damage done to the woman.
"My name is Miyoshi. I'm here to save my friend. Have you seen her? Her name is Taiko. She has this pink hair- it's so beautiful, you wouldn't be able to forget her."
"I don't know," she said. "I can't even see straight right now."
"It's okay. I have to go look for her. But we won't leave without you. Just stay here and rest. I'll be back."
"Wait, please-"
"I'm sorry. I have to help her, too. I promise, you'll be okay."
Miyoshi set her down and continued on. She was halfway to another cell door when a scream echoed down the corridor. It was awful. And it was Taiko's voice. Miyoshi ran and turned the corner, finding a door that was locked shut. She tested three keys on it while hearing Taiko inside, wailing miserably. The fourth one turned, and the door swung open.
Taiko was on her back, her arms tied behind her and being crushed between her and the floor. Her shins had been tied together, as if she was sitting cross-legged, although now she was balled up with her shins pressed against her chest. At first Miyoshi thought that it was a man holding her there, but when it looked up at her she saw that it was more beast that human. It was naked, and it was forcing itself on Taiko.
"Get away from her!" she screamed, readying her table leg.
The creature snarled, baring its teeth at Miyoshi without stopping its assault for even a moment. Miyoshi crept closer, her weapon raised to strike.
"I mean it! Let her go, now!"
"M... Miyoshi?" said Taiko, lost in a haze. "Is that... no... is it? Really?"
Miyoshi swung, more in the direction of the creature than at it, hoping it would flee. Instead it threw Taiko aside and lunged at her with a motion so fast that it had her by the arms and pinned to the floor before she could move. Drool fell from its open mouth and landed on Miyoshi's neck, and she felt its cock press against her.
The creature smiled wickedly, and ripped her uniform open like it was wrapping paper. Miyoshi's breasts felt the freezing air on them, right before they felt teeth. Miyoshi screamed, trying to wrestle it off, but between its weight and its animalistic fury it easily outmatched her.
"No!" said Taiko, her voice weak but determined. "Not her- please, not her too-"
The creature didn't seem to notice. Miyoshi screamed when it tore her pants off, taking her whole body into the air for a moment before dropping her bare skin onto the ice. She slapped it when it let her hand go free. It backhanded her in return, and nearly knocking her lights out. The next thing she registered was a gigantic cock forcing its way inside of her.
Taiko was still yelling for it to stop. Instead Miyoshi found her wrists pinned to the floor as the creature reared over her and started fucking. Miyoshi was thrown into shock. Her pussy was could barely fit him, and he was ramming so hard into her that she thought he was going to break her hips. She screamed, not sure she would be able to survive taking him until he came.
The thing howled in a sudden rage. It threw itself off of her and swung its hand at something behind it. Miyoshi saw blood on the floor, and followed it to the piece of wood that had been jammed in its back. It looked like a broken spreader bar- the kind that Yokubō had introduced her to while whipping her pussy- and the other half was being held by the woman Miyoshi had rescued a couple of minutes ago.
Miyoshi was surprised that she could even stand. She looked unsteady enough, to be sure. The creature was wounded, however, and was trying to get the wooden rod out of its back while merely fending her off. She waited until it was in a vulnerable position and drove the rest of the bar into its neck.
The creature started going limp, dragging itself away into a dark corner. Once it was out of sight a wretched death rattle filled the room, dropping off into silence.
The woman fell down, coming to rest against the wall.
"I didn't want to wait," she said, wincing.
Miyoshi sat up, pulling her pants back on to cover herself and trying to fix her tunic as best she could.
"Taiko..."
She limped over to her friend. She was still on her back, trembling with her eyes shut. She was panting unevenly, and every time she moved it looked like it hurt.
"Are you alright?" asked Miyoshi, trying to untie her legs. The knots were absurdly tight, and even with her teeth she couldn't make any progress.
"Miyoshi? I can't... I can't feel my magic."
"What do you mean?"
"I tried to feel it. I tried to bring it up, even if I couldn't use it while tied up. But I couldn't. I can't feel it at all anymore."
Her eyes were still shut, but not tightly enough to stop the tear from leaking out.
"It took away my magic, Miyoshi."
"She had magic?" asked the woman. "Yokubō told me about that thing. She said it could take away parts of your soul. It would fuck you until you couldn't feel pleasure anymore. And sometimes it would take other stuff away too. The bitch said she was going to let it have me one day."
Miyoshi wiped the tears off of Taiko's face. Even like this, she was so beautiful.
"What's your name?" she asked.
"Naoki."
"Naoki, could you help me again?"
"If I can," she said, the strain and exhaustion obvious in her voice.
"Could you see if there are any other women down here? And can you get them free?"
Naoki just nodded, and with a worrying amount of effort stood up.
"You should hurry," she said. "I don't know how you got down here, but we want to be gone before Yokubō shows back up."
"I know," said Miyoshi.
Naoki limped out of the room, and Miyoshi turned back to Taiko.
"Taiko, I don't know if I can fix what it did to you, but I'm going to try."
"How?" she asked with a meekness that Miyoshi didn't think she was capable of.
"I... there's so much about all of this that I don't understand yet. All of this stuff about sex and tying people up- it's got me as confused as everyone else. But I know something for sure. I know that I love you, Taiko. I mean, I love all of my friends. But I love you in a way- like in the way that Akio loves women, but without all of the evil and cruelness. I don't know if I'm making any sense."
"I don't think so," said Taiko, chuckling painfully. "But I think I know what you mean anyway."
"Just try to relax. If that monster took away, uh, that thing from you, then I'm going to give it back. I'm going to do it like it's supposed to be done. Just let me try, okay?"
Taiko didn't say anything else.
Miyoshi did what felt right. She reached out gingerly and let her palms rest on Taiko's thighs. Taiko squealed quietly, but didn't seem to mind. Miyoshi stroked her slowly, moving up to her hips and torso. At first Miyoshi thought that she was hurting her, but then she realized that the pain, built up from an entire night of abuse, was seeping out. It was hard to watch, but it meant that she was starting to open up. Miyoshi kissed her on her thigh. She moaned, both in pleasure and in pain as her tension started to unravel before Miyoshi's eyes.
Taiko's legs were spread, leaving her pussy wide open for her. She kissed it. Taiko inhaled sharply, and she started to writhe as Miyoshi dragged her lips over Taiko's. Miyoshi didn't know what she was doing, but Taiko didn't seem to mind letting her work it out. It seemed like such a strange thing for her to enjoy doing, but every little sound that Taiko made spurred her on. It the first time Miyoshi had seen sexual pleasure untarnished by cruelty or an unwilling victim, and she swore that she would make it happen a thousand more times.
She fucked Taiko with her tongue, gently and tenderly. It didn't take long for her to fall completely into Miyoshi's power, and before long she was moaning in subdued ecstasy.
Taiko bit her lip and grunted the sweetest grunt Miyoshi had ever heard. Her pussy was squirting now, and Taiko sounded like she was lost in whatever world she'd been taken to. She relaxed, fully this time, coming to rest with her mouth hanging open, still panting slightly.
Miyoshi kissed her a few more times, enjoying it for herself, before sitting up. She let Taiko have a minute to rest, finally looking content despite still being tied up naked in the freezing room.
"Can you... can you feel your magic?" she asked, afraid of the answer.
Taiko smiled.
"I think so. Yes. Yes, I can feel it. Thank you, Miyoshi. Thank you so much. I don't know how I can ever thank you enough," she said, tears starting to roll from her eyes again.
"I do," said Miyoshi. "I'm going to untie you, and you're going to get us all out of this mess. And then we're all going to go home, back to Umai, and be happy again."
Miyoshi thought for another moment and smiled.
"And when we do, you're going to let me tie you up again," she said, brushing Taiko's hair with her fingers. "I think I'm going to like having a sex slave."
Yumi was shivering again. Defrosting after being nearly frozen to death hadn't been fun. She was just starting to be able to move her hands without them screaming in pain when the fire had begun to die down again.
She'd been forgotten in the commotion and the battle. As best she could see, she was surrounded by Akio's soldiers. She knew what getting their attention would mean, and she bit her tongue. But the cold was out there- stalking around the outside of the flames like a wolf waiting for its prey.
A terrifying roar sounded out, the dragon's cry shaking the slab underneath her. She squirmed as much as she could, trying to at least raise her head enough to see what was going on. She had no idea if Ikumi had escaped, what had become of Tomiko, or if there was anyone nearby who wasn't one of Akio's soldiers.
The cold still held her in its teeth, invited in by her naked skin with her arms and legs stretched to the corners of the lab. She promised herself that if she somehow escaped she would find the hottest place in whatever world she wound up in and never leave.
"There you are."
Yumi's hackles rose at the sound of that voice. She lifted her head as much as she could with the metal band around her neck and saw him entering through the gap in the trough.
"Akio- you asshole."
Akio sneered at her.
"You've gotten a little too use to me being crippled. A condition, that you may recall, I no longer suffer from. Meanwhile, it looks like you've been laid out quite nicely for me."
Yumi found the energy to jerk against her bindings. She'd been rescued from one monster to be taken by another. She became conscious of her nakedness again, and quickly noticed how much Akio was appreciating it while he closed in on her.
"Get me off of this slab! Right now! Do you have any idea what I've been through since you left me and Taiko to be taken prisoner? All of this is your damned fault, you greedy coward!"
Akio slapped her across the face.
"Please, go ahead any tell me what they did to you. Maybe I'll take some notes. I haven't forgotten what you and your friends did to me, either."
Akio caressed her body, taking her breast in his hand. His warm hand. She remembered being on her knees in front of him before, offering her body to him to use as he wanted. He was right- she had gotten too use to him being crippled. He was the first one to have broken her, and she was just as helpless now as she was then.
"I missed my last chance to have your cunt," he said, leaning over. "I won't miss this one."
Akio kissed her. She resisted, holding her lips shut, but when he slid his belt free, doubled it over, and slapped it against her belly she gave in. Her training at the hands of the Oni took over and she kissed him like she'd been taught to kiss Taiko.
Warmth flooded back into her body. Akio slid on top of her as he played with her mouth, his weight pressing down on her, protecting her from the frigid air as much as it claimed possession over her. Where his body didn't cover her his hands did, fondling whatever part of her they could reach.
If she thought she'd gotten used to being touched this way she was wrong. Akio's embrace was hot and intense, forcing her body to respond in a way that Yokubō could never manage. He was doing more than groping and hurting her, he was forcing her to arousal, and she couldn't stop it. Unwilling and unwanted desire burned in her loins, ready to submit to him, desperate for something that felt right after days of having her face buried in a monster's cunt and sucking on one of her best friend's tongue.
Yumi wanted him to stop. She didn't want to feel pleasure from it. She didn't want to feel her body losing control. She didn't want to be glad that it was him, instead of Yokubō. She didn't want to feel safe and warm under his chest. As she kissed him, passionately and eagerly, even if only for fear of his belt, she knew that it was a lost battle.
Akio work his pants down, pulling out his cock. Yumi's pussy was spread wide open for him, and it didn't take long for her to feel him sinking into her. It hurt, maybe a little less than she expected, but it hurt.
"Stop!" she said, breaking away from his lips.
Akio turned her face back toward him with his strong grip and rapped his hand against the side of her breast.
"I can decide to leave you on this slab for as long as I like when I'm finished fucking you," he said, grunting as his hips started to drive into her.
"If you think I've grown soft since the last time you were at my mercy then you're about to be find out how wrong you are."
Akio kissed her again, and she yielded to him. Her body was his, and there was no point in denying it any longer. Her pussy hugged his cock as he fucked her, welcoming him no matter how hard Yumi struggled against the metal banks that held her wrists and ankles. It gushed for him, soaking him up to his balls. Yumi had to break away from him to scream, overwhelmed by sensations that she was feeling as he rode her.
He pulled her back to claim her mouth again with a satisfied moan. His tongue invaded her mouth while his cock invaded her pussy, and neither wanted him out. Akio finally let go of her lips, rearing up to drive faster into her. She groaned in pleasure. It was pleasure. She couldn't deny it. It was making her tear at her limbs and wretch her back, but the last thing her body wanted was for it to stop. She wanted him to work even faster, even harder.
Yumi screamed through gritted teeth as Akio took her first orgasm. Days of tension seemed to wash away as she climaxed, finally giving her a moment of peace and bliss.
Akio wasn't finished. Yumi felt herself come down, but not all the way, adjusting to Akio's rhythm as he enjoyed himself with his hands roaming her flesh and his lips back on hers. Yumi moaned as the earlier intensity settled into a more relaxed state of carnal pleasure. She tried to remember that he was raping her, how he had tortured her, and what he had done to her friends. It didn't matter. For now, all her body cared about was that it was his, and that his touch felt good after days of nothing but pain and the taste of other women's bodyparts in her mouth.
Yumi was going to cum again. It came more slowly this time, giving her ample opportunity to feel it slowly take over her body. Not even the cold air burning her lungs as she panted was enough to bring her out of his spell. When his hands found her breasts again she moaned, unable to deny how good it felt when he squeezed them. She let herself go, bucking as she climaxed again, grunting as she rewarded Akio's touch with more juice from her loins.
When Yumi was finished she realized that Akio was cuming, filling her with his seed. He finally slowed down, and with her body coming to rest she could look up at the man lying on top of her with a clear head again. Suddenly all she could feel was intense guilt for giving him such satisfaction. And for enjoying it.
She was still bound with heavy metal bands to a slab. He was still a brutal warlord who only cared for his own pleasure. She was his slave again, and no matter what he was able to do to her to make her enjoy it when he forced himself on her, she knew that she was in trouble.
"Hurry up!" shouted Akio.
The battle outside was about to turn against them badly. The rest of Tomiko's armies were moving in, just as he had expected. His army was almost inside Frostspire now. Jinpachi had already reported to him, telling him that Queen Tomiko's tithes would supply them for quite a while.
Akio had no intention of merely holding out. He would find a way to strike out from the palace, but having time to figure out a plan was important.
He glanced over to Yumi. She was lying on her side, her arms in a strict box tie behind her back and her feet hobbled. He'd dressed her in a spare uniform. He hopped that she wouldn't get any ideas from it; she deserved no dignity of being clothed, but as cold as it was he genuinely feared for her freezing to death. He might not have allowed her to rest, either, until he had a renewed oath from her, but didn't have time to dote on her.
There were many heroes among his men today. Other women would no doubt be taken prisoner as they secured the palace, but the best among them would be rewarded properly. She would have a lot of cock in her mouth tonight, starting with Jinpachi's.
"My Lord," said one of his messengers. "We've found a suitable room to set up as your headquarters."
"Good. Take me there. I want to start organizing teams to scour the palace. We need to establish to the staff that we're in charge."
"Take her," he said to a soldier, point toward Yumi. He didn't want her out of his sight for long. Not while the situation was still so critical.
The three of them and their prisoner started toward his new headquarters while he wondered how many of Tomiko's agents were still in the palace. It would be difficult to root them all out. Frostspire was enormous, and even his entire army would have trouble paroling it all while staying prepared for battle with Tomiko's army.
A door to his side slammed open so hard that it nearly broke off its hinges. An enormous figure bolted out, seizing his messenger and burying a knee in his chest. Akio heard a crack, and he knew that the man wouldn't be getting up anytime soon. The Lady Oni Yokubō turned to him, a bladed mace in her hand.
"Akio! You've brought my slave back to me! I'm going to kill you now, but thanks!"
Akio knew he couldn't parry what was coming. He rolled under her swing, hoping that he would be up fast enough to take her in the back. He barely even had time to roll again as the mace slammed into the floor where he once was.
The solider who'd been following with Yumi drew his own weapon and charged, but a backhanded swing from Yokubō caught him and shattered his arm. It bought Akio enough time to get back to his feet, but little else. Yokubō was more skilled in hand to hand than her sister, Kori, and even if Akio was swifter she knew how to use her reach to keep him too far back to threaten her.
Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Yumi, fumbling with the fallen soldier's sword, trying to cut herself loose. He lunged toward the Oni, stopped time after time by her mace, testing for a hole in her defense and finding none. He tried to frustrate her, to lure her into overcommiting to an attack and leaving herself open, but she seemed to, if anything, enjoy the game of cat and mouse. He wished for a bow or a spear, and began to consider risking everything on a suicide drive at her chest.
Yokubō twirled her mace, effortlessly swinging it in a series of arcs that would easily shatter his bones if any connected. She pressed him back, but abruptly stopped at some instinct to strike out behind her. It was Yumi, her ropes cut and his soldier's sword in her hand. She stopped short, barely avoiding a blow that would have caved her head in. Knowing that she was leaving herself open for Akio, Yokubō immediately backed away, getting out from between her two attackers.
"I didn't give you permission to cut yourself loose," he said.
"You didn't give me permission to gut you either, but that's coming too."
"You're making me jealous," said the Oni.
Akio could recapture Yumi later; Yokubō was the greater threat. He darted in, drawing her mace his way. He ducked, but stayed within her reach. Yumi was of the same mind, as he'd wagered, and Yokubō had to back away again to defend from her thrust without giving Akio a chance to skewer her. Her back hit the wall, and she had to leap forward to find her space again. She tried to get past Akio, to put them both at her front, but he denied her. They settled into a rhythm, with Akio and Yumi alternating between aggressive attacks and keeping her in retreat.
Akio saw that the game was in his favor now, and Yokubō's control over her temper was wearing thin. She was about to crack. One of her attacks was a little too aggressive, left her open a little too long. It was the right time to finish the battle.
He feigned surprise and stumbled, sinking to a knee. She pounced on the opportunity to end him, and threw all of her strength into the blow. Akio rolled forward, landing on his back under her guard. He stabbed upward and sank his sword into her leg as her mace shattered the ice where he'd been kneeling.
Yumi screamed and closed in. Akio was almost tramped as Yokubō backed away from her, bleeding and slow. With her injured leg compromising her stance her blows lost their speed and overwhelming power. She fell on the defensive as she no longer had time to attack and defend, Yumi unleashing a torrent of blows that were fueled by a mad hatred and furious thirst for retribution.
It was only a matter of time before Yokubō stumbled. Yumi's sword found purchase on her wrist, cutting her deeply enough to drop the mace from her hand. She didn't waste a movement after that, driving the sword straight into the Lady Oni's chest.
Yokubō lurched forward and grabbed at Yumi's neck with her open hand, trying to avenge herself in her own last moments. When her reach fell short her hand dropped, and a moment later the rest of her fell to the floor.
Akio stood, thankful that Yumi had exhausted that rage on his enemy. Maybe he should save her for himself tonight. His desire to break her again, to watch as bondage and pain robbed her of her will and delivered her to him, rose anew. He would recapture her now, and once the battle reached a lull, personally see to her whipping.
"It's him!"
Four of Tomiko's soldiers charged at them from the other end of the hallway. Akio raised his sword, tired and smarting but ready to finish them off. As they passed the intersecting hallway an explosive wave of energy crashed into them, scattering them across the floor.
It was the blue-haired one, Chiyo. She ran into view, carrying her staff in one hand and a spear in the other.
"Yumi!"
"Chiyo!"
Yumi ran over and embraced her.
"What about Taiko?" asked Yumi.
"Miyoshi found her. She's alright, at least sort of. We need to head back to the library."
"The what?"
"Come on," she said, handing Yumi the spear, "I'll show you. We've got a plan."
She looked over to Akio, her eyes immediately cooling.
"Taiko said that we should bring Akio, but I'd rather just blast him right now."
"Try it," said Akio. "I've beaten you twice already."
The entire palace rumbled, and a thousand crashing sounds echoed through the hall.
"I think that was Tomiko," said Chiyo. "We need to go."
Queen Tomiko watched as her soldiers laid siege to her own palace. It was a disgrace. Someone would have to be punished for this mess once Frostspire was back in her hands.
She wandered over to her throne, still sitting in the courtyard where it had been placed for the execution. The girl was gone. Tomiko would find her again, and put her back on the slab. The cold would still be there to take her. The cold would always be there.
Tomiko sat, letting her men fight. They would win, eventually. The Lady Oni Yokubō was already inside, gone in before Akio's men took the entrance to find out what was going on. There was no point in doing anything herself. She'd gone so far as to summon Hyōga already. She had more magic than that, of course, but magic took will to use, and Queen Tomiko had precious little will to spare. So, instead, she watched. Silently, feeling nothing.
Then the man appeared. He stepped out of thin air in front of her, a blue translucent figure that wasted no time in locking his eyes with hers.
"Hello, Queen Tomiko."
A knot appeared in her chest. She didn't recognize him. She didn't recognize his face, the way he was dressed, or whatever magic made him appear like that. But seeing him hurt. It hurt in a way that Tomiko was sure she'd never felt before, but was horribly familiar all the same. She gripped the arms of her throne tightly and realized that she was holding her breath.
"My name is Minoru. I don't think you know me, but I've come to tell you something. This battle is just a distraction. Taiko and Akio staged it all, and they've almost gotten to what they really want. The room. The one that nobody else can ever find. The one that even you don't go to. I don't know what's in there, but they're going to take it, and they're going to use it against you. You need to get there, and you need to hurry."
The man vanished, just as easily as he'd appeared. His name- Minoru- she'd heard it before. It was like a dagger in her chest. Why couldn't she remember? Her body, animated by an urge to act that came from a place that she couldn't entirely comprehend, began to rise.
Tomiko stood. She called upon the forces of ice and snow. She stirred the stone of Frostspire itself and demanded its fealty. With a deafening crash the windows of the palace exploded, ice that could have withstood any siege engine known to man shattering on her command.
Her soldiers cowered at first, shocked by her display of power, but soon they began to stream into every opening, and withing minutes the palace gate was open. Tomiko strode through, heading straight for the forgotten room. Outside, Hyōga still chased the woman on the bird. She was of no concern for now.
Inside she found Akio's men being driven back on every front. They'd been surrounded, broken apart, and forced to bar themselves into whatever rooms they could. They would be dealt with later. The way was almost clear for her. A lone trio of Akio's men dared stand in front of her, blocking one hallway. She froze them where they stood, sealing them in ice with a wave of her hand.
Tomiko reached the library. She wondered if she'd even been there before. She knew about the room that was buried inside, but not even she knew what was lay beyond its doors. She just knew that it was important. She let that inexplicable knowledge lead her to the door. It was still shut. Or they'd shut it behind them. Tomiko put her palm against it.
The door didn't open. It just vanished. It dissolved into light, and Tomiko stepped through into a room that barely seemed to exist. It was there. It was solid under her feet. Vague impressions of it lingered at the edges of her vision, but when she tried to focus on anything in particular, she saw nothing.
"Tomiko."
She turned, and saw Akio and the woman- Taiko- still in the library. Minoru was behind them. She'd been tricked. She still couldn't figure out who he was, but seeing him on their side cut into her. She felt betrayed, deeply. She lifted her arms, ready to blast them with shards of ice that would flay them to their bones, but something in her faltered.
Akio stepped into the room, and Taiko came behind him.
"I guess you don't know how my magic works, do you?" she said. "I can look into things and find out what's in their nature, and I can empower that. I can make them be what they want to be. Do what they want to do."
The woman made a funny series of poses. Tomiko was puzzled- was she trying to look intimidating?
"Bring out the old world. Show us the reality that came before. Room that sits on the edge- show us our old selves."
The world throbbed and it flashed. And, somehow, Queen Tomiko vanished, and Miyamoto Tomiko stood in her place.
The room around her felt strange. It shouldn't have. There was nothing odd about the smooth white walls and shaped glass that surrounded her, at least not that she could pick out. The feeling slowly faded, and she noticed the other two people in the room with her.
Tomiko was there, dressed in a fashionable white coat with blue layers showing underneath. She looked as confused as Taiko. There was another man there. Akio? She tried to remember where she knew him from. How had they gotten there, anyway?
"Where is this?" asked Akio, looking around timidly. "I can't remember anything for some reason."
"We're in my room," said Tomiko. "But I'm not sure why."
Her bed and her personal effects, lying all around around the room, came into focus. Taiko thought it was strange that she hadn't seen them before, but there they were.
Akio blushed bowed his head nervously.
"Neither do I," he said, looking toward Taiko. "Have we met? Are you one of Tomiko's friends? You look familiar."
Taiko pried into her brain, trying to figure it out. Memories started to come back, like from a dream that she'd awoken in the middle of. Memories of adventures, fantasies, magic, and...
The less pleasant things. The war between Tomiko and Akio. The monsters. The torture and the rape.
"Yeah," she said, "Lord Akio."
Akio sat on the bed, burying his face in his hands. He was remembering too, then. Taiko saw Tomiko shiver.
"I can't believe that was us," he said. "I can't believe what I tried to do. What I did do to your friends. What happened? How did it go so wrong?"
"It's my fault," said Tomiko. "I knew there was something awful inside of me. The fragment I wound up in-"
"No," said Taiko. "It's not either of your faults. You weren't the ones who broke reality. It wasn't your job to put it back together right."
"I know what happened, Tomiko. With Minoru. I didn't back then, and I was too young to understand anyway. I know you're hurting. You needed help, not to be responsible for shaping a world."
A heavy silence followed her words.
"What can we do now?" asked Tomiko. "How can we fix any of this?"
Akio picked something up from Tomiko's bed. Taiko recognized it right away.
"These are all pictures of you smiling," he said to Tomiko. "You hardly ever smile when I see you."
"I made that," said Taiko. "I always saw her around, and she always looked so sad. So I set up a recorder, and I found every small moment that I could when she smiled, and I put them all together in that book."
Taiko took it from Akio and looked at the first page, to the message she'd written there.
Tomiko- the person in these pictures is so beautiful. I think you should try to be more like her. Everyone likes you, but I don't even know if you have any friends. If you ever need someone to talk to, my name is Taiko. Please try to smile more!
Taiko shook her head. It was so silly and childish, wasn't it? Tomiko was older than her at the time, but she hadn't seemed to age while in her world while Taiko and her friends had grown up.
"This is it," she said. "This is what's tying our worlds together."
"I remember that thing now," said Tomiko. "It was sweet. I think it made me laugh, but it was sweet. I guess I took it with me, somehow."
"We have to destroy it," said Taiko. "That's the only way we can stop the worlds from fusing."
Tomiko looked down, hurt. It really did mean something to her, didn't it?
"Don't be sad," she said. "You can come with us to our world. There's a lot to smile about there, and you won't need this silly thing anymore."
"But I'll be Queen Tomiko again. And after what I did to you, I-"
"No. Queen Tomiko was a creature that world created. The saddest part of you twisted something in that reality, and it twisted you back. You'll be a different person in our world. You can be like I was- the person that I really wanted to be. So can you, Akio."
"No," he said. "I can't. If we both leave, that bubble will collapse. And it will take everyone living there with it. Those people might have been created with our world, but they're still real people, right?"
Taiko looked down, realizing that she'd gotten ahead of herself. He was right. It was an awful place, but what about the Punnydins? Or Swune and his people?
"I'll stay," he said. "Tomiko needs you."
He stood up and nervously faced her.
"Tomiko, this mess is my fault too. I was infatuated with you. I wanted you. But seeing what we created- I don't think we were good for each other. I think I need to move on. I think I can make that world a little more humane if I let you go."
Tomiko looked back at him, her eyes threatening to water up.
"I don't think I ever really noticed you. I was too busy thinking about myself all the time to notice anyone. Maybe I should have."
"Yeah, you should have noticed someone. But I don't think it was ever going to be me."
Akio took the photo album back from Taiko and brought it to the disposal bay. He placed it inside, tenderly, and pushed a button. The album disintegrated, torn apart molecule by molecule.
Taiko shook her head, trying to make sense of things. They were in the library. Tomiko was there, next to her, looking just as confused. Taiko couldn't remember what they'd said, or what they'd done. Just that they'd done something. The worlds were going to separate again.
"What have you done?" asked Tomiko, raising her arms and channeling her magic.
"Wait," said Taiko, "I think-"
Tomiko grunted and collapsed, plopping unconscious onto the floor.
"I know we're not supposed to be giving her to Akio," said Yumi, standing behind her with a candlestick, "But damn if I wouldn't like to right now."
"No!" said Taiko, kneeling down to make sure she wasn't hurt too badly.
"Help me pick her up. The worlds are about to come apart again. And I think we agreed to take her to ours."
"What? Why? I thought the entire point of separating the worlds was to get rid of these two."
"I'll help you," said Miyoshi, lifting one of Tomiko's arms. "You can explain everything later. If the worlds are going to come apart, we need to hurry to get back to ours, right?"
"What about him?" asked Chiyo.
"Take her and go," he said. "I'm done with her."
"Come on," said Taiko.
"But-" said Yumi.
"We don't have a choice. Miyoshi's right. I can explain later."
Taiko and Miyoshi lifted Tomiko between them and carried her out of the library as fast as they could. Now they just needed a plan to get her out of the palace, past all of her soldiers, and over the mountains before the worlds broke apart.
Ikumi stroked her new friend's scales.
She was in the courtyard, catching her breath. Queen Tomiko's men were all around, but they were too busy scattering in confusion. Whatever had happened in there seemed to make everyone go crazy, as if some enchantment had been broken.
Ikumi heard a familiar shout, and saw three of Akio's men and two of Tomiko's fly out of the palace, thrown by a powerful blast of magic. A few seconds later Yumi emerged from the gates of Frostspire, dressed like one of Akio's soldiers and holding a spear. Chiyo was behind her, and Miyoshi and Taiko were right after, carrying Queen Tomiko with them. Chiyo and Miyoshi were, oddly enough, dressed like Tomiko's soldiers. Taiko was wearing some kind of hide coat.
"Ikumi!" shouted Miyoshi. "You did it! How- wait, that dragon isn't yours, is it? I never knew you could summon something like that!"
"This is Hyōga," said Ikumi. "He was under Tomiko's control, but a few minutes ago something happened and I was able to charm him. I guess I can see what that was now. What are we going to do with her?"
"Take her with us," said Taiko. "Way too complicated to explain right now, just help us get her on the dragon."
Ikumi resigned herself to trusting Taiko and gave her a hand, draping the unconscious queen across Hyōga's back.
"Wait," said Taiko, looking around. "Where's Jammlo?"
"Jammlo?" asked Miyoshi. "She's from the Dunnie's village, isn't she?"
"Yeah, she was in the dungeon. Didn't the other girl free all of the prisoners?"
"I guess so," said Miyoshi. "We were going back to the library while they were escaping."
"They must have missed her. I have to go back, or she'll be stuck in the wrong world. Just wait here. Leave right away if the worlds start to split."
"But Taiko-"
"Our world still needs its heroes. And Tomiko and this world need to be rid of each other. We can't all get stuck behind."
Taiko took off running before anyone could stop her.
Ikumi had just finished helping Yumi onto the dragon when she notice that Miyoshi was gone too.
Entering the dungeon again wasn't easy. Taiko knew that the monster was dead, and she'd healed herself of the physical damage she'd suffered, but her loins still throbbed in phantom pain when she approached the door. There wasn't any time to hesitate. She shut her eyes and walked through.
Taiko moved from room to room as fast as she could, only finding empty cells. Taiko tried to think. Maybe she had been freed. Maybe she had tried to make it back home on foot. It was quiet in the dungeon. Quiet enough for Taiko to hear a faint rattling. She rushed toward it, but only saw another empty room. She listened again, and heard it coming from the floor. She'd missed it in the darkness- a hatch. It was half the size of a regular door, set into the stone. Taiko unlocked it and threw it open.
Jammlo was floating face-up in a trough that was just large enough to fit her. She was hogtied, with a collar around her neck that held her to the bottom. The trough had been carefully filled to submerge most of her face, leaving her just barely able to breath. At least as long as she didn't try to struggle.
She was also freezing. Not just cold- freezing. The water was filled with chunks of ice, and the surface was beginning to harden. Taiko remembered Tomiko's words about Frostspire. It hadn't been an exaggeration, apparently.
"Jammlo! It's me, Taiko! Just try to stay still!"
She dunked her hands into the water to undo the lock holding the collar around Jammlo's neck. They went numb almost instantly, but Taiko wasn't new to the feeling anymore. She got the lock open before her fingers lost their motor functions and hauled Jammlo awkwardly out of the trough.
She untied her as fast as she could, wishing she had something to dry her off with. Jammlo was almost blue, and Taiko worried that she wouldn't have enough time to revive her. She was relieved to see her open her eyes and look up.
"T-Taiko? From Umai?"
"Yes, it's me! We don't have long. You need to get up. I know you're cold, but you have to hurry."
Taiko did her best to heal her, but her magic wouldn't warm her up, and only a lot of rest would restore her strength. Jammlo was able to get on her feet at least, even if she needed Taiko's help. That wasn't going to get her out of the palace, though.
"Frostfur's endurance!"
The spell was hard to push out- Taiko was exhausted, after all, but the magic infused Jammlo and gave her the resilience she would need to escape.
"Hurry up and get outside. It's chaos out there, but you can make it. I'm going to take one last look around."
Jammlo nodded and shuffled out. Taiko doubted herself, wondering if she even had the time to spare, but after seeing how Jammlo had been left, she couldn't take the chance that some other poor girl was still down there. She worked fast, checking each room once more and calling out to see if anyone would respond.
She wasn't satisfied, but she had to leave. This world would be in somebody else's hands now. She rushed down the palace corridors as fast as her aching legs would take her. It would all be over as soon as she reached the dragon again.
Taiko rounded a corner and slammed into someone's chest. She let herself bounce back, and tensed when she saw who it was.
"Convenient," said Akio. "I might be done with Tomiko, but I think I've taken a liking to you and your friends. Having one of you as the jewel in my collection will be a nice way to cap off my victory."
Taiko tried to put distance between them so that she could cast a spell, but he closed it even faster. He grabbed her arm and spun her, and before she could reorient herself her body slammed into the wall, her face pressed against the ice. Akio twisted her arm, pinning her there.
"It looks like I'll have my taste of all four of you after all."
"Akio, you don't want to do this. Not anymore."
"That's not what my cock is telling me."
Akio crossed her wrists and held them there by wrapping one hand around both of her pinkies. When she tried to pull them out of his grip he lifted her hands toward her shoulders. She shrieked and stopped struggling, her fingers feeling like they were going to come off.
"Keep quiet, the only people left in this castle are my men. They won't be helping you."
Taiko felt rope surrounding her wrists. Of course he had rope. It was getting snug fast. She couldn't let him tie her up. She had to get out before the split. She had to see her friends again. She had to see Miyoshi again. She tried to yank free, but he had complete control of her hands.
She felt the tug of the knots being fixed. It was too late. He let go of her pinkies, but all that did was let her pull hopelessly against well-tied rope.
"Please, Akio, let me go. Fuck me if you have to, but let me go after. Don't you owe me that much?"
"No."
Akio ran a length of rope, doubled up, across the back of her neck and down under her armpits. He tied a knot against her back, then pulled her hands up toward it. She squirmed against the wall, trying to slip out before he tie her arms in such an immobile and painful pose, but it didn't take him long to overpower her and fix the rope in place.
Taiko was a slave again, and the only people who would bother to help her were about to be gone forever.
"Unfortunately, I will have to make this quick. The current proceedings require my attention, after all."
Akio hiked up her coat. Miyoshi hadn't had time to find her anything else to wear and she was still naked underneath. He pulled her ass toward him and held her hips out while his cock pressed into her, searched for her pussy.
Taiko braced herself, and a moment later she grunted as she was penetrated. He kept one hand gripped tightly against the back of her neck, holding her head against the wall while his other arm wrapped around her stomach, keeping her body against his. Akio started pumping into her, vigorously working to get himself off. Taiko wriggled against the wall, her fingers vainly searching for a knot they could loosen and her hips trying to get out of his grip. Nothing helped. Akio kept her pinned in place while fucking her.
She tried to tell herself that it would end soon. He wasn't like the creature. But did it matter? Even after he came and took his cock out she'd only be waiting, tied up or in chains, for the next dick to be jammed into her.
Akio pulled out and turned her around. She was too surprised to take advantage of the opportunity, and it was lost when he lifted her up by the ass and pressed her back against the wall. His dick, still rock hard, forced into her a second time. Now she could see Akio's face and smell his breath as he dug his fingers into her ass and worked his hips into her.
Taiko closed her eyes and moaned. Akio was strong. Not as strong as the Oni, but strong enough to do whatever he pleased with her. He was also human. Taiko shocked herself by finding something comforting in such a pitiable qualification, but after serving Yokubō and being thrown to the creature Akio's greedy use of her body seemed downright normal. She was wet. She was wet for him, and his cock grinding against the right parts of her to bring an orgasm if he didn't stop soon.
She did everything she could to hold herself back, but her body had been trained to be used this way. It didn't have the intensity of her night with Kuzuno or her revival at Miyoshi's hands, but couldn't hide the way her body spasmed for him or the wetness of her cunt. By the time Akio emptied his load into her she was a conquered woman. She took his cum silently, keeping her eyes cast down for fear of meeting his.
"I'll have my men throw you back in the dungeon for now," he said, pulling his pants back up. "After the battle is over I'll see about enjoying you more thoroughly."
Taiko wondered if it had already happened. If the worlds were already separate. Would she even know? Taiko shivered. The cold was getting to her again.
Akio pulled her from the wall and pushed her forward. Her legs were like jelly, but she managed not to fall. They were about to round the same corner that had given her to him when Tomiko beat them to it, a half dozen soldiers at her side.
"Kill him!" she said, "And don't let the girl escape."
Akio threw Taiko aside, drawing his sword to face the men. He was on the defensive, retreating to keep them from surrounding him, but he struck out furiously, slowing their advance and nearly wounding one.
Taiko was confused. Why was Tomiko here again? What had gone wrong? She would have to find out later- she wasn't going to wait to see how the battle played out. She awkwardly got her feet under her, standing up despite her arms being bound, and took off down the hallway.
"I said not to let her escape!" screamed Tomiko, sending a bolt of ice her way.
Taiko had to fall to dodge it, but she standing again before Tomiko could get another clear shot.
She got to the stairs, out of Tomiko's line of sight, but one of the soldiers broke away from Akio and quickly gained on her. Without her arms for balance she stumbled halfway up, and by the time she was at the top he was on her.
He threw his arm around her neck and spun her around, facing her back toward the stairs.
"Let me go!" said Taiko, tears in her eyes, "I don't belong here! I need to get out or I'll never see my home or my friends again!"
"Sorry," he said, "But you don't disobey Her Majesty's orders."
There was a loud crash behind her, and pieces of a broken vase fell to the ground. The man yelled in surprise and pain, loosening his grip. Taiko dropped down, out of his hold, and saw Miyoshi give him a shove that sent him tumbling down the stairs.
"Sorry," she said, "But we don't take orders from anyone."
Taiko opened her mouth to speak, but before she could get a word out Miyoshi yanked her up. She desperately tried not to fall again while she was pulled down the hallway, Miyoshi's hand around her arm.
"Sorry," she said again, "I got caught in a little trouble of my own trying to follow you."
Taiko couldn't say anything. She wanted to pour her soul out to Miyoshi, but they needed to move, and any word she said might open the floodgates.
They emerged into daylight, with Ikumi and her new dragon waiting for them. Jammlo was just getting on, helped by Yumi. She'd found someone's robes on the way out. She hoped they would be enough. Taiko was underdressed herself, but there was no time to mess around.
"How did you get yourself tied up again?" asked Yumi in annoyance.
"Just get me untied!" said Taiko, sure that the worlds were going to split at any moment.
"No time," said Ikumi. "Just throw her up like you did Tomiko."
Yumi and Miyoshi pick up Taiko and tossed her onto the dragon's back, jumping up themselves after, using the ridges along his spine to hold onto. Taiko saw Tomiko there, still unconscious and draped over Hyōga. Miyoshi wrapped her arms around Taiko and squeezed.
"Go!" she shouted, and a second later Hyōga jumped to life. The courtyard shrank away, and Frostspire diminished into the distance as they flew toward the mountains.
"Tomiko-" said Taiko, "Has she been here the whole time?"
"Of course," said Yumi. "She's still out, isn't she?"
"But I saw her, back in the palace."
"That's impossible," said Ikumi.
"It was definitely her."
"Maybe it was a trick," said Miyoshi. "Like the kitsune could do."
"But who was it, then?" asked Taiko.
"Maybe Minoru could tell us," said Chiyo.
"Not right now," said Miyoshi. "I'll take his crystal out when we land."
Taiko tried to flex her wrists, but the ropes were punishingly tight. She let it go. She was in Miyoshi's arms now. A little pain was nothing anymore.
Akio rushed out of the palace. Battle lines were just starting to reform as his men took advantage of the disarray wrought when Taiko had taken Queen Tomiko. They would have to retreat; Frostspire was no longer defensible.
He was still guessing as to how Tomiko had gotten away to resume command, but he'd escaped just in time to avoid being taken by the soldiers that were securing the palace in her name again.
He saw Taiko being put on the dragon. He squinted, unsure, but it looked like Tomiko was still there as well. He started after them, but it was too late. The beast lurched into the air and started rising above the battlefield.
"My Lord!" shouted Jinpachi, catching up to him. "Four of the Queen's wyvern riders are closing in."
"Are they?" he asked. "Find me a grappling hook."
Miyoshi held on tight to Taiko. Staying on Hyōga was hard enough as he slid through the air, the wind howling past her along his graceful body- untying Taiko while still so high up would have been too dangerous. Not that Miyoshi wanted her untied anyway, but this way she had an excuse.
The clouds that surrounded them parted, and stretching out below were the Isshou Mountains. Miyoshi felt her stomach float as they dove toward them and she squeezed Taiko as hard as she could.
"We have to stop here," shouted Ikumi, barely audible over the wind.
"Hyōga is fading. I think this is where the split is going to happen."
At first Miyoshi though he was going to slam head first into the ground, but at the last moment he arced upward, turning in a circle around a peak before finding a relatively flat area to come down on. There was barely a bump as he came to rest on the rock ground.
Miyoshi slid off first, catching Taiko when she came next.
"Can you untie me now?" she asked.
Miyoshi sighed.
"I guess."
Chiyo and Yumi dropped to the ground, taking Tomiko with them. They put her still unconscious body against a rock, a little ways away from Hyōga. Jammlo barely kept to her feet as she dropped off, wandering just far enough away from the dragon to plop to the ground in safety.
"Go back home," said Ikumi patting Hyōga on his cheek. "You'll disappear if you stay here."
Hyōga lifted off, sailing into the air back toward Frostspire. Miyoshi hoped that he wouldn't cause trouble now that Tomiko was no longer there to watch over him.
The ground shook, and a crack appeared in the earth as the lands toward Frostspire were covered in a blur.
"The Sugarbulb swamps," said Chiyo. "That's what should be there now. I guess we'll see them again soon."
"Oh!" said Miyoshi, "Minoru!"
She pulled the crystal from her pocket and called out to him. He appeared, but instead of his usual clean blue he appeared gray and distorted.
"There they are! Seize them!"
Miyoshi spun around and saw a group of soldiers, led by Akio, charging toward them.
"What?" shouted Yumi. "How did he follow us so fast?"
There were at least ten of them. Miyoshi hurried and tried to get Taiko's hands free while Chiyo got her staff ready. She fired off two shots, but they barely managed to knock the men they hit off their feet.
"I'm a little low on power right now," she said, panting.
"I think I might be able to summon a puppy, if I had a few minutes," said Ikumi.
Miyoshi glanced over to Yumi. She was ready with her spear, but she wasn't in the best of shape either.
Frost appeared on the ground and the men screamed as it enveloped their feet, freezing them in place. Tomiko was standing now, a flurry of snow surrounding her arm.
"I'm not sure of a few things right now," she said. "But I do remember that I was supposed to be rid of you."
Akio yelled and charged forward into the blast of wind that Tomiko let loose. The force of the wind slowed him to a stop, and with a twist of her hand Tomiko made its path curve, sending it to hit him from the side. He tumbled along the ground, catching a bush just before he was thrown down the slope of the mountain.
"Tomiko, I will have you!"
She snapped her fingers, and the bush froze. Akio shouted in pain as his hands were caught in the frost and he fell, sliding down the mountain out of sight.
It only took one glare from Tomiko to send his men running for their lives.
"I thought he was staying," said Taiko. "Did he change his mind?"
"That's not really Akio," said Minoru. "It's just a fragment of that world that hitched a ride with Tomiko. Kind of like me."
"So the Tomiko I saw back in the palace-"
"The real Akio isn't rid of her either, I guess."
"At least he went down easily enough," said Yumi.
"He's just a shadow of the real thing," said Minoru. "He doesn't have the specialness that you guys have anymore. This world wasn't made for him."
Minoru was growing fainter.
"Your crystal!" said Miyoshi, "I shouldn't have taken it back from Jinpachi. What should I do? Throw it back to-"
"It doesn't matter," he said. "I don't have a place in that world anymore. I was a figment created by the grief that twisted it in the first place."
"I knew you, didn't I?" asked Tomiko.
"Yeah, you did. But I've been dead for a long time. It's about time I disappeared. Goodbye, Tomiko. Try to listen to Taiko, okay? I think she's got the right of things."
Minoru's voice trailed off, his image already gone.
"It's over," said Taiko, her hands still tied. "Would you guys mind if I took a quick nap? I'm just a little-"
An arm locked around Miyoshi's neck. She yelped loudly, reaching behind to elbow whoever it was. Instead she found her arm seized and twisted behind her back.
"Akio!" shouted Yumi, "Didn't we just dump you off a cliff?"
"You're looking at the original," he said, his hot breath on Miyoshi's neck.
"You'll be rid of me soon enough, but I'm taking one of you with me as a souvenir."
Miyoshi was dragged back, her boots scraping along the ground as she tried to dig them in. They caught on the crack, and a moment later she saw the distortion pass over to her world. She was back in Akio's realm.
Miyoshi tried to bite his arm, but it was too firmly held around her neck. She nearly broke her shoulder as she fought against his grip, but she was still sinking deeper and deeper into his world and away from hers. The crack was opening wider, almost too much to step across now.
"Let her go!" yelled Yumi as she jumped across, spear in hand.
At first Miyoshi was afraid that she was going to stab Aiko through her, but instead she used her spear to pole vault over his head and kick him in the back. Miyoshi felt him lurch forward with a grunt, and his grip vanished as he went for his sword.
Miyoshi turned around and decked him in the jaw. The effect came more from surprise than raw power, but he stumbled to the side giving Yumi a clear path home.
"Come on!" yelled Miyoshi, running and leaping across the quickly growing rift.
She turned to see Yumi right behind her, but just before she could jump Akio, too quickly recovered, dove and caught her ankle in his outstretched hand.
Miyoshi heard four voices, one of them her own, scream out Yumi's name. With a thunderous clap the distorted vision in front of them vanished. The mountainside was left whole, quiet and peaceful, with the Sugarbulb swamps lying beyond.
Yumi looked up to see an empty mountainside. Her friends were gone. So was Tomiko. So was the rift, and the distorted image that was in front of her a moment ago.
She yelled in pure fury, rolling over to kick at Akio's hand. He let go of her ankle and she raced him to her feet. She aimed her spear at his chest as he lifted his sword in defense.
"Well at least I get to finish you off," she said, growling at Akio.
"You're in no condition to fight," he said with a grin. "Look how sloppy your stance is. Drop your weapon and surrender."
"You're not looking great either."
He might have had an easier time at Frostspire, but he still looked tired and he was already panting. A shift in his guard showed her pain that he was trying to hide.
"What's wrong," she asked, "Broke a rib diving after me?"
Being hurt like that made it hard to move in certain ways. Yumi guessed where he would dodge, feigned a thrust, and sent her real attack right where he was trying to escape to. If she'd been at full strength, it would have been the end of the fight, but she was slow and limp enough for him to parry the tip of her spear with his sword.
He stepped inside her guard and wrapped his arm around her spear, using it as an anchor as he spun around to aim his elbow at her head. Yumi ducked and kicked at his leg, dropping him to his knee. He used her spear to pull her toward him, flipping her over his back onto the ground. Yumi lashed out with her foot, catching him in the side and sending him falling back.
She rose to her feet again, her spear back under her control. For a moment, they just stared at each other. They were both breathing hard. They were both hurting. Yumi gritted her teeth and charged. Akio shouted and met her. Her spear, aimed at his head, reaching him first, but he dodged it by an inch. His sword came up and stuck her shaft, tearing the weapon out of her hands. At the same time, her uppercut, its path made clear by his swing, thundered into his jaw.
He hit the ground and his sword dropped from his hand. Yumi picked up her spear and limped over, placing it at his neck.
"Minoru was right. The real you is a much bigger pain in the ass."
Akio groaned and stirred, looking up toward her.
"At least this world will get to lose one of its tyrants," she said.
Akio only smiled. Something hit the back of her head. Her body went limp and she was unable to even catch herself as she collapsed. She found herself looking up at a man she'd seen before, holding a rock.
"Good timing, Jinpachi," said Akio.
Yumi cursed the both of them as she blacked out.