Chapter 11:  ...What You Wish For (MF magic)

© 2011 Rhys Lysander

Ch. 1 || Ch. 2 || Ch. 3 || Ch. 4 || Ch. 5 || Ch. 6 || Ch. 7 || Ch. 8 || Ch. 9 || Ch. 10|| Ch. 11|| Ch. 12

[1]
Arpi and Dathan slept the rest of the day and a good portion of the evening before deciding to get out of bed and find something to eat.

“So you really expect me to believe you've been around longer than the world itself?” she asked.

“What you choose to believe is irrelevant. For what you choose to believe does not alter the facts.”

“And if that is true, then what of the Suur Codex?”

Dathan washed down a mouthful of meat with a gulp of fine wine. “What little bit Shrikeen may have told you of the Codex is not the whole picture.”

“And what part of it did she choose to leave out?”

“The passage she spoke of is supposed to paint the picture of my doom.”

Arpi's blood ran cold and she froze. “I, I am to be your doom?”

Dathan let the moment play out a little longer, then he laughed. “As with all prophecy, the message is only clear to the one who wrote it. The last part of that section says that the one without fear shall know the end of the Dragon Lords.” He moved close to her. “And do you intend to be the end of me?”

Arpi swallowed and smiled. “Only if I can kill you in bed, my Lord.”

Dathan hugged her. “You see, fear of prophecy is overstated. I do not fear you, and not because you are not dangerous.”

Arpi nodded, said nothing. “What is it?” Dathan asked.

Arpi took a deep breath, then let it out. “Has Shrikeen asked to see me again?”

Dathan's eyebrows shot up, “How did you know?”

“You should take me to her. We have things to talk about.”

[2]
Dathan did not accompany her into the presence of the ancient dragon. He left her at the entrance to the cavernous space filled with gold, and she wandered in on her. When Arpi found the dragoness, she was greeted by a most curious sight. The dragoness, huge and overbearing, was lounging, no better term for it, curled against the back wall with a water pipe clenched between her massive teeth as cooled smoke flowed from a curious device.

'Come elf, sit and join me.'

“What are you doing?”

'Mmmmm, it is called smoking. It is most relaxing. You should try it.'

Arpi sat down and regarded the dragon with curiosity. “Inhaling smoke? Relaxing?”

'It is called tabac, and I see a great future in it. But on to other subjects.' Arpi shifted on her cushion and waited for a question. 'Is there something you have not told me?'

“I, I'm not sure where to begin.”

'Come now, the time for evasion is in the past. Lies, even those of omission, do not become us.' Arpi nodded slowly, then the dragoness exhaled a frightful amount of smoke and leaned forward and took a deep breath, inhaling Arpi's scent. 'I will ask you again, elf, because Dathan is worthy of it. What is it you have not told me?'

Arpi stilled her mind and spoke before she could think about it, “I was granted a wish on the Isle of the Damned.”

'Mmmm, I see. Powerful, old magic.' Shrikeen took another pull on the water pipe, exhaled as she spoke words in the elven girl's mind, 'Tell me, were you granted only one wish?'

Arpi shook her head.

'Tell me the tale.'

[3]
Though I had very much wanted to pursue Kya's direction and seek Asura as quickly as possible, it took me the better part of a year to get on board a ship that would land me on the Isle of the Damned.  Most ships would not even venture near the place, even though the Captains dismissed such concerns as idle myth and tongue wagging. In the end I used up nearly all the money I had saved in order to ensure my safe arrival. I had a partner, whom I trusted implicitly, who was willing to pay the good Captain in return for a secret word. When I was delivered to the isle the Captain would get the word—and his payment upon his return.

On my way to finding that ship, to my surprise I had ended up on Karine even though I had sworn never to return. It had been almost three years since I left, and to my relief the Guild did not so much as remember me. A few changes of leadership had completely erased any memory of an elf named Arpi. But I was not in Emaveer long before I made the deal with the Captain of the Gold Piece. The ship was fast, and for the price I was offering the Captain had no qualms setting me ashore on the Isle, or at least as close as he felt he could safely approach it.

Two weeks after leaving Emaveer, we made landfall off what would turn out to be the western tip of the Isle near the ancient city of Shreen. Though all of us had heard stories of the fallen cities of Shreen and Daugon, the sight itself was awe inspiring. High slender towers rose from the water's edge and reached high into the sky. Surely no other buildings could compare to their height. Around the high towers were myriad smaller structures of equally impressive design. Even as the Captain ordered the ship to drop anchor, I was enthralled by the vision of beauty before me. After anchoring, we watched the Isle for signs of life for a full day. Though the seaside sported a number of plants and small animals, there nothing else was in sight. Through the night and into the morning, there was no sign of movement by anything more interesting than a hawk.

The next morning I gave the Captain the password for his payment as I rowed a small one man boat to shore. Up close the towers were even higher, the place even more lifeless and alien as I drew closer. Buildings half submerged, the ground cracked in places, and, well, simply missing in others. It was a challenge to row as I strained to take in all the strange scenery around me. Before I had even reached the shoreline, the Gold Piece had weighed anchor and raised sail to leave the cursed place.

I reached the shore and tied the little boat to a part of a small dwelling that was still above water and mostly intact. I gathered my gear and supplies and headed into the drier and more densely built parts of the ruined city. It did not take me long to realize that there was but one reasonable path through the city, and that it was leading me in a particular way.

One very large and ornate structure in the distance seemed in oddly good repair. I was not surprised when the path led me directly up to and inside it. There were a number of false doors and some rather intricate traps, which seemed odd given how devoid of life the place seemed to be. As I wandered deeper into the structure, sometimes higher and sometimes lower, the fact that I was going to meet the designer of the place, or at least its caretaker, became all too obvious. After a full day and one night in the bowels of the structure, I found at last what I had sought.

[4]
In what seemed the deepest part of the structure I found an enormous hall. The largest and most open Great Halls in the largest castles I had seen could not measure up to the place I found myself in. The ceiling rose a good hundred feet over my head, the length of it disappearing off into the distance. Huge stone columns with ornate carvings held the ceiling aloft. Spaced every ten feet, I could not tell how far they penetrated into the darkness of the huge hall. After two hundred feet and twenty columns, creatures began to appear in the corners of my vision. I tried to get a look at them, but they moved quickly and were fast to duck out of sight lest they be seen.

Nearly a quarter of an hour and two dozen more columns later, the brightness in the hall increased significantly and I could see artifacts and valuable objects of art strewn about the place as if no one cared if they were stolen in the night. Of course, the fact that they were secured by aspect of geography and superstition probably meant it did not matter if I could see them: it was just as unlikely I would be leaving with them.

As I pondered that happy thought, a throne came into view. Upon the throne was a creature of legend. Part man and part cat, a Rakshasa reclined on the golden throne, snacking at a plate of food held by someone with a very curious similarity of appearance to a particular elf I knew rather well. It was not possible to tell if the elf was real or just another creation.

“Ahh, at least we meet,” said a male voice from creature on the dais.

I held my arms away from my sides and weapons. It seemed a meaningless gesture to even try and appear threatening to one such as he. I said, “I am looking for one named Asura. I presume you are he.”

If the cat-man was surprised at my knowledge, he did not show it. Then again, of course, I had never really liked cats and I may just have ignored his expression. “Mmmm, I am he,” said the Rakshasa named Asura. “Now,” he continued, standing slowly from his chair and adjusting his robe, “What is it you think to gain from me?”

“Kya sent me to find you. She said you had access to ancient magic that I needed.”

The Rakshasa purred loudly, its amusement palpable. “And tell me, elven girl, what might that be?”

“A magic that can fulfill my heart's desire.”

The Rakshasa hissed, then strode by me. “Follow,” he said.

I followed the cat-man for only a short while until we entered a small room. There were a number of odd objects around the room, but the thing that grabbed my attention was a wooden box, perhaps five by eight, sitting on a table in the center of the room all by itself.

Asura circled the table as he spoke to me. “Do you recognize this?” I shook my head and he nodded before continuing. “This is a Deck of Wonders.” I nodded, not understanding what he was trying to tell me. “This is old magic, from when the world was born. But wonders are not always good things.”

When I did not respond, he said with some frustration, “I owe Kya a favor. If she sent you here then I am to repay. I do hope you know what it is you ask.”

At last I found my voice. “What do you mean? I only asked her--”

“Silence!” Asura yelled. “I am not meant to know that which you want to ask.” The Rakshasa paced around the table then said, “This, this thing is an object forged by ancient magic. It is, if you will, but a deck of cards and we are the players. If you will agree to draw only two cards, then I will offer you something of value from my holdings.”

“I don't understand,” I said.

Asura spat and growled. “I must draw as many as you, and the wild magic that rules this deck is very, very fickle when players draw more than two each.”

“And if I draw only two?”

Asura bowed. “Then I will reward for your restraint. You need not trust me, however, for Kya would not suffer me to disadvantage you.”

I nodded, then approached the table and flipped open the cover of the box. A disembodied voice rang in my head as I spotted what appeared to be no more than an oversized deck of cards. “Choose,” it said.

Deciding, quite uncharacteristically, to go with the Rakshasa's advice, I said, “I will draw two cards.”

I saw Asura nod slowly as if he was pleased with my choice.

I rubbed my thumb and forefinger before reaching out to draw the first card. I let my mind wander as I slipped my fingers down the sides of the deck several layers before stopping. I lifted the deck and looked at the revealed card. The King of Swords. I did not feel any different, but Asura laughed out loud. “Tell me, my young elven lass, what wealth have you amassed in your short life?”

I shrugged. “More than ten thousand gold, half of which is now promised to the man who brought me here. Why?”

Asura laughed, “Because that draw means there is nothing left of it.”

The lack of emotion on my face appeared to really throw him off. “That does not bother you?” he asked.

I combed the hair from my face, looked at him levelly, “Not in the least, for wealth is not what I was in search of when I came here.”

The Rakshasa growled non-threateningly. “To be sure. But now, it is my turn.”

The creature selected a card, one that displayed a glowing ruby. He closed his eyes and a hundred gems of a size equal to that on the card appeared. He smiled a feline smile, “Mmmm, very, very nice indeed. Your turn.”

I rubbed my hands together, then held them apart and cleared my mind. I knew what I wanted, more than anything else in the world. In a flash I plucked a card and flipped it over. The card showed the two moons in full view. Asura hissed. “Kya somehow rigged this, I will not honor it!” he yelled.

Knowing with a strange certainty what I had won, I kept my mouth shut as I considered my next words. The Rakshasa was watching me in a predatory, almost evil way. Kya's admonition to be very careful in my wording was in my mind as I pondered how to frame my question. “I wish to know the location of the man I seek in such a way that I will be able to find him on my own.”

The cat like figure of the Rakshasa did not show any reaction as it said, “Done.” At once I could see this spiraling tower, the vastness of the ocean, and a path from where I stood to where it was. There was absolutely no doubt how to get there.

The Rakshasa, Asura, looked at me with anger and contempt in its eyes. “And your other request?”

“I wish that the man of my dreams will father no less than four of our children and that they live long and full lives.”

Asura grinned, but did not hesitate. “Done, for what parts I can speak,” he said.

I did not think anything more of it. Then he selected another card, one that bore the sign of the sun at dawn. He leaned his head back and breathed deeply, “This may have been a good trade, young elf.” As he spoke, the cards reassembled themselves and the wooden box enclosed the deck again.

It seemed as if it were over, but I remembered what he had said at the beginning. “So, I was to be rewarded for only selecting two cards?”

Asura's eyes narrowed. “That is what I said. What do you want?”

“Hmm, something that Kya would consider worthy, and something that would be of great benefit to a thief.”

The Rakshasa snarled at me, a thoroughly feline sound. He threw something toward me, and a leather bag landed at my feet. “You have your payment, elf. Let us see how long you live to use it.”

[5]
“And if you have a little time, I'll spend the next lifetime by your side--”, Grey Eye Glances, Hard

Arpi paused long enough in her story telling that Shrikeen broke the silence. She exhaled another impossibly large lungful of smoke and said, 'So, where is the bag?'

“It is in a safe place. I chose not to bring it with me, just in case.”

'In case what?'

“Just in case the information that Asura gave me turned out to be wrong.”

'And now?'

“And now it seems I am out one wonderful magical bag.”

Shrikeen laughed. 'How much did it hold? If you don't mind my asking.'

“I never really found out. It was just starting to get heavy when I cleaned out half the treasury on Feidorn.”

Shrikeen made a toothy expression that might have been a mimic of a smile. 'Impressive. There were few items of such power ever made. I might have to help you get it back.'  The dragoness cast aside the pipe and fixed her gaze on the elf. 'Now, to more pressing matters.' Shrikeen inhaled Arpi's scent, but deeper than the first time they had met. 'I sense the Rakshasa was truthful.'

“How so?”

'You are already with child.'

Arpi was at once surprised, and not really surprised. “I have always known I wanted this.”

'As you have said. But there is a part of the Rakshasa's actions that you do not know.'

“And that is?”

'There is no way for an immortal such as Dathan to have children.'

“Until now.”

'You do not listen.'

Arpi mulled the words over in her mind for a few moments before the meaning became clear. “Dathan is dying?”

Shrikeen laughed.  'Nothing so dramatic, though he may not think so when you tell him.'

“Why, why would I tell him?”

'Who else should do so? It was not I that robbed him of eternal life in order to bear his children.'

“But it is through children that he shall have eternal life.”

'That,' said Shrikeen with not a little skepticism, 'is a very self-centered view of things.'

Arpi hung her her head, “I know.”

'Ah, and so did the Rakshasa.'

“So what will happen?”

'Dathan will age naturally. As I said, nothing dramatic.'

“So we can grow old together as our children grow.”

'I have spoken enough of your future. You must discover the rest for yourself.'  Arpi made to say something, but the dragoness gave her a gentle thump with a talon and she fell back. 'There is a mystery I wish to resolve before you go.'

“Mystery? Like what?”

'How did you get off the island before you starved? I assume Asura gave you no aid.'

Arpi shook her head. “He did not. I had some success at trapping small game and fish, but water was hard to come by. Fortunately, there are frequent storms on the Isle and I managed to always get just enough water. Oddly enough, a Dorn trader came in sight of the Isle and spotted a signal fire I had lit. Though they treated me well enough while I was aboard, they sailed out of their way to return me to Feidorn Isle to face accusations of murder. To my relief, the trial was brief, presided over by the sister that hated Rian, and they had no real evidence. I was set free after a week.”

'At which time...'

“At which time I decided the Dorn had pissed on me for the last time. They had seized only my weapons while I was in their custody, allowing only my rumpled leather bag to remain with me. It was all too easy to break into their vault one night and make off with an obscene amount of gold.”

Shrikeen laughed again. 'Very well done Arpi. Now, go tell Dathan of what we have spoken.'

“That's the first time you've not called me 'elf' you know.”

'No it isn't.'

“Oh yes, it is. Now send me back.”

In the next instant Arpi was back in Dathan's main chamber, where he was seated at a long table eating what looked like a very good lunch.

“Dathan,” she began, “there is something we need to talk about.”

“Such as?”

She stood near him, but slightly out of reach. “I, I'm pregnant.”

Dathan dropped his knife and picked up a glass of wine. He paused, then took a gulp and swallowed. “I suppose Shri told you this?”

“Yes. It was a wish I made on the Isle of the Damned. I went there in search of one named--”

“Asura. Yes, I know him. Total bastard when it comes to wishes.”

“What do you mean?”

“Some grant wishes as the wisher desires, while others grant them in twisted ways. Asura is such a being.”

Arpi felt a chill run up her spine. “Twist, as in how?”

“Never mind. Tell me, did you wish simply to have my children or something?”

“Yes, but I asked for our children, not mine.”

“And you had not even met me.”

Arpi nodded. Dathan rose from the seat and paced. “Shri told you there was a catch.”

“Yes, and she told me it was not altogether a good thing.”

Dathan stopped pacing, then walked to her and pulled her into a tight embrace. Apri resisted for a brief moment, then melted into him, her bare skin feeling wonderful against his. If he was concerned about something, the thickening cock against her belly told her it was not significant. He pulled back and kissed her. “Some other time perhaps. For right now, right now I am truly happy. Though I have been around for a very long time, I never expected to father a child.”

Arpi was unsure of his words and thoughts, but his expression was one of pure adoration. He placed his hand on her belly, then kissed her deeply. “I think Shri may be wrong. We should make sure.”

Arpi took his hand and placed it against her sex as she fondled his growing cock. “I would greatly enjoy helping to, as you say, make sure.”

Dathan hugged her and lifted her up. She threw her legs around him and then guided him to her opening. As he let her down and onto his prick, she moaned a long slow song of pleasure. He started bouncing her on his prick and she said quietly, “And now you must come inside me at every opportunity, so we can ensure your seed is well planted.”

Dathan moved to the chair and sat, his legs out in front of him and her seated on his cock. Though she was eager to do the work, he was the one that lifted her up and down. Occasionally he would pause and take one of her large breasts as far into his mouth as possible, sucking on her nipples with such force that her breath caught in her lungs. Finally allowing him to do all the work, she held his head in her hands as he bounced her and fucked her. “Come for me Dathan, fill me up and make me mother to our children.”

A momentary look of apprehensiveness passed over his features, but it was replaced quickly by one of rapturous pleasure as she used her pussy to squeeze his cock. She ignored the brief look and smiled even as she held his face and locked eyes with him. “Come for me Dathan, come in me.”

Dathan threw his head back and groaned even as Arpi's pussy began to flutter in release around his cock. “Fuck!” she yelled, “Dathan, I'm coommmminnng, please, please fuck me.”

Dathan's moans became more urgent as his climax arrived. Arpi's needy pussy begged his cock to feed it, and with a groan of pure exhilaration, it did just what she wanted. His prick stiffened in her pussy and then began to spurt into her womb. The additional wetness told Arpi she had what she wanted, and on some subconscious level she was even happier. As she got wetter with their mutual orgasm she seemed to get tighter, which did nothing other than to get Dathan to fuck her even harder and deeper. Groan, squeeze, pulse, squeeze, moan, pulse, squeeze, groan. On the dance went for many long moments before both were sated. Finally, Dathan let her go and she slumped against his chest.

“I want to raise our children in the Heline Suur,” she said.

“I know,” he said. She pulled back and looked at him quizzically. “Where else would an elf want to raise children?”

Arpi grinned, then pressed her tits back to his chest and held him tight to her.

“I love you,” she said.

“Mmm, I know that too,” he replied.


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