Warning: This story is unsuitable for minors and contains explicit descriptions of sexual activity considered taboo (and illegal) in most (if not all) jurisdictions. If such activity offends you, DO NOT read any further. I do not condone any illegal activity and stress that this work is fiction, fantasy, and in no way meant to reflect reality. Sexual abuse of minors is a very serious issue and I encourage anyone tempted to engage in such behavior to seek immediate help.
This story is a work in progress. I am tinkering with it off and on and cannot give an idea as to how often it will get updated.
Last Updated: 6/29/18
Story Title: Land of Heroes
Please take a moment to donate to Nifty! Without these good folks, we wouldn't have a place to share our tales!
Dear Reader: Thank you for taking the time to read my work. If you wish to drop me a line, please feel free to email me at CreepingDawn@protonmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you.
Without further ado...
Chapter 11
"Hey," I said quietly, the morning sun spilling into the room. Tyler, his lithe body pressed up against mine, looked up at me and smiled sleepily.
"Hi," he said. "You just wake up?"
"A few minutes ago."
"So what were you doing?"
"I was watching you sleep."
The boy scrunched up his face before giving me a dry look. "Seriously?" I shrugged. He giggled, then. "That's kinda corny." We both chuckled.
"Does it bother you?" I raised an eyebrow. After the previous night, I couldn't help but be filled with a sense of contentment I'd never felt before. Here, in this bed, with the boy I'd come to love. It was perfect.
"No," he said. "It's just something you'd hear in a chick flick. I didn't think you were so gay."
"Me? Gay? Weren't you the one with a dick up your ass last night? Begging me to fuck you?" I laughed, and Tyler sighed dramatically, the humor in his eyes giving away his enjoyment at the dig.
"I guess I walked into that one, huh?"
"Yeah," I responded, repositioning myself so that we faced each other. "Are you ok?"
He gave me an incredulous look at the question. "Um... Yeah. Why?"
"Well, we did a lot of stuff last night and I wanted to make sure you were ok with it. Not uncomfortable."
"Uncomfortable?" Tyler paused for a moment. "Wasn't I the one begging you to fuck me last night?" He grinned at me. "Doesn't that suggest I wasn't uncomfortable?"
I rolled my eyes. "Are you ever serious?"
"Yes," he said, losing all humor in his face. "I'm serious. I'm seriously glad I'm here. I'm serious when I say I... I like being with you. That you," he struggled to find the words, "that you make me feel happy and safe. That you give me butterflies in my stomach." He looked at me earnestly, as if trying to convey his appreciation and affection.
"Tyler?" I asked, my voice soft.
"Yeah?" he responded.
"That sounded pretty gay."
.........
My comment caused both of us to dissolved into a massive fit of giggles and Tyler, apparently feeling playful, pounced on me in mock indignation. We wrestled in the bed for a little while, our bodies rubbing up against each other as we kissed and tussled and laughed. In the end, our erections needed attention and the two of us traded blowjobs.
Needless to say, it took a while for us to get downstairs.
Quell was already eating breakfast, a smile on his face indicating he had enjoyed the previous night. His smile morphed into a grin when we sat down, though he didn't make any comment. After eating, we said farewell to the innkeeper and took to the road, ambling down the path and out of the village.
The next week and a half flew by, with the three of us traveling toward the Kaylor mountains and Molg Elharn at a steady pace. Each day, we found ourselves beset by members of the Black Brotherhood but, while they grew greater in both numbers and skill, Tyler and I found them more a nuisance than a true threat.
On several occasions, we found ourselves crossing paths with various individuals who requested our assistance.
Two days from the village of Bonnie Hill, we ran across a peddler whose cart had been vandalized by pixies. They had come in the night, he told us, and snuck away with parts he needed if he was to continue traveling. He requested that we find his horse's missing horseshoes, the beast's bridle, the wagon's missing wagon wheels, the latch to the back of his wagon, and the man's lucky rabbit's foot. We found the parts within an hour and the merchant thanked us profusely.
Three days later, we came across a small cemetery and a fatigued cleric. The man explained that the ghosts of those who had been buried in the cemetery had been riled up by an evil necromancer and that they needed to be sent to the great beyond. Giving us a holy symbol, he had us scour the countryside and help ten Wandering Ghosts leave this plain of existence.
We passed through a hamlet the following afternoon and were hailed down by three boys of about thirteen. Stopping to speak with them, the lads quickly requested that we help settle a dispute by acting as a neutral third party. Apparently, the boys were trying to figure out who had the largest cock among them but, as they were almost exactly the same size, they had come to disagree about the final result. Dropping their pants, the boys stroked themselves to erection and we took a look. It was quite difficult making a determination, it turned out, but one boy was just slightly larger than the others. We declared him the winner and moved on.
Several days later, we met a hunter who asked us to collect fifteen wolf ears. Prowling the forest, we quickly found our prey, harvested the requested ears, and turned them over to the grateful man.
Solving problems and fighting Black Brotherhood members were not the only things we did, of course. I paid close attention to Quell every time he case DIPPERS LITTLE TENT and, by the ninth day on the road, I had mastered the spell and was able to cast it at will. I also discovered that the spell had found it's way into my spell book, confirming to me that it was absolutely possible to learn spells by observation.
Tyler, Quell, and I bonded over games of Gamat every night. True to his word, Quell's instruction seemed to make both Tyler and I better players and, by the beginning of the second week of travel, we found ourselves giving as good as we were receiving when battling Quell's card. Near the end of the journey, both Tyler and I were even able to win a few rounds.
Then there was the sex...
Popping Tyler's cherry seemed to set off a spark in the boy that rapidly developed into a full-blown inferno of lust. Every single night, the boy spread his legs to Quell and I and the two of us took full advantage of his tight and eager hole. Tyler and I also took turns fucking Quell, the elf just as eager as the human to get his backside plowed.
On the third night, as I was blowing Quell, Tyler slid behind me and whispered that he wanted to fuck me. I moaned and nodded, spreading my own legs and giving him ample access. To my surprise, the boy didn't enter me immediately. Instead, he spread my ass carefully and slid his tongue deep into my crack. I absolutely squealed as he began lapping at my puckered hole, the feeling incredibly addicting. The rimjob lasted a long time, to my delight, but it eventually ended with Tyler shoving his bloated cockhead into me.
There was no resistance. No pain. Instead, as the boy thrust in and out of me, I was overcome with the most fantastic feeling of pulsing pleasure and knew, in that moment, that fucking on Aurora was way different than fucking on Earth. Way different, and way better.
I inquired about anal sex with Quell the following day and, through some careful questions, learned that assholes always stayed tight and never were damaged by a hard fucking. They also were incredibly elastic, easily accommodating the largest pricks and never needing lubrication. Quell gave me some funny looks as he told me that every male secreted natural lubrication in and around his asshole and that there was never any need to add any other substance to make the mating easier.
It made sense. Every night that I fucked Tyler, his asshole seemed virgin-tight but was easily penetrated. After speaking with Quell, I also discovered I could slip into Tyler without even needing to lubricate my cock; the boy's asshole becoming slippery the moment he began to get aroused. My own asshole responded the same way, I discovered, and I soon began to relish when one of the boys would giving me a hard fucking in the tent.
The trip ended two days after entering the Kaylor mountains, the huge stone gates of Molg Elharn only a mile or so away and the three of us eagerly talking about enjoying the amenities of the Dwarven fortress city. While not a huge city, Quell assured us that the fortress, which was nestled between two tall peaks, had plenty of opportunities for us to relax, recharge, and find odd jobs. With the outskirts of the fortress in sight, we were surprised when a man stepped out from behind a rocky outcropping. He was dressed, I realized, like a Black Brotherhood assassin. His demeanor, however, was neither reckless nor aggressive.
"Adventurers," he said calmly. "You have been quite uncooperative. I am displeased. So are my masters."
"You are a member of the Black Brotherhood?" Tyler asked, withdrawing his axe slowly.
"I am. First Dagger Cecil Maskee, at your service." The man bowed, though it was not a friendly gesture.
"Are you going to attack us, First Dagger?" Quell called. "Your men have not been able to best my companions yet."
The man sneered at the elf before turning his attention to us. "No. I am not going to attack you. I came, instead, to give you a warning. If you allow the elf to enter the dwarven fortress, the Black Brotherhood will consider it a transgression on the highest order. Slay him, adventurers, and I will reward you handsomely. If you do not, you will face the consequences."
"Fuck you," Tyler spit at the man.
"Tyler!" I said, shocked by the bad language. Though he said much more inappropriate things in the bedroom, such language on the road seemed... out of place.
"Yeah, fuck you!" Quell said, grinning at the small barbarian.
The man raised an eyebrow. "Very well. Do not say you haven't been warned." Slipping behind the rock, the man disappeared from view. Tyler and I charged, of course, dodging around the obstacle in order to pursue, and hopefully slay, the assassin. To our surprise, the man had disappeared.
"Transported away," Quell said, coming up behind us. "If I didn't say it before, I think I made the right choice asking you to be my companions on this trip." He smiled at us.
I patted the elf on the shoulder before the three of us grabbed the cart and headed into the stronghold of the dwarves.
.........
As we began to pass the gates, the stone columns chiseled with the visages of dwarven warriors and kings and a gate guard waving us through, Tyler and I jumped in surprise as the light of leveling up flashed around us. Pulling up my UI, I realized that I was indeed now level 10.
"That was weird," Tyler said.
"Maybe we got experience for getting Quell into the city?" I responded.
"Cool," Tyler mused, his eyes darting about as we entered a small courtyard that served as the entryway into the fortress. Bushy bearded dwarves were everywhere; standing guard, dealing with pack animals, and working on the open-air forge that was tucked away in the corner of the stone plaza. They looked like the dwarves from the fantasy books on earth, all bearded, short of stature, and solid. Red hair was everywhere, as clear an indication as any that Clan Firewhiskers ruled the mountains.
"Over here," called Quell, the elf having escorted the cart over to a group of dwarves who appeared happy to see him. While he introduced us as his travel companions and bodyguards, he introduced the dwarves as representatives of the Dwarven leadership. Then, with a wide smile, he presented Tyler and I each three gold coins.
"Tyler. Ian." He bowed. "It has been an absolute honor traveling with you. I should be here in Molg Elharn for the next several months as the trade negotiations transpire. Please feel free to reach out to me if you require anything that I can provide. I will be staying in the merchant's district, in the house of Bollar Firewhiskers."
"Aren't you worried about that guy from the Black Brotherhood?" Tyler asked. I nodded at the question.
"Oh no!" Quell responded, chuckling. "They can't reach me here."
"Those right bastards could try," one of the dwarves said, "but I know that they'd be cut down long before they could touch a hair on the elf's head!" The dwarves laughed, slapping each other on the back.
Pointing us in the direction of the merchant district, Quell said his farewell and left with the dwarves. Tyler and I shrugged before taking the reins of the horse and heading towards the merchants. Quell was a nice kid and I think we were both going to miss him.
A merchant bought all the crates of salted fish, absolutely delighted at the seafood. Another merchant bought all the loot we'd picked up over the past two weeks, with swords and armor and bows and knickknacks being hauled into his back room as his eyes glittered with greed. A third merchant bought the cart and the horse, once again relegating Tyler and I to travel by foot.
We made an absolute killing.
"You know," I said to the boy as we ate dinner at a small outdoor stand selling roasted boar shanks and cheese pies. "If we want to retire from adventuring, we could always set up a business bringing fish to this mountain. It's pretty lucrative." Tyler nodded, his face stuffed with a hearty cheese pie.
Swallowing a moment later, the boy responded, "Good to know, but I'm not done being a hero yet!" I nodded in agreement. "Ian," he started, "I'm looking at my UI and it doesn't look any different from when we were level 9. What do you think we gained at level 10?"
Pulling up my own UI, I pondered the question. "I don't know," I said. "Maybe we didn't gain anything."
.........
Finding a clean and respectable looking inn, Tyler and I checked in for the night, took a bath, and crawled into bed. Our first night without Quell, the two of us absolutely mauled each other sexually. We licked. We sucked. We teased. We giggled. Eventually, Tyler had his first climax as I tongued his sensitive butthole and teased his hard little nail. Then I came after a prolonged session fucking the lad, with the eager boy jerking himself off to a powerful orgasm during my enthusiastic pounding. We slept hard, unsure of what we would be doing the following day.
When we got downstairs, the innkeeper, a dwarf named Sallo, handed each of us a piece of paper as he served us our breakfast. Tyler and I exchanged glances, this having been the first time either of us had been given mail here in Aurora. "Both came for yah this morning," the dwarf said before working his way over to another customer.
Opening mine, I scanned the page. "Ian. I am Thorlius Spellweaver, Journeyman Mage and Arcane Caller. I write to you on behalf of the Runic Tower. I need to speak with you. Please bring this letter to Stoneshaper Joja at the wizard's spire in Molg Elharn. Thank you." I frowned. Who was Thorlius Spellweaver and why was he writing to me?
"This is weird," Tyler said, his face scrunched up as he read his own letter.
"How so?" I asked slowly, still puzzling out my message.
The boy looked at me and shrugged. "Take a look," he said, handing me his own paper.
Looking at it, I frowned as well. In nearly illegible script, it read: "I AT GATE NO GO IN DWARVES SAY SO YOU COME HERE TYLER WE TALK MOCHAK IRONFUR"
Huh?
We finished breakfast, staring at the papers and wondering what this was about. Then, a flash of inspiration struck me. "Tyler!" I said, suddenly.
"What?" He looked at me curiously.
"I just thought of something." The boy raised his eyebrow. "We both just turned level 10. That's kind of a big deal, right? Double digits?"
"Ok..." the boy said, not understanding.
"My letter is written by a mage. Yours looks like it was written by someone... uneducated. Maybe a barbarian? What if these are quests for us? Like, for our class or something? That happened a lot in Land of Heroes and other games like it. You hit an important level and some NPC writes to you and starts you on a class specific quest."
"That... sounds good, I guess," Tyler said. "Maybe?"
We finished breakfast and headed out the door, quickly finding the front gate. As we approached, a dwarf guard spotted us and waved us down. "One of yah be Tyler?" he asked, his gruff voice like gravel.
"Me," Tyler responded.
"There's a barbarian outside the gate ask'n for yah. We let him send in a message but we don't let orcs into Molg Elharn. Better go out ta see what he wants."
We nodded and slipped through the open gate, immediately seeing a huge orc sitting across the road. With light green skin and rather intimidating tusks, the orc was busily eating a huge haunch of meat. I noticed that he was nearly nude, wearing only a kilt of animal fur that contained a variety of small pouches. He didn't even have shoes! Laying next to him was a massive axe, the thing almost as big as I was and certainly heavier.
Looking up at us, he waved with one greasy hand before tearing off a chunk of the flesh. Tyler and I looked at each other, unsure what to do. We hadn't met a nice orc, though Quell had told us that some generally evil races had good individuals within it. We approached cautiously.
The orc didn't look at me. Instead, he gave a toothy grin at Tyler. "You is Tyler? You is barbarian?" His voice rumbled, a low base that almost seemed to shake the ground.
"I am," Tyler said, puffing out the chest. If he was nervous, he didn't show it. I was kind of impressed, actually.
"I is Mochak Ironfur. I is Great Claw of Bear Tribe. Wiseman of tribe have vision of you coming to dwarf mountain. Sent Mochak Ironfur to find you. Get you. Bring you to tribe. We go now?" While his speech was very rough, there was an earnestness to it that was hard to understate. His grin, looking somewhat alien on his green and scarred face, was endearing.
"Um... Why should I go to your tribe?" Tyler asked. Though he did not raise the question in a challenging manner, he still asked with steel in his voice. I nodded at Tyler. He was one impressive kid.
The orc pondered the question for a moment before rising to his feet. He was absolutely enormous, easily seven feet tall and three hundred pounds of pure muscle. His body seemed sculped, reminding me of a true bodybuilder, and I almost chuckled at the difference in size between he and Tyler. It was stunning to behold and I took a step backwards. Tyler did not. "You come with Mochak Ironfur to become true barbarian. Become part of Bear Tribe. Become master of wilderness. Warrior of legend. Great honor in Bear Tribe. Great heroes." His grin never waivered.
"So if we come with you, then I can become a stronger barbarian?" Tyler asked slowly.
The orc screwed up his face, glancing to me for the first time. His eyes widened, almost as if he didn't realize I was there. "No, tiny Tyler barbarian. You come. Wizard stay."
"Now wait a second," I said sternly, grasping Tyler's shoulder and raising my staff. "The hell I will stay. Where he goes, I go." There was no fucking way I was going to let Tyler go somewhere without me. Especially some barbarian tribe I knew nothing about.
The orc chuckled. "Wizard. Boy barbarian invited. You not. Simple. He choose. He come or he stay."
"I... but... Ian's my friend. I'm not going anywhere without him." He looked up at me, nodding. I nodded back.
"You invited. He not," the huge orc said again to Tyler, sitting back down on the ground. "Mochak Ironfur stay here for three moons. Then leave. You come find Mochak Ironfur if you want come to Bear Tribe. To become great barbarian. Not come forever. Only seven moons. Then Mochak bring you back here to dwarf home. You choose." He started back at the meat, ignoring us.
Tyler and I entered Molg Elharn without saying a word. It simply wasn't going to happen and I knew Tyler agreed with me.
.........
We soon found ourselves standing in front of the wizard spire of Molg Elharn. It was not difficult to find, with many signs in the fortress city pointing the way. The entrance was a grand archway, leading into a worked stone hall filled with marble pillars. Tyler had been quiet as we traversed the town, no doubt stunned at the audacity of the orc outside the gate. To think that he would go off with that orc! Ridiculous.
A dwarf in a long grey robe approached us as we entered, raising his hand in greeting. "Good day, heroes. What are yah about?"
"I'm looking for Stoneshaper Joja? I received a letter directing me to seek him out." I handed the dwarf the letter but he only glanced at it.
"O'course! Over there!" He pointed to another dwarf down the hall, the older dwarf's beard a thick grey with only light streaks of red. We approached, catching the dwarf's eye immediately.
"The name is Joja. Stoneshaper Joja. Can I help yah?" He was polite, sitting on the bench with an open book in his hand.
"I'm Ian. This note said I needed to speak with you?"
"Yes. Yes. Ian. A wizard, right? Thorlius Spellweaver wants to see you in the Runic Tower. You ready to go?"
"The Runic Tower?" I asked.
A look of confusion passed across the dwarfs wrinkled face before he smiled in understanding. A twinkle in his eye showed his sudden mirth. "Ah, I understand. You have not been adventuring long, have you young man?"
I shook my head. "No. I'm sorry."
"Not to worry," the dwarf said, closing the book and putting it in his satchel. "The Runic Tower is a meeting place for wizards, a place where those who study the arcane arts can seek refuge and training."
"Do all wizards go to the Runic Tower?" I asked, intrigued. Sounded to me like this was some sort of class quest.
"Oh no, lad," the dwarf answered. "The Runic Tower is just the local wizard hall. There are others like it throughout Aurora. But it's the local one. Most wizards in the surrounding three hundred miles or so have been to the Runic Tower at least a couple of times. Great place to learn. But local. You ready to go? I'll transport you."
"Transport me?" I asked.
"That's why Thorlius Spellweaver sent you to me," he answered. "I handle most of the transportation spells from Molg Elharn to other places. So you want to go?"
I looked down at Tyler. The boy was nibbling on his bottom lip, lost in thought. I grinned. He was probably wondering what kind of challenges we would face at the Runic Tower. I turned to the old dwarf spellcaster. "I guess we are ready."
"Oh. Well that's a bit awkward. The boy can't go," the mage said, looking sheepish. "That's the rule, lad. Only wizards."
"You're kidding," I groaned. "Really?"
"Really. But you should only be gone for a week. I'm sure your barbarian friend has someplace he can go to train and learn. Right?"
Mother fucker. It was a class quest. Only, we were each supposed to go our own way. What had the orc said? That Tyler would be gone for seven moons? So... a week? I sighed. The universe wanted each of us to do this class specific quest line by ourselves. Fuck! Fuck fuck fuck!
I was about to decline when Tyler spoke up. "Ian," he said. I looked at him. He had puffed out his chest slightly and looked determined. Oh shit. It all clicked into place.
"No," I said.
"Yes," he countered.
"No way."
"I think we've got to."
"We don't. We can walk away right now."
"And maybe miss out on something important?"
"I'd rather that than something bad happen to you with me not there."
"And what makes you think something bad would happen to me? Has there been anything in our... time here in Aurora that has indicated something bad might happen to me?"
"Well..." Shit. The kid had a point. "No, but..."
"Yeah, that's what I figured."
I grabbed Tyler's shoulder and maneuvered him into a corner, away from the ears of the various wizards in the hall. The old wizard, Joja, grinned before reaching into his sack and pulling out his book. "Tyler," I began.
We argued for nearly an hour. I said it was too risky. Tyler said it was worth it. Then we decided to head back to the inn, as lunch was going to be soon. We argued during the walk. We argued during the meal. Eventually, Tyler told me I was being an idiot and he went up to the room, slamming the door in my face when I tried to follow.
I wandered around the town for a while, staying close to the inn. I shopped for a bit, not buying anything and trying to figure out the words necessary to convince the boy that splitting up was a bad idea. When I got back to the inn, I found Tyler sitting at the bar and drinking an ale. He didn't acknowledge me.
"You know, in every horror movie, things go to shit when the party splits up." I said it half joking. Tyler didn't respond. I ordered a beer and we sat in silence, the day slipping by.
We ate dinner early before Tyler informed me that he was going to go out and do some shopping. I told him he had better not go out to talk to the orc. He gave me a dirty look before storming out. By the time he crawled into bed that night, I had begun to worry that he had actually left. He didn't say a word to me before falling asleep.
The next morning was filled with a similar tension, though Tyler's anger had apparently dimmed down. He was civil to me as we got ready, which was a step in the right direction, but he seemed almost... sad.
Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. "Tyler," I practically pleaded. "I'm sorry but my mind is made up. It's simply too risky for us to leave each other." We were sitting at a table in the common room, eating a late breakfast.
He turned and looked at me, his face sad. "You know," he began, "this place isn't Earth. It's... different. Better. Here, there's... freedom. Adventure." He smiled gloomily. "When we first ended up here, I was really scared. Really really scared. But I learned, really fast, that there is nothing to fear. Mainly because you made me not be scared anymore. But also because of how different this place is. Remember what we've learned? That boys as young as seven go out and get jobs. That boys my age, like Quell or Nellie, are capable and independent and... respected. I like that. I really like that."
"You can be capable and independent and respected," I said quietly. "I respect you."
He shook his head. "I don't think you do, Ian. Remember when I went down the tunnel in the goblin cave and you spanked me afterwards? And you made me promise I would do what you wanted." I nodded. "That's not... respect. That's... umm... that's forcing me to not be free. To be, like, a slave." I gave him a sour look. "Ok! Ok, not a slave exactly. But like a kid back on Earth. Here, boys younger than me make decisions for themselves. Here, I don't get that same right. It's kinda sinking in that, even though I'm surrounded by people who are free to do what they want, I'm... not."
I pondered what he had said for several minutes. My stomach was twisted in a knot as his words hit home. He was... right. I didn't respect him; not like I should. Since coming to Aurora a month ago, we had been through a lot of stuff. Never once did he demonstrate that he couldn't be trusted. Never once did he seem to make bad, childish decisions. Hell, I'd even allowed him to have sex. But I was worried. What if he went somewhere and something happened? What if some magic spell or bullshit put us hundreds, or thousands, of miles away?
"I'm just scared," I said finally. "I'm scared that something might happen that will separate us. I couldn't take it if I lost you." I looked away from him.
"Well," he said, thoughtfully, "you are a wizard. Do you think there is anything you could do to make sure I don't get lost?"
Shit...
.........
After a brief discussion with Stoneshaper Joja, we found ourselves standing in front of Maker Foz Boulderbottom. The plump dwarf, his cheerful demeanor putting me at ease, answered my questions, proposed some solutions, and, after confirming he could do the work, took two gold and twenty silver from both Tyler and I with a suggestion that we come back the following morning. The rest of the day went smoothly, with Tyler and I wandering around the town and relaxing as best we could. That night, we were even able to screw around a bit.
The next morning, we found ourselves in Maker Boulderbottom's shop. "My customers!" he said as he came out of the back room. "Your order is done!"
Opening up a small box, he presented us each with a silver ring. Slipping them on, the crafter gave Tyler and I the proper incantations to make them work before walking us through a detailed explanation of our newest magical items.
"These two rings are known as Rings of Linking. They are, in fact, linked to each other. After saying the activation phrase, the rings disappear from your finger and become both invisible and ethereal. The reason for this security measure, of course, is so that no enemy can take the ring from you. If he can't see it, and he can't touch it, he can't steal it!" The dwarf laughed. "Give it a try!"
Both Tyler and I said the magic activation words and, much to our surprise, the rings disappeared. In fact, it felt like they were totally gone; being both invisible to the eye and losing all substance. In fact, had I not known I was wearing the ring, I would have no idea it existed.
"Perfect!" the mage said. "Now, don't tell anyone you have those rings on you. Only the most powerful magic users can detect them so, if you keep them secret, none should be the wiser. The next part is rather easy. Simply mutter the next incantation and close your eyes."
I did so and was shocked to see a picture form on the inside of my eyelids. It was of Tyler, sitting next to me in the office of the merchant. The detail was clear and, as I concentrated, I was able to move the image around my companion 360 degrees. I also had a slightly formed misty arrow pointing in his direction.
"As you can see, these rings allow you to view your companion. While you won't be able to speak, you can at least see each other and know that the other is safe. You can also tell which direction you would have to travel to find them, a useful tool if one of you ever finds yourself in need of rescuing. Now, when you are done viewing the other person, say the next incantation and the image disappears."
I did so and, when I closed my eyes again, I only saw darkness.
"Cool," said Tyler, looking excited.
We spent the next hour playing around with the rings, walking through the city and forming images of each other in our minds. Then we tracked each other down, using the directional arrow that helpfully pointed us towards the other. The mage had told us that these rings have no range limit, giving us the ability to be thousands of miles apart but still able to see that the other was safe.
With this tool in hand, I felt considerably better.
.........
"You is ready?" Mochak Ironfur said to Tyler as we approached him later that day. The orc was in the same spot as before, sitting on his bottom and doodling in the dirt. He stood when we got near him, grinning broadly.
"I am ready," Tyler said. He absolutely shivered with anticipation. On the way out here, he had told me that he was very excited to have the opportunity to learn from other barbarians and that he couldn't wait to see what challenges he would face. I nodded along, still somewhat apprehensive but nonetheless willing to let him make this decision. "But you will bring me back in a week, right?"
"Yes! Yes! Seven moons! Good! Good!" Mochak gave a great burst of enthusiasm before sticking two fingers between his lips and blowing. A piercing whistle assaulted our ears for a moment and Mochak, his task complete, began to clap his hands excitedly. "You become great, little Tyler! Bear Tribe powerful barbarians. Learn much! Grow strong!"
A loud roar echoed in the distance and, within seconds, a huge grizzly bear came into view. The things was bigger than a car. Bigger than an SUV. It was impossibly big, a dire bear to be sure. It loped towards us at a trot and my eyes grew larger and larger.
"That Stinky. Friend of Mochak. Fight beside Mochak in many battles. Stinky very strong."
I was tempted to raise my staff as the thing got closer, a primal terror rising up in my gut as the vicious carnivore got closer and closer. Tyler seemed unaffected, standing with his back straight and his eyes forward. Soon, the bear reached us and Mochak headbutted it affectionately, the bear and orc growling at each other before the bear began to lick the giant barbarian's face the way a dog might greet it's owner. Then they began to wrestle, rolling around playfully as Tyler watched on in fascination and I looked on with incredulity. Finally, the two ceased their roughhousing and settled down.
"We go? Now?" Mochak asked Tyler. Tyler nodded.
"We go now." He said.
Mochak nodded and began packing up his few possessions, stuffing them into a huge sack that was tied underneath the bear's giant head. After everything was thrust into the sack, including his huge axe, the orc, to my great surprise, reached into his kilt and released whatever had been holding it up. The skirt fell to the ground, leaving the orc totally nude before us. Tyler and I both gasped, the massive orc ignoring our stares as he picked up the kilt and slid it into the sack. His green cock was as big as he was, a python hanging over a sack of nuts the size of oranges.
"Naked. Tyler. Naked. To ride Stinky. Must be naked. Rude if not naked."
We stood still for several moments, trying to process what the orc was talking about. Apparently impatient, Mochak reached over and, rather gently, took Tyler's backpack and tossed it into the giant sack. Tyler's weapon followed. Then, as I watched, the orc's massive green hands quickly stripped Tyler's clothing off of the stunned lad until the boy was as naked as the orc. The clothing went into the bag.
Mochak gave Tyler an appraising look. "Nice. Hot. We have fun later. Now, we go. We ride."
Before Tyler or I could say anything, Mochak grasped the small boy around the waist and lifted him up onto Stinky's wide shoulders. Jumping up, the orc slipped a leg over the bear as well and the bear rose to it's full height. With Tyler's smooth pale body pressed back against the orc's green skin, and probably feeling the orc's massive cock resting against his ass, the boy suddenly came out of his trance and gave a grunt of surprise. The two nude figures, riding bareback on a bear nearly the size of an elephant, looked at me before the animal spun away and began to gallop down the path.
"I'll see you in a week!" yelled Tyler, looking back at me with a huge grin.
"In a week!" I yelled back, watching as they disappeared down the road. Fingering my ring finger, though, I knew I would be seeing Tyler well before the week was over. In fact, I was going to be checking on the boy every half hour until I was satisfied he was safe. Turning, I headed back into the dwarf stronghold.