Chapter Twelve
When the rays of the light of day broke into Wes’ chambers, Olivia opened her eyes with a smile, still feeling the warmth of his massive frame draped around her smaller naked body. Stirring slightly, she looked back to see him watching her, his lips curving upwards with joy that shone deep in his eyes. She turned her body around and pressed her lips to his.
“Well, good morning,” he smirked, amusement crinkling his features.
“Morning, master,” she whispered back, beaming at the thought of this easy interaction. He had accepted her, told her that he loved her, and in that act, had torn down all barriers in between them. She had been stubborn in that she wanted him for herself, and now he was all hers and she couldn’t be happier as a result.
“I meant what I said last night, kitten, I love you. I know things have been difficult, especially for me to move past the loss of Emma and my need for revenge against Nero, but I know now that you are the best thing for me.”
“Been thinking of what to say to me all morning?” Cheekily, she grinned back at him and giggled when he began to tickle her ribs.
“I think you are going to need to spend as much time over my knee as possible until we curb your sassy ways,” he laughed heartily.
“Okay! I love you too, you rotten bastard!” she joked, still giggling until she found herself facedown over his knees, her bare bottom sticking up straight in the air. His cock nudged against her belly, and in response, she wiggled against it.
“Such a bad girl! I see you’re going to need a reminder of who’s in charge before I allow you to leave this room today.” His voice rang out loud and firm, but she could detect the slightest hint of a chuckle behind his words.
Smack! Smack!
His palm bit into her quivering globes, the sting causing her to squeal in surprise. He spanked her all over her bottom until it throbbed with a light soreness, and by the end she was panting at how much it stung. He paid particular attention to her sit spots and upper thighs before he stopped.
“Good. Now let that be a lesson not to talk back to your master,” he said, clearly still amused.
“Never again! I promise,” she said as seriously as she could muster before she dissolved into more fits of laughter. Curling up in his lap, she moaned her desire as he pressed his lips to hers. She kissed him back, her giggles dying in her throat. Lost in his hands as he ravished her, she drew back after what seemed like ages later to finally draw a breath.
“We should probably check on the state of affairs since yesterday’s attacks,” he murmured, his reluctance very clear from his tone of voice. Nodding in agreement, she pulled back, still reeling from the claiming of his kiss.
Leaning forward, he brushed the hair out of her face, and she smiled softly up at him. At that moment, they were each other’s entire world. She almost wanted this instant in time to never end, but they both had to check on their friends, and he, on the state of the army and the city. His hand fell away and he climbed out of bed.
Taking the opportunity to admire his backside, she watched as the sinewy muscles in his thighs flexed, and her eyes trailed up his legs to take in the magnificent view of his ass. His thin waist emphasized his wide shoulders, his sculpted back clearly showcasing the power and strength in his tall form. He looked back at her and smirked, catching her in the act. Blushing, she looked away, too embarrassed to say a word.
“Like what you see, kitten?”
With a huff, she climbed out of bed and tried to change the subject, yet was unable to hide the visceral reaction of her body as she spoke. Her nipples peaked and she felt her face flush even more at the realization of the betrayal of her body.
“What should I wear?”
Silently, he moved to a nearby dresser and pulled out a neatly folded bundle. With a flourish, he shook out what she recognized as a red silk dress. The fabric shimmered with golden thread, intricate patterns detailed into the bodice before tapering out in a swirl down the skirt.
“I had this made for you when you were sleeping. You are my human now, and I want your secrets known to me, and me alone, visible only here in the bedroom when I demand it.”
“It’s beautiful, Wes!”
“Let me help you put it on,” he said gently. He moved toward her, and she held up her arms as he draped the fabric over her head. The elegant material glided over her skin like rain as it settled into place around her curves. It hugged her in all the right places, narrow in her waist and full around her breast and hips, giving her the perfect hourglass figure. Glancing in a nearby mirror, she gasped at the majestic sight before her.
She looked like a queen, like a portrait of a Greek goddess. Hardly recognizing herself, she lifted her eyes to meet his, her gratitude clear.
“Thank you.”
“Anything you need from me, just ask. I will have a dozen more dresses made for you, but I have one request of my own, well, rather… a command, really.”
“Whatever you wish, master,” she responded, curiosity overwhelming her.
“Well, to be honest, I have two,” he said, mischief about his features. Quickly becoming skeptical, she narrowed her eyes and pressed further.
“What is it?”
“First, you are never to wear panties in my presence again.”
“Wes, that’s improper!”
“Will you obey my request?”
“Yes, master,” she replied begrudgingly, turning her face away. He moved aside and opened a drawer in the cherry armoire that held all his implements. She swallowed, taking in the sight of his canes, straps, and paddles once more. One day, she had no doubt, she would feel each and every one of those. Unable to keep herself from grinning at the thought, she watched as Wes strode back over to her. In his hands was a thick black leather collar, and at its center was a stunning green stone that reminded her of emeralds back on Earth. The gem caught the light in such a marvelous way that it left her speechless. She had never seen anything so beautiful in her life.
“Olivia. I had this collar made for you as well. The second I held you in my arms the other day, after rescuing you from the cruelty of Lord Nero, I knew there was no other woman for me. You are my one and only, and I would be honored if you would wear this collar to mark me as your true master.”
She was at a loss for words. Her Wes, the man who had shunned her from the start, treating her as simply a task to complete in his list of daily duties, had changed so much in such a short amount of time. He was sweet and gentle at all the right moments, yet harsh and firm with her exactly when she needed it. He wanted her, just her, and her heart grew at least three sizes larger with love for him. His eyes stared back at her, dominant and firm, yet slightly unsure. He had chosen her, and now was the time for her to officially choose him too.
“Yes, master. It would bring me great joy to show the world that I am your submissive,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. Wes moved closer and hugged the soft leather around her throat. Turning around slowly, she sighed and shut her eyes with relief as the clasp clicked shut. She was really and truly his.
Looking back with a smile, she couldn’t help herself and threw her arms around his neck, pressing her lips to his with wild abandon. When she finally pulled back, she found it difficult to rein in the joy racing through her body.
“Go freshen up, kitten. I should probably dress as well.”
With a giggle, she glanced down at his chest, unable to tear her eyes away from the throbbing cock that was nestled against her belly. Feeling a bit naughty, she knelt down before him and took his hardness into her mouth. He groaned as her tongue began to dance around his pulsing head, but he did not protest. His hand fisted in the hair at the back of her neck, and his hips rocked back and forth, pressing his cock in and out of her throat. In that one single motion, he commanded the air between them, taking the power away from her and placing it back in his hands. He controlled her, and she loved every second of it.
She opened her throat for him, taking his cock deeper and deeper as he fucked her mouth. Grasping his tree trunk-sized thighs, she held onto him, submitting to him completely. He tasted of power and control, the perfect essence of a man. She licked him up and down, enjoying the delectable taste of the one she called master. She felt his muscles begin to tremble under her fingertips and sucked him harder; the feeling that raced through her at his strangled groan was the most powerful thing she had ever felt. The moment his hot seed spurted into the back of her throat, she swallowed it down, relishing the delicious taste. She swallowed every last drop, flicking her tongue over the slit in the head of his shaft to make sure she hadn’t missed any. Remarkably, his cock was still hard for her, and all she wanted to do was press him deep into her pussy and ride him until the sun went down. Her body quivered with her unmet need, and she felt her juices begin to seep from her achingly empty channel. His expression was warm when he began to speak.
“Thank you, kitten. Go freshen up. Tonight, I will reward you for such good behavior, and trust me, you will love every second of it. Until then, you will not come until I allow it.”
He held out his hand to help her rise, and she took it, accepting the fact that she was not permitted release until he allowed it. Rather than become frustrated, her body trembled at his instructions. He, and he alone would determine when she found her pleasure, and that understanding caused her pussy to moisten even further.
“Yes, sir. You need not worry, I will obey you.”
“Good girl. Think about all I have in store for you tonight. I want you hot and ready when I spread your legs and fuck you until you beg me to stop.”
Her legs became weak at just his threat, and his hands grasped her waist to steady her. His gaze, hungry and predatory, became firm and no-nonsense as he took in her aroused state.
“Go freshen up now, little one, or I will spank that bottom of yours until you’re ready to obey. And you still won’t get to come for hours, until I make it so. Understand?”
“Yes, master.”
She steadied herself and walked sluggishly to the bathroom, the feeling of numb desire leaving her limbs incredibly slowly. When she finally closed the door behind her, she sighed in relief and looked in the mirror at her extremely flushed complexion. Splashing cold water on her face, she then dried it with a soft towel. The chilliness of the liquid helped her to gather herself and do what she needed to do. Without delay, she finished quickly and made herself presentable. Her hair tamed and feeling like she looked respectable enough to leave his chambers, she exited the restroom to find Wes fully dressed.
He looked regal in uniform. He didn’t wear it typically, but now the kingdom was officially at war, after having been attacked after a period of tentative peace. He wore a blood red long-sleeved shirt. The striking color was bordered by a shade as dark as obsidian, lined with gold, sweeping across his shoulders. A wide black belt cut across his waist, buckled with a golden clasp that made him look narrow and trim. His pants were simple, onyx in color, yet remarkable in their own right. He was the perfect picture of a commander. He was her master.
He offered her his hand; she took it and allowed him to lead her forward. They left his chambers and she smiled, despite the trickle of moisture that slipped down her thigh. It was time to check on the state of the kingdom, and time to check on her friends.
The day passed by very quickly. Wes had gone off to meet with the king as well as his ranking officers while Olivia assisted Morgana and the queen in order to help repair the damages incurred during the previous day’s battle. The two had been using their magic for hours, healing the injured and repairing the roads and building that had been marred. Olivia helped by organizing a makeshift hospital, putting those who needed magical help the most at the front of the line, while she cared for those who didn’t need the assistance of more powerful forces.
When both Lana and Morgana could pull themselves away, having helped all that they could, they brought her to the Hall of Magic, a massive and majestic building that promised them a safe haven, at least for a little while.
Morgana knew her way around like the back of her hand. She had been appointed the king’s sorceress since the day she arrived on Terranovum, and had spent long hours in most of the rooms of the sprawling building. She and Lana murmured about not finding enough literature to help them in their current situation, and Olivia felt a bit out of place. She wasn’t gifted with magical abilities, so why had they brought her along?
“What are you trying to find?” she asked, not having been involved with the women’s mission until now.
“I’ve pored over pages of all the books I can find here, but have been unable to unearth any reference to the ancient history of Soul Eaters, their weaknesses, the full range of their power, what it would actually take to destroy Lord Nero for good. I don’t know where else to look.”
“Wait, what about that one hall in the lower depths, the one that simply has a stairwell leading down into a wall? You told me about that one night and we never looked, searching the libraries instead. You never brought me down there to fully explore that place.”
“I’ve been down there. It’s a dead end,” Morgana replied, sounding exasperated. “There has to be something we missed here, in the libraries.”
“Maybe between you, me, and Olivia’s mysterious powers, we can figure it out.”
“What do you mean, Lana? I don’t have powers,” she asked, very confused.
“I do know that you glow white light sometimes. That means something, but I don’t quite know what it is. I heard Wes mention it the other day to Dante, saying that it’s happened outside of the dinner show, with just him there, the two of you in his chambers, when you do certain things together…”
Not being able to help it, she looked away and felt her face flush hotly.
“Oh, well, you’re right about that, and it only happens at very interesting times, it seems,” Olivia murmured, feeling a blush creep further up her cheeks.
“What do you mean?” Morgana asked, her gaze narrowing slightly.
Embarrassed even further, Olivia sighed before beginning to explain. “It’s when my body fully submits to him. It happened last night too, brighter than ever before, after he spanked me, and when we did a few other things after that… Do you know what it could mean?” Looking up, she saw Morgana studying her with an odd expression.
“I have a vague idea that I have read something about it before. I just have to remember where that could have been.”
Lana sighed loudly as she threw another useless book on the table.
“Come on, let’s check out the lower levels. I have a feeling that we might find something today. We have to, for the sake of Legeari.”
“Agreed, let’s go.” Morgana led the way down the halls, taking turn after turn. Olivia was happy for her guidance, knowing that she would have never been able to find her way without her. The place was like a maze.
“How did you ever learn to navigate through this?” she wondered aloud.
“The Hall of Magic is designed in the shape of a mystic enchantment. The architecture represents an ancient spell in massive form, giving it the protection of magic centuries old. That’s why, despite all that occurred in the battle, this building wasn’t even scratched in the insanity. Nothing of its power has been seen in several thousands of years. The wizards that built this place, well, no one has inherited abilities like that in a very long time.”
“Incredible,” Olivia whispered.
Lana looked back and smiled. “I’m still learning much of the history of this place. It is all really amazing, especially what the magically gifted could do with their abilities. But, we’ll have to talk about it more a bit later, we’re almost there.”
The halls had darkened, lit by rainbow-colored fire torches every few feet, flickering against white stone, cool from the depth they had climbed down into. Long ago, the three women had left the light of large windows, venturing deep into the mysterious building with every room. Passing a multitude of closed doors, Olivia wondered about what secrets were hidden behind each one. Before long, they came across another stairwell, and as far as she could see, little light made its way down to reveal what was beneath.
“Here we are,” the redhead offered, her voice trailing off in the quiet. Lana grabbed one of the torches off the wall and pranced down the steps to the bottom. Olivia followed, but stopped at seeing a simple white stone wall at the bottom. Morgana had been right. There was nothing there.
Lana pressed her hand against the wall, sighing with disappointment. Looking back, she shrugged, “I guess you were correct. There really isn’t anything here to help us.”
Suddenly, a low hum began to emit from the silvery bleached rock. All three women’s eyes whipped back to the wall, surprised at the sudden sound. Hesitantly venturing forward, Morgana took her place next to the queen and pressed her fingers to the stone along with her. The hum grew much louder at the two women’s touch, and they looked back at her.
“You too?”
“Why me?”
“Just do it!” Lana pleaded, nervous excitement plain on her face. Olivia walked gingerly down the steps, placing her fingers on the stone along with the other two. For a moment, the hum became so loud, it hurt her ears, but then, all of a sudden the wall before them disappeared, revealing a landing at the bottom of the stairs. At the end of a short hall, there was a grandiose wooden door, carved with all sorts of intricate designs that Olivia could only assume were more magical spells and forms. There was a silver handle embedded in the dark wood on the right side, running parallel with the heavy grain visible in the timber used to make the door.
A sharp gasp echoed beside her, and she looked back to see the shocked, disbelieving eyes of the king’s sorceress. Whatever it was, Morgana had no idea that this place even existed, and that was very clear by the look on her face.
“I thought it was a myth… I had no idea…”
“What is it?” both Lana and Olivia whispered, staring back at the courageous woman before them.
“It’s the Chambers of Prophecy. A place that’s only ever been whispered about, a secret closely guarded for longer than time can remember, built to protect the most precious of information. It’s been so long that it’s only been retained as a legend. The three of us have unearthed it for the first time since its creation.”
“You have got to be kidding,” Lana whispered, her voice scarcely audible, even in the heavy silence of the halls.
“Come, we must work together so that we may enter. I have a feeling we all must touch the door at the same time. It’s almost as if the magic is speaking to me, telling me what we must do. Concentrate, Lana, and I guarantee you will feel it too.”
Studying the door, the queen narrowed her eyes, and opened them wide a second later. Without saying the words, she must have come to the same realization as well. Clasping their hands together, the three of them pressed forward, each of them touching the metal of the large handle together. The door groaned and hummed, and a moment later, it swung open, revealing what was behind the secret entrance once and for all.
The scene before her was almost too much to take in at once. A massive cavern of gray stone stretched out as far as she could see, lined with shelves of books carved right into the gritty rock. Sounds of dripping water met her ears, and far off in the distance, she saw an underground river. Each drip pounded against the hard stone in tune with her heavy heartbeat. High overhead, shimmering pointed spires hung from the ceiling, threatening to come down on top of them any second. Its darkness was overwhelming as the dank chilly air welcomed the three of them with open arms. Olivia was the first to step forward, and the other women followed. Two pillars rose up beside them, and as soon as they crossed into the threshold, a brilliant white light shone overhead, revealing the dark corners of the underground cave to their view. Stepping into the brightness, Olivia gasped when she saw Morgana’s feet begin to lift off the floor.
A dazzling light blue aura surrounded her, and her irises went white, lit by the same pale blue that encompassed her entire body. The woman’s mouth opened and a strange, ancient female voice echoed off the cavernous walls. It took Olivia a moment to comprehend that the sound was coming from the sorceress herself, and not somewhere off in the distance. It was both strange and otherworldly, but oddly enough, she wasn’t the slightest bit afraid.
“The time has finally come,
For the true evil to finally be extinguished by the light,
Only through the power of those affected by shadow,
Will the magic of innocence come to be revealed,
Guarded by the face of a woman separated from her twin through time and space,
She will join with the bringer of dragons, warden of the magic of strength,
To reveal the power of freedom,
Long hidden in the depths of the South,
Protected inside the Servus Agonia,
Fated to bring together the magic of strength, innocence, and freedom,
Surrounded by the protection of the king, the wolf, and the commander,
By the fates, only then can the true power of light be revealed,
So that the shadow can finally be destroyed once and for all,
Shall these three powers not come together at the barrier to the New World,
To eliminate the darkness in a flash of light,
The planet will rot into ruin,
Bringing the end to the Erassan and human way of life,
And to Terranovum as it is now known.”
The ethereal voice echoed long after the light dimmed around Morgana, and her feet again met the dark stone of the cave floor. She took a deep breath, shutting her eyes, only to open them, revealing her unusual violet irises to the women before her once again. The redhead stared back at Olivia, her mouth agape.
“I know what you are.”
“What?”
“You have within you an ancient magic, the type only revealed through the strength of your submission. You’re a Servus Agonia, a servant of pain, one who finds freedom in submitting to another. I knew that I read about it before!”
“You have to be kidding me; that doesn’t make any sense.”
“It makes perfect sense. Your kind used to be revered for your magic. Demonstrations of your ability to find the light in the darkness associated with submission used to be commonplace, so very long ago. There used to be houses dedicated to your honor. The last Servus Agonia to grace our world died over two thousand years ago, and another hasn’t been seen since.”
“What about the part about the twins? Separated by time and space? What does all that mean?”
The queen answered, her stance regal. “Well, you probably don’t know this, but my face is the same as King Dante’s former lover. I’ve seen her portrait and we look identical. By some form of ancient magic, I was given her face so that Wes could identify me back on Earth and bring me here, awakening the magic hidden deep in my bones. According to the prophecy, we all have a role to play in taking down Lord Nero.”
“Lana, you’re the magic of innocence.”
“And Morgana, you’re the vessel of strength.”
“And Olivia, you’re the power of freedom.”
Standing in a circle, the three of them stared at each other, assessing the magic that nearly crackled to be set free between them.
“Well,” Olivia began. “It seems we’re going to need to plan some travel arrangements for the six of us very soon.”
“Let’s get to it then. Grab a book and start reading. We have to know exactly what we’re up against. I have a feeling that within the pages along the walls, we’ll finally get the answers of what a Soul Eater is truly capable of, and what it will take to defeat Nero for good,” Lana offered, her lips setting a grim line to the challenges ahead.
“I agree, let us begin.” Morgana said, the determination in her eyes glimmering with edges of hopefulness.