Would you like to see chapters of my books before they come out? Do you want to see cover art sketches and vote on which poses should make it to final production? Would you like to see even sexier versions of my covers? Would you like to get my audiobooks at a deep discount?

Of course you would! Join my Patreon here to get all these awesome benefits (or search for my name on Patreon.com).

You can also join my Facebook group right here. Then you’ll know when my books come out before anyone else.

Chapter 1

I stared down at the newspaper in its glowing, futuristic glass enclosure and still found myself in shock. The newspaper said something about a hundred-million dollar deal, and not only that, it said I’d been a CEO.

This was not something I remembered.

While being a CEO sounded more than exciting, it was hard to believe it could have been a reality. From what I could recall, my career as a programmer had been going well before I woke up here, but it hadn’t been anything like that.

It was fun to believe it was true, though, and the presence of a newspaper was intriguing and added to the situation’s plausibility. But how could something that presumably happened in my future have taken place in this fantasy world’s past? Could the “aliens” running the simulation have created a fake newspaper for me to find?

The words on the page were so faded that the only thing legible on the paper was the headline, but it certainly looked real enough. Other than the terrible, gelled way I was wearing my hair in the picture.

My career had been based around computers, so I wondered if the photo and the headline were somehow related to that whole “God of Ones and Zeroes” thing again. Could the hundred-million dollar deal have something to do with computers?

In my faint memory of being called the God of Ones and Zeroes for the first time, my unknown companion had seemed incredibly impressed with me. Could I have done something great enough to raise me to CEO level?

It was all very odd, but being a CEO seemed more plausible than being a god. I would have thought so, that is, if I wasn’t already living the god experience for myself.

I sighed and looked down over my three beautiful priestesses, who were all curled up in their beds despite the fact that it was already mid-day. It had been a long night for the women as they rescued Roza, the sweet little gnome baby, and I wanted to let them sleep.

Nicola’s dark hair streamed across her thick, velvety blanket, and the expression on the brunette’s impeccable face was a tad bit softer than the fierce visage she usually put on when she was awake. Her golden cheeks were flushed with sleep, and her eyelids fluttered as she tossed and turned.

I hoped her dreams were about me and the way I’d fucked her in the early morning hours today.

Nicola’s new puppy, Thunder, slept in a ball next to the dark-haired woman’s legs. A tight bond had formed quickly between the brunette and the dog, which wasn’t surprising due to her special skills with animals. Although Nicola swore Thunder was a puppy, the beast looked like he had to weigh at least seventy-five pounds already, if not more.

Aleia, my sweet little fairy, was curled up on her side with her glimmering, pale lavender wings folded behind her. I was lucky enough to know something special about the strawberry-blonde, which was that her wings were one of the most sensitive parts of her body, and that touching them was sure to make her cum.

Aleia’s wings were so sexy, I couldn’t help but feel my phantom boner throb as I watched her doze. A smile curved up the edges of her perfect, bow-shaped red lips as she slept, and a burst of joy and love exploded in my phantom chest.

Nothing made me wish I could have my body back more than watching my beautiful priestesses. While I was given the chance to have dream visits with one woman at a time, the orgies I had with the priestesses during my brief visits to the physical realm were like nothing I’d ever experienced in my life.

“Mmm… Jack…” Penelope moaned lightly in her sleep.

I could never forget my naiad’s contributions to the fun. Penelope filled my days with golden sunshine and pure devotion.

My pregnant, pale-blue priestess’ long, blonde hair surrounded a face that was flushed violet and dewy with sweat, and her full breasts were visible above the edge of the silk blanket that was partially strewn across her body.

The edge of Penelope’s skimpy white robe had drifted in her sleep so half of her navy-blue nipple was visible, which didn’t help my unshakeable virtual hard-on. I couldn’t help but stare as the naiad murmured words I couldn’t understand, but every now and then, my name slipped from her lips, and the little moan that came with it was probably my favorite part.

I was more than lucky to have such gorgeous women in my life, and despite the fact that they were the ones who were supposed to be devout, I was completely devoted to them, too. They’d all told me they wanted to marry me, and I was more than willing to make them mine forever.

The priestesses slept on the ground in the ancient living quarters of the convent’s ruins, but they’d reconstructed the roof to protect them from the weather. I hoped I could bring them more luxury at some point, but they were generally in good spirits about their rugged surroundings. None of the women had ever built a primitive life from scratch before, but they were all cheerful as they worked their way up in the world.

The priestesses’ accomplishments were all tied into my complex leveling-up system, and I could always check the interface that appeared in front of my eyes. It wasn’t clear to me who was in charge of my whole experience, but having specific tasks to perform certainly made life interesting.

And the matter of the new woman I was supposed to rescue was making things interesting, too. It had appeared on my interface at my last level up.

Next Town Quest: Save woman in distress

This was beyond intriguing. I hadn’t met another woman except the priestesses and the gnomes since I’d been here, and my priestesses were so fucking sexy the thought of another similar follower got my phantom heart racing.

I was worried about the woman in distress, so I wanted to get moving on this task quickly, but I was going to have to tell the priestesses what they would need to do. I didn’t usually explain away my actions as godly missions, but I didn’t think they’d question me if I told them there was someone in danger.

God Vision was the method I used to zoom out on the map of my surroundings, and my vision included everywhere the women had currently explored as well as the thicker patches of trees in between. The whole thing made it easy enough for me to confirm the damsel in distress wasn’t somewhere obvious. When nothing unusual showed up on my mental display, I was left pondering my next move. I’d suspected this mission wouldn’t be easy, and I was right.

I zoned out for a brief moment as I imagined a fourth sleeping woman on the floor of the living quarters, completely sated by my cock and my seed.

We’d had the best orgy yet last night. I hadn’t exactly known I was so thirsty for power, but something about being a god made me want to possess my women in every way possible and let them know I owned them. Nicola had suggested the whip, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t more than happy to comply with her requests. I’d then fucked the priestesses over and over as they healed their sore, punished bodies in Penelope’s blessed stream, and we’d all had a lot of fun, to say the least.

All of this had to be contributing to why the women were so exhausted today, and I internally smiled at the thought of their wombs full of my sperm. I’d already gotten Penelope pregnant, and I hoped someday one of the other priestesses would beg to carry my baby in her body, too. I’d never thought impregnating my lovers was particularly sexy in my old life, but here, in my godly form… it only made me feel more like their lord and master.

Another interesting development was the official conversion of the gnomes. The entire family of small creatures lived down the road from the convent, which included old Elowise and Wilfrim, their son and daughter-in-law Balabar and Nissa, along with their three children and baby Roza. All of the gnomes were now my devout followers according to my mental display, which was almost like a heat map of devotion. The circles representing the gnomes on the map were all bright red now, and my official Follower count was up to ‘11.’

Three priestesses and eight gnomes made me feel like I was doing alright as a god in this world.

I still had some questions about having new followers, though. I could see through Penelope, Nicola, and Aleia’s eyes and speak directly into their minds, so could I do it with the gnomes, too?

There was only one way to find out.

It was easy enough for me to look down on my gnomes using my God Vision. Their camp consisted of a large fire circle and several brown leather tents, and I knew from experience that some of the small structures contained collections of goods, from jewels to weapons to handy tools. They had a bountiful summer garden and were as kind as could be, and I couldn’t have imagined better neighbors for the women.

I wasn’t surprised to see the small creatures all still appeared to be asleep in their tents. They’d had a long night of worrying about Roza while the priestesses rescued her from the goblins’ mountain lair, and like the women, they had taken the time to sleep in.

The sex this morning cleared my own mind a little, but the battle with the goblins had been so recent, I supposed I was still a bit shell-shocked. As badass as my women were, it was still tough to see them risking their lives.

As I focused back on the gnome camp, I didn’t think I’d be able to see anything through the gnomes’ eyes while they were sleeping, but I decided it couldn’t hurt to give it a shot.

I focused my mental energy on each gnome, from old Wilfrim to young Olwin, who was about six, but all I saw was blackness. I was about to give up when I decided to hone in on baby Roza.

Holy shit, I could actually see something.

As I looked through the infant’s eyes, my vision was blurry and the tent was fairly dark, but I could hear the happy baby alternatively cooing and sucking what I presumed was her thumb. I couldn’t see the bars of a cradle, so I assumed she was in bed with her mother, Nissa, and when I looked down, I saw what appeared to be a giant hand around me, at least from my tiny baby perspective.

If I were Roza’s mom, I wouldn’t have wanted to let her go for a second, either.

“Wow,” I marveled. “I truly have new followers. This is fucking nuts.”

Roza cooed again, a little louder this time, and I wondered if she’d actually heard me.

But then I heard something else.

“Hello?” a hoarse voice called out. “Is someone there?”

Holy shit. Was it Elowise? Could she now hear me?

I zoomed back out from Roza’s little baby eyes.

The croak of Elowise’s voice made it sound like the old gnome woman was just waking up from a heavy sleep. She laid on an ornately-carved wooden cot with Wilfrim, and instead of her pointed cap, the gray-haired woman was wearing an old-fashioned looking bonnet on her head.

“Ummm, E-Elowise?” I stuttered, and the old woman’s mouth dropped open.

“What’s going on?” she gasped. “Have I gone a little batty?”

“No, it’s me, Jack,” I replied. “I guess… I guess you can hear me now?”

“Oh, Jack,” Elowise laughed, but her rosy face grew even redder. “Oh, my, I am going to have to get used to this. This is very strange indeed, even if it is miraculous. Now, hold on a minute. If you can hear me, and I can hear you, does this mean you can see me, too?”

“Yes, it does,” I informed the gray-haired woman.

Elowise gasped again as she put one hand to her bonnet and another to her chest, and she quickly pulled the blanket up over her lacy nightgown.

“I don’t feel very modest,” Elowise confessed. “No one but Wilfrim ever sees me this way.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry,” I assured her as I turned my vision away from the old woman. “I’m averting my gaze now.”

“Thank you, Jack,” Elowise said in a relieved tone. “I’m not the type of woman that likes to… show off my body.”

“I understand,” I laughed. An image briefly flashed into my head of Elowise in one of the priestesses’ gowns, but I was luckily interrupted by the gnome’s voice.

“So, I can hear you in my head,” the old woman marveled. “This is truly a miracle. I must tell my family, but I need to put my regular clothes on first. I’d wake Wilfrim, but I suppose you can hear him snoring. Once he’s out, he’s out.”

“It is a nice power,” I agreed. “Elowise, I’m so happy you’re my follower, but I’ll let you get dressed now. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable.”

“Thank you, my… Jack,” the small woman said, and I could hear the smile in her voice. I knew she’d almost called me her lord, but it would probably take time for the gnomes to adjust to having a new deity. Especially since their kind had never worshipped a god before.

I focused back on the convent’s living quarters where Aleia had started to wake up. She sat in her bed with her slim arms stretched over her head, and she was staring up into space with wide, glassy eyes.

“Jack?” the fairy whispered. “Are you there?”

“Good morning,” I murmured. “You look beautiful today.”

“I’m going to go outside so I don’t wake up my sisters,” Aleia said with a playful smile and a finger to her lips. “I’d love to chat more.”

“Me, too,” I said as the fairy pushed off her blanket, floated a couple feet up from her bedding, and headed outside.

Aleia blinked rapidly in the bright sunshine before she shielded her eyes with her hands, and she startled when she saw the position of the sun in the bright blue sky.

“Wow, it’s late!” the strawberry-blonde laughed.

“I wanted to let you sleep for a long time,” I chuckled. “You had a busy day and night. In fact, I can’t believe you’re awake already.”

“It was a long night… and morning,” Aleia said as she lowered her eyelashes against her cheeks. “Once again, it was different from anything I’ve ever experienced before, my lord.”

“I know,” I said in what I hoped was my most gentle voice. “But I always appreciate your willingness to try new things.”

“I… I enjoy new things,” the fairy said with a shy glance to the ground. “I like being with you in new ways, and I enjoyed the way Penelope led us in our prayers.”

The naiad had directed the other two women in a ceremony that involved me spraying loads of cum all over all the priestesses, so I, too, had enjoyed myself. I hadn’t known the combination of praying and fucking would be such a turn on, but the whole thing really was unbelievable.

“What’s going on?” Penelope asked as she tripped out of the living quarters on bare blue feet and squinted at Aleia. “Good morning, master, how are you?”

“I’m good, Penelope,” I said to the naiad. “I hope you’re doing well.”

“Yes, how are you feeling, sister?” Aleia asked.

Now that the naiad was pregnant, the other women were being extra kind and sisterly toward the expecting priestess, and I’d been more cautious about her care as well. Then again, having sex with me in person gave the priestesses two bonus points in their statistics, which made them extra happy, glowy, and powerful, and today didn’t look like any exception.

Penelope was absolutely radiant in the sunshine.

“I feel good today,” the blue woman chirped. “I have lots of energy. I’m ready to do anything our heavenly lord and master needs from me.”

“I’m glad you feel good,” I assured her. “I appreciated your ritual last night, Penelope.”

“I was so happy to honor you, Jack,” the naiad said with a solemn expression on her face. “I believe allowing you to take control and then make love to us is a symbol, not only of our devotion to you, but of your devotion to us.”

“I completely agree,” I replied, and I couldn’t help chuckling at the state of my fairy right now.

Aleia flushed nearly fuchsia at the mention of sex in front of the other priestess. The strawberry-blonde was the world’s sexiest combination of a shy virgin who got super freaky when it was time to fuck.

These priestesses were amazing.

All the morning’s excitement had almost made me forget the day’s true mission, though, which was to begin scouting the area for the woman in distress. I needed to talk to the priestesses about it, but I was hoping to speak to all three of them at once.

“Would the two of you mind waking up Nicola for me?” I asked.

“Not at all, my lord,” Aleia promptly answered. “She might be cranky, though.”

“Cranky?” I heard a sudden laugh, and Nicola walked into the picture with Thunder plodding along behind her. Then she flipped her long, chestnut hair over her shoulder. “I’m not cranky. I’m just… generally opinionated.”

“What’s your opinion right now?” Penelope giggled. “Is it that you wish you hadn’t been woken up?”

“No!” Nicola protested. “Well, maybe.”

All three priestesses began to giggle, and while I hated to break up their good time, I couldn’t let someone in trouble suffer for too long, either.

“So, there’s something important I need to speak with you all about,” I said after a minute or two.

“Ooh, are we in trouble?” Nicola asked with a smirk on her face. “I do so love--”

“Nicola!” Penelope gasped. “Our lord sounds serious. It is no time to talk about your desire for… godly discipline.”

“It’s fine,” I laughed. “But unfortunately, it is a serious matter. I’ve received a… premonition that there’s a woman out there who needs our help, and I’m going to require the three of you to seek her out.”

“Someone is hurt?” Penelope asked as she looked at the sky with wide eyes. “Whatever do you mean, my lord?”

“That’s all I know at the moment, but it’s a big deal,” I tried to explain further. “I’m not sure exactly where she is, but--”

“You don’t know where she is?” Nicola asked with a dubious expression on her face. “I don’t mean to be impudent, Jack, but then how are we going to rescue her?”

“Remember when I had you explore a while back?” I asked the brunette. “You and Penelope were on foot, and Aleia flew? You’re going to have to do something like that again, but I’m afraid it’s going to be further than a mile this time.”

To date, in addition to a solid two square miles the priestesses had explored around the convent, Aleia had opened my vision to the southwest when she’d visited a quarry. The women had all also been several miles to the east last night when they’d traveled to fight the goblins.

But despite the new openings in my field of vision, I still didn’t see any signs of trouble as I zoomed out on my map.

“We’ll travel as far as you need us to, master,” Penelope said as she leaned forward and gazed at the other two women. “Won’t we, sisters?”

“Of course.” Aleia nodded. “We would do anything for you, my lord.”

“And as for this mysterious woman,” Nicola cut in with pursed lips. “This is certainly strange, Jack. Who will she be? It either sounds like you don’t know, or you aren’t going to tell us if you do.”

“Nicola, you can’t just say Jack doesn’t know things--” Penelope interrupted the brunette.

“Everything is fine,” I interjected. “I can’t tell you much right now other than you are going to have to explore, but hopefully it won’t be too far. I know this may not have been how you intended to spend your days, and I was really hoping you could rest, to be honest.”

“But there’s always more work to be done,” Aleia said with a nod. “And there’s no way we’d knowingly let harm come to someone, even if she is a stranger to us.”

“And we always intend to spend our days however you see fit, master,” Penelope added as she bowed her head piously, and the sunlight gleaming on her golden hair made it look like there was a halo shimmering around my most devout priestess of all.

“Of course, we’ll find her,” Nicola said in a decisive voice. “We can accomplish anything, but can we eat breakfast first?”

“More like late lunch,” I chuckled. “But, of course, you can eat. Try to make it pretty quick, though.”

“We still have a bounty of crops from the gnomes’ garden,” Aleia reported. “We could feast on that.”

“I just crave meat so much,” pregnant Penelope pouted. “Can’t I at least catch a trout?”

The gifted blue woman was able to stand in her blessed creek and hold out her hands, and gigantic fish simply leapt into her palms. As I leveled up in my simulation, or whatever was going on, the women’s special skills increased, too. Penelope had a talent for water magic, of course, since she was a naiad, and the higher my level got, the greater her abilities.

“I can check the snare for a rabbit, too,” Nicola chimed in. “Would that taste good to you, Penelope?”

“I think it’s a good idea for you to eat some protein,” I agreed. “The fruits and vegetables will be good, too, but Penelope, you need to keep your strength up.”

“I don’t know what protein is, master,” the naiad said with a furrowed brow and a puzzled smile. “But I do know that our daughter wants something hearty for this meal.”

“Alright, let’s race, Penelope,” Nicola said with a sparkle in her eyes. “Jack wants us to be quick. You go down to the stream and catch a trout, and I’ll check my snare. We’ll see who gets back here first.”

“My silly sisters,” Aleia giggled. “You’re always having fun, even when there’s not much time to spare. I’ll work on the fire so we can cook as soon as you return.”

“Jack, count down for us!” Penelope said as she bounced up and down on her toes. “Tell us when to run.”

“Okay,” I chuckled. “One, two, three, go!”

Penelope and Nicola giggled and shoved each other playfully as they ran away from the living quarters. Thunder, the brunette’s new constant companion, ran behind and barked while his loose skin flopped all around.

“They’re funny,” the fairy said as she bent down beside the fire pit and gathered all the embers into a pile. She carefully laid out more kindling on top and a sprinkling of tinder, and then she smiled a bit as she blasted the whole thing with the propane torch.

Of all the tools I’d made appear on my altar, the women liked the fire-blowing torch the most.

“Nicola and Penelope are funny,” I agreed. “And Thunder is really cute.”

“Yes, he is,” the fairy laughed. “It’s nice to have a pet around.”

Once flames shot up from the kindling, Aleia laid on more firewood, and I zoomed out to see how Nicola and Penelope were doing. The naiad had waded into the creek, and she now stood with her palms wide open waiting for a fish to jump in.

Nicola had retrieved a large rabbit, and she was in the process of resetting her trap with a proud, wide smile on her face from the new catch.

“How are my sisters doing?” Aleia asked as she stared idly at the fire. “I’m very hungry, too. I thought about going over to the kitchen to cook, but I like to stay by our home sometimes, too.”

“You do have a lot of places to cook around here,” I chuckled. “And Penelope and Nicola will be back soon.”

Within the walls that now surrounded the convent, there was a large fire pit in the kitchen, a few pits in the garden that had been used as kilns and meat smokers, and then the humble fire circle outside the women’s living quarters, which was where the fairy now sat.

“I’m worried about this poor woman,” Aleia sighed. “This all sounds so scary.”

“I know, but I think you’re just going to have to keep your eyes open,” I replied.

I hadn’t been given a task yet that wasn’t doable, so I figured the woman in distress couldn’t be too far away, though there was no doubt my challenges were growing more and more difficult. The battle with the goblins had been long and bloody, and my priestesses had persevered, but it made me wonder what was coming next.

Nicola and Penelope returned with their bounty at approximately the same time, and after gutting the fish and dressing the rabbit, the women had a big meal.

“Should we go?” Penelope asked after a few minutes as she put down a fish bone and rubbed her palms together nervously. “I don't want this poor distressed woman to suffer when we could be saving her.”

“I agree,” Nicola said with a firm nod as she patted her puppy on its giant, black-and-tan head. Thick drool ran out of both sides of the huge baby animal’s jowls, but the brunette gazed at him adoringly. “Jack, tell us where to begin.”

“Alright, here’s the plan,” I sighed with a bit of trepidation. “Aleia, start flying south. Penelope, Nicola, I want the two of you to stick together as you walk up past the road.”

“Yes, master,” the naiad responded. “I’m eager to be of service to you.”

“I appreciate all of you,” I told the priestesses. “And I’m sure the woman you rescue will appreciate you, too.”

The women armed themselves with swords, bows, and Aleia’s favorite sling, and I felt satisfied they were ready to go. The gnomes had given the priestesses the beautiful blades, and Nicola had carved the bows herself. The fairy had woven the sling with her nimble fingers, and she rarely missed a shot.

Aleia fluttered her purple wings and propelled herself up into the air, but then she paused for a moment and waved to the women on the ground.

“Good luck, sisters,” the strawberry-blonde called out. “If you need me, Jack will tell me, and I’ll come find you.”

“Thank you, sister,” Penelope said with a grateful smile. “I’m sure we’ll see you soon. I’ll miss you, though.”

Aleia began to soar southward, and I zoomed out to the extent of my mental map to watch as more and more areas cleared.

“There’s a big river down where Aleia’s flying,” I remarked to Penelope. “I’m sure you’ll want to visit it sometime.”

“Oh, I would, master,” the naiad agreed. “Although, from here, it looks like it could be a difficult hike to get through those slopes. Still, I’m sure it would be worth it to see a magnificent body of water.”

“Luckily our walk today shouldn’t be too difficult, at least the parts we’ve already explored,” Nicola cut in. “Let’s go, Penelope. I’m growing impatient.”

“Should we bring Luna?” the naiad asked.

The priestesses had liberated one of the goblins’ horses from their mountain stables when they were fleeing from their last fight, and although the blue-eyed mare was small, she was mighty. Still, I didn’t think they should take her for this journey because I didn’t want the horse to get into a situation she couldn’t handle.

“I think you should leave her home,” I told Penelope. “She might not be that useful, and you don’t want her to get stuck.”

The naiad and the human began their trek up the grassy green hill toward the road. Thunder bounded alongside at the brunette’s heels. The women walked stoically even as the sun blazed down on their faces, and they swiped sweat from their foreheads.

So far, all seemed well on God Vision, and even as I scanned the ground within the area the women had already explored, I didn’t see anything strange. All I could hear was the wind rustling the trees and the chirping of the birds, which contrasted with the anxious pounding I could feel in my phantom chest.

“I don’t know what we’re looking for, Jack,” Nicola said in a grim tone after several long minutes of hiking. “The forest seems perfectly normal to me today.”

“Just keep going,” I instructed the two women. “You’ll know it when you see it. Or, rather, you’ll know her when you see her.”

“Okay,” Penelope sighed. “I’m happy to keep walking for as long as you wish, my lord.”

Suddenly, a large cracking noise echoed through the trees.

Fuck.

“What was that?” Nicola hissed as she drew her bowstring and turned her head so she could see the forest from all angles.

“I don’t see anything,” I reported as I looked around, too. “That was loud, though.”

“It startled me,” the tough priestess admitted. “I suppose I’m on edge.”

“It scared me a little,” Penelope confessed.

“I think that was a branch cracking off a tree in the wind,” I said. “I know it’s hard when you don’t know what you’re looking for, but with Aleia on the case, and you two on this trail, I’m sure we’ll figure out what’s going on soon.”

“I hope it’s sooner rather than later,” Penelope shivered. “I’m feeling chills running down my spine.”

Nicola and Penelope continued marching forward up the trail with their jaws set in determination, and I admired their persistence as they climbed over tree trunks and navigated their way through mazes of stones on their sandaled feet. Thunder made his way across the terrain with ease as he stayed close to the brunette’s side, and when I focused back on Aleia again, the fairy was still flying southward. She started to look around with a worried, slightly-frustrated expression, so I decided to check in.

“How’s it going, Aleia?” I asked. “You look upset.”

“Master, I haven’t seen anything,” the fairy sighed as she stopped to fly in place. She blew her reddish hair out of her face. “I so want to help you with this, but there doesn’t seem to be anything here.”

“I know,” I responded. “But I really need you to keep going. Try to keep your spirits up.”

In reality, the fairy was opening up large additional swaths on my mental map, but there was no way for me to explain that to her.

I zoomed down to the ground below where Aleia was flying, but I didn't see anything except thick, green trees, a large herd of deer scampering through the forest, and a grizzly bear scooping a fish out of yet another stream.

Although the land was sloping down beneath her, the fairy stayed high in the air. I was glad the sun was shining brightly on her freckled shoulders so she wouldn’t be as cold as she’d been the night before.

Penelope and Nicola had already walked further north of the camp than any of the priestesses ever had. The uphill slope began to get steeper and rockier, and I was glad they had the sex boost to give them more energy. Sharp pebbles littered the ground between the trees as the women hiked further and further uphill, and although they were both graceful, I saw the brief flashes of pain on their faces when rocks got caught in their sandals. The grade of the land only increased the farther they hiked, and the naiad started to huff and puff a little and hold her belly during the climb.

Then Nicola abruptly stopped in her tracks.

“Shh,” the dark-haired woman said as she put a finger to her lips. “I think I hear something.”

“I can’t hear much besides the trees rustling,” Penelope whispered. “Does it seem a little windier up here?”

“Are there birds around?” the brunette wondered as she looked through the forest. “It sounds like there’s some sort of flock in the trees. Not chirping, just sort of… flapping.”

“Do you sense any animals nearby?” I asked, but then Aleia suddenly called out to me.

“Jack!” the fairy panted, and I quickly switched my vision to the strawberry-blonde, who was soaring about fifty feet above the treetops. “I think you need to see this.”

“What is it?” I asked. “Did you find something?”

“Look to the north,” the strawberry-blonde said with a grim set to her jaw. “I see smoke.”

What the hell?

A pillar of thick, dark smoke streamed upward toward the sky from the not-so-distant mountains, and it was right in the direction where Nicola and Penelope were headed.

The hairs on my virtual arms stood up on end, and I scanned the landscape and zoomed down over where the naiad and the human were standing.

“Go to your sisters,” I told Aleia. “They’re directly north of here. I’ll warn them there’s something up ahead.”

“Yes, master,” the fairy replied with a nod. “I don’t have a good feeling about this, but maybe it has to do with the woman you were talking about.”

“I hope so--”

“Jack, should we turn around?” Penelope suddenly cut into my conversation with Aleia. “We aren’t finding anything in this direction, and--”

“Not yet,” I told the naiad and Nicola. “We have a lead. Aleia saw smoke up in the mountains, and she’s going to come find you now. You need to be extra careful.”

“O-Okay,” the blue woman shivered. “Of course, I’m happy to keep going, too, my lord.”

The fairy was a few miles south of the camp, but she moved quickly as she flew back to her sisters.

“Are you ready to fight?” I asked the tiny strawberry-blonde. “I need you to be prepared for anything.”

“Of course, I am always ready to battle in your service, master,” Aleia said with a firm nod. “I didn’t plan for it to be so soon after the fight with the goblins, but I’m always on guard. Hey, I think I see Penelope and Nicola. Sisters!”

The fairy swooped down to where the other two priestesses and the dog had frozen in place.

“Quiet, Aleia,” Nicola shushed the fairy. “We’re trying to listen.”

“To those flapping birds?” Aleia whispered. “Where is that noise coming from?”

Then something huge swooped down from a high treetop.

The ground shook from the weight of the two creatures who landed directly in front of my priestesses, and as they spread their grisly, leathery wings, my women shrieked and brandished their swords.

Chapter 2

The creatures had pointed ears that stuck up from the tops of their heads, and large, jagged teeth protruded from their leathery lips. Thick, sinewy muscles lined their bodies all over, but for a moment, the mottled gray beings stood as still as stone with their eyes closed. They were identical as far as I could see, and their formidable appearances called to mind the image of a whole, terrifying army of these strange beasts.

The priestesses stared at them in horrified shock, but I immediately recognized the creatures.

They were hideous, towering gargoyles, but their gnarly forms almost looked like they’d been crossed with orcs.

Aleia immediately jumped into action and attempted to slash one of the beasts through the throat, but her sword just dinged against his skin as if it were made of stone.

Fuck.

Thunder started to growl at the creatures, and the brave puppy moved to stand between the gargoyles and the priestesses.

“Good boy, Thunder,” Nicola hissed. “Come.”

The dog walked over next to the brunette’s legs, but he continued to stare at the large monsters and growl.

Then one of the beasts suddenly opened its eyes, and he stared at the priestesses with disdain.

“Beautiful women…” the creature snarled.

“Here for the other woman,” the other beast said as he opened his huge, all-black eyes.

“But there’s a fairy among them,” the first creature snarled with a slight grin. “Another trophy for our collection.”

“Three trophies,” his friend agreed. “We will make the leaders happy. Should I start with the blue one?”

“Back off,” Nicola growled. “You don’t know who you’re dealing with.”

“Stupid little human,” the first creature sneered as he flexed a granite bicep at the brunette. “You don’t know who you’re dealing with, either.”

The second gargoyle suddenly shot up into the air with a whoosh of his horrible, leathery wings, and I noticed another disturbing feature about the beast.

He didn’t have feet, he had talons.

Thunder started to full-on bark and snarl as Aleia used her sling to send a rock soaring toward the monster in the air. The stone hit the gargoyle in what appeared to be a soft spot on his groin, and he groaned in pain as his wings wavered.

“Nice, Aleia,” I praised. “Do it again.”

“Should I fly, Jack?” the fairy hissed.

“Let’s see what they can do first,” I told the fierce little strawberry-blonde. “I don’t want you up there alone with that thing right now.”

“Got it,” Aleia responded, but I could tell she was itching to fly up there and kick some gargoyle ass. I knew she might be strong enough, but I didn’t want to put her in further danger, especially if those talons could get close to her delicate wings.

The fairy continued to aim rocks at the flying gargoyle’s crotch, but he adeptly dodged them this time.

Meanwhile, Nicola continued trying to spar with the other gargoyle. He produced a stone sword of his own and brandished it at the brunette, and when she struck out with her sword, he easily parried and pushed her backward.

“Unfff,” Nicola groaned.

The gargoyle’s lips spread wide in a terrible grin that showed all of his stony teeth, and each one looked like they’d been polished and filed into spear tips.

“I said you were stupid, and I was right!” the creature laughed. “Come at me again, little girl.”

“She’s just like the other one,” the flying gargoyle called from the air, and he spat down on the ground. “Weak.”

Without warning, the creature swooped down far enough to brush the top of Nicola’s head with his sharp claws.

“Fuck!” the brunette screamed, and she frantically checked her head for any blood.

The gargoyle was already flying back up to a branch of a tree, and when he landed, he became almost invisible. The other was snickering and swooping around my priestesses now, and Nicola grasped the hilt of her sword in both hands while she attempted to stab the bastard in the face.

Then the gargoyle touched down to parry with her again, and their swords clashed with a deafening ping. The creature grinned the whole time as he stared into Nicola’s face without blinking, but she bared her teeth back at him without backing down for even a second. Then her opponent locked his blade with hers, and his gray biceps rippled as he shoved her down to the ground.

“Did you see his eyes?” the brunette gasped. “They’re flashing from gray to black.”

“I’ll look out for it, but get up!” I urged the dark-haired beauty as the gargoyle smirked and kicked at her with one of his six-inch talons.

“I got this!” Penelope yelled, and she lunged behind the creature and slashed her golden blade through his neck.

The naiad’s sword hit directly where the gargoyle’s neck met with his shoulder, and the stone actually cracked open from the impact. When a chip of rock broke out, I saw something really creepy.

The towering beasts were hollow.

“Hit it again!” I screamed at the naiad.

Nicola leapt to her feet as she brandished her sword at the gargoyle once more, but he held his hand to his cracked neck as he stiffly raised his stone sword with the other. Then the tip of the brunette’s blade hit him directly at the center of his chest.

The creature’s neck tilted precariously on his shoulders, and a web of cracks spread outward, but the monster just grinned his hideous grin.

“You stupid women,” the gargoyle muttered, and he pushed off with his legs, flapped his giant gray wings, and shot himself up into the air. “You weak trophies will never win against our kind.”

“What do we do, Jack?” Penelope asked in an anxious voice. “We need to bring them back down to the ground.”

“I’m gonna have to fly,” Aleia interjected. “There’s no other way.”

“Hang on,” I said as I began to address Nicola, who was aiming her bow. “They seem to have a weak spot around their groin. Aim there.”

“I’d like nothing more than to crack open that beast’s crotch,” the brunette snarled, and she let her arrow fly. The weapon slammed into the gargoyle’s groin, but curiously, the hit was deflected by his stony skin and didn’t leave a mark.

“Jack.” Aleia stared up at the sky. “I’m the only one with the power to do anything about this.”

And then, in a flash, a gargoyle swooped down, and before any of us could react, he snatched Penelope by the shoulders with his talons and lifted her into the air.

“Aaaaghhh!” the naiad screamed. “Someone help me!”

“Go, Aleia,” I immediately ordered. “Get our Penelope back.”

“Got it,” the strawberry-blonde said, and she set her jaw and shot up into the air. It appeared the beast was trying to fly away with the naiad, but Aleia chased him down and grabbed a hold of one of the monster’s wings.

The gargoyle turned and hissed at Aleia, but her super-strong hand on his leathery appendage twisted his body as he tried to escape.

I saw small streams of blood running down the naiad’s shoulders where she’d been pierced by the hideous monster’s talons, but she kept a fierce expression on her face as she attempted to kick upward and strike the gargoyle in the face.

She was a long ways off, but I admired her spirit.

Then Aleia finally managed to grab the naiad by the waist with one arm while she gave the gargoyle’s leg a hard shove, and she wrenched Penelope free and deposited her safely on the ground.

A split second later, Nicola loosed an arrow, and it went flying into the gargoyle’s legs, but the wood only splintered against the stone.

“Shit!” the brunette screamed.

“Aim for the crotch again,” I suggested, and the brunette sent another arrow at the gargoyle’s groin. She got a direct hit, too, but once again, it didn’t seem to hurt the beast. “What the fuck? Are they changing forms?”

“Are they what?” Penelope gasped. “Wh-What do you mean?”

In the air, Aleia swung her sling and shot a stone at the gargoyle. Her rock hit him in the eye, and his head cracked back like his friend’s, but this time, the muscles in his neck seemed to stretch, and his head rebounded almost immediately.

“Now it can stretch,” Nicola said as she stared at the beast. “What is going on?”

“It’s not that easy to kill us,” the monster snarled.

“Sometimes we bend, sometimes we break,” the other beast said with another evil grin.

What the fuck did that mean?

“I think they’re shifting forms,” I told the priestesses. “Sometimes they’re harder stone, and sometimes they’re made of… I don’t even know what. Flesh? They’re going back and forth. When they close their eyes and stay still, you can probably break them. But there has to be a way to tell when they’re in their more animal state.”

“Their eyes!” Aleia gasped, and she fluttered down closer to the other women. “Nicola, you mentioned their eyes before! I think it has something to do with that. Sometimes they shine more than others. When they’re stone, they’re a dull gray. When they’re… more like animals, they glimmer black.”

“Great observation, Aleia,” I praised the fairy.

“Then watch and tell me what to do, Aleia,” the brunette said. “Look at its eyes for me.”

“Hmm, maybe not so stupid,” the first gargoyle muttered, but when Nicola shot another arrow, it splintered against his body again.

“It must be in its stone state!” the fairy called out as she jetted through the air. “Look, it’s eyes are gray!”

The other gargoyle immediately reacted to her words, and with a strange, birdlike shriek, he plummeted downward toward Aleia.

“Aleia, no!” I shouted, but she swerved, and the beast missed.

The huge gargoyle flew with such force that he slammed down to the ground, and when I saw his shoulder split open, I internally grinned with satisfaction.

Penelope immediately jammed her sword down into the crack that had been left behind, and while the creature didn’t appear to be mortally wounded, large chunks of granite cracked off and showed a bit of his hollow interior. The naiad brandished her sword and growled at the gargoyle.

“His eyes are still gray,” the blue woman snarled.

“Just keep chipping away for as long as he’s on the ground,” I told Penelope. “But be prepared for him to jump up and attack.”

Then I saw Aleia slam her sword into the other beast’s foot, and a sort of black goo began to ooze out.

“So, you do bleed,” the fairy snarled.

“That must be a sign he’s in a flesh form,” I told the women. “Otherwise, they just crack.”

The monster’s lips were curled into a tight grimace of pain, but I saw a gleam of resolve in his black eyes as he soared higher up into the air with a flap of his wings.

“Hit him now!” I told Nicola. “His eyes are black! Penelope, get the one on the ground!”

The brunette immediately shot another arrow toward the beast, and this time, it pierced its leg and sent a stream of gooey black muck seeping out. Penelope loosed an arrow toward the creature on the ground from short range, too, but his eyes were still gray, and the projectile bounced off. Never one to be deterred, the naiad quickly drew her bowstring again, and she watched carefully to see if the gargoyle’s eyes changed color.

Suddenly, the cracked beast ahead of her shot upward into the air, and it appeared his wings were still working. The two gargoyles both grinned as they flew on either side of Aleia, who held her sword in her left hand and her sling in her right.

“Get him, Aleia!” I encouraged the fairy.

“Don’t mess with me,” Aleia gasped. “I’m. Really. Strong!”

The strawberry-blonde swung her sling over her head, and her rock flew out toward the gargoyle with the cracked neck. His head tilted just a little bit further to the side, and his eyes flashed black in anger.

As we all watched, the animals hovered in the air and morphed over and over from their stone form to their animal form. Their eyes turned from gray to black repeatedly, and while I didn’t want to waste arrows, I knew the women might lose a few as they attempted to get their timing right.

“Watch for the shiny black eyes,” Aleia called down to Penelope on the ground. “When you see them shine, you need to strike.”

“I understand,” Penelope panted as she stared up at the gargoyles.

Then she pulled her bowstring taut and took aim at the gray beast Aleia had just hit. Her first arrow hit him in the chest, but he’d turned to stone again in the time it took for the arrow to reach him.

“I got this from below,” Nicola said.

As if he’d suddenly been reminded of her presence, the other gargoyle swooped down and aimed its giant claws at the brunette.

Nicola reacted immediately, and she pointed her large blade into the air at exactly the right time. With its black eyes glimmering, the sword impaled the gargoyle directly in the center of his belly, and huge strands of steaming black goo began to stream out and splatter the dark-haired woman’s head.

“Poor Nicola,” Aleia groaned as the monster fell to the ground.

The gargoyle was clearly injured, and his eyes were closed, and he stayed perfectly still and silent as the women gasped for breath around him. Now that he was strewn on the ground, the sheer breadth of his wings and his sinewy form was startling, but the gash in his abdomen was still starkly visible, and I knew we were so close to finishing this bastard off.

“Is he dead?” Penelope breathed. “Did you get him, sister?”

“I don't know, he seems to be stone again,” the brunette growled. “That black shit stopped oozing out, but I really hope he’s dead.”

“He could be faking,” I warned the women. “Don’t let down your guards.”

Thunder had been barking his ass off and running in circles, but now, he jumped on top of the stony gargoyle and started trying to bite straight through the rock.

“Thunder, I’m not sure that’s going to help right now,” Nicola sighed, but then she looked at the black slime on her sword with pride. “I got a good hit in, didn’t I?”

“You really fucking did,” I confirmed. “Now, let’s take care of the one in the air. The one on the ground is bound to come back to life, so you should keep your sword at the ready for when he does. We’ve got Aleia with rocks, and Penelope with arrows to handle the other one.”

“Yes, Jack.” Nicola nodded, gritted her teeth, and positioned her blade directly over the gargoyle’s throat.

I thought I saw the stone start to twitch for a moment, but if the gargoyle’s granite eyelids fluttered open at all, they immediately closed again when he saw Nicola’s threat.

The gargoyle in the air started to climb higher and higher, and Aleia pursued him. The fairy was no longer directly above Penelope and Nicola, and that made me a little nervous, but I also thought she could handle it.

“Nicola, Penelope, watch the gargoyle on the ground,” I commanded. “Aleia, you totally got this.”

“I got this,” the fairy snarled. I’d never seen her hands work faster as she loaded her sling, and just as the gargoyle turned back to his animal form, she slammed a rock into his chest.

The beast was thrown backward several feet, but as Aleia smiled with pride and loaded her weapon again, the monster came charging at her with his sharp teeth bared. He held out his stone sword toward the fairy, and right when I was about to shout out to her, Aleia whipped her sword from her belt and deflected the gargoyle’s blade.

The fierce little fairy had struck the monster so hard, she spun him around with his huge wings spread out in the air, and he flew backward by several feet. With swift, agile hands, Aleia swung her sling over her head again, and this time, she hit the gargoyle’s shoulder.

“Bitch!” he yelled. “Stupid fairy.”

The gargoyle tried to switch back to his stone form, but his flickering gray-and-black eyes wouldn’t stay one color or the other. It was like his injuries were too severe for him to change his form, and my phantom heart leapt as I realized this was it.

This fucker was going down.

“Give him everything you’ve got, Aleia!” I ordered. “He’s weak!”

“Unghhh!” the little fairy shouted as she swung a rock directly at the gargoyle’s face.

It hit him square in the jaw, and the bone, or rock, or whatever was underlying his hideous face cracked open. A splash of shimmering black goo spilled out before the monster immediately regressed to total stone, and he started to plummet toward the ground.

Then his stiffened body hit the forest floor, and it shattered into dust and tiny shards of splintered stone while the strawberry-blonde cheered.

“Yes, Aleia!” I shouted. “Now there’s only one left, and he’s hurt, too.”

Nicola and Penelope were standing with their swords over the frozen gargoyle’s neck, and the fairy descended to the ground beside them.

“Well, since it’s what everyone’s doing,” Aleia giggled as she held her sword to the beast’s neck as well.

“He’s still alive,” I reported as I saw a brief twitch in his eyes. “Don’t let down your guards.”

Just as I said this, a sinewy arm shot out and grabbed Nicola by the calf. The gargoyle’s chest heaved as it attempted to breathe despite the gigantic gash in its body, but it began to sputter and ooze black goo out of its mouth and wound now.

“I’ll get you for this,” the beast growled as it slammed the brunette down to the ground. For one heart stopping moment, I thought she might have hit her head, but she immediately jumped back up into an offensive position.

“Slit its throat!” I commanded the priestesses, and Penelope brought her sword down and cut a deep gash across the gargoyle’s neck. The black blood sprayed all over the naiad’s pale-blue body, and she jumped back and gagged.

The monster laid on the ground as black blood oozed out of its throat and onto the ground. It gurgled like it wanted to speak for a moment, but then its black eyes rolled back into its head, and as it finally shifted to a completely stiff, granite state, I knew it was finally dead. The drops of blood that had spilled on the grass solidified into stone as well, and they rested like little gray pebbles next to the gargoyle’s fallen body.

“Gods, those things were tough,” Nicola gasped. “What were they?”

“I think they were gargoyles,” I explained.

“Real ones?” Penelope gasped. “I thought those kinds of monsters didn’t exist!”

“It looks like they do,” I replied “But let’s get out of these woods as quickly as possible. There could be more gargoyles lurking around in these trees.”

“Do you want me to carry them?” Aleia asked. “It would be easy for me.”

“Then I’d have to carry Thunder,” Nicola laughed as she gestured to the animal sitting at her feet. “I think we can walk, don’t you, Penelope?”

“Yes, I want to walk,” the naiad agreed, “provided that’s alright with you, of course, my lord.”

“Yeah, it’s fine,” I told the women. “Move quickly and head straight to the convent. I’ll keep an eye out for any more threats.”

“I’ll walk with you,” Aleia decided as she loaded her sling once more just in case. “I’m glad that’s over. We’ve had way too many battles in the last day.”

“Yes, there does always seem to be a battle,” Nicola sighed. “But those gargoyles were really strong. Those different forms were like nothing I’ve ever seen before, and they’re way bigger than the goblins we just fought. It was hard to keep watching for their eyes, too.”

“They definitely had some tricks up their sleeves,” I agreed. “The whole changing form thing was pretty wild.”

“Well, then we’ll just have to get stronger,” Penelope chirped in a cheerful but determined tone.

“But did you hear what they said about the girl?” Aleia asked as she lowered her voice and scanned the treetops. “Jack, that sounded like what you were talking about.”

“It did,” I agreed. “And we’re still going to have to come up with a plan to rescue her. Those gargoyles are tough, but at least we know who we’re dealing with now.”

“I suppose that smoke was their camp in the mountains,” the fairy pondered. “At least, it seems worth investigating.”

“Good thinking,” I said. “We’ll handle that tomorrow. You’re all so brave, but I know you got hurt a little in that fight. Are you okay, Penelope?”

“My shoulders are sore,” the pale-blue woman admitted as her lower lip jutted out, but then her face brightened. “I’m sure it’s nothing the stream won’t fix, though.”

“I worry about you, sister,” Aleia murmured. “I know you don’t want me to, but I do.”

“I also worry,” Nicola agreed. “Jack, what do you think? Should Penelope stay home for this next journey? Just to be safe?”

The naiad gasped at the suggestion, and as I noticed the affronted look on her face, I tried to decide how I could handle this one as carefully as possible.

“Well, let’s see…” I hedged. “I think we’re looking at a delicate situation. Penelope needs to be careful, of course, but she can also fight well, and… maybe she should do that, too?”

“Hmmph,” the brunette grumbled. “That’s not really an answer.”

“Jack has spoken!” Penelope quickly chimed in. “Do not question the ways of our lord, Nicola.”

“I’ll question what I want,” the brunette said with a smirk.

I knew she was just asking to be punished here, and the sly glint in her eyes overwhelmed me with the urge to visit the dark-haired beauty in her dreams tonight.

“Nicola,” I privately murmured to the brunette.

“Yes?” the chestnut-haired priestess asked in a low tone as she hung back from the other two women. “Did you happen to need something, master?”

“You know you’re being a bad girl, right?” I asked. “I think you know exactly what you’re doing.”

“Do I?” Nicola asked as she batted her thick dark lashes against her cheek.

Penelope turned back to look at the brunette, and then she snickered, poked Aleia in the ribs, and whispered in her ear.

“Ahem, sisters, do you have something to say?” Nicola laughed.

“I just saw you flirting with Jack, and I thought it was very cute,” Penelope said with an amused smile on her dark red lips.

“You didn’t,” Nicola said, but a grin flashed across her face.

“I think… I think you loooove him,” Penelope giggled. “Nicola loves Jack, everyone.”

“Stop it, Penelope,” the dark-haired woman giggled in return. “Of course, I do, but you don’t have to tease me.”

“We all love Jack,” Aleia said pragmatically. “And we should thank him for helping us get through that battle.”

“Oh, yes, thank you, my lord,” Penelope gasped. “Thank you for your wise guidance. Nicola, do you wish to pray?”

“Oh, I’ll pray to Jack later,” the brunette snickered.

“I bet you will,” Aleia laughed. “I can’t wait to get back to the convent. I can’t believe it’s starting to get dark already. I know we fought for a while, but it’s also because we slept so late today.”

“I believe I will bathe and then dine on fruits and vegetables,” Penelope said with a yawn. “It’s easy enough to catch another fish, but then someone will have to cook it.”

“I’m still tired, too,” Nicola confessed. “I don’t feel like I got nearly enough rest last night.”

“Be prepared to get even less,” I warned the brunette in her head, and she laughed out loud.

“What was that, Nicola?” Penelope asked with sharp, knowing eyes.

“Nothing!” the dark-haired woman coughed.

I scanned the area from above, and I was pleased to see how much new territory had opened on my map to the north. The priestesses had traveled far today, but luckily the rest of their hike passed without incident.

“I’m so glad we’re here,” Aleia announced as the three woman reached the gate of the convent wall. “Thank you, Jack, for helping us make it home safely.”

“Are you sure you don’t wish to pray at the altar, Nicola?” Penelope asked with another giggle in her voice.

“Maybe later,” the brunette sighed. “Come, sisters, let us bathe.”

“Are you going to join us, Jack?” Penelope giggled. “You’re always invited.”

“I might, even though I have some godly things to think about,” I replied. “But I’m sure you’ll bathe again tomorrow…”

“We always do,” Nicola said with a smirk on her face as the women made their way down to the stream.

Thunder followed the priestesses down to the banks and examined the water curiously before putting in a tentative paw. The stream was flowing especially hard due to a strong wind that had picked up, and the puppy yelped and jumped back at the feeling of the swift water.

“Thunder!” Penelope laughed. “Don’t you want to bathe in my creek?”

“I’m sure he’ll learn to swim,” Nicola answered for the dog as she bent down to squeeze him around the neck.

The women shimmied out of their clothing, and I kept a half-watchful eye on their naked bodies as I looked down on them. It was only going to turn me on more for my upcoming rendezvous with Nicola, but I hadn’t been lying when I’d said I had things to think about.

The battle with the gargoyles had been rough, and I knew it was really time to fortify the women’s defenses. The most recent fight took place a little closer to the convent than I was comfortable with.

Then there was the matter of the woman to rescue. I wasn’t crazy about the idea of the priestesses having to visit the gargoyles’ lair and risk encountering more of the monsters, but the simulation instructed me to find her, and I couldn’t just leave her in peril.

Especially not after those hulking gargoyles referred to the women as “trophies” to be collected. Who knew how fucked up these guys were?

My priestesses quickly finished bathing, and Penelope went to bring Luna to the creek for some water. The women ate their fruits and vegetables by the fire that evening, and I was pleased to see the pink cheeks and small, private smile Nicola wore the whole time.

Then the three priestesses curled up in their beds, and I could soon hear Penelope’s light, adorable snoring, and Aleia’s even breaths. Nicola only sighed in the dark, and I wondered what was wrong.

“Nicola?” I asked. “Is everything alright?”

“Jack!” the brunette laughed. “I’m so excited to be with you that I’m not sleepy.”

“Hmm…” I pondered aloud. “What about if I sing to you? Rock a bye, baby--”

“Oh, Jack!” the dark-haired woman sighed. She couldn’t stop cracking up, and I saw tears of mirth spring into her eyes in the dying firelight. “I don’t think I know that song…”

“Should I not sing anymore?” I laughed. “It’s not really one of my… godly specialties.”

“I can hear that,” Nicola giggled. “No offense. Okay, I’m going to be quiet now and try to go to sleep. I can’t wait to be with you… master.”

I felt a phantom movement below my waist.

“You better go to sleep soon,” I growled. “Because I don’t think I can wait much longer to touch your body.”

Chapter 3

I left Nicola alone so she could drift off, and while I waited, I worked on thinking up another tool to request for the women. The first thing that sprung into my mind was a pair of work gloves, and even though my priestesses never complained, I knew their hands had to hurt as they labored away.

After only a few minutes of tossing and turning, the dark-haired woman finally appeared to be asleep, and then, with the white flash I’d grown accustomed to, I entered Nicola’s dream.

The brunette was already waiting for me as she sat up against the wall of the living quarters. She had her legs pulled to her chest and a mischievous smile on her face.

And she was completely naked.

“Holy shit,” I marveled. “That’s an amazing surprise. How did you manage to start your dream this way?”

“I imagined it before I went to sleep,” Nicola purred. She lowered her thick, dark lashes against her cheeks. “Do you like it?”

“I like it, and I like you,” I told her, and I bent down to give her a quick kiss on the lips before I started to untie the string on my simple, brown pants.

“You know what might be nice?” the dark-haired woman asked as she stood up.

Nicola grabbed me around my unclothed waist and pulled me in for another kiss. Her greedy mouth opened, and she rolled her tongue around the inside of my lips, and then she slid my pants down my hips and groped at my cock. Then she abruptly stopped and tapped me on the mouth.

“What’s that?” I gasped. “What do you want to do, Nicola?”

“Let’s go outside,” the brunette suggested as she put her hands on my shoulders. “We can bring an old blanket. The night is very clear.”

“Yeah, under the stars,” I agreed. “That would be nice.”

I grabbed a rough blanket from where it was folded on the floor, and I followed the brunette outside the living quarters.

Nicola took the blanket from my hands, spread it out on the ground next to the fire, and sat down. She patted the space next to her, and I sat so close, our sides were touching. The fabric under me was rough and scratchy, but I reveled in every sensation.

“Hi, master,” the brunette giggled. “You look very… sexy this evening.”

“I could say the same about you,” I laughed.

“Lie back with me,” Nicola said as she stretched out on the blanket. Her form was long and slender, and my eyes skimmed over my dark-haired priestess’ high, golden breasts, the way her sides cut in at her waist, and the dark patch between her legs. “Look at the stars.”

She was perfect, and I wanted to fuck her so badly. Nonetheless, I laid back next to the priestess and held her hand.

The two of us stared up at the stars in silence for a couple minutes. The sky was completely black except for the halo around the moon and the flickering stars. For a brief moment, I thought the constellations looked similar to the ones I’d seen above me in my old life, but I couldn’t be sure. I’d never been much of an astronomer.

“It’s so beautiful,” the brunette said as she squeezed my hand tighter. Then she let go, ran her palm across the top of my thigh, and lightly grazed the base of my cock.

“What’s beautiful?” I asked.

“The stars, you, everything,” Nicola sighed. I hadn’t been sure the brunette would give me a straight answer, but she seemed completely earnest.

“I love you,” I told her, and I gently took hold of her wrist and directed her hand to my shaft.

The dark-haired beauty giggled, squeezed my cock, and began to run her hand up and down.

“This isn’t really what you want, is it?” the brunette purred. “I can give you something better than this.”

“I can give you something better,” I growled. “I know what you like.”

I abruptly sat up and straddled Nicola, and I pinned her hands back up by her head.

“Oh!” the dark-haired woman gasped in surprise. “You don’t usually do that.”

“Do you like it?” I bent down to kiss her neck, and I was painfully aware of the fact that my cock was very close to the space between her legs.

“You know I do,” Nicola murmured as she looked up at me with wide, brown eyes. “It was just unexpected.”

“Do you want me to pin you down like this?” I asked the brunette. “Is that what you’d like tonight?”

“Yes…” the priestess whispered.

“Yes, what?” I asked as I squeezed her wrists harder.

“Yes, master,” Nicola moaned as her eyes virtually rolled back in her head.

“That’s right,” I told her. “Do you want my cock right now? Do you want me to fuck you while I hold you down?”

“Yes, master,” the brunette confirmed.

“Well, too bad,” I snickered. “You don’t get my cock yet.”

“What do I get, master?” Nicola asked as she squirmed against me. I could tell she was trying to position herself so that I would fuck her, but that wasn’t going to do.

“You’re lucky tonight,” I told her. “I’m going to lick your pussy. How long do you think you can stay asleep? One hour? Two hours? Three? That’s how long I’m going to go down on you.”

“Oh, Jack,” Nicola sighed softly as her lashes fluttered against her cheeks.

“You didn’t call me master,” I snarled. I squeezed her wrists so hard she cried out, and then I let go and admired the red marks I’d left. “But I hope you’re ready.”

“I’m ready,” she gasped. “Oh, please, I need you to touch me.”

“Keep your hands up by your head,” I commanded the brunette. “Here are the rules tonight: I can touch you, but you need to keep your hands off me.”

“That will be difficult, master,” the dark-haired woman sighed. “My hands can’t resist reaching out to grab you.”

“You know what happens if you disobey my words.” I ran my palm down Nicola’s cheek, and then I kissed her softly on the lips. The brunette was already so turned on that a soft moan escaped, and I chuckled at the sound. “Oh, you like that? If you like when I kiss you there, imagine how much you’re going to like it when I kiss you here.”

I rolled off the brunette and traced a line down her body with my finger to her soft, wet opening.

“Ohhh,” Nicola moaned. “More, please, master.”

The dark-haired priestess reached over to grab the back of my head with both hands, and I lifted my hand from her body.

“Ah, ah, ah,” I said, and I pinched her roughly on the nipple. “I told you not to touch me. Now, do you want to feel good or not?”

“You know I do, master,” Nicola gasped. She settled back onto the blanket, and she grabbed hold of the rough fabric above her head as if to remind herself not to lower her hands again. “Please, kiss me more. Please, master.”

“I can’t resist you when you beg,” I sighed.

I kissed Nicola one last time on the lips, and then I began to work my way down her soft throat. As I nibbled on her warm, smooth skin, she trembled.

“How am I doing, master?” the brunette asked, and I saw she was already clenching the blanket with white knuckles.

“Why are you holding on so tight?” I asked as I lifted my head to look at the dark-haired woman’s supermodel face. “Can’t you control yourself?”

“I just know how big your cock is,” Nicola moaned. “I want to feel it inside me again.”

“You will,” I replied. “Well… maybe. If I let you.”

I lowered my head to the brunette’s body again, and this time, I focused on her nipple. I ran my tongue around the perfect circle over and over, and I could feel the priestess’ thighs begin to shake against mine. Then I bit down just a little to hear her cry out in ecstasy, and I wasn’t disappointed.

“Ohhhh,” Nicola murmured. “You always know what I need.”

“You always know what I need, master,” I corrected, and I reached around her body, rolled her toward me, and slapped her on the ass.

“Yesss, that’s right,” the dark-haired woman said as her eyes rolled back again. “I forgot…”

“Sure, you did,” I laughed. “I know what bad girls like you need.”

“To be fucked, master?” Nicola asked in a hopeful voice.

“Shhh,” I said as I put a finger to her lips. “I haven’t even gotten down to your pussy yet.”

“But…,” the brunette moaned.

“I know,” I said, and then I gently licked the dark-haired woman down the middle of her tan belly. I paused before I reached her pussy, though, and I sucked on the inside of one of her thighs hard enough to leave a mark. “I can torture you a little first. In fact, you’re torturing me. Look.”

I gestured down to my throbbing cock, and Nicola gazed at it as devoutly as she had during Penelope’s worship ceremony.

“It’s perfect, my lord,” the brunette sighed. “I want to touch it, and kiss it, and let it spray hot seed all over me.”

“Not yet,” I refused. “You're so impatient.”

“And you’re so slow,” Nicola said in an impudent tone. “If you want to taste my pussy, get around to it already.”

“Oh, no,” I snarled. “I don’t think that's going to fly around here.”

I flicked the dark-haired woman’s nipple hard, and at the same time, I slid two fingers all the way into her slippery, tight hole. I flicked her again, and her taut walls spasmed. I didn’t think it was going to take long at all to make her cum for the first time.

“I need it,” the brunette whimpered. “I need you, Jack.”

I climbed over her so I was between her legs, and I finally lowered my tongue to the sweet spot. She tasted like honey with a hint of strawberries, and although I didn’t want to give away how much I was enjoying myself, I heard myself moan involuntarily.

“Jaaack…” Nicola laughed in a throaty voice. “I know you need me, too.”

“I am your master,” I said in a stern voice with my face between her thighs. “I will tell you what I need, not the other way around.”

I couldn’t stand it anymore, and I buried my face in her sloppy, wet pussy.

“Oh, master,” the brunette moaned as her body thrashed around on the blanket, and I felt her hands in my hair.

“I don’t think so,” I growled as I raised my head. “Remember what I said about touching me? You know what? You’re too bad. I don’t think you can handle this, because you just aren’t following my commands. Where’s some cordage, Nicola? I need you to get some for me.”

“Cordage?” Nicola’s mouth gaped open as she looked down at me. “What will you do with that, master? Will you whip me again?”

“Well, that’s one option,” I said with pursed lips. “But your hands need to be controlled, so for now, I’m going to tie you up.”

“Tie me up?” the brunette gasped.

“Yes,” I replied with a serious nod. “I want to bind your wrists. Now go get me some cordage so I can take care of you.”

“Oh, master,” Nicola sighed, and she sat up. Her perky, round breasts bounced as she moved, and it was all I could do not to reach up and touch them, but I thought the brunette priestess would like that too much.

Then the dark-haired woman hopped up and walked back toward the living quarters, and it gave me an opportunity to watch her swaying ass in the moonlight. I wanted to fuck her so badly, but toying with her was too much fun.

Nicola returned with a length of cordage, and she laid it down on the blanket. She stared down at me for a minute with a mysterious smile on her face, and then she laid next to me on the scratchy fabric.

“Is this what you want, Nicola?” I whispered in her ear.

“If this is what I need to do to be devout,” the brunette breathed with an obliging nod.

“It is,” I told the beauty. “You’ve been so bad.”

I straddled Nicola and pinned her arms together in front of her chest, and then I wrapped two lengths of doubled rope around her wrists and up her forearms. After a couple minutes of winding, I finished the knot under the dark-haired woman’s palms and shoved her arms over her head.

“Ohhh…” the brunette panted. “Ohhh, master. I love when you take complete control of my body.”

“I know you do,” I said. “Now, be quiet. I don’t want to see you trying to touch me, or touch yourself, for the entire time I claim you as my own.”

“Yesss…” Nicola whispered.

“In fact, I don’t want to hear you make a sound, either,” I told the priestess. “I’m gonna make you cum, and I want you to be totally quiet. If you cry out, I’ll do this. Over and over.”

I flipped Nicola over for a moment and spanked her hard enough to leave a red mark, and then I turned her back around. I saw with satisfaction that her face was flushed, and her eyes were hungry for more, and I wanted to taste her sweet pussy again so badly that I immediately got down between the brunette’s legs and began to lick.

I’d told her not to make a sound, but the way she was grinding against my face told me everything I needed to know. I paused for a brief moment to look at the dark-haired priestess, and she was biting down on her lip with her eyes squeezed shut.

“It’s time for you to cum,” I warned her as I slid my fingers inside her slippery tunnel again. “And you better be quiet about it.”

I began to slurp on her clit again like a thirsty man in the desert, and her thighs started to quiver. Her pussy began to spasm around my hand, and I gently thrust my fingers in and out of her wet tunnel.

“Ohhhh,” Nicola suddenly cried out, and I immediately turned her slim body so I could slap her on her firm ass. I could feel her still cumming, and her juices sloshed all over me as I fingered her faster.

“Do you like that?” I whispered.

Then I climbed up her body to kiss her, and as we shared her nectar between our mouths, I could feel her still moaning around my tongue. I put one finger on her clit while I kept fingering her harder, and she squirmed against my hand as she shook with pleasure.

“I made noise,” the dark-haired woman panted. “I couldn’t do it, master. All I wanted was to follow your holy commands, and I wasn’t able to do the one thing you asked of me.”

“I suppose you’re going to have to pay,” I said as I thrust another finger inside of her. “I might just have to make you cum until it hurts, and you tell me you can’t handle any more.”

“Yesss…” Nicola whimpered. “I would like that, master. Ohhhh!”

My woman began to cum again for me already, and I reveled in the contractions of her soft, velvety walls.

But I still didn’t stop.

I kept my fingers inside her, and I couldn’t believe how many times her pussy convulsed again and again. After a break of only a few seconds, I could feel her start to cum once more, and the cycle repeated itself several times over while I relentlessly kept thrusting into her. My hand was dripping with her sweet juices by the time she started to all-out wail with pleasure, and I finally let up the tiniest bit once she was gasping for breath.

“Oh, master,” the dark-haired woman gasped. “I feel sooo good, but this is nothing like your cock. I love when it feels like you’re going to break me in two. My pussy is too empty, Jack. Please, fill me upppp….”

“I can’t resist that offer,” I growled.

Then I got up on my knees between her legs, and I pulled her thighs upward so I could enter her.

The second my cock slid inside her narrow hole, I had to squeeze my eyes shut and fight against the urge to immediately release my seed. The pleasure of fucking a woman with her hands bound over her head was almost too intense for me, and the sensation of absolute control was overwhelming.

I’d never felt so powerful before.

“Fuuuck, Nicola,” I hissed as I regained my composure. “Your pussy is so wet.”

“It’s all for you, master,” the priestess sighed, but then she began to struggle against her ropes. “Can I pleeease touch you now?”

“You can’t,” I said as I put my hand to her wrists again. “Do I need to tie you up and hold you down? My, you’re a feisty one.”

I began to drive my cock deep inside her, and every time I slammed all the way into the sopping wetness and warmth, her lithe body quivered.

“Jack, I want you deeper,” Nicola moaned.

The golden beauty wrapped her long, slim legs around my body so they were crossed behind my back, and she lifted her ass into the air to try and force me deeper.

I grinned at her desperation, but then I started sliding in and out of the brunette more gently, and when I pulled my cock out of her to graze the edges of her soft pussy lips, she cried out in frustration and struggled against her restraints again.

“Harder, master,” Nicola groaned. “I need to take all of you, my lord. I need your holy seed inside me, and then I want to feel it run hot and sticky down my thighs. I want to be filled like I’ve never been filled before. Pleeease…”

“I love it when you beg,” I told the brunette. “It’s so fucking hot. You would never beg for anything from anyone but me, would you? I’m the one with all the power.”

“That’s right,” the brunette gasped.

“Tell me,” I commanded. “Tell me who’s in charge.”

“You are, Jack,” Nicola moaned as she threw her head from side to side. She drove her clit up against my body as she lifted her ass further into the air, and I couldn’t wait to feel her cumming around my cock.

“Good girl,” I said as I kept torturing her with only the tip of my cock. “Tell me again and call me master. Tell me I’m the only one who controls you.”

“It’s you, master,” the brunette cried out. “You, and only you. No one else can dominate me like this.”

“You better remember that,” I growled.

Then I thrust the full length of my cock deep into her pussy, and as I pulled up on her thighs and squeezed them around me, I could feel the telltale signs of Nicola’s imminent orgasm.

“Oh, my gods,” the dark-haired woman screamed as her tight tunnel convulsed around me. My mind went blank as I almost came right then, but I regained control of myself and reveled in the sensation of the brunette’s pussy tightening over and over.

“Fuckkkk…” I groaned. “Nicola, you’re almost too much for me. You feel sooo good, and I love to see you like this, laid out before me as I overpower your body.”

“I know I feel good,” the brunette said with a slight smirk. “And I know I’m not the only one who’s enjoying themselves right now.”

“You certainly aren’t,” I said as I slowed my thrusts to a deep and firm pace. “It’s all about me, remember?”

“Then why do you make me cum so much?” the dark-haired woman whimpered. “Why… why are you going to make me cum again… right now? Oh, oh, ohhhh!”

“Holy shit,” I marveled as even more spasms quaked around my shaft, and her juices were flowing so much they started to soak my balls.

“I fucking love your cock!” Nicola shrieked and threw her head back.

“And I fucking love when my cock is inside you,” I confirmed. “But as for why I force you to keep cumming, it’s because I want to. I like seeing I can get you off even with your hands bound over your head.”

“It’s true,” the brunette said with a serious expression on her face. “Master, I would let you do anything to my body. I am yours to take.”

“I know,” I grunted as I started to move faster and faster inside the chestnut-haired priestess. “Nicola, I want to cum inside you sooo bad. It would make me sooo happy. If you want to please me, that’s what you’ll let me do.”

“Did you know your seed makes me cum?” Nicola moaned as her breath started to catch in her throat. “I don’t know if it’s because you’re a god, but the second it touches the inside of me, I explode.”

“Holy shit,” I gasped.

“Cum for me, master,” the dark-haired woman begged. “Pleeease… I need to feel your creamy seed warm and full inside of me.”

“You asked for it,” I growled. “Nicola, I want to watch you try to escape from those ropes. That’s the hottest thing I can think of.”

“Yes, my lord,” the brunette said as her lashes fluttered downward, and then she began to groan as she rubbed her wrists together in an attempt to break free from her bondage.

The very sight of her struggle was enough to drive me to release, and a rainbow of fireworks burst in front of my eyes as I squirted my hot cum into Nicola’s waiting tunnel.

“You have me totally trapped,” the brunette purred, and I started to get off even harder.

The fireworks became more intense, and as my dick vibrated and tingled and shot out load after load, I realized Nicola hadn’t been lying. Her pussy started to convulse around my shaft almost immediately, and she laid gasping on the blanket with her cheeks flushed a hot, fiery red until I was finally done with her.

“Fuck,” I moaned as I untied the knots binding Nicola’s wrists. I held up each of her arms and kissed the red marks, and then I laid down next to my beautiful priestess. “Nicola, you’re so gorgeous, and perfect in every way. There’s something about you that makes me so fucking hard. Look at me. I’m helpless against your powers.”

I gestured down at my cock that had already started to throb again.

“Do you want to make love another time?” the brunette asked with a serious expression. “Jack, I’ve never been… touched in that way before. The cordage… it was all so new. And so special. When you control me, I feel like your holy power will protect me forever.”

“I will protect you forever,” I promised. “I will always love you, Nicola, and I’d do much more than that. What if I married you? And your sisters? What would you think about that?”

“My sisters would be my wives?” The dark-haired woman stared at me with huge eyes, and I wasn’t sure what she was thinking.

“Well, your sister-wives,” I chuckled. “That seems to be the right word.”

“That would be… beautiful,” Nicola said as her face broke out in a blissful grin, but then a playful glint came to her eyes. “But weren’t we talking about you fucking me again?”

“Oh, I’m gonna fuck you all night,” I informed the woman. “You know what I love?”

“What?” Nicola murmured.

“When I get to look at your ass as I spank you,” I continued. “I want to fuck you so I can see your ass bouncing up and down.”

“What do you mean, master?” the dark-haired woman asked with a puzzled look on her face.

“I need you to ride me,” I explained, “but I want you to face my knees.”

“Ohhh…” the brunette said as if a lightbulb went on over her head. “I think I understand.”

And then, in one swift motion, Nicola slid onto my body and put my cock inside her again. As I’d requested, the dark-haired woman faced my feet, and then she got herself onto hands and knees with her tits hanging down over my straight legs.

“Fuck, Nicola,” I gasped. “Your ass is beautiful. I don’t even know what you’re doing right now. This angle is crazy. You feel soooo fucking gooddd…”

“You feel good, too,” the brunette whimpered. “Master, I didn’t think I could cum again, but I feel a powerful yearning between my legs.”

“I understand,” I panted. “Nicola, slide up and down for me. Pleeease.”

“Now you're the one begging, master,” the dark-haired woman said, and I could hear the smirk in her voice. “Who has the control now?”

“I just need your pussy so bad,” I moaned.

Nicola sat back onto my lap and began to bounce like I’d asked her to, and I reached my hands around to finger her clit, which was as slippery and wet as the rest of her body.

Sweat started to pour down my forehead, and I didn't care anymore who was in control, or about anything other than the extreme tingling sensation in the head of my cock. I was at Nicola’s mercy now, and I loved every second of it.

“I’m-- I’m going to--” Nicola gasped, and I could feel the walls of her pussy begin to shudder around my shaft again.

“I have to let go,” I grunted, and I began to pump upward into her dripping wet tunnel.

Then I sprayed a river of hot seed into the jolting woman, and there didn’t seem to be any end to my climax. Every heavy throb of my dick unleashed another creamy load, and Nicola panted my name over and over as her pussy convulsed around my aching shaft.

“Gods,” the brunette moaned as she finally rolled off my cock and collapsed next to me. “That was like nothing I’ve ever felt before.”

“Me, neither,” I confessed as I pushed a damp strand of hair out of Nicola’s eyes. “I hope you know how much I love you.”

“Of course, I do,” the dark-haired woman replied. “I don’t believe you’d take me like this if you didn’t. Our love is a gift you’ve given me, and no matter what I say sometimes, I always remember that.”

“I know you do,” I said as I kissed the brunette on the forehead. “I know how much you truly care.”

“So, what are we going to do now?” Nicola asked in a mischievous tone. “Jack, I want to go back to my blankets. I’m chilly out here in this night air.”

“May I accompany you?” I asked. I was definitely up for whatever the brunette was into.

The dark-haired woman giggled seductively as she grabbed my hand and led me to her bed, and the moment she was laid out on the blankets, she spread her legs for me once more. I fucked Nicola so many times that night, I lost count, and our time together felt almost endless in the perfect way. Eventually, the sun started to come up, and just as she and I climaxed together one last time, I suddenly heard someone talking.

I was glad I’d had a chance to cum again before I was torn from Nicola’s dream, but I was a bit disoriented as my vision floated back up to the ceiling. Where was the voice coming from?

The dark-haired woman furrowed her brow in confusion as she bolted upright in her bed. Her flushed cheeks and her hair tangled around her face made her look incredibly beautiful, but there was no time to think about that.

Thunder ran outside of the living quarters and started barking at the wall, And as I finally regained my senses enough to zoom out my vision, I saw a small, tidy pack of creatures marching toward the convent gate and talking merrily amongst themselves.

It was my new followers, the gnomes, but what the hell were they doing here at the crack of dawn?

Chapter 4

“Jack?” Nicola asked in a nervous voice. “What’s going on? Should I wake my sisters?”

“It’s the gnomes,” I reported.

“Why are they here so early?” the brunette fretted as she pushed her dark-brown hair off her forehead. “I was just… well, you know.”

“Are you tired?” I asked. “I’m sure you don’t exactly want to get up and greet visitors right now.”

“No, I feel good,” Nicola said as a slow grin spread across her face. “Something about being with you, Jack…”

I couldn’t tell her that the sex increase to her stats was a real thing, but I recognized the healthy glow radiating from her golden cheeks.

“Is someone talking?” Aleia yawned as she sat up. “The sky is barely light. Why are we all awake?”

“The gnomes are here,” the brunette explained. “And I’m going to go meet them.”

“Thank you, sister,” the fairy said as she stretched out lazily like a cat. “I’ll wake up Penelope.”

Nicola stood up and walked out of the living quarters, and she headed up past the garden to the gate where the gnomes were waiting.

“Good morning!” the dark-haired woman said as she unlocked the gate to greet the gnomes. “It’s lovely to see you, but didn’t you want to sleep in today?”

“Oh, no, sweetheart, the most miraculous thing happened yesterday,” Elowise explained. “Jack spoke in my head, and when I told my family about it, they couldn’t wait to come to the convent. In fact, we came by yesterday, but you were gone.”

“That’s something we need to talk to you about,” the brunette said in a solemn voice. “But, yes, it certainly is miraculous you could hear Jack, Elowise. Please, come in. We haven’t had our breakfasts yet. Have you eaten?”

“I prepared a simple porridge over the fire,” Elowise said. “But I could always have a bit more.”

“Can we come in?” Balabar asked as he pushed past Nicola.

Then Thunder bounded up to the group of gnomes as if he were going to jump up on them, and they all leapt back, including Balabar.

“That thing is huge!” Elowise gasped. “I love dogs, but, oh, my.”

“Thunder, no!” Nicola said as she tried to grab the giant puppy by one of the folds of his neck. “I’m so sorry. He’ll be better trained soon. Come, Thunder.”

The brunette strolled off with the dog at her heels, and I thought he was already fairly well-trained considering how short a time she’d had him. This was probably on account of her animal magic, though.

“Please… please tell Jack I am eager to hear his voice,” Wilfrim said, and I’d never heard the old gnome sound so flustered.

“You know Jack can hear you right now, right?” the brunette asked. “If you wish to speak to him, just… speak to him.”

“I’m nervous,” Nissa giggled. “I don’t know what it will be like to have a god talk to me.”

I wasn’t sure when I was supposed to cut in. They seemed excited, but I didn’t want to scare them, either. Finally, I cleared my phantom throat.

“Ahem,” I said to the entire group. “Thank you for--”

“Oh, my,” Wilfrim chuckled heartily. “This is strange. It’s almost like a vibration in my head.”

“It kind of tickles,” Nissa giggled as she clutched Roza against her chest.

The three older children were absolutely dumbfounded, and even the baby had a strange look on her tiny face.

“Do not be disrespectful, family,” Balabar said with an intense glare in his eyes. “Jack, it is most wonderful to hear your voice. I must apologize for my family’s behavior. Nissa, you said it tickles. What were you thinking?”

“It’s fine,” I assured the gnome. “Balabar, I appreciate your concern, but my priestesses weren’t lying when they said I’m very informal. I wasn’t offended in the slightest by what your father and your wife said, and I sincerely doubt anyone in your family could make me mad even if they tried.”

Except, maybe, for Balabar himself. He was a bit of a lecher.

“Oh.” The gnomish man wrinkled his nose and stroked his beard. “Well, hmphh, I suppose everything is fine, then.”

“Of course, it is,” Nicola laughed as she attempted to smooth over the situation. “Come, let’s find something for breakfast. If you sit in the kitchen, we’ll light the big fire. It’s chilly this morning, isn’t it?”

“You need something to put over your shoulders, dear,” Elowise said as she cast sharp eyes at Nicola, and she sent the same concerned look toward Penelope and Aleia as they joined the group. “Perhaps I could work on something for you with the fabric we have back at the camp.”

“That would be so nice, Elowise,” Penelope yawned as she flashed a big smile at the gnomish woman.

“I truly can’t get over this miracle,” Balabar muttered. “I’m so glad I led my family to you, Jack.”

“Thank you, Balabar,” I responded. “I’m grateful to have you as my followers.”

The group all moved to the kitchen and sat down on the logs around the fire pit, and Aleia quickly lit the flames with the wood the women had stockpiled.

“Let’s cook some vegetables,” Elowise suggested. “I’m sure you still have leftovers from what we brought you the other day. Some roasted tomatoes sound wonderful.”

“Do you want meat?” Nicola asked. “I’d be happy to go check my rabbit trap.”

“That sounds wonderful, dear, if you don't mind.” The old gnomish woman patted her belly. “It feels like we ate that porridge a long time ago.”

The brunette ran off to the woods, and the rest of the group continued to chat.

“I wish we had eggs,” Nissa sighed. “When we lived up in the mountains, in Wolfwind Pass, we practically had a whole farm up and running. We had a goat for milk, and we had chickens, too. It was so sad when we lost everything.”

“What happened, exactly?” Penelope asked as she leaned forward onto her knees. “I know you said it was trolls, but how did they attack you?”

“Maybe they don’t want to talk about it,” Aleia cut in. “Penelope, that’s a bit of a serious question.”

“No, it’s fine,” Wilfrim assured the fairy. “We lived in a nice gnomish neighborhood, but there were starting to be reports of trouble. We didn’t think too much of it at first, since we’re a hardy bunch, but eventually, the trolls broke into our log home. They were interested in our valuables, of course, but you saw how terribly destructive they are when you fought them in the woods. They smashed through our home without a second thought. But we were some of the lucky ones, as not all the gnomes escaped with their lives.”

“It was very sad,” Elowise said as she blinked back a tear. “And our whole little gnome community was dispersed. Some of our friends moved to the other side of the mountain, some moved to the city… but Wilfrim got the wild idea that we should start again out in the woods, and here we are.”

“So, speaking of danger,” Nicola interjected as she walked up to the fire pit with a huge, dressed rabbit in her hand.

“I’ll tell them what’s going on,” I said to the brunette.

“Go ahead,” Nicola whispered as she laid the rabbit over the grate.

“Ahem,” I cleared my throat again, and I saw the gnomes startle at my voice. “I need to let you know about a potential threat in the area.”

“Do you see that plume of smoke?” Penelope asked as she pointed upward through the trees, but it wasn't visible from the kitchen.

“No, dear, I don’t,” Elowise said apologetically. “Smoke? That sounds concerning.”

“We had a run-in with some gargoyles,” Nicola explained as she flipped the cooking rabbit with the tongs. “And there’s smoke to the north.”

“Gargoyles?” Balabar got a strange expression on his face as he looked northward. “Are you sure? Are gargoyles even real? I always thought they were made up to scare us as kids…”

“Balabar, if Nicola says they saw them, then they did,” Nissa insisted as she put a hand on her husband’s arm.

“We didn’t just see them, we fought them,” Penelope clarified.

“They were real, and they were very dangerous,” Nicola told the gnomes.

“Oh, my,” Elowise said with wide, concerned eyes. “I hate to think of another threat coming to our little part of the woods. Those goblins are ornery enough.”

“We think the smoke to the north is coming from the gargoyles’ camp,” Penelope explained.

“They live in the mountains to the north?” Wilfrim asked. “As I’m sure you already know, those mountains are much higher than the ones where you rescued Roza.”

“It seems that way,” Nicola sighed. “But there’s more…”

“There’s a woman that needs to be rescued,” I said in a deep voice. “The priestesses are going to look for her.”

“That’s right,” Aleia said with a nod. “Jack has informed us there is a woman in distress, and we’re going to rescue her. From what the gargoyles said, we think they’ve kidnapped her.”

“Oh, they were so horrible,” my naiad chimed in. “They talked about collecting women as trophies. Can you imagine?”

“They tried to carry Penelope away just yesterday!” Aleia said in an anxious tone.

“That’s worse than I thought,” Wilfrim admitted with a concerned look on his face. “Well, please let me know what we can do to help. As your devoted followers, Jack, we are here to assist you and your priestesses. We certainly would never allow anyone to… uh… collect your beautiful followers.”

“Thank you,” I responded. “I want to let you know I’ve been more than grateful for everything you’ve provided for my women already.”

“Oh, it’s our pleasure,” Elowise tittered with a blush on her face and a hand over her mouth. “My, Jack, you do have a nice voice.”

Penelope, Aleia, and Nicola looked around at each other and started to giggle.

“He does, doesn’t he?” the naiad said in a dreamy tone. “Oh, Elowise, I’m so glad you and your family are getting to hear it for yourselves.”

“Me, too,” Wilfrim agreed, and the small man stood up from the log he was sitting on and dusted off his hands. “Now, Nicola, what can I do to help you cook that rabbit?”

As the women and the gnomes ate, I tried not to let myself get too antsy. I was grateful for all of my followers, and it was a relief to see my women in such good company, but I needed to figure out a plan for retrieving this captured woman. When would be the best time for them to leave? Was the cover of night best? They could easily move through the woods with a flashlight, but I wasn’t sure how long the journey would be. I hoped if they left in the evening, they could rescue the gargoyle’s “trophy” before dawn.

After all my followers were done eating, I decided to address them again, and I was relieved to find my awkward feelings about addressing such a large group were starting to dissipate.

“So, I want you to leave at dusk,” I told the gnomes and the priestesses. “I know it’s early morning, so it’s going to be a long day of waiting, but hopefully we can get a lot done in the meantime.”

“It will be another long night,” Nicola sighed as she patted Thunder on the head. “But we really are so worried about this woman, whoever she might be.”

“Do you think she’s going to be beautiful, master?” Penelope teased me.

“I can’t get over the way you talk to our god,” Balabar said with a slightly disapproving expression on his face. “It’s so… informal.”

“You’ll get used to it,” Aleia assured him. “Jack doesn’t demand we spend all our time praying formally.”

“Or any of your time, really,” I clarified. “I prefer to get things accomplished around here. Things that will better your lives and improve your circumstances. I appreciate all your devotion, of course, but that’s all I really ask of my followers. That you dedicate yourselves and attend to the tasks that need to get done.”

“Perhaps having a new religion is going to be even better than I thought,” Elowise said as a smile spread across her face. “I will pray as much as you wish, Jack, but I, too, am focused on getting things done. It’s the way of the gnomes to work hard and build upward! What would you like us to do around the convent today while you’re waiting to travel?”

“Let me think…” I trailed off. “The priestesses need more arrows. I want them to have plenty on hand during their journey. And we always need more cordage…”

“We are excellent at all sorts of tasks,” the old gnomish woman said with a proud nod. “But do you know what I’d like to do for you girls? I have some scraps of leather in my belongings. Could I sew you some simple boots?”

“We were just talking about shoes the other day,” Penelope admitted as her eyes shone. “Elowise, it would be so incredibly kind of you to help us.”

“We should show her the holy tape measure,” Aleia laughed. “That would help her make them the right size.”

“A tape measure?” Elowise asked. “My, there is still a lot I need to learn about your life with Jack. But I am happy to do anything for your followers, my…. my….”

“You can call him your lord,” Penelope said in an earnest voice. “Jack appreciates that.”

“Well, then, I wish to be of service to you, my lord,” the old woman said as she looked down with bright red cheeks. “And I would love to make you girls some shoes.”

“How long do you think it would take?” I asked Elowise. “Could it be done before evening?”

“I can help,” Aleia chimed in. “I can sew a bit.”

“Then, yes, I believe it’s possible.” The old gnome nodded her head as her long gray braid swung back and forth from beneath her leather cap.

“That would be wonderful, since I hate the idea of having you all hike in those sandals,” I told the priestesses. “I’m afraid you’re going to get seriously injured, and I can’t have that.”

“Certainly not!” Wilfrim heartily agreed.

“Well, let’s get started, then!” Aleia jumped up from her seat and clapped her hands. “Elowise, I’ll walk back to your camp with you to get the leather.”

“I want to spend time with Roza,” Penelope chirped as she gazed at the baby, who was sitting in the grass sucking on a piece of melon. Then the naiad flushed pale purple and looked at Nissa. “That is, if you need help.”

“Of course, Aunt Penelope,” the blonde gnome chided.

“But is that alright, Jack?” the naiad asked and looked toward the sky with worry. “I should have asked you first.”

“If you make cordage at the same time, I’ll allow it,” I laughed.

“I can help with rope,” Nissa said in a shy, quiet voice with flushed cheeks. “That’s easy for me to do while I take care of Roza.”

“And Nicola, you’re going to need more arrows for your journey,” I said to the dark-haired woman. “I want you to go out in the forest and find some wood, and then you can work on that for a large portion of the day.”

“Of course,” the brunette replied. “I’d be happy to.”

“And what about me, Jack?” Wilfrim asked in a gruff voice. “If you need someone to do heavy labor, I can start piling up some of these rocks for you.”

The old man gestured around the ruins of the kitchen, where there were many scattered stones of different types lying around.

“Actually, I’d like you to go through them and start picking out rocks that are the right size for Aleia’s sling,” I directed Wilfrim. “I’d like for her to have a whole arsenal ready at all times.”

“Of course,” the old man said with a diligent nod.

“What of me, Jack?” Balabar asked. “What do you want me to do?”

“You can help Nicola with arrows,” I decided.

“Let’s get started,” the young gnome man said in an eager voice. “Come on, Nicola!”

I couldn’t believe how enthusiastic Balabar was. All the gnomes were already such dedicated little helpers, and I was more than grateful.

Especially if the priestesses really got some sturdy shoes for themselves. That would be the most exciting thing of all.

As the day went on, I was more than pleased with the way all my followers were completing their tasks, but it didn’t ease my anxiety. I knew they could handle their upcoming mission, but I still hated sending the women out in the dark to gargoyle territory.

Elowise did as promised with her swift little hands and sewed up three pairs of boots for my women. They were like smooth moccasins that went a few inches up their ankles, and they fit perfectly.

Nicola and Balabar had made at least a hundred arrows in record time, and I hoped that would be enough to sufficiently arm the priestesses.

“What are we doing, Jack?” Penelope asked in a nervous voice as the women and the gnomes finished their dinner. “Should we gather up all our supplies? What do we need to bring?”

“Your bows and sling, of course…” I mused. “And your swords, and your daggers, too. Also, we need to prepare for the possibility this woman may be hurt. Being held captive is rarely a gentle thing. Let’s bring some cloth we could use for bandages, and if you somehow get trapped out in the woods for the night, I want you to have everything you need. I don’t think you’ll want to haul the godly axe with you, but your stone axe might be helpful. You’ll want the propane torch to start a fire, of course, and some smoked cougar meat, and--”

“And some water from the stream,” Penelope chimed in. “We need to drink, but it might also help heal the woman.”

“Good thinking,” I praised the naiad. “Do you want to bathe before you leave for extra strength?”

“Well, that’s probably our cue to go,” Wilfrim said as he stood up and stretched his arms over his head. “Thank you for everything today, girls. And Jack, thank you for your bounty as well. I hope we were of service to you.”

“You’ve done so much,” I told the old gnome. “I’m lucky to have such helpful and devoted followers.”

“You’re going to need to give me Roza back,” Nissa said to Penelope with a big smile on her face.

“Aw,” the blue woman pouted as she gave the little baby a kiss on the head and handed her back to her mother. “See you later, Roza.”

The rest of the gnomes stood up, and I saw the children rubbing their eyes. They’d been running around like crazy and playing with Thunder for most of the day, so I wasn't surprised they were tired.

“Goodbye,” Aleia said with a wave as the small creatures began to march in a line toward the gate. “I’m sure we’ll see you soon.”

“Oh, dear,” Elowise said as she turned around. “Best of luck on your mission, girls. I’m so curious to hear what you discover, but I need you to be as careful as you can possibly be. I know Jack can protect you, but I do worry.”

“We’ll be alright,” Nicola promised with a firm nod. “We can take care of ourselves.”

“Whether there are gargoyles or not,” Penelope shuddered. “But please don’t worry about us, Elowise. You know how strong we are.”

“You did get our Roza back,” the old woman sighed. “But please let me know when you return.”

“We will,” the naiad vowed.

Elowise turned back to follow her family, who were already several yards ahead, and the little group hurried along their way.

“I’ve been collecting our belongings,” Aleia announced from over by the fire. “I think we should be ready to go soon.”

“Should we go bathe?” Penelope asked. “I don’t really want to take the time. Maybe we could just go dip our feet in the stream for extra power.”

The women headed off to the water for a couple minutes, and when they returned, their sparkling eyes did look a bit rejuvenated.

“What do I do about Thunder?” Nicola asked with a doubtful look in her eyes. “I want him with us, but I don’t know how sneaky we can be with him around.”

“Agreed,” I said. “I know it’s hard to leave your puppy behind, but it’s a good choice.”

“I hope he doesn’t mind staying within the convent walls,” the brunette worried.

“He can hang out with Luna,” I assured the dark-haired woman. “They can keep each other company.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Nicola allowed. “It’s just… he’s my baby, you know.”

“I do know,” I laughed. “But come on, you need to get out of here. It’s finally starting to get dark.”

“Of course, Jack,” the brunette sighed. “Goodbye, Thunder. I’ll see you soon. And you, too, Luna.”

“You don’t want me to fly, do you, my lord?” Aleia asked as she closed the heavy leather pack and slung it over her shoulder.

“Not with those flying monsters around,” I said. “The three of you will be safest if you stick together, and I worry about the gargoyles’ talons getting too close to your delicate wings. I would certainly hate for anything to happen to them.”

“I understand,” the fairy said with a blushy nod. “I’d prefer to stay with my sisters, anyway.”

The three priestesses headed out through the convent gate and crossed the road. Their Maglite’s wide beam clearly showed the trail in front of them, and the rugged land looked less inviting in the stark light.

“These shoes are wonderful,” Penelope remarked after a few minutes of silent walking. “Thank you for your contribution, Aleia. I didn’t know you could sew like that.”

“I didn't, either,” the strawberry-blonde admitted.

“You’re always so good with your hands,” Nicola said with a lewd smirk on her face, but then she continued without teasing her sister any further. “But, yes, these leather shoes are amazing. I didn’t want to complain, but the way the rocks and sticks get stuck in our sandals is not comfortable.”

“How far do you think we’re going?” Penelope asked as she led the little party. The woods were entirely dark outside of the glow from the extremely bright flashlight, and I kept nervously shifting my vision around as I heard strange things rustling. I didn’t see any threats to the women, though, and I worked to stay calm.

Even though I really wished I could stand among them and guard them in my physical form.

“It was hard to tell from that smoke,” Aleia mused. “Jack, what do you think?”

“It’s nothing you can’t manage,” I told the priestesses, “but I hope the gargoyle camp is at the base of the mountain. That will be a lot easier than if you have to climb.”

I scanned ahead of the women with my God Vision, but I still didn’t see any threats. The biggest thing I saw was a fox hunting a mouse, but there was nothing as big as the cougar the women had fought a little while back.

My three priestesses continued to trudge up the hill, and they soon came to the point where they’d battled the gargoyles the day before.

“Look, their bodies are still here,” Aleia said as she toed the stone beast’s corpse. “And here’s all the dust from where the other one shattered.”

“They’re creepy.” Penelope shuddered. “I can’t believe we’re headed directly to their lair.”

The women continued to walk in tense silence for a while, and I continued to keep watch on the forest around them to the extent of my God Vision.

“There’s nothing ahead yet…” the fairy reported as she squinted into the darkness. “At least, I don’t think there is.”

“Flutter up above the trees for a moment,” I instructed the little strawberry-blonde. “Maybe you can see from there.”

“Yes, master,” Aleia responded as she flapped her lavender wings and flew upward. “Ohhh…”

I looked through the fairy’s eyes, and I could now see the thick patch of grayish smoke rising above the treetops and blocking out the stars.

“What is it?” Penelope breathed as she clutched Nicola’s arm.

“We’re getting a lot closer to the smoke now,” the fairy explained as she drifted back down to the ground. “I think we need to turn off the light and be extra quiet.”

“Okay,” the naiad whispered as she turned off the flashlight.

The woods around the women were startlingly black in the sudden darkness, and they all blinked and froze in place as their eyes adjusted to the dim light. Fortunately, the moon was brighter than it had been last night when I was with Nicola, and it wasn’t long before they were able to proceed with their hike.

The human, the naiad, and the fairy trudged onward, but as their vision opened my mental map, I suddenly saw something up ahead.

It was a torch set into the side of the mountain, and the stony frame of a gargoyle loomed beside it.

Chapter 5

“Shh,” I warned the priestesses. “You’re almost there. I can see a torch.”

“What can you see, my lord?” Penelope whispered.

“It looks like some sort of tower,” I told the women. “The smoke is coming out of its center.”

“A tower?” Nicola asked. “What do you mean?”

“It’s like a massive stone monolith was formed into a building,” I explained. “It’s still partially made up of rough rock, but a lot of the surface has been sculpted. You’ll see. I’m still trying to investigate, but I’ve only seen one gargoyle so far. He’s perched up high on the side of the tower near the torch.”

The gargoyle lair had many stone doorways set into multiple levels, and the carvings surrounding each one were intricate and ornate. Unlike the goblins’ rudimentary home, the gargoyles’ space was highly-decorated and covered in details from statues to elaborate inscriptions, and it was more like the exterior of a mysterious palace than the home of brutal, orcish warriors. Definitely fancier than I would have expected from the rough creatures I’d seen the day before.

Even though it was dark out, I didn’t think it could have been that late in the evening, so I was surprised to only see a single creature standing guard outside. There was a second large torch set into the stone on the eastern side, but otherwise, everything around the monolith was dark and still.

That was, until one of the doors swung open, and a second creature peered out and looked up at his friend. The room inside glowed a brilliant yellow, and a strange, haunting dirge came from inside the room. I could hear the rough voices of what sounded like hundreds of creatures.

It seemed like all the excitement was on the inside of the elaborate structure.

“Friend,” the gargoyle from inside said as he made eye contact with the first gargoyle and nodded a greeting. “On watch tonight?”

“Bored…” I heard the gargoyle guard mutter as he yawned and adjusted his wings. “I want to come inside.”

“The party is good,” the other said in a gruff voice, and he passed his friend a bottle. “Come in for the yearly festival.”

“Can’t,” the guard grunted. “Leaders said we need a watch tonight. Duzgorr and Igot still haven’t returned.”

The second gargoyle shrugged his muscular shoulders, opened the stone door again, and went back to the party.

I guessed the strange names belonged to the two gargoyles my priestesses had slain yesterday, and I made a mental note of their less than concerned response to the situation. Maybe it wasn’t too rare for gargoyles to go missing for a few days.

I kept my eyes on the guard, and while he seemed somewhat dedicated to his post, he still took a few large swigs from the drink before he set the bottle down on the stone ledge next to him. He stared out into the distance and turned his head from side to side as he watched his surroundings, but then he yawned again.

For a moment, I thought I saw him settle into a solid stone form and close his eyes. Then he shook himself awake, and his eyes gleamed black in the torchlight before they fluttered shut once more.

Some guard.

“Jack?” Penelope whispered. “What’s going on?”

“There’s only one gargoyle standing guard outside right now,” I reported. “His friend came out, but he went back in. There’s some sort of yearly gargoyle party going on in there, and it sounds like there are a lot more creatures inside. They’re behind solid stone doors, though, and it’s really loud in there. They won’t be able to hear you sneaking around, but if they start coming out, there’s going to be a lot of them. Luckily, this guard doesn't seem that great. It looks like he’s going to fall asleep.”

“Fall asleep?” Penelope scoffed.

“His friend handed him a bottle of something,” I explained. “I think it’s something to do with this festival, or whatever they have going on.”

“Why aren’t their defenses better right now?” the naiad wondered.

“Maybe because there are so many of them in there,” Nicola speculated. “If the guard sounds the alarm, hundreds of the horrible beasts rush out.”

“The guard mentioned something about two gargoyles not returning,” I told the women. “I think it’s likely he was talking about the ones you defeated yesterday. If that’s the case, they may not bother watching the woods most nights, but this means they’re at least a little more on their guard than usual.”

“Ughhh,” Penelope shuddered. “I don’t want to have to fight any more of these brutes.”

“No, you don’t,” I agreed. “So, you’re going to have to be incredibly sneaky, and follow my directions at all times.”

“Do you know where we need to go?” Aleia asked.

“Away from the guard,” I said. “We’re approaching from the south, but it looks like the main ground entrance to the tower faces west. There’s also a second torch lit off to the east, so you need to be extra careful no matter where you are.”

“I understand, my lord,” the fairy said with a serious nod.

“Should we take our shoes off to tiptoe?” Nicola whispered. “We can put them in the pack. We might be quieter walking that way. I’m not used to wearing shoes like this after all this time.”

“No, the worst thing would be if you stepped on something sharp and accidentally cried out,” I said to the women. “This way your feet are more protected. Just keep your eyes open so you stay away from twigs and branches that can snap against your head and body, and keep low.”

The priestesses began to walk again, and while my virtual heart was pounding, I was relieved the coniferous trees were still fairly thick at this elevation. There was plenty of cover thanks to the low-lying boughs, and it wouldn’t be hard for the women to hide back in the forest if it came down to it.

The women crept closer and closer to the gargoyle lair, but when a cloud went across the moon, the landscape went almost completely black. All three of them froze in place and reached out for each others’ arms for comfort, but then they gritted their teeth and kept on going.

My priestesses were so fucking brave.

After a few more minutes of sneaking uphill through the trees, Penelope stopped in place. The naiad shook her blonde hair out of her eyes and pointed ahead with a slim blue finger.

“I think I see the glow of a torch,” the naiad whispered.

“Can I fly into the air a few feet to look, master?” Aleia asked.

“Yes, but only for a couple seconds,” I warned. “I can’t have you approach this place from above. Gargoyles could be flying around at any time, and the guard is posted higher up.”

“I understand, master,” the fairy agreed.

The fairy shot up off the ground, looked around for a brief moment, and then silently landed again.

“Thanks for doing exactly as I asked, Aleia,” I told the fairy.

“Of course, master, and we’re only a few hundred feet away, sisters,” the strawberry-blonde explained as she folded her wings back in close to her back. “I saw where we need to go, and it’s straight ahead. Let me lead you to the edge of the woods.”

“Once you reach the clearing around the tower, I want you to move as quickly as you can until you reach the walls,” I instructed, “and then I want you to freeze and stay quiet again.”

“Like a creepy gargoyle,” Penelope giggled nervously.

“That’s right, be a gargoyle,” I agreed.

As the women tiptoed closer to the gargoyle lair, my phantom heart pounded faster and faster, and when a loud crack echoed through the forest, all three women immediately froze in place.

“What was that?” Nicola asked as she whipped her around and scanned for the potential threat. “I think it was an animal, but… I can’t be sure. I think I’m sensing one in the area.”

I scanned around quickly in the darkness, and I saw a set of small, reflective eyes to the east of the women. I thought it might be a badger, and I knew it couldn’t be a gargoyle since the eyes didn’t appear all-black or gray. I was about to tell the priestesses that Nicola’s guess was correct, but then I heard something louder.

It was the flapping of leathery wings, and it was coming this way from the direction of the tower.

“Hide!” I shouted. “There’s a boulder next to that tree, and you can fit in that space. Go!”

Aleia looked around wildly for a moment, but then she saw the huge rock I was talking about.

“Over here, sisters,” the fairy hissed as she grabbed both of the other two women’s hands and dragged them between the boulder and the pine.

Then the gargoyle guard soared through the treetops, and he came to a hovering stop near where the women were hiding. His beady eyes glimmered as he scanned the shadowy forest below, and after a long moment, I thought I saw a sneer on his stony lips.

“Intrudersss…” the beast hissed as he looked downward. “I’ll find you.”

The poor priestesses had shoved themselves into the crack between the tree trunk and the rock at strange angles, and Penelope’s arm was tangled behind Nicola’s neck. They still managed to stay completely silent, and I didn’t think they were visible from overhead.

The gargoyle started to circle, and he gradually zeroed in on the point directly above the women’s hiding place.

My virtual stomach dropped, and for an awful second, I was sure he was going to see them despite how confident I’d felt.

Then there was another cracking noise like something was tearing a stick apart, and this time, it came from many yards away.

As the gargoyle soared off toward the sound, I silently cheered for that badger, or whatever other creature had drawn his attention away.

“I need you to stay behind that rock for a minute,” I instructed the priestesses. “I want to see what the gargoyle does next.”

The women tried to quiet their gasps for breath as they remained squeezed tight into their hiding place, and I appreciated their fortitude as the gargoyle started to scan a wider area again. Gradually, his eerie, soaring circles expanded yards beyond the women, and the beast finally stopped in place and stared around with a haughty expression. I heard the badger crack another branch from even further away, but the gargoyle wasn’t interested this time.

“Mangy rodent,” the hideous creature muttered, and he flew back to his home and settled back on his perch.

Thank god.

I didn’t speak to the women for several more minutes because I didn’t want them to react just yet. The gargoyle seemed prepared to stay at his post on the tower, but I needed to make sure he wasn’t going to take flight again soon.

“I think he’s gone,” I finally said. “You can come out from behind that rock as long as you’re still completely quiet, but I want you to wait in the woods for a while to make sure there aren’t any more threats.”

“Oh, thank goodness we can get out of here,” Penelope gasped as she dislodged herself from between the tree and the rock.

“Shh…” Aleia whispered almost imperceptibly. The fairy squeezed herself out from behind Penelope, stretched her arms up in the air, and quietly shook out her wings.

Nicola was last, and from the grimace on her face, I could tell the tall brunette had been particularly uncomfortable. Nonetheless, she extricated herself from the space with grace.

The three women remained in a tense silence as they waited for my next command, and I continued to watch the guard who had settled into a comfortable slouch on his perch with his bottle in hand.

The muscular beast yawned once more and took a swig, and then he closed his eyes again. Within a matter of moments, he was in a completely still state, and I watched him in awe. So far, I’d only seen gargoyles look this statuesque when they were seriously injured or dead.

Could he possibly be fully asleep?

“I think you can move now,” I said in a grim chuckle.

“Why?” Nicola whispered with wide eyes.

“The guard seems to have fallen asleep,” I explained. “Just go!”

The priestesses stared around at each other for a brief moment, and then they began to hike up the hill as quickly as possible. When they reached the clearing, Aleia put a hand out to either side and stopped the other two women.

“So, this is the tower, Jack?” the fairy asked. “It’s so big!”

“It looks about ten stories high,” I agreed. “Probably around a hundred feet. I figure it’s best for you to start your investigation at the bottom, and then you can work your way up. Hopefully we can find the woman before too long.”

“I hope she’s here,” Penelope whispered. “You must have a sense about it, though, my lord.”

“I do,” I said firmly. “And I think you can go ahead and proceed to the wall now.”

Aleia let go of her sisters, and the three priestesses dashed forward toward the base of the gargoyle lair.

There was a ledge directly across from where my priestesses were running, and the women slid under it just in time for a huge beam of golden light to emerge from a doorway fifty feet above.

Two gargoyles had come out of the mountain monolith, and I could hear the same mournful music playing before the heavy door creaked shut. The gargoyles inside were loud and raucous, too, and I could even hear the grotesque beasts singing.

“Time to guard,” one gargoyle voice sighed. “Though it seems like a waste of time. Duzgorr and Igot are probably off hunting for trophies in the far east.”

“The party was just getting good,” a second voice grunted.

I waited for a few moments, but the beasts didn’t say anything else, and I attempted to steady myself as the two creatures perched directly over the women. From the way the priestesses were shaking, I knew they could hear the gargoyles, but they were still completely quiet.

The two new guards sat on the rock ledge with watchful black eyes. There was nowhere the women could go for the time being, so I supposed there was nothing to do but watch and wait.

The creatures were stone still and silent other than their scanning eyes, and I willed them to fall asleep like the first guard had. Their moves in the battle with the women had taught me they were somewhat intelligent, though, so I wasn’t sure these two were going to drift off so easily.

“No one ever comes this close to the tower,” one gargoyle complained as he shifted his heavy, taloned feet. “What’s the point of watching for anything?”

“Back to the party?” the other one asked in a sneering tone. “It’s so packed in there, the leaders probably won’t even notice us.”

“You think?” the first gargoyle asked. “Fine, five minutes.”

Were they seriously going to leave?

The door creaked open again, and the blinding flash of golden light and funeral music overwhelmed me for a moment. When the door slammed shut, the gargoyles were gone.

“They both left,” I reported. “I can’t believe they just went back to their party.”

“Yes, I heard,” Aleia whispered in a serious voice. “But it sounds like there are a lot of gargoyles in there, and anyone could come back out at any time.”

“Yep,” I responded. “And there are doors all over this tower. A gargoyle could appear anywhere.”

“Shit,” Nicola swore. “Do you think we have a clear break right now?”

“Yes, you can start to sneak around the side of the tower,” I directed the women. “Stay as close to the wall as possible, and, of course, keep quiet.”

“Of course,” Aleia said as they moved out from under the rock overhang and started to slide along the side of the stone wall. “I trust you, my lord.”

“Do you see these carvings?” Penelope whispered. “This place is… disturbing.”

The granite lower walls of the gargoyle lair were covered in carved murals. The violent art depicted scenes of gargoyles in battle against other creatures including humans, trolls, goblins, fairies, and other beasts I had yet to encounter in my time in this world. The gargoyles in the pictures held huge swords that dripped with stone blood, and decapitated heads rolled across the ground of the landscapes.

The gargoyles in the murals had huge grins on their faces as they raised their blades into the air, and the suns that were carved all over the artwork made it clear these were pictures of happy times and success in war. The fallen enemies laid in piles on the ground with weapons stabbed through their bodies, and carved birds pecked at their corpses.

In the pictures, some of the gargoyles were on the ground, and others flew with proud, wide wings. Some of the winged gargoyles held huge bows with gigantic, pointed arrows, and I felt lucky we hadn’t encountered one of the beasts with a bow yet.

“They look so… happy.” Aleia shuddered as she gazed at the mural. “At least the ones we fought weren’t grinning like that.”

“They seemed plenty happy to kill, though,” I responded. “Do you see those arrows in the pictures? Those would have brought you even more trouble when you were fighting them.”

Some of the carvings depicted a pleased being looking down from the corner of the sky, and I wondered who the gargoyles worshipped. The deity had wide gargoyle wings and the same pointed chin and ears as the creatures, but he had been carved with lines radiating outward from his body to indicate his divine nature.

There were also gargoyle women in the carvings, and while their faces looked exactly the same as their male counterparts, their bodies were drawn with huge, distorted breasts and hips in skimpy bikinis. Some served the male warriors fruit on platters, but others held their own bloody weapons.

But the murals weren’t even the creepiest thing of all.

“Look,” Penelope whimpered as she gestured up the tall rock face toward a particular series of carvings. “I don’t like those one bit.”

“Oh, my gods,” Nicola gasped. “They look so… real.”

The second level of the structure was carved with hundreds of figures that were hunched down in the form of gargoyles with wings, but their faces were of all the different races that were depicted in the murals.

The most disturbing thing was that every face was unique. The carvings’ heads were in all different shapes and sizes, and their countenances were those of individual beings. The only thing all the creatures had in common were the twisted expressions of horror on their faces.

I wondered if they had been brought back to the tower as trophies like the gargoyles had mentioned yesterday.

In that case, would they be carvings at all? Or were they actual heads frozen in stone. I didn’t even want to imagine this was true, but they looked so… life-like.

“I don’t like it here,” Aleia whispered. “Those carvings are awful. We need to find this woman and get out.”

“Agreed,” Nicola said in a low voice and nodded. “Jack, what’s our next move?”

“I don’t see any other gargoyles outside right now,” I told the women as they continued to sneak along the ground. I examined the entire carved structure, but all was quiet. The rock exterior completely hid any traces of whatever party was going on inside, and I hoped that meant no one would have any clue we were out here. “There are some trees nearby, just around the side from where you’re walking. That will be a good place for you to hide if you feel like you need to regroup.”

I hadn’t thought it would be easy to rescue the woman, but it was a little concerning there weren’t any signs of her yet. I’d brought the priestesses all this way, but I still wasn't sure what to do if the woman in distress was inside the tower. Sneaking inside where there was a raging gargoyle party seemed like the absolute worst-case scenario, so I decided to keep the priestesses searching out here as long as I could. Even if the woman we were looking for was inside the tower, perhaps there would be some signs of an external struggle we could use to find her.

A door suddenly slammed open near the very top of the towering lair, and I quickly focused my vision on the action.

A grim-faced gargoyle emerged from the structure with a torch in his hand, and he began to pace around the sides of a balcony. The rail of the small terrace came up to the gargoyle’s waist, and it was covered in more of the same gruesome carvings that the priestesses had seen on the ground.

In the light from the torch, I could clearly see the creature’s pale gray, mottled skin, and his scowl. His wings were folded against his back, but the muscles in his arms rippled as he put the torch into a sconce on the wall.

The creature peered over the side of the balcony and craned his neck as if he were looking at something. He was apparently unsuccessful, and he hopped up onto the railing and perched on his talons. He was at least a hundred feet off the ground, and I noticed for the first time he had some sort of bottle in one of his meaty hands. He seemed to be swaying back and forth on the railing in the wind, and then he stumbled backward.

Still, the gargoyle wasn’t deterred, and he shoved himself back up onto his talons. Then he shot up in the air and began to fly drunkenly around the tower.

Shit.

The beast didn’t seem too interested in what was going on beneath him, so I wasn’t worried about the priestesses on the ground just yet. The drunken gargoyle hiccupped and swerved his way around the side of the tower, but he seemed to have some destination in mind. The gargoyle stopped after he’d flown about fifty feet around the tower, and he looked at one of the statues and nodded with satisfaction.

I was about to examine the statue he was looking at when a booming voice called out.

“Who’s there?” the drunk gargoyle suddenly growled, and his beady little eyes appeared to be directed toward the women.

“Freeze,” I hissed to the priestesses. “Don’t move an inch.”

“We know,” Nicola muttered, and there was a touch of fear in her dark-brown eyes.

The flying beast swooped down toward the ground, and I thought the women had been caught, but then I heard the creaking of a huge door above.

Yellow light flooded out of the building, and one of the gargoyle guards who’d gone to the party earlier rushed back out onto a rock ledge.

“I’m here,” the beast gasped. “Just needed to grab my weapon.”

He held up a large, gleaming bow, and a shiver went down my phantom spine. I knew we needed to get out of here quickly, so where the hell was that woman?

“Suuure,” the drunk gargoyle slurred as he waved a hand at the guard. “Whateverrr you say. Carry on, and watch the bird, too.”

The bird?

“Yes, sir,” the guard promised. “The bird will not be lost.”

“Good,” the gargoyle in the air said with a wobbly nod, and he flew back up to the balcony he’d come from.

The guard on the ledge looked around for a few minutes as the priestesses stayed frozen in place. He didn’t seem to have any clue they were below him, but I saw him glance up a couple times to the place the drunk beast had inspected.

What was it with these gargoyles and that statue?

I focused in on the level where he’d looked at the carving, and it was encircled by statues of all types of women. The one thing they all had in common was that they each had the beautiful face of a goddess and the body of a Playboy model, and they were all dressed in what appeared to be some sort of long, flowing stone toga.

The statue the gargoyle had examined sat out on the farthest ledge from the building’s main entrance. She was set into the side of the stone like all of the other women, and she had the same perfect face and body.

I wondered what could be different about her. She was locked in the same pose as the other statues, and from the looks of the weathered stone, they’d all been there a long time.

I zoomed in as close as I could to the statue, and the woman sort of reminded me of an angel, but not only because she was so beautiful. I couldn’t see any wings on her, but her arms were draped with what appeared to be long, luxurious feathers, and they were folded into a prayer position. Her carved hair was long and reached all the way down her back, and it seemed to blend seamlessly with the feathers on her arms.

The woman was lean, and her carved toga revealed full, round breasts and long, shapely legs. The angelic statue had full lips, and she had a beatific smile on her face, but her eyes were creased with what looked like agonizing pain. I couldn’t stop gazing at her, and I felt like I was in a trance for a couple seconds. I was completely overwhelmed by her beauty, even though it was merely carved in stone.

Then I could have sworn I saw the statue twitch.

At first, I thought I imagined it. I must have. I was so caught up in her beauty, I would’ve given anything to make her come to life, but I knew she was stone. I could see that as plain as day.

Until her pained eyes shifted by a fraction of a degree.

“No,” I gasped as dawning realization washed over me, and I knew I hadn’t imagined anything.

I sent my God Vision to rove over the other beautiful statues, and while they all appeared in similar form, none of them had the extra glint of pain in their stone eyes. Their expressions were blank, like the dead, and as I looked back at the angelic woman with the feathers, a pang of disgust shot through me.

This statue may have been stone, but the woman peering out at me was real.

Somehow, she was alive.

I immediately focused back in on my priestesses, who were still huddled against the granite wall with set jaws. The firm lines of their mouths showed me how determined they still were, and I was glad I had the powerful women I was going to need to rescue the angelic statue.

The gargoyle guard on the ledge above where the women were frozen in place as I’d come to expect, and I thought I saw his eyes starting to glaze over gray and drift shut. Was this asshole going to fall asleep, too?

“Just hang tight,” I told the priestesses. “I think I’ve figured out where we’re headed, but we need to do something about this guard.”

“Did you see the woman?” Penelope asked in a whisper.

“I think I did,” I told the naiad. “There’s a statue at the top of the tower that seems a little different than the others, and I saw the guard looking at her.”

“A statue?” Nicola asked in a doubtful tone. “Could a statue actually be a real woman?”

“I know it sounds crazy, but I’m almost positive she’s alive,” I pressed. “It’s the best chance we’ve got right now.”

“Well, I’m certainly ready to take that guard down if it means we can rescue the poor girl,” little Aleia said as she pulled her sling from her belt and patted her pouch of rocks. “Just let me fly up there, and I’ll kill him for all of us.”

“I really don’t want to engage,” I sighed. “I was hoping to be in and out of here. If he yells, and a whole army of gargoyles come rushing out toward my women, I simply can’t allow for that.”

“I understand,” the fairy pouted.

“But I am going to need you to fly as soon as this guard is out of the way, Aleia” I explained. “I think the woman we’re looking for is very, very high in the air--”

“Shh,” Nicola said. “Something is happening.”

The door above creaked open again, and the music had picked up to what almost sounded like a deathly polka. I could hear shouts from inside the tower, and the flirty squeals of what must have been gargoyle women.

“Why are you still out here?” a new voice asked.

“Ulkin said,” the gargoyle guard muttered. “I have to stay on guard duty.”

“Ulkin’s drunk,” the first voice laughed.

“No, Ulkin’s strong,” the guard argued. “He may be a new leader, but he’s still--”

“Oh, shut it,” the other snorted.

A new song began to play twice as loud, and the gargoyles continued to argue. I thought we might have the perfect shot to get away while the guard was distracted, but the women needed to act fast.

“Run around the base of the tower!” I ordered the women. “Be quiet, but go fast!”

The priestesses dashed on quiet feet as they stayed close to the rock wall, and soon they reached a thick stand of trees.

“What now?” Penelope gasped.

“Aleia’s going to need to fly up,” I explained. “Scan this side of the tower. You’re looking for the full-body statues of women, like I was talking about earlier.”

“I have to go by myself?” Aleia gulped. “I can do it, Jack.”

“Yeah, I don’t think you can carry your sisters,” I explained. “You’re going to need both hands to get her.”

“So, are you really, really sure this statue is what you’re looking for?” Nicola asked with a doubtful expression.

“I think she’s been turned to stone like all these other creatures,” I told the priestesses. “And I saw her move the tiniest bit. I’m sure of it.”

“How terrible,” Penelope whimpered. “What a cruel thing to do…”

“It is, but how do we rescue a statue?” the brunette asked. “The other statues don’t seem like they’re going anywhere. They’re a part of this huge tower.”

“Nicola, do not question our god,” Penelope scolded the brunette. “If he says we are rescuing a statue, then we are rescuing a statue. Being trapped in stone would be a most horrible fate, and we cannot let this happen to… whoever this woman is. It’s hideous!”

“That’s right,” Aleia agreed. “I’m ready to do anything you command, my lord.”

“Thank you, Aleia,” I sighed. “Let’s get going.”

The fairy fluttered her wings and soared into the air, and she carefully kept to the back of the tower as she climbed higher and higher.

“All the way to the top?” the strawberry-blonde priestess whispered along the way.

“Yes, just keep going, you’re almost there,” I confirmed.

Aleia shot herself rapidly upward toward the top of the monolith quicker than I’d ever seen her fly before.

“This is strange,” the fairy said when she first got a close-up glimpse of the statues. “They’re so beautiful, and they look so very real. How many of them do you think there are?”

“I didn’t count,” I told her, “but I would guess maybe fifty? I think they go all the way around the tower, but they don’t look quite right. Their eyes are so…”

“Hollow,” Aleia said in a sad voice. “I don’t like this at all, Jack. Wh-Where’s the statue you were talking about? I want to get out of here.”

“She’s right above you,” I explained. “She almost looks like a bird… or an angel.”

“Ohh, I see her,” Aleia said. “She is beautiful. Look at all those feathers. And that face. Oh, Jack, what if she could be your priestess, too?”

“I can’t think about that right now,” I sighed. “Look at her eyes, Aleia. She’s in pain, we have to figure out how to get her out of here fast.”

The fairy flew up to the statue of the beautiful woman and put a hand up to her carved cheek, and it almost looked like the bird-woman’s expression changed a little at the gesture. Her look of total agony now had a slight tinge of relief, and I hoped it was because she trusted us to rescue her.

Maybe we could really pull this off.

“The statue is warm,” Aleia gasped, and then the fairy put her hand up to the stone wall that was next to the statue. “The rock around her is cold, but I can feel an energy emanating from her face. Jack, I really do believe she might be alive. Wh-What should we do? We have to hurry!”

“Can you lift her?” I suggested. “I’m sure you’re strong enough to carry the rock.”

“I can try,” the petite strawberry-blonde said with a nod, and she grabbed the statue around the base of her carved, gauzy gown. The fairy pulled as hard as she could, and I could see the muscles in her arms straining as she tried to pick up the statue. Finally, she stopped pulling, and she shook her head as she rubbed her sore arms. “No, I can’t do it. I’m so sorry, master.”

“Maybe it’s magically reinforced,” I mused. “Hmm, what to do?”

“I know this is her,” Aleia told me. “The warmth radiating from her body was certainly startling, but it made the situation clear. But I fear that if we wait too long, she may turn into solid stone like the walls around her.”

“Me, too,” I admitted. “I feel like we need to move fast. The question is how we’re going to do it.”

“There must be a way to use your godly powers, master,” Aleia suggested. “I’m sorry I’m not able to channel them well enough to lift her as she is.”

“It’s not your fault,” I assured her.

“Wait, Jack, do you see this?” the fairy asked me as she hovered in front of the frozen woman. “There are a few lines of writing on the bottom of the ledge she’s on. What do you think it could say?”

“Let me look at that,” I said. I focused on the very edge of the gray stone, and I saw the carvings the fairy was talking about. This time, the symbols had strange, curved shapes and slashes through them in a type of writing I was sure I’d never seen before.

But I’d received the ability to read all languages.

I stared at the glyphs, and I worked to make sense of the symbols. At first, it only translated into garbled sounds that seemed to echo through my mind, but slowly, the words began to clear.

Sky of blood and stone of gray

To our frozen lords we pray

Stone of gray and bone of white

Fear our wrath when we take flight

What… the fuck?

Chapter 6

This was really fucking creepy. Between the apparently living statue, and the poem’s bizarre, ominous words, I hadn’t been this weirded out since I’d gotten to this world.

“Jack?” Aleia asked nervously. “What does it say?”

“It’s a really weird poem about gargoyles,” I explained. “It’s a little disturbing.”

“My lord, words have a lot of power,” the fairy said with an intent expression in her sea-green eyes. “Can you read it to me?”

“Sky of blood…” I began, but then I paused and reconsidered the words in front of me.

They were placed directly beneath the statue’s feet, and they looked like they’d been carved recently. The edges of the chiseled stone were razor sharp and not at all worn from age, and when I compared this to the glyphs at the base of the other statues, I could tell without a doubt they were freshly engraved.

Which meant they must be important, maybe even crucial.

“Aleia, maybe you should repeat these words after me,” I decided. “Just in case saying them out loud does anything. They’ve been added to this ledge recently, and if this woman is magically encased, magic might free her.”

“Yes, if you read me the words, I’ll say them,” Aleia agreed. “I’ll do anything to save her from the grave danger she’s in.”

“It can’t hurt to try,” I sighed. “If you can’t lift her, there must be another way to get her out of here. Now, repeat after me: sky of blood and stone of gray…”

“Wh-What?” the fairy asked. “Sk-Sky of what? I’m sorry, master. I’m just a little shaken up.”

“It’s okay, I understand,” I assured her. “Let’s take it slow. ‘Sky of blood…’”

“Sky of blood…” Aleia repeated with wide eyes as she floated in the air.

“‘Stone of gray…’” I read from the rock below the statue.

“St-Stone of gr-gray,” the strawberry-blonde stuttered. A strong breeze blew through the air near the top of the tower, and the fairy put her arms around herself and shivered.

Then a quiet but pained woman’s cry rang out for a few seconds.

“Fuck,” I muttered as my phantom heart skipped a beat.

The statue’s mournful wail was total agony, and what if the guards below heard?

I scanned down the tower to look for the gargoyles, but they didn’t seem at all suspicious. They were busy arguing like nothing strange was taking place nearby, and it made me wonder if it was possible only Aleia and I could hear the moaning. I didn’t know much about how incantations worked, but it seemed plausible that the ones reading the spell would experience the immediate effects.

“Gods,” Aleia groaned. “This just has to work.”

“I’ll go ahead and read you the next line,” I said to the fairy. “I hope the poem is saving her instead of torturing her.”

“We’re saving her,” the strawberry-blonde said in a stronger voice. “We can do this, Jack. We are going to set her free from her stone prison, and she is coming safely back to our home with us.”

“You’re so brave,” I praised Aleia. “Okay, let’s keep going. The next line is, ‘To our frozen lords we pray.’”

“Weird,” the strawberry-blonde shuddered. “To our frozen lords we pray…”

There was another immediate cry, and it was even louder than the first. The misery in the woman’s voice was heart-wrenching, and the sound made my virtual stomach flip around like I was on a roller coaster.

I checked for the guards again, but there was still no response, which made me think her cries were more magical than physical.

At least, I hoped they were. She sounded so tortured.

“She sounds miserable,” Aleia whimpered. “Oh, master, let’s hurry.”

“‘Stone of gray and bone of white,’” I read. “Ugh, I hate that line. Aleia, brace yourself for her next cry to be even louder.”

“Stone of g-gray and b-bone of white,” the fairy stuttered.

The next tortured shriek was the worst yet, and Aleia flinched and squeezed her eyes shut.

“You can do this,” I told the fairy. “I know, it’s awful. But there’s just one more, and… I really hope this works.”

“Me, too, my lord.” Aleia shuddered. “I’ve never heard anything so horrible.”

“Let’s just get it over with,” I said. “‘Fear our wrath when we take flight.’”

“So cheerful,” the fairy responded as she pulled her arms around her body again. “And you’re sure this is the last line?”

“Yes,” I answered. “This is it.”

“I hope we’re prepared for whatever’s about to happen,” Aleia sighed. “Fear our wrath when we take flight.”

There was a loud cracking sound, and I flinched because I sincerely hoped we weren’t fucked. The statue was at least ten feet above any of the doors, and the music inside had been loud, but I still didn’t want to take any chances.

Webs of cracks began to spread across the stone woman’s body, and waves of horror rushed over me as they splintered her perfect lips, her nose, and then the rock-solid hair that spilled down over her shoulders and back. I was terrified for a moment that her body would be hollow like one of the gargoyles, and I actually mourned for the beautiful creature I’d never even had a chance to meet.

But then a faint glow began to radiate from behind the cracked stone, and the rock facade of the statue started to fall away in pieces.

“This is amazing,” Aleia breathed. The fairy’s lips parted wider and wider in amazement as more of the woman was revealed, and then the strawberry-blonde gasped. “She’s red!”

When I saw the hue of the bird-woman’s feathers for the first time, I was completely blown away. I hadn’t expected it from the pale granite exterior, but a large portion of the woman’s body was scarlet.

The red angel rose into the air as if she’d been tossed upward by the wind, and when she tilted her head backward and raised her arms up toward the sky, a crimson curtain of hair fell back almost to the stone ground. Her arms trailed feathers that were at least two-feet long, and their colors faded from scarlet near her skin into the rainbow hues of orange, pale yellow, and then almost white near the tips. Other than her feathers, her entire body was nearly as pale as her white robe, and she was a strange mixture of fire and ghost in the darkness.

I gazed down at the scarlet angel’s face as she floated in mid-air, and her eyes were a clear, nearly golden hue of amber. She looked up into the air with an ecstatic expression, and for a brief, strange moment, I felt like the two of us were making eye contact. I stared into the mysterious bird-woman’s yellow eyes like I was completely under her spell, and I temporarily forgot about the gargoyle cave and the danger my women were in.

I could have looked at her forever.

Well, until she collapsed to her knees. Her pointed chin dropped toward her creamy throat, and I was suddenly afraid she was going to fall and hit her head on the ledge’s rocky edge.

“Oh, no!” Aleia gasped as she put her hands on the woman’s slim shoulders to push her back upright. “Are you okay? Jack, she’s shaking, and her skin feels as cold as the stone around her. I think we need to get her out of here as quickly as we possibly can. She needs to be somewhere warm.”

“You’re right,” I agreed. “Let’s figure this out.”

The feathered woman’s head lolled backward again, and her expression was more pain than ecstasy. Her amber eyes rolled back into her head, and Aleia quickly grabbed the bird-like creature’s body tighter before she fell backward. The fairy then cradled the bird-woman in her arms, and she held the stranger’s head as gently as a newborn baby.

The bird-woman’s lips were unnaturally pale, and she had bluish, bruised-looking circles under her eyes. She looked utterly exhausted and frail, and I knew there was no way she’d be able to walk back to the convent.

“Luckily she’s light,” the fairy remarked. “I’m so nervous, Jack. I know I need to be delicate with her body, but I want to get her far away from here as quickly as possible.”

“Yeah, we need to leave,” I agreed. “We need to head back to your sisters and go. Let me just look around to make sure there aren’t any gargoyles lurking.”

I scanned the tower, and while there were still two guards arguing with one another on a ledge, they weren’t looking anywhere near Aleia’s direction. There wasn’t any other action on this side of the structure, so I thought it was as good a time as any to go.

The forest behind the tower almost grew all the way up to the granite walls, and if the priestesses went around the back of the lair to the east, the woods grew thicker. I wanted to avoid any gargoyle surveillance, of course, even though there didn’t seem to be much, but if the women could make it into the denser cover of trees, I could lead them to the convent trail in a roundabout way.

I just hoped the gargoyles wouldn’t realize the statue was gone until the morning, and even then, they’d hopefully have no leads on who’d taken it.

“Fly back down to the ground, and hold her like that,” I instructed Aleia. “Keep flying toward those trees to the east, away from the main entrance. I’ll tell Penelope and Nicola to meet you down there.”

“Of course, my lord,” the fairy said as she flew downward toward the trees with the bird-woman held tenderly in her arms. “I will keep my eyes open for my sisters.”

“Thanks, Aleia,” I said before I addressed the women on the ground in an urgent voice. “Penelope, Nicola, I need you to move. Keep heading back toward the trees.”

“Yes, Jack,” the brunette said with a nod. She glanced at Penelope, and the two priestesses gripped one another’s hands and began to creep forward around the base of the tower.

“Where’s Aleia?” Penelope whispered.

“She has the… statue, and she’s flying down to meet you right now,” I explained.

“You got her?” the naiad breathed as her mouth fell open into a wide O shape.

“Yes, I’ll explain later,” I told the women.

Aleia landed and hid behind a tree, and she glanced around for threats with huge eyes. The woods were completely dark and nearly silent aside from the distant arguing of the gargoyle guards, and the fairy was as still as the carvings on the wall while she waited for the other two priestesses.

Penelope and Nicola continued to tiptoe until they reached the thicker patch of woods, and they headed east through the trees until they met up with Aleia. When the two priestesses caught sight of the fairy holding the injured woman in her arms, they both audibly gasped.

“What’s going on?” Nicola whispered. “You found her?”

“The statue came to life,” I explained. “She’s a real woman, like I thought, but she’s very, very ill. We have to get her back to the convent so you can try to heal her.”

“Holy shit,” the brunette said and shook her head. “I still wasn’t sure this was real.”

“Me, neither, but all we can do is head back now,” Penelope said with a firm set to her jaw. “Aleia, are you ready?”

“You have no idea.” The fairy shuddered grimly, and then she gestured with her head down to the woman in her arms. “I need to tell you more about what just happened.”

“We’ll chat more later,” the naiad said with a sympathetic look in her eyes. “Poor sister. Which way should we head next, master?”

“I want you to head east for a couple hundred yards, and then cut southwest back down to the path,” I explained.

“Got it,” Nicola agreed in a low tone. “Gods, I can’t wait to see the convent again. All these carvings and statues are too spooky for my liking.”

The women began to hike through the treacherous woods with no trail, and their legs were almost immediately covered in cuts from the low-lying, thorny bushes that crowded the forest floor. Aleia held the bird-woman carefully up in the air as she hiked between the pine trees, but she bit her lip as she looked down with worry at her delicate load.

“I wish I could carry all of you to the convent,” the strawberry-blonde said and glanced back at the other two priestesses. “That would make this so much faster.”

“Do you want to fly ahead, sister?” Penelope asked. “Perhaps Jack would allow that--”

Suddenly, the blue woman was interrupted by the loud creaking sound of stone shifting.

Shit.

The priestesses froze in place, and I adjusted my God Vision back to the lair.

Sure enough, a gargoyle with thick muscles rippling down his back had emerged onto a balcony, and he held a large silver bow in his hands.

“What was that sound?” Aleia whispered nervously. “Was it one of the doors?”

“Yeah, it was from the tower” I confirmed. “A door on the back of the building just swung open, and a gargoyle with a bow came out. You’re going to need to stay as quiet and as still as you possibly can.”

The priestesses huddled in place in the darkness, and all I could hear for a few moments was their rapid, tense breathing. The feathered woman moaned softly, and I crossed my invisible fingers that she wasn’t going to scream out in pain again.

Then the gargoyle on the tower glanced around the woods, and he flew up off the balcony directly toward the missing statue.

Fuck.

The gargoyle glanced around in disbelief for a moment when he saw the statue’s empty space, and then he balled his fists and screamed in rage. He stared back out toward the surrounding forest as his head turned from north to south, and when his gleaming black eyes danced across the woods east of the tower, his eyes initially passed over the women’s location.

That was a fucking relief.

But then his eyes shifted back, and he seemed to zero in right where the priestesses were standing.

Could the fuckers have night vision?

“Stay still,” I told the priestesses. “It looks like he can see you.”

The women stayed locked in position as the monster stared down at the woods, and the tension was almost unbearable while I waited for the gargoyle’s next move.

The monster shifted in place as he narrowed his beady eyes and breathed noisily through his half-open mouth, and then, with a horrible, leathery flapping sound, he flew out toward the woods.

The beast started to fly in tighter and tighter circles around the women’s location, and I knew I had to come up with something immediately. I wasn’t sure how much of the women he could see, but he was in the immediate vicinity, had a bow in his hand, and was dipping down lower and lower toward the tops of the trees.

What the hell was I going to do?

And then suddenly, I remembered something.

We had the Maglite.

“I want you to try to blind him with the flashlight,” I instructed the priestesses. “He’s getting closer to the ground, so you need to be careful, but quick.”

“I can do it,” Nicola whispered. “It’s in my pack.”

The brunette positioned herself behind a rock, and then, in one swift motion, she reached into her bag, pulled out the Maglite, and shone it up into the air.

“Fuuuuck,” the gargoyle hissed as the bright light blasted him directly in the eyes, and he immediately swerved downward and crashed into the top of a giant pine.

“Nice, Nicola!” I praised the brunette. “Keep shining it at him. Aleia, I need you to put the woman down and get ready with your sling.”

“Penelope, can you take her?” the fairy muttered, and the blue woman nodded, sat down on the ground, and held out her arms. The strawberry-blonde gently laid the bird-woman down, and the naiad carefully positioned the strange woman in her lap.

“Arggggh,” the gargoyle roared as he attempted to extricate himself from the sharp branches. He put a meaty hand over his eyes to try and shield himself from the light, but Nicola continued to aim the flashlight at his face.

Then Aleia shot high into the air until she was far above the gargoyle’s head. She shot a rock down toward him, but she missed by several feet.

“I’m blinded, too,” the fairy moaned. “Sorry, my lord.”

“Aleia, hold tight,” I instructed. “Don’t try to shoot again until you’re sure you can hit him.”

“I know you have my biiiird…” the gargoyle hissed, and I wasn’t even sure he’d noticed the fairy’s stone. “She’s miiine. Give her back, and I might even let you live.”

The ugly creature drew his bow again, and I was afraid he was going to blindly start shooting.

“Nicola, try to distract him so Aleia can fire a stone,” I told the brunette.

“We don’t have to fight, do we?” Nicola purred to the monster.

“What?” the blinded gargoyle asked in a startled voice. “Who are you? Bird, have you come back to life?”

“Oh, I’m just a girl who wants you to get what you need,” the brunette called as she continued to shine the flashlight directly at his face. “Do you want your bird back? I can help you.”

The gargoyle finally managed to untangle his huge, gray wings from the fir tree’s branches, and he hovered in place several feet above the women.

“Show me your face,” the beast demanded as he squinted down at the priestesses. “You sound pretty. I won’t kill you, I promise.”

“I am pretty,” Nicola giggled, and then she turned to Penelope. “Here, take the light.”

Nicola tossed the flashlight to the naiad, who caught it with an adept hand and shone it up toward the gargoyle. Then the dark-haired priestess drew her bowstring and aimed an arrow at the unaware beast.

“But where is my bird?” the gargoyle hissed. “I know you have her, and I will have her back. Turn off that light. I need to see her, or you’re going to die.”

“Can’t we talk for a little bit first?” Nicola asked in a pleading tone. “You look so… handsome.”

“Handsome?” the gargoyle asked. “Of course, I am. But if you’re really beautiful, show me.”

“I’ll show you… right now!” The brunette loosed an arrow, and her aim was spot on. The projectile hit the gargoyle directly in the abdomen and embedded itself a few inches into his stony skin. It wasn’t much, but a faint black trickle of goo started to spill from the wound, and the creature briefly winced.

Then he reached down and pulled the arrow out of his belly like it was nothing, and he looked down with a smirk at the gooey arrowhead in his hands. The clearly unhurt monster snapped the arrow in half and threw it on the ground, and then his eyes flashed to stony gray before he drew his own arrow and aimed it in Nicola’s general direction.

The brunette hunched down further behind her rock, and Penelope scooted back further into the bushes with the red angel in her arms.

“I’m getting my fucking bird,” the gargoyle snarled as he stared down at the ground with blank, gray eyes, and he pulled his bowstring taut.

But then Aleia’s rock blasted him in the center of his forehead, and his face shattered in two.

The gargoyle’s stony visage cracked in half to reveal his hollow interior, and as his body fell into another tree, pieces of granite began to crash down to the forest floor.

“Run!” I told the women as I scanned the lair one last time for approaching gargoyles. “Get back to the convent before anyone else comes after you!”

Penelope switched off the light as Aleia descended, and the women stood stock still as they tried to get their bearings in the sudden, startling darkness.

“Which way should we go?” the fairy asked. “I’m lost, my lord.”

“Turn right to head back toward the path,” I explained. “And be fast.”

Aleia reached down and plucked the bird-woman from Penelope’s arms, and then she dashed through the forest with the human and the naiad close behind her. The terrain was rough, and I was more grateful than ever for the women’s new boots as they crunched over sharp sticks and clambered over rocks. As usual, none of the three brave priestesses cried out in pain as they headed back down toward the main trail, and all of them kept sending anxious glances at the limp woman in Aleia’s arms.

“Are we going the right way?” Aleia gasped. “I’m worried I’m going to hurt her running like this.”

“Yep,” I confirmed as the women approached the path. “It’s about to get a lot easier once the path is open. Go!”

The night now seemed completely black in the absence of the flashlight’s glow, and it was silent other than the sound of racing footsteps and panting.

Then the bird-woman began to cough and gag, and she started to thrash around in Aleia’s arms.

“You should fly ahead,” I told the fairy. “I don’t want you to split up, but you’re right, it doesn’t sound like she’s handling the run well.”

“Go, sister!” Penelope implored. “Save her!”

The fairy shot up into the air and soared toward the convent, and Nicola and Penelope followed on foot as they quickened their paces.

“You’re really going to need the stream after this,” I told the women.

“Tell Aleia to take her straight there,” the naiad gasped. “She may be able to heal her in the creek.”

“Good idea,” I praised the blue woman. “All of you should meet down at the water.”

I looked back over my God Vision, and I could see the two gargoyle guards still engaged in conversation. I didn’t see any light coming from the gargoyle tower other than a few random torches, and I was more than relieved that the women appeared to be temporarily in the clear.

Penelope and Nicola still held their weapons at the ready the whole time they ran just in case, but as I eyed Nicola’s bow, I began to wonder if it was adequate enough.

I didn’t like how her arrow had barely penetrated the gargoyle in his animal form, and if those were the kinds of assholes we had living near our convent, I was going to have to come up with new weapons for the women. I could get any tool I wanted, so there was no reason I couldn’t get more creative arming my loyal priestesses.

Aleia was almost to the edge of the woods with the bird-angel in her arms, when suddenly, something flashed across my field of vision.

Level Up!

Chapter 7

Holy shit, if I’d leveled up, this meant my brave priestesses had actually rescued the woman in trouble.

But our scarlet bird clearly wasn’t out of the woods yet.

Aleia flew down to the banks of the stream as our ward laid totally still in her arms, and she gently set the bird-woman’s body down on the ground.

The woman’s cheeks were ghostly pale, and her eyes weren’t even fluttering. She laid completely motionless on her bed of leaves and pine needles, and the fairy anxiously leaned over her body.

“Is she okay?” Aleia breathed. “She isn’t moving at all. I don’t want to put her all the way in the stream when Penelope isn’t here, but maybe I could put a little water on her.

Aleia removed her boots and waded a foot or so into the creek, and then she cupped her hands to scoop up the blessed water. The water dribbled between her fingertips while she stepped out of the stream, but she had enough left to pour some onto the bird-woman’s chest. Then the fairy sat down cross-legged next to the mystery woman and rubbed her wet palms on her ashen cheeks.

For a moment, nothing happened before a strange gurgling sound came from the bird-woman’s throat. It almost sounded like she was going to choke, or throw up, but the noise gradually subsided to a cough. She kept coughing for several seconds while Aleia stroked her face and cooed to her in a gentle tone, and her frail body shivered all over from the effort.

Then the bird-woman bolted upright and stared at Aleia with huge, amber eyes.

“Who are you?” the stranger croaked. “Who…”

The angel collapsed back down into Aleia’s strong arms, rested her face on the fairy’s shoulder, and began to sob, and the red-and-yellow feathers on her arms swayed back and forth as her crimson shoulders shook with tears.

“It’s okay,” the strawberry-blonde priestess murmured. “You’re safe now. I’m Aleia, and… I know how to protect you. Those gargoyles can’t get you anymore.”

There was no response from the red-haired woman as she nestled even closer to Aleia’s chest.

“Jack, she’s gone from very cold to very hot,” the fairy whispered. “I think she might have a fever.”

Penelope and Nicola came skidding to a stop on the banks with Thunder at the brunette’s heels, and they both stared with gaping mouths at Aleia.

“What happened up there?” Nicola gasped. “How did you actually bring a statue to life?”

“Jack did it,” the fairy explained. “He told me how to read words that were carved into the stone under her, and she turned back into a real woman. Oh, sisters, it sounded like she was in so much pain as it happened. Her cries were so awful and sad. It was the worst thing I’ve ever heard.”

The bird-woman’s white robe was dirty and now sodden with tears, and the hem of the skirt was dotted with blood from the places where her ankles had gotten cut during the trek through the woods.

“You’re under Jack’s protection now,” Penelope said as she knelt down next to the two women and began to stroke the angel’s red feathers. “No harm will come to you anymore. He is our beneficent savior.”

The redhead collapsed even further down Aleia’s chest, and her sobs grew quieter and quieter. Her head fell down toward her neck, and her mouth fell open a little, and when she grew completely silent, I wondered if she’d passed out again.

“I think we need to get her in the stream,” Penelope said in a nervous voice. “How should we do this? Do we take her robe off, or…?”

“I don’t know,” Aleia fretted. “We don’t know her at all. Can we just undress her?”

“She is sick,” the naiad countered. “We need to keep her warm and dry. The stream’s magic waters shouldn’t give her a chill, but just in case, it doesn’t seem like a good idea to keep her in her wet clothing.”

“You’ll need blankets for her,” I said. “She’s going to need them to stay warm when she gets out of the water. Nicola, can you run up and get some?”

“Yes, that’s a good idea,” Penelope agreed as the dark-haired woman headed back toward the living quarters. “She’ll feel nice wrapped up in a blanket. Get her one of the nice ones Elowise gave us, Nicola! You can take it from my bed.”

“That’s so generous of you, sister,” Aleia praised. “And now I’ll help you get her in the water.”

“I’ll just leave her robe on for now,” Penelope said. “I know we’ll have to dress her in a little bit, but if she wakes up naked in a stream, she’ll certainly be frightened.”

“I think that’s a good plan,” I agreed.

When the redhead’s chin drooped forward onto her chest, Aleia immediately scooped her up. Then the fairy walked down the banks and into the blessed stream with Penelope at her heels, and she laid the woman out onto the bank as carefully as she could.

I marveled at the way her feathers spread out in the current, and her crimson hair floated behind her like a wave of fire. She had bright, feverish spots on her cheekbones now, and her eyes were closed again. Her breathing was rough and hoarse, and she coughed every few seconds.

After a couple moments in the water, though, the redhead’s breathing started to calm, and her complexion began to take on a more natural tone. Her cough stopped rattling her chest so deeply, and the lines on her face softened.

“I think she’s feeling a little better,” Penelope sighed. “Her cough was worrying me for a bit.”

“She looks better, too,” Aleia agreed. “Her face isn’t quite as pale.”

“She’s so beautiful,” the naiad sighed as she gazed down at the stranger’s perfect face. “She must be here to worship you, my lord. Why else would we have found a woman this incredible? She must be strong, too, to have survived being imprisoned in stone.”

“Well, I don't know about all that,” I demurred. “But I am glad she’s doing a little better. The magic of your stream gets stronger and stronger, Penelope.”

Nicola returned to the banks with the blankets, and she stood to the side of the stream and watched the two other priestesses bathe the bird-woman.

“I hope we can heal her, Jack,” the brunette said quietly. “I hope she feels more comfortable, at least.”

“She was in so much pain,” I told Nicola. “I’ve never heard anything like those cries before.”

“That’s awful,” the dark-haired woman responded with a solemn expression, but then a sly smile spread across her lips. “She is beautiful, isn’t she, Jack? Do you like the color red?”

“I’m not worried about that right now,” I chuckled. “I just want her to heal for the time being, but I do like her feathers.”

“I’m not sure what kind of creature she is,” Nicola said as she pursed her lips to the side. Her dark eyebrows furrowed as she thought, but finally she shook her head. “She’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before. The only thing I can think of is…”

“What is it?” I asked. I was dying to know more about the mysterious woman.

“The only cross between a bird and a human I’ve ever heard about is a harpy,” the brunette explained. “But they’re supposed to be old and ugly, or at least, that’s what the fairy tales say.”

“A harpy…” I mused. Old and ugly sounded right from my vague knowledge of the myth, but the creature in the stream was anything but. “You’ve heard of them before?”

“Yes, but whoever she turns out to be, I bet you hope she’ll become a priestess,” the dark-haired woman laughed. “I know how you think.”

“Oh, you know what I’m thinking, do you?” I teased. “A mere mortal knows that much about a god?”

Nicola looked up at the sky with a smirk on her face.

“Am I not being devout, my lord?” the brunette asked with her dark eyes hooded.

“You know how I feel about you being disrespectful,” I snickered. “But as for her being a priestess, I have no idea.”

“She could worship you with those feathers,” Nicola purred with a devious look on her face. “I bet they’d feel nice on your skin…”

“Enough!” I laughed. “My only hope right now is that we can bring her back to health.”

“I wonder how long she was a statue,” the brunette said and shuddered. “Just the thought of being trapped like that is so scary. I didn’t even like being confined in the underground tunnels.”

“I know,” I responded. “The gargoyles are really, really evil. They had more than one of these statues on top of the lair, and it didn’t look like the other women lived through the treatment.”

Nicola’s frown deepened, and she shook her head in disgust rather than responding.

I focused back on the stream, and I tried not to look through the bird-woman’s now transparent robe, but it wasn’t an easy feat.

“How’s she doing?” I asked Penelope and Aleia. “Is she looking better?”

“We can’t get her to respond to us at all,” the fairy said in a sad tone. “Her color looks better, but she won’t open her eyes. No matter what we do, she won’t wake up again.”

“But at least she’s not coughing anymore,” Penelope pointed out. “That’s one good thing.”

“That is good,” I agreed. “Why don’t you go ahead and get her out now, and then you can get her changed and wrapped up in a blanket? You have something for her to wear, right?”

“I have extra robes,” the naiad answered. “She appears to be about my size.”

“Thanks, Penelope,” I responded. “I appreciate that.”

“I have the blanket,” Nicola said from the banks of the stream as she held up a large, velvety, deep-blue quilt.

“Okay, I’m going to take her out,” Aleia announced, and she slid her arms under the soaking wet woman and climbed out of the water.

Penelope followed, and then the three priestesses all looked down at the woman in the fairy’s arms with thoughtful expressions.

“I think we will need to undress her now…” the naiad mused. “We can put her clothes back on when we get her to the living quarters.”

“I’ll look away,” I told the women.

“Why would you look away from her when you’re a god?” Nicola asked. “You could see this woman laid out, and clearly she’s beautiful. Her breasts--”

“Nicola, stop it,” Penelope cut in. “Jack likes to see our bodies because we are his holy followers and are devoted to him, and he also loves us. We don’t know anything about her! Our lord wouldn’t gaze upon her nakedness, would you, master?”

“Of course not,” I laughed. “What Penelope said is exactly right. Just go ahead and change her, and I’ll think about something else for a few minutes.”

I averted my eyes toward the convent walls and considered the fight the women had just been through. They’d held their own as always, but the gargoyles were tough fighters, and I was worried we weren’t through with them yet. The guard in the woods had seemed pretty excited about his precious trophy, and I wasn’t convinced they weren’t going to come looking for her.

The convent walls and the dog were good protection, but we needed better.

Especially if we had winged enemies in the area.

“Thunder!” I heard Penelope giggle. “Don’t lick her on her face!”

“You can’t wake her up that way, silly,” Nicola’s voice said.

I was glad the priestesses were cheerful again, but I only wanted the bird-woman to be safe. The quest to rescue her made me feel incredibly protective of this “woman in distress,” but even though I’d leveled up, it didn’t seem fulfilling to consider her rescued unless she was healthy again.

This notion reminded me I hadn’t checked my display yet after leveling up, but now that I’d spoken with my women about our feathered ward, I was beginning to wonder if I might find some interesting information in my interface.

What if this new woman really was a priestess of mine?

Before I checked my new level-up information, I quickly flipped through the section of my interface that was dedicated to the women. To my disappointment, there was no one new listed. I wished it would tell me her name, or anything about her, but nothing was there.

To placate myself, I decided to check my other information.

Daily Tool Replication (4) acquired!

Convent: Level 10

Next Town Quest: Build guard towers within convent walls

Reward upon Quest Completion: Gain ability to grant +2 strength points to one priestess in battle for 30 minutes. Power regenerates at midnight each night

Holy shit.

The convent was at level 10? That seemed like a massive accomplishment. Had I really been here this long and completed this many difficult tasks? I had to pat myself on my virtual back, and I realized it was no wonder Penelope’s stream was healing the new woman so effectively. We’d all advanced so much in our short time together.

Also, a quest to build guard towers would be a new way to protect the convent, like I’d been thinking about. Sometimes it felt like this simulation read my mind without any effort on my part at all.

Or maybe I was starting to get the hang of this new god life.

The strength bonus was interesting, too, but I wasn’t crazy about the way the new reward made it sound like battles were going to be a regular thing. On the other hand, there were different ways to apply it. I could boost extra-strong Aleia even further, or I could bring Penelope up closer to the level of the other women. I hoped we wouldn't need to use the boost every twenty-four hours, but it was good to know it was available.

Now, I decided to check the priestesses’ stats.

First, there was Aleia.

Strength: 8

Endurance: 3

Intelligence: 2

Perception: 3

Agility: 4

Special Ability: Crafting: Develops into Alchemy: Level 10

This time, the fairy’s Endurance had increased. That was never a surprising jump for the strawberry-blonde, because she spent so much time hauling things around. She’d carried the mystery redhead all the way from the gargoyle tower to the convent, and physical labor seemed to get easier for her every day.

Now I decided to look at Nicola’s statistics, and I reminded myself the brunette still had a one-point advantage from our night of dream sex less than twenty-four hours ago.

Strength: 6

Endurance: 5

Intelligence: 3

Perception: 3

Agility: 4

Special Ability: Hunting/Animal Husbandry: Develops into Animal Communication: Level 10

Nicola had gotten a boost to her Endurance as well, and I thought it probably had to do with all the exploring and hiking around the women had done as of late. She and Penelope jogged for miles from the gargoyle tower back to the convent, and she’d done it with relative ease.

On that note, I suspected Penelope might get a boost to her Endurance, too, since running like that while pregnant couldn’t have been easy.

Strength: 2

Endurance: 5

Intelligence: 4

Perception: 3

Agility: 2

Special Ability: Water Seeking/Fishing: Develops into Water Magic: Level 10

I’d been right about her Endurance going up again. The priestesses getting tougher was always alright by me, so I was happy for these new developments.

“Jack?” Penelope called out from down by the creek, and the naiad’s voice seemed strained and anxious.

“What’s going on?” I asked the blue woman. “Is she okay?”

“She mostly seems alright,” Aleia interjected. “It really seems like she’s just sleeping in this blanket at this point. Maybe she needs to rest after her rescue, because she certainly hasn’t looked well. But when we were wrapping her up, we noticed something strange about her body. I think the stream helped her feel better, but she has some wounds. It appears that she may have had large, full wings at one point, but the feathers were clipped.”

“Clipped?” I gasped. “Those assholes just… cut her appendages to hell?”

“Poor girl,” Penelope said with sad, shining eyes. “Those horrible gargoyles! As if imprisoning her in stone wasn’t bad enough.”

“What if she can never fly again?” Aleia whimpered, and I could tell the thought had her on the verge of tears.

“We’ll keep an eye on her,” I assured the women. “Hopefully she continues to heal well, and I really, really hope she wakes up in the morning. Maybe you should put her to bed for now.”

“I think that’s a good idea,” Aleia yawned. “It’s so very late anyway, and we could all use some rest. I’ll carry her to the living quarters. Come with me, sisters.”

“I am exhausted,” Penelope admitted. “That run was hard.”

“You’ve had a lot of energy lately, sister, compared to the way you were feeling a few days ago,” Nicola reminded her. “So, don’t feel too bad.”

“It’s true,” the naiad giggled. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to go to bed right now!”

The women hiked up the hill with the stranger in Aleia’s arms, and I wished I could be there to feel the soft, dewy grass under my feet and help the new woman get better. I wanted to hold my own priestesses after the struggle they’d been through, and it couldn’t hurt to feel a rough, scratchy blanket under my body again as I looked up at a sky full of stars.

“You didn’t get to bathe, Nicola,” I said to the brunette. “Are you sure you’re going to be alright?”

“I think so,” the dark-haired woman laughed. “I’ve felt strong today, and I suspect I know why.”

“Hmm,” I responded. “I wonder what you could be talking about…”

I considered whether I should go to one of the priestesses in their dreams tonight. The sex gave them an energy and stats boost, but they were all so tired after their nighttime battle, and the dreams were apparently incredibly realistic.

And then there was the question of who to join.

I’d been with Nicola the night before, but I needed to keep her strong, and she hadn’t been in the water. Then again, there were always Aleia with her sexy wings, and sweet Penelope to entice me, too.

As much as I wanted to be with Aleia, I wanted a chance to heal and soothe my baby’s mother after her long night. So, I decided I would go to Penelope.

The priestesses had made it to the living quarters and spread the mysterious woman out on the blue blanket on the floor, and they’d dressed her in Penelope’s spare robes. The bird-woman’s eyes were still closed tight, and she didn’t even twitch as she laid on the soft bedding in her new, gauzy attire. She looked more like an angel than ever in the getup, and the need to see her fully restored burned in my being as I thought about what I’d like to do to those fucking gargoyles for this.

“Give her another blanket,” Penelope fretted as she grabbed another cover from the corner of the room, and I inwardly smirked at how cute and motherly the naiad was. She even stroked the bird-woman’s long, red hair one last time before she tucked her in with a silky blanket, and I knew our new ward would be in good hands among my followers.

“You’re so sweet,” I told Penelope. “Look at you. You take care of Roza, and now this stranger you don’t even know. You’re going to be a great mama.”

Penelope didn’t respond in words, but her cheeks flushed a deep purple, and a broad smile spread across her face.

“And I’m going to come see you tonight,” I continued, and I watched her face turn even darker as she giggled to herself.

The priestesses and Thunder were all soon asleep along with the bird-woman, and I found myself gazing down upon the stranger in the room. Her scarlet hair was spread out around her pale face like a halo, and she appeared to be sleeping peacefully.

Until all of a sudden, her amber eyes flew open.

The bird-woman stared upward, and for a moment I swore she could see me. I felt like I was looking directly into her eyes, just like what had happened back at the gargoyle tower, and I had the sudden urge to try to speak to her.

“Hello?” I whispered to the bird-like creature. “Can you hear me?”

The woman continued to stare up at the ceiling, but then her eyes fluttered shut again, and I was left wondering if I’d imagined the whole thing.

I planned to visit Penelope, but first I needed to think about what tool I was going to request for the night. We were going to be building guard towers that were high off the ground, but we only had one ladder. It would be useful to have multiples, and now I had the ability to request up to four tools at a time. I didn’t know if we needed four long term, but depending on what our future projects would be, it couldn’t hurt to be prepared. More ladders for the priestesses, and one for the gnomes to use would work well.

I’d never ordered the same tool on multiple nights before, so I was a bit curious about whether ordering more ladders was going to work. I always liked to test my abilities and see how much wiggle room I could get with my powers, anyway, so the request was also a bit of a test run.

I was still considering how I wanted to better arm my priestesses, too, and we would definitely need strong enough weapons to defend ourselves against our new enemies.

Could I request tools to help me make these weapons?

My women were getting pretty proficient with their bows, and I wanted to give them a better advantage with their primary weapons. We had gargoyles around, after all, and from what I’d seen lately, we definitely needed a weapon that could penetrate their stony armor. Having more force behind the women’s projectiles seemed like the easiest solution, and a compound bow or crossbow would be within the women’s skill sets.

But the intricacies of building those weapons in accurate ways wasn’t a hurdle I knew how to get over right now. Not with the assets I had available at least. Sure, I could order pulley/cam systems and stick them onto the women’s basic bows, but the extra draw weight would probably snap the wood in one pull, and the time it took to assemble a more solid arrangement could interrupt their larger project.

In any case, the towers would at least give the women a way to take care of enemies from the high ground, and for the time being, that would have to do until I came up with a better solution.

And now it was time to visit my Penelope.

A god’s work is never done.

When I entered Penelope’s dream, she was more than ready to fuck me. Those pregnancy hormones were certainly taking effect, because she was desperately hungry for my cock inside her time and time again. She also begged to drink down my seed over and over like the thirsty little priestess she was, and I was happy to oblige.

One perk, or maybe the best perk, of being a god, was that I could stay hard for as long as I needed, and even cum as many times as I wanted without ever having to stop. I could fuck a priestess twice without even having to take a break, and the blue woman was more than satiated by my godly talents.

It was a good night.

When Penelope woke up at dawn, the blissful smile on her face told me everything I needed to know.

“Good morning, master,” the naiad chirped. “I feel great, even though I don’t think I got very much sleep at all.”

“Do the dreams count as sleep?” I mused. “They certainly feel real to me. I’m glad you feel good, though.”

“It’s all because of you,” the blue woman said with a private smile. “I know you’re giving me extra powers. When that big cock of yours fills me up-- oh, good morning, Aleia!”

“Good morning,” the fairy responded quietly with a rosy flush on her freckled cheeks, and I knew she’d heard what Penelope had said. “So, has anyone checked on the poor woman this morning?”

“Oh, no, silly me!” Penelope gasped as she jumped up out of bed. “I was just so busy-- well, never mind that. Of course, we need to see how she’s doing.”

Aleia followed the naiad over to the bird-woman on the floor, and I was glad the stranger’s breathing was slow and smooth.

“Should I try to wake her up?” Aleia wondered. “I probably should, just to make sure she’s really alright.”

“Go ahead,” I agreed, and the fairy knelt down by the redhead’s shoulder and gently shook it.

The bird-woman started to shift around under her blanket, and she shook her head as if to say she didn’t want to be woken.

But then she opened her huge amber eyes and stared up at the priestesses.

In the daylight, I could see how hollow her cheeks were, and the huge circles under her eyes appeared even darker. I wondered how long she’d been a statue, and how much it had weakened her.

“Oh, you poor thing,” Penelope cooed. “Look at you. I just want to take care of you and help you get better.”

“Are you okay?” Aleia asked with a hand still on the redhead’s shoulder.

The woman didn’t answer, but she pushed up on her elbows as if she wanted to sit. She was still too weak, though, and she fell back while Aleia quickly put a hand under the red-haired woman’s head to ease her down to the ground.

“There you go,” Penelope said, but she looked at the fairy in dismay, and then back down at the redhead. “You still aren’t talking.”

The feathered woman shook her head weakly from side to side, and she put her hand to her throat and coughed.

“She probably got dust in her lungs from the stone,” I suggested.

“Should she drink blessed water?” the naiad fretted. “Should we feed her? Are you hungry?”

The redhead shook her head again.

Suddenly, Thunder began to bark loudly.

“Hellooo!” a voice called from outside the convent walls, and I realized the women had a visitor. The sky had only started to lighten a few minutes before, so I was surprised a gnome had arrived already.

“Elowise is here,” I told Penelope and Aleia. “Wake up Nicola.”

“I heard you and Thunder,” the brunette grumbled from her bed. “Jack, I’m going to need your permission to take a nap later.”

“Maybe,” I chuckled. “It could happen, if you behave.”

“Are you dressed?” Elowise called from outside of the wall as Penelope rushed to let her in. “I don’t want to interrupt you girls, and I’m so sorry it’s early, but I couldn’t sleep worrying about you. The rest of my family are still in their beds, and I’m sure they’ll come by later, but I knew where you had to go last night, and I was so scared.”

“We’re all dressed,” Penelope called out as she opened the gate. “But we do have a bit of a situation.”

“Thank you, Penelope,” the old gnomish woman said as she turned the corner into the living quarters. “Good morning, Aleia-- oh, my.”

Elowise stared at the feathered scarlet woman on the ground, who had closed her eyes again.

“We rescued her,” the naiad chirped. “We don’t know her name because it doesn’t seem like she can talk. She was very, very sick yesterday, and she probably still is. We bathed her in the healing waters of the stream and wrapped her in warm blankets for the night, and she looks a little better, but she can’t speak. We don’t even know what kind of creature she is!”

“Oh, my, you are spectacular,” the old woman marveled. “I’ve never seen a woman like you before. Look at those feathers. Can you tell me who you are?”

The red angel’s eyes fluttered open, and when she looked up at Elowise’s kind little face, her eyes filled with tears. She opened her mouth and attempted to speak, but only a small creaking noise emerged.

“She needs tea,” Elowise said in a decisive voice as she dusted her hands together. “I’m going to fix her right up.”

Elowise walked out of the living quarters and toward the gate in the wall, and Penelope, Aleia, and Thunder followed the small gnomish woman out toward the field that laid between the convent and the woods. Then the old gnome started to poke around in the grass, and she picked clovers and dandelions as the two priestesses watched, and the puppy ran around in a circle.

“What are you making, Elowise?” Aleia asked.

“I think you know what I’m going to say, dear,” the old woman laughed. “An old gnomish recipe for a healing tea, of course. We’ll use your blessed water, Penelope. You see I’m gathering these wildflowers, but there are other elements to the tea that you can’t know about, girls. I’ll have to go out into the woods and collect a few things on my own.”

“Of course,” Penelope said with a warm smile. “Anything you need, and anything to help that poor woman.”

“How did you rescue her?” Elowise asked. “And did you actually say she looks better than she did before? Because that sweet thing looks on the verge of death.”

“Oh, Elowise, she was so pale yesterday she barely looked alive,” the naiad told the gnome. “We’re so lucky to have the stream for healing. And as for her rescue, well, perhaps Jack can tell you about that.”

“Maybe later,” I chuckled. “But Elowise, it was pretty crazy.”

“Even crazy for a god?” the old woman laughed. “My, that must be crazy indeed. Well, I’m going to go to the woods now, and when I return, I’ll have the ingredients to help her. Don’t worry, girls.”

“Thank you, Elowise!” Aleia called after the small woman.

“What’s going on out here?” Nicola yawned as she walked outside the walls on bare feet. “Thunder, come!”

“Elowise is going to make healing tea,” Penelope explained. “But I don’t really want to leave the poor bird-woman alone, so I want to go back to the living quarters.”

“And perhaps I’ll get back in bed,” the brunette laughed.

My fairy, naiad, and human went back inside the wall, where the beautiful stranger was now sitting up against the stones of the living quarters. I was happy to see she was drinking from one of the women’s canteens.

“My throat,” the redhead mouthed as she pointed to her neck.

“We know,” Penelope said in a sympathetic voice. “Help is coming soon. Can you even tell us your name?”

“S-S…” the feathered woman tried to say. “Ssssss…”

“It’s okay,” Nicola assured her. “Elowise will be back any minute. I’ll light the fire, and we’ll make some tea, and then everything will be alright. Try to rest.”

A faint, relieved smile passed across the woman’s lips, and she laid her head back against the wall and closed her eyes again.

“We should make food,” Penelope said as she nervously hopped from foot to foot. “We need to feed her.”

“Nothing big, Penelope,” Aleia told the naiad. “Just a piece of fruit.”

“I’ll go get an apple from the garden,” the blue woman decided. “Maybe the juice will help her.”

Penelope ran off to the garden, and she gaped for a moment at the new ladders before she continued to look for fruit for the feathered woman. Meanwhile, Nicola tended to the fire, and she boiled a small clay pot of water over the flames.

Elowise soon returned with a handful of what appeared to be sticks and twigs in addition to the plants she’d collected earlier, and the old woman dropped the plants into the boiling water before she removed the pot from the fire with tongs and put it down on the grass.

“We’ll get you fixed right up,” Elowise said to the stranger, who was still sitting back with her head against the wall. “Just let me stir it around with this spoon here, and I’ll strain it into this little cup, and here you are.”

Elowise handed the bird-woman the cup of tea, and the redhead looked back at the gnome with grateful eyes.

Then she blew on the hot liquid, and the priestesses and the old woman all watched with bated breaths as she took her first sip.

The redhead opened her mouth, and the four women leaned in to hear what she had to say.

“What do you want to know?” the weak scarlet creature finally creaked.

“Tell us your name,” Penelope breathed. “Who are you?”

“I’m Celeste,” the woman hoarsely replied. “And they… they clipped my wings.”

Chapter 8

“Celeste…” Penelope breathed as she leaned toward the feathered woman with gleaming eyes. “What a beautiful name. And it’s so, so sad about your wings.”

“Thank you,” Celeste responded somewhat stiffly. “I… I don’t know who you are, or where I am.”

“Of course,” the naiad said in a kind voice. “I’m Penelope, I’m a naiad, and you are at a convent where we worship Jack, our most kind and benevolent lord. This is Nicola, and Aleia is the fairy. And this is our friend and neighbor Elowise, who has come from down the road to assist us this morning.”

“Penelope, Nicola, Aleia, Elowise,” the red-haired woman repeated. “Elowise, thank you for your tea. I don’t think I’d be speaking without it.”

“It’s my pleasure, dear,” the old woman responded. “Anything I can do to help.”

“The gargoyles clipped your wings?” Aleia asked. “You must be in a lot of pain.”

“They do hurt,” Celeste sighed as she looked down at the ground. “The gargoyles were so cruel. My wings are so special to me.”

“It’s a good thing we got you out of there when we did,” Nicola murmured. “I’d hate to think they may have hurt you worse.”

“Do you remember last night?” Penelope asked. “When we helped heal you in my stream? You were very, very ill.”

“Not really,” the redhead admitted. “I’ve had flashes of being bounced along in someone’s arms, but then there’s nothing. Thank you for saving me, but I’m so far from my home, I’m not sure where I’ll go next.”

“You’re not going to stay here?” Penelope gasped in disbelief. “But this is Jack’s convent, and we’re his priestesses, and we thought…”

“Jack?” Celeste said with her red eyebrows drawn together. “Who is Jack?”

“Our most gracious and handsome god…” Now Penelope’s brow furrowed severely. “Have you never heard of the almighty Jack before?”

“No, I’m afraid not,” the feathered woman said with a shake of her head, which sent her crimson hair rippling down over her shoulders in gleaming waves. Despite her illness, her hair was absolutely gorgeous, and the way it cascaded down to mingle with her feathers was mesmerizing. “I’m not familiar with any gods.”

“But Jack is one of the old gods, of course,” Penelope started to explain. “He is ancient, and wise, and…”

The naiad trailed off at the blank expression on Celeste’s face.

“My dear,” Elowise began as she reached out to stroke one of Celeste’s arms. “I’ve never seen anyone like you before, but it’s most mysterious that you aren’t familiar with the names of any gods at all. Even before my family and I came to worship Jack, we were well aware of the ways of gods, both old and new, affect our society. Is that unfamiliar to you?”

“I’ve heard that there are beings who worship gods,” the redhead clarified, “but I’ve never heard any god’s name before. That sort of thing has never meant much to my people. Not that there are many of us left.”

“And your people are…?” Elowise asked.

“We’re harpies,” Celeste answered.

So, Nicola had been right, and it turned out all harpies weren’t old and ugly after all.

“Ask her where she comes from,” I urged the priestesses.

“Ask her?” Penelope mused. “She can’t hear you?”

“No, I don’t think so,” I replied, and I realized Celeste’s nose was crinkled in confusion.

“Who are you talking to?” the harpy asked. “I don’t mean to be rude, but you just apparently said something to no one.”

“Yep, I guess she can’t hear me,” I confirmed.

“We’re talking to Jack!” Penelope told the redhead. “And I was hoping you’d be able to hear him. Then you could be one of his priestesses, too!”

“Don’t pressure her, Penelope,” Nicola chided. “You know Jack wouldn’t like it if you forced people to follow him. I’m not even sure she knows what you’re talking about.”

“I don’t,” Celeste said with her lips pressed into a firm line. “Listen, you all are very kind, but maybe I should be on my way.”

The harpy attempted to push herself to her feet, but as her arms and legs wobbled, she had to give up. The redhead sat back down on the ground with a frown, crossed her arms, and growled under her breath.

“Ohhh, no,” Elowise said in a firm voice. “You’re not going anywhere. You’re much too weak, and I think you’re going to have to stay at the convent here for at least a few days.”

“A few days…” Celeste laughed. “I don’t think so, but, then again, I don’t really have anywhere else to go. I don’t have anyone left now that my grandmother is gone.”

“Your grandmother?” Aleia asked in a gentle tone. “Was that your only family? What happened to her?”

“Harpies are very rare,” the redhead said as she looked down at the ground, and I thought she was about to start crying. “As you can see, we’re very distinctive-looking, so our feathers are prized. Because of that, there aren’t that many of us left. Gargoyles aren’t the only ones who hunt my people. My mother was captured by human hunters, and my father was killed trying to rescue her.”

“Oh, that’s so awful,” Penelope breathed as her light-blue eyes instantly filled with tears.

The naiad had a familiar look about her, too, that I’d started to recognize since she became pregnant, and Aleia seemed to notice as well. The fairy offered Penelope a gentle pat to the arm and a gentle smile, and the blue woman sniffed as she dabbed her tears away at once.

“Did the gargoyles come to find you?” Nicola asked the harpy. “Were you a target?”

“They wanted me very badly,” Celeste explained. “They came to our home in the treetops with their bows and arrows, and they… they killed my grandmother.”

The harpy’s shoulders began to shake with sobs, and Penelope didn’t hesitate to drop down on the ground and throw her arms around the redhead. The feathered woman stiffened for a moment, but then she relaxed against the naiad as she cried.

The four other women sat in respectful silence as Celeste wept. After a few minutes, the harpy sniffled loudly, rubbed at her red-rimmed eyes, and wriggled away from Penelope’s grasp.

“I’m fine,” Celeste sighed. “I do apologize, I normally keep my composure much better than this. I’m just… I’m just a little tired. But I know my grandmother would want me to be strong.”

“Just a little tired?” Nicola asked as she stared at the harpy. “Your closest family member just got, well, I mean, she’s no longer--”

“What Nicola means to say is that you’ve been through a great deal,” Aleia cut in. “So, it’s understandable if you’re actually not fine.”

“Do you not want to talk anymore?” Penelope asked. “Do you need to rest again? Can I get you anything at all?”

“No, it’s okay,” the harpy answered. “You need to know about how horrible the gargoyles are. That is the most important thing now.”

“We already have an idea.” Aleia shuddered, and I knew she was thinking back to the terrible tower.

“So, they brought you back to their lair, and they imprisoned you in stone?” Penelope questioned as she leaned in further.

“No, they… they held me in this form for a while first.” The harpy’s yellow eyes went blank, and she put her arms around her shoulders. “They dressed me in that gown, and… I… I can’t even talk about it. It was horrible. And then I was trapped in that feeling of the stone closing in around me for longer than I could tell. I could feel myself growing so cold, and hard, and I was all by myself in the air. It sickens me to remember it.”

“Oh, you poor thing,” the naiad murmured. “You’ve been through so much. I can only imagine the pain you’re feeling right now, but I promise we’ll do everything we can to help you.”

“Let me ask you this,” Celeste said as her eyes narrowed. “Why do you want to assist me? You came to rescue me, but why would you risk your lives like that? Was it me in particular you were looking for? Is this because I’m a harpy?”

“Tell her, Jack,” Penelope implored. “Try to talk to her one more time.”

“Penelope, I don’t think--”

“Just try,” the naiad insisted.

“Okay,” I decided. “One more time. Celeste, I’m Jack, and--”

“I’m not sure what you’re doing,” the harpy said over me. “I don’t hear anything, and I still want to know why you came to find me.”

“Oh, well,” the blue woman sighed. “It was worth a try, and I do hope someday you might be able to hear our lord. He has such a very soothing and manly voice. The sort that makes you feel blessed just to listen to him. But Jack, our gracious lord, had a vision that you were in trouble. He’s the one who told us to save you.”

“Of course, he did,” the redhead said with pursed lips and a skeptical stare. “It was this Jack again. Well, regardless of any beliefs, I don’t want to bring harm to you, so I think you should let me leave. The gargoyles are going to be hunting me. You don’t want to draw that kind of trouble to your peaceful home.”

“Wait, let me explain further,” Aleia interjected. “I know this doesn’t make a lot of sense to you, but we… we’re obligated to protect you. We rescued you from the gargoyles in the name of our lord, we brought you here so you could heal, and we’re not just going to abandon you.”

“And we were happy to come find you,” Nicola added. “It’s such a relief to know we were actually able to save you. Please don’t worry about us. We can take care of ourselves.”

“And I’m so grateful you saved me,” Celeste sighed. “I do have to say thank you. You have relieved my agony in ways I can’t even express. But in the past week, I’ve gone from my comfortable home with my beloved grandmother, to the gargoyles, and now here. My grandmother is gone, and I don’t even know you. How do I know this isn’t a trap?”

It was understandable the harpy was a little paranoid given everything that had happened to her, especially if her feathers were as prized as she said they were.

“Aleia meant it when she said we wanted to protect you,” Penelope responded. “I completely understand how hard everything has been, and I promise you, for the time being, you’re safe.”

“These girls are very fierce,” Elowise confirmed. “We’ve fought alongside one another before, and they’ve fought trolls, goblins, and now gargoyles. They rescued our own little gnome baby without hesitation! If they say they’re going to keep you out of harm’s way, they mean it.”

“Are you a gnome?” Celeste asked as she gazed at the old woman. “I’ve only heard of your kind in fairy tales.”

“I’ve only heard of harpies in fairy tales, too,” Elowise chuckled. “So, we’re even on that front.”

“You remind me of my grandmother,” the harpy said. “So kind.”

“Oh, my dear,” the old gnomish woman said as she stroked Celeste’s crimson hair. “I’m so very sorry for your loss. I told the girls here I’d be like family to them, and now that you’re here at the convent, I’ll help take care of you, too.”

Celeste’s eyes misted over again as she wrapped her arms around the tiny woman’s waist, and I wished I could be down on the ground to help console the harpy.

“I think she should eat,” I told the priestesses. “She’s still very weak, and she’s going to get dehydrated from all this crying if she keeps up like this.”

“Celeste…” Aleia said as she put a gentle hand on the harpy’s shoulder. “Celeste, are you hungry?”

The redhead looked up, and a tiny smile passed across her lips.

“I’m starving,” Celeste answered. “The gargoyles didn’t feed me at all. And… I hate being taken care of, but could I have more of this water? It’s especially delicious.”

“It comes from my blessed creek,” Penelope explained, and the harpy nodded with a puzzled expression.

“I don’t know much about creatures other than gargoyles and our other enemies,” Celeste confessed. “I’ve never heard of a blessed creek before.”

“We have so much to teach you,” the naiad said with a faraway expression. “But I’ll go catch a trout from my stream now, and we can cook it over the fire.”

“That sounds wonderful, and I’d love to eat with you, but I have to make it absolutely clear I’m not staying at this convent for long,” the harpy said with a firm set to her milky-white jaw, and she began to fidget with the feathers on her arms. “It’s just not safe for you, and I truly don’t understand your ways. You speak of Jack, and your robes are beautiful, but… how can I say this? The gargoyles dressed me in that gown, but that’s not what I usually wear. I need boots and armor. I’m a fighter, not a priestess. My days are meant to be spent in action and training, not in servitude to a god.”

I was impressed to hear it, and as much as I loved my priestesses’ outfits, I’d yet to see a woman in battle gear since I’d awoken as a god.

Let along a beautiful one with fiery feathers.

“You can certainly be all of those at once,” Nicola said in a slightly offended tone. “We remain very active and are always trying to gain experience in combat.”

“If she considers herself a warrior, ask her if she’ll stay because you may need help fighting the gargoyles again,” I instructed the priestesses. “Maybe that will help convince her.”

“Yes, my lord,” Penelope said with a nod. “Celeste, my sisters and I are strong together, but we could always be stronger. The gargoyles might come here anyway, and we could use a warrior like you on our side.”

“There’s something else you don’t understand,” Celeste admitted, and her brow crinkled with concern. “Harpies come in all colors of the rainbow--”

“Wow,” Penelope fawned at once. “You seem like such an incredible species.”

“Thank you, but you need to know that red harpies are the most valued of all,” the feathered woman said as she looked around from priestess to priestess with a serious expression. “Once the gargoyles saw me, they knew they had to have me, and I don’t think they’re going to give up. That being said, I’d like nothing more than to get revenge upon those hideous bastards. My beautiful wings…”

“Will your wings grow back?” Penelope breathed.

“I hope so,” Celeste said in a slightly more cheerful voice. “I don’t think… I don’t think they’re gone forever. I just can’t wait until they come back.”

“Well, regardless, we want you here,” the naiad insisted. “We want to take care of you.”

“Let’s get you some food,” Nicola said in a warm voice. “Everything always seems better after you eat.”

“I’ll make more tea,” Elowise decided. “Who would like the morning energizing brew?”

“I would!” Penelope chirped. “And I’ll go get a fish.”

“That sounds wonderful.” Celeste leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

“Should we go to the kitchen?” the naiad wondered. “That’s where we could light the biggest fire. Are you cold, Celeste?”

“A little, but this blanket is nice,” the harpy said as she wrapped her silky, rose-hued cover around her shoulders.

“I think you should stay here and not make her go to the kitchen,” I said to Penelope. “She can eat in bed.”

“That makes sense, my lord,” the naiad responded. “I’ll do just as you say.”

Celeste looked at her with a bemused expression.

“You really do talk to him, don’t you?” the harpy mused. “It’s like nothing I’ve ever heard of before.”

“We’ll convince you of his powers,” Penelope said with a mysterious smile, but Celeste just shook her head.

“I can stay here with you, Celeste,” Aleia told the harpy. “Elowise can make tea, Penelope can fish, and Nicola can tend to the fire. We can get to know each other better. Or I’ll watch over you, at least.”

Aleia sat next to Celeste on the blanket as Penelope ran off to the stream, and the fairy put her hand over the harpy’s.

“I saw and heard you up there on the ledge,” the strawberry-blonde said in a quiet voice. “I know how much you were suffering.”

“You understand,” Celeste sniffled. “You have wings. If your wings were cut, you would be…”

“Devastated.” Aleia nodded. “I get it.”

“But I have to move on,” the harpy sighed. “There’s no way for me to change the past. That’s what my grandmother would want me to do, and I need to honor her memory.”

“Tell her how brave she is,” I urged the fairy.

“You’re so brave,” Aleia repeated to Celeste. “And your body will be strong again, and you’ll fight with us. If, or when, the gargoyles return, we will get vengeance.”

“Vengeance,” the harpy actually laughed. “I like that. Thank you, kind fairy.”

“I have my fish!” Penelope chirped as she came back with a gutted trout in her hands, and she gave it to Nicola to cook over the fire.

Elowise poured them each a cup of her energizing tea, and it wasn’t long before the two priestesses were bouncing around with big smiles on their faces.

“You seem very happy here,” Celeste commented to Aleia. “I haven’t seen such joy in a long time. Even when I was back at home, we were always afraid.”

“We stay on guard here, too,” the fairy explained. “But Jack is always looking after us, and it does bring us a special kind of joy when we’re all together. Especially when we worship Jack. He fulfills all of our needs, of course.”

“Of course.” The beautiful harpy nodded slowly. Then she tried to sit up further, but her arms were still too shaky. “Aleia, do you think you could help me try to walk?”

“Are you sure you’re ready to do that?” the fairy fretted. “You don’t seem too strong yet.”

“I can’t be frozen in place anymore,” Celeste explained. “I need to move.”

“Okay,” the strawberry-blonde said in a doubtful tone. “We can try. Let me give you my hands.”

Aleia reached out for Celeste, and the harpy put her slim, white hands in the fairy’s grasp. The strawberry-blonde pulled upward, and for a moment the crimson-haired beauty was on her feet. Her knees began to wobble, and Aleia quickly grabbed her around the shoulders.

“I’m okay,” Celeste insisted as she attempted to shake off the fairy’s strong arm.

“I’m not letting go, but I’ll help you out to the fire,” Aleia compromised. “I’ll bring the blanket for you to sit on.”

The two women limped slowly to the fire pit, and the fairy spread out the blanket for the harpy. The redhead sat down, leaned back on her arms, and tilted her face toward the sky, which showcased a glorious waterfall of bright red hair.

“It’s so good to feel the sun after all this time,” Celeste murmured, and her smile was the biggest I’d seen yet.

“Here, eat this fish,” Nicola said as she handed a dish to the beautiful harpy. “It will help you feel stronger.”

“I’m ravenous,” the redhead admitted, and she began to eat so quickly, I was afraid she was going to make herself sick. After a few moments of scarfing down food, she realized the priestesses and Elowise were looking at her out of the corners of their eyes. “I’m sorry, I just haven’t eaten in so many days.”

“You’re not bothering me, dear, but I don’t want you to hurt your stomach, either,” the old gnomish woman said with a frown. “You have to take care of yourself.”

“Elowise, look how strong she is already,” Penelope chided, and she turned to the harpy. “Celeste, you’ve already been through more than any of us. I know what it’s like for people to baby you all the time. You know how tough you are, right?”

“Why do people baby you?” the feathered woman asked as she put down her food and looked at Penelope.

“Oh, you see, I am pregnant with our lord’s baby.” The naiad lowered her thick lashes. “So, everyone always wants to take care of me.”

The harpy blinked at Penelope for a moment, and she seemed to have forgotten all about her food now. Her helping of fish dropped into her lap, and for a moment, I wondered if she was about to bolt for the convent gate.

Then she cleared her throat and awkwardly shifted her weight.

“Pardon me,” Celeste mumbled. “Could you… repeat what you just said?”

“I’d love to!” Penelope exclaimed. “I am now a very blessed and expectant mother, and our god and master, Jack, is the baby’s father.”

“Hmm…” Celeste raised a slender eyebrow. “You priestesses are kind, but you certainly are peculiar with this whole god thing. I… I don’t know what to say.”

“Say whatever you like,” the naiad said with a friendly shrug.

“Okay,” Celeste agreed. “I don’t believe what you’re saying. However, I don’t want to seem impolite or ungrateful. And I’m so, so grateful for you all. Truly. But I guess it’s just hard for me to… understand.”

“You don’t have to believe me right now,” the naiad assured Celeste, and she leveled the harpy with an intent stare. “I have a feeling about things sometimes, and I know someday you will come to worship Jack as your own master.”

“Okay.” The harpy offered an indulgent smile. “I don’t know about ever having a ‘master,’ but we can’t predict the future, I suppose. But what am I thinking? The gargoyles could be here any minute. And here I am unarmed, and unprepared, and I know you have these walls, but they fly, and--”

“We have weapons for you,” Nicola assured Celeste. “Swords, spears--”

“But I’m not sure you should be fighting at the moment,” Aleia said and frowned. “The three of us have defeated the gargoyles twice on our own now.”

“Tell her I can check on the gargoyles’ position,” I told the women, and I immediately zoomed my God Vision in on the giant, carved monolith.

Everything was completely still and silent in the area, so there really wasn't anything to report. The ominous structure appeared wholly unoccupied from the outside, and even the forest surrounding it only had a few vermin prowling through the undergrowth. Still, I made sure to send my God Vision through the woods all the way back to the convent to make absolutely sure no one was lurking around, and not a single gargoyle showed up.

“It’s safe for now,” I reported as I rejoined my priestesses. “No one is coming.”

“Jack reports you’re safe,” Penelope said to Celeste with a shrug. “He checked the lair just now, so there’s need to worry--”

“Jack reports?” the feathered woman scoffed. “You expect me to believe your god, who could very well be fake for all I know, is so sure of my safety because he ‘checked.’ How do I know you’re even telling the truth? I need to get up so I can defend myself.”

“Well, then don’t believe us about Jack, but you were there when we killed a gargoyle last night,” Penelope told Celeste. “Don’t underestimate us.”

“I don’t remember that,” the feathered woman said with impatience glinting in her amber eyes, but then her face softened. “I realize that didn’t sound kind. You must have defeated the gargoyles, or I wouldn’t be here. But I really shouldn’t be sitting around unprepared. I just-- why is the dog barking? Is it the gargoyles?”

Thunder had started to bark loudly and run back and forth, and when I zoomed out on my God Vision a little, a line of gnomes were marching down toward the gate.

“Tell Celeste it’s just the gnomes,” I reported.

“I’ll go let them in,” Elowise said as she hopped up and walked over toward the gate.

“How do you know who ‘them’ even is?” Celeste asked as she glanced nervously from side to side. “Listen, this doesn’t seem to be the right fighting position. We’re just down here on the ground, and--”

“Jack told us it was the gnomes,” Aleia informed the harpy. “I know you don’t understand gods, but it is the truth. He sees everything, and he would alert us if there was any danger approaching.”

“Watch, you’ll see,” Penelope said with a mischievous smile.

Then Elowise, Wilfrim, and the rest of my gnome followers came walking through the grass, and Celeste raised her red eyebrows at the sight.

“Good morning, everyone!” Aleia stood up to greet the gnomes.

“They look harmless enough, I guess,” Celeste muttered.

“They’re our best friends,” Penelope laughed. “They would never hurt us, or you, for that matter.”

“Good morning, girls! And uhh… hello to you, too,” Wilfrim said as he rubbed the back of his neck and tried not to stare at Celeste.

I could tell Elowise had warned her family about the new arrival at the convent, but Balabar and Nissa were tactful enough not to stare. Morrick, Olwin, and Lorifer were openly gaping at Celeste, and the harpy seemed a little uncomfortable while she nervously fiddled with the feathers on her arms.

“Good morning!” Nicola said in a cheerful voice. “This is Celeste, and she’ll be staying with us for the moment.”

“Hello,” Celeste said weakly. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintances. You didn’t see any gargoyles out there, did you?”

“I like her, she’s funny,” Wilfrim chuckled.

“I think she’s serious,” Nissa hissed, and the old man’s rosy cheeks flushed even brighter. “No, sweetie, we didn’t see any gargoyles.”

“Can I play with Roza?” Penelope asked, and the blonde gnome handed over the infant. “Celeste, do you like babies?”

“I-I’ve never really met one,” the harpy said as she bowed her head.

“How is that possible?” the naiad gasped.

“I’ve always been very isolated with just my grandmother-- please, don’t worry about it,” Celeste insisted. “Really, it’s embarrassing. Is no one else worried about the gargoyles right now?”

“Don’t work yourself into a frenzy, dear,” Elowise said in a mild voice as she delicately nibbled on a piece of trout. “Everything’s going to be fine with these priestesses around. And you see these swords on my family’s belts? We never give up without a fight.”

It was true. The gnomes didn’t fuck around.

“I don’t know,” Celeste fretted, and red spots began to form on her cheeks again. “I can’t seem to calm down. I don’t like sitting here when I could be out there enacting my vengeance, or--”

“Celeste.” Aleia turned to the harpy, put her hands on both shoulders, and looked her in the eyes. “I know the gargoyles hurt you very, very badly. I know you’re scared, and I know you feel like you need to battle right away, but you need to listen to what everyone is saying. We know we can take them on, so you don’t need to worry about it.”

“I understand,” the redhead said, and then she started to cough.

“I think you should rest for a little while,” Penelope fretted as she put a hand on the harpy’s forehead, and I thought it was funny the naiad was taking care of the redhead even after she’d complained about being fussed over. “You’re warm. Lay down and drink more water, and if that doesn’t help, we’ll go bathe. Aleia can carry you again.”

“Is that how I got here last night?” the feathered woman asked. “Aleia, you carried me? I was wondering what happened to my clothing…”

“We took care of you,” Penelope explained. “We’re comfortable around other women’s bodies. In fact, we’ve become very intim--”

“Ah, ah, no way,” Nicola cut in as she glared at the naiad, who smirked slightly, and I knew the blue woman had said it just to fuck with everyone. “Celeste, let me help you back to your bed.”

“Thank you, Nicola,” the harpy replied, and she allowed the brunette to lead her back into the living quarters, where she laid back down on her blanket.

The redhead’s long hair laid in a halo across her shoulders as she squirmed around in the bed, and I could see small beads of sweat start to form on her temples as she tossed and turned. It took her a few minutes to grow still, but she eventually curled up on her side and started to breathe more deeply.

“Let’s go on a little walk, sisters,” the brunette said as she walked with long strides away from Celeste. “I need to talk to you. Balabar, all of you, please watch over Celeste.”

Aleia and Penelope stood up, and they followed Nicola over to the kitchen. The three women sat on logs and looked around at each other, and big sighs slipped from all of their mouths.

“So, we have Celeste now,” I finally said to the priestesses. “What do you think?”

“I think she needs a lot more time to recover than she thinks she does,” Aleia sighed. “She’s weak in general, but losing wings like that is a major injury. I don’t know how to tell her, but it looks like her wings were worse than clipped. I’m not sure they’re going to ever grow back.”

“Shit,” I swore. “That’s not good.”

“And I can’t even imagine what those disgusting gargoyles did to her while they held her captive,” Penelope said with a shudder as she bounced Roza up and down against her chest. “It’s no wonder she doesn’t feel well. She’s being very brave about it, though.”

“What should we do, Jack?” Nicola asked. “We can’t let her leave, but we can’t force her to stay, either. Can we?”

“I think you’re just going to have to keep trying to convince her,” I told the priestesses. “I don’t want her to go anywhere.”

“I bet you don’t,” the naiad said with a suggestive grin. “I know you were watching her in those robes.”

“Hey, none of that,” I chuckled. “Like I told Nicola, Celeste’s health and safety are my top priorities. I don’t have anything in mind beyond that.”

“Riiiiiight,” Nicola said with a smirk. “We’ll just have to see.”

“She’s convinced those gargoyles are going to come back,” Aleia mused. “How can we persuade her that we’re capable of protecting her while she gets better?”

“Let me check one more time and make sure there’s still no activity.” I zoomed in on the tower for the second time that day, but it was still completely uneventful. “Nope, nothing.”

“Maybe we should show her all our weapons,” Nicola suggested. “That might work.”

“I don’t think she understands how strong we are,” Penelope said. “We need to prove it to her if she’s ever going to trust us.”

“We’ll show her our bows and our swords,” Nicola decided. “There’s nothing we can’t handle, and she needs to know that.”

“Good attitude,” I praised. “And I agree, but speaking of threats, you’re going to have a new project to work on. I want you to construct watchtowers at the four corners of the convent wall so you’re even more protected.”

“That sounds like a great idea,” Nicola agreed.

“Using wood for the construction makes the most sense,” I continued. “This is going to be an interesting project because you’re going to have to build stairs.”

“Are we going to need new godly tools?” Aleia asked. “I love learning about your tools, Jack.”

“Oh, absolutely,” I assured her. “You’ll have to plane the wood, for one, and I got you a couple extra ladders. We’ll need a level, too… this is going to be fun!”

“Fun for you?” Nicola asked with a smirk. “Or fun for us, the ones who are actually going to be building it?”

“Fun for everyone!” I laughed. “And the gnomes will help, of course. I hope they’re good at woodworking.”

“Have you ever seen them try anything they’re not good at?” Penelope giggled. “They built the wall with ease, and Elowise makes great tea, and… well, you know what I mean.”

“I’m actually excited to get started,” Aleia laughed. “It will make us so much safer. I’m always happy to fight, but being exposed to air attacks does make me a little uneasy.”

“It makes me nervous for you, sister,” the naiad agreed. “You almost always make your shot, but it doesn’t mean I don't worry.”

“So, what’s the first step to building the towers?” Aleia asked. “Lumber, right?”

“Always lumber,” Nicola groaned. “It took us days to gather enough wood for the roof of the living quarters.”

“But you love our roof, and you’ll love our guard towers,” the fairy countered. “So, there.”

“It’s true,” Nicola admitted as she looked at the other two women. “But I guess we should go back and be good hosts to our guests now, and we need to see how Celeste is doing.”

“She’s tossing and turning,” I reported as I looked down upon the harpy. “Her cheeks are still bright red.”

“Oh, dear,” Penelope sighed. “She’s definitely going to need more water from the stream. Maybe we could fill a container and bathe her with it instead of carrying her all the way down there.”

“That sounds like a great idea,” I said to the naiad. “I want her to stay in bed for another day, if she doesn’t insist on getting up and plotting her vengeance.”

“I’ll run down there now, and I’ll leave Roza with Nissa while I’m at it,” Penelope decided, and before I knew it, the swift blue woman had dashed off to get a clay pot.

“I’m heading back,” Nicola declared. “Thanks for talking to me, Aleia, Jack. I just didn’t feel right not having spoken about all of this privately.”

When the women returned to the fire, the gnomes had finished dining on the remnants of the naiad’s huge trout, and they were sitting back and patting their full bellies.

“I’ll stay out here and talk to you,” Nicola said to the small creatures. “Aleia, you go sit with Celeste until Penelope comes back.”

The fairy strolled into the living quarters, and when she saw the harpy’s face, she gasped.

“Oh, my goodness, she’s so flushed,” Aleia gasped, and she practically leapt over to the woman’s bedside and knelt down beside her. “I hope Penelope gets back soon.”

Celeste’s sharp cheekbones were almost as red as her hair and feathers, and her lips were dry and cracked. She seemed to be somewhere between awake and asleep, and her eyes flicked open and shut as she held her arms out and punched into the air like she was defending herself from some invisible enemy.

“Noooo…” the harpy moaned, and then she bolted straight upright in bed.

“Shhh,” Aleia said as she rubbed the red-haired woman’s back in slow circles. “I’m here now, and everything’s going to be okay.”

“Aleia?” Celeste whimpered. “What happened?”

“I think you had a nightmare,” the fairy explained.

“They were chasing me, and I couldn’t fly,” the redhead moaned, but then she straightened her shoulders and cleared her throat. “But I-I’m fine. It was just a silly dream.”

Celeste immediately regained her composure, and I couldn’t help admiring her for it. This woman had lost her grandmother in a brutal murder only a few days earlier, and she’d been terrorized by the gargoyles and nearly lost her own life. Still, she seemed determined to get back to a forward-thinking state of mind, and I began to wonder if there was a different side of Celeste she hadn’t let us see yet. Her talk of action and training certainly intrigued me, but I had all sorts of questions I wished I could ask her myself.

“Jack promises you’re safe, Celeste,” Aleia tried to reassure the harpy. “He even checked the tower where you’d been imprisoned once more, and the gargoyles aren’t coming to get you right now.”

“Did he?” Celeste asked as she narrowed her eyes at the fairy. “I’m not sure I can count on that, but I appreciate your comforting me. I know you’re only trying to help.”

“Lie down again,” Penelope urged the harpy as she walked into the living quarters with a pot of water. “I’m going to heal you some more.”

“Thank you, but I’d prefer to sit up right now,” Celeste said in a stronger voice. “Can you tell me about this stream again? You’re trying to tell me the waters have been blessed? I haven’t heard of that before.”

“The powers of my stream are very real,” the naiad assured her. She put the pot down on the ground and knelt down next to the harpy. “Can I touch you with my waters? I promise, you’ll feel better. Last night, it made your fever go away.”

“I guess…” Celeste said with a doubtful look on her face. “If you say that’s what happened, I have no choice but to believe you.”

Penelope dipped one slender blue finger in the container of water, and when she removed the digit, she slowly trailed it across the harpy’s forehead. Then the naiad continued down Celeste’s cheek to her jawline, and the harpy let her eyes flutter shut as Penelope ended her slow trail at the slope of her neck.

The entire process looked surprisingly erotic from my view, and I tried to remain as neutral as possible about this.

“That feels nice,” Celeste murmured in a husky tone. “I wasn’t expecting anything to happen, but the water is just the right temperature to soothe my skin.”

“Let me keep helping you,” Penelope cooed.

The blue woman dipped her whole hand in the water this time, and she ran her palm across the harpy’s milky chest right beneath her slim collarbones. The water dripped down over the redhead’s perfectly round breasts, and her nipples immediately perked up under her thin, priestess robe.

Neutrality was becoming difficult.

“Goodness, that feels wonderful,” Celeste whispered, and she slowly lowered her body back down to the ground as she clutched the blanket to her dampened chest. “I think I might lie down and rest again for a bit.”

Penelope smiled sweetly and helped tuck a blanket over the red-feathered harpy, and her eyelashes floated gently downward.

“That seemed to help,” Aleia murmured under her breath. “She enjoyed your touch, sister.”

I cleared my throat to keep my mind on track.

“I want to talk to the gnomes about the towers,” I told the priestesses, and the pair stood up as quietly as possible so they could head to the fire. “We might even be able to start chopping down trees today since we have the saw, and we can even use the godly axe.”

“Those tools seem big for the gnomes,” Aleia said with doubt.

“Did you say something about us?” Balabar asked in a sharp voice as the women approached.

“I don’t know if Nicola has mentioned this to you yet,” I said to my gnomish followers, “but we have another big project coming up. We’re going to build guard towers to help protect the convent even further. How are you at working with lumber?”

“I told one of you girls about our log house, right?” Wilfrim asked. “Well, that certainly took a lot of sawing.”

“Have you seen the holy saw?” Elowise chuckled. “It’s bigger than you are, Wilfrim.”

“I do very well despite my size, Wife,” the old man said in a dry voice. “I would thank you not to laugh at my height. Besides, you’re even shorter than I am by a whole half an inch.”

“Wilfrim!” Elowise laughed. “That’s not polite.”

“You two are so cute,” Penelope said as her eyes misted over. “I imagine it’s all those years of marriage.”

“Don’t be silly, sweetheart,” the old gnomish woman laughed mischievously. “There’s plenty of real trouble between Wilfrim and me.”

“Yeah, right,” the naiad giggled and playfully rolled her eyes. “You seem very happy.”

“So, uh, back to these towers, Jack,” Balabar said in a gruff voice. “How many do you want us to build?”

“Four, so there’s one at each corner of the convent,” I explained. “They’ll be small, wooden towers with stairs leading up to them, and I want the platforms to be at least twelve-feet high.”

“I enjoy a good challenge,” the gnomish man said with a nod as he patted the legs of his tidy tan pants. “We are happy to work on your behalf, Jack.”

“It’s really for my priestesses, of course,” I responded. “Everything is to keep them safe. And if you ever need to defend yourselves behind our walls, you are always welcome as my followers.”

“Thank you, Jack,” Elowise told me. “We are lucky to have your protection, and these ferocious women, too.”

“No one’s ever called me ferocious before, but I like it,” Penelope giggled.

“Aleia’s the most ferocious,” Nicola said as she poked the fairy on the arm.

“I think you are, sister,” Aleia laughed. “I wouldn’t want to get on the wrong end of that sword of yours.”

The priestesses all giggled for a moment, and while I was tempted to let them have a relaxing day, I knew Celeste was right. The priestesses could be in some danger after rescuing the harpy, especially if she was a particularly rare hue, and it was time to get moving.

“So, when do you want to get started on these towers?” Wilfrim asked as he jumped up on his little legs and dusted off his hands.

“What about… now?” I suggested.

“Sounds like a plan!” the small man agreed, and before I knew it, my followers were off to gather their tools.

Chapter 9

The gnomes followed the priestesses to the garden, and everyone saw the new ladders for the first time.

“My, you do have a lot of holy ladders now,” Elowise admired, and her little eyes gleamed at the sight. “It will certainly be useful when we don’t all have to share.”

“How would you like to keep one of them and bring it back to your camp?” I asked.

“Don’t joke around with us, Jack,” Wilfrim chuckled. “I’m always tempted when I hear about getting a new tool. A godly one would be…”

“I’m serious,” I assured the gnome. “I’d love to give you a gift as my new devoted followers.”

“Oh, my,” Elowise tittered. “That is mighty kind of you!”

“Thank you, Jack,” Balabar said as he looked up at the sky. “Family, shall we pray?”

“There’s no need for that,” I told the gnomish man. “Just enjoy your new ladder.”

“I’ll pray in my head, then,” Balabar insisted, and he bowed his head and closed his eyes.

“We only have one saw, Jack,” Nicola mused as she walked over to the crosscut saw. “We could use some other godly ways to cut down trees.”

“Could someone use the modern axe?” Aleia asked.

“Sure, that might be easier for you gnomes,” I suggested. “Given that you might be too short to use the saw, like you were talking about earlier.”

“Are you teasing us?” Elowise tittered. “Jack, you’re funny.”

“Our lord is so wonderful,” Penelope said with a wide smile. “He’s so kind to all his followers.”

“So, we’re going to need to carry the trees back to the convent?” Balabar asked as his lips turned downward. “That sounds difficult.”

“You can cut them into boards first,” I explained. “That will make them a lot more portable.”

“And don’t forget about Aleia,” Nissa reminded her husband. “If she can carry those rocks, she can carry anything.”

“Do we have an overall plan?” Wilfrim asked. “Th-That is, I’m sure you do, Jack, but I was just hoping you might be willing to share it with us, your humble servants.”

“You don’t have to be so formal,” I chuckled. “But, yes, I have a plan. First, you’re going to cut down all the trees you need today. Use saws, axes, whatever you need to do it. Then, probably tomorrow, you can split the wood into boards. I hate to work with green wood. But it’s our only option right now, so we have to make it work.”

“We can easily do that with a wedge.” The old man nodded and looked pleased with himself. “Green wood won’t be an issue. We can replace boards if they begin to warp.”

“Great,” I said. “I also think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the new tools I have for you tomorrow.”

I’d already decided I wanted a battery-operated chainsaw, and if one was good, then three more would be even better. I was eager to test my ability to get multiples of a tool at the same time, and all the more fun to do it with power tools.

I wished I had a means of recharging the batteries, and I wondered if I’d ever gain the ability to instill holy energy into objects. The idea made me chuckle to myself a bit, but since I didn’t seem to be an all-powerful sort of god just yet, I figured we could at least get what use we could out of the chainsaws for now. Then we could store them safely in the cellars below the convent to keep them from getting damaged.

It was too bad we didn’t have the chainsaws today, but I knew the women were more than capable of serving as my lumberjacks, and the gnomes were always happy little workers.

They were already discussing who would be in charge of which step of the process today, but since Balabar and Nissa were bickering more than discussing, I decided to step in.

“Anyway,” I gently interrupted, “aside from the woodworking, you’re also going to need to fire more limestone and make cement for the posts. And then you’ll put in the posts, and build the frame with the joists, install the planks--”

“That’s a lot of steps,” Penelope giggled.

“And I haven’t even gotten to the parapet yet,” I chuckled. “Yes, it’s going to be a big job. But with the seven of you working on it, it should go relatively quickly, and it’s nothing you can’t handle. We’ll build one tower first, just to make sure it’s going to serve our needs well, and then we can move on to the other three.”

“Welp, let’s head into the woods, then,” Wilfrim announced. “Balabar, do you want to run home and get more axes from our camp?”

“Not especially,” the younger gnome grumbled. “But I suppose I can, Father. Children, come with me.”

“Okay!” Lorifer said in her squeaky little voice. The tiny red-haired girl really was adorable.

The three older gnome children followed Balabar out toward the road, and Aleia picked up the crosscut saw.

“You can all take turns with that,” I suggested. “The modern axe, too, and whatever Balabar brings back.”

“We can meet them out in the woods,” Elowise suggested. “Nissa, are you going to stay here with Roza?”

“I feel like working today,” the blonde gnome answered as she put her hands on her hips and looked down at Roza. “But I can’t really swing an axe with a baby on my chest. Penelope--”

“The answer is already yes!” The naiad clapped her pale-blue hands together. “I’d love to hold Roza.”

“Then you can watch over Celeste, too,” I suggested. “I don’t like the thought of her being here all by herself while the rest of you are out in the forest.”

“You can even keep Thunder,” Nicola offered. “He’ll help protect you.”

“Well, I’m ready to get started,” Wilfrim said and cleared his throat impatiently. “Does everyone want to go?”

“Just one thing,” I cut in. “Did you see the gloves I got you, Nicola and Aleia? There’s only one pair, but you can trade off, and they’ll help protect your hands while you work. And as for the rest of you, I wish I had something a little smaller.”

“My hands are already rough,” Wilfrim chuckled. “That’s the life of a gnome, always working.”

Nissa handed the baby to Penelope, and she, Nicola, Aleia, Wilfrim, and Elowise began their hike out into the forest.

Penelope walked over to check on Celeste, but the harpy was still sleeping, so the naiad sat down on her own blanket and put Roza down on the ground. The blue woman was as bubbly and smiley as ever while she chased the crawling baby all over the living quarters, and I was as happy as I always was when I saw my pregnant priestess with a little one.

“What type of wood do we need?” Nicola asked and brought me back to my group of workers.

“Oak would be good,” I answered. “Some type of nice hardwood.”

“I know you probably think we can’t fell trees very well, but we’re quick in the woods,” Wilfrim bragged.

“I’ve seen you be very quick,” Nicola responded. “When we fought the trolls, and when we built the wall. I would never think less of you because you’re small.”

“That’s kind of you, dear,” Elowise cooed. “Now, let me see that big axe.”

“This big one?” Nicola asked with surprise. “O-Of course, Elowise, but please don’t hurt yourself.”

“I’m fine,” the old woman chuckled. “How much harder can it be than wielding a sword?”

“It’s as long as your body,” the brunette protested.

“So’s my sword,” the old woman said in a dry voice.

“You can always give it a try,” I told Elowise, “but at any sign of trouble, you’re putting that axe down.”

“Oh, so that’s what it’s like to receive orders from a god,” the old gnome giggled girlishly. “I kind of like it.”

“Yes, it can be quite a lot fun,” Nicola snickered as Aleia’s cheeks turned bright pink.

“Hmm…” Wilfrim said with a smirk on his face. “You women.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Elowise asked as she poked her husband in the side.

“Oh, nothing at all…” the old man said as he rolled his eyes playfully.

“Elowise, I’m sure you know how to cut down a tree because your family built their own log houses, right?” I asked the gray-haired woman.

“Of course,” the old gnome scoffed. “Although, it’s been many years. I didn’t build much after I had my son, and we were pretty well-settled after that.”

“I can teach her,” Nicola chimed in. The brunette’s eyes brightened with excitement as she looked at Elowise. “First, you’re going to want to cut a notch into the side of the tree you want to fell. Then, you’re going to cut a notch a little higher on the opposite side of the trunk and keep chopping until the tree starts to fall, and then… run out of the way!”

“Of course, dear, I remember now,” Elowise said as she patted the brunette on her lower back. “I’m more than capable of that. Well, should we get started?”

The old woman walked over to a huge oak, lifted the modern axe over her shoulder with two hands, and chopped into the trunk with a surprisingly strong stroke.

“Nice work, Wife,” Wilfrim praised. “I’ve always known how strong you are.”

“Right,” Elowise gasped as she wiped her hand on her long, patchwork skirts. “Now there’s nothing to do but keep going.”

The old gnome followed Nicola’s instructions until the stout tree crashed onto the forest floor, and everyone clapped for the small woman.

Balabar and the children had returned by now with their own small axes in hand, and I was impressed at the quality of their gnomish tools. They had small iron blades set into solid wood handles, and while they looked quite worn from years of hard work, they were holding up well.

The group began to cut down trees, and by mid-afternoon, four oaks rested on the ground. I could tell my followers were getting tired, though, so I decided to give them the rest of the day off.

“That’s your last tree, at least for today,” I told the gnomes and the priestesses as a fifth oak fell with a thundering crash. “Go ahead and stop.”

“That’s kind of you,” Aleia responded, though the strong little fairy didn’t look tired in the slightest.

“I wonder how Penelope’s doing,” Nissa said in a slightly fretful tone.

“Let me see…” I responded.

I zoomed in on the living quarters, and the naiad had apparently fallen asleep with Roza at her side. The maternal vision in front of me was more than adorable, and I drifted off for a moment imagining the cerulean woman with our own child nestled in safe beside her sleeping form.

“Are they alright?” Aleia asked after a few seconds.

“Oh, um, yeah,” I replied. “Penelope fell asleep, though.”

“Is she watching Roza?” Nissa sounded slightly alarmed.

“Roza’s asleep right next to her,” I reported. “They’re fine.”

“How’s Celeste?” Nicola questioned. “Does she look healthier?”

I focused on the harpy, and, to my surprise, she was sitting up and looking at Penelope and Roza with a bemused expression.

“She’s awake,” I told the brunette. “One of you should go look in on them, but I don’t want to wake Penelope if I don’t have to.”

“I think we should head out,” Wilfrim said as he scratched his head. “You have a lot going on right now, and we can have dinner back at the camp.”

“You need to talk to Penelope about her garden soon,” Aleia told Elowise. “It’s very special.”

When the naiad had watered seeds with blessed water from the stream, it had magically sped up their growth. It wasn’t quite time for any harvests, but I’d noticed a few budding berries in the mix recently, and the seemingly-miraculous occurrence made me feel a lot better about being able to sustain my women properly. Still, the blue priestess hadn’t had a chance to tell the gnomes about it yet.

“I’ll ask her tomorrow, dear,” Elowise said with a yawn. “Oh, my, it is early to be getting this tired.”

“Too much work with the holy axe, my love,” Wilfrim said as he came up behind the old woman and put an arm around her shoulders. “We’re not young gnomes anymore.”

“I’m not giving up on life yet,” the old woman responded in a merry tone. “See you in the morning, girls. Please tell Penelope we said good night, and I wanted to let you know I ground some of the healing herbs into powder and left it in a small bowl next to your fire. If Celeste gets too ill to speak again, you can mix it with some hot water for her.”

“Thank you, Elowise,” Aleia said with a smile. “That was so kind of you.”

“And let’s not forget to thank Jack,” Balabar reminded the rest of his family. “We shouldn’t leave the convent without praying at least once. My lord, do you wish for us to go to the altar?”

“Um… here is fine?” I replied.

“Go ahead, Balabar,” his mother said. “Lead us all in a blessing.”

“Yes, ahem,” the small man cleared his throat. “Thank you, our lord, for keeping us safe, and for sustaining us, and, um… uh….”

“And for your kindness, of course, my lord.” Nissa dusted off her hands on her skirt. “Thank you, Jack. Balabar, I’m very tired, so let’s go. I’ll snatch Roza back from Penelope, but I’ll try not to wake anyone.”

“Let’s go check on the sleepyhead and see what Celeste is doing,” Aleia said as she bounced up and down. “And then we can eat.”

“Speaking of eating, I’m going to check the snare,” Nicola said. “A rabbit would make for an easy meal.”

“I’ll see you at the living quarters, sister,” the fairy responded with a wave. “I’ll make sure the fire is ready.”

When Aleia reached the living quarters, Celeste put a finger to her lips and pointed at Penelope.

“She’s sleeping,” the harpy whispered in a sweet voice. “The baby was here with her for a little bit, too, and it was adorable.”

“What was adorable?” Penelope yawned as she sat up in her bed, and Thunder sat up and squeaked out a yawn, too. “Where’s Roza?”

“You’ve been asleep for a while,” I chuckled. “Nissa took her back home.”

“Oh,” the naiad said with a sad look. “Master, I can’t wait until I can hold our daughter.”

“I know,” I sighed. “It’s hard for me to wait, too.”

“So, you weren’t kidding about the baby,” Celeste said as she narrowed her eyes. “Let’s suppose this is true… how exactly did this come to be?”

“What do you mean?” Penelope asked with wide eyes. “You don’t know how babies are made?”

“Of course, I know how it happens,” the redhead giggled. “Don’t be silly. And I can sort of understand speaking to a benevolent being, or… praying for rain, or even the advice thing. Maybe your god can speak back to you, I’m not sure. I try to keep an open mind, but to actually take on a physical form and visit the ground, never mind being intimate… it just seems a little unusual to me. Penelope, you seem to be the only one who ever speaks of this. Do the two of you believe it’s true?”

Celeste gestured to Nicola and Aleia, who both nodded.

“Yes, I’ve seen our lord in a physical form,” the brunette confirmed.

“And have you… have you all… I can’t even ask,” the redhead said with a shake of her head. “I’m sorry, I’ve questioned you so much on these personal topics.”

“I know it’s new to you,” Penelope said with a sympathetic smile.

“The water must have really helped a lot,” Aleia said to the harpy. “You seem so much better than you did earlier.”

“I am feeling better,” Celeste said with a grateful smile. “What are you going to do now? Can I help you somehow? I really need to thank you more for saving me.”

“That’s so sweet of you,” Penelope cooed, “but we certainly can’t ask you to do something like that when you’ve been so ill.

“You all should go to bed early tonight, since I’m putting you to work again tomorrow morning,” I cut in.

“I’m always ready for it,” Aleia laughed, and the twinkle in her eyes reminded me I hadn’t spent any intimate time with the fairy in what seemed like far too long. The fairy didn’t always ask for it like the other women, but I knew she was secretly starving for some quality time with me.

Her frequent blushes and little smiles made that perfectly clear.

“I’d like to get up and eat with you at the very least,” Celeste told the priestesses. “I’m getting tired of being in bed all the time.”

“Of course,” Aleia said with a kind smile. “We’d love to spend time with you.”

So much for the harpy resting like I’d wanted.

The evening passed quickly as the priestesses and Celeste ate. When they went back to the living quarters, the harpy laid back with a satisfied sigh, and she appeared to be asleep soon after.

“I love you, sisters,” Nicola said as she laid in her bed with sleepy, sexy eyes. “And I love you, Jack.”

“I love you, too,” we all responded, and the room fell silent until I heard a whisper, and I realized Celeste wasn’t really asleep after all.

“Could they all really love each other that much?” the harpy muttered to herself. “I guess this place might not be that bad.”

While the harpy had thought her words were private, I was glad to hear the beautiful redhead wasn’t as unhappy as I’d feared. Could she join the convent someday like my women kept teasing? The idea was admittedly intriguing, and her milky skin and soft red feathers drew my eyes to her supple frame longer than I’d let myself look so far.

She certainly appeared much healthier after all my priestesses’ care, and a wave of pride washed over me as I realized we really had restored her quite a lot already. The harpy was fresh-faced and languidly resting without much concern, and her exotic figure nestled among my loyal women’s bodies looked oddly… right.

But I had other things to worry about for the time being, and other women to focus all my attention on.

I’d thought about the chainsaws earlier, but I wanted to make absolutely sure I received them, so I focused for a moment on a vision of the exact tools I wanted.

After that, I didn’t wait long before surprising Aleia in her dream, and the rosy blush when she saw my physical form made it all worthwhile. The fairy was the definition of a lady in the streets and a freak in the sheets, and comparing her publicly innocent demeanor to the way she acted with me was insanely hot. To look at her slight frame and sweet smile, no one would have guessed how rough she liked it, but the strawberry-blonde opened her tight pussy to me again and again. She begged me to pound into her harder each time I was inside of her, too, and when she collapsed against my chest in exhausted bliss, I knew I’d thoroughly delivered.

The little fairy was so limp with pleasure, she could hardly hold her eyes open, but she still managed to leave a panting trail of kisses across my shoulder before falling into a deep slumber.

The next morning, the priestesses all woke up a little after sunrise. I was so excited to show them the chainsaws I felt like jumping up and down with my phantom body, but they were already beginning to stand and stretch while Celeste stirred in her blankets, and I tried to be patient since it seemed like the godly thing to do.

“Good morning,” the harpy said in her clearest voice yet. “What are we doing today?”

“Heading to the garden, first,” Aleia yawned.

“Jack sends us new godly tools every morning,” Penelope explained as naturally as ever. “You should come check with us! They are always so truly miraculous, and just one of the many magnificent things our lord does for us. Aleia, show her the holy torch.”

The fairy dug around a bit before she held up the blue propane torch, and then she pressed the trigger and sent a stream of flame out into the air.

“W-Whaaaat?” Celeste asked as she stared at the modern tool. “What kind of witchcraft is this?”

“It’s not witchcraft, it’s all Jack’s doing,” the naiad assured her. “You know, if you worship Jack, you will start to experience wonders like you’ve never seen. The tools are only the beginning.”

“I… I can’t explain what I just saw.” The harpy shut her eyes and quickly shook her head from side to side as if she were trying to erase the image from her mind. “It must have been a trick of my eyes.”

“It’s not a trick!” Penelope said as she stared at Celeste with big, imploring eyes. “It’s a miracle, but you can hold the torch if you like. I assure you, it’s real!”

If the harpy couldn’t handle the torch, the chainsaws were really going to blow her mind.

“This is the strangest place I’ve ever been,” the redhead told the women. “I simply cannot believe some of the things you are telling me, and even showing me.”

“Take her to the altar,” I urged my priestesses. “I think you’ll all enjoy what I have waiting for you today.”

“Ooh, I wonder what it is,” Penelope chirped.

“Yes, let’s go see!” Aleia said with a flutter of her wings. Then she turned to Celeste. “That is, if you’re still feeling better. Our lor-- I mean, I don’t want you to do anything before you’re ready.”

“I’m sure I’ll be just fine!” the harpy insisted, and she managed a pretty convincing tone as she grabbed hold of the stone wall next to her.

Celeste’s legs shook for a couple seconds as she clawed out for the wall to help her stand, but then she straightened her knees and held out her hands with pride.

“See?” the harpy asked. “I keep trying to impart to you that I’m a well-trained fighter, and quite strong. I’m fine now. I want to see the rest of your convent.”

“Of course.” Penelope nodded and smiled. “You will see our lord’s altar in the garden, and maybe you will allow him to comfort you there. Jack’s presence is so fulfilling, in many enjoyable ways.”

My virtual eyebrows popped up at the phrasing, and I noticed Nicola smirking like a sinner.

The harpy took Aleia’s arm, and the four women began their progression toward the garden’s walls. As they walked, Celeste looked around with a slightly impressed face.

“It isn’t bad around here,” the harpy admitted as the four women headed through the garden gate. “I do like all the trees-- wait, what is that?”

Celeste’s mouth gaped wide open when she saw the four handheld battery-powered chainsaws near the altar, and she immediately froze in place for a moment to stare.

“Do you see this, sisters?” the strawberry-blonde gasped. “These are… wow.”

“What are they?” Nicola asked with huge eyes.

“They’re called chainsaws,” I laughed. “They’re a tool that will allow you to cut wood at a godly rate. Should make your lives a lot easier.”

The fluorescent orange color of the four tools contrasted strangely with the primitive surroundings. The chainsaws had approximately fifteen-inch bars, so they weren’t huge, but I thought that might make them easier for the women to wield.

“They look… dangerous,” Penelope breathed.

“They are incredibly dangerous,” I confirmed. “But it’s nothing you can’t handle. I’ll tell you how to work them when you get to the woods.”

“Jack…” Nicola began with a puzzled expression. “Why are there four of them? You’ve only ever gotten one tool a day before.”

“As a god, I can request as many as I want,” I said in a deep voice. It was mostly true, at least, for now.

“Then why didn’t you--”

“Nicola!” Penelope promptly scolded. “How many times must I remind you not to question the ways of our lord? Clearly, he has been challenging us to reach stronger and more impressive heights. Now, he has rewarded us for our perseverance. You should be grateful.”

“Exactly,” I tossed out. “Anyway, you need to learn to use the chainsaws properly.”

“Okay,” Nicola smirked. “Whatever you say, old god.”

I inwardly grinned at the devious glint in the brunette's eyes, but then I noticed Celeste’s unnerved expression.

The harpy was glancing back and forth between my priestesses like they’d lost their minds, and I was suddenly reminded she couldn’t hear my end of this conversation. So, it was kind of understandable that she’d inched a few feet away from the other women.

“This… garden is beautiful,” Celeste managed in a nervous tone. “Was this built for your, uh… Jack?”

“Oh, yes, you have to see his mural,” Penelope said as she gestured over to the huge mosaic of my face and keyboard behind the apple tree.

I noticed Celeste did a bit of a double-take when she saw the mural, and I could have sworn her gaze lingered on my face much longer than the strange keyboard in my hands. Her head tilted ever so slightly to the side as she looked at it for nearly a full minute in silence, but then she noticed Nicola smirking at her, and she quickly tore her eyes away.

“He looks nice,” Celeste said in an oddly high tone.

“Doesn’t he?” the brunette purred.

“And this is his altar, of course!” Penelope continued. “We haven’t been here very long, as we have only been Jack’s priestesses for a short while. That’s why we were thinking maybe you--”

“And how did you… find him, again?” Celeste asked. Her eyes kept shifting toward my mural, and I could tell she was struggling to put on a blank, polite expression.

“I had the most glorious vision,” the naiad sighed as she looked up at the heavens with an enraptured smile. “I knew that if I came here, I would find everything--”

“Penelope, I don’t want you to scare her, even if she is impressed by the new tools,” I told the naiad. “She doesn’t understand any of this. If she’s around for a while, then maybe I’ll… grow on her.”

“Oh, you’re already growing on her,” Nicola muttered, barely loud enough to hear.

“Fine,” the blue woman pouted.

“So, these chainsaws are amazing,” Aleia said in a tactful attempt to change the subject. “Your tools do come in the most vibrant colors, master. When do you think the gnomes will come to assist us?”

“I’m sure they’ll be here soon,” Nicola said, and then she started to chuckle. “They’re going to be blown away by these chainsaws, too.”

“I want to try one,” Celeste remarked. “If these tools are as incredible as you say, then I, too, would like a chance.”

“Do not let her do that,” I warned. “She had trouble just standing today, and we shouldn’t risk her getting injured. These are very dangerous tools if not used properly.”

“Hmm,” Nicola said to the harpy. “I don’t know about today. But maybe someday soon, when you’ve regained some strength.”

“Fine, but I fear that you are underestimating my power,” Celeste grumbled. “What are you going to do with these strange… chainsaws?”

“Holy chainsaws,” Penelope corrected.

“We’re building guard towers,” Aleia explained. “They’ll help make our convent more secure. We’ve realized how tough the gargoyles are to beat, and we need to increase our defenses.”

“And our offenses,” Nicola said with twinkling eyes as she rubbed her palms together. “I’ve never used a bow from that height before. I can’t wait to see what it’s like.”

“Later,” I laughed. “One thing at a time.”

Just then, there was a knock at the gate, and Thunder began to bark and jump in circles.

“It must be the gnomes,” Penelope said. “I’ll go let them in.”

“Building guard towers does sound like a good idea,” Celeste admitted, but her gaze darted after Penelope. “You seem awfully cavalier about who you allow within your convent walls. What if the gnomes are working with the gargoyles?”

“They aren’t doing that, Celeste,” Aleia assured her. “They’re Jack’s followers, and our closest friends. There’s no possible way. Why would they?”

“So the gargoyles can get me back, of course,” the redhead said with a slightly frantic look. “Can you give me a weapon already? It would ease my mind to have a sharp blade on hand. I don’t like being unarmed. As I keep telling you, I live to fight--”

“Good morning, everyone!” Elowise chirped as she strolled up to the group.

“So, what’s our first step-- whoa,” Wilfrim gasped when he saw the chainsaws. “Jack, what have you blessed us with now?”

“They’re for cutting wood,” Penelope explained with a bright smile. “They’re called holy chainsaws. Our lord is going to teach us how to use them.”

“Well, those are something else.” The old man shook his head. “That orange color is so bright, and that blade… I never know what to expect around here.”

“I see you’re up and walking around, dear,” Elowise said to Celeste.

“Yes, but these women won’t let me do anything.” The harpy frowned and blew a piece of scarlet hair out of her eyes. “I don’t want to lie around all day.”

“One more day of rest won’t hurt,” the old gnomish woman clucked as she took Celeste by the arm. “Come now, sweetheart, I’m going to walk you back to bed. Let’s go get an apple off that tree, and then I need you to rest.”

Elowise led the red-haired beauty away, and the priestesses looked around at each other in amazement.

“We tell her to rest, and nothing happens, but I suppose Elowise just works magic,” Penelope giggled.

“Thank you, Elowise,” I told the old woman. “I really didn’t want her working today.”

“Of course,” the gnome said with a nod and a smile on her wrinkled face. “I’m happy to help you, Jack.”

“You talk to him, too?” Celeste asked as the little old woman led her down the hill. “Things are so strange around this place. Those priestesses seem to talk to this ‘Jack’ about everything. As if he’s standing right here beside them!”

“You’ll understand someday,” Elowise chuckled with a mysterious smile.

“That’s what everyone keeps saying,” the harpy said as she stared up at the sky and pursed her lips. “I have no idea why you would think that.”

I smiled to myself as I admired the harpy’s upturned face, and I didn’t miss the glint of wonder in her big, amber eyes. She looked so fierce, but innocent as well, and the combination made my phantom blood begin to heat by just a couple degrees.

Celeste was beginning to remind me a lot of my priestesses, and in ways I didn’t mind at all.

But I focused my attention back on the garden before I could get ahead of myself, and I found my priestesses and the rest of the gnomes were milling about.

“My lord, we still haven’t eaten,” Penelope told me. “But I think I can make do with an apple. I’ll get you one, too, sisters.”

“Also eat some cougar meat,” I instructed the naiad. “We can’t have you overworking yourself and getting sick.”

“I’m fine!” the blue woman protested, but she did as I instructed.

“So, today we’re going to split logs into lumber,” I told the whole group. “You might call it boards, or planks. My priestesses are going to use the chainsaws, and I thought you gnomes could use hand tools.”

“We brought some tools with us again,” Balabar announced as he gestured to a weathered leather pack on his back. “We have wedges and mallets, among other things, and we brought back the axes from yesterday, too.”

“It sounds like you know what you’re doing,” I praised. “That’s exactly what I was going to say you needed.”

“I thought I knew what I was doing,” the gnomish man said with an authoritative nod, but his round cheeks flushed with pride.

Once the women were done with their breakfasts, the whole group headed out to the woods. The party’s mood was light and cheerful, and I was proud of my little band of followers for their great work ethic.

My three priestesses each hefted an orange chainsaw, and it was fucking awesome to see the primitive women with the hardcore modern tools. They looked almost smug while they admired the chiseled teeth of the bars, and the way my little fairy casually lifted hers without straining a bit brought a deep chuckle to my throat. Then I saw Wilfrim carefully carrying one of the chainsaws in his small hands, and I wondered if he intended to try it out.

“Do you like that tool?” I asked the old man.

“Do they make them in my size?” Wilfrim chuckled. “Elowise was brave when she used that axe, but I don’t know if I’m ready for something like this.”

“Oh, no, Husband,” Elowise agreed. “No chainsaws for you.”

“The weather is nice,” Nicola remarked. “It’s good to have a break from the heat.”

“It’s wonderful,” Penelope agreed. “I love the sun, but I don't need it every single day.”

It was cooler and cloudier than it had been for a while, and a light drizzle fell from time to time. The greens of the grass and trees and the colors of the wildflowers were extra vibrant against the gray sky, and I wished I could be down on the ground to smell the rain.

The party soon reached the trees they’d cut down the day before, and as Balabar began to unload his bag of tools, I thought it was pretty cute how the items were sized exactly for the little creatures.

“How exactly will the tower be designed, master?” Aleia asked as she fluttered up into the damp air.

“It’s a simple platform,” I explained. “It will have a parapet you can both shoot arrows over and duck behind. I thought we could carve the stairs out of a single tree trunk, but I’ll tell you more about that later.”

“We had stairs like that for some of the treehouses in the Deep Hazel Wilds,” the fairy said as she clapped her hands together. “I’ve worked on those before.”

“Wonderful,” I responded. “That will help a lot. So, who wants to learn how to mill lumber first?”

“I think we’re all pretty excited to see how these special saws work,” Elowise chuckled. “Children, don’t you want to watch?”

“Yeah!” the three oldest gnome kids cried out.

If I had to win the children over, power tools seemed like a good way to do it.

“Who wants to be my guinea pig?” I asked.

“Guinea pig?” Penelope giggled. “What does that mean?”

“Who wants to go first?” I laughed. “Aleia, why do I have a feeling this is your job?”

“I’m ready for anything,” the petite fairy said as she put a hand on her hips. “Just tell me what to do, master.”

“Well, if that’s the mood you’re in today, I have several ideas I’d like to share with you later,” I murmured, but I made sure this comment only reached Aleia’s ears.

The way she turned beet red gave me away, and Nicola must have guessed what I’d said, because she snickered toward the grass with a shit-eating grin.

“I’m going to need the rest of you to stand really, really far back,” I loudly announced to my followers. “This tool can be dangerous, and Aleia needs to concentrate.”

The gnomes, Penelope, and Nicola spread out into a large circle, and I realized there was something I’d forgotten.

“And one other thing,” I told the group. “It’s going to be a bit loud. Like, louder than anything you may have heard before.”

“We’re prepared,” Elowise said impatiently. “Get on with it, I’m ready to see what happens!”

“Fine,” I laughed. “Aleia, first you need to grab the top handle with your left hand and your thumb underneath. And then, grab the rear handle with your right hand.”

“This feels strange,” the fairy mused. She positioned her hands like I had told her, and then she stared down at the chainsaw with a curious expression. “What do you call this material, anyway? It’s not stone or metal, and it’s not wood, either.”

“It’s plastic,” I explained. “It’s made of… I don’t know how to explain it, but let’s just say it’s godly.”

“It’s very smooth,” the strawberry-blonde commented, “and it feels very strange beneath my hands. I have to thank you for sharing these tools with us, my lord. They’re so special.”

“You’re so welcome,” I chuckled. “Now, plant your feet about as wide as your shoulders. You need to be careful, now, because you’re going to disengage the brake, which will allow the saw to spin. Then engage the trigger, kind of like you do with the propane torch, and this is when the loud part starts.”

When the motor turned on, Aleia yelped out, and the rest of the group flinched and jumped back. The fairy actually managed to stay in position, and I was impressed she was keeping her cool.

“What next, my lord?” Aleia gasped. “Wow, this is so strange. It’s shaking so much!”

I inwardly grinned as I watched her plump breasts shimmy nonstop, but then I gruffly cleared my throat.

“Uhh… go ahead and put the saw on the wood, squeeze the button by your pointer finger, and start to cut,” I told Aleia. “Don’t push down, just let the saw do it for you.”

The fairy’s eyes grew wider and wider as her breasts jiggled beneath her puckered lips, and she stared down at the vibrating tool with apprehension.

Then she held the spinning blade down toward the wood.

Chapter 10

The fairy cut into the huge log, and her eyes opened wider as the notch grew deeper. The chainsaw roared as Aleia instinctively handled the power tool with grace and ease, and the tree trunk sliced apart as easily as a stick of butter.

I did my best to focus on the work, but I’d never had a front row seat to a scantily clad fairy with a chainsaw before, and I ended up zooming in on the shimmying view way more than I realized.

“I did it!” Aleia chirped once the first full cut was made, and I quickly zoomed back out. The end of the log thudded to the ground with a huge echo as the strawberry-blonde stopped sawing, and she looked around at the group with pride. “Jack, this is so wonderful. It’s even more fun than I thought it was going to be! Oh, sisters, I can’t wait to teach you how to do this.”

“Can I try, too?” Nissa spoke up in a shy voice. “Balabar, you can hold Roza. I want to use the tool, just like Jack’s priestesses. I’ve never touched anything like that in my life, and I want to experience its holy power.”

“Wife, are you sure that’s safe?” her husband asked, and I liked the genuine concern I heard. Nissa and Balabar bickered a lot, but I could tell how much he cared for the tiny blonde woman. “If you got hurt, I-I don’t know what I would do with myself.”

“I’ll be fine,” the gnome woman insisted, and she put her palms together in a prayer position. “Jack… my lord… can I? Would it be alright for me to try the chainsaw?”

“I trust Aleia to teach you how to do it,” I decided. “If you’re strong enough to pick up the chainsaw and hold it firmly, that is. But first I need to tell all of you how to cut the wood into lumber. Aleia, once you finish cutting off the other end of the trunk, I want you to get a few rocks and raise the wood off the ground, and then place the tree on its side. Mark the wood down the middle so your cuts will be symmetrical, and then slice off the rough wood on the sides to expose the interior. After that, it should be easy enough to cut off slabs of wood, and you can saw those into planks. Do you understand?”

“I actually think I do!” the fairy said with a bright smile. “I’m ready to cut.”

“I can picture it myself,” Penelope chimed in. “Sisters, Nissa, are you ready?”

“I am!” Nissa said, and the gnome woman hopped up and down with excitement as she handed the baby to Balabar.

“So, you all can work on that, and as for you, Wilfrim and Elowise, you can split wood using axes, wedges, and mallets,” I instructed the group. “Do you know what I mean by that?

“Of course,” the old man answered. “I’ve been working with wood since I was just a small lad.”

“Great,” I responded. “Elowise, in case you don’t know, to make boards, I want you to split the wood into quarters, and then I need you to carve the point down to a flat surface using a mallet and an axe. Then, you can use your sharpest wedge and mallet to work your way down the log and cut it into a plank.”

“I can’t wait to use the big axe again,” Elowise said as she licked her lips and rubbed her palms together. “This brings me back to my younger days, and Jack, you make this sort of thing fun.”

“I hope so,” I laughed. “I know it’s a lot of work.”

“Hard work is what keeps you strong,” Wilfrim said as he puffed out his little chest. “Come on, Wife, let’s split some wood.”

“What about me?” Balabar grumbled. “Am I just supposed to stand here and hold Roza this whole time? I was counting on being able to use one of those holy chainsaws today.”

“Well, you can sit down if you want to,” Nissa said with a smirk.

“Jack, is that really what you want me to do?” the gnomish man asked as he furrowed his little eyebrows under his pointed cap. “Just… hang out with a baby?”

“Well, someone needs to watch her,” I pointed out. “If all the women want to work, then it must be up to you.”

“Fine,” Balabar sighed. “Come on, Roza, let’s go relax on a log.”

Aleia offered the grumpy gnome man a cheerful wave on her way to show the other three women how to use the chainsaws, and though the fairy had to help the priestesses and Nissa lift their logs up onto the blocks, all the women soon became adept and self-sufficient with the rugged tools. Even the small gnome woman had cut several large slabs by the time a few hours had gone by, and I realized how much more efficient my convent would become now that I could order multiple tools.

I considered what tools I wanted to request for tonight, and planers seemed like the next logical choice in the order of things. If I’d gotten to request battery-operated chainsaws, there didn’t seem to be a reason I couldn’t get hand planes with batteries, too. The women could use the planers both to get the faces of the boards parallel and the edges straight, and that would do nicely for our purposes. A planer was also more multi-purpose than a jointer, and I didn’t have a way to use corded tools, anyway.

Of course, I still didn’t have a way to recharge batteries, either, but I had to make do with what I could right now.

The women and the gnomes worked themselves sore, and their end product was comparable to some of the better carpenters I’d seen. Their bodies and the ground were absolutely covered in sawdust, and I knew the women were definitely going to need to bathe tonight before bed. For a brief moment, I thought about beautiful Celeste joining them, and phantom shivers ran down my spine.

My mind instantly recalled the memory of my steamy tryst at the stream with all of my priestesses, but this time, I imagined the harpy’s milky white skin and stark red adornments splashing around in the group. She had her big amber eyes locked on me, and her sweet face tilted to the side in wonder, and my ever-present arousal skyrocketed all at once.

This only made me wonder if this was how these aliens, or whoever were running this strange world, intended for it to be, though. Here I was, with yet another beautiful and lost woman in my care, and every inch of my phantom being longed to keep her even closer to me. I hardly knew Celeste, but I was starting to think about the harpy’s creamy figure and exotic feathers more and more, and my god-like form practically ached at the thought of calling her a priestess.

Still, I tried not to let this constant distraction keep me from the business my current followers needed to take care of. I repeatedly redirected my thoughts away from Celeste, instead, even if I couldn’t help wondering if all winged women had… sensitivities with regards to their extra appendages.

We had so much lumber after a few hours that I knew we had plenty of wood to build the tower, but there was just one thing left.

“We still need posts for the tower and the parapet,” I told my followers. “The ones for the tower need to be about six-inches-by-six-inches and eighteen-feet long. For the parapet, let’s make them six-feet long and four-inches-by-four-inches. Who wants to carve them with the chainsaw?”

Everyone looked at Aleia, who threw up her hand.

“Why not?” the fairy giggled, and she easily crafted all eight posts as the rest of the group looked on with impressed expressions.

“I’m so proud of you,” I privately told Aleia. I knew the fairy priestess had a crafting boost from the dream sex we’d had the night before, but that was my personal secret, of course. “You’re so good at everything.”

“It’s because of you,” the strawberry-blonde whispered with rosy cheeks, and my virtual heart skipped a beat.

“That was all very impressive,” Wilfrim chuckled. “Aleia, I’ve never seen anything like you with that huge tool. So, what’s the plan for tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow we’ll plane the lumber, or smooth it out,” I explained. “We still need to fire more quicklime tonight so we can make concrete, and in the morning tomorrow, we can dig the post holes and set the posts so they have a little time to dry.”

“Whatever you say!” the old gnome laughed. “I don’t know all your godly words, but I trust that you’ll lead us down the right path. Well, come along, family. Let’s allow the women to get some rest this evening.”

“Good night, everyone,” Aleia said with a grateful smile. “You’ve all been so helpful. Look at all these boards!”

“I know I’m pleased!” Penelope giggled as she bounced up and down on the tips of her toes. “That holy chainsaw was fun, master.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” I responded. “I think you should all go back to Celeste now, though. She’s been by herself for several hours.”

I zoomed in on the living quarters to check on the beautiful harpy, but she wasn’t there. I looked around and discovered her by the fire pit, where she’d already lit the flames. I wasn’t exactly sure what tools she’d used, but the redhead was clearly at least a little bit skilled in survival.

Unless she’d gotten brave and used my godly propane torch, that is.

The gnomes cheerfully went on their way, and the priestesses hiked back from the woods to the convent. When they reached the fire pit outside the living quarters, Celeste immediately perked up, and she was more excited to see the priestesses now than she’d been since arriving.

“You’re back!” the harpy chirped. “Wow, you’re covered in dust.”

“Did you light the fire for our evening meal?” Aleia’s mouth hung open. “Wow, Celeste, thank you!”

“It was nothing,” the feathered woman said with a wave of her hand. “It’s the least I could do for the people who saved me.”

“Our lord will be so grateful to you,” Penelope sighed, but Celeste barely appeared fazed this time.

“It was really nothing,” the harpy said with a faint blush on her pale cheeks. “What were you doing out there, anyway?”

“We were milling boards for the lookout tower,” Nicola explained. “It was a long day.”

“We were thinking about going to the creek to wash off, now,” Penelope told the harpy. “Would you be interested in coming?”

“With all of you?” Celeste asked. “Isn’t that more of a private thing?”

“Hmm.” The naiad looked puzzled. “My sisters and I always go together, but, of course, we have been close for quite a while. If you wish to bathe alone, that is your right.”

“I’m very private,” the harpy said in a prim tone. “I apologize if that’s not what you’re used to.”

Penelope and Nicola looked at each other and almost started to snicker, but the two priestesses luckily got it under control.

“We only want to make you comfortable,” Aleia insisted. “Whatever you need, Celeste, please just ask. The stream is rather large, so it’s easy enough for you to bathe privately away from us.”

“Then I suppose I’ll come to the stream with you,” the redhead relented, “but could we have a hot meal? I’m very, very hungry.”

“I can catch a trout while we’re there,” Penelope said with a bright smile on her face. “We eat that a lot because fishing is really easy for me.”

“Penelope, you don’t even have to fish,” Aleia laughed. “The fish just come find you.”

“I hope you don’t mind my asking, but what can a naiad do, exactly?” Celeste asked.

“I’ve never known another naiad, so perhaps I have other untapped powers beyond even these,” the blue woman mused. “But I have been able to bless our stream’s water so it heals wounds and energizes us for battle. I am also able to make its temperatures most comfortable for our bathing needs, and the water can even make crops grow at a faster rate! Do you have magical powers, Celeste?”

“Well…” the harpy demurred. “I suppose you could say that, but, um… let’s go see this magical stream, shall we?”

The women walked out of the convent walls and down to the banks, and Celeste peered into the creek with a look of doubt.

“You don’t believe it’s special, do you?” Penelope laughed. “But you’ve been feeling the effects of the water when it heals your fevers, and the stream saved your life the other night. How can you not believe?”

“This has all been a very strange experience,” the feathered woman said as she looked at the naiad out of the corner of her eye. “I don't know what I think is real anymore.”

“Does that mean you’re considering Jack--” the blue woman began.

“No,” Celeste said as she drew herself up to her full height. “The disorientation I’m feeling is because I’ve been sick, and I’m sure I’ll be fine. Now, let’s get this bathing over with.”

“You’re going to like it,” Penelope protested. “You’ll see.”

The priestesses and the harpy quickly bathed as I turned my eyes away, and the next time I looked back, the four clean women were headed back up the hill with a big fish in hand.

“That was nice,” Celeste told Penelope in a casual tone. “It was warmer than I thought it was going to be, and the water does feel… pleasant. Quite pleasant.”

I inwardly grinned at the light pink blush on her cheeks.

When I’d bathed in the stream with the priestesses, I’d found out the water made bathers tingle like they were having a million little orgasms, but I wouldn’t have expected Celeste to admit all that.

It was nice to know she appreciated the sensation, though.

“That’s part of its magic,” the naiad explained. “When Jack was down here, he actually liked the water to be very, very hot.”

“When Jack was down here…” the harpy repeated as she raised an eyebrow and slowed her pace. “As in, he walked here among you?”

“Of course, silly!” Penelope giggled. “How else would I have gotten pregnant?”

“Oh, my.” Celeste stared at the blue woman for a moment.

“You might be able to see for yourself,” the naiad said. “That is, if you’re here long enough. But when he comes down, we all love to spend that special time together worshipping his--”

“Penelope!” Nicola interrupted. “Please don’t scare our visitor.”

“His… holiness,” Penelope calmly finished. “I was going to say… holiness.”

“Have the gnomes ever seen your Jack?” the harpy asked as she looked from the blue woman to the brunette.

“They certainly have!” the naiad answered. “As Jack’s other devoted followers, the gnomes also are blessed by our lord’s presence.”

“Though not in all the same ways,” Nicola snorted.

“Alright!” Aleia interjected, and she clapped her hands together. “Who wants to eat? Celeste, have we shown you our kitchen?”

“Yes, let’s go there and light the big fire for Celeste,” Penelope agreed, and the harpy looped her arm in Aleia’s to follow the naiad. “We got so much work done early today, so we’re able to enjoy a nice meal before it’s even dark out.”

“I didn’t mean to ask so many questions,” the harpy apologized as she squeezed the fairy’s arm. “I’m just… getting used to your way of life. You’ve all been very kind to me, and I shouldn’t be so nosy. I’m actually a very private person, and I respect others’ privacy, I do. I just don’t feel myself lately. I suppose I’m not having the best week.”

“I understand,” the strawberry-blonde assured her. “We’ve all been there. Well, not that we’ve all been magically imprisoned in stone and tortured at the hands of hideous gargoyles, but… we sympathize, of course.”

“And you’re plenty kind,” Penelope assured the harpy. “Don’t worry about a thing.”

“Thank you,” Celeste chuckled lightly.

When the women got to the kitchen, Celeste settled herself on a log while my priestesses bustled about. Penelope cut the trout into large filets as Aleia got the fire going, and Nicola examined the small amount of remaining fruits and vegetables the gnomes had brought a few days earlier.

“We still have peppers,” the brunette reported. “I’ll put those over the grate, too.”

“This looks so good,” the harpy sighed. “My grandmother was such a good cook, just like you. I just… I can’t believe I’m never going to see her again.”

“I’m so, so sorry, Celeste,” Penelope responded with misty eyes. “You know, none of us have family anymore. That’s one thing we all have in common.”

“Really?” The redhead looked up at the naiad with a sad expression. “I wish we didn’t have that in common, to be honest.”

“Well, Nicola and Aleia are my family now,” the blue woman explained. “I love my sisters so very much, and we all take care of each other.”

“It sounds nice, but I think I’ll probably be living on my own now,” Celeste sighed. “After I fully recuperate, of course, don’t worry. I’ll stay here for a few days, but I wasn’t raised to depend on anyone.”

“Where would you go after that?” Aleia asked in a curious tone. The fairy jabbed at the coals with the tongs, which sent an errant blast of sparks up into the air. “It’s not an easy life out there by yourself.”

“Maybe I’d try to go to the city,” the harpy said as she stared up at the reddening sky.

“What?” Penelope gasped. “Alone? Life was not kind to women who were alone in the city I was from.”

“Well, I need to find something to do,” Celeste explained. “I need to make a way for myself somehow.”

“There’s always room for you here--” Penelope started.

“Let’s eat!” Aleia said in a cheerful voice as she offered Celeste a plate of trout and grilled peppers.

The women sat in silence with their food for a few minutes, and I considered what they still needed to do for the evening. Luckily there was still a large supply of limestone from when the priestesses and the gnomes had built the convent wall, so we wouldn’t need to collect any more materials.

“Don’t forget you still need to fire the limestone,” I reminded my women. “Making the cement will be an important part of your day tomorrow.”

“Yes, master,” Aleia responded. “It seems like it will make the platforms much more secure.”

“It will,” I agreed. “I’ll feel a lot better about your safety that way.”

After dinner, Celeste went back to the living quarters to lie down while Nicola and Penelope headed over to the garden to light the kilns. Aleia brought over several large chunks of limestone, and she broke them up into small pieces using the mallet and chisel before putting them in the flames.

The limestone was left to heat overnight, and my priestesses decided to go to bed early. By the time they got back to their living quarters, Celeste had already fallen asleep, so the women all stayed whispery as they got into their beds.

Hearing Celeste was still determined to head out on her own, though, made me think of the gargoyles she feared so much. I decided to check on the strange lair one more time to be safe, but when I adjusted my God Vision, nothing had changed. It was the same unfriendly-looking stone monolith with only a torch outside, and not even one guard was out tonight.

So, I took a last scan of the forest around the monolith before I returned back to my convent.

And then it was time to visit my Nicola.

I wasn’t surprised when the brunette got off for hours on the god-worshipper power dynamic. I knew she said little things just to get to me during the daytime so I’d come down on her even harder, and if that was what Nicola wanted, then that was what Nicola got. The dark-haired woman’s screams of ecstasy and pain were enough to make me cum more times than I would have thought possible as a mere mortal, and I ravaged her well into the early hours of the morning.

As much as I loved being with Nicola one on one, I was also deeply craving being with all the women together, and I allowed the thought of having Celeste in the mix to flash through my mind more than once. The fact that she didn’t believe in me made her all the more unattainable and desirable, and I couldn't wait to feel those red feathers play across my skin.

Not that there was any guarantee this would ever happen, but convincing her of how very, very real I could be was a challenge I suddenly wanted to take on.

In maybe like… three or four positions.

The gnomes showed up in the morning, and after a shared hearty breakfast, the priestesses and my other followers were ready to work. Aleia ran out to the forest to get the posts she’d carved the day before, and the rest of the party, including Celeste, moved to the garden to look at the new tools I’d gotten. This time, the plastic was a pleasant, deep-blue tone that was less jarring than the bright orange of the chainsaws.

“What are these, my lord?” Penelope asked. “They look like they make a lot of noise, too.”

“They do,” I laughed. “These are planers, and you’re going to use them to smooth out the wood. We want it to fit together as neatly as possible, and you don’t want to get splinters all the time, either.”

“I can’t wait to hear how to use them,” Aleia said as she returned to the garden, and she held a stack of huge wooden posts tucked casually under her arm.

“Wow, you’re strong,” Celeste gasped. “Everyone… does everyone else see this?”

“She’s a fairy,” Elowise chuckled. “It’s the way of their people.”

“The amazements never stop,” the harpy responded, though it was hard to read her tone.

“Well, I’m excited about these so-called planers,” Wilfrim said as he rubbed his tiny palms together. “These godly tools are something else.”

“We just need a way to stabilize the wood,” I explained. “Let me see. Aleia, I know I’m always asking you for things, but--”

“What do you need me to do?” the fairy asked eagerly. “It can’t be as strange as when I have to carry my sisters around.”

“No, nothing like that,” I chuckled. “I want you to find some heavy rocks to hold the wood in place.”

“Of course, my lord,” the fairy responded, and she was quickly off to find the stones we needed.

“Let’s go ahead and start,” I declared. “Who wants to plane first?”

“I do!” Balabar cried out, and all the gnomes began jostling forward toward the tools.

“Easy,” I laughed. “Everyone gets a shot, I promise. Balabar, I’d be happy if you went first.”

“Thank you, Jack,” the small man said as he straightened his shoulders and grinned. “I hope I do you proud.”

“Go ahead and pick up one of the planers,” I instructed Balabar.

The small man could just reach the top of the altar, and he grabbed one of the tools from the white slab with a surprisingly muscular little hand.

“Is it heavy?” Nissa asked as the veins popped out on Balabar’s tiny arm.

“Of course not,” the gnomish man scoffed. “I’m more than strong enough to do this.”

“Of course, dear.” His blonde gnome wife rolled her deep-brown eyes.

“Anyway,” I cut in as Aleia returned and set up the long piece of wood between the stones, “it’s as easy as putting the planer down on the wood and running it down the length of whatever you’re working on. In this case, the post. Don’t press too hard, but that’s about it.”

With a determined grimace on his small, round face, Balabar took the planer in both hands and placed it on the end of the post. He pushed down on the front of the tool with one hand, and with slow, careful concentration, he pulled the trigger with the other.

When the motor whirred into action, everyone jumped back, and Celeste cried out loud.

“What is that?” the harpy yelped as she put her hands over her ears. “It’s so noisy!”

“Yes, that is the way of Jack’s holy tools,” Penelope hollered over the noise of the planer. “Did you not hear the chainsaws yesterday?”

The naiad put her hands together in a prayer position and gazed up at the sky, and Celeste stared at the blue woman with an expression of total disbelief.

“If I weren’t seeing it for myself…” the redhead muttered so low that no one but me heard her. “What in the world is this place?”

“Good question,” I snorted. “I’ll let you know if I ever figure it out.”

“Did you say something?” Penelope asked the harpy in a cheerful voice. “I’d be happy to talk more about Jack’s glory with you. I’m always happy to. Anything you wish to discuss--”

“No, I’m okay,” the feathered woman assured her. “I’ll just… accept the tools for now.”

“Good work, Balabar!” I praised as I watched the gnome run the planer in straight, even lines down the wood. “Why don’t you give your mother a turn now?”

“Aw, I was having fun,” Balabar grumbled as he released the trigger and adjusted his hat. “You’ll like it, Mother, I promise.”

Elowise worked with the tool for a few minutes, and then everyone else in the group took a turn with the planers. I was pleased with all of my followers’ nimble hands and quick work, and it wasn’t too long before all the posts were almost done.

“Celeste, do you want a turn?” Penelope offered. “It’s really fun.”

“Nooo, I think I’ll hold back for now,” the harpy replied. Her eyes were like saucers as she put her hands up and backed up a couple steps. “I’m happy to watch for the time being.”

“Well, there are a couple things you need to do after this,” I told my followers as the naiad finished planing the final post. “Someone needs to make concrete, and someone else needs to dig the post holes.”

“I enjoy working with the limestone,” Penelope declared. “I’ll do the concrete. Will Aleia need to bring sand from the creek again?”

“Sand and gravel this time,” I explained. “Aleia, why don’t you go ahead and start hauling that now?”

“So much to do,” Nicola sighed. “But these godly tools are entertaining, so that makes things more fun. Thank you, Jack.”

“You’re welcome,” I said. “Now, everyone, let’s go over to the site of the first tower. We’ll build it in the far corner up by the road. Nicola, since you like the tools, why don’t you go ahead and grab the measuring tape and the auger?”

Celeste and Thunder trailed the priestesses past the stable to the location of the first tower, and when the redhead saw Luna, her eyes got huge.

“Is that a horse?” the harpy gasped.

“Yes, of course, this is Luna,” Penelope said. “Jack helped Nicola come up with the proper name for her. Luna, meet Celeste.”

“I’ve never seen a horse in person before,” Celeste breathed. “Only in books. Look how beautiful it is. It has blue eyes!”

“How have you never seen a horse?” the naiad asked in confusion. “They’re rather common creatures.”

“I’ve led a very different kind of life,” Celeste replied and shrugged. “But she is so beautiful. Can I ride her someday?”

“Of course!” Nicola laughed. “I can be your instructor.”

I was encouraged the harpy had said “someday,” like maybe she’d be sticking around the convent a little longer.

“Celeste, we can teach you so much!” Penelope said with sparkling eyes. “You’ve only been here such a short while, and you’ve met a gnome baby, and a horse, and you’ve been in the presence of Jack…”

“Right, Jack,” the harpy said with a red eyebrow raised. “His mural was nice, I suppose, but I admit, I do like it here.”

That seemed like a bit of an improvement.

When the group reached the northeast corner of the convent, they stopped to examine the space.

“How large are the towers going to be, my lord?” Aleia asked. “I know you said twelve-feet tall, but how wide?”

“I was thinking about six-feet squared,” I explained. “So, if you want to use the tape measure, you can mark out four points in a six-foot square.”

“What’s the tape measure again?” Elowise asked with her tiny nose wrinkled. “Jack, you do talk about a lot of strange things. And you girls seem to understand all of it! I’m so impressed.”

“This is the tape measure,” Nicola said as she held out the small metal square to the old woman. “If you pull it out, you’ll see the numbers written on it.”

Elowise fumbled with the tape for a moment, but then she managed to grip it by the hook and pull out a few inches. The old gnome squinted at the yellow strip of metal before she shook her head sadly.

“I can’t read this,” Elowise explained. “It’s not in the gnomish script. I don’t know what it says.”

“Aw, it’s okay,” Penelope said as she patted the small woman on the shoulder. “We’ll do this part for you.”

“I’ve never seen writing like that before, either,” Celeste mused with furrowed red eyebrows as she peered down at the tape measure. “I know what you’re going to say. It’s because it’s from Jack, right? In my home, though, we had to craft our tools by hand. We didn’t have anyone to magically deliver them to us, if that’s actually what’s happening.”

“Jack is very giving,” the naiad said with a nod and a smile. “He knows how much we love him, so he grants us these tools to build up our convent. They are miraculous, aren’t they?”

“They are interesting,” Celeste admitted, and that intriguing glint of wonder came to her amber eyes once more.

“Anyway, Jack, where do you want the posts to go?” Nicola asked in a slightly impatient voice.

“I want the first one as close to the corner of the convent as possible,” I explained. “You can move outwards from there.”

Penelope and Aleia worked together to mark out the post locations, and once the marks were in place, the fairy held out the auger to Nicola.

“Do you want to try first this time, sister?” the strawberry-blonde asked.

“Of course,” the brunette said with a determined nod. “This will be much easier than the chainsaw. Or not as loud, anyway. At least, I don't think it will be loud.”

“No, it’s not loud, and you’re going to want to put it on the ground, turn it so it screws down about a foot, and then pull it out,” I explained. “That should remove a big chunk of dirt. And then you repeat that process until the hole is big enough.”

“And how big is that?” Nicola questioned.

“Let’s see…” I mused. “The posts are around eighteen-feet long, and six-inches squared, so let’s do… eighteen-inches wide and around six-feet deep.”

“That’s a big hole,” the brunette laughed.

“Well, four big holes,” Penelope clarified.

“So, Jack… told you some numbers?” Celeste asked. Her wide eyes weren’t as much skeptical this time as completely mystified. “And you’re going to dig a hole based on that? Just… labor all day?”

“Of course,” the naiad giggled. “Why wouldn’t we? We tried to tell you we stay quite active around here.”

“And he hasn’t gotten anything wrong yet.” Nicola stared at the auger as she planted her feet and put her hands on either side of the handle. “The gnomes used this to make post holes when we were building the wall, but I haven’t tried it yet…”

“Turn it,” Aleia urged. The fairy’s face was curious and intent as she watched the brunette with the tool.

Nicola pushed down on the auger’s handle, began to rotate the device, and a large hole began to form. The muscles in her arms flexed and rippled as she worked, and a wide, proud smile spread across her face as the hole got deeper.

“Now, pull the auger out,” I instructed the brunette. “You should remove a huge chunk of dirt, and then repeat until the hole is as big as we want.”

Celeste stood to the side and watched with her red lips slightly parted in amazement, and her fascination grew even more as the brunette swiftly completed the first hole and moved on to the second.

“You’re strong,” the redhead marveled. “Just like the harpy women.”

“Thanks,” Nicola grunted as she labored.

“I’d love to hear more about your people someday,” Aleia said to Celeste. “Your life sounds fascinating.”

“It was very different from this,” the harpy said as she watched Nicola work. “I know you’re very strong women. If you weren’t, you wouldn’t have been able to fight the gargoyles and rescue me. But I’m not sure you were raised the way I was. I had no choice but to be a warrior since I was a child because of the way harpies are constantly being pursued.”

This woman sounded pretty fucking badass, and while I didn’t want to ask for trouble, I was definitely eager to see her fight.

“Wow,” Penelope responded with her mouth hanging open. “I, too, would love to hear more about that. Celeste, would you like to come with me while I slake the lime? I bet you’ve never seen anything like that before.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, so you’re probably right,” the harpy replied.

“Why don’t you go to the garden and start the concrete while Nicola digs the holes?” I requested, and Penelope nodded.

“Yes, master,” the naiad agreed with a smile. “I’ll bring Celeste, and I’ll tell her more about your glory.”

“I’m not sure that’s necess--” the harpy started, but the blue woman grabbed her firmly by the hand and started pulling her down the hill toward the garden.

Aleia fluttered her lavender wings and floated a couple feet off the ground to follow them.

When they got to the garden, Penelope and Celeste headed over to the campfire kilns while the fairy soared away with a large pot to get the gravel.

“Celeste, have you ever done anything like this before?” the naiad asked. “Building things is new to me since I’ve been here at the convent.”

“Not too much,” the harpy answered. “We were always on the run, so I do know how to survive in the wilderness, but nothing like this.”

“Well, let me show you what to do.” The naiad gestured toward the remaining mix of quicklime and ashes, and she picked up the tongs.

Penelope and Celeste took turns collecting up the bits of quicklime from the ashes, and they put them into a large clay pot. The lime fizzed and smoked as the naiad slaked it with water, and when the reactions were complete, the blue woman looked up at the sky as if awaiting further instructions.

“The formula for concrete is one part cement, two parts sand, and three parts gravel, and then just enough water to be able to work it,” I explained. “Be very careful not to add too much water, or it’ll weaken the concrete. A very thick past is best. Oh, look, Aleia’s back with sand.”

“Here you go,” the fairy panted as she set her pot down on the ground. “Now I’m off to get the gravel. See you in a couple minutes!”

The strawberry-blonde soared away, and Penelope pursed her lips.

“One part cement to two parts sand,” the naiad mused. The blue woman was known for being good with numbers. “We should probably make enough for each post and then bring it over to the builders. We don’t have a container large enough to make all of it at one time.”

“That sounds like a good idea, Penelope,” I praised the cerulean beauty. “Go ahead and start mixing the sand in. You can use water, too, but not too much. Once it’s done, it’s going to need to be thick enough to hold its shape in your hands.”

“I understand, master,” Penelope responded.

“And you’re going to tell me that since you didn’t grow up building, Jack taught you how to do all this since you got to the convent, right?” Celeste asked.

“Of course,” Penelope responded with a beatific smile. “How else? Jack wants us all to become stronger and cleverer, so we can protect ourselves and live good lives here.”

“That is kind of him,” Celeste said in a careful tone, and I noticed she was having trouble looking so skeptical this time. She actually looked a bit impressed by my naiad’s words, and she sat in concentration while she helped Penelope with her work.

Aleia flew back with gravel in hand shortly after, and the naiad began to mix as the other two women looked on. It took a few minutes, but the concrete thickened as I’d described, and a proud smile spread across the blue priestess’ perfect red lips.

“I think you did it,” I told the naiad. I zoomed in on the gnomes and Nicola, and they’d completed all the post holes. “Let’s bring it back up to the tower site now. You’re going to need the shovel, and Aleia, bring some gravel. You’ll need it for the bottom of the post holes.”

“I’ll fly back and get the concrete, too,” the little fairy declared. “It’s too much for Penelope to carry, and I certainly wouldn’t want Celeste to hurt herself.”

“Are you underestimating me again?” the harpy grumbled as she crossed her feathered arms. “Haven’t you seen I’m all better now?”

“You look alright,” Aleia admitted. “But I’m sure our lord doesn’t want to take any chances.”

“Why would what ‘he’ says have anything to do with my actions?” Celeste laughed. “Now you’re asking him to direct me, as well?”

“N-No, that’s not what I meant!” Aleia stuttered as she tried to smooth the situation. “As your friend, at least I hope, anyway, I don’t want to take any chances hurting you.”

“Friend…” the harpy said, and the word seemed to calm her a little. “Are we friends? Thank you, Aleia. I know you have my well-being in mind.”

The three women made their way back to the corner of the convent, where Nicola and the gnomes were standing about chatting.

“Hi, everyone!” Penelope sang. “We made the concrete, and now it’s time to set the posts, right, master?”

“That’s exactly right,” I confirmed. “You need to get them securely into the ground. First, dump in about six inches of gravel, then position the post, and add the concrete last. Aleia, I think I’m going to have you put the posts in place because I need it to be as precise as possible. We can reposition them a little, after they’re set, but it’s easier if we just do it right the first time.”

I wished we had a post level, but I trusted Aleia’s capable hands to get the supports as level and as plumb with the ground as possible.

“What should we do?” Elowise asked. “I don’t want to stand around when there’s so much work to be done, my… Jack.”

“You can finish cutting and planing the wood,” I instructed. “Go back to the garden and do that now. We want the boards to be about six-inches wide and two-inches thick. My priestesses will help you once they’re done with the posts, and then you can all take a break for the day. We’ll have a nice pile of lumber to get started building tomorrow.”

The gnomes ambled off to the garden as Penelope got busy pouring gravel into the holes, and Nicola picked up the shovel.

“I’ll put in the concrete while Aleia holds the posts steady,” the dark-haired woman decided.

“That sounds like a good plan,” I agreed.

The priestesses quickly installed all four posts, and I was more than impressed by their fast handiwork and overall skills. Even though Aleia’s Crafting stat was going up the most, Penelope and Nicola were also growing more dexterous and proficient all the time. They’d adapted to the modern tools so easily I almost forgot how primitive their skills had been.

The women and Thunder returned to the garden, where the gnomes had used the four planers to shape at least half the rough boards. My followers hadn’t eaten since breakfast, so I knew they had to be hungry, but I thought they’d be able to finish even more quickly now that the priestesses were there to plane in their place. The sun had started to set lower behind the trees, but I felt confident they’d be able to finish the task before dark.

The concrete for the posts wasn’t going to have quite as long to set as I would have liked before my women and the gnomes started building, but given the current situation with the gargoyles, I didn’t want to wait any longer on the guard towers.

Celeste’s red feathers glowed like they were on fire in the golden hour of the late afternoon, and the smoothness of her milky-white skin in between enhanced the texture of her plumage. The harpy’s face was the most relaxed I’d seen, and that made me happy. Even if she was doubtful about the convent, I hated the thought of her being out in the world all by herself.

“We’re almost done, master,” Penelope chirped. “All this wood will be complete before we know it.”

“It looks great,” I told the group, and I meant it. I didn’t think building the structure was going to be hard because they were all so handy, and I was excited that the first tower was going to be done so soon.

Once all the wood was planed, the group let out a hearty cheer.

“We did it,” Wilfrim gasped as he doubled over to try to catch his breath. “I’ve been working for a while now, but I didn’t believe we would ever actually complete the task.”

“It was all thanks to you gnomes,” Nicola marveled. “You’re such hard workers. Why don’t I go check my snare for a rabbit, and we can have a big dinner.”

“How do you know you’ll have meat?” Balabar asked.

“Something’s usually there,” the dark-haired woman said with a shrug.

“Here, let me look for you,” I chuckled, and when I zoomed in on the snare outside the rabbit burrow, I saw there was, in fact, a large rabbit in the trap that looked like it ate twice as well as any others I’d seen. I wasn’t sure if it was related to Nicola’s powers with animals, but it was true that there was a rabbit in her snare more often than not. “Yep, you got a rabbit, and it looks like it’s big enough for all of you. Time for a feast!”

“As I suspected,” the dark-haired woman said with a pleased nod. “I’ll go get it now.”

My women, Celeste, and the gnomes dined on the rabbit and the remainder of the food Elowise had brought from the gnome garden, and they all looked happy and satiated by the time the first stars appeared in the sky.

That night, I put in a request for a collection of two-foot carpenter’s levels. While the levels wouldn’t be as exciting as the power tools from the past couple days, they were a necessity, and I thought the women would think they were cool, anyway.

The priestesses went to bed early, and I had to think about who I wanted to visit. As usual, Aleia was doing the most heavy lifting, and I thought about healing her and breathing new life into my sweet fairy’s body.

When I entered the fairy’s dream, she sat cross-legged in her bed with a seductive smile.

“Jack…” the strawberry-blonde breathed. “I wasn’t expecting you, but I’m glad you’re here.”

Chapter 11

“I’m excited to see you, too,” I chuckled.

Aleia squealed as she jumped to her feet, and before I had a chance to react, she’d leapt up on me and thrown her legs around my waist.

“You almost knocked me over,” I laughed, but the fairy didn’t respond other than by squeezing her thighs even tighter around my body and kissing me all over my face. It wasn’t long before the strawberry-blonde’s hungry little mouth sought out my lips, and when our mouths met, she moaned and tugged on my hair.

“I want you so bad,” Aleia whispered in my ear, and I inhaled sharply as a wave of shivers ran down my spine. “Please, touch me. I’ve been soooo lonely.”

“I know you don’t get toooo lonely when you’re by yourself,” I teased her as I pushed back her thick hair to bite her neck. “I know what you like to do when you’re all alone, or at night when everyone is sleeping.”

“Don’t joke around with me,” the fairy moaned. “I’m serious, master. I need you soooo bad right now.”

“Then I shall take care of you,” I said in a solemn voice. I walked over to Aleia’s bed as she nibbled on my neck and ground her already-dripping pussy down onto my belly. I laid the fairy out on her back, and she responded by grasping me around the neck and pulling me down on top of her. “What do you need, princess?”

“I need… everything you have.” The strawberry-blonde kissed me again, and her tongue darted between my parted lips before she moaned, shivered, and pulled away to speak. “Please, master.”

I gently ran a finger down the space between her legs, and Aleia grabbed my hand and started to squeeze it against her clit. Her breathing grew faster and faster as she rubbed against me, and her tiny body shook as I pulled her up against my chest.

“Oh, Jack!” the fairy cried out as her movements grew even more rapid, and I realized she was going to cum any second. I stroked her sensitive wing to help push her over the top, and as soon as my fingers touched the delicate, purple gossamer, she collapsed against my chest and trembled even harder. “Oh, oh, ohhhh!”

“Alright, you thirsty little thing,” I said after several moments when her trembles subsided. “I guess you really have been thinking about me.”

“Oh, gods,” Aleia gasped as she tried to catch her breath, and then she started to giggle. “Master, I’ve been soooo horny. I don’t think you understand.”

“How wet is your pussy right now?” I asked. “I think I need to check.”

“It’s soaking,” the fairy breathed into my ear. “I want you to feel.”

I slid my hand from Aleia’s clit to her slick opening, which was still partly covered by her clothing. The fabric covering her pussy was completely sodden, and I wanted to get it off her as quickly as possible.

“I can’t take care of you when you're wearing this,” I told Aleia as I rubbed her swollen mound through her robes. “How am I going to taste you?”

“Ohh, would you do that?” the fairy gasped. “I need… I need to cum again.”

“I know you do,” I laughed as I reached behind Aleia’s neck and untied her top.

As the cloth fell away, I involuntarily moaned when I saw her breasts, from her freckled cleavage to the peaks of her rosy nipples. I pulled down her skirt and threw it across the room, and then I took a minute to admire the entirety of her body. The pale, winged being seemed to glow in the dim light of the living quarters as she laid naked and vulnerable before me.

No matter how many times I fucked Aleia, the fairy always just seemed so pure.

“Do you like me?” the strawberry-blonde whispered.

“You’re so fucking sexy,” I murmured as I buried my hands in her hair and stared into her pale-green eyes. “I watch those wings flutter all day, and it’s torture for me.”

“Do you really watch me?” Aleia giggled.

“You have to be kidding me,” I laughed. “You honestly still don’t know?”

“Oh, Jack,” Aleia said as she looked down and blushed. “I still feel shy sometimes, and I can’t believe I was so bold a few minutes ago. I just grabbed your hand, and, well…”

“That was the hottest thing ever,” I promised her as I kissed her damp neck. “I like it when you’re bold.”

“Okay, well, then you just take your pants off!” the little fairy said in a bossy voice, and then she started to giggle. “Like that?”

“Just like that,” I said as I tried not to chuckle at Aleia trying to tell me what to do. “Be as bossy as you want.”

“You still didn’t do it,” the strawberry-blonde reminded me, and she pulled at the rough brown fabric of my rustic pants. “Off, now.”

“You’re so adorable,” I told the fairy as I struggled to get my pants down my hips. “I love you so very, very much.”

“I don’t want to be adorable,” Aleia pouted. “I want to be sexy.”

“You’re all that, too,” I assured her. “How could you not be with a tight little pussy like this?”

I slid my middle finger into her slippery hole, and hot, sweet juices ran down my hand.

“Tight?” the fairy asked in a nervous voice. “That’s good, right?”

“You don’t know what that means, do you?” I chuckled. “I love how innocent you are because it means whenever I fuck you it’s like it’s your very first time all over again.”

“I’ll never forget when you were first inside me,” Aleia whimpered. The walls of her pussy had already started to pulsate again around my fingers, and it was getting harder to ignore the aching in my cock as her next climax approached. “I was a little scared, since your… your manhood is so very big… ohhhh, master…”

“Are you cumming again already?” I murmured. “I barely have to touch you tonight to make you lose your mind.”

“That’s how I am now,” Aleia whispered once the twitching of her pussy subsided again. “I put my fingers down there, and I imagine your face… and your muscles… and… and your cock, and… fuuuuck!”

Another wave of spasms overcame the fairy, and I watched the expression on her exquisite face as her third orgasm rolled over her. Her eyes were squeezed shut in erotic concentration, and her cheeks had never been more candy-apple red.

“And you don’t think you’re sexy,” I said as Aleia opened her eyes and gasped for breath. “It’s so fucking amazing when you cum for me.”

“I don’t know what’s come over me,” the fairy sighed. “I just can’t control myself when I’m near you, or even when I think about you.”

“And I haven’t even tasted you yet,” I growled as I stroked the long strands of shiny hair around her face. “Aleia… do you remember something we did once? You floated in the air, and then we sixty-nined--”

“Sixty-what?” the fairy asked. Her face was still bright crimson, and a tiny bead of sweat rolled down her temple as she tried to recover from her intense climaxes. As I continued to finger her, I wasn’t sure I was making it easy. “I don’t think I know what you mean.”

“I kiss you down here…” I said as I gently stroked her clit, “and you, you kiss me here.”

I put Aleia’s hand on my engorged cock, and she encircled its head with her delicate fingers.

“I’ll do anything you wish,” the fairy breathed and bit her lip. “I know what you’re talking about, master, and yes, I’d like to do that again.”

“Should we go outside?” I asked. “Come on, let’s find somewhere there’s more room.”

I jumped up and grabbed the naked fairy’s hand, and she floated up a couple inches and followed me out into the night.

Then Aleia soared several feet above my head, and she looked down on me with a flirty smile on her bow-shaped lips. Her full tits were virtually luminescent in the moonlight, but I was equally enticed by the precise spots where her tiny waist curved outward to meet her hips, and by the patch of curls between her legs.

“You can’t reach me up here,” the fairy teased as she looked down at me. “Does that make you sad?”

“You’re so fucking sexy when you fly,” I growled. “Get back down here and put your pussy in my face. Don’t you want me to touch your wings?”

Aleia came floating down next to me, and I suddenly had an even better idea.

“Aleia, you might think I’m crazy…” I began.

“Master, how could you even consider that?” the fairy asked as she looked at me with a bewildered expression. Instead of wrapping her legs around my neck, she knelt down before me and looked up at me with wide green eyes. “You’re so wise, and so incredible…”

“Wait until you hear what I have to say,” I chuckled as she put two tiny hands on the base of my shaft. “Aleia, do you think you’re strong enough to pick me up?”

“What?” the fairy giggled as she stopped stroking my hard-on and stared at me. “My lord, what are you talking about?”

“I was just wondering if there was any way… we could fuck in the sky,” I explained as she rubbed soft fingers up and down my manhood.

“Wowww…” Aleia breathed. “That sounds unbelievable, Jack. I think I probably could, even though you’re sooo big and strong.”

The fairy ran a hand up my washboard abs, and then she stood and stroked one of my large biceps. Since becoming a god, my musculature had become highly enhanced compared to the body I remembered from my last life, but I had no complaints to make.

“Okay, let’s just try,” I said as I bent down and picked Aleia up again. The fairy’s body was practically weightless as she slid her legs around my unclothed sides, and the feeling of her smooth skin against my hips was enough to make my cock jerk rapidly. “How do we do this?”

“It was your idea!” Aleia giggled as she threw her arms around my neck, but then she lowered her head to whisper in my ear. “I think it starts like this.”

Without warning, the fairy slid her pussy down onto my shaft until I was buried deep inside her. The immediate feeling of her slick warmth and the hot, syrupy juices running down my balls made my hips immediately thrust upward, and I grabbed her ass to pull her further down onto my cock.

“Wh-What starts like this again?” I stammered. I was already lost in the feeling of being inside Aleia, and I seemed to have forgotten what we were talking about.

“Jack!” the strawberry-blonde giggled. “Don’t you want to fly before we keep making love?”

“Oh, yeah,” I laughed, but before I had a chance to prepare, Aleia wrapped her legs tighter around my waist, put her hands around the back of my neck, and we shot a couple of feet into the air as if we were of one body. “Holy shit!”

“Do you like it?” the fairy laughed. “My sisters weren’t too sure about flying.”

“Well, your sisters also weren’t fucking you at the time,” I grunted.

She’d positioned us vertically as if we were sitting up in the air, and her wings were fluttering so fast they were almost vibrating. I pulled on her ass to steady myself, and even though my stomach had started to flip over repeatedly, I was so exhilarated I thought I might cum any second.

“Should we go higher?” Aleia breathed.

She ran her tongue around my earlobe and began to gently suck on the sensitive skin, and sparks sizzled through my entire body. As she rose several feet further, I felt entirely weightless, and it was just like every flying dream I’d ever had, except infinite times better because a beautiful woman was on my cock.

“Yesss, higher,” I groaned. The feeling of the night air, Aleia’s virginal pussy grinding down onto the base of my shaft, and her soft skin pressed against my body were almost too much for me, and I desperately wanted to know what it felt like to get off like this. “Aleia, I’m going to cum inside you. I’m going to fill you with my seed, but I promise I’m going to do it again. And again. And again.”

“Yessss, please, master,” Aleia said as she threw her head back. “I need you to fill my womb with your cream. It feels sooo good. Would you like it… would you like it if I came for you again, too?”

“Fuck, yessss, Aleia,” was the last thing I managed to hiss before fireworks shot out of the tip of my cock and exploded into the fairy’s hot, ready womb. I saw strange shapes form in front of my eyes and heard an intense buzzing in my ears, and for a minute I felt like I was free falling through space. The tip of my manhood spurted shot after shot of seed into Aleia’s body, and I lost all sense of reality.

“Jack, Jack, Jaaaaaack!” I finally became vaguely aware of Aleia screaming my name as if from very far away, and I realized she was cumming, too. As she let go, a wave of spasms ran through her body, and they culminated as the gooey, wet walls of her tunnel began to convulse over and over.

I was fairly certain I was about to cum again, too. Holy shit, was that actually possible so quickly again?

Another wave of sparks flashed in front of my eyes, and an intense, tickling pleasure ran in jolts out the tip of my cock. As I filled Aleia with my seed for the second time within a matter of minutes, she threw her head back and cried out for me.

“Oh, gods, oh, gods, oh, gods,” the fairy panted. “Master, you’re unbelievable. As long as you keep fucking me, I promise I’ll cum over and over for you.”

“Yessss,” I moaned. “Cum again, my beautiful fairy princess.”

As Aleia orgasmed, she seemed to increasingly lose control of her flying. We were soaring at least thirty feet off the ground now, and we careened and twisted through the air while the strawberry-blonde dug her nails into my back and screamed my name.

As my eyes fluttered open and shut, I tried to focus enough to get a good look at the stars. The night was so bright and clear, I felt like the two of us were rocketing through space together, and the orgasms that shot through me over and over were enhanced by the intense free fall feeling in my belly.

“Master,” Aleia managed to choke out as her pussy released another splash of sticky fluid. “I can’t. Stop. Cumming.”

“Me, neither,” I grunted as I shot yet another load of cum into her womb. “This is fucking incredible.”

The fairy grabbed my face and stared into my eyes, and as the two of us spun together in our shared ecstasy, I’d never felt so bonded with another person before. She and I began to kiss, and the desperate, sloppy energy of her tongue swirling around mine shot me off into even more bliss.

I didn’t know how much time passed like this, but I knew I was going to have to catch my breath soon if I didn’t want to pass out. I attempted to control my wild thrusting and focus all my attention on Aleia, whose sea-green eyes had started to roll back in her head.

“Are you okay, princess?” I whispered.

“Fuuuuck, master,” was the strawberry-blonde’s only response, and from the way her soft tunnel continued to squeeze my shaft, I could tell she was still lost in the haze of her own intense pleasure. The fairy had started to breathe so hard it sounded like she was running a marathon.

From the sound of Aleia’s gasps and the wind whistling around us, to the smells of wet grass, chilly air, and her perfect body, I lost complete control of my senses again. I was lost in the erotic moment, but when the puzzle pieces of my brain began to fit back together, I realized we had started to dip dangerously close to the roof of the living quarters.

“Aleia!” I called out as I shook the fairy’s shoulders, and her wide eyes snapped open even as her body continued to shudder.

“Oh, my gods,” Aleia gasped as she righted us in the air. “I thought I was going to faint.”

“I thought I was, too,” I admitted. “This has been the best experience of my life… but should we finish it on the ground?”

“Yes… I almost lost control,” the fairy confessed, and she began to slowly descend toward the living quarters. “My lord… what if we had fallen?”

“We didn’t,” I assured her. “And since it’s a dream, you probably just would have woken up.”

Aleia turned our bodies so I was on top of her, and then the two of us gently touched down in the grass. We were still locked together, but we both started to laugh hysterically, and as tears of mirth ran down both our faces, I collapsed onto her trembling form.

“Can we still fuck more?” the fairy asked in a sweet, hopeful tone, and then her voice dropped to a whisper. “And maybe… maybe a little harder?”

“You’re unstoppable,” I growled, and as I began to pound away at Aleia’s wet little pussy again, I started to feel the beginnings of another huge orgasm rushing over me.

While I thrust uncontrollably into the fairy’s tight hole, it was as if I was surfing a giant wave of pleasure. I floated through my personal sea of ecstasy until I was finally able to open my eyes again, and I saw Aleia was staring up at me with a pleased smile on her lips.

“You look so incredible when you cum,” the fairy whispered. “It makes me feel like the most powerful person in the world to know I can make a god feel that way.”

“You are the most powerful,” I whispered back as I buried my face in her soft, flowery hair. I was still rock-hard and deep inside Aleia, but I could tell the fairy was weary as she laid back with a satisfied expression. “I’ve never felt so good… ever. We have to fuck like that again, a million times.”

“I’ve never felt so good, either,” the fairy responded as I gently rolled off her and laid down beside her in the grass. She lowered a sleepy hand to her pussy, and she ran a finger through the mess of seed running down her leg before she brought it to her lips. Then she sucked my cum off her fingertip before sighing, closing her eyes, and mumbling in a tired voice, “I love the taste of your cream, master.”

“Don’t fall asleep here,” I laughed. “Don’t worry, I can help you, though.”

I slid my arms under the fairy and scooped her up, and I couldn’t help but grin at the way she snuggled up in my arms with her eyes squeezed tight. I walked over to the living quarters, placed her gently in her bed, and pulled a warm blanket over her still-unclothed body. Then I sat down next to her and rubbed her shoulders, and I wished beyond anything that I could stay down on the ground even after she woke up in the morning. The priestess and I could have breakfast, and make love again, and be together the way it seemed like we always should.

Dawn always came, though, and when Aleia woke, she bolted up to a seated position with a startled shock. She quickly looked around and pulled her blanket up over her body before she remembered our encounter had been a dream.

“Good morning, master,” the fairy whispered. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, fairy princess,” I murmured. “Thank you for giving yourself to me.”

The priestesses and Celeste dragged themselves up for a groggy breakfast, and by the time they’d finished, the gnomes showed up, ready to build. It was time to frame the tower itself and construct the parapet, and then the first quarter of our large project would finally be complete. Making all four towers was going to be a lot of work, but if anyone was up to the task, it was my followers.

“So, who’s built a platform before?” I asked the group when they’d collected in the garden after breakfast, and Wilfrim raised his hand.

“I have, Jack,” the old gnome volunteered.

“And our tree houses were on platforms,” Aleia offered.

“So, you know about constructing the joists?” I questioned.

“The boards that support the floor?” Wilfrim queried. “If so, then yes. I know how to build like that.”

“So, this is going to be easy!” I told my followers. “Wilfrim, you can be my leader on the ground.”

“What do we need to do?” Penelope asked.

“First, you need to create a square frame around the posts with four six-foot boards,” I answered. “Wilfrim, take it from here.”

“Okay.” The old gnome nodded. “Then, I think we’re going to attach the joints? What did you call them, Jack?”

“They’re joists,” I answered. “They’ll support the floor of the platform. One of my women can give you our godly hammer and nails.”

“And there’s our new huge ladder to use again,” Elowise chuckled. “But if anyone can do it, it’s my Wilfrim.”

“Aw,” Penelope cooed. “You’re just like Jack and us.”

I heard a small laugh, and I realized it had, unsurprisingly, been Celeste who reacted to the naiad’s statement. The group all turned to stare at the harpy, but she just gazed up at the sky with a rosy flush to her cheeks and wouldn’t look back.

“Anyway, what are these new tools?” Nicola asked as she gestured to the levels on the altar. “They look like giant sticks with… bubbles in them?”

“Ooo, let me see!” Penelope said as she grabbed one of the levels, and as she turned the long stick back and forth in her hand, she started to giggle. “That is a bubble! What’s it doing in there?”

“I want a turn!” Aleia said as she bounced up and down on her toes, until she looked up at the sky with a bashful expression. “That is, if it’s okay with our master.”

“It’s fine, go ahead and play,” I laughed, and from the way the fairy flushed, I could tell she was thinking about the time we’d spent together just a short while before.

Penelope and Aleia giggled together and messed around with the levels for a couple minutes before passing them around for the rest of the group to see, and Nicola held one in her hands and stared at it pensively.

“Why did you send us bubbles to play with, Jack?” the brunette chuckled.

“They’re called levels, and they’re for making sure your platform is, well, level,” I explained. “You put them on top or along the side of what you’re working on, and then you look at the bubble. If it sits between the two little lines that are on there, then what you’re building is nice and flat. Aleia did a great job of putting in the posts, but you’ll need to measure their height, and if we need to plane the top of the posts so they’re all level with one another, that’s fine, too.”

“We can do that, my lord,” Aleia said with a pleased smile, and she was clearly glad I’d complimented her work.

“Let’s get to work!” Penelope told everyone as she clapped her hands rapidly together. “I want to see what the first tower is going to look like.”

“Me, too,” I chuckled.

“So, where’s our holy ladder?” Wilfrim asked. “I’m ready to get started.”

“Father, are you sure you’re tall enough?” Nissa asked as she bounced Roza up and down. “The ladder isn’t--”

“This is my brand new tool!” the old man said in a hearty voice. “Nissa, don’t doubt me!”

“I’ll help him with the really high stuff,” Aleia cheerfully cut in. “I don’t mind at all.”

“Great!” I responded. “So, let me see what you can do!”

The small team of Wilfrim and Aleia finished one side of the frame as Penelope and Nicola worked on the second side. The fairy floated above the other workers to help and give instructions from the air, and Wilfrim seemed to enjoy barking out commands from the ground like a miniature contractor.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve managed a crew of workers,” the old gnomish man said as he wiped off his forehead with a small, embroidered handkerchief. “I’m enjoying myself, Jack, I have to say.”

“I’m glad, Wilfrim,” I laughed. “You’re good at being in charge.”

The team passed the hammer back and forth as they framed the platform and installed the joists with ease, and then I thought it would be easiest to have Aleia install the floorboards from above.

Celeste’s eyes were wide open in fascination the entire time the group worked, and I wondered if she’d ever done any construction herself.

“Can I get you some water?” the harpy abruptly asked as she stood up and looked around at the gnomes and priestesses. “I want to be helpful, too.”

“That’s nice of you,” Penelope cooed as the redhead picked up the group’s canteens. “Thank you, Celeste.”

Celeste headed off toward the stream, and the group watched eagerly as Aleia laid down the last board and grinned when the fairy nailed down the last plank.

“Hooray!” the strawberry-blonde cheered as her pale-violet wings flapped lightly in the breeze. “And now for the parapet, I assume.”

“Yep,” I agreed. “So, for that, we’re going to need to use the four smaller posts. We’re constructing a parapet about four-feet tall, which you can duck behind when you’re in danger. And, of course, leave some space for the stairs. Aleia, you can use one of the trunks from today. Remember how we talked about carving stairs into a single tree?

“I can do that,” the fairy responded with a firm nod that sent her golden-red waves rippling down her back. She flew off to the forest, and Nicola got up on the ladder and nailed the rail posts to the outside of the frame.

The dark-haired woman and Penelope then climbed up to the platform so the rest of the party could hand them wood for the rails. The two priestesses installed the top and bottom rails, and then they began to attach the pickets.

As the group continued to work and converse with me, Celeste sat to the side and munched on apples with a slightly-bemused expression on her face. I knew this was a lot for an outsider to understand, though the gnomes had taken to it all relatively easily. The harpy was just more naive about gods, and I hoped it would only take her a little more time to accept the situation.

Not that I didn’t enjoy her naivety. It only drew me to her more, and the way she tilted her head at the group whenever they spoke to me made a phantom smile spring to my face every time.

While Penelope and Nicola worked on the parapet, Aleia flew back to the new tower with a large tree trunk. She’d grabbed one that had already been cut to about fifteen-feet long, which I thought would work perfectly for the twelve-foot tower.

“So, Aleia,” I said to the panting priestess as she landed on the ground and put the giant tree down next to her. “You said you’d seen staircases like this before. It’s a ladder that leans up against the side of the tower that’s created by carving notches into the trunk. I think you’re going to want to make the rise of the steps about--”

“My lord, I can handle this,” the fairy laughed. “I’ve seen these built before, and I think I have the skills to do it without measuring. I’m going to cut it in half lengthwise with a chainsaw and carve the stairs out of it, and then I thought I’d use a planer to smooth out the wood. I’ll make short enough stairs that even the gnomes can climb up easily.”

“You should carve a notch into the back of the trunk so that it fits right into the tower itself,” I suggested. “If you piece them together just right, the stairs will stay stable.”

“If anyone can put together a puzzle, it’s me,” Aleia laughed. “That’s a great idea, and I have the perfect picture in my head of what I want it to look like.”

“Are you sure?” I asked. “I believe in you, and I suppose all we have left to lose is this tree. Do you want to try?”

“I do!” The strawberry-blonde was so excited she shot a couple inches into the air.

“Well, then, you work on that, Aleia, and there’s one more task,” I explained. “I need someone to nail diagonal braces onto the posts of the tower to make it more structurally sound.”

“Struc-tur...?” Wilfrim asked as he rubbed his beard. “I can’t even say that! But I do know what you’re talking about, Jack. Us gnomes just call it takin’ out the shakes!”

“Great, so do you want to take care of that?” I chuckled. “And then you can probably go home for the night, because Aleia’s going to finish this staircase, and then we’ll be done with tower number one.”

“That’s exciting,” Elowise said with a grin. “Jack, dear, would you mind if I put up these new boards? It feels like I haven’t gotten a chance with the hammer in a while.”

Had the old woman just called a god “dear?”

“Of course, I don’t mind,” I chuckled. “If Wilfrim will give up the tool, that is.”

“I suppose, Wife,” the gnomish man mock-sighed. “If that’s what you really want.”

Elowise put up the braces with ease as Penelope and Nicola continued to work on the parapet. The brunette finished nailing the last board soon after, and the group looked around at each other with disbelief.

“Did we actually do it?” Penelope asked. “Master, isn’t this unbelievable?”

“All except these stairs,” Aleia answered. “And I know I’m not Jack, but yes, it’s unbelievable.”

“It looks great, but I think we’re going to go,” Wilfrim yawned. “Good night, all of you. Seeing as how we’re spending this much time together, we’ll probably see you tomorrow.”

“Remember that there are three more towers to build, Wilfrim,” Elowise said as she poked her husband in the side. “Don’t think you can get out of that.”

“And I’m going to go to bed, too,” Celeste cut in, and everyone looked at her in surprise. The beautiful redhead had been so quiet, the group had apparently forgotten she was there. “But… I like your tower. This will do well to improve your defense system.”

I noticed Celeste had that same hint of an impressed glint in her amber eyes when she said this, and she nodded once at the structure before strolling off toward the living quarters. She didn’t stumble or lose her balance the whole way, and I was pleased to see the harpy looking steady and strong on her feet after another day of rest.

In fact, she looked incredibly well, with a healthy glow to her cheeks, a sturdy, warrior-like posture, and well-toned legs that rippled with each step.

“Goodbye, then, everyone,” Penelope said. “I certainly hope to see all of you tomorrow, and not just to build the towers. I’m so glad you’re our friends.”

“Me, too,” Nissa responded, and she squeezed the naiad’s finger in her tiny palm. “We’ll see you very soon.”

The gnomes disappeared, and my three women looked up at the twelve-foot tower with pride.

“Aleia, it’s okay if you can’t finish the stairs tonight,” I told the fairy as I considered the setting sun. “I’m sure all of you are starving.”

“Fine,” Aleia said with a mischievous expression. “But I want to go to the top of the tower first. I haven’t been up there yet.”

“You can fly, sister,” Penelope giggled. “Why do you need to stand on a tower?”

“I don’t know, just for fun,” the fairy laughed. “I even want to climb a ladder like one of you… non-fairies.”

Aleia climbed the ladder, and she stood at the edge of the parapet and looked out across the dimming trees.

“Do you see anything?” Nicola called up to the strawberry-blonde.

“Are those goblins I see?” Aleia called back with a teasing smile on her face. “I think there’s a whoooole army of trolls, and a hundred goblins, and-- wait a minute. Something looks strange on the ground.”

“Don’t joke with us, sister,” Penelope laughed. “I want to go eat.”

“I’m not kidding,” the fairy insisted. “There’s something strange and shadowy. I think I’m going to fly, after all.”

“No, stay where you are,” I ordered, and I zoomed in on the direction my fairy was pointing.

At first, I was sure there was nothing there. All appeared still in the shadows of the trees, and I couldn’t hear anything but the sound of dry leaves blowing across the ground.

But then I saw the creature lurking in the trees.

It was almost like the cougar the women had fought, but it was longer and skinnier. The slinky beast was entirely black, and it seemed to be going in and out of the shadows in a way that made it harder to track.

It was one of the strangest things I’d ever seen, and it was headed directly for the convent gate.

Chapter 12

Aleia shot up twenty feet into the air, and I scanned the ground to try to get a better handle on the strange beast that was lurking around the convent.

It was hard to make it out since he was sticking to the shadows, but while I’d initially thought it had the body of a cat, I now realized its head was shaped more like a rottweiler. An ugly one. Its tail was more canine than feline and curved up halfway over its elongated back, and its body was close to an even longer, skinnier greyhound.

It was oddly lanky to look at, but I could sort of see the lean muscles roping its entire form. I couldn’t figure out why I was having trouble getting a gauge on his build, though. Normally, my God Vision did alright in the dark, and it was only dusk. More concerning than this was the fact that this ugly ass beast didn’t make a single sound no matter what its paws stepped on.

My nerves spiked as the shadowy animal silently approached the convent gate, but then it turned away and started pacing like a tiger in a cage. Rage burned in its ugly eyes as it prowled back and forth along the edge of the convent wall, and it sniffed the ground with its shadowy nose as if it were hunting for something, or someone, in particular.

“Grab your weapons, Penelope!” I shouted. “And head up to the tower!”

Penelope dashed off to get the bows and sling from where the women had stashed them near their worksite, and then she ran back over to the base of the tower.

Nicola had started to climb up the ladder so she could stand on the newly-constructed tower. Once the brunette reached the platform, the naiad handed her the weapons and began her own climb.

“Why isn’t Thunder barking?” the dark-haired woman asked. “Why didn’t we have more warning? It seems strange.”

“I didn’t hear anything, either,” Penelope confirmed. “Is the enemy totally silent?”

“The beast is just so… shadowy,” Aleia shuddered. “Maybe poor Thunder can’t sense it.”

At the sound of his name, Thunder jumped to his feet, and his huge nostrils flared as he tipped his nose toward the dusky sky. Then he let out a long, low growl at the demonic dog approaching the door of the convent, and when the beast slunk away again, the huge puppy looked around and started to whimper.

“I think I see it,” Nicola announced as she stared at the ground with a grimly set jaw. The brunette drew her bow and immediately released an arrow, but it missed the side of the shadow dog’s body by inches and clattered to the ground.

“It’s okay,” I encouraged her. “Keep shooting!”

At the sound of the arrow hitting the dirt, the slinky black beast looked up and made a loud noise that reminded me of air hissing out of a tire. The animal twisted its head from side to side, and it wasn’t clear to me whether the strange animal could actually see the priestesses. He seemed more focused on the convent walls than any of the women while he continued to pace its perimeter.

“I think it’s interested in the gate,” Aleia alerted us as the ghastly animal stopped to sniff at the wooden door.

More specifically, it seemed particularly fascinated by the tiny space between the gate and the ground, and it pawed at the crack with a long, spindly leg.

“Don’t let that bastard start digging his way in,” I warned.

Aleia immediately swooped down to get her sling and pouch of rocks from the top of the tower, and in one incredibly swift motion, she loaded the weapon, swung it over her head, jetted forward, and slammed a stone down in the direction of the ghostly dog.

The rock passed directly through the beast’s strange black body, and all four of us groaned in disappointment.

“That was a direct hit,” the fairy growled. “What’s going on?”

“Try again!” I urged.

The beast was hissing again as it scurried back a few paces, and it bared its teeth at the rock while the soft, dusky light revealed its hideous form a little more clearly. Now that it wasn’t slinking among the shadows, I could tell its sinewy flesh was an odd shade of gray, and a second later, Aleia’s next rock soared toward its flank.

The beast yelped as the stone struck hard against him this time, and the little fairy let out a hmph of triumph.

“When it’s in the shadows, I don’t think its body is solid,” I reported. “It’s like it can become a shadow or something. I’m not sure, but we’re lucky there’s still a little bit of light left. That might give you a better chance of attacking, but you’re going to have to move fast.”

“I do wish the sun wasn’t going down,” Penelope moaned as she aimed her own bow at the slinky creature. The naiad loosed an arrow, and the limping dog hadn’t slunk back to the shadows just yet.

The point of Penelope’s projectile made direct contact with the beast’s back, near its tail, and as it hissed again, the sound seemed laced with pain.

“Yeah, it definitely has to do with light,” I decided. “If part of its body appears black and shadowy, I don’t think you can hit it. Wait until it looks gray.”

“Okay, master,” the cerulean woman grunted as she aimed her weapon again. “I’ll look for the parts that are glowing in the sunset.”

Then a loud rustling came from the woods across the way, and when I zoomed in on the road, I was horrified to see at least a half dozen of the shadowy dogs creeping out of the shadows and heading in the direction of the convent. The animals moved as a pack with one particularly large beast at the head, and they all had their fangs bared as they crossed the wide dirt path. Then they faded into the shadowy trees near the convent wall.

“Do you see this, my lord?” Aleia gasped as she soared high above the convent with huge, shocked green eyes, and her mouth was hanging open. “Where are they coming from?”

“I don’t know, but there are a lot of these bastards,” I replied. “You need to keep them away from the convent.”

“What should we do?” Penelope asked as she stared at the pack of beasts with increasingly frantic eyes. The naiad and Nicola each launched another arrow toward the first dog’s shadowy form, but each projectile passed directly through the animal’s body and fell to the dirt.

“Can you see them?” Aleia asked her sisters as she wrung her hands together. “There are a lot more, and I think they’re trying to figure out a way to get inside the walls.”

“How many are there?” Penelope gulped.

“I don’t know… five?” the fairy whimpered. “Six? I’m not sure, but there are definitely enough that we need a good plan to take them down. Master, what do you think?”

“Here’s what you’re going to do,” I told the priestesses. “I think the Maglite is going to be very useful here. Aleia can use the flashlight as she flies and keep them solid, and then the other two of you can shoot them with arrows.”

“I’ll go get the flashlight,” Aleia declared. “It will only take me a few seconds to grab it from the garden. I’ll be right back, sisters.”

“Sounds good,” I agreed. “Penelope, Nicola, hold your fire until you can see better. I don’t want you wasting any more arrows.”

The fairy shot off in the direction of the garden walls, and the other two priestesses stared at each other before they began to pace back and forth on the platform as if they, too, were caged animals.

The shadow dog closest to the convent stopped moving, stared off toward its pack of companions, and started to howl. The noise emerging through its muzzle was strange and whispery, and when the band of other shadow dogs all returned the sound, a huge shudder passed through my phantom body.

These motherfuckers really were creepy, and there was no fucking way I was going to let them get into my convent.

Aleia returned from the garden with the flashlight in what seemed like a matter of seconds, and she shone it down at the large pack of beasts that were approaching the walls. The beam of the Maglite formed a circle that was almost wide enough to encompass half the group of shadow dogs, and I was relieved to see their entire bodies again now that they were out of the shadows.

Even if it was a sickly sight.

I counted at least seven of the dogs in total, and in the direct light, I confirmed the creatures had the short muzzles of rottweilers, but they were a deep, ashy-gray from their noses to the tips of their tails. Their bizarre bodies appeared to stretch and shrink like slinkies in the flashlight’s beam, but I wasn’t sure if the effect was just an optical illusion from the long shadows the creatures cast across the grass. In place of a dog’s claws, they had thick talons that reminded me of the gargoyles, and, like Penelope had suggested, their feet made no sound at all as the beasts rushed across the grass.

When one of the creatures looked directly up at the Maglite and hissed, I realized the most horrifying thing of all.

The shadow dogs had no eyes. There were only darker hollows in their faces where their eyes should have been, but there was no other contrast with the rest of their ashy bodies.

“Ugh,” Penelope gagged. “These things are horrible.”

“I’m gonna shoot,” Aleia grunted, and she tucked the huge flashlight under her arm. The little strawberry-blonde beauty began to fire rock after rock at the beasts with a determined expression on her face, and I’d never been so proud of my bold fairy.

A couple of Aleia’s projectiles made direct hits to two of the dogs, and now that they were within the flashlight’s beam, their canine bodies exploded with dust where the rocks struck. That’s when I realized they were as hollow as chocolate Easter bunnies, and I was immediately reminded of the gargoyles again. Those bastards were ugly and hollowed out, too, and they even shifted their forms like the dogs were capable of doing. It didn’t seem like these prowly fucks were made of stone, but they certainly seemed to fracture away a lot like the gargoyles had.

Did the gargoyles send the dogs to hunt Celeste?

“Yes!” the fairy shouted as I came back to reality. “I think I hit two!”

“You’re doing great,” Nicola grunted with an intense glare in her eyes.

“I’m not stopping yet,” Aleia snarled.

“I can see now, so I’m shooting, too,” the dark-haired woman growled as she loaded her bow. “I just wish they didn’t keep coming. I hope there aren’t any more in the woods.”

“If they keep coming, we’ll just keep hitting them,” Aleia responded as she bared her teeth and shot another rock.

The pack of shadowy beasts seemed to grow wise to the Maglite as they began to slink faster toward the walls to try to escape the center of the circle of light. As the dogs approached the convent gate, they all began to howl again in their eerie, whispery voices, and every hair on my virtual body stood on end.

Thunder started to bark as loud as he could, and he dashed over to the gate and stood up against it on his hind legs. The brave puppy seemed dangerously close to the dark beasts on the other side, and Nicola’s eyes grew wide with fright.

“Thunder, back!” the brunette shouted, and her puppy quickly obeyed, but he began to run back and forth between the tower and the gate and barked his ass off. The chaotic canine energy from both sides of the wall was overwhelming to my senses, and I had to take a moment to calm down so I could figure out how to take control of the situation.

“Aleia, give the light to someone else so you can shoot better,” I directed the fairy. I knew the strawberry-blonde’s stones were effective against the shadow dogs, and I wanted her to have both hands to attack the creatures. “Hand the flashlight off to Penelope, and then you’ll have your full range of motion again.”

“Here you go, sister,” Aleia said as she swooped down toward the tower, and she tossed the Maglite in the naiad’s direction.

The blue woman reached out with a loud grunt to grab the flashlight, and she immediately shone it out toward the pack of strange animals.

The beasts huddled by the wall, and they were all baring their teeth and barking hoarsely. Then the pack paused in unison as if they were one animal, and they briefly gathered in the center of the circle of light with their creepy tails wagging from side to side.

Was I crazy, or did it look like they were discussing strategy?

As the pack huddled together, Aleia destroyed another beast with a large stone directly to the head, and as his skull combusted into dust, Nicola shot another dog in the back. The wounded beast twirled in circles and moaned, but the arrow didn’t penetrate its ashy skin as fully as I would have liked.

Then the pack scattered, and as horrible as the animals were in a large group, they were even worse spread out across the convent grounds. They galloped at a breakneck pace as they circled the entire convent, and it was impossible for Penelope to keep the flashlight steady on any one beast. The sunset cast strange hues across the grass, as well, so unless one of the dogs ran directly through Penelope’s beam of light, it was hard to tell what was a creature and what was long grass swaying in the breeze.

As they ran, they let out a range of ghostly tones that almost sounded like singing, and I thought they were communicating with one another. At the very least, they seemed to be searching for something in particular, and judging by their frantic chorus, they were getting more and more determined as the moments passed.

There was no way I was going to let my women lose this fight, though.

“We’ll get them one at a time if we have to,” I growled. “They’re circling nonstop, so they’re bound to pass within range sometime. Keep calm, and while Penelope has the light, let’s focus on the ones closest to the tower. Aleia, Nicola, keep your aim directed right where she points.”

“Yes, master,” Nicola replied with a determined nod.

Then the brunette aimed her light at a shadowy creature that was lurking near the front convent gate with its nose to the dirt, and it looked up and hissed at her with a hideous snarl.

Before it could gallop off out of range, Nicola shot an arrow at the beast, but it whizzed right across the top of the black dog's tail and sailed out into the dark. The horrific, eyeless animal bared its two-inch fangs in the direction of the tower, but then it dove and rammed its ugly head at the gate.

The wood shuddered from the force, and the claws of the dog started tearing at the earth beneath the boards.

The fucker would dig under the door in a matter of minutes at this pace.

“You still have a good system going with the flashlight and the arrows,” I encouraged Penelope and Nicola, who were both staring at the animal with frazzled gazes. I wasn’t sure the arrows were super effective, but I wanted to keep the women’s spirits up. “Don’t get discouraged, just keep shooting as it digs.”

“I will,” the brunette said as her face hardened.

“I don’t like these things in the slightest,” Penelope whimpered.

“Jack, there are a lot of them gathered by the back gate,” Aleia alerted me. “I think you need to see what they’re doing.”

I zoomed in near where the fairy was flying, and the first dog in line was also interested in the gravelly space between the thick wood gate and the ground. It pawed at the small, sharp stones and attempted to dig a hole, but it soon gave up and started tearing at the wood with its claws instead.

Two other dogs joined in its efforts, and they rammed the gate with their thick snouts over and over again. The gate was too well-constructed to splinter, but the horrible thudding sound echoed throughout the convent walls in a ghastly rhythm, and there were still several other beasts circling the grounds and howling.

“Finally!” Penelope gasped from near the other gate.

Nicola had hit the digging dog at the front with an arrow in its neck, and the beast had actually collapsed on its side. It laid, injured, in the dirt, with a huge split down the side of its ashy body, and when the brunette shot a final arrow at the beast, the weapon hit the creature directly in the center of its snout.

Fine, spidery lines began to spread outward from the location of the blow, and the beast appeared to finally be dead. Its sinewy frame didn’t breathe or twitch, and the women on the tower let out sighs of relief.

“That’s another one down,” I snarled.

“I can’t wait until they’re all dead,” Nicola growled. “Maybe we could try to lure them back over into the light.”

“You can try,” I responded. “But they’re pretty focused on the back gate. I think it’ll hold for now, but if they keep this up--”

“Penelope!” Aleia panted, and the fairy appeared near the tower looking pale and frightened. “Give me the flashlight,” the fairy directed. “There’s something I need to do over by the back gate. Jack, I think you need to see this. I still can’t believe my own eyes.”

I focused back on the gate down by the stream, and I immediately gasped in shock.

It was now completely dark out, but the moon hadn’t risen yet, and the entire pack of slinky dogs had reverted entirely to their shadowy forms.

One of the terrible beasts had squeezed its ugly head under the gate as if it had no structure to its neck at all, and the beast hissed and snarled as it tried to worm the rest of its body under the wood.

When Aleia returned with the flashlight, she shone it down on the wild pack, and the dogs immediately solidified, including the one with its head stuck under the gate.

The beast howled in an increasingly desperate tone as its neck hardened with the gate through it, and its cries started to sound more like gags than howls. Then, with a noise as loud as a gunshot, the head separated from the dog’s body and launched through the air. The decapitated head catapulted toward the interior of the convent grounds and shattered on the grass inside, and the rest of the beasts shrank back with furious hisses.

“That was fucking awesome!” I cheered. “Aleia, you knew exactly what to do, and I’ve never seen anything like that dog’s head popping off. But we still need to kill the rest of them before they get that close to getting in here again.”

“I won’t let you down, master,” Aleia gasped as she swiped damp hair off her forehead. She shoved the Maglite under her armpit again, pulled out her sling, and the first dog’s body cracked open almost immediately.

“I can’t hit the dogs without the light!” Nicola hollered from the tower. “What am I supposed to do over here?”

“I’m getting some shots in over here!” Aleia yelled back.

“It’s going to be okay,” I interjected. “Everyone just hang in there. We’ve gotta take this one step at a--”

I bit my tongue as a vibrant light began to glow across the convent, and it was the same warm, orangey-red hue as a sunset. For a brief moment, I wondered if time had randomly reversed, but that seemed even too strange for this world.

Then a loud flapping sound broke out near the living quarters.

My virtual stomach lurched as I realized the gargoyles could be descending on my convent, but as I shifted my God Vision, a single being shot up from the ground in a blinding blaze of fiery light.

For a second, it was too bright for me to make out what exactly was happening. The women all shrieked and crouched down low with their weapons at the ready while the being rose twenty feet into the air, but I caught on to the situation before my priestesses did.

This being was scarlet and white with feathers all over, and it had a wingspan wider than an eagle. The majestic bird was surrounded by a halo of vibrant red light that was bright enough to light up the entire convent, and I recognized those colors anywhere.

It could only be Celeste, and I never imagined a harpy could be this fucking gorgeous to behold.

But she was terrifying, too. Celeste’s scaly, blood-red bird’s feet were larger than a human’s head, and each toe had talons as sharp as blades and with nearly an inch thick protruding from it.

The shadowy dogs turned from black wisps back to solid sinew in the radiance of the beautiful bird’s glow, and they started to frantically run back and forth across the grounds surrounding the walls.

“Holy shit,” Aleia gasped as the huge bird flew directly in the fairy’s direction. The priestess swerved out of the way, but the crimson bird wasn’t aiming for her.

In an instant, Celeste picked up one of the shadow dogs with her claws and hurled it out toward the forest. The beast’s body shattered against a tree trunk with the sound of a glass hitting a stone floor, and the priestesses stared in wide-eyed amazement as the bird continued to hunt the dogs like prey.

“Is that Celeste?” Nicola breathed. “How is that possible?”

“Who else could it be?” Penelope answered. “She’s sooo beautiful!”

Nicola nodded in blank agreement, and even the cynical brunette’s mouth was open in a wide O as she watched the gigantic bird swoop down at the dogs over and over again.

Thunder sat at the base of the guard tower and whimpered as he stared up at the glowing red light, and he put his paws on the ladder as if he wished he could climb up to the platform and be with Nicola.

Then the giant bird picked up the second-to-last dog and tossed it aside like it was nothing but a pebble, and the ashy animal landed on the grass with a yowling thud and a crack. The beast’s awful voice lingered in the air for a moment, but it quickly grew silent.

And then there was only the sound of flapping, scarlet wings again.

Only one shadowy dog remained on the convent grounds, and it didn’t seem like it knew what to do. It furiously dashed around the convent walls as it attempted to evade the gigantic crimson animal. The hideous, eyeless beast was clearly in a panic as the bird swooped down toward its body, and it started to all-out gallop for cover in the woods.

Then the bird dove straight into the trees after it, and she hunted her prey in a wide and zigzagged course all the way around the convent. I kept my God Vision zeroed in on the pursuit while I worried Celeste might hit a tree at any moment, but she moved as swiftly as any wild creature would, and she was closing in on the fleeing dog.

Which was why it took me by surprise when she suddenly slowed down.

The red bird splayed her feathers and let out a predatory shriek, and as her crimson light grew brighter, the dog let out a frantic howl.

I could tell it thought it was almost to freedom, but Celeste’s eyes were glowing as fiery as her feathers now, and as she raised her scaly feet ahead of herself, flaming jets soared from her talons and consumed everything in her path.

Including the yowling shadow dog between the trees.

Chapter 13

The priestesses all shrieked as the flames blasted from Celeste’s talons, and Aleia rushed back over to the tower and hovered over her sisters as if to protect them.

“Jack, is she dangerous?” the fairy whispered as she gaped at the huge crimson bird. “She won’t try to hurt us, will she?”

“No, I think the fight is over, and she was just after those dogs,” I answered.

“Yes, I think that was the last beast,” Penelope said as she gazed at the bird’s beautiful plumage. “Celeste is such a magnificent creature, and she helped save us. I still can’t believe my eyes.”

The giant bird floated down to the ground inside the convent wall, and as she landed next to the tower, she started to morph back into her more human form. The bird’s head transformed first, and for a moment, Celeste’s beautiful face was resting on a giant, red-feathered body before her avian shape changed back to a perfect hourglass figure.

“Celeste…” Aleia breathed as she landed next to the harpy. “That was… that was… I don’t even have words.”

“I-I still have my bird wings!” Celeste responded, and I realized the harpy had tears of joy streaking her cheeks. Then she let out an ecstatic laugh and leaned against Aleia, who put a supportive arm around her. “I wish I still had them in this form, too.”

“I don’t understand,” the fairy responded. “How--”

“They clipped my wings in my harpy form,” the redhead explained as she gestured to her more human-looking body. “I guess this means my bird form still has its wings!”

“That’s lucky, isn’t it?” Aleia asked.

“Well… a little,” Celeste mumbled, and her ecstatic smile faded. “It’s a little more complicated than that. You see, harpies only transform into a bird in combat, but it’s so useful to be able to fly no matter what form I’m in. I don’t feel safe when I’m totally grounded. Aleia, I’m sure you understand.”

“I do,” the strawberry-blonde priestess said with a nod. “Celeste, we’ve talked about what it’s like to have wings before, and how hard it is to lose them. But I want you to be happy for just a moment. Your powers are beyond incredible!”

“I knew you were in trouble, so I wanted to help,” the harpy said and straightened her shoulders. “I always like to assist where I can.”

“Celeste, that was the most unbelievable thing I’ve ever witnessed,” Penelope gasped as she climbed back down the ladder with Nicola close behind.

“Celeste, I’m so grateful for you right now,” the brunette cooed as she put a hand on the harpy’s shoulder. “You may have just saved our convent.”

“May have?” Aleia laughed. “Celeste, that was spectacular. Thank you so, so much. Come, let’s go to the kitchen and light the big fire. Nicola, why don’t you check your trap? We should have a feast after that big battle.”

“I’ll go,” the dark-haired woman agreed. “Celeste, don’t go back to bed. I really want to talk to you.”

“I’ll stay up,” the red-haired woman chuckled. “Honestly, it wasn’t that big a deal?”

“You just shot flames out of your talons.” Penelope stared at Celeste. “How much bigger of a deal could it be? Jack, wouldn’t it be amazing if Celeste came to fight with us at our convent forever?”

“Not the time, Penelope,” Aleia hissed as she poked the naiad in her side.

“Fine,” the blue woman pouted, and she dropped back behind the other two women as they headed over toward the kitchen. Then she lowered her voice. “My lord, she must become one of your followers. We… we need her.”

“You need her?” I laughed. “Please, tell me more.”

“That’s not what I meant,” Penelope giggled as a lavender flush spread to the apples of her cheeks. “Although, she is gorgeous. But even though we’re strong as we are, what would it be like to have a fighter like that on our side forever? Just think of all the glory she could bring you, master.”

“I want her to join us, too,” I finally admitted. “She is beautiful, and tough, and I’d be proud to have her as my priestess. But Penelope, you can’t make her do anything. If she continues to say no, we’re going to have to accept that.”

“I guess,” the naiad said as her ruby lips drooped into a little frown. “It was so easy for me to become your follower, my lord. I had such a beautiful vision about you, so I don’t know why everyone else hasn’t had the same wonderful experience.”

“I suppose you’re one of the lucky ones,” I mused, but in reality, I had no idea, either. “Just… I think the less you pressure her, the more likely you are to have positive results. Play hard to get, if you know what I mean.”

“If you say so,” Penelope sighed. “It’s just so hard for me to stop speaking of your splendor. I want everyone to love you as much as I do.”

“I appreciate that so much,” I assured the naiad. “You’re so devoted to me, and I adore you.”

“I adore you, too, master,” the blue woman said with a smile. “And I’ll try to be more subtle. ‘Hard to get,’ or however you put it.”

The women had reached the kitchen, and Aleia arranged wood in the convent’s largest fire pit and lit the tinder with the propane torch. I could practically smell the wood smoke in the air as I gazed down on my women and Celeste, and I was more than relieved the fight had ended in the priestesses’ favor so they could settle down for the evening, or at least I hoped.

Nicola soon returned with a rabbit she’d gutted back in the woods, and she cut the meat into strips with her dagger, skewered it onto sticks, and arranged them over the fire to grill in a teepee formation.

After their food was ready, the four women settled on logs around the fire and began to dine on the fresh meat.

“You do feed me well,” Celeste sighed as she delicately dabbed her lips. “I don’t think I would have been able to transform if I weren’t strong enough. It was bad enough that I couldn’t do it when the gargoyles captured me.”

“I’m so sorry,” Penelope empathized. “What do you think happened?”

“I believe they cast a spell over me that immediately started to turn me to stone so they could carry me away,” the redhead explained. “At the very start, I was scarcely able to move at all. I remember being so cold and frozen in place, and then they brought me back to my harpy form to torture me. It started with my wings, but I was too weak to transform the entire time, and it was just… it was dreadful to feel so helpless.”

“And have you… transformed many times in your life?” Nicola asked.

“I don’t summon the power often,” the harpy replied as she chewed on a piece of meat. “I haven’t needed to for several years before this, and that was lucky. My grandmother told me the first time I turned into a bird was when my mother was captured. Her kidnappers came to our home when I was just a toddler, and I began to scream and cry. Before my grandmother knew it, I had changed into my bird form, and I started to peck at my mother’s captors. Of course, I was so small then they just swatted me away.”

“Ohhh, poor Celeste,” Penelope said as she blinked back a tear. “That’s so sad.”

“And your grandmother can transform as well?” Aleia asked. “Have you seen other harpies in their bird forms?”

“Of course, I’ve seen my grandmother do it,” Celeste answered, “and when I was very young, before my grandmother and I went on the run, we lived in a small harpy community. So, I might have seen others of my kind perform the fighting ritual-- that’s what we call it-- when I was a baby. But Gran looked like the most perfect teal songbird when she flew. She was so beautiful.”

“Teal?” the naiad gasped. “She was a different color than you are?”

“Yes,” Celeste said with a nod. “Only my mother and I were red, and my father was human, of course.”

“Wow,” Penelope breathed. “I would have loved to see your mother and your grandmother. If they were anything like you, I’m sure they were beautiful.

“Oh, thanks,” the harpy said as she waved off the compliment. “It’s all I know. Anyway, the ritual is just a skill I have, just like everyone else. Like you can do that thing with the stream, and Aleia is so very strong.”

“And Nicola can tame animals.” The naiad nodded at Celeste.

“It’s true,” the brunette said with a furrowed brow, “and I can usually sense their presences, but I’m not sure why I couldn’t sense those shadowy dogs coming.”

“I’m not sure those were even real animals,” Penelope pointed out. “I’ve never seen an actual dog change forms going in and out of the light.”

“That’s true,” Nicola sighed. “And we were able to defeat them anyway, so it all worked out.”

“Did you say you could usually feel the presence of animals?” Celeste asked the dark-haired priestess with interest. “What’s that like?”

“It’s a feeling I get, a sort of tingle in my mind, or a map of a beast’s location,” the brunette tried to explain. “It’s different from anything else I’ve ever experienced, so it’s hard to describe. But, yes, I was able to use the ability when a cougar tried to attack us, so it can be useful in battle at times.”

“Don’t forget when we were fighting the goblins,” Aleia cut in. “You were able to sic Thunder on that soldier, and he wasn’t even your pet yet.”

“Wow,” Celeste responded. “That’s pretty great.”

“Yes, we all have our talents,” Nicola said to the harpy. “But none of us can turn our bodies into something different. That’s a whole higher level of magic altogether.”

“I should also mention there’s been training involved,” the redhead said. “Yes, the flame storm is strong magic, but it’s also a lot of work. If we would have been able to stay with the other harpies, I could have gotten my schooling at the academy. But since we had to leave, it was just me and Gran, and she helped me.”

“A harpy academy?” Nicola asked as she leaned forward and gazed intently at Celeste. “What’s that like?”

“Well, I was only a small child when we left the community, and I only have a few flashes of memory from that time,” Celeste replied. “But I do recall being with the other young harpy girls in a large, open room, and we’d already learned how to transform on command, and the instructor was trying to teach us how to fly in formation.”

“What types of formations?” Penelope breathed.

“We move in a wide triangle,” the harpy explained, and then she started to chuckle. “If you see a flock of harpies coming, I’d be sure to get out of the way.”

My curiosity was piquing more by the second, and I couldn't help wondering how far the harpies’ training grounds were from here. Not that I wanted to entice the hostility of a flock of fire-spewing battle birds, but if they were anything like Celeste, I had a feeling they’d be a decent group for my beautiful priestesses to ally with.

“After what I saw tonight, I certainly will,” Nicola laughed. “But Celeste, why did you have to leave the other harpies?”

“We were actually cast out because of my red feathers,” Celeste sighed. “It just wasn’t safe for the harpy community for me to live with them anymore.”

“Ohhh…” Penelope breathed.

“So, you keep trying to convince me to stay here with you,” Celeste led, “but I’m still not sure you understand how dangerous that is. I’m the rarest type of one of the rarest creatures. As I’ve said, it isn’t just the gargoyles who are after harpies.”

“Tell her I’ll keep her safe,” I told the women. Even though I hadn’t intended to make my presence too forward yet when the harpy was around, I couldn’t stop myself from offering my protection to her.

“Jack will always protect you,” the naiad said as she leaned forward and gazed intently at Celeste. “He wants you to know that.”

“Right,” the redhead said. “I have to say, though… you talk about Jack a lot, but you looked plenty strong fighting without him.”

“Our lord offers us strategies,” Penelope countered as a wide smile spread across her lips. “He has taught us to build weapons, he increases our powers… We are never really fighting on our own. Please, Celeste, I implore you to understand.”

“But… I’ve talked to you,” the harpy said with a confused expression. “You’re clearly quite intelligent, which means you’re smart enough to come up with your own battle strategies-- wait, what am I saying? I’m acting as if I believe your god is actually giving you advice.”

“It’s not just advice,” the naiad insisted. “He actually makes us stronger. Before I came to our master, I had scarcely been around a body of water, so I knew very little about my abilities. But since I have been at the convent, my powers have grown to become truly miraculous. You’ve experienced the way the water heals, and how it feels…”

“And you attribute that to Jack.” Celeste looked around to all three priestesses, and they each nodded. “Gods aren’t something I’ve ever considered, as you well know.”

“We do,” Aleia responded with a soft smile. “But it feels like I have grown stronger every day that I have been with Jack, and I can work with my hands in a whole new way. Why, just the other day, before we came to rescue you, I sewed boots with Elowise. I’ve sewn before, of course, but my fingers flew around the leather with not one mistake.”

“And as for you, Nicola?” the harpy asked.

“I was later to come to the realization of Jack’s glory,” the dark-haired woman replied. “I, like you, was doubtful about gods. I had even been mistreated by followers of a different deity, so maybe I was extra dubious. But I am also growing stronger all the time, and I connect with animals in a whole new way. Honestly, I feel like a whole different person since I met Jack.”

The brunette shrugged, and Celeste appeared to be lost in thought as she stared off into the distance.

“Oh, and when he makes love to us…” Penelope sighed wistfully, and Celeste smirked.

I had a feeling we might just have lost the harpy for the evening.

“Celeste, are you enjoying your food?” Aleia asked to change the subject. “Can I get you anything else?”

“No, I’m fine.” The harpy took a deep breath. “I’d really like to talk more about your powers. You say your powers have increased since you have come to worship Jack, but mine have only grown through much hard work. I have spent most of my life training to fight, and yes, I was born with some talent, but it has only been through much persistence that I have achieved my current status.”

“That does make sense,” Aleia agreed. “But maybe it can be both. While Jack may advise me, and make me stronger, I still need to act of my own accord, and that isn’t possible without the proper training.”

“Do you know how to use weapons, too, or do you only fight with magic?” Nicola asked as she leaned toward Celeste with a bright expression.

“My Gran had to train me in the arts of many weapons since we weren’t able to flock with the other harpies,” the redhead said in a proud voice. “I can use a bow, and a sword, and a--”

“We have swords!” Penelope chirped. “And we’re tough, but we’re not formally trained. Balabar is supposed to work with Nicola, but maybe you could help.”

“Maybe I should,” Celeste responded. “I don’t wish to lose my strength further, so it might not hurt me to fight alongside you-- for a little while, that is. Not forever, of course. But I’ve been weak recently, as you know, and I fear my transformation took even more out of me.”

“Are you okay?” Aleia asked. “Do you need to go to bed?”

“I am a little tired,” the beautiful harpy sighed as she looked up at the sky. “But I am pleased with the outcome of the battle with the dogs. It’s good to know I can still use the flame storm when I really need to. And if you say praying can help… what am I thinking? It’s been a long day, and I have a lot to consider.”

“Just think about what I’m saying, please,” Penelope beseeched. “I feel like we could do a lot for each other. You could make our convent stronger, and Jack could help you the same way he helps us.”

“I’ll think about your words,” Celeste promised. “I’m going to walk down to my bed now, but I don’t want any of you to worry about me anymore. I hope I proved my strength in that fight.”

“It does seem like you’re doing better,” Aleia chuckled. “Good night, Celeste.”

The other two priestesses waved their goodbyes, and the harpy headed down toward the living quarters. My women waited until she was out of earshot, and then they all started to speak at once.

“Jack, did you--” Aleia began.

“I think she--” Penelope started.

“I can’t believe--” Nicola said, and then all three women broke down into laughter.

“Nicola, you go first,” the naiad giggled as she pointed at the brunette. “We’ll never get anywhere if we all talk at the same time.”

“I can’t believe she said she was thinking about praying,” the dark-haired woman marveled. “She’s seemed so doubtful.”

“I’m not sure she really meant it,” Aleia countered. “She was quite tired.”

“I know what our lord and master thinks,” Penelope said in a teasing voice. “He wants Celeste to become one of his priestesses!”

“Is it true?” Nicola laughed. “Jack, you actually admitted it? Not that we didn’t already know.”

“It does seem pretty obvious,” the fairy agreed. “She’s all alone in the world, and she’s beautiful, and, oh, so strong. Why wouldn't Jack want her to follow him?”

“Not just follow him,” Penelope clarified. “Become a priestess.”

“I did tell Penelope that,” I confessed. “I’d be glad for her to join our convent. But as I also told Penelope, no pressure. I wouldn’t be happy if I thought I’d somehow forced a priestess into joining me.”

“I understand, my lord,” the naiad said with a nod, and then she yawned. “Well, should we go to sleep, too? We still have the final details on our tower to complete in the morning, and then three more to build. At least now, we know exactly what we’re doing.”

“The sooner they’re done, the better,” I told my priestesses. “I don’t like the way those dogs just showed up here with no warning. If they were hunting for something, it really could have been Celeste, but even if that isn’t the case, I’m not comfortable with it at all. Celeste got me thinking about training, and I’d like you to focus more on that. You’ve faced huge threats recently, and it’s time to get more serious about weapons.”

“I would enjoy that,” Nicola responded. “I can’t wait to learn how to sword fight better.”

“Where do you think those dogs came from?” Aleia pondered. “They were one of the strangest things I’ve ever seen.”

“Do you think they’re related to the gargoyles?” Penelope asked. “They shattered like stone at times.”

“I was wondering that, too,” I told the priestesses. “Celeste is here, we know she’s a gargoyle target, and the dogs also had multiple forms, similar to the gargoyles. But we’re just going to have to make sure to keep our defenses as strong as possible until we figure everything out.”

“That makes a lot of sense,” Penelope yawned. “Oh, my, I am tired. Sisters, do you wish to go to sleep as well?”

“It’s been a long night, and I’d love to get some rest,” Aleia agreed.

The women got up and walked down the hill with Thunder at their heels, and it wasn’t long before they were asleep in their beds.

I was on edge after the recent assault on the convent, and while I really couldn’t be sure where the strange dogs had come from, I decided to look at the gargoyle tower once more. I shifted my God Vision far to the north near the mountains, and when I arrived at the monolith, there was still no motion or sound.

Was it suspicious there was no activity there at all, or was I just shaken up?

I stuck around the place for what must have been nearly a half hour that night, and not one creature stirred in the area. There were no shadow dogs in the woods, and no gargoyles were standing guard. Even the doors of the place remained sealed, and the one torch burned on its own in the deserted clearing.

So, I finally abandoned my post and returned to look over my women.

I also needed to think about a tool for the night, and now that the convent itself had been attacked, I knew the women needed better protection more than ever. What tool would support fortification of the convent as well as weapon production, since the arrows hadn’t been quite strong enough against the shady dogs?

Not to mention our previous issue of not penetrating the hides of the gargoyles.

Building the first tower had gone well, so I didn’t see any need to change our technique regarding that project, but there were some basic tools missing around the convent that could be used to make weapons and build. I pictured battery-operated power screwdrivers in my head and an assortment of bits, since they seemed like they might be critical for new weapon construction.

Then I visited Penelope that night, and since I couldn’t stop thinking about growing our little harem, I asked the naiad to tell me dirty stories about orgies with hundreds of priestesses to satisfy my every need.

Instead of being jealous, the cerulean beauty seemed more than eager to regale me with tales of new worshippers, their voluptuous curves, and their dripping-wet pussies ready and eager to be filled with my god-seed.

My first and most ardent priestess actually ended up getting off more than me on the idea of bringing new women into my service, and although she always put me first, I didn’t think she minded imagining the other women in the mix, either. Our shared fun brought us orgasm after orgasm, and I was beyond satiated when the naiad was finally awoken by the bright light of morning.

My priestesses and Celeste lazed around in their beds a bit upon waking up, and it pleased me as always to listen to their cheerful chatter. No one brought up the serious subjects of the night before as the women discussed the animals, the sunny day, and the plans for the towers, and the harpy seemed genuinely cheerful as she lounged on her quilt and talked with her new friends.

Penelope caught a trout for breakfast, and the four women were just finishing their morning meal when there was an insistent rap at the convent gate.

“That must be the gnomes,” the naiad said, “but it sounds like it’s urgent. I wonder what’s going on.”

Penelope hurried over to let the gnomes in, and the small creatures rushed toward the kitchen with worried looks on their round faces.

“What is it?” Aleia gasped as soon as she saw the gnomes’ pursed little frowns and furrowed eyebrows. “Did something happen?”

“Yes, dear, something went wrong,” Elowise confirmed as she sat next to the fairy on her log. “But we’re just worried about you. We had the strangest experience last night, and it was more than a little concerning. When I woke up, I just needed to make sure you girls were safe right away.”

“We had some intruders,” Wilfrim informed the women. “It was nothing like I’d ever seen before. The creatures were like a cross between dogs and--”

“And cougars?” Nicola stared at the old man with realization. “You fought the same things we did? Oh, I’m so glad you’re alright.”

“You fought them, too?” Nissa gasped. “They came late in the evening, a few hours after we had left your camp. Luckily, the children were in bed, and Balabar was still tending to the fire. He quickly woke us, and we grabbed our swords, and while we made it through the fight, the monsters were quite terrifying.”

“So, those aren’t common around here?” I tried to confirm.

“No, quite unlike anything else,” Elowise said with a nod. “And we’ve lived in the forest a long time.”

“How did you defeat them?” Penelope asked. “We had a bit of trouble figuring out how to lure them into the light so we could strike.”

“Well, after I called the rest of the family out of their tents, I ensured they stayed close to the fire,” Balabar said as he puffed out his chest proudly. “I determined quickly that the creatures needed to stay out of the shadows, and once they were in the firelight, we struck quickly. It wasn’t a big deal in the slightest.”

“You thought it was a big deal last night,” his wife scolded. “You said you were scared--”

“Enough, Nissa!” Balabar choked out as his face turned bright red. “Of course, I wasn’t afraid.”

“Of course, sweetheart,” Nissa said as she slipped an arm around the gnomish man’s waist. “I was just teasing, everyone knows that.”

Balabar looked around the fire for confirmation, and everyone in the group nodded solemnly.

“Well, alright, then,” the small man huffed. “Anyway, there were two of the beasts, and they were quite large, but we took care of them.”

“We had way more than that, seven or eight, maybe?” Aleia said in a casual voice, and all the gnomes gasped. “I’m not entirely sure how many we killed, but there were a lot of them.”

“Seven or eight?” Nissa gasped as she squeezed baby Roza even tighter. “How terrible.”

“And then Celeste--” Penelope began, but the harpy quickly waved her arms at the naiad and shook her head.

“I don’t want--” the redhead cut in, but Penelope kept talking.

“Please, don’t be modest, Celeste,” the blue woman continued. “It was the most marvelous thing I’ve ever seen. She actually turned into a giant bird, and she shot huge blasts of fire out of her talons to defeat the beasts that were attacking the convent. She used her harpy flame storm, right, Celeste?”

“Well, yes,” the harpy said, and she bowed her head a little bashfully. “And I’m glad I helped. But you all had mostly taken care of the dogs by the time I got there.”

“You turned into a flame-shooting bird?” little Morrick asked with his mouth hanging wide open. “That’s amazing! Wow!”

“Thanks,” Celeste laughed. “Maybe I’ll show you sometime.”

“Anyway, Celeste was wonderful, and those dogs were truly horrifying,” Nicola said. “I’m so happy you made it through the battle.”

“Us, too, dear,” the old gnomish woman sighed. “But it’s really gotten me thinking about our fortifications. We’ve had trolls headed our way before, and goblins in the area stealing poor Roza, and now these… beasts.”

“We do worry about you out there in those woods,” Aleia told the gnomes. “I always feel better when your family is within our walls.”

“Thank you, sweetheart, that’s kind,” Elowise said with a smile. “We like being here, too. So, what are our plans for the day?”

“Really just building,” I responded. “The sooner we up our defenses, the safer we’re all going to be. Although, I have been thinking about new weapons.”

“Yes!” Nicola said as her voice rose excitedly. “I want to talk about weapons, too.”

“Last night when we were fighting, I thought about those chainsaws,” Elowise chuckled.

“I like where your head’s at, Elowise,” I snickered.

“Oh… it’s…” the little old gnome blushed and batted her hand through the air, but she had a very proud smile on her plump face. “It’s nothing.”

“It’s deadly,” I countered. “You’re a force to be reckoned with.”

“Stop it, you’re going to get me all flustered!” Elowise tittered, and my women giggled in amusement.

“Can anyone tell me what’s happening?” Celeste asked. “I thought we were talking about our plans for the day.”

“Jack was talking about weapons because of the attack last night,” Aleia explained.

“What were you saying again, Jack?” Wilfrim asked.

“When my priestesses fought the gargoyles before, and the dogs last night, I didn’t think their arrows were strong enough,” I explained. “I’d like to come up with something better, especially with this persistent threat. Your bows are wonderful, but there are other types that are stronger.”

“I’ve always used a longbow,” Nicola said as she furrowed her dark eyebrows. “It works well for some things, like hunting, but if there’s something stronger for battle, we need it.”

“Exactly,” I responded. “One example is a crossbow. And then there are compound bows, and recurve bows, too.”

“Can you explain those a little more?” Wilfrim asked. “I’m always interested in weaponry.”

“What is he going to explain?” Celeste perked up, and I was in shock that she truly seemed to believe I was speaking at the moment.

“Our lord is going to tell us about different types of bows,” Aleia explained.

“As Nicola mentioned, the type of bows you have right now are called longbows,” I told everyone. “The grip is straight, and it looks like a half moon. Now, you’ve probably seen a recurve bow, too, with curved limbs. Since the tips curve outward, it offers more tension in your draw, and therefore, more speed and power behind your projectiles than a longbow. Something you haven’t heard of before is a compound bow, because it’s too… godly. This type of weapon has special, oblong wheels on it called cams, and they help you pull the higher-tension bowstring more easily for greater power and accuracy. And then there’s the crossbow, where you can just pull a trigger to make shooting a lot easier.”

“Can we make any of those?” Nicola questioned with an impressed look on her face. “I agree with you, Jack, our longbows just aren’t strong enough.”

“I’m not sure, because a compound bow would be a large improvement, but we don’t have all the materials,” I replied. “More than anything, I’d prefer to see you ladies with crossbows, though.”

“Crossbows are the one with the godly trigger?” Nicola clarified, but then Celeste’s eyes lit up.

“Crossbows?” the harpy cut in. “I’m good with a crossbow!”

“You’ve heard of Jack’s holy weapon?” Wilfrim asked with surprise.

“Jack’s what?” Celeste asked, and her eyes flicked toward the sky. “What do you mean? Harpies use crossbows. Many beings do.”

“I’ve never heard of one,” Nicola admitted with a shrug. “But Jack thinks a crossbow would be a good weapon against the gargoyles.”

Celeste nodded slowly, and this time she looked around at all my followers’ faces like she didn’t know what to think.

“I see, well… your… Jack may be on to something,” she said in confusion. “A crossbow would serve us well.”

“Yes,” I agreed even though the harpy couldn’t hear me. “Then we could be sure you’re all prepared to handle yourselves against anything, but again, we don’t… have…”

I trailed off as an idea suddenly occurred to me, and while my followers all exchanged confused glances, I spoke directly into Aleia’s ear.

“Hey, Aleia,” I murmured, and she cocked her head a little in response. “You still have all that gold, right?”

“Of course, master,” the strawberry-blonde responded.

“Where’s the nearest place around here someone might be able to buy weapons?” I asked the group.

“Ummm.” Penelope wrinkled her nose. “Let me think. I don’t know for sure, but when we were traveling here, there was an old signpost where a narrow road split off to the north. It was too faded to read, but it appeared to be in the Elvish script, and I could see a cluster of farmhouses off in that direction. You might be able to find a weapons shop if there’s a town near there.”

“An armorer,” Celeste gently corrected. “An armorer is where you can buy weapons.”

“Jack, I hope you aren’t thinking of sending one of these girls out there on their own,” Elowise said with alarm in her voice. “I don’t like the sound of that at all.”

“I wouldn’t usually, either, but things are getting pretty rough,” I responded. “As gods say, desperate times call for desperate measures.”

“Gods say that?” Nicola muttered.

“Gods say what?” Celeste cut in, and as the brunette translated for me, I noticed the harpy nodding in more of a calculating way than a doubtful one. “An interesting turn of phrase… but applicable.”

“We need to get better weapons quickly,” I continued, “and the best way to do that might be to try to find a town. If Celeste knows of crossbows being used by other beings, then we should be able to buy some. I’ve wanted to keep my priestesses safe here at the convent as much as possible, and visiting a town has seemed too dangerous in the past, especially when the weapons we’ve crafted have worked well regardless. But now, things have changed, and we don’t have a lot of time to find a solution. Besides, I have all the faith in the world that Aleia can handle this.”

“You want me to go alone?” A doubtful look flashed across the fairy’s face, and Celeste’s eyes suddenly flared in shock. “It’s probably because you want me to fly, and I’m glad you believe in me, but…”

“I don’t mean to question you, Jack,” Wilfrim said, and he looped his pudgy thumbs on his suspender straps as he copped a stern scowl. “But maybe we should all go. My family would be happy to help protect the women, and then Aleia wouldn’t have to travel by herself.”

“Noooo, don’t do that,” Celeste said in a slightly frantic tone. “I know it sounds risky, but Aleia on her own would be a lot less conspicuous than a whole big group of you. If all eleven of you go, with the children and all, everyone will notice you. They could follow you all back here, and your defenses aren’t complete yet.”

“That’s a good point,” Aleia mused. “My lord, if this is what you want me to do, I’m happy to help.”

“You can carry things quickly, and you can fly away if there’s trouble,” Penelope encouraged the fairy. “And of course, you’ll have your weapons.”

“I guess this will be alright,” Elowise sighed. “In any case, we know how to start building more towers on our own. We’ll be fine while you’re gone, at least.”

“I’m sure you’ll all be fine, and it sounds to me like this town is worth flying by, but Aleia, I’ll be with you every step of the way,” I promised. “The only question is… are you in the mood to shop?”

“With you?” Aleia giggled, and she fluttered her wings excitedly. “Oh, that sounds so lovely, Jack!”

Chapter 14

“Are you excited to be going off on another adventure?” I asked Aleia as she soared through the air above the long dirt road.

“I hope this is more exciting than the quarry,” the strawberry-blonde laughed. “I’m a little nervous, but I have my sword on my belt, of course.”

“And your sling,” I reminded the fairy.

“Well, I always have my trusty sling,” Aleia said as she patted her belt. “I’d never go anywhere without it. So, which direction am I heading from here?”

“From what Penelope said, you’re going to want to fly northwest,” I explained. “You’re actually facing the right way right now, up past the road.”

“This is going to be fun, I just know it,” Aleia said as she started to flutter her wings more rapidly. The fairy’s freckled cheeks were flushed already from the slight exertion of flying, and she was absolutely radiant in the morning sun.

“You look beautiful,” I said as I gazed at her glimmering lavender wings. I could imagine how smooth and silky they would feel against my fingertips, and I was immediately aroused. “Your wings are shining.”

“Thank you, my lord,” the fairy giggled. “But your teasing is going to make me blush.”

“Just innocently mentioning wings,” I chuckled as Aleia’s cheeks stained pink.

My God View expanded as Aleia soared west through the wooded landscape, and, after several minutes of flying, the forest began to clear into expanses of wide, grassy fields with rolling hills in the background.

The mountain range where the women’s enemies lurked loomed behind, but from the sunny valley, the peaks were just more beautiful scenery. The grass below Aleia was dotted with wildflowers, the sky was full of fluffy clouds, and the strawberry-blonde wore a wide smile on her face as she sailed through the wind.

We soon saw the fork in the road to the north, and I saw the faded signpost Penelope had mentioned.

“Hey, Aleia, slow down for a minute,” I instructed. “I want to look at that sign.”

The fairy priestess drifted down toward the ground, and I looked at the grayish, weathered plank that was carved with a script that reminded me of Arabic. As usual, it took a minute for my eyes to adjust, but the word soon became clear to me.

Evelhelm.

“What does it say, my lord?” Aleia asked. “I know that’s the Elvish language, but I never learned to read it.”

“It says Evelhelm,” I replied. “Does that ring a bell to you?”

“I’ve never heard of the town itself,” the fairy answered, “but when a city’s name contains the word ‘evel,’ it means it was founded by elves. Which makes sense, considering the language on the sign.”

“Do you think a lot of elves live around here?” I asked.

“Oh, yes, master,” Aleia responded. “Elves are the most populous race next to humans, so you can find them everywhere.”

“Will you tell me more?” I asked. “I, uh… I know about elves, of course, but I want to, um, hear what the fairies’ take on them is.”

That sounded less than convincing to my own ears, but the fairy just nodded.

“Of course, master,” Aleia said. “Elves have always been good allies to fairies, so I know quite a bit about their people.”

The strawberry-blonde turned toward the small cluster of houses near the road that Penelope had mentioned, and she began to fly even further north.

The farmhouses were simple, one or two-room structures made from the same limestone the priestesses had used to build the convent wall, and they had brown roofs made of clay tiles. They were surrounded by fields with neat rows of crops in a striking array of colors, and when I saw their gardens filled with flowers from roses to lilies to sunflowers, I could almost smell the sweet perfume in the air.

“It’s so lovely here,” the fairy sighed. “Elf settlements are usually very, very nice. Elves are most often miners, like you saw at the quarry, or farmers. They are well known for their gardens and their successful harvests, and they tend to lead ordinary lives, but they are happy and peace-loving. Look, that elven woman is working the fields right now.”

Aleia gestured down toward a woman with pointed ears, a slim figure, and a hoe in her hand. The elf had long, pale-pink hair that flowed down her back and was covered by a woven sun hat, and she wore deep-brown leather pants and a white tunic. She wore a baby strapped to her back as she worked, but it didn’t seem to be slowing her down a bit.

The elven woman looked up at the fairy as she flew past, and the farmer smiled and waved.

“Super friendly,” I remarked.

“Yes, some elves are,” Aleia agreed as she returned the pink-haired woman’s wave. “But it’s still hard to know what you’re getting into, of course, because all peoples have their conflicts. Oh, master, I’m starting to get excited because I see the town in the distance. It’s so nice to be traveling somewhere fun for once.”

“I’m glad you’re happy,” I responded. “And I’ll be even happier if we find a crossbow.”

“Elves tend to have good wares,” the strawberry-blonde informed me. “Because they’re such successful farmers, they can trade a lot. If they don’t have a crossbow they’ve crafted themselves, they may well have acquired one elsewhere. We’ll just have to see how big of a town it is.”

As the fairy passed over the road, an elven man with pastel-green hair drove by in a wooden cart pulled by a pair of black horses. The animals had long strips of white down their foreheads and were several hands taller than Luna, and as sweet as our little goblin horse was, I added workhorses to my list of things that would be helpful around the convent. Having a cart certainly couldn’t hurt, either.

Still, there were things about this world that were hard for me to reconcile, like the fact that I was staring at horses that could have come from a stable near my old apartment. Some of the animals were huge, but others, like these, just seemed normal. And then there were the elves walking by… none of this really made any sense at all.

After only a couple more minutes of flying, a larger cluster of buildings appeared in the distance. Aleia started to soar faster, and it wasn’t long before she reached the outskirts of Evelhelm. As the fairy got closer, the road grew busier with happy-looking travelers on foot and horseback.

Evelhelm was bigger than I’d expected it would be. The road intersected with a few other paths before it dead-ended in a town square at the base of a rocky foothill, and each of the smaller roads were lined with the same type of limestone buildings as the farmhouses. A large, white building sat tucked up against the hillside at the very back of the square, and a waterfall splashed down into a stream behind it.

It was one of the most charming towns I’d ever seen, and I could sense Aleia’s excitement growing as she approached.

“I’m going to land,” the fairy told me with a huge smile on her face. “I can’t believe we actually found it! Oh, it feels like I haven’t been anywhere but the convent for so long.”

“I’m glad you’re excited, but don’t forget to keep your guard up,” I cautioned the fairy. “Celeste may be the rarest of all, but I’ve seen men pretty excited to see you, too, and we’re trying to avoid that.”

“Of course, master,” Aleia agreed. “I’m always on the watch for trouble. I’ll land, but I’ll be sure to keep my eyes open down there.”

The strawberry-blonde drifted down to the ground, and I used my God Vision to scan the area for any signs of threats. Luckily, it looked like a happy day in a bustling town, and I was satisfied the armed priestess would be safe on the streets.

“What’s that huge white building?” I wondered aloud. “It’s nothing like anything else around here.”

“I can’t see it that well yet, but it looks like a temple,” Aleia suggested as she strolled through a large, limestone arch into the village proper. “On our travels, Penelope told me buildings like this in villages are usually built for worship. I would think that a temple that grand would be devoted to one of the old gods, but I suppose I can’t say for sure.”

“There’s a sign in front,” I told the fairy. “I’m going to see what it says.”

I zoomed down on the small plank, and I saw it was ornately carved but smoothed by time. It had been nailed to a stake, but it now hung precariously to the left. I focused on the Elvish script, and when the characters appeared to transform in front of my eyes, I almost started to laugh when I read them.

This temple is devoted to Tobias, God of Tricks and Riddles

“Tobias?” I chuckled, but a wave of tingles ran down my phantom spine. “Seriously?”

“My lord?” Aleia asked. The fairy had paused near a large stand of trees as I’d been looking at the temple. “What are you talking about?”

“The temple is dedicated to a god named Tobias,” I explained. “Have you heard of him?”

“I don’t think so,” my strawberry-blonde priestess said as she bit her lip and glanced up at the sky. “It doesn’t sound familiar to me. Sorry, my lord. Why were you laughing?”

“Oh, it’s just funny because Tobias is … never mind.”

I couldn’t come up with a good way to explain to Aleia that Tobias was my best friend’s name from back home. He was a dude from Germany who I’d met gaming, and we’d talked almost every day. He was probably one of the funniest people I’d ever met, so I knew he’d get a kick out of seeing his name on this sign.

Not that I’d get the chance to tell him about it.

The notion made me wonder for a moment what was going on back in my old world. Were Tobias and the other people I knew wondering what had happened to me? Did anyone miss me? Had I just completely disappeared without a trace?

I was lost in thought for a moment, but then I remembered I had a woman in a new environment to look after. Whatever this crazy world was, it was my responsibility to see Aleia and the others made it through alright, and that meant focusing on hunting down a crossbow, or maybe two.

“So, where do you think I should go?” Aleia asked as she gazed at the steady stream of beings walking past her.

“Let’s take a minute to check things out,” I said. “I want to get a good handle on what’s going on around here. Also, I think you should try to be subtle when you speak to me. I don’t want you to draw any attention to yourself.”

The creatures in the town were mostly elves, who were approximately human height, and a little bit bigger than the petite fairy, but at least a couple other races were represented.

A large green woman lumbered by in little but strips of leather on the bottom and a bra on top, and I immediately recognized her as a troll from her grassy complexion and greasy black hair. She was the first female of the species I’d seen, and I was impressed by her meaty arms, thighs, and emerald cleavage. Nonetheless, I wouldn’t exactly have called her priestess material.

There were even a couple goblins, and for a moment my nerves were jangled, even though I couldn’t rationally think of a way the creatures could recognize Aleia. Everyone who’d spotted the priestesses when they rescued baby Roza were dead and gone, and it wasn’t exactly like there were “Most Wanted” posters hanging around. Nonetheless, the fight had been recent enough that I worried for a few seconds.

I’d never seen a goblin woman before, but they were every bit as hideous as their male counterparts. They wore rags to cover their bald heads, modest, drab dresses in shades of gray and black, and their reddish complexions and sharp fangs were less than attractive.

“It’s mostly women walking around,” I commented as I continued to gaze down at everyone.

“The men are probably mining,” Aleia responded. Her pale-green eyes were wide as she looked around at all the people, and I wondered how long it had been since she’d been somewhere so crowded. “That’s often how it works. The women stay home and work the fields, and the men mine.”

“Got it,” I said. “Hey, what’s that… sparkling thing?”

A creature I couldn’t identify was about to pass Aleia, and it looked almost like a giant fish on feet. It was a head taller than the elves, and it was covered in shining scales in the iridescent colors of an oil slick. A large, stiff-looking fin in the same rainbow swirls stuck out from the beast’s back, but as strange as it looked, no one gave it a second glance.

“I don’t know,” Aleia giggled through pressed-together lips. “My lord, don’t point out funny things. If I start laughing out of nowhere, everyone is going to think I’m crazy.”

“I’ll try,” I chuckled. “I can’t help it if I’m naturally amusing. I think it’s safe enough for you to go walk around now, though. Just try to blend into the crowd, even though I don’t see any other fairies.”

“It would be strange for a fairy to be here,” Aleia told me. “We’re pretty far from the Deep Hazel Wilds, which is where I’m from, if you remember. That’s the largest fairy settlement, but it’s still quite a ways to the west.”

“Well, they seem pretty accepting, if that giant fish thing could pass through with no stares,” I said. “No one seems to be looking at you too much. Not in a way that requires any smiting, at least.”

“Jack!” Aleia hissed as she snorted through her giggles. “You wouldn’t really smite any of these kind folks, would you?”

“Aleia, for you, I’d smite the whole damn town,” I tossed back, and I laughed heartily as my words made the fairy have to bury her face in her hands.

Several passersby did a double-take while my pretty little fairy giggled all to herself in the middle of the street, but when she recovered, she sent a glittering smile toward the sky that nearly stopped my phantom heart.

“Why don’t you try to see if there’s an armorer?” I suggested in a less teasing tone.

“That sounds like a good plan, master,” Aleia agreed, and she began her stroll down the path toward the town square. “It smells so good here, like flowers and yummy food!”

The small road was lined with rose bushes with blooms in shades of red, pink, and yellow, and the dirt was well-swept and clean of debris. Because my excursions outside the convent had basically been limited to the goblins’ lair and the gargoyle tower, it was refreshing to visit somewhere so pleasant.

Aleia’s nerves seemed to have disappeared, and she had started to practically skip as she navigated her way toward the green. Even my nerves had begun to relax despite the many looks the fairy drew now and then, and I wondered if we’d stumbled upon the perfect hamlet to seek supplies for the convent.

“Are you having fun?” I chuckled.

“Oh, yes,” the fairy murmured as she bounced down the path. “I like being around all these people.”

“That’s good,” I replied. “I was worried it might be overwhelming since you’ve been out in the woods for a while now.”

Aleia shook her head, and then she smiled at a little elven boy who walked by holding his father’s hand. The solemn-faced child removed his thumb from his mouth to wave at the beautiful fairy, and I saw his father cast the scantily clad priestess an appraising glance.

“That guy was almost smite-worthy,” I teased the strawberry-blonde, who immediately turned bright pink. “Want me to go after him?”

Aleia’s face turned even brighter, and she wiped a tear from her eye.

“Stop it,” the fairy hissed. “You’re making me laugh again.”

“Sorry,” I chuckled. “I’ll try to behave myself.”

Aleia stopped in front of a building with a large window set into a splintered wooden frame, peered through the thick pane of glass, and gasped.

“Oh, master, can I please go in here?” the strawberry-blonde asked as she clasped her hands together. “It’s a seamstress’ shop, and I see dresses. Oh, pleeease?”

“Dresses?” I asked. “Those don’t sound like weapons.”

“Please?” Aleia implored once more as she gestured down at her body. “My lord, this is all I have to wear anymore. And I would love to put on something new for you.”

“You already look great,” I laughed, but then I started to consider how fun it might be to watch the fairy try on a new sexy dress. “Alright, maybe for just a minute, since it is your money, after all. You can look, but don’t spend all your gold in one place.”

“Hooray!” the fairy squealed. “Thank you, thank you!”

Aleia pushed in a heavy oak door, and when she entered the room, I was amused at how much the space resembled a modern boutique back on Earth. More light flooded into the space than I’d expected, and the interior was entirely limestone, from the walls to the floor. The ceiling was surprisingly high and gabled, and a small fireplace in the corner was burning despite the heat of the day.

“Um, hello,” a small voice said, and I realized a young elven girl was standing in the shadows with a shy expression on her face.

Even though she was taller than Aleia, she couldn’t have been older than fourteen, and her hair was a similar lavender color to the fairy’s wings and braided around her head in a complicated style. Unlike most of the elven women I’d seen, who wore basic, almost masculine clothing, the girl was wearing a dress made of a floaty, deep-purple material that came down almost to her ankles. Her pointed ears were pierced, and she wore thin gold hoop earrings.

“Hi!” Aleia said to the teenager. “I’d like to look at your wares. Can you show me some of your most beautiful dresses?”

“Of course,” the young elf replied as she looked bashfully at the fairy from under her long, purple lashes. “I-I like your clothing. A-And your wings. I’ve never met a fairy before.”

“I like your dress, too,” Aleia complimented the teen. “And it’s nice to meet you. I’m Aleia. What’s your name?”

“O-Oh, m-me?” the young girl stammered as a flush ran up her cheeks. “I’m Windra. I didn’t expect you to ask.”

“Hi, Windra,” the fairy responded. “Where do you get all your beautiful clothing?”

“Oh, it depends,” the elven girl explained. “My father trades with many different peoples. Some of our leatherware comes from a gnome settlement in the far north of here, for example. But some of it… some of it I sew myself.”

“You do?” Aleia asked as she smiled warmly at Windra. “May I see something you’ve made?”

“Sure, if you really want to,” the teen giggled, and she pulled a gauzy yellow item off a hook. “I sewed this dress. Hey, I bet it would look pretty on you.”

“Ohhh,” Aleia breathed when she saw the garment. “It’s… it’s incredible, Windra.”

The dress was made of several layers of soft, translucent yellow fabric, and it was embroidered with an intricate pattern of red roses and swirling green vines. I could tell it dipped low in the front in just the right way, and suddenly I was dying for Aleia to put it on.

“Get it,” I urged her, and the fairy blushed and smiled. “That would look sexy on you.”

“I don’t know about my wings,” Aleia fretted. “That’s the problem with being a fairy. None of the beautiful clothes I see in shops will ever work for me.”

“Ohhhh, I think I could help you.” Windra stared at the fairy, and I realized her eyes were the same pale violet as her hair. “Maybe. If you’re sure you want to buy it, I could alter the back for you so your wings fit.”

“Ask her how much it costs,” I instructed the fairy, whose eyes were glowing as she stared at the beautiful yellow cloth.

“Uh, Windra?” Aleia gulped. “How much is the dress?”

“It’s fifty bits of gold,” the elven girl replied.

“And how much would it be to alter it?” the fairy questioned.

“I could do that for free, miss.” Windra offered a small, shy smile. “It would only take me a few minutes, really.”

“Um, okay.” Aleia shook her head as if to clear her thoughts. “It’s sooo pretty. Windra, would you mind if I stepped outside for a moment? I need to, uh, look through my pack.”

“Okay, I’ll just stay here--”

“See you in a minute!” Aleia chirped as she pushed open the door and stepped back out onto the busy path. The fairy walked around the corner of the building and huddled against the wall, and then she spoke to me. “Master, what am I supposed to do?”

“You really want it, don’t you?” I asked. “I have to confess, I was just thinking about you wearing it, and I’m already a big fan.”

“Jack!” Aleia giggled. “So, does that mean I should let her alter it for me?”

“How much money do you have?” I questioned. “I want you to have it, but not if it’s going to use up all your gold.”

“I have at least a couple thousand bits, maybe more,” the fairy told me. “Plus what we got from those bandits who invaded the convent. That’s about another thousand, probably.”

“Hmmm,” I pretended to ponder. “Wellll…”

“Oh, master.” Aleia wrung her hands together. “Maybe I shouldn’t.”

“Maybe you… should,” I chuckled. “You deserve to have something beautiful like that.”

“Do you mean it?” the fairy gasped. “Oh, there’s just one more thing, but I’m nervous to ask.”

“Aleia, don’t be silly,” I replied. “We’ve been through a lot together, and I hope you know you can say anything to me.”

“Okay,” the beautiful priestess sighed. “I was thinking that my sisters might be sad if I came home with a beautiful new dress, and I didn't bring them a thing.”

“Yeah, that’s true,” I said. “You all deserve new dresses, really. It sounds like you have a fair amount of gold, so if you want to get something for Penelope and Nicola, too, that would be alright.”

I wanted the priestesses to be happy, of course, but the longer this shopping trip went on, the more I was thinking about how much I’d personally enjoy a fashion show.

“I don’t want to spend all my money,” Aleia said with a mischievous smile, “but I can think of someone else who might like something new to wear. It’s someone who was complaining about her clothing. Someone who we might be trying to convince to join our convent…”

“Celeste?” I snickered, and a vision of the harpy wearing leather flashed through my mind. My nonexistent blood ran a little hotter through my veins. “Yes, I think you should definitely get her something, too, so she doesn’t feel left out. Although, make sure it’s something fit for a warrior. Maybe leather, but make sure the stitching’s high-quality. She’ll want something that’s durable given how much combat training she’s used to.”

“Wow, master,” Aleia murmured. “That is thoughtful of you.”

“I don’t want her to feel left out,” I reiterated in my most casual tone.

“I don’t, either,” the fairy agreed. “I’d like to find something for everyone here in town, even the gnomes. Plus, a little gift never hurts if you’re trying to get someone to be your friend.”

“That’s true,” I responded. “So, new items for all of my followers. And Celeste. Head back in and look at all the clothes, and buy what you want for you and your sisters.”

“Thank you so much, master,” the priestess breathed. “I’m so very happy.”

Aleia walked back into the shop, and Windra grinned broadly.

“I didn’t think you’d come back!” the young girl said as she clapped her hands together. “I’m glad you did. You coming in is the most exciting thing that’s happened to me in, well, ever, maybe.”

Windra’s cheeks turned bright red again, and she hung her head, and Aleia put her hand on the teenager’s shoulder.

“I’m glad,” the fairy laughed. “But I’m just like anyone else. I’d like you to fix that yellow dress for me, and I’d also like to see more clothing. What do you have that would befit a fierce warrior woman?”

“This would be perfect!” Windra chirped as she dashed over to a garment and pulled it off its peg. “Look, it’s deer hide.”

“Did your father bring this, or did you sew this, too?” Aleia asked.

“I made it,” the young girl replied with a modest dip of her chin. “And I think it’s just what you want.”

Windra handed two leather pieces to the fairy, who examined each closely. There was a pair of what appeared to be tight-fitting, fringed pants, and a top that resembled a strappy bustier.

It was fucking hot.

“That’s perfect,” I whispered in Aleia’s ear.

“Yes, I love it,” Aleia confirmed, and when she quickly glanced up at the ceiling, a little smile came to her lips. “This would also be for someone with wings, so if you wouldn’t mind sewing it, as well, that would be wonderful.”

“You should have her alter all of them,” I suggested. “Then you and your sisters could swap once in a while if you feel like mixing up your attire.”

“Oh, good idea!” the fairy said out loud, and Windra gave her a strange look. Aleia flushed when she’d realized what she’d done, but she tossed her hair back and straightened her shoulders to recover. “Windra, I’m going to need more clothing, and I’m going to need you to alter all of it.”

“Of course!” the teen girl gushed. “I’m so glad you’re buying things. My parents think my sewing is a little silly, so I hope they’re excited you actually like the things I made!”

“I bet they will be,” Aleia assured her. “Now, what else do you have that I can look at?”

“There’s this one,” Windra said with a proud smile as she held up something sleeveless that was crafted from red silk and black leather. The fabric was woven with thin strands of gold, the silk skirt was slit up the side, and the cut of the leather top was dangerously low. The way the black leather laced up the front reminded me of Nicola’s punishments, and my virtual boner throbbed.

She would look fantastic tied up in this outfit with no lingerie underneath.

“Get it for Nicola,” I instructed the strawberry-blonde. “She’d really like that.”

“I love this one, too,” Aleia told Windra as she stroked the red silk. “I think it would be perfect for my… friend.”

“Is she a fairy, too?” Windra breathed with wide eyes as she took a final item off a hook.

“No, she’s human,” the fairy explained. “But she’s one of my very best friends in the entire world, and I want to bring her a special gift. And then, what’s the last dress you grabbed?”

“I made this yesterday,” Windra said as she held out something pale-pink and satiny to Aleia. “I was trying something different. I know it’s shorter than what a lot of women usually wear, but I thought you might not mind…”

The young elf gestured toward Aleia’s skimpy priestess robes.

I imagined Penelope in the pink dress that was little more than lingerie, and I knew it would look perfect against her soft cerulean skin.

“That one,” I instantly blurted out. “I mean, if you think Penelope would like it… I just think… it’s perfect, get it.”

“It looks beautiful,” the priestess laughed as she blushed a bit. “And I know exactly which one of my friends would love this.”

“You’re lucky to have so many friends,” Windra said in a wistful voice. “I hope I do someday, too.”

“I am lucky,” the fairy agreed. “But I didn’t have any friends when I was your age, and now I’m as happy as I can be. You won’t be lonely forever, I promise. So, you’re going to lower the backs of all these for me… would it be okay if I came back? I have other errands to run.”

“I don’t mind at all,” the elven girl assured her as she fidgeted with a lavender braid. “It will really only be a few minutes. Oh, I do hope your friends like them, Miss Aleia.”

“I know they will,” Aleia said, and she clasped Windra by both hands. “Thank you so much for all your help, Windra. I’m so excited to put on my new clothing. I might just wear one of the outfits home! But I’ll be back in a little while, in any case. Can you tell me if there’s an armorer in town?”

“Of course.” Windra nodded. “It’s near the town square, right next to the blacksmith. If you walk toward the temple and turn left, you’ll see it.”

“Ask her about the temple,” I urged Aleia. “See if she knows anything about Tobias.”

“That temple is beautiful,” the fairy said to Windra. “I saw it was dedicated to Tobias, the God of Tricks and Riddles? Is that correct?”

“It’s a funny name, right?” Windra giggled. “It was here before the elves were, though. I think humans built it, but it’s said to be very ancient, and the doors have been locked for as long as I’ve been alive. Many children have tried to break in while they were playing, but no one has ever succeeded.”

That was too bad.

“Thank you, Windra,” Aleia replied again. “Like I said, I’ll be back soon.”

The fairy waved to the young elf, left the shop, and went back out into the bright sunshine. The strawberry-blonde shielded her eyes from the light as she looked both ways down the path, and then she began to walk in the direction of the town square and the temple.

“Fly up into the air for a minute,” I told Aleia. “I want to talk to you.”

“What is it, master?” the fairy asked as she complied.

I waited until she was about twenty feet above the ground before I continued to speak.

“I want to fuck you in that yellow dress,” I told the fairy.

“Oh!” Aleia gasped as her head flew up, and her freckled cheeks turned rosy. “Master! You shouldn’t say things like that when there are other people around.”

“You’re in the air,” I laughed. “No one can see you react. You’re just lucky I don’t talk dirty to you all day, every day. How would you feel about that?”

“Stop,” Aleia giggled. “You’re teasing me again.”

“I want to pull up the skirt, bend you over, and--”

“Jack!” the fairy protested. “I can’t talk about this right now. Maybe after I buy the crossbow. I can’t talk to people in shops when you’re whispering in my head about… making love to me in a dress? Do people do that?”

“People do all kinds of things,” I chuckled. “I’ll teach you a bit more about it all later, but I’ll be good for now.”

“Thank you,” Aleia laughed. “I have to keep at least a little composure about myself.”

The fairy floated down to the ground again, and she slowly made her way toward the town square as she gazed around at all the people and buildings.

“You miss civilization, don’t you?” I asked the fairy.

“I always lived in the woods, so it isn’t as if I miss towns, necessarily,” the fairy explained. “I just really like being in the city, and this village is wonderful. I love the shops, and the kind elves, and-- oh, Jack, look at the market!”

Aleia ran over to a huge display of rainbow-colored summer fruits and vegetables, and she picked up a peach and stroked it.

“Would you like that, miss?” an older elf woman with a whitish-yellow bun asked, and the fairy nodded.

“Yes, please,” Aleia replied, and she fished for a single coin in her belt. She handed it to the woman, whose eyes widened.

“Miss, I can’t give you money back for this,” the elf said as she attempted to hand the coin back to Aleia. “You’ve given me too much. Just take the peach, I insist.”

“No, I insist,” the fairy said as she pressed the coin into the old woman’s hand. “Keep it. Your town is one of the nicest places I’ve ever been.”

“Okay,” the elf said with doubt in her eyes. “But please, then, take some more food! We have so much. Brindel is cooking venison over the fire, please take some of that. And we have our rose bushes for sale, as well. They’re in the clay pots on the ground. Would you like one?”

“A rose plant might be perfect for my friends!” Aleia told the saleswoman. “Oh, that purple one is pretty. I am partial to purple, you see.”

The fairy flapped her glittering wings at the saleswoman, who laughed.

“The lavender ones smell the best, anyway,” the old elf chuckled.

“Can you hold this one for me?” Aleia said as she gestured to a small, flowered bush in a stone pot that had been polished to a deep shine. “I need to go to the armorer, but I want to come back and get this.”

“Do you want it for the gnomes?” I asked, and the fairy faintly nodded. “Are you going to be able to carry everything back?”

Aleia shrugged one shoulder and smiled in response to me, and then she turned back to the old woman, who’d picked up the pot of roses and placed it behind her stand.

“Will that be all, miss?” the elf asked in a nervous voice as she twisted her gnarled hands together. “I do hate to take all your money this way.”

“Consider it a gift,” Aleia responded. “Maybe I’ll come back and pick out some more things.”

“At least fill your pack with food before you leave town,” the old woman insisted as she tucked a yellowish strand of hair back into her bun. “You must.”

“I will,” the fairy promised, and she took a big bite of her peach and wandered away.

“If I were down there, I’d find the most beautiful rose in the whole town and give it to you,” I said to Aleia. “Then I’d probably lick all that peach juice off your lips for you.”

“Oh, master,” the priestess giggled from behind her hand. “I do like when we get to spend time together, just the two of us.”

“Me, too,” I agreed. “But seriously, how are you going to be able to carry all that stuff? Let me think… clothes in your pack, crossbows on your back, and you really should take the food the woman offered. And then I suppose you can carry the roses in your arms.”

“Under one arm, probably,” the fairy said with a shrug. “It’s not a problem.”

“Okay, you strong little thing,” I laughed as Aleia flexed a bicep.

The fairy waved goodbye to the old elf woman and turned in the direction of the armorer.

“I think I see the blacksmith,” the fairy reported as she looked down the path. “Look at all that thick smoke. That must be it.”

“Yes, and it’s the next shop beyond,” I instructed. “The sign looks appropriate for an armorer. Let’s hope they have crossbows there.”

After only a couple minutes of walking, Aleia reached a building with a picture of a sword carved into a wooden sign. The fairy took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and pushed open the door.

The fantasy games I’d played had led me to believe a weapon shop would practically be a dungeon, but other than different goods and the large, gruff, human-looking being standing behind a counter, the store had the same clean ambience as the seamstress’ shop. A similar gabled ceiling and several open windows gave it a bright, airy feel, which contrasted with the selection of brutal torture and killing devices on the walls.

The shop contained so many weapons, it was a little overwhelming to take it all in. Heavy wooden racks displayed blades from huge, two-handed greatswords to scimitars, and a seemingly endless selection of daggers with razor-sharp edges rounded out the collection. There were bows, maces, flails, and strange metal whips with a cluster of perilous hooks on the end, and I could tell my innocent fairy was on the verge of going into shock as she stepped in and looked around.

“Hey, honey,” the shopkeeper leered. The man had a shiny bald head, was at least six-foot-four, and was wearing a black leather vest, which accentuated his massive arms and chest. “Are you sure you aren’t lost?”

“Don’t let him intimidate you,” I told Aleia, who gave a small, proud nod. “You’re way more badass than this jerk.”

“I’m not lost,” the fairy said firmly as she raised her chin and instinctively put a hand to the sword on her belt. “I’m looking for a crossbow. Or maybe two.”

“A crossbow?” the man chuckled. “That weapon’s going to be bigger than you are, sweetie.”

“I think I can handle it,” Aleia growled, but the shopkeeper just laughed.

“I think I have a bow I built for my ten-year-old son in the back,” the man snorted. “I’ll let you have it for free.”

“I’m looking for crossbows,” the fairy repeated. “Quality ones. How many times do I have to say it?”

“Fine, fine,” the man said as he put his hands up in the air. “I’m not here to argue, honey. If you think you can handle it, that’s up to you. You’re lucky that I have a couple, but I’m not getting both out until you’re sure, little girl.”

The shopkeeper walked over to a shelf near the door, and he picked up a large weapon with a gleaming wooden stock. He propped the stock against his shoulder for a moment and tested the aim toward the back of the room, and then he handed it to Aleia.

I didn’t think she’d ever used a crossbow before, but the fairy imitated the large man’s actions and steadied the weapon’s stock against her shoulder. She squinted off into the distance as if she were trying to aim, but then she froze in place, and I could tell she wasn’t sure how to proceed with the large man staring at her.

“Go ahead and ask him for another one, and then you can buy them,” I encouraged the strawberry-blonde priestess. “You’re handling everything just right.”

“This will do, and I’ll take a second one, as well,” Aleia said in a haughty tone as she handed the crossbow back to the shopkeeper, and she looked up at the man as if to say more, but she caught sight of something else instead, and her eyes grew huge and bright.

Then the fairy gestured up toward one of the highest shelves where a mace rested.

The gleaming weapon was about three-feet long, made of solid iron, had flanges lining the head, and a handle wrapped in a thick, black leather strap for better grip.

“What is that?” Aleia breathed.

“It’s perfect,” I mumbled half to myself, and an instant image of my fairy nakedly bludgeoning our enemies just forced itself into my mind.

Why she would ever be bludgeoning while naked, I couldn’t imagine, but I didn’t particularly care about the technicalities right now. It was a fucking glorious sight to behold, and her flawless breasts jostled with every unforgiving blow.

“Oh, honey, you can’t be serious,” the shopkeeper scoffed. “That’s called a mace, and it’s nothing for a girl to be playing with. Who would you be fighting, anyway? Why don’t you leave that kind of work to your husband, sweetie?”

Aleia’s face flushed crimson at the words, and her green eyes narrowed into threatening slits as she firmly crossed her arms.

“Take it down and show it to me,” Aleia demanded. “Take. It. Down.”

“Yeah, I want to see you with that in your hands,” I agreed.

“Whatever you say,” the huge man said with a shrug, and he reached up and pulled the large weapon off the shelf. The prick practically tossed it at Aleia to try to fuck with her, but the fairy easily caught the handle in one hand and stared the shopkeeper down with cool, appraising eyes.

And I caught a subtle jostling of her breasts beneath the fabric that almost made all my dreams come true.

“Am I holding it right?” the priestess asked and raised the weapon with both hands over her shoulder.

I zoomed my God Vision in on the tight grip she had on the thick, iron shaft before I half-groaned a resounding, “Yessss.”

Aleia didn’t even blush this time, though. She was busy staring the man down, and when she twitched the head of the mace in his direction, the bulky prick had the good sense to duck just in case.

“Listen, lady, there’s none of that in here,” the man warned. “Do you want it or not?”

“I suppose no,” Aleia sighed. “Maybe not today--”

“No, you are absolutely buying that mace,” I firmly cut in. “You flew all the way here by yourself, so you deserve it, and frankly, I’d like to see you swing that at a gargoyle’s head. With your strength and that hunk of iron in your hands, you’ll be unstoppable.”

“It might be too expensive…” Aleia led.

“Your god commands it,” I informed her, and the timber of my voice finally got that blush out of her.

“Actually, I think I will buy the mace,” the fairy said with a coy smile. “That will work well for me.”

“So, the crossbows, the bolts, and the mace?” The shopkeeper stared at Aleia.

“That would be it,” the fairy responded with a smirk. “How much?”

I loved her attitude so much right now. It matched her vise grip on that mace perfectly.

“It’s five hundred for everything,” the man said with a dubious expression, and the strawberry-blonde handed him a small handful of coins. He stared at the gold for a moment before he put it in his pocket, and then he shook his head. “I’ll give you hooks for the crossbows so you can attach them to your belt using the stirrup, the mace can go on your belt, as well, and these here bolts come with their own quiver. One quiver or two?”

“Two, please!” Aleia chirped.

“Are you… are you really sure you can carry all this?” the shopkeeper checked.

“I’m stronger than I look,” Aleia said as she loaded herself up with all the weapons. The little fairy looked like a pack mule with her bag, the crossbows, the mace, and the weapons she’d brought from home, and I couldn’t believe she was also going to try to carry a potted plant.

Along with a new wardrobe for my priestesses and Celeste.

“Clearly,” the shopkeeper said as he glanced the fairy up and down. “I don’t know who you are, but good luck out there, sweetheart.”

“I will be seeing you again,” the winged priestess informed the man, and she sent an approving look around the shop before she confidently made her way toward the door like this was her tenth trip to the shop instead of her first.

I swept the room with my God Vision one last time, too, and that was when I saw it.

It was a huge, ball-and-chain flail, and just like that, Nicola was buck naked and flailing our enemies to a pulp in my mind’s eyes.

Chapter 15

“Did you see that flail?” I questioned Aleia as she fluttered toward the outskirts of Evelhelm. “Wasn’t it amazing?”

“What is a flail?” my strawberry-blonde priestess asked as she fidgeted with her new belongings.

My little fairy was loaded down with weapons, clothes, satchels of food, and a potted rose bush she insisted on picking up from the kind lady in the market, and she was struggling to keep it all from dropping down to the road below.

“It’s a weapon I saw on the wall in the armorer’s shop,” I replied, and I couldn’t keep the excitement out of my voice. “It has a handle like your mace, but with a chain on the end, and there’s a solid metal ball covered in spikes attached to the chain. Don’t you think Nicola would look hot with that?”

“Hot?” Aleia giggled. “Master, I don’t understand what you’re talking about sometimes.”

“I’ll show you later,” I snickered. “I have plans for you, too.”

“Jack, I have something to accomplish!” Aleia protested, and I was more than entertained to see yet another hot flush on her freckled face. “I can’t talk about… dirty things right now because I need to figure this out. Now, how did I say I was going to carry all this again?”

“Keep the crossbows hooked to your belt, loop the quivers of bolts on each shoulder, and keep the mace on your belt,” I suggested. “Tuck the plant under your arm, put the clothes in the pack, and then tie the sack of fruit and vegetables to the outside of your bag so the juice doesn’t get the clothes dirty. Then pick up the plant. There you go!”

“I’ll try,” Aleia mumbled as she put away the dresses. After a few minutes of packing, my little mule was as ready as she was going to be, and she flew up awkwardly up into the air.

“Try not to drop anything on any elves,” I teased the priestess as she shifted the rose bush from arm to arm and tried to keep the bag of produce from hitting her in the head. “Seriously, I wish I were down there to lend you a hand. First, I could help you carry stuff, and then you could put on that pretty yellow dress, swing the mace around a bit for me, and we could fly together again in that particularly fantastic way we tried out the other--”

“My lord, you’re confusing me still,” Aleia giggled. “You want me to wear my new dress and wield a mace at the same time?”

“Fuck, yessss… it’s perfect,” I moaned. “I can’t wait to see you try that dress on. Nicola could wear her dress, too, and use the flail, and let’s see, I could arm Penelope with that sexy crossbow…”

“So, you like women to behave like warriors,” the fairy purred. “I wonder what Celeste will say if we explain that the gift of clothing is due to your bounty.”

“You were actually the one who bought it,” I laughed. “You had those coins before you came to me.”

“That’s true,” the fairy said with pursed lips. “But are you trying to win her over or not?”

“I guess you're right,” I chuckled. “I’m certainly interested in proving my existence to her at the very least. If you want to say the clothes are from me, you can. I just hope she likes her new outfit.”

“I kind of want to try it on, too,” Aleia responded with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “I’ve never worn anything like that before.”

“I bet your ass would look good in those pants,” I commented.

“What did you say?” the strawberry-blonde beauty giggled. “Master, if you don’t stop teasing me, I’m going to lose my mind.”

“You heard me,” I chided. “And I already told you what I thought about the yellow dress.”

“The dress would get dirty if I wore it when you made love to me,” Aleia pouted. “Or is that a good thing? Maybe, if the circumstances were right…”

“How about we try it in a dream?” I suggested. “You can put the yellow dress on, and we’ll get super, super dirty…”

“You’re terrible, Jack,” Aleia giggled. “But you certainly have taught me a lot about the world.”

“You’re a good student,” I told the fairy.

“Thank you, master,” Aleia said with a blushy little smile. “But I haven’t even tried it on yet! I hope it looks good on me.”

“It’d be impossible for it not to,” I assured her.

There was still a lot of daylight left as Aleia approached the convent, and as she descended, the group of workers stared at her with their mouths hanging wide open.

“Oh, my, what is all that?” Elowise chuckled as she observed the fairy with her giant load of items.

“I bought some things,” Aleia grunted as she landed, and with a gasp, she set the rose plant down on the ground. “Elowise, this rose bush is for you and your family. I wanted to give you something to show you how much you mean to me.”

“That’s so sweet, dear,” the old gnome woman said with brightly shining eyes. “It’s beautiful, and I should have known you’d select purple for us.”

“It is my favorite,” the fairy laughed as she attempted to remove the crossbow from her belt. “Nicola, look at this. I got crossbows!”

Nicola helped the fairy unhook the gleaming weapons, and the brunette examined the crossbows carefully as a smile spread across her lips.

“This is a crossbow?” Nicola gushed. “Oh, I can’t wait to take down a gargoyle with this. Thank you so much, sister.”

Nicola eyed the weapon while she tried to decide how to hold it, and Celeste came over to gently direct her hands. Then the harpy helped guide the stock of the weapon so it rested against one of the brunette's shoulders, and Nicola grinned as she took aim like she’d done it a thousand times before.

My invisible hard-on had already been off the charts at the thought of the women with the new dresses, but the way Nicola’s muscles flexed, and the brief flash of brutality in her eyes as she steadied the crossbow were starting to make me feel even more out of control.

I never really realized I had a thing for well-armed women, but discovering this made me want to send Aleia straight back to the armorer to buy out the whole damn place.

“What’s that?” Penelope gasped as she gestured to the lethal, spiked weapon secured to Aleia’s belt.

“It’s a mace!” the fairy gushed, and she gently stroked the flanges on the sides of the weapon. “I’m going to take down some gargoyles, too. Do you think I look good with it?”

“You know I do,” I murmured in Aleia’s ear as she took the leather-wrapped handle in both hands and swung it gently through the air. As the gnomes and other women began to clap for the fairy, I could tell she was trying not to laugh at my words.

“Nice, Aleia,” Celeste said in an approving tone. “These weapons are fantastic. You made good selections.”

“Thanks, Celeste,” the fairy laughed as she rested the mace on the ground. “Jack helped me, of course. He’s so knowledgeable about weaponry. But I’ve bought something more for us, as well!”

“Hold on, I want to send the gnomes home before you show your sisters the dresses,” I said in Aleia’s ear, and the fairy raised an eyebrow like she wasn’t sure what I was talking about.

“Why?” the strawberry-blonde priestess hissed.

“I keep telling you,” I chuckled as Aleia flattened out her lips and tried not to smile. “I’m not joking about how fucking sexy this is going to be.”

The fairy barely managed to nod with a straight face as I started to address all my followers.

The group who’d stayed at the convent had completed three braced platforms already, and I was more than happy with their progress. All that was really left was constructing the railings and stairs for the new watch towers, and that wouldn’t be difficult for the priestesses to finish.

“I’m so happy with what you’ve done today,” I told everyone minus Celeste, who was staring at the new weapons with envy. “We’re so close to getting the convent to a more secure state, and now you even have a couple new weapons to work with. It’s going to be safer around here in no time at all. But as for you gnomes, you’ve been laboring so hard for me that I want you to take the rest of the night off. In fact, go ahead and take tomorrow off, too. If it turns out we need you, I’ll call you over, but I’m sure you’d like to spend some time at your camp after all the work you’ve been doing.”

“Wow, Jack, that is mighty kind,” Balabar said. The small man’s face was streaked with dirt, and his normally-crisp white shirt was drooping from the heat of the day. “I wouldn’t mind going home, as I could use a bath and a cup of Mother’s special tea.”

“Me, too,” Nissa agreed. The blonde gnome wasn’t quite as dirty as her husband, but sweat ran down from under her leather cap as she bounced a fussy Roza up and down in her arms.

“Thanks, Jack,” Wilfrim told me, and he turned to his family. “Should we pack up and say goodnight to the girls?”

“Goodnight, friends,” Nicola said in a kind voice. “I hope you enjoy being at home tomorrow.”

“It could use a little tidying, anyway, that’s for sure,” Elowise chuckled. “We have been pretty busy as of late. Jack, are you sure that’s okay with you?”

“Yep,” I said. “Take a day off, and thanks for all your help.”

I didn’t mean to send home the gnomes abruptly, but I was tortured at the thought of the women in their new clothing.

“Well, thank you,” the old woman said as she bowed her head with gratitude. “We’ll see you very soon, girls. Celeste, it’s been a pleasure getting to know you better.”

“You, too,” the harpy said with a broad smile.

If the harpy was having more fun already, I couldn’t wait until she saw what Aleia had brought her.

The gnomes left with a chorus of goodbyes, and then the fairy looked around at the other three women with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“Help me carry these weapons, sisters, and come to the kitchen with me,” Aleia said in a mock-casual voice as she hefted her mace in one hand and gestured toward the other side of the convent. “I certainly am hungry after my long trip.”

“How was the town?” Penelope asked as she picked up the crossbow. “Elves, right?”

“Yes, mostly elves, and it was lovely,” Aleia answered with a dreamy smile on her face. “The village was full of roses, and everyone I talked to was so nice. Oh, except for the armorer, who didn’t think I could handle a weapon, but I showed him… anyway, all of you sit down. Even you, Celeste! I have something wonderful to show you.”

“How intriguing,” the naiad giggled with a sparkle in her eyes. “I always love a surprise.”

“So…” Aleia said to her captive audience once they’d settled on their logs. “I have something special in my bag.”

The fairy paused for effect while her green eyes glittered, and then she pulled out the clothing Windra had given her. The young elf had packaged the items neatly in a square of clean white fabric, and the strawberry-blonde started to unwrap the bundle.

The three other women craned their necks to see what Aleia was holding, and when she held up the embroidered yellow dress, a chorus of “oohs” erupted.

“Wow,” Penelope gasped. “You bought a gown?”

“Yes, our lord was kind enough to allow me to visit a seamstress,” the fairy explained, “and this is what I picked out for myself.”

“That’s so beautiful, sister,” the naiad said with misty eyes. “I don't think I’ve ever seen such a wonderful dress before. You’re going to look sooo gorgeous wearing it.”

“I love it, too,” Nicola said with a tinge of envy in her voice. “I’m so happy you got that, Aleia. You deserve it more than anyone.”

“Wait!” the fairy laughed. “That’s not everything!”

Then Aleia gave Penelope and Nicola their new dresses, and their mouths gaped open as they reached for the delicate clothes. The two priestesses stroked the pink and red gowns with adoring fingers, and when I imagined them touching my body the same way they were handling the smooth fabric, I nearly moaned aloud.

And they weren’t even wearing the dresses yet.

“And then, Celeste--”

“What?” the harpy asked as her amber eyes widened into saucers. “You actually--”

“Here,” Aleia said with a big smile as she handed the redhead the two pieces of leather.

“Wowww…” Celeste breathed as her eyes glistened with tears. “That was so kind of you. This is exactly the type of thing I love to wear. How did you know?”

“You’re a brave warrior, so Jack and I thought leather would be right for you,” the fairy said with a small, pleased smile as she waved the harpy’s question away.

“Jack thought?” the harpy asked as a blush dusted her cheeks.

“Yes, he knows you wanted to feel more like yourself again,” Aleia told her. “He said this would help you feel more like the warrior you are, and I agreed.”

“Oh…” Celeste murmured and looked down at the leather in her hands.

The harpy was still blushing lightly, and I caught the tiniest smile curl at the corners of her mouth while she kneaded the new outfit between her hands.

“A-A-Aleia,” hormonal Penelope sobbed. “This is so, so kind. I feel so doted on! I can’t wait to put on my dress. Should we bathe first, though?”

“Nooo, just try them on already,” I growled, and the naiad’s tears instantly turned to giggles.

“Master, are you excited?’ the cerulean beauty asked.

“More than you know,” I told the priestesses. “Go on now, I can’t wait any longer.”

“Okay, but you have to close your eyes,” Nicola said as she held up the red and black dress in front of her, and then she hugged the garment close to her body again and squealed. “Thank you, thank you, Aleia! Although I suspect Jack had some say in all of these designs…”

“I’ll never te--” I started to say, but Aleia cut me off.

“Of course, he did!” the fairy preened. “He was so sweet and loving about it, too. I hope we can all return to the seamstress together someday. He will probably insist we buy half the garments for ourselves.”

“I’m sure he will,” the brunette said with a dirty grin, and I cleared my throat.

“Anyways, I will avert my gaze, but I can’t wait for the surprise,” I said to the women, and I shifted my God Vision toward one of the new towers. I was still blown away by how much the group had managed to get done without the fairy’s assistance, and all the lines of the structure looked straight and even.

I was more interested in curves at the moment, though.

“Jack?” Aleia whispered after a couple minutes, and when I turned my vision toward the women again, I felt a hot rush run from the soles of my phantom feet to the top of my nonexistent head.

“Damn,” I muttered as I stared at my priestesses. “You look… I don’t even have words.”

The shade of the fairy’s yellow dress coordinated perfectly with the reddish waves that spilled down her back, and the thin line of embroidered roses accentuated her tiny waist. The front of the dress dipped down in a V toward her belly, well past the bottoms of her breasts, and I could see a trace of the tips of her nipples pointing through the gauzy fabric.

Penelope’s pink dress also left little to the imagination. The cotton candy fabric barely covered the curve of her ass, and her barefoot, pale-blue legs looked miles long in the short skirt. The dress was so tiny it would have barely squeaked by as more than lingerie back in my old life, but the loose flow of the fabric made me picture her belly swelling underneath.

Nicola ran her hands down the sides of her curves, and I traced the motion with my eyes as her palms caressed her breasts, her waist, and finally her hips.

The slit up the side of the red silk skirt showed almost every inch of the brunette’s slim, golden leg, and she twirled in a happy little circle to show off for me. Then she tightened the leather laces that ran up the back of the corset, and when her cleavage spilled out even further, I couldn’t stay quiet any longer.

“Yeahhh, that’s right,” I groaned, and all three of my priestesses began to laugh as they looked around at each other with knowing expressions.

“Is there something you need to talk to us about, master?” Nicola asked in a faux-innocent tone as she ran a finger across the very top of her swelling breasts.

I was definitely going to have to get her for that later.

And then there was Celeste.

The harpy had put on the brown leather outfit, but she’d sat back down on her log and was hunched over shyly with her arms crossed on top of her chest.

“Show us, Celeste,” Penelope urged. “Stand up! I’m sure you look amazing.”

“Okay,” the feathered woman said in a bashful voice, and she stood up from the log, shook her scarlet hair back from her face, and squared her shoulders. “Wh-What do you think?”

“Ohhh, it’s perfect for you,” the naiad breathed, and I was struck speechless once again.

The redhead was both badass and delicately feminine in the soft leather, and the deep-brown shade contrasted with the crimson of the feathers on her arms and body. She trembled a little as she stood before the priestesses, uncrossed her arms, and dipped her head shyly, and while I’d been trying to resist lusting over a woman who didn’t even seem to believe I existed, I couldn’t keep my eyes off the way the soft deer hide clung to her body like a second skin.

The cropped top showed off the harpy’s flat, red and ivory belly, and it pushed her breasts upward into firm, high cantaloupes. I hadn’t seen her toned ass until she’d put the pants on, but it exceeded my already sky-high expectations.

She couldn’t tell I was there, but I was getting more and more determined to convince her.

“It’s… it’s perfect,” the harpy whispered as she gazed down at her body, and then she rushed over to Aleia and threw her arms around the fairy. “Thank you so very much. I’ve never known such kindness other than from my grandmother, and I know she’d be happy you’re taking such good care of me. I think despite everything that’s happened, I might actually feel a little bit… happy.”

Celeste’s voice dropped to a whisper on the last word, and I felt a burst of joy. I couldn’t believe there was anyone tough enough to lose a beloved family member, survive a brutal imprisonment, and still manage to keep even a bit of the harpy’s positive attitude.

“Oh, Celeste, I’m so glad you like your clothing,” Aleia said as she squeezed the taller woman around the waist. “You look absolutely beautiful, and as fierce as can be!”

“You’re not looking so bad yourselves,” I practically drooled at my priestesses, who were so excited about their new dresses they couldn’t stop jumping up and down and spinning in circles.

“Sooo, what should we do now?” Nicola asked as she shot a playful glance at the sky and twirled a lock of chestnut hair around her finger.

“You’re killing me,” I moaned. “You all are. If I were on the ground right now, I would absolutely ravage you. Just fucking wait.”

“Master!” Penelope giggled. “Do you really like the dresses that much? I thought you preferred us with no clothing at all.”

“Ahem.” Celeste cleared her throat loudly. “Maybe… I think I should just go lie down or something? It seems like you might need privacy…”

“Aww, please spend time with us,” the naiad implored. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. Our lord was only speaking of--”

“He’s glad we got new clothing,” Aleia interjected. “He… he’s such a giving lord.”

“Sooo giving…” Nicola half-moaned, and my phantom cock almost combusted.

I couldn’t help thinking of Penelope’s last dream visit, too, and the way she got turned on at the thought of new priestesses made me snicker to myself. I realized tonight probably wasn’t the night to ask the women to all undress each other and put on a little show for me, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t fantasize.

“Why don’t we see what other types of food I got from town?” Aleia changed the subject as she opened the rough sack and began to dig through it.

When the fairy pulled out a bunch of cherries, I almost had to laugh at the sexy cliche. This night just kept getting better.

“Does anyone want a cherry?” The strawberry-blonde distributed a small piece of fruit to each of the other women, and I almost had to avert my eyes.

Almost.

Nicola ran her tongue in a delicate circle around the tip of the small red fruit, and then she nibbled off a tiny bite, moaned softly, and sucked a drop of juice off her fingertip.

“Stop it,” I laughed in the brunette’s head. “You’re embarrassing Celeste, and I know you know what you’re doing to me. I’m going to tear that dress off you later.”

“Sooo, what about the new weapons?” Nicola smirked slightly at the sky, and then she gestured toward the crossbows and the mace. “Can we play with those a little bit? I’m really, really excited about the crossbows in particular.”

“Is one of them for me?” Penelope asked as she rubbed her palms together.

“It is,” I chuckled. “And I can’t wait to see you shoot.”

“I’ve never even seen a crossbow before,” the naiad giggled. “I’m going to need a lot of lessons.”

“I can show you how to use it!” Celeste said as her voice rose with excitement. “My Gran used to have a crossbow.”

“Tell her to go ahead and load it up, then,” I chuckled.

“So, it shoots bolts instead of arrows…” Aleia led as she held out one of the quivers to the other women. “See, here they are.”

The crossbow bolts were a bit over a foot long and fletched with wood, and they had steel heads honed to deadly points.

“Can I show you how to load it?” the harpy asked as she planted her feet in a fierce stance and reached out to the fairy.

“I can’t wait to see.” Nicola stared at the weapon with hunger in her eyes and licked her cherry-slicked lips.

“It has this… metal thing that came with it,” Aleia told Celeste as she handed her the bow and its goat’s foot lever.

“That’s what you use to span the bow,” the harpy explained as she worked to load the crossbow. “See, you just hook the lever onto these two pegs, like this, pull back, and then you can load the bolt. Aim, pull the trigger, and fire. Easy!”

Celeste shot a bolt directly into a large pile of firewood that was stacked near the edge of the kitchen, and Nicola’s eyes lit up.

“Wow, you’re fast, Celeste,” the brunette said with admiration. “Can I please try? Pleeease?”

If Nicola was begging outside the bedroom, that meant she really, really had to be excited.

My dark-haired priestess worked to reload the crossbow under Celeste’s instructions, and as she raised the weapon to her shoulder, the motion pushed her breasts up and closer together. Her voluptuous body strained against the black leather corset as she aimed at the pile of wood, and she bit her plush lower lip in concentration and narrowed her eyes.

Nicola’s bolt hit only one inch above Celeste’s, and the women cheered.

“Nice shot, Nicola!” the harpy praised the brunette. “Now, what about you, Penelope?”

“Um, okay,” the naiad giggled nervously as she picked up the second weapon. Her hands shook a little as she lifted the stock, but she imitated the other two women’s motions, aimed, and pulled the trigger.

Penelope’s projectile flew a little high, and it sailed over the pile of wood, but I was impressed by her overall aim.

Not to mention the way her skimpy pink dress rode up when she shot.

“That was soooo hot….” I moaned loudly in my priestesses’ ears, and all of their eyes widened simultaneously.

“Master?” Penelope giggled. “Are you alright?”

“Umm, yeah, ahem, I’m fine,” I said and cleared my throat. “Carry on.”

I was getting a little too worked up, and I didn’t want to encourage any bad behavior from the priestesses. I really didn’t want them to scare Celeste away, especially now that I’d technically gotten a tiny blush and a smile out of her.

It wasn’t just the sight of the feathered woman’s lithe body in the leather warrior garb that was drawing me in, though. She’d kicked ass with that crossbow, and the way she deftly loaded the bolt with such ease proved she could teach my priestesses a lot about fighting.

Still, it was hard to concentrate on the convent’s defenses when the women were all dressed up for me.

“I really enjoyed shopping with you today, master,” Aleia said as she glanced casually at Celeste. “It was kind of you to get clothing for everyone.”

“Oh, my lord, I do appreciate your blessings,” Penelope chimed in as she twirled and sent the soft pink fabric spinning in a circle around her hips.

“I adore my clothing,” the harpy said slowly, “but it’s not like Jack actually paid for it, right? Was he down on the ground in the seamstress’ shop?”

“No, he wasn’t down on the ground, and it was my gold,” Aleia replied and smiled as she widened her eyes imploringly at Celeste. “But he really wanted you to have something to wear that would suit a fierce fighter. In gratitude for helping us in the battle with the dogs, of course.”

“I… I appreciate that?” Celeste responded in a hesitant tone, but that tiny hint of a blush was back. “T-Tell him I said thank you.”

“He can hear you, of course!” Penelope said brightly, and she sucked another cherry off its stem and sent my mind reeling again. “Thank him yourself.”

“I don’t know about that,” the harpy mumbled as the faint rosy tone spread across her fair cheeks, and she stared at the ground for a moment before she looked up at the priestesses again with an intent expression. “But you are the first people other than my family who have shown me kindness like this, and I suppose your worship of Jack is getting more and more… familiar to me.”

“You need a new family.” Nicola looked at the feathered woman warmly. “That’s just a fact. You don’t have to stay here, Celeste, but you must find someone.”

“I do thank you for giving me a safe space for the time being,” Celeste said as she toed the dirt with one slim, bare foot. “It is true, I wouldn’t want to be alone right now while the gargoyles are after me. But there’s one thing I’m still missing. I really, really liked holding that crossbow again. Could I… might I have a weapon of my own? I know that’s a big thing to ask for, I’m sure you’ve worked hard to gather all you have so far, but--”

“Of course,” the brunette replied. “You’re much healthier and steady on your feet now. The better armed you are, the better off we are. We have other bows, Aleia could probably weave you a sling in a matter of minutes, we have spears and swords… what would you like?”

“I’d love a sword,” the harpy said with gratitude. “Of course, I’ll transform in the next battle if I need to, but I also need to get used to fighting without my wings in my harpy form, and I could use a sword for that. I usually like to fly a couple feet off the ground when in battle because I find it helps if I need to engage in unarmed combat, but if I’m grounded, I could definitely use a blade.”

Damn.

“There’s a lot she could teach you,” I told my priestesses. “She’s a real warrior.”

“You’re amazing, Celeste,” Penelope breathed. “Jack wants you to be our instructor.”

“Well, I don’t know,” the harpy hedged. “I guess I could probably stick around and work with you a little. If Jack wants-- I mean…”

My priestesses all froze in the middle of nibbling their cherries, and if I had lungs, I would have been holding my breath. I could hardly believe the words Celeste had almost spoken, but now, she didn’t seem to be able to do much more than blink at my women’s smiling faces for a long, awkward moment.

This was long enough for me to realize how desperately I wanted her to finish that sentence, though, and it was like my entire being realigned itself with one intention in mind: to hear Celeste submit to my will and call me her lord at least once in this life.

“I meant to say, if you want me to,” the harpy back-pedaled. “I could stick around if… you all want me to.”

“I’m so glad to hear it,” Aleia said with a cheeky grin, and then she looked up at the setting sun. “Let’s find something to eat, shall we?”

“Make it fast,” I told the priestesses. “I need you in bed as quickly as possible. Can you just eat fruit for dinner?”

“Whatever you want, master,” Penelope answered as she smiled devoutly, Nicola snickered, and a flush ran from Aleia’s cleavage all the way up her freckled cheeks.

“I’m starving,” Celeste cut in as she glanced at the women out of the corner of her eye, but she didn’t say anything about the strange interjection to the conversation.

The women ate a rabbit from Nicola’s trap for dinner despite my pleas for fruit, but they retreated to the living quarters soon after, so I didn’t have to lose my mind for too long watching them lick their fingers clean.

The harpy seemed to be getting more and more comfortable with the priestesses, and they were able to easily joke among themselves during the meal. The redhead actually giggled a couple of times as the women lazed about in their new clothing and braided each others’ hair before bed.

That was around the time I realized they were intentionally torturing me, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love it.

After they finally fell asleep, I had to quickly wish for a tool. All the women really needed a modern hammer of their own to work with, and I didn’t want to run out of nails, so my choice was fairly easy.

Then I let my carnal side take over.

I had never been with more than one of the women in one night before, but as I let my eyes play across their luscious bodies in the firelight, I desperately needed each one of my priestesses equally. The only thing better would be for me to be with all of them at once, and I let my imagination run wild to what it would be like for me to be down on the ground with all of them in their form-revealing outfits.

There was just something about a woman in a new dress.

But all this pent-up lust brought an intriguing possibility to mind.

Could I skip from dream to dream and be with each of my priestesses before dawn? It was definitely worth a shot.

I started with Nicola.

I began by pulling the brunette’s tits all the way out of the top of the corset, but I kept her in the dress as I bound her hands behind her back. Then I forced her to crawl across the floor to me on her knees to suck my cock, and when I came, I squirted my hot load all over her face and cleavage.

My cum dripped down Nicola’s body and onto the black leather, and when the brunette eagerly licked it off her lips, I was immediately ready to be inside her. I commanded her to ride me with her hands still bound, and I fucked her until she couldn’t move anymore. When I untied her and told her how good a girl she’d been, she was already begging for more, but I left her with a punishing bite on her lips so I could move on to Penelope.

The naiad never missed an opportunity to privately worship me, and tonight was no exception. She knelt before the altar of my cock and sung my praises for what seemed like hours, and I marveled at the wonder of her soft, pale-blue skin in the filmy pink material as I ran my hands all over her body.

As I pushed the pastel fabric up over her hips, I explored Penelope’s warm, soft pussy with my tongue and my cock. She begged me to bless her with my seed in her womb, and I’d never felt so powerful and godlike as my devoted priestess screamed my name again and again while I pumped her full of my seed.

Still, I couldn’t let her worship me all night long, no matter how much she wanted to.

After the way I’d been talking dirty to Aleia all day, my beautiful fairy just needed to be fucked… hard. I was glad the dream sex gave me the opportunity to explore my fantasy of tearing the yellow dress off her slight, freckled body, too. I loved to watch the fairy’s face as I pounded her tight little pussy, and as she squeezed her eyes shut for her first orgasm of what seemed like dozens, I knew I was doing my job right.

Aleia grew more and more aggressive with me the longer the night went on, and I had the claw marks down my back to prove it. The fairy lost all ability to speak as she screamed, growled, and sought out my cock time and time again with the fierceness of a tiny tiger. Her pretty yellow dress was crumpled under us and covered in cum by the time I finished with her, and Aleia trailed her hungry lips across the tip of my cock one last time before I finally began to fade away.

When dawn came, all of my priestesses awoke with expressions of pure bliss on their faces. Then they sat up and looked around at one another, and they started to laugh as they realized they’d all been fucked good and hard last night in their dreams.

“Did you have a good night, Aleia?” Nicola asked as she smirked at the fairy.

“Of course, did you?” The strawberry-blonde priestess shook her tousled waves back from her face, and she looked at the brunette with a pointed expression.

I was impressed she’d managed to resist a blush for once, and Nicola offered the fairy a proud grin before planting a kiss on her cheek.

“I had a good night, too,” Penelope sighed as she languidly stretched out, and the movement made her little pink dress ride up over her blue hip. “Such a blessed evening…”

“Did you have nice dreams?” Celeste snickered and looked from priestess to priestess with amusement. “You all seem… well-rested.”

“I suppose you could say that,” Penelope giggled with a euphoric smile. “Our lord is very, very good to us.”

“Whatever you say,” Celeste said and smirked. “I can’t deny that you’re glowing just a bit.”

“Jack treats us well, Celeste,” Aleia said as she looked at the harpy with serious green eyes. “Our life is good here.”

“I do see that,” the redhead admitted. “You’re always very happy.”

I checked in briefly on the gnomes at their camp, and all seemed peaceful. Elowise was stirring something over the fire for breakfast, and the children were sitting around with sleepy faces as Nissa fed the baby.

Since all seemed well, I turned back to the women at the convent, who had each grabbed a piece of fruit from the new assortment Aleia had bought in Evelhelm.

“Should we change so we can build the rest of the towers?” Aleia asked the other priestesses. “I’d hate to tear my dress.”

“I suppose we should,” Penelope pouted. “But I feel so beautiful in this floaty little thing.”

“Keep them on,” I told the women. “I command you, never take them off again until you’re in my presence, and I… command something different from you.”

“Yeah, right,” Nicola sassed me with a slight roll of her eyes. “This is the most beautiful dress I’ve ever owned, and I’m not letting anything happen to it.”

“Except when I came all over you last night,” I snickered in the brunette’s ear, and she actually blushed for once. “Fine, you all can change. But you’re definitely going to need to change back later.”

“Did Jack say he didn’t want you to change?” Celeste asked with wide eyes. “He really wants you to wear your dresses while you're working?”

“I’m sure he’d love to see that.” Nicola smirked and glanced upward before she looked at Celeste more earnestly. “But we mostly need to talk about building, because there are three sets of railings to finish, plus all the stairs.”

“I’ll help, of course,” the harpy declared. “I’m happy to keep busy and learn new things.”

“Aleia, why don’t you keep working on the staircases, and the rest of you can build as you have been?” I suggested, and my priestesses nodded.

“I’m almost done carving the first one, but I’m going to need more big trees, too,” the fairy mused. “I suppose I’ll head off to the woods and look for those now, and I’ll bring them back to the convent to carve them alongside the first one.”

“That sounds like a good plan,” I agreed, and Penelope, Nicola, and Aleia jumped up as Thunder began to bark and run around in circles.

“Are we going to build now?” Celeste asked as she followed them to her feet. “Is that what Jack said?”

“Yes, and I can’t wait until you hear our lord’s voice for yourself,” the naiad responded with a wide smile. “Everything will become clear to you then.”

“Right,” Celeste sighed. “It couldn’t be any… less clear at the moment.”

The harpy sent a curious glance toward the sky, and she tugged on the deer skin of her top a bit before she headed after the women. I could have sworn the movement only caused her cleavage to be just a little more revealed than before, but maybe I’d imagined it. Then again, she also stole a quick glance at my mural as she hurried past the garden, so things were suddenly becoming less clear to me as well.

Aleia flew off to the woods to select three more trees to add to the one she’d already gotten, and the other women decided to finish the second roadside tower.

The women worked for several hours, and Celeste was getting a better and better handle on the tools. She swung a hammer with ease as she worked with the other priestesses, and she added a lot to their little team of workers.

I checked on the gnomes several times, but they were having a quiet day cleaning the camp and tending to the garden. Since all of my followers seemed happy and calm for the time being, I decided to allow myself to space out for just a few minutes and fantasize about my new favorite thing: the women in their delicate dresses swinging powerful tools of death and destruction.

I was so lost in my imagination for a moment that I was startled when something popped up on my display.

Level Up!

Apparently, in my brief mental absence, the finishing touches to the towers had been completed.

“Jack!” Aleia cried out. “I finished all the stairs, and I think we’re done!”

“Amazing job,” I said as I zoomed in to the tower closest to the living quarters, and I saw the fairy had a chisel in her hand and was still working. “What are you doing right now?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” the fairy said in a slightly bashful voice as she gestured to the piece of wood. “Nothing big.”

I focused on the place she’d been carving, and I saw with amazement that the fairy had drawn a small, ornate flower on the surface of one of the planed stairs.

“Wow, Aleia, that’s beautiful,” I complimented the fairy. “You just decided to carve that?”

“Something suddenly came over me,” Aleia laughed. “Strange, right?”

Had the level up to her Crafting skill really happened that quickly?

“It must be your holy glory, master,” Penelope chimed in. “But we were talking about bathing, if that would be alright with you. We’re very dirty after working all day.”

“That’s how I like you,” I chuckled. “The dirtier, the better. Then again, maybe if you were clean, you’d put your dresses on again…”

“We’re going to the stream now,” Nicola laughed. “And then maybe we can talk about changing.”

As the women headed out the gate and walked down the hill toward Penelope’s creek, I looked at my display and started to read.

Strength Bonus acquired! Allocate +2 strength points to one priestess in battle for thirty minutes, regenerates at--

“Jack!” I suddenly heard a frantic voice, and I switched off my display. “Jack, are you there?”

The voice was Balabar’s, and when I immediately zoomed to the gnome camp, I saw something horrifying.

The small settlement was surrounded by a pack of gargoyles.

There had to be at least half a dozen, and they’d each brought a familiar shadowy pet or two with them.

Chapter 16

“I’m sending the women to come help you,” I told Balabar. “Just hold tight, they’ll be there soon.”

“Thanks, Jack,” the gnome said in a grim tone. “We’re hiding in the trees for now, but I don’t think we have long. We could be attacked at any moment.”

“I understand,” I responded. “The priestesses are on their way.”

“Hey, there’s an emergency!” I called out to the women down by the stream, who were just beginning to undress. “No time to bathe now, you need to go help the gnomes.”

“What’s going on?” Penelope froze in place just before she started to remove her robes. “Is it the dogs again?”

“Both dogs and gargoyles,” I reported.

“What is it?” Celeste asked. “Is there a problem?”

The naiad passed on the information for me, and Celeste’s face blanched even whiter.

“The gargoyles are back?” the harpy whispered, but then she hardened the set of her jaw and stared up at the sky. “Fuck them. I’m going to bring them down with my flame storm this time. There’s no way I’ll ever let myself be captured again!”

“Just tell her to hang on for a second before she leaps into action,” I told the priestesses. “I need to assess the situation.”

“Hold on for a minute,” Aleia said as she put her hand on the red-haired woman’s arm. “Jack’s going to see what’s happening with the gnomes, and then we’ll make a plan.”

“Fine,” Celeste muttered. “I’m just ready to fight, that’s all.”

I checked on the gnomes, and all of the adults were hiding in the thick woods to the west of their campground. They stood as still as statues behind the trees as they stared in horror at the creatures that had invaded their camp, but none of the gargoyles or dogs had tried to attack them yet.

The strange, eyeless animals we’d fought at the convent the other day cast long afternoon shadows across the camp’s dirt floor as they silently paced back and forth and sniffed at the dirt. The sharp beams of sunlight that came down through the tree cover kept them in their solid gray forms, and they were even more hideous in the bright daylight than they’d appeared during the previous battle. Their huge, blunt faces wore permanent grimaces that displayed bright white fangs, and their ashy-gray bodies had the dull gleam of tarnished metal.

The gargoyles had positioned themselves in the trees around the camp, and they were frozen in their mottled gray stone forms. The large, muscular, pointy-eared creatures were armed with stone swords, and they perched in a wide circle around the clearing and stared down at the ground with blank, unseeing eyes.

“Balabar,” I whispered to the fierce gnome even though I knew his hunters wouldn’t hear me. “Speak as quietly as you can when you respond to me, but I need to know where the children are. Are they safe? I can’t see them.”

“Hidey hole,” the gnome mumbled barely above a whisper, and he tipped his sword ever so slightly to the left of him. “That stand of trees.”

I adjusted my God Vision in the direction he’d pointed, and I noticed a group of four trees to the north of the camp clearing. The grouping of trees wasn’t at all hidden from the view of the gargoyles, but there were gnarled roots all around the base of the trunks, and I noticed a ditch dug out beneath the thickest of the roots.

Deep in the shadows, a familiar crop of orange hair was hiding, and my nerves wound into a tight ball as I imagined how scared Lorifer and her brothers must be. I could only hope baby Roza wouldn’t begin to cry.

“I’m here with you, but don’t make a sound,” I murmured to the kids in my gentlest tone. “Don’t move, either. My priestesses will be here soon.”

None of the children spoke in response, but Lorifer gave a tiny nod in the shadows of the roots.

Then I immediately returned to the convent.

“Aleia, I want you to fly to the gnome camp. Now,” I ordered. “The rest of you run down the road. They’re not attacking the gnomes yet, so if you can, I want you to sneak up on the camp and try to catch the gargoyles by surprise. Tell Celeste not to transform yet because I don’t want them to see her glow.”

“Jack said stay in this form for now, and we’re going to run to the gnomes,” Aleia quickly reported to the redhead. “He wants us to sneak up on the camp, and he doesn’t want you to be glowing yet.”

“Of course, I’m not going to transform right now,” Celeste scoffed. “There is a time and a place for the fighting ritual.”

“Hurry,” I urged.

“Come on, let’s find some weapons,” Penelope gasped.

“I need my new mace,” Aleia growled. “I’m ready to smash these bastards wide open. They’ve messed with us too many times now.”

“That’s right, sister,” Nicola agreed through gritted teeth. “It’s time to end this once and for all.”

The women dashed off to arm themselves, and I checked in on the gnomes again, but thankfully, nothing much had changed.

After a couple minutes, my priestesses left the convent by foot and by air, and for a few minutes, as Aleia soared ahead in silence, all I could hear was the women’s heavy breathing and the soft slapping of their feet against the dirt path. The gnome camp was just about a mile away, and I hoped the priestesses and Celeste would get there before anything else happened.

As soon as I had the optimistic thought, though, all hell broke loose.

All at once, the shadow dogs began to howl as they caught the scent of the gnomes, and a gargoyle swooped down from one of the trees across the camp. He flew directly toward the gnomes’ hiding places, and before anyone had a chance to react, he’d grasped Elowise in his talons and carried her several yards into the air.

“Wife!” Wilfrim screamed. “Oh, nooooo!”

“Shit!” I gasped. “Hang tight, Elowise, help is coming!”

The little old gnome lady cursed and swung her sword around while she fought against her captor with all her might, and she managed to at least annoy the gargoyle enough to throw off his flight pattern.

“Mother!” Balabar growled as his eyes narrowed in rage. With his back against a huge tree trunk, he waved his sword at one of the gray dogs approaching him, and the animal crouched down and growled as if it were going to pounce. “Fuck this, all these assholes are going to die. Come here, doggie!”

At Balabar’s words, the muscular beast leapt forward, and for a moment I was struck with terror.

The tiny, quick, gnomish man slid out of the way just in time, and the animal, who was several times the gnome’s size, smashed into the tree and shattered. A cloud of dust spread into the air, and Balabar began to cough, but then he squared his shoulders and brandished his sword.

“Damn!” I whooped. “Give ‘em hell, Balabar!”

“One down,” the small man snarled. “Who the fuck is next? I need my mother back!”

A wide grin spread across the flying gargoyle’s face as Elowise struck her sword against his claws, and his monstrous companions cackled from the trees.

“Quiet, beasts,” the jagged-toothed creature said to the pack of remaining dogs, and each one stopped howling and began to prowl a threatening circle around the gnomes’ hiding place. The gargoyle then bared his fangs in a satisfied grin and taunted the gnomes. “Do you want this old woman back? You’re going to need to tell me where they are first.”

“Who?” Wilfrim scoffed as he glared around the trunk of a tree. “I have no idea what the fuck you’re talking about. Just give me my wife, you ugly bastards!”

“Oho, this fairy will work just fine as a trophy!” the gargoyle cried out as Aleia flew through the trees and entered the clearing. “I’ll take any rare beauty, I’m not too picky.”

The other gargoyles in the trees began to whistle and shout jeers at Aleia, but the strawberry-blonde priestess removed her mace from her back with her right hand, brandished the weapon in the air, and bared her teeth.

“Fuck off,” the fairy snarled. “I’m not a trophy.”

My phantom spine tingled at the words, and I realized if there was ever a time to give a priestess extra Strength points, it was now.

Aleia was fucking gunning for gargoyle blood.

I concentrated as hard as I could on the fairy and willed something to happen. At first, I couldn’t see any physical changes, but then a strange bolt of lightning appeared to flash in her green eyes, her wings fluttered brighter, and without warning, she charged the gargoyle with Elowise in his claws.

The fairy didn’t even go for a mace strike yet. She was so pissed, she let out a furious shriek and slammed her shoulder right into the gargoyle’s chest, and the force threw him so far back, he nearly crashed into a tree on the other end of the clearing.

He also released Elowise from just one of his taloned feet, and as the old woman precariously dangled from his other foot, she screamed wordlessly over and over.

“I’ve got this, Jack,” Aleia said with a grim set to her jaw, and she swooped down and locked a firm arm around Elowise’s dangling body. The gargoyle’s talons held tight to the old woman’s shoulders, and Aleia growled with frustration. “No one tries to fly away with my Elowise!”

As the fairy pulled Elowise away with her left arm, the thin fabric of the gnome’s blouse tore at the shoulder, and thin streams of blood ran down her shoulders and stained her shirt. Then the expression in her round, dark eyes shifted to pure shock and gnomish rage.

“Get him, Aleia!” Elowise snarled as she squeezed the fairy tight around her waist.

“No problem,” the fairy growled, and she drew the mace back with one hand and then slammed it forward again to hit the gargoyle in the groin. His body immediately smashed open like a watermelon, and a sprinkler of black goo shot all over Aleia and Elowise.

I was so distracted by the action that for a brief moment, I wondered why his body hadn’t shattered, but then I realized his black eyes were glinting hot and bright out of his deformed face.

“Fuck you!” the gargoyle managed to get out as he groped down in agony at his oozing crotch.

He’d been forced to let go of Elowise, but despite his destroyed body, he was somehow still so battle-crazed that he swooped down at the fairy as he glared at her with his still-shining black eyes.

Aleia quickly swerved out of the way of the gargoyle’s attack and deposited Elowise in Wilfrim’s arms. The fairy then shot back up into the air toward the ugly gray beast, and in an instant, she raised her mace and brought it down on the gargoyle’s head.

A huge splash of white brain matter exploded from the fleshy monster’s skull and splattered all over Aleia’s weapon and body, and the gargoyle began to fall.

“Noooo,” Wilfrim moaned as the monster’s body crashed down atop one of the gnomes’ brown leather tents. “Our belongings! You big, stony fuck!”

“It’s okay, Husband,” tough little Elowise said with a pissed-off huff. “Just fight like you know best, dear. We’ll give them the gnomish treatment.”

“Aye,” Wilfrim growled back, and he clutched his sword as he eyed the dogs prowling around them.

When the gargoyle hit the ground, the shadowy dogs had begun to bark hysterically once more, and five or six other stony monsters emerged from the trees and began to fly in circles around the center of the campground.

Penelope and Nicola dashed up to the camp right at that moment, and their eyes widened at the chaos.

Balabar and Wilfrim were sprinting around the woods taunting the shadow dogs into a frenzy, and little Elowise was brandishing her sword with a fierce yowl while she stood like a shield in front of Nissa and her kids. Aleia was flying circles around the clearing and threatening to bludgeon every damn one of the gargoyles who were closing in, and as a shadow dog burst into dust against a tree, Nicola let out a low whistle.

“So much for being able to sneak in,” the brunette muttered as she loaded her crossbow, raised the weapon to her shoulder, and stared up at the hideous swarm. “I didn’t realize this would be an all-out battle.”

“You’re just in time to end this,” I encouraged the two women. “Show them what you’ve got.”

“I’ll take on some of these dogs,” Penelope snarled as she raised her bow, too. “Nicola, why don’t you shoot the creatures in the air?”

“I think you have the right idea,” the brunette growled, and she aimed skyward at one of the gargoyles and pulled the trigger.

His eyes were gray and stony as she shot, and I crossed my nonexistent fingers that I’d finally armed my women well enough to damage the gargoyles even in their stone forms.

During their last encounter with the beasts, they’d been impossible to take down if they weren’t in their flesh forms.

Then the bolt smashed directly into the beast’s chest, and it immediately penetrated his stone facade. A sprawling crack split through the stonework with a sickening crunch, and his leathery wings continued to support his broken body for another few seconds before he fell to the ground in a spray of gray shards.

“Fuck, yeah!” I cheered. “We can finally destroy them! Nicola, keep on shooting!”

“Yes, master,” Nicola purred with a lethal grin.

“Oh, nooooo…” a gargoyle hissed as he looked down at the carnage of his two companions. “That was Ulkin! The trophies must die.”

The last four circling gargoyles began to chase Aleia, but the magically-enhanced fairy flew in such quick and berserk patterns through the trees they had no hope of catching her. Whenever a monster got close, the fairy swung her mace and snarled, and I was pleased to see the gargoyles jump back at the speed of her weapon and the ferocious look on her face.

Penelope’s face was locked in a permanent snarl as she stalked one of the dogs, and she assessed the situation, put her crossbow back on her belt, and brandished her sword over her shoulder instead.

The shadowy beast had his sights on Balabar from the other side of the camp, and he didn’t have a chance to catch the naiad’s scent before she tiptoed up behind him and slammed the tip of her blade down through the back of his neck.

A web of cracks shot outward, and the beast fell in pieces to the ground like a broken flowerpot.

“Fucking awesome, Penelope!” I cheered as the naiad examined the dusty tip of her sword with pride, and then I addressed Nicola. “Where’s Celeste? We could really use her flames.”

“She’s still transforming,” the brunette muttered through gritted teeth while she loaded another bolt. “She said it takes a minute.”

Just as Nicola spoke, a faint pink glow emerged through the trees, and when I turned my sight to the road, Celeste knelt on the ground as an aura spread around her feathered body.

The rosy light grew richer and richer in tone until the scarlet glow matched the color of Celeste’s feathers, but at first, she remained in her harpy form. Then, as the halo of light grew stronger and stronger, a pair of red wings sprouted from her back. The feathers plumed out and blended seamlessly with the harpy’s feathered arms until the appendages seemed to melt together, and the crimson wings grew to a span of four feet in each direction while Celeste’s beautiful face morphed into the sinister guise of a bird of prey. Then, with a melodious squawk from her hooked beak, the glorious animal rose into the air.

Celeste moved with speed and grace as she soared toward the gargoyle closest to Aleia, and she raised her talons to strike.

Her eyes glowed in the same scarlet hue as her feathers as she aimed at the monster, and just as he was about to reach Aleia’s body with his thick, gnarled claws, Celeste’s flame storm blasted him and lit up his entire body like glowing coals.

The gargoyle howled in pain, and as he disintegrated into ashes, Aleia slipped quickly away.

Celeste’s avian head swiveled on her neck at the sound of a loud, gruesome flapping of wings, and her amber, still-human-looking eyes widened when she saw a gargoyle flying directly toward her.

“Look out!” I instinctively shouted, but Celeste couldn’t hear me.

The gargoyle’s eyes were blank and gray as he swooped down with his giant talons held out toward the bird’s crimson back. Then his claws nicked Celeste’s scarlet plumage, and the bird cried out loudly in pain.

A storm of bright red feathers scattered through the trees, but Celeste managed to squirm away from the gargoyle’s grasp and land on a branch. A slightly crazed look appeared in the bird’s eyes as she clung to the wood with her talons, and as she opened her beak, I wondered if she was about to shoot another blast of flames.

Before she had a chance to act, the gargoyle shot toward Celeste again with his terrible, hooked feet, but just as he was about to reach the giant bird, a furious shriek rent the air.

The gargoyle looked back, and his eyes widened in horror.

It was brutal little Aleia with her mace, and her eyes glowed bright green as she smashed the monster’s head in.

The blow was so strong that the stony gargoyle’s head and neck immediately crumbled into dust, and his wings stiffened into lifeless rock as he fell toward the ground. His body lodged in the branches of a tall pine along the way, and the other gargoyles stared at his fallen form with dismay.

Celeste ascended and put her back to Aleia in a defensive formation, and as the priestess brandished her mace, and the bird parted her beak to prepare for another flame storm, I was satisfied the women in the air were temporarily safe. The remaining gargoyles had retreated to the shelter of the trees when their friend had shattered, and I had faith the fairy and the bird could hunt them down.

Back on the ground, pieces of stone that had once been shady canines littered the dirt, and I was impressed by what my troops had accomplished. It was getting harder to fight the dogs the darker it got, though. It didn’t seem like the beasts could attack directly from the shadows, but they couldn’t be struck, either, and I could tell my party was growing a little weary from the chase.

The beasts’ whispery voices almost sounded like laughter as they taunted the gnomes and priestesses.

The four remaining dogs huddled in a pack near the gnomes at the western side of the campground as Penelope and Nicola stayed out of sight behind the eastern trees. I was proud of my brave women as each leveled the stock of her crossbow, stared intently across the campground, and waited for the right moment to strike.

The dogs started to grow bolder, and they leapt out into the sunlight and bolted back into the shadows to tease the gnomes.

But they hadn’t accounted for Penelope’s surprisingly lethal aim.

As one of the animals burst from the darkness, a bolt from the naiad’s crossbow hit him directly in his flat gray forehead. He was still half in the shadows, and only the front of his body shattered as his dark, slinky back end dissipated in a cloud of smoke.

“Damn, Penelope!” I praised the blue woman, who had a proud, pleased smile on her face. “I’ll have to thank you more for that later.”

On the other side of the camp, the gnomes were all panting heavily, but Nissa looked distracted, and I noticed her eyes darting anxiously toward the hidey hole where her children were hiding.

“I need to get to my babies,” Nissa moaned. “I need to go guard them, these dogs are too riled up!”

“I’ll ask Penelope to do it,” I told the young gnome woman. “You stay here with your family.”

“Yes, ask her!” Nissa wailed. “Please, my lord, help me and my children.”

“Go guard the kids, Penelope,” I instructed the naiad. “Nissa needs your assistance. They’re in that stand of four trees with the gnarled roots.”

“Of course, master,” the blue woman said with a firm nod. “I will guard the gnome babies as if they are our own gnome babies!”

“That’s… perfect, thank you,” I replied.

Then Penelope began to tiptoe across the camp toward the stand of trees where the children were hidden.

There were still three dogs left near the little circle of gnomes, and they’d been frozen in place since their companion had been shot, but one of the beasts’ heads suddenly pivoted toward Penelope.

In an instant, the animal started to rush toward the naiad.

“Watch out, Penelope!” I shouted.

“I have a plan,” Penelope gasped, and just as the dog lunged with its bright white teeth on full display, she slipped behind a tent, and it slammed face-first into the sturdy leather.

The force of the impact sent the tent toppling over, and for a moment, the beast was trapped in the thick leather side of the structure. As the huge dog struggled to regain its footing, Penelope took the opportunity to grab her gilded sword by its jeweled hilt, raise it in the air, and smash it down through the beast’s hollow belly.

A blizzard of gray dust floated above the dog’s shattered body, and the naiad cheered.

“Just two more dogs,” I told my followers.

“And however many gargoyles are left,” Aleia announced grimly from the air.

She and the giant bird peered around through the trees, but it was hard for even me to spot the gargoyles through the foliage. Their gray hides blended into the thick leaves and branches from at least twenty feet off the forest floor, and their hidden presence sent shivers down my virtual spine.

“I think there still might be two or three gargoyles,” the fairy reported after a moment.

“Just hold tight,” I told her. “I’ll have Nicola try to scope them out from the ground.”

“Celeste and I can take care of them, too, if we can spot them,” Aleia snarled, and at the sound of her name, the giant bird turned her head and raised her claws as if to tell me she was ready.

“We’ve fought a whole lot of beasts, Jack,” Wilfrim gasped from the ground below as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. “How are the girls doing up there?”

“They’re fine,” I reported. “The fight will be over soon.”

“Don’t worry, Father,” Balabar said as he brandished his human-sized sword at the two remaining dogs. “I’ll take care of this for you.”

“Thanks, Son,” the old man panted. “This has been a long battle.”

Balabar and one of the last dogs circled one another, and the young gnomish man had murder in his eyes as he squeezed the hilt of his blade.

“I’m sick of these bastards,” Balabar snarled just as the shady beast leapt forward, and the gnome grabbed the hilt of his blade in two hands like a baseball bat and swung. At just the right moment, the edge of the sword dinged against the dog’s throat, and its head cracked off and went sailing through the trees.

“Nice, Son!” Wilfrim praised the young gnome as Elowise pumped her fist in the air and cheered. “You’re doing right by our family.”

The two gnomes looked up as another bludgeoned gargoyle body fell through the leaves, and I silently cheered Aleia. The high-powered fairy and her mace were nightmares for any enemy, and then there was Celeste.

A blast of the crimson bird’s flames shot through the air, and another charred gargoyle fell.

“You’re kicking ass!” I praised my followers. “This fight is going to be over any minute.”

On the ground, Penelope walked slowly toward the children with her sword brandished. The one remaining dog growled from several feet away, and I suddenly saw Nicola had a clear view of the animal.

“Shoot now!” I told the brunette, who took a deep breath, steadied her weapon, and pulled the trigger.

Just after the crossbow released its lethal bolt, the dog let out a vicious snarl, and little Lorifer shrieked in fright. I felt my phantom body turn ice cold as the tiny gnome girl panicked and started to crawl out of her hole, and the dog saw her.

Then it ducked and tried to get around Penelope once more.

“Lorifer, stop!” I ordered just as Nissa bolted out into the clearing to reach the stand of trees.

The little gnome girl squeaked and shimmied back inside the roots as she heard my words, but the commotion riled the dog up even more, and the bolt had missed him by several inches while he pranced side to side in agitation.

“Shit!” Nicola gasped.

“Save our babies, Wife!” Balabar cried out, and, to my extreme relief, Nissa made it safely over to Penelope. Then the gnome frantically looked to see her daughter was hidden once more before she brandished her sword with a furious scowl on her face.

“I’m not letting them get to my babies!” Nissa snarled. “Penelope, I’m fighting beside you.”

“I got your back, Nissa,” the naiad said as she repeated the phrase I’d taught to the women what seemed like so long ago.

The blue woman and the gnome stood side by side as they glanced nervously between the dog and the sky, and Roza started to wail from behind the trees.

“Ohhh, a baaaabyyyy…” a voice hissed from the air, and one of the remaining gargoyles suddenly descended through the trees.

He settled beside his gruesome pet, directly in front of Penelope and Nissa, and as he landed, he put a meaty gray hand on the dog’s back, and the beast snarled.

“How fun this is going to be,” the gargoyle sneered as he appraised the naiad and the gnome. “You’ve killed my friends, and now it’s your family’s turn.”

Then he flashed a ghastly grin at the women, and his gray teeth glinted briefly in the dwindling sunlight.

“Stay away,” Penelope warned. “You don’t want to mess with us right now.”

“Raise your sword, little girl,” the gargoyle practically spat at the naiad. “If you want to battle, I’m right here.”

“I’ll fight you anytime,” the fierce blue woman snarled, and when the gargoyle thrust forward with his blade, she swiftly parried.

The two swords locked for a moment in midair until the naiad grunted and pushed him off, and she raised her blade again and glared at the monster with furious blue eyes.

“Well done,” I told Penelope. “Keep it up!”

“Yes, my lord,” the naiad growled as she stared at the gargoyle and his weapon.

With his master otherwise engaged, the shadow dog was becoming more agitated, and he prowled swiftly from side to side while he growled at Nissa. Its body went in and out of the deepening shadows, and he kept crossing too close to the women for Nicola to have a safe shot, but then the brunette spoke to me.

“Master, I might be able to sense it,” Nicola hissed. “My powers feel so strong today, I’m getting a slight vision of the dog’s position. If I can feel it, perhaps I can even draw the beast away from Nissa and the babies.”

If Nicola could pull off communication with one of the shadowy dogs, that level up really had been powerful, and that wasn’t even counting the one-point sex boost to her abilities.

“You can try anything,” I told the brunette. “But if you get a good shot, you still need to take it.”

“Of course, Jack,” Nicola responded as she kept her eyes on the beast, who’d started to pace back and forth in front of the gnomish woman. “It’s hard to see the dog through the shadows, and I don’t want to miss, so I thought I’d try this, too.”

The brunette scrunched up her face in concentration as she focused on the beast, but when the animal suddenly lunged forward toward Nissa, I thought all hope was lost.

Then the dog froze in place.

As if an invisible hand was pulling the shadowy beast backward, it stopped just as its back paws were about to leave the ground. It was almost as if there was an invisible barrier between him and Nissa, and the beast whined in frustration.

“Amazing, Nicola,” I complimented my dark-haired priestess. “Can you hold him long enough to shoot?”

“That was my plan,” the brunette grunted, and she pulled the trigger again. This time, the bolt slammed directly into a gray part of the shadowy dog’s body, and the pierced beast went flying through the air, slammed down onto the ground several feet away, and shattered.

And then there was only the gargoyle.

All eyes were on Penelope and the monster as they stared at each other. Nissa stood back with terror in her dark eyes, but she kept glancing toward the trees and her children, and I knew she was determined to fight to the death if she had to.

With a piercing, avian cry, Celeste’s red-and-white bird form soared high above the trees, and the gargoyle looked up at the sky and grinned.

“It’s not going to be that eaaaaasyyyy,” the monster hissed. “I’m still within range of your comrades, so you can’t shoot your flames. If you come with me, harpy, no one will get hurt.”

“Never,” Nissa suddenly snapped from her position near Penelope. “You’ll never, ever get anywhere near my children, and you’re not touching Celeste, either. I’ll die to protect my babies and my friends. Yaaaaagggghhhh!”

Nissa screamed as loud as she could, and then she leapt forward with the tip of her blade aimed directly at the gargoyle’s chest.

The sword barely penetrated the monster’s scales, though, and other than a thin line of blackish blood welling up from the small slash, the beast was unharmed, and he began to snicker.

The Celeste-bird still hovered above the trees, but the last gargoyle was still too close to Nissa and Penelope for her to blast him. The bird flapped her great red wings in frustration and squawked, but the monster just continued to smirk.

“Hang in there, Nissa!” I encouraged the gnome. “My women have this!”

“You’re going to die--” the gargoyle hissed at Penelope and Nissa, but he was cut off in mid-sentence as three things happened at the same time.

A bolt hit the monster directly in the back, Penelope slashed forward with her sword and cut him across the center of his face, and a wild-eyed Aleia swooped down with her mace in hand and shattered his skull.

“That’s my women for you,” I chuckled to no one in particular.

The final gargoyle’s smashed body laid on the ground in a pool of sticky black goo and soggy brains, and I was both repulsed and overjoyed.

“You saved my babies!” Nissa wailed, and she briefly threw her arms around Penelope before she ran over to her children. The young gnomish woman emerged from the trees with Roza in her arms and Morrick, Olwin, and Lorifer were clinging to her. Tears ran down all of their small faces as they stared solemnly at the monster’s body.

“You were so brave, Wife,” Balabar said with tears in his dark eyes, and he rushed over to throw his arms around Nissa. “I was so afraid something was going to happen to you and our children, and if I lost you, my heart would break forever.”

The gnome couple threw their arms around each other in the first display of affection I’d ever seen between them.

“I love you, Husband,” Nissa said as she squeezed Balabar’s hand, and the young gnome family huddled closer together.

Nicola stood across the clearing with the crossbow’s stock still resting against her shoulder. The expression in the brunette’s eyes was weary from battle as she took one last scan of the treetops around us, and her cheeks were filthy, but she had a subtle grin on her face.

Penelope’s eyes were still wide with shock, but she leaned back against the wall of the remaining tent to steady herself and smiled, too.

“You were wonderful, sister,” Penelope said to Aleia, but the fairy suddenly bent over and began to pant. The naiad looked on in concern and put a hand on the other priestess’ back. “Aleia, are you alright?”

“What’s going on?” I asked in the fairy’s ear. Her freckled face was bright red in the dwindling twilight, and she couldn’t seem to catch her breath for a couple moments.

“I’m okay,” Aleia gasped. “I’m just soooo tired.”

I suddenly realized it was the effects of the Strength spell wearing off, but there was no way I could tell the fairy.

“You’re going to be okay,” I assured Aleia. “It’s just been a long fight.”

Celeste descended, and she’d already begun to transform back to her harpy form. Her long, scarlet hair intermingled with her shrinking wings as she drifted down to the ground, and there was an extra bit of fire in her golden eyes from the heat of battle. It made the harpy seem to glow from the inside out, and when she finally touched down, she kept her posture strict and straight as she surveyed the others with a keen eye.

She looked more like a warrior maiden than ever, and it took me several beats to realize I had my God Vision locked on her when I should be surveying the damage as well.

The battle with the gargoyles and the dogs had taken a heavy toll on the gnome camp, and all the small creatures now stood around with shocked expressions on their round faces.

Out of the gnomes’ four large leather tents, only the one that had housed the children remained standing. The structure they used for storage had been torn wide open, and their many, neatly-organized treasures were scattered across the ground. Both of the adult sleeping tents had collapsed, and their tidy garden had been thoroughly trampled by the shadow dogs.

“What are we going to do?” Elowise whispered in a weary voice as she surveyed the wreckage. “This was our home, and now there’s barely anything left.”

“It could have gone much worse,” Wilfrim reminded her.

“What matters is that you’re safe,” Aleia said to try to comfort the old woman. “A gargoyle tried to capture you, and you survived. That’s a wonderful thing!”

“Thanks to you, of course, dear,” Elowise murmured. “I’m ever so grateful, but I can’t believe our camp has been destroyed by monsters again. When will we stop being attacked?”

“You’re not the target,” Celeste said in a grim voice to the ancient gnome. “This is between me and the gargoyles, and I’m sorry you got caught in the middle.”

“Don’t worry about any of that right now,” Wilfrim told the harpy. “We would never, ever complain after you protected us like that. Unfortunately, we have a real big problem now, which is that we don’t have any way to salvage a spot to sleep for the night, and the sun’s just about gone down already.”

“You’ll come to the convent, of course,” Penelope assured the old man. “Why would you even worry? You know we’d do anything to help you all.”

“Oh, that’s a dreadful imposition,” Nissa countered.

“I insist,” I cut in. “All of you will stay at the convent.”

“I suppose it would be nice to be within some sturdy walls for the evening,” Elowise said with warm gratitude in her voice.

“Thank you, Jack,” Wilfrim said as he glanced toward the sky.

“Thank you, Jack,” little Lorifer mumbled, and she wiped a smattering of tears from her tiny, gnomish face.

Celeste’s brow crinkled at the sight of the little girl, and she offered her a small smile before she glanced at the other children. Olwin was copying his father’s habit of folding his hands and closing his eyes to pray, and when the small boy ended his quiet prayer with a tiny nod, the harpy smiled a little more.

“These fights as of late have been concerning,” Elowise sighed.

“We took care of it, though.” Balabar threw his shoulders back and puffed out his chest before he went to stand by his mother. “And don’t worry, we’ll rebuild the camp. We’ll go to the convent for the night, but we’ll start over in the morning.”

“I appreciate your positive attitude,” I told the gnomish man, “but we’re really going to have to consider better protection for you and your family. You’re vulnerable out here in the forest by yourself, and I can’t have that. We also don’t know what may happen moving forward from here, and it’s not that you aren’t strong, but as your god, it’s my duty to protect you, and I’m not sure I can do that well enough while you’re at this camp.”

“We did love our little campsite by the stream, but I suppose that’s all over now,” Wilfrim sighed as he gazed up at the sunset. “What are you trying to say, Jack?”

“I think you should move into the convent for more than just one night,” I told the gnomes. “I’d be happier with all my followers safe within its walls indefinitely.”

“But we have so many things,” Elowise protested as she gestured at the belongings scattered across the dirt. “And there are so many of us. We don’t want to take over your beautiful convent.”

“We have so much extra space!” Penelope said as she bounced up and down on the tips of her boots. “Oh, please come so our children can grow up as a family. It will be so wonderful!”

“Well, what do you think, Wilfrim?” Elowise asked. “Should we take Jack and the girls up on their offer? I’ve been so worried about our safety.”

The old man stared down at the ground for several long moments as the crowd watched him. Finally, he looked up and slowly nodded his head.

“Yes, I do believe it’s the right choice,” Wilfrim stated. “We will accept your invitation.”

“What exactly is going on?” Celeste asked. “Can someone tell me what Jack said?”

“It’s exciting news,” Penelope beamed. “The gnomes are moving into the convent for good!”

Chapter 17

“Our little convent is growing so much due to Jack’s blessings!” Penelope squealed.

“It will be wonderful, I’m sure, but I don’t know if we have time to sort through all this mess tonight,” Elowise sighed as she looked at the wreckage of the camp and then upward. A thin line on the horizon still faded from pink to yellow, but the rest of the sky had already turned a deep blue with the first stars coming out.

“It is a little late in the evening to move all your things,” I agreed. “And I’m sure you’re exhausted after that fine performance in battle. Why don’t you come sleep at the convent for the night, and then my priestesses will help you move everything in the morning?”

“That’s awfully kind,” Wilfrim said as he wearily rubbed the back of his small neck. “And I’m not sure what other choice we have. Come on, family, let’s sort out what’s most important for the evening.”

“As long as the girls can feed us, and we have our weapons, we can easily sleep out in the open for the night,” Elowise told her husband and the rest of her family. “Gnomes are no strangers to life in the wild, right, Wilfrim? And then we’ll come back at first light tomorrow and figure everything else out.”

“I’ll get some blankets for us,” Nissa announced. “Penelope, can you hold Roza for me?”

“Of course!” the naiad responded. The blue woman’s face immediately lit up when the gnome woman handed her Roza, and the baby smiled and cooed when she saw the priestess. The nurturing naiad opened her eyes wide and started to make silly faces at Roza, whose almost-toothless mouth opened wide in a huge burst of laughter.

It really turned me on to see Penelope being motherly, and I briefly daydreamed about the cerulean woman cradling our own newborn child.

But there were more pressing matters for me to consider.

I used my God Vision to check the gargoyle tower far north in the mountains, but the carved building was torchless and dark, the forest was silent, and there were no signs of the winged creatures at all.

I didn’t believe for a second that they were no longer a threat, though. Not after hearing how many gargoyles were partying inside that monolith during their celebration several nights ago.

“I’ll fly back and light the big fire,” Aleia offered the gnomes as I focused back on the matters close at hand. “The kitchen will be a nice, warm place for you to spend the night.”

“Thanks, Aleia,” I told the fairy as she waved to the group and soared up over the treetops.

“I hope we can repair our tents,” Elowise fretted from back at the gnome camp. “Some of the leather is so torn, I’m not sure I can sew it.”

“Don’t worry about it right now,” Nicola said in a gentle voice. “Just let us take care of you. It’s a clear night, and we’ll find you better shelter for tomorrow.”

“The priestesses are very good hosts,” Celeste chimed in. “They’ll help you feel most comfortable.”

That was encouraging.

“Do you think our belongings will be alright, Jack?” Balabar asked me. “I hate to leave everything out in the open when we’re not here.”

“What’s most important is that you’re safe,” I told the gnomish man. “It’s too dark to do anything about the situation right now, and you can always get more things, but your safety is priceless. I doubt anything more will happen tonight, anyway, so let’s get you to the convent. Everything will seem better in the morning.”

Except I wasn’t sure things were actually going to look better in the daylight, since the camp was pretty fucked up.

After gathering their bedding and fully arming themselves, the gnomes, Penelope, Nicola, and Celeste began the short walk down the road. The tired and shell-shocked children drifted behind the group, but Nissa attempted to quickly herd them along to the more protected space.

Back at the convent, Penelope caught a trout, Nicola retrieved a rabbit from her snare, and the women still had the remainder of the fruit from Evelhelm to feed the crowd. The gnomes ate with healthy appetites, but they couldn’t keep sad little frowns off their small faces, and I knew they were mourning their camp.

The women said goodnight to the small creatures, and they walked off to the creek to wash the blood and dirt from their bodies before retreating to the living quarters for the evening.

“I feel so bad for the gnomes,” Penelope sighed from her bed. “They’ve suffered so many great losses.”

“We’re going to help them,” Celeste said in a determined voice, and Penelope perked up.

“We?” the naiad asked. “Does that mean--”

“Penelope, shhh,” Nicola cut in as she flashed the blue woman a glare. “No one means anything.”

“All I want right now is to help some kind beings,” the harpy insisted. “Please, I’m taking it day by day at the moment. I’m sure I’ll have a better plan soon, but I still have a lot to think about.”

“I reeeeeaally hope you stay with us,” Penelope got in before Nicola shot her another stern look, and Aleia rolled her eyes slightly.

“We need to be practical,” the fairy said as she ignored Penelope’s words and looked up at the ceiling. “It will help if we make a good plan for moving. I don’t mind carrying things, of course.”

Aleia’s words gave me an idea for the future. Could we ever build a simple cart for Luna to pull? I imagined making wheels out of sections of tree trunks, and I wondered if the gnomes had any metal bits in their inventory we could use as axles.

I was distracted by my other more erotic thoughts as the priestesses and Celeste drifted off after the long day of building and battle, and as fun as it had been to visit all the women the night before, I decided to spend the whole night with Aleia.

The brutal little warrior was tired after her high-powered battle, so I tended to every inch of her sore body. I told her she needed to cum over and over to recover fully, and I caressed everything from her vibrating wings to her sweet little pussy as she quivered in my arms.

I lapped up Aleia’s cherry-sweet juices for what seemed like hours until she screamed out for my cock, and then I fucked her until dawn. As I stared into the fairy’s sea-green eyes after cumming for what had to be the seventh or eighth time, I’d never felt so lucky in my life.

As soon as I left her to her dreams, I checked on the gargoyles again, but all was still silent. I was sure they hadn’t given up on their pursuit of Celeste or beautiful “trophy” women in general, though. More than just the group we fought yesterday knew Celeste had escaped, and if that bunch found my followers once, others could certainly find them again.

But where were these gargoyles now?

Even the torch at the monolith was still doused, and the lack of any movement at the monolith was beginning to worry me more than anything else.

If they were all holed up in their tower, what the hell were they up to in there?

As the sun rose, the women were awoken by the happy gnome children playing with Thunder. Morrick, Olwin, and Lorifer threw sticks for the slobbering puppy as he dashed in circles through the tall, dewy grass. It was nice having the kids around, and as they played, I realized Thunder had already grown to reach the top of the small children’s heads. He was going to be a monster, and I couldn’t wait for the day he was well-trained enough to join the women in battle.

The priestesses and Celeste got up after a few minutes and headed over to the kitchen where the adult gnomes were busy tending to the fire and folding up their blankets.

“Good morning, girls!” Elowise chirped as she stoked the flames with a long stick.

“You seem a lot happier this morning,” Penelope commented. “I’m so glad.”

“Well, I’m trying to be excited instead of angry, or sad,” the old gnome woman responded. “Living at the convent will be a new beginning for us, and we’ll be much safer within your walls. Oh, my, things have changed so much for us, haven’t they, Penelope? I never, ever thought I’d be under a god’s protection, but I feel so much safer now that Jack is watching over me.”

“That’s so interesting,” Celeste remarked as she narrowed her eyes at Elowise. “I hear you’re one of Jack’s newest followers, but he’s not on the ground to fight, so what does he do for you? I’ve spoken to the priestesses a lot about this, but I’d love to hear what you have to say.”

“It’s comforting to hear his soothing voice in my head,” Nissa interjected. “It’s obvious he’s a kind and benevolent deity, and he’s always there for us, whether we’re building or fighting.”

“I see,” Celeste responded with a slightly-puzzled expression. “I’m hearing these sorts of things a lot these days…”

“I just know his presence brings us glory,” the gnomish woman gushed. “I’m sure you’ll find out when the time is right. I feel stronger all the time.”

Nissa’s words reminded me of the priestesses’ ever-increasing powers, and I realized I hadn’t checked my interface since my last level up. It had been lucky I’d seen the information about giving Aleia extra points before the battle with the gargoyles, but I didn’t know anything about my next quest or reward.

I brought up my display and read.

Strength Bonus acquired! Allocate +2 strength points to one priestess in battle for thirty minutes, regenerates at midnight

Convent: Level 11

Next Town Quest: Defeat gargoyles in battle

Reward upon Quest Completion: Visit convent in physical form for 7 hours and convert new priestess

Wow, that was a lot of information.

One detail forced itself to the forefront of my mind, though.

Convert new priestess?

My spirit soared, and I immediately felt my virtual hard-on start to ache as my eyes turned to Celeste. She was wearing the soft deer skin outfit we’d given her, and the top was dangerously low this morning as it clung to her creamy breasts. Her big golden eyes were wide with curiosity as she looked between the others, and she toyed with one of the feathers on her arm with a smooth, slender finger.

Did I dare to dream I could actually win the harpy over? She was the only woman around I could imagine my display was referencing, and I decided I needed to earn that reward as soon as possible.

I wasn’t happy about the rest of the display, though, because of the warning of another battle. Last night’s fight had already seemed so major, but this new quest confirmed my suspicions. The gargoyles wouldn’t leave my followers alone this easily, but when exactly would they show their ugly faces again?

I could only hope the level up had given the priestesses some new advantages, so I decided to check their stats.

First, as always, I opened Aleia’s display, and I kept in mind that she had the dream sex bonus from the night before.

Strength: 10

Endurance: 4

Intelligence: 3

Perception: 4

Agility: 5

Special Ability: Crafting: Develops into Alchemy: Level 11

When I saw the fairy’s Strength had increased again, I cheered internally. This helped explain why my winged priestess had been so very hardcore as she smashed the gargoyles’ heads in, and allocating her the extra Strength points had turned her into a merciless killing machine. Given her constant physical labor, the increase was understandable, and I wasn’t sure we’d have won without the savage fairy on our team.

Next, it was time for Nicola.

Strength: 5

Endurance: 4

Intelligence: 2

Perception: 3

Agility: 3

Hunting/Animal Husbandry: Develops into Animal Communication: Level 11

Nicola’s Perception had gone up, and that didn’t surprise me, since the brunette had picked up the crossbow quickly thanks to Celeste’s instruction. If the dark-haired priestess could learn new weapons that easily, she would just get more and more lethal as time went on.

Finally, I checked on Penelope.

Strength: 3

Endurance: 5

Intelligence: 4

Perception: 3

Agility: 2

Special Ability: Water Seeking/Fishing: Develops into Water Magic: Level 11

Penelope had also learned the crossbow quickly, but I assumed it was her every-growing fierceness in battle that now gave her a boost to her Strength. She was getting tougher by the day, but she’d also worked as hard as anyone else to build the towers, and I couldn’t wait to see what was next for my bold naiad.

The women were becoming a real force, and if we had Celeste on our team permanently, we’d be even stronger.

Still, I couldn’t daydream forever, so I focused back on the kitchen where Wilfrim had just returned with a spear and several fish.

“Those fish are beautiful,” Penelope told the old man as she examined the assortment of trout and large, spotted bass. “I’m impressed.”

“Thanks, Penelope!” Wilfrim chortled as he skewered the fish on sharp sticks. “That means a lot coming from you. I see you’re getting ready to cook, Wife. Can I throw these on the fire?”

“Of course,” Elowise said with a nod. The old woman’s plump cheeks were extra rosy from the warmth of the flames, but her eyes were weary, and I was sure the fight, the destruction of the camp, and the long night on the ground had started to get to her.

“We have such nice cooking tools back home,” Nissa remarked in a casual tone, but then her round eyes filled with tears. “At our old camp, I mean.”

“We’re going to figure everything out today,” I promised my followers. “We’re going to head over to your site to sort through your belongings, and we’re starting so early, I’m sure we can have you settled by evening. I wish we had a cart, though I’m not sure there’s time to build one--”

“We have a couple large wheelbarrows out by the garden, Jack,” Balabar told me. “That is, if they haven’t been destroyed by a gargoyle carcass.”

“Those would be very helpful, and after breakfast, you can walk back down there and check,” I told the gnomish man. “Just try not to worry while you eat.”

“Yes, my lord,” Balabar sighed. “I pray to you that many of our belongings have been spared.”

Celeste turned to study the man’s face a bit when he said this, and the subtle movement made my godly eyes drop straight to her long, crossed, ivory legs. Now that I knew my next reward, I couldn’t keep my eyes off the edges of her red-feathered curves and the delicate lines of her face.

It was almost unbearable to imagine her worshipping my body with those red lips and silky feathers.

I couldn’t get ahead of myself, though. I was never going to be able to convert a new priestess if we didn’t defeat the gargoyles in this upcoming battle, and that wasn’t going to happen if we didn’t get the convent in order.

The gnomes finished their breakfasts, and I could see the anxiety growing in their eyes as they anticipated returning to their wrecked camp.

“Let’s go, let’s go,” Wilfrim said in an impatient voice, and he began to hop from foot to foot. “The longer the day goes on, the greater the chances someone will steal our things.”

“There are rarely random passersby around here, Husband,” Elowise reminded him. “But I, too, am ready to face the reality of what happened last night.”

“The walk down the road will relax us before we get to our camp,” Nissa said as she scooped Roza off the ground. “It’s another lovely day, and we truly need to be grateful to Jack for our lives.”

“I can’t wait until the gargoyles come back,” Celeste remarked after several minutes as the party began to stroll eastward, and everyone turned to her as if she were insane.

“Whatever do you mean?” Elowise gasped with eyes as wide as saucers. “Celeste, why would you bring such a curse upon us.”

“It’s not a curse,” the harpy gently replied. “I am being practical. Those gargoyles will not give up hunting me that easily, but we defeated them last night, so I’m sure we can beat them again. Personally, I’m eager to see this business over with and finally show them who’s in charge. They’re never getting me back, they’re not capturing any of you, and I’m going to make them slink back to their tower and never return.”

I was impressed to hear the harpy and I were of the same mind lately, and knowing she was on her guard as much as she should be helped relieve some of my concerns about my recent quest update. The harpy was a fucking badass, and her abilities and head for combat would certainly be an asset to us in the fight.

“That sounds perfect,” Penelope giggled. “And if anything can keep them away, it’s your flame storm, Celeste.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that.” The harpy waved her hand in the air. “We all have our parts to play when we fight.”

“Your talents are incredibly powerful, dear,” Elowise said in a distracted voice as the group turned up the path toward the gnome campground. “Well, here we are, but I can’t look. Someone else, please tell me how bad it is.”

“Well, Elowise…” Wilfrim began as he gripped his wife’s hand and surveyed the damage. “Let’s just say it’s a good thing we decided to move to the convent.”

I had to admit it didn’t look great. The ground was littered with the stone remains of both gargoyles and their dogs, and the air was full of fine dust from the shattered bodies. The children’s tent was still standing, and one of the other tents was just lopsided, but two of the leather structures had been ripped wide open by taloned creatures. The ground was littered with scarlet feathers and branches that had fallen during the battle, and strange patches of pebbles were splashed across the dirt that I assumed were drops of gargoyle blood.

The gnomes’ precious treasures were scattered across the ground, and what had been neatly organized gold, weapons, tools, and knick-knacks were now in complete disarray.

The gnomes had generations’ worth of gold coins, precious gemstones, and huge, gleaming swords on the dirt. The riches sat alongside random scraps of metal, and there were also textiles in all fabrics and colors. Paintings and wood carvings of strange landscapes and mysterious creatures sat torn and chipped on the ground, and shattered ceramics, torn animal hides, and a filthy wardrobe of gnome-sized clothing completed the chaotic scene.

The gnomes had suffered a great loss, but what was left was still going to be a hell of a lot to carry.

“You have a lot of stuff,” I thought aloud. “We’re going to need a good plan to bring it back to the convent.”

“Jack, you’ll be happy to know we still have one wheelbarrow,” Balabar reported, and I focused down on the garden.

The unharmed wheelbarrow was made almost entirely of wood, with two large wheels, and it had a wide, flat platform. A twin cart laid smashed against the ground, and the gnomish man was looking down at it sadly.

“It looks great,” I responded. “I’m sorry about the other one, but this is going to help immensely. Thanks, Balabar!”

“I’m going to start packing things into crates,” Elowise announced. “Do any of you girls want to help me?”

“Of course,” Penelope replied, and Celeste tagged along behind her.

“And I’m going to start taking apart the tents,” Wilfrim declared. “Balabar and Nissa, I’m going to need your help. Why don’t you start getting the children’s belongings together?”

“Aleia and Nicola, you should start loading some of the furniture onto the wheelbarrow,” I directed. “To start with, there are seven small cots and Roza’s cradle.”

“We are so lucky,” Elowise said with misty eyes as she started to put metal bits in a wooden box. “None of our furniture was destroyed, we still have all our treasures, and we have such wonderful friends to help us in our time of trouble.”

“You’ll be packed up in no time at all, and you’ll feel even better after that,” Penelope assured the old gnome.

“You can put things back together when you get to the convent,” I told the crowd. “What I really want to see is speed, since I want this completed before nightfall.”

“That sounds like a good plan, master,” Penelope agreed as she collected the gnomes’ gold in a rough sack. “We can pack all the small things in boxes, load them onto the cart, and bring them over.”

“These are so small,” Aleia teased the gnomes as she carried four miniature cots to the wheelbarrow.

“You’re not so big yourself, fairy,” Elowise laughed from several feet away.

“I think those are all the beds,” Nicola gasped as she deposited the remaining cots on top of the wooden cart. The brunette rearranged the furniture so nothing would fall out, and then she picked up the thick, wooden handles. “Are you coming, Aleia?”

“I should probably fly with some things in my arms,” the fairy mused. “What could I carry easily?”

“You can take the tents,” Wilfrim suggested. The old man had removed the wooden poles and stacked them in a neat pile, and he’d folded all the leather into a stack. He carried the materials to the strong priestess, who collected them and ascended.

“I’ll fly alongside you,” Aleia told Nicola, and the brunette smiled gratefully and followed the fairy back toward the road.

The group worked for several hours as they gathered the gnomes' belongings. They took a quick break for lunch from the garden, but then they got right back to work. All the small items the creatures had collected over the years got packed in crates and bags, and Aleia and Nicola took load upon load back to the convent.

I continued to keep my eye on the gargoyle tower as the hours passed, but there was still no indication that anything was happening there at all. I was starting to think the guards we’d seen the night of Celeste’s rescue had been an anomaly because of the party that night. The tower was isolated, and it was certainly a formidable fortress on its own even without soldiers on duty.

By late afternoon, all that was left of the gnome camp was a bare clearing, the extinguished fire pit, and the surrounding logs.

“I suppose this is it,” Elowise sighed as she surveyed the empty area. The old woman had a broom in her hand, and she swept the dirt in a last symbolic cleaning ritual. “I’ll be sad, but this camp was never a permanent home like we had in the mountains. I know the convent will be a much better place for us.”

“You’re there all the time, anyway,” Penelope said with a warm smile. “Now, you won’t have to walk up and down the road so much.”

“That will be nice, sweetheart,” the old gnome sniffled. “And now, I suppose it’s time to make the trip one last time. Goodbye, old camp.”

The gnome family made their way toward the road, and I could tell they were holding back tears. Despite the warm welcome the priestesses offered them at the convent, their secure little world had been rocked, and I hoped my women could help them feel safe again someday.

After their walk, my followers and Celeste reconvened in the kitchen, and the group sat on logs to plan further.

“So, where do you want to set up camp for the time being?” Nicola asked the gnomes. “There’s space up here at the top of the hill, or you could be down by our living quarters, or… I suppose you don’t want to be too close to the stable.”

“Probably not,” Wilfrim chuckled. “I think we’ll be just fine here.”

“And I’m sure you girls need your… privacy,” Elowise said with a straight face.

“It is very, very special when our lord comes down,” Penelope said as she looked up at the sky with a pious expression.

I noticed Celeste smirking from across the fire, and I wondered how exactly the harpy would react to seeing me in my physical form for the first time. Although she’d apparently come to accept that my followers could hear me, I still wasn’t sure if her conversion was a longshot. Her little blushes and glances at my mural were encouraging, but I still couldn’t let myself get too excited.

But conversion was part of the reward on my display, so all I could do was cross my nonexistent fingers and hope for the best.

There was still another battle coming up, and while we’d won the latest fight, it had been closer than I’d liked, and there was no telling how many gargoyles and shadowy pets were going to show up the next time around.

Once the gnomes were better settled, I really needed to talk to the priestesses about their defenses.

“I think we should go work on our tents,” Elowise suggested. The old gnome had big, dark circles under her eyes, and her deep wrinkles seemed more pronounced than ever. “Maybe it’s not as bad as I thought, and I could still stitch some of the torn leather back together.”

“I’d like to head over, Mother,” Balabar began, “but you clearly need to lie down. Why don’t you let Father and me set the tents back up, and you can take a nap under a tree?”

“I do have a kind son,” the old woman replied as she took Balabar by the arm. “Come, Wilfrim, family, the girls have been with us all day, and I’m sure they’d like a few minutes to themselves.”

“Can we get you anything?” Penelope asked.

“No, but let’s join back up for a feast in a little bit,” Elowise suggested. “I can make some tea to celebrate.”

“Do you ever drink wine?” Celeste asked. “My Gran and I used to buy bottles from traders for special occasions.”

“I’m not sure you should drink tea or wine right now,” I reminded my followers. “Not while there are threats in the area.”

“That’s a good point, master, but I wanted to tell Celeste about the wine under the convent,” Penelope responded as she raised her eyebrows at the harpy in a mysterious expression. “Celeste, there’s a passageway below here, and there are ancient barrels of wine down there. They don’t smell very good, though.”

“Maybe if anyone ever goes back to town, they could buy me some, instead,” the harpy laughed. “I don't know about strange wine from a tunnel.”

“You sound like Jack, who told us we couldn’t eat or drink anything we found lying around,” the naiad giggled. “Which is probably smart.”

“Yes, Jack is smart,” the redhead intoned as her smile faded into an unreadable expression.

Is smart?

That was a lot different than saying I “sounded smart.” It practically implied that she’d accepted my existence.

“A secret passage?” Elowise asked, and she stood up from her log and brushed off her long, patchwork skirt. “My, you priestesses do have some interesting secrets around here.”

“Do you see that trap door over there?” Penelope asked as she pointed across the kitchen. “That’s one of the entrances.”

“How fascinating.” Nissa stood up and gazed at the thick slab of wood. “I’d love to see the passage sometime.”

“Our Nissa is quite an explorer,” Wilfrim chuckled. “I think I’d prefer to stay up in the sunshine myself. Girls, Jack, we are so grateful to you. We’ll see you in a little while.”

The gnomes headed over to the open area near where the wall ran along the road. It was a particularly pretty section of the convent next to the back of the garden wall, where thick vines of wild red roses climbed the white stone. The grass was waist-high on the gnomes and full of violets and dandelions, and everything glowed yellow in the evening light.

I was satisfied the gnomes had everything under control, and it had been a while since the priestesses and I had chatted, so I focused back on the kitchen where the women were sitting.

“How are you?” I asked my devoted priestesses. “You’ve been fighting and working harder than ever. Are you holding up alright?”

“We’re ‘holding up,’ master,” Aleia laughed. “I’m glad we helped move the gnomes today, so it was all worth it. As long as the gargoyles are lurking nearby, I’m so much happier with all of us being within the walls.”

“There’s something that concerns me,” I told the priestesses. “The dogs came alone to the gnome camp the same night they attacked the convent, and then they were able to return last night with the gargoyles to attack the gnomes again.”

“That is odd,” Penelope said with a furrowed brow.

“So, the dogs may be scouts of some kind,” Nicola surmised as she pursed her perfect red lips.

“Exactly,” I responded. “Some may have escaped while the gnomes were fighting the others, and then they reported back to their masters. How else would the gargoyles have known to return to that same place?”

“And you are worried about us, master,” Penelope concluded. “You think the same could happen to us.”

“I do worry about that,” I admitted.

“But we killed all the dogs that came here…” Aleia said as she looked up in thought. “There weren’t any to report back. How would the gargoyles find out about the convent?”

“There’s still a possibility,” Nicola answered with a grim expression. “Here’s one scenario. If dogs escaped from the gnome camp during the fight, there’s no way to know that they didn’t come by here on the way home. And if they were here during our battle, they could have seen the flame storm.”

“Do you think they know the bird is Celeste, though?” Penelope asked.

“Are you talking about me?” The harpy leaned forward onto her knees and stared intently at the naiad.

“We are,” the cerulean priestess said with a nod. “I guess you heard what I said to our lord. I was wondering if the gargoyles would recognize you in your bird form.”

“Absolutely, they’re experienced harpy hunters,” the redhead answered. “There was one gargoyle that tried to carry me away last night, and I assumed it was because I was the direct target. As I said, red harpies are rare, so seeing the red feathers of my bird form is a dead giveaway.”

“And also, my concerns are for more than Celeste alone,” I clarified to my women. “We know they’re into beautiful women in general, and the three of you definitely fall into that category. More importantly, we don’t know what the dogs can report to their masters. If they caught a glimpse of Aleia in the air, say, that would be equally interesting to the gargoyles.”

“Thanks for the compliment, Jack, and I do understand what you’re saying,” Nicola sighed. “The risk to us is clearly real, and we’re going to have to be ready at all times. Well, even readier.”

“I’m going to think more about a fighting strategy using the towers,” I told the women. “When the dogs were here, only one tower was ready, but we have the potential to do a lot of damage if we utilize all four. The gnomes are tough little fighters, too, and I’d like for us all to work on a plan together.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” the brunette agreed.

“What are you talking about now?” Celeste asked in a slightly impatient tone. “It’s hard to only hear one side of the conversation.”

“Jack is talking about a battle strategy for the gargoyles’ return,” Penelope explained. “He believes we’re all targets now, not just you, and we need to be prepared.”

“I just hate the gargoyles so much!” Celeste responded, and she squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head wildly as if she were trying to erase their image from her mind. “I wish I never had to see them again, but I was raised to be ready, and ready I’ll be.”

I heard a cheer erupt from the gnomes, and when I looked over, I saw one of the leather tents was already standing.

“They’re making progress,” I reported. “You should prepare for dinner now, since I think you could all use some extra energy, not to mention a treat.”

“Let’s try to have rabbit and fish again,” Penelope suggested, “and we’ll roast vegetables, eat fruit, sit around the fire, and have a good time with our new living companions. I’ll go to the stream now, and you should go to the woods, Nicola.”

“Can I come to the forest with you, Nicola?” Celeste asked as she stood up and walked over to the chestnut-haired priestess. “I know you bring back a lot of rabbits, so I’d love to see your hunting technique.”

“I’ll show you my snare,” the brunette said, and she stood up and linked arms with the harpy. “I’ll grab the flashlight so we can see. Have you seen that holy tool yet, Celeste?”

“I don’t think so,” the redhead said as the two women walked out of the garden, and Penelope followed.

“So, I guess it’s just you and me,” I said to Aleia, who grinned seductively.

“I always like that, master,” the fairy purred. “I enjoyed spending time with you last night.”

“Have you been thinking about me today?” I teased. “Did you sneak off to the woods for a minute and--”

“My lord!” Aleia gasped with hot red cheeks. “I don’t know why you’re trying to shock me all the time.”

“It’s just too much fun,” I admitted. “I love to watch your face.”

“I can’t get too worked up,” the fairy said as she fanned her freckled cheeks. “Let’s talk about something else, which is how much we need to clean up around here. We have weapons here, tools there, the gnomes’ belongings… It almost looks like their camp after the attack!”

“It’s not that bad,” I chuckled. “But I agree, it never hurts to be more organized. It would be nice to have a real armory so we can store some of the extra weapons we’re starting to collect, and I’d really like to take inventory of the rest of the gnomes’ things. They have so many interesting items, and I’m sure some of them are rare. It would be nice to be able to trade instead of spending your gold.”

“I agree,” the fairy said with a smile. “I’m going to work on the fire, but I want to talk to Elowise about using some of their cooking supplies. They have such a nice iron grate, and that huge pot, not to mention all their nice dishes.”

“That sounds like a good plan for the time being,” I agreed. “I want you all to enjoy yourselves if things stay calm tonight, since there’s no doubt you deserve it.”

“I need to make a torch,” Wilfrim announced as the gnomes walked into the kitchen. “We still have a lot to do this evening, and it can’t be accomplished in the dark. We can dig ourselves a proper fire pit tomorrow by our tents.”

“If you go to the edge of the woods to the east, you should run into Nicola and Celeste,” I told the old man. “Nicola will definitely be able to help you find some wood, since they have the flashlight.”

“The flash… light?” Elowise crinkled up her nose. “I suppose that’s just one more new thing to learn about.”

The flashlight discussion reminded me I needed a tool for the evening, and I’d gotten so many power tools, I didn’t see any reason to stop now. I pictured battery-operated drills in my head, since they seemed like a good addition to our growing collection.

Aleia was right, though, and we really did need better storage solutions. There was the whole underground tunnel to consider for space, now that the women had easier access through the trap door, and maybe we could even put in a ladder for an easier way to climb in and out. If the key we’d found down there did in fact lock the tunnel entrance near the stream, we could ensure none of our goods were ever stolen out from under us.

As the gnomes and Aleia set up the kitchen and cut up vegetables, I suddenly heard a sweet, soft voice calling out to me.

“Jack?” Penelope said as she walked back toward the kitchen with three huge trout in her hands. The naiad paused just inside the circle of firelight before she began to speak again. “Can you hear me, master?”

“Hey, Penelope,” I answered. “Those are some nice fish you’ve got there.”

“Thanks,” the naiad giggled. “I was… I was just thinking about you and our daughter, and how nice it might be to spend a little more time alone together. I’ll… I’ll kiss your cock, and--”

“Penelope!” I gasped as I started to throb below my virtual waist again. “Such dirty language from such a pure priestess. I’m not sure I can resist an offer like that.”

“The feast can’t go by quick enough,” the naiad said with a flirty blush on her cheeks. “I don’t know what it is, my lord, but something came over me, and I got the urge to pray…”

So that was what Penelope was calling it these days.

“You know, you are pregnant,” I mused. “And I haven’t heard you say you’re tired for a really long time…”

“Oh, you’re bad, master,” the naiad gasped as her pale-blue eyes widened. “Do you really want me to lie?”

“Let’s call it a little white lie,” I chuckled. “You got me all worked up, so now we need to hurry. Go on, drop off those fish, and head over to the living quarters. I have plans for you.”

Chapter 18

“Hi, master!” Penelope chirped in an excited voice as she jumped up and down in the middle of the living quarters. “Oh, I hoped you’d come see me!”

“Heeeyyy,” I breathed as I walked over to the blue woman, put my arms around her, and sniffed her perfumed golden hair. “You seem extra happy tonight. Is anything in particular going on?”

“I have something. Extra. Special. To. Pray. About.” the naiad said as she kissed me on the lips between words.

“Oh, yeah?” I chuckled. “What’s that?”

“Here, feel my belly,” Penelope said as she stepped away from me with sparkling eyes and grabbed my hand. “My lord, what do you think?”

“It feels amazing,” I said as I rubbed my fingers down her warm, flat stomach. “Now, come over here so I can kiss you again.”

“Not yet!” the blue woman protested. “Don’t you think my belly is getting bigger?”

“Ummm, yes?” I replied. It was clearly what she wanted to hear.

“No, master, you have to look carefully!” Penelope insisted. “Put your face down next to it and really, really look.”

“Don’t mind if I do,” I snickered as I knelt down in front of the naiad, put my arms around her legs, and stared at the pale-blue space below her belly button, which was maybe, just maybe, a fraction of an inch curvier. “Hmm, let’s see. I’m not sure yet, so I might have to taste it to find out.”

“I’m serious!” Penelope responded, but her voice turned into a moan as I ripped the bottom of her robes off. “Ohhhh, Jack.”

I grabbed the naiad’s ass, pulled her pussy close to my face, and inhaled her honey-sweet aroma.

“Fuckkk, Penelope,” I moaned as I began to kiss the inside of her pale-blue thighs. I was already starting to feel like I was losing control. “I want you so bad. When I imagine your belly getting big, it drives me crazy.”

“That makes me so happy,” the naiad sighed as she rested her hands on top of my head and buried her fingers in my hair. “I can’t wait, either.”

I ran my tongue up Penelope’s thigh to the entrance of her pussy, and I nibbled her soft lower lips all the way to her clit.

“Listen,” I said as I pulled away, and my priestess sighed deeply in complaint. “I have a problem, which is that I need you to get dressed up for me again, since I don’t think I can do that anymore unless I’m under your skirt.”

“Master!” Penelope giggled. “You're so funny. But, of course, I’ll put on my pink gown for you.”

“Or maybe I just want to rip it off tonight,” I mused. “I could try to do both, I suppose. This is a dream.”

“I’ll go get it,” the naiad giggled. “And then I’ll let you decide what you want to do with me.”

“Mmm, I like that,” I sighed as I lay back on the naiad’s bed with my hands behind my head to watch her change.

Penelope was already naked from the waist down, but she untied the top of her white robes and let them slip to the floor. I admired the delicate arch of her cerulean back, and the way I could barely see the sides of her full breasts from behind her body. I knew she was aware of my gaze on her ass as she stretched up on her tiptoes to reach the pink dress, and then she slipped on the soft piece of fabric.

“You’re so beautiful,” I moaned as the naiad sat down next to me on her bed. She ran her hand down my bare chest, and a wave of tingles spread throughout my body. “You’re my fantasy come to life. If I created the ideal woman, it would be you, Penelope.”

“Is that right?” the naiad asked as she shot me a sly glance. “Well, then, how would you like your ideal woman to serve you?”

“I was wondering if you had any ideas?” I asked the cerulean beauty as I grabbed her hand and put it on my cock.

“I liked what you were doing earlier,” Penelope moaned. “I’m not sure it’s serving you, exactly, but it did feel reaaaally good.”

“I know you offer me your body because you’re so devoted to me, and that’s all the service I need at the moment,” I assured the blue woman. “But there’s just one thing. Can you say the words for me? I need you to tell me exactly what to do to your body. I like it a lot when you talk dirty, since you’re usually so pure and holy, and I’ll do anything you want, but you have to ask.”

I rolled over on my side, leaned up on my elbow, and grinned at the naiad.

“Is this a game?” Penelope giggled. “I like games.”

“Well, then, get on with it,” I responded with a half-shrug. “I’m waiting.”

“Fine,” the blue woman sighed as she stared me directly in the eyes. “Jack. I would like it if you--”

“Be specific,” I instructed.

“I would like it… I would like it if you put your tongue in my pussy,” Penelope said as she looked down shyly and then back up at me again from under her lashes, and it suddenly felt like I could feel every hot drop of blood sizzling in my veins. “If it pleases you, my lord.”

“Fuucckkk, Penelope,” I moaned, and I climbed on top of her, grabbed her arms, and pinned her wrists over her head. “Everything you do pleases me.”

“Did I play the game right, then?” she whispered. “Are you going to do what I asked?”

“You did it exactly right, but you can’t stop,” I commanded the naiad. “You’re going to ask me for exactly what you need, and I’ll follow your directions. If you’re lucky.”

“Yes, master,” Penelope whimpered as she squirmed against my body.

“I need to see your tits before I do anything,” I growled. “And then maybe I’ll work my way down your body.”

As I held Penelope’s wrists with my left hand, I ripped open the front of the pink dress with the other. When I saw the naiad’s engorged, deep-blue nipples, my cock jumped against her belly.

“I felt it move,” the naiad giggled.

“You felt what move?” I asked. I tore off my pants so our hot skin met, and then I started to kiss my devoted woman’s neck from her ear to the base of her throat. “Tell me. Say the words.”

“I… I felt your giant cock move,” Penelope murmured. “Your big, giant cock.”

“And did you like that?” I asked. I bit both her nipples in turn, and then I continued to nibble down the line that ran down the center of her belly.

“Yessss…” the naiad moaned.

“Tell me more,” I groaned as I slipped my head under her filmy skirt to kiss the golden patch of curls on her mound.

“I love your huge cock,” Penelope whimpered. “Your thick shaft, and the way you pound into my pussy over, and over, and over again.”

“Good girl,” I praised the naiad. “I’m going to reward you now.”

I hugged one of her slim blue legs in each arm as I buried my head deep between her legs and began to suck her clit.

“Thank you, master,” Penelope sighed, but I pulled away just as her inner thighs began to clench around my jaw.

“Remember when we were together the other night, and you were talking to me about all the other women?” I asked Penelope.

“Yes,” the blue woman groaned as she reached out for my head and tried to force it back down onto her body. “Of course, my lord. How could I forget?”

“I was just wondering where you learned all these bad words in the first place,” I asked as I lowered my head to her clit again.

“Ohhhh…” the naiad moaned as she clutched my hair. “Master, you have taught me everything. I had never been with a man, or a woman, let alone a god.”

“Been with them how?” I demanded as I raised my head for a brief moment. “Tell me.”

“I… I had never f-fucked anyone before…” the naiad whispered. “No one had ever touched my pussy, and no one had ever kissed my breasts, or even my lips, and-- and-- ohhhhh, Jaaaack!”

I was desperate to feel Penelope’s orgasm from the inside, so I slid a finger into her hot, slick hole just as her convulsions began, and the sides of her soft tunnel squeezed my finger as her legs quivered violently around my ears.

The more I attended to the naiad’s clit, the quicker her orgasms came. After only a few seconds, a new round of spasms would begin, and the sounds that emerged from her perfect lips became more and more primal as the minutes went on.

“Ohhh, fuuuuck,” Penelope moaned as she finally shuddered one last time and collapsed onto her blanket.

“Did you like that?” I asked as I crawled up her body to cradle her in my arms. “You came a lot.”

The satisfied naiad was panting heavily. Her entire body, from her chest to her cheekbones, was flushed as bright purple as I’d ever seen, and her only response was a slight nod as she attempted to focus her huge blue eyes.

“I think you like to say the bad words as much as I like to hear them,” I continued.

“Master!” the naiad giggled. “Would you really think something so naughty of me?”

“I sure would,” I whispered in her ear. “I could feel the way you started to cum after you talked about getting fucked.”

“Ohhh…” Penelope sighed. “Maybe I did like it, just a little. I can’t lie to you, my lord.”

“I knew it,” I growled. “Penelope, don’t stop. Tell me what’s going to happen when my cock is inside you.”

“Yesss,” the naiad moaned as she attempted to encircle my entire shaft with one of her small hands. “First, I always have to cross my fingers that you don’t break me open. My pussy is soooo small, and your cock is soooo big. I’m going to climb on top of you and let you slide the tip in and out, and I’m going to make you feel sooo good.”

“Damn, Penelope,” I muttered as I felt my eyes roll back in my head. “You’re getting really good at this.”

As the blue woman stroked me, I could feel tiny drops of pre-cum start to dribble down the sides of the head of my cock, and she ran her thumb over the tip to collect the liquid.

“This just reminds me of your cum, and after you put your hot seed inside me, I’m going to lick our creamy, mixed juices off your cock,” the naiad purred. “And then you can bless me with your seed one more time, and it can go on my face, or on my breasts, or I can drink it down my throat.”

“Fuckkk…” I moaned as I rolled over on top of her and pinned her wrists again. “Maybe you can do that first. Sit on my face and suck my cock.”

“Ohhh…” Penelope breathed as she stared up at me. “Yesss, let’s do that. Please, now, master.”

“I love you so much,” I sighed. “You would do anything for me, wouldn’t you?”

“My lord.” The naiad stared me directly in the eyes. “I would do anything at all in your service, and your seed is holier than the waters of my stream. But I must confess that I do these things for myself as well…”

“That’s how it should be,” I growled as I let go of her wrists and bent my head down to suck on her nipple. “And thanks for never letting me forget I’m a god.”

“Oh, master, how could I?” the light-blue woman gasped as her mouth dropped open. “I worship you with every inch of my body.”

My cock was as hard as the stones of my altar, and as Penelope knelt over my face, I grabbed her ass and ground her pussy down onto my mouth. I wanted my face to be saturated in her perfumed juices, and as I used my entire tongue to slurp up the sweet wetness from her soft pink flesh, her entire body began to shake.

“M-master, y-you’re not giving me a chance t-to suck your cock,” the blue woman stammered as she attempted to bend over and take my shaft in her mouth, but she was so close to cumming she fell backward against the wall and gasped. “I-I-I just can’t control myself!”

“Yessss…” I moaned as I swirled my tongue around the folds of her body. I tried my hardest to get every last drop of the waterfall that was gushing from her tight entrance, but the overflowing juices ran down my chin.

“I-I have to pray to you now,” Penelope gasped as I gripped her thighs. “Aren’t you cold and lonely?”

“Fuck, no,” I growled. “Your pussy is warm and perfect on my lips, and I’ll stay hard for you forever. Take as long as you want.”

“I can do this,” the naiad murmured, and she stretched out over my body and began to suck on the tip of my cock. She licked more drops of pre-cum like she was trying to keep an ice cream cone from dripping, and then she opened her mouth wide for my shaft and slid me down her throat.

“Penelope,” I moaned as I reached down, gripped her blonde tangles, and pushed her head further onto my cock. “I wish you could tell me another story right now.”

The naiad tightened her mouth and sucked me from balls to tip, and then she gripped my wet shaft and began to slide her hand up and down.

“Should it be about how good your cock tastes?” Penelope asked with a hint of mischief in her voice as she gently ran her tongue around the place where the tip of my manhood met the shaft. “It feels soooo good in my mouth, and at the back of my throat. Oh, Jack, I-I-I-”

As she came again, she kept a firm grip on my cock, and it twitched back and forth in her hand as I longed to feel her mouth again.

“Yeah, Penelope,” I grunted as another splash of warm fluid moistened my lips. “I need you to suck my cock now. And then you’re gonna ride me.”

“Of course, master,” the naiad gasped as I hugged her damp thighs. “You made me explode over and over, and now I must thank you.”

Penelope took my cock in her mouth again, and I groped blindly for her huge tits and grabbed them from underneath. I circled her taut nipples with my thumbs, and I shivered as I felt her moan around my shaft.

I was so turned on I felt like I was going to cum any second, but as soon as I felt my body tingle and tighten, my priestess pulled away.

“Are you teasing me?” I groaned. “Please, Penelope, come back.”

The naiad giggled as she scooted forward across my body, and then she turned so she could kneel between my parted thighs. She licked the entire length of my cock twice, from top to bottom and then back up again, and she stared intently at me with sky-blue eyes.

“Do you know how powerful I feel?” the naiad asked me with triumph in her voice. “Every time you say ‘please’ to me, I know how much a god himself needs me.”

“So, the tables have turned?” I groaned as I attempted to position my cock near her mouth. “I don’t care, you’re so fucking sexy, I’ll beg to feel that hot little mouth of yours again.”

Penelope bent to deep throat me a second time as her golden waves fell in curtains around my hips, and my ass jerked upward and forced my cock further into her mouth. The naiad gagged a tiny bit as she smiled around my shaft, and I was just about to shoot my load when she raised her head.

“What are you doing to me?” I moaned. “Penelope, why are you torturing me like this?”

“I can tell when you’re about to release your seed, you know,” the naiad teased. “I watch your face, and your cheeks get red, and you squeeze your eyes shut. I can feel your heart pounding when I suck your cock, and I know how much you need me to consume you.”

“Fuckkkk,” I managed to choke out as, without warning, the naiad took me in her mouth again. I couldn’t control myself for one more second, and the tsunami of my orgasm crashed across my body. The feeling had been made ever more intense by Penelope’s teasing, and electric shocks ran through me from the tips of my toes to the top of my head. My cock spasmed hot liquid down Penelope’s throat, but my sudden motion had caught her by surprise, and her head jerked upward.

My white spray went on and on as I caught her first on her cleavage and the torn pink dress, and when my hips bucked again, the milky juices hit her directly on her face.

The naiad opened her mouth wide to catch what seemed like a never-ending stream of cum, and as I bathed her in my hot seed, her expression was pure ecstasy.

“Thank you, master,” Penelope moaned as she licked my cum from her fingers. The sticky white fluid was in her hair, on her skirt, and all over her blankets. “I want it aaaallll.”

“Fuck,” I finally sighed as my hips settled back down onto Penelope’s bed. “You drove me so crazy just now. I don’t know how you come up with these ways to torture me, but I fucking love it.”

“I need you to slide your giant cock into my pussy now,” the naiad said in a serious voice as she sucked the last of my seed from the tip of her slender index finger. “Now, Jack. But I’m soooo very dirty.”

I glanced out the door toward the sky, which was still pitch-black and full of stars.

“Do you think we could run down to the stream?” I asked. “Just… don’t wake up.”

“I could be baptized in its waters,” Penelope breathed. “And then you could fuck me harder than you ever have before.”

“Come on, then,” I said, and I jumped to my feet, scooped the naiad up in my arms, and began to run to the gate. I couldn’t unlatch it fast enough, and then I began to sprint down the hill with the filthy priestess still cradled in my arms.

“Master!” Penelope giggled. “You’re running so fast, I feel like I’m flying again.”

“I just need you to stay wet for me,” I joked, since I could still feel her gooey juices running down my arm.

“I don’t think you need to worry about that,” the naiad purred. “We’re almost there. How hot do you want the water?”

“Hot like a perfect bath,” I instructed. “Juuuuust warm enough.”

I reached the banks and began to wade into the water, and I was immediately overcome by the sensation of being massaged by tiny little fingers, and I wondered if I could actually cum just by standing in the stream long enough.

But what I really preferred was the naiad’s tight little pussy.

When I was waist-deep, I placed Penelope on her back, and she tossed her head back and floated. I watched her bathe the entire length of her body with slow, graceful hands, and I knew she was trying to tease me further.

“If you’re still trying to make me insane, it’s working,” I moaned as I dove under the water and came up right by Penelope’s clean face. “Fine, you’ve proven that you’re more powerful than me. I’d punish your sisters for this kind of disrespect, and maybe I’d punish you tonight, too, but it turns out you’re a lucky girl, because all I want is your pussy on me. Now.”

I grabbed the naiad and pulled her legs around my waist, and then, as I clenched her ass in both hands, I roughly brought her sopping tunnel down onto my cock.

“Ohhhh…” the blue woman moaned as her eyes rolled back in her head. “That’s what I’ve been missing all night.”

“Me, too,” I confessed as I continued to slide the naiad up and down the length of my shaft. I paused for a moment to let her grind her clit onto my body, and when she screamed out, I began to fuck her even harder.

“Yessss…” Penelope murmured as she laid back and floated in the blessed stream. I kept pounding her pussy until I felt the sloppy walls begin to rhythmically squeeze the circumference of my shaft, and then I let go again.

The stream’s blessed water intensified my orgasm to the point that strange colors and patterns began to flash in front of my eyes, and my head emptied as my body became a vessel for the pure pleasure that ran through my veins.

“Damn,” I grunted as I picked the naiad up, clasped her against my chest, and kissed her on her damp forehead. “Penelope, you’ve truly proven your devotion. I don’t know how you’ve turned into such a dirty girl so fast, but I like it.”

“It’s all for you, master,” the blue woman sighed. “I still like it when you tell me what to do, though. I just thought it would be fun to play around a little.”

“It was hot,” I told her. “Everything you do is hot, and I can’t stay away from you.”

“Then fuck me again,” Penelope said in a playful tone, and I let the stream carry us a few feet away before I penetrated her sweet, pink pussy once more.

The naiad and I thoroughly enjoyed the next few hours together in our sacred bath, and when her eyes finally fluttered shut against my chest, I carried her back to her bed and tucked her in since I always relished the chance to take care of one of my women. Then I laid down next to her and snuggled up against her warm body until dawn came, and her eyes opened again.

“Thank you, master,” Penelope murmured with a sleepy little grin on her face. “That was unbelievable.”

“For me, too,” I murmured in her ear before I realized Celeste was sitting up and staring at the naiad with wide amber eyes.

“When you touch me like that--”

“Penelope, just so you know, I think Celeste can hear you,” I laughed. I didn’t want the harpy to feel uncomfortable, but the thought of her hearing the naiad talk dirty to me was both amusing and arousing.

“Oh!” the naiad said as she bolted upright and pulled her blanket up around her chest with lavender cheeks.

“Are you actually embarrassed?” I chuckled, and her cheeks blushed even darker.

“Sorry, you caught me off guard, Celeste,” Penelope told the harpy with a sheepish expression. “I was just having the loveliest dream…”

“I could tell,” the redhead said with a smirk. “I heard you crying out-- never mind.”

“Our lord is just so handsome,” Penelope sighed as her face returned to its normal color. “When he visits me in my dreams, I lose control of myself as soon as I see his face. You’ll see, Celeste, when he visits us.”

“Hmmm…” the harpy said with a small frown. “Yes, I’ll see.”

“What’s wrong?” the naiad asked. “Is everything alright, Celeste?”

“Yes, mostly,” Celeste sighed. “I… I feel a little silly, but I believe you’re my friend now, right, Penelope?”

“Of course!” my pale-blue priestess chirped. “We’ve already been through so much together.”

“Let’s see, how can I put this?” The harpy glanced around anxiously between Aleia and Nicola’s sleeping bodies as if she didn’t want them to hear what she was about to say. “You… you just seem so happy. Only time will tell if you actually have a god that comes down to visit you, but it’s obvious you’re deeply in love with Jack.”

“I am,” Penelope sighed in a dreamy voice. “But go on, Celeste, what are you trying to tell me?”

The women’s intimate conversation had started to make me feel like my entire invisible body was on fire.

“I can’t be jealous,” the harpy scoffed half to herself. “Not me. Penelope, I’ve never cared about meeting a man, or getting married, or anything like that, but the last few days, hearing the joy in your voice, and seeing the sparkle in your eyes when you talk about Jack… I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I felt a little lonely when I woke up and saw how happy you were.”

“You’ll fall in love someday, too,” Penelope said to the redhead in a gentle voice, and the naiad flicked her eyes up to the ceiling in a slight gesture to me. “I just know it.”

“Thanks, Penelope,” Celeste said with a tiny smile. “I can’t even imagine how lonely I’d be without my Gran if I’d never met the three of you.”

“What was that?” Aleia murmured as she removed a blanket from her head and blinked in the early morning daylight.

“Oh, nothing, Celeste and I were just talking about breakfast,” Penelope said with a warm glance at the harpy.

“I am hungry,” the fairy yawned as she sat up. “I’m excited the gnomes are living here now, too. It will be fun to always see them first thing.”

“Do you all have to talk first thing?” Nicola groaned, but then she started to laugh as Thunder jumped on top of her and started licking her face. The brunette began to wrestle with the gigantic puppy, and he growled playfully and licked her cheek even harder. “It’s time to start training you to be an attack dog, isn’t it?”

“Thunder in a battle against the gargoyles…” Aleia mused. “I think you need to teach him how to sit first.”

“He was very tough against the goblins,” the dark-haired woman sniffed.

“At least he barks when there’s a threat,” I laughed. “That’s pretty damn helpful. You can teach him to be a ruthless killing machine next week.”

The priestesses all started to giggle, and another look of envy flashed into Celeste’s eyes.

“You all glow when he talks to you,” the harpy sighed. “I hope someday… never mind.”

Penelope nodded knowingly, but Nicola and Aleia turned to Celeste with curious expressions on their faces. The redhead was apparently finished talking, though, because she looked down with a slightly flustered look.

I didn’t want to get my hopes up too much, but a lonely harpy looking for love was pretty interesting.

I didn’t know what was going to happen when I came down, and she saw me, though. The priestesses all seemed to find my godly muscles attractive… was I actually worried about what Celeste would think?

Her pale skin just looked so smooth, and her scarlet feathers so shiny and soft…

But then I realized there was a bigger question to consider: what the hell was the harpy going to do while my priestesses and I were having our orgy? Having her watch, or even participate, was too much to even think about at the moment. I imagined her hanging out with the gnomes and awkwardly covering her ears, and I almost laughed out loud at the thought.

“Let’s go find the gnomes!” Penelope suggested and brought me back to the present. The naiad jumped out of bed, messed with her blankets a little to make them slightly more presentable, and walked outside and stretched. “Oooh, it’s raining, just a little. Come outside with me and see, sisters, Celeste.”

The priestesses and the harpy followed Penelope, and the drops that trickled from the sky and ran down their cleavage made their skin gleam like it was covered in thousands of tiny diamonds.

My women were wearing their thin robes this morning, and their nipples immediately hardened under the gauzy fabric. I was still turned on from the night before as well as the naiad’s conversation with Celeste, and I couldn’t keep my eyes off all three of their slippery bodies as they danced happily in the wet grass.

Celeste didn’t dance, but she put her arms up to the sky, closed her eyes, and let the rain splash down her face. When the harpy stuck out her tongue to catch a glistening drop, it was more than adorable, and I felt my virtual groin twitch again at the sight of her moist, red tongue.

“I hope the gnomes fared alright last night,” Aleia said as she suddenly stopped in her tracks and put her hand to her mouth. “I completely forgot. They may be totally wet right now!”

“Let’s go see,” Penelope said as she began to walk barefoot up the hill through the long, wet grass.

When I checked on the gnomes, they’d already set up the tents that hadn’t been torn. The entire family sat inside one of the structures as they nibbled on dried cougar meat and played some sort of gnomish game that looked like mahjong. They looked warm and cozy in the light of a glowing candle, and I felt a little bad I was going to drag them outside.

As a gust of wind blew through the convent, the women shrieked, linked arms, and began to run quicker toward the tents. Part of the sky had already started to turn blue, and I hoped it would clear quickly.

Still, the gargoyles could arrive rain or shine, so the women needed to learn to fight under all conditions.

When my priestesses and Celeste reached the gnomes, they poked their heads through the door of the tent.

“Help, we need to take cover!” Penelope squeaked as she ducked her face into the leather structure to get out of the drizzle.

“Good morning, girls,” Elowise chuckled. “I wish our tent was a little bigger, as I’d love for you to come play our game with us. You just match the tiles, see? Even Olwin can play.”

“That looks fun,” Aleia responded with a smile. “We were worried you’d gotten wet, though clearly, you know how to take care of yourselves.”

“That we do,” Wilfrim laughed. “But the whole family spread out in this tent last night because we had to put some of our most valuable possessions in the other one. But clearly, we’re going to need to set up our beds again at some point. This old, crooked back wasn’t made for the dirt!”

“Maybe I’ll try to sew up that torn leather later,” his ancient wife mused. “Jack, what are we going to be doing-- oh look, a rainbow!”

A huge colored arch had formed above the forest to the south side of the convent, and the gnome children squeezed past the priestesses to catch a glimpse.

“Make a wish, little ones,” Wilfrim told Morrick, Lorifer, and Olwin. “Rainbows are very lucky, you know.”

I certainly hoped it was a good omen, considering everything my interface had to tell me.

“Jack, I was just going to ask if you had any plans for us today,” Elowise continued.

“Just preparing to fight,” I explained. “I want everyone prepared for anything. The incident with the gargoyles isn’t something I ever want to repeat, but we know they’re still a prominent threat in the area. Especially for Celeste’s sake, and after seeing the way the dogs and the gargoyles work together, I’ve decided we’re going to focus on developing our defenses with them in mind.”

I didn’t know how exactly to explain I knew the war battle with the gargoyles wasn’t over, but I’d be damned if my followers weren’t ready.

“Jack’s right, and I’ll be needing to train more with my crossbow,” Nicola declared with a firm nod.

“I want more practice with my crossbow, too,” Penelope agreed.

“And we need to come up with the best strategy for you all,” I told the gnomes. “I’ve seen you fight a couple of times now, of course, but I was wondering if there was anything else you wanted to tell me about your strengths, weaknesses, or any other ideas you might have.”

Elowise and Wilfrim looked at each other.

“Well, we did come up with something,” the old woman said slowly. “How would you like us to build catapults for the convent?”

Chapter 19

“A catapult?” I asked. I was impressed.

“Not just one, as many as we need,” Wilfrim chuckled.

“Where did you learn how to build a catapult?” Nicola asked. “I’ve never seen one in real life before, only in books.”

“I’ve picked up a bit of knowledge over the years,” the old man explained. “Life ain’t so easy for the gnomes everywhere. We can use a simple winch, put some wheels on there… it will be easy. Elowise and I were looking through our belongings this morning, and we even found some handy metal parts, so we might not have to carve everything ourselves. We thought crafting some weaponry on our own might help you out.”

“It would help a lot,” I agreed. “That would be wonderful. I also think you might need platforms to stand on so you can see over the parapets of the watchtowers if you need to.”

“Oh, those will only take a few minutes to build,” Elowise chuckled. “We can craft ourselves platforms in no time.”

“Hey, I’m a little damp out here,” Nicola cut in with a laugh. “What do you say we all go to the kitchen and light the fire so I’m at least a little warmer?”

“Sorry, dear,” Elowise tittered. “We’ve been so cozy in our little tent, I forgot it had been raining.”

“This pile of firewood got a little wet, of course,” the fairy sighed once the group reached the kitchen. “I’ll dash over to the woods right now and find some dry wood and tinder.”

“Thanks, Aleia,” I said to the fairy.

“I want to construct a shelter for the firewood in the kitchen, since I’m sure we can use all these extra stones to make something quite sturdy,” the strawberry-blonde mused as she looked around at the ruins. “After we get through our current situation, of course. In any case, getting more wood is no trouble for me, and I’ll be right back. Nicola, I’ll check your traps, too. Maybe there’s something delicious there for breakfast.”

Aleia shot off to the woods, and the group milled around as they stared at the damp logs around the pit.

“I have some old pieces of canvas,” Elowise suggested. “We could sit on the wood in relative comfort if I put them down.”

“That would be wonderful,” Nicola said with gratitude. “The rain has felt nice, though.”

“I’ll return shortly,” the old gnome woman said, and she waddled on her little legs in the direction of the repaired tents. “We can’t all get wet like that. We’ll get ill!”

The fairy and the gnome returned quickly, and the group chattered about random things as they lit the fire and cooked. Once everyone was settled with food, I continued with my more serious business.

“So… the gargoyle base is to the north of here, as you know,” I told my followers. “I’ve been watching them for signs of, well, anything, but since the last fight, I haven’t seen them move at all. If they did attack the convent, they’d be coming from the north, so let’s focus our strongest efforts on the two towers closest to the road. Wilfrim, do you think you could build two catapults, one on the northeast tower, and one on the northwest?”

“Of course, Jack,” Elowise answered for her husband. “And our family can man them ourselves, too. We’ll make them just the right size for gnomes, and then we’ll be able to give those gargoyles a real aerial assault.”

“This is great,” I said. “Thanks for the idea and the offer. So, you’ll be working on that…”

“I don’t know if you’d be interested in this, master,” Aleia interjected, “but I actually had an idea myself.”

“What’s that?” I asked the fairy priestess.

“I was thinking of a traditional fairy weapon,” my winged strawberry-blonde answered. “It’s something I could make myself, as well. My people weave nets out of cordage, and then we weigh them down with rocks tied to the edges. It’s a very useful way to ensnare an enemy, whether on the ground or from midair.”

“Nice one,” I praised Aleia. “We can talk about that more, too. Wow, you’re all coming up with some great ideas today. Thanks for all your assistance. I’m barely having to think about this at all!”

“You’re welcome,” the fairy replied with slightly pink cheeks. “I’m glad you liked what I suggested.”

I caught a glimpse of Celeste watching the fairy with a mysterious smile, and I would have given a million dollars to know what she was thinking at that moment. Once the gargoyles were defeated, I’d be down there among my followers, and I supposed that would be the moment of truth for the harpy. Would she actually become a priestess like my display had suggested, or would she run away screaming when she saw I was real?

Only time would tell, but nothing was going to happen at all if we didn’t get through another battle.

“And as for you, Nicola and Penelope, you’re both doing great already, but I’d like to see more practice with the crossbows,” I told the two priestesses. “Ask Celeste if she’d like to work with you.”

“Celeste, Jack wants to know if you’d help us train with our crossbows,” Nicola reported.

“He wants me to do that?” The harpy flattened her lips as if she was trying to hide a smile. “He asked especially for me? Yes, I’d love to! I mean… of course, I can help. I’m interested in helping you all regardless of any gods or whatnot.”

My priestesses shared a small glance among themselves at Celeste’s flustered behavior, but I was glad when even Penelope decided not to call her out on it.

“Balabar, we talked a while back about training with swords,” Nicola cleared her throat and addressed the gnome. “If we have time, do you think you could give us some lessons?”

“Of course!” the gnomish man said in a deep, proud voice. “I can’t deny I’m talented with a blade.”

“You have spent many years training.” Nissa patted her husband on the back with an indulgent smile.

“So, go ahead and get started!” I told my followers. “Wilfrim, do you have everything you need to build these catapults?”

“I was wondering if I couldn’t pull Aleia away for a few minutes,” the old man said with a glance at the fairy. “Aleia, do you think you might be able to help me do some measuring, and… carry the wood? Again?”

“We’ll feed you well later to repay you,” Elowise promised with a bright smile.

“Of course,” the fairy laughed. “It won’t take me long to weave my nets, and I was going to practice with my mace, but I’m already feeling pretty strong. Jack, do you mind if I work on some other things?”

“It never hurts to get stronger… but, yeah, you were beating the shit out of those gargoyles,” I chuckled. “Go ahead and assist with the catapults.”

“What are we going to do with the children if the gargoyles do come here?” Nissa fretted. “I can’t have any of them almost running out into the middle of the battle again.”

“The tunnel!” Penelope suggested. “They can hide down there.”

“By themselves with the, you know…” Aleia dropped her voice into a hiss. “Spiders?”

“What was that?” Elowise asked. “Did you say--”

“Don’t worry about it,” I cut in. “The priestesses can scope it out with the flashlight to make sure it’s safe. I think they cleared it out pretty well when they first explored down there, anyway.”

“That sounds like it might be alright,” Nissa said and pursed her lips. “I’m still in shock from what happened with Lorifer the other night, though.”

“I’m sorry, mama,” the young girl sniffled as she snuggled up to Nissa’s side. “I should have known better, but I was just scared.”

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” her mother assured her. “We just need to make sure nothing like that ever happens again.”

“I’ll listen to Jack next time,” she promised.

“To Jack?” Celeste’s eyes darted to the little gnome child. “What do you mean?”

“Jack told me he was with us, and that his priestesses would save us,” Lorifer said in a sweet tone. “I still got scared, though. That big mean dog was growling, but then Jack told me to stay inside, so I tried to hide again.”

“Oh, Jack,” Penelope whimpered as she clutched her heart, and her eyes welled with sappy tears. “You absolutely wonderful god. S-Saving the children, and… and…”

“Deep breaths, Penelope,” I gently suggested, and Celeste reached over to pat the teary naiad on the back.

“Oh, sure, you’ll listen to Jack, but not to me,” Morrick grumbled at his sister. “I told you to stay inside, too!”

“I like Jack more than you!” The little girl stuck her tongue out at her brother, and Nissa let out a heavy sigh as she squeezed her daughter a little tighter.

“And anyway, why did I have to hide with them?” Morrick muttered. “If those ugly gargoyles come back, I don’t want to go in the tunnel with the babies. I’m almost thirteen, and I want to fight.”

“Those are brave words, son,” Balabar said as he raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips. “Do you really mean that, even after the gruesome battle you just saw?”

“I want to do it, Father,” the young gnome insisted. “I’m almost as tall as Mother, and probably as strong, so what’s the difference?”

“The difference is you’re my sweet little baby boy,” Nissa worried and reached out to stroke Morrick’s hair. “And you need to watch out for your siblings.”

“I’m not your baby!” Morrick grumbled as he dodged his mother’s hand. “Besides, Lorifer can watch Roza and Olwin. She does it all the time.”

“I can, mother!” Lorifer squeaked and jumped up. She wasn’t wearing a hat, and her bright orange curls stood out in a halo around her face. Her hair bounced up and down along with her little body as she hopped on one foot. “I’m big, too, and I need to show you how brave I am. I learned my lesson. Pleeease?”

“I don’t know…” Nissa hedged. “Is this really what I want my children doing during a battle? Jack, what do you think?”

“Well, what would you do in the fight, Morrick?” I asked the young gnome boy. “If you can come up with a good strategy, we can talk more about letting you fight with your family.”

“Hmm…” the young gnome pondered. “I… I could throw those nets you were just talking about! I’m strong enough to do that!”

“I don’t think we’re going to throw the nets exactly,” I mused aloud. “What’s the plan for those, anyway? If we had another catapult, two to throw rocks, and another for the nets…”

“If we’re building two, we could easily build a third,” Wilfrim suggested. “Personally, I think it’s a great idea, and I believe in Morrick. The more fighters, the better.”

“I’m not sure it’s a great idea for my son to be positioned at the far corner of the convent all alone,” Nissa cut in. “I’ll… I’ll go out there by myself with the catapult and throw the nets. Morrick, you can stay with your father.”

“Nissa, are you sure you want to do that?” I asked. “We could switch things around so you’re not alone.”

“I’m not sure you’ve truly seen me fight yet,” the blonde-braided gnome responded with narrowed eyes. “I’m probably stronger than you think.”

“I saw you with that chainsaw,” I chuckled. “Maybe you should use that as a weapon if any gargoyles come close to you.”

“Maybe I will,” the small woman said with a sassy growl.

“Then it’s decided,” I announced. “Lorifer, if you’re sure you can watch the little ones, then we’ll have a third catapult with Nissa at the helm. Morrick can stay with Balabar, and he’ll participate in the fight alongside the rest of my fierce warrior followers.”

“What do you say to our lord, Morrick?” Nissa hissed and poked her son in the ribs.

“Thank you, Jack,” the young gnome intoned as he dutifully folded his hands in a prayer position.

Then I lowered my voice and spoke directly to my priestesses only. “Keep an eye on the kid out there, alright?”

My three devout women discreetly nodded in unison, and Penelope choked back a sniffle that I probably should have seen coming.

“So, there’s a lot to do!” Elowise jumped up and clapped her hands. “Aleia, if you don't mind following us into the forest with the tape measure, I’ll bring the tools to cut the wood we need.”

“How big are you going to make the catapults?” the fairy asked.

“Small enough for us to operate, but still big enough to do some damage,” the old woman chuckled. “If we get the winch tight enough, we should be able to throw some big rocks with no problem.”

“That’s why we need two of us working each catapult,” Wilfrim explained. “To lift the heavy rocks into the bucket. Someday we’ll build a device that one gnome can operate.”

The gnomes impressed me more all the time. Wilfrim could design machines? That was fucking awesome.

“I can collect rocks for you,” Aleia offered as she began to count off on her fingers. “I need to help with wood, collect rocks, and weave nets. It will take me a couple hours, but I can get it all done.”

“Do you want to go through the passage with me before we start working with the crossbows, Penelope?” Nicola asked. “We can make sure it’s clear for the children.”

“Yes, that sounds like a good plan,” the naiad agreed. “I’ll get the flashlight and my sword… not that I’m going to need it, of course.”

The adult gnomes’ eyebrows were furrowed in doubtful expressions as they looked at Penelope.

“Are you sure--” Nissa began.

“The tunnel is safe,” I proclaimed. “My priestesses will make sure of it for you.”

“Can I come?” Celeste asked. “A secret passage sounds like it could be fun.”

“Yes!” Penelope said and grabbed the harpy by the hand. “Come on, let’s go. The entrance is right over here.”

“I thought you were getting the tools and weapons, Penelope,” Nicola laughed. “And you aren’t going to get very far without the crowbar.”

“Oh, yeah,” the naiad said with a slightly sheepish smile. “Nicola, will you pleeease go get those things for us?”

“Fine, pregnant girl,” the brunette chuckled. “It’s not going to become a habit, though.”

“Off to the woods,” Wilfrim said as he got up and began to whistle a cheerful song. “Oh, Jack, something just occurred to me. If we happened to cut damp wood with the chainsaw, would something bad happen? I’d hate to break your holiest of tools.”

Apparently, the old man liked the chainsaws a lot.

“No, it will be fine,” I answered. “Aleia, how wet was it out there when you were collecting firewood?”

“It was barely wet at all, master,” the fairy replied and shrugged. “I think it just rained long enough to get our woodpile damp and give us that beautiful rainbow.”

“And that made it all worth it,” Elowise chuckled. “Come along, children. You can watch us use the special tools again.”

“Can I use the chainsaw--” Morrick began.

“No,” his father and I both spoke at once, but then I let the gnome take it from there as he crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at the young gnome. “Absolutely not. I’m drawing the line.”

“Fine,” Morrick muttered as he pushed his hair back under his cap with irritation.

Nicola returned with the crowbar, and she and Penelope began to try to open the trap door. The brunette managed to wedge it upward a couple inches, and the blue woman got a small log underneath, but the two couldn’t pull it any further.

“Aleia used that rock for leverage last time,” Nicola reminded her. “I wasn’t sure if we were going to need to set up that complicated system again, but apparently, we do.”

“It’s not that big a deal…” Penelope began, “but what if we went through the western entrance in the woods? That door wasn’t as heavy or big. Besides, Celeste, it will be good for you to know about the tunnels under the convent, since you’re staying here.”

“I don’t know how long I’ll be staying,” the harpy clarified with a slightly uncomfortable expression. “But like I said, I’m very curious about these tunnels.”

“This will be interesting for us, too,” Nicola chimed in as she distributed the few weapons she’d gathered and began to lead the other two women toward the west of the convent grounds. “We’ve never actually found this entrance from above before.”

“I’m excited!” Penelope announced as she skipped alongside Celeste, who stared at the naiad with amusement.

My followers were all busy for the time being, so I decided to take a little more time to think about battle strategy. My interface didn’t give me much information, so it was impossible to know how many gargoyles were on their way, or when they’d be here, but I was sure it wasn't anything my brutal band of fighters couldn’t handle. Being offered a Reward Upon Completion seemed to promise the chance of defeat, but I just wished I knew how they would arrive. Would they fly in a phalanx through the air? Would they try to approach from all sides?

I was more than thankful for my God Vision because it was going to give us such a huge preparation advantage.

While my followers worked, I used my special vision to look back at their tower, and this time, I was slightly alarmed to see some activity.

A couple of the hideous creatures were milling about outside the huge monolith, and even though it wasn’t like there were troops already in formation, a chill ran down my virtual spine.

I was going to have to keep an even closer watch. The clock could be ticking.

Penelope, Nicola, and Celeste searched in the woods for the hidden tunnel entrance, and they finally found it and squeezed their way inside. It was damp inside and full of little puddles from the recent drizzle, and while Nicola and Penelope looked comfortable enough in their boots, Celeste had a slightly miserable expression in a pair of sandals. Nonetheless, the harpy marched dutifully along even when she got soaked to her ankles.

“Nothing yet, Jack,” the brunette reported.

“I really, really hope it stays that way,” I responded.

The three women walked all the way through the tunnels, but there were no signs of spiders or any other sorts of creatures. The few webs they passed looked tattered like nothing had been using them lately, and no creepy scuttling sounds echoed off the tunnel walls this time. When they made it to the room with the wine barrels, they were able to work together to push the trapdoor open, and Nicola pulled the other two women up to the ground.

“What did you think, Celeste?” Penelope asked with a grin. “Not that exciting, right?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” the harpy responded. “It’s ideal from a defensive perspective to have a system of tunnels, and it wouldn’t be as safe if it were, as you said, ‘exciting.’”

Nicola looked around to make sure none of the gnomes were in earshot, but the small creatures were still out in the woods.

“You should have seen these giant spiders we fought,” the brunette told the redhead. “Those were exciting, for sure. Maybe a little too exciting.”

“Giant spiders?” Celeste’s eyes widened in alarm. “Yes, there seem to be certain parts of the woods where the animals are larger. That’s what I experienced while I was on the run with my grandmother.”

“It’s certainly true around here,” Penelope said with a shudder. “But at least I feel fairly certain the tunnel is safe for the sweet children. Jack, you didn’t see anything when you looked around, did you?”

“Not a thing,” I replied. “I feel alright about it, too. And I’ll be able to hear the children if they need anything. They only need to speak to me.”

“That’s so true, you’ll be there for them,” the naiad agreed. “Then we’ll tell Nissa. If you assure her it’s safe, my lord, she’s sure to feel better.”

“Now that we’ve finished with the tunnel, do you want to work with the crossbows?” Nicola asked. “That’s sure to be more exciting.”

“I’m ready!” Penelope raised her hand, and Celeste nodded.

“I didn’t have much opportunity to watch you closely during the last battle,” the harpy said, “but I do think your stance could be improved a little. We’ll work on that.”

“Let’s find an old stump to use as a target for now,” Nicola suggested. “I’m sure my stance isn’t perfect, either, since I’m so used to a longbow.”

“I’m happy to teach you,” Celeste said with a big smile. “Your skills will help protect me, too, and I’m ready to take care of these gargoyles once and for all.”

The three women grabbed the crossbows and headed out to the woods, and I decided to check in on the gnomes.

“How’s it going, Wilfrim?” I asked the old man atop the northwest tower.

“Just building the frame,” Wilfrim grunted as he held up a board to nail it to another piece of wood. “How does it look? We even used the holy levels.”

“That was my job,” Elowise chirped. “And you see Balabar and Nissa are building the northeast tower with Morrick. I’m so proud of that young man, but I’m not surprised about how brave he is. Gnomes frequently begin to fight early in life, and, of course, he’s trained with a sword. A catapult will be new to him, though.”

Both the old man and the old woman started to chuckle, and I liked the way they were so open to letting their grandson fight. I wanted to raise my own daughter to be a warrior, too, and I smiled to myself when I imagined a cerulean toddler with golden curls wielding a giant blade.

“I’ll have Aleia and Celeste guard him from the air during any attacks,” I promised Elowise and Wilfrim. “Just in case.”

“It’s about time he bloodies his sword,” Wilfrim said. “Never too early to get a boy started.”

“Well, it seems like you have things under control,” I said to the two old gnomes. “And good work, Balabar and Nissa. You’re keeping up the pace, too.”

Aleia sat on a stump in the kitchen as she swiftly unraveled a huge, tangled mess of cordage.

“Hey, Aleia,” I called out to the fairy. “Looks like you’re getting ready to weave those nets now.”

“Yes, and I’m glad you’ve had us make extra cordage, master,” Aleia said as she continued to pull strings through knots. “It’s saving me a lot of time to be able to use what we already have. And then once the gnomes are done building, and there’s more space on top of the towers, I’ll be able to collect some rocks for them.”

“Sounds good,” I answered. “Look, you’re already almost done. There go those fast hands again. You know, I like it when your hands--”

“Stop it!” the fairy protested, but I saw her lavender wings flutter a little in excitement. “I’m not blushing this time. I will not.”

“I don’t think saying that is working,” I laughed as a red flush spread up Aleia’s neck. “I think you’re blushing brighter than ever. Which reminds me of how you look after we--”

“I can’t, master!” the fairy gasped in a fit of giggles. “But thanks for waiting to tease me until no one else was around this time. You’ve been toying with me lately…”

“And you like it,” I chuckled. “I’ll try to behave myself while you’re working, though. Net weaving and rock collecting seem to be going well enough, but I have to admit, I’d prefer to see you waving that mace.”

“Speaking of weapons, how are my sisters doing with the crossbows?” Aleia asked.

“They’re getting set up,” I reported.

The women had gone out to the forest, and Celeste was excitedly showing my priestesses something about spanning the bow.

“I’m going to go sit near where they’re shooting so I can talk to them,” the fairy declared as she stood up with her yards of cordage in hand and strolled away.

“So, you need to practice loading the crossbow as quickly as possible,” Celeste explained as I focused on the three women’s conversation. “Swift actions. Set the nut to lock the trigger, and then you put the goat’s foot lever on, which you should have close at hand. Be sure to hold the goat’s foot tightly the entire time, or the lever itself could shoot away from you. The goat’s foot pulls the string back, you load the bolt, level the stock, aim, and shoot. If you could get that loading time down to half a minute or so, you’d be in good shape. And you can use the same bolt over and over for practice. I wouldn’t recommend you use more than one of these fancy bolts for shooting like this, since you don’t want to make them dull.”

“How far away should we practice shooting from?” Nicola questioned.

“Hmm, I might need to know a little more about the gargoyles to answer that,” Celeste said with a shrug, but then she looked up a little bit shyly through her eyelashes, and I could have sworn she was staring right at me with huge amber eyes. “But maybe… maybe your… your Jack could help you?”

Had she really just said that? The signs were getting clearer and clearer.

“Um, yes.” Penelope’s wide eyes appeared more than a little stunned. “Yes, I’m sure he could.”

“What do you think, Jack?” Nicola asked as she kept her eyes on Celeste. “How far?”

“Uhhh, let’s say fifty yards?” I hedged. “I’m sure the crossbows can shoot farther than that, but I’d like to make sure you can see your targets and aim. Yes, fifty yards… I think that’s a good distance for shooting gargoyles.”

I was hedging so much it was slightly ridiculous, but I was fairly certain blasting the gargoyles with crossbows again was going to work regardless.

“Let’s go to the biggest clearing down the hill,” Penelope suggested. “I’m not sure how big fifty yards is, exactly, but there’s a fair amount of open space between here and the stream.”

“Fifty yards?” Celeste asked, and the naiad nodded. “Is that what he said? That sounds about right to me, too.”

The harpy was getting pretty agreeable when it came to me, I had to say. Did that mean she would be an instant convert when I felt the ground under my feet?

“Wait for me!” Aleia said as she caught up to the group. “I want to spend time with you.”

“Welcome, sister,” Penelope said as she hooked her crossbow on her belt and slid her arm through the fairy’s. “You’re just in time to watch us shoot.”

The women walked down toward the clearing, and while I wasn’t sure the long, narrow stretch between the thicker trees was exactly fifty yards, it was pretty close.

Celeste selected a large, dead elm to use as a target, and the women headed to the opposite end of the clearing to shoot.

“Okay, Penelope, I want you to load your crossbow and then show me how you hold it,” the harpy instructed. “Once it’s loaded, put your right thumb under the trigger as a safety, and then I’ll offer you my opinion.”

The naiad nodded, and then she pulled the goat’s foot lever from her belt, spanned the bow, and loaded a bolt. She shouldered the weapon and looked over at Celeste for further instructions.

“Turn your shoulders just a liiiitttle bit more,” the feathered woman said. “You want them perpendicular to the target. And put your left hand a bit further up on the stock to steady it. There you go! I already saw you have good aim, but if you keep the bow steady for a few seconds even after the arrow releases, it will help even further. Are you ready to shoot?”

Penelope nodded with a determined set to her jaw, and then she aimed and pulled the trigger. The bolt hit the tree directly in the center, and the naiad lifted her arms in the air and cheered.

“Thank you, Celeste, thank you!” the blue woman said. “You’ve helped me so much already.”

“If you need to hit a moving target, it’s a little different,” the harpy explained. “You start to swing your crossbow in an arc when you see the target, and then you follow through with the entire swing and aim to shoot at the spot where your target will be when the bolt arrives.”

“I want to try!” Nicola said as she gently shoved Penelope out of the way. She followed Celeste’s instructions, and her bolt landed right near Penelope’s.

“Nice work,” the redhead praised. “Now, who’s going to go fetch the bolts?”

“Not me!” Penelope chirped as all the women started to giggle.

“Oh, and I think you should practice just loading your bow for a while, too,” Celeste suggested. “You’re both a tiny bit slow.”

“Tell her I said thank you,” I told my priestesses. “She’s so knowledgeable.”

“Jack is very grateful for you,” Penelope said to the harpy. “He thinks you’re really helping us, and I agree.”

“It’s really nothing,” the redhead said with a wave of her hand. “I’ve known these things since I was a child.”

As the women continued to practice their loading and shooting, I checked the gnome tower again. I scoped out the entire ornate monolith, but whatever activity I’d seen before had ceased, and it made me a little nervous. I didn’t feel like we were quite ready, but I would have liked to have had an idea of what was going on.

When I looked in on the gnomes, Elowise and Wilfrim had already finished the first catapult, and they’d started construction on the large weapon down by the women’s living quarters.

I zoomed in to the device the two had built on the first tower, and I was impressed, as always, by the gnomes’ solid construction work. The frame rested on little wooden wheels, and they’d found brass handles in their collection to turn the winch. The surprisingly-large bucket for the rocks was pulled back by a rope attached to a hook, and I could see the deadly force that would be unleashed when the hook was tripped.

It was the cutest little killing machine I’d ever seen.

“How’s it going on the nets, Aleia?” I then asked the fairy, who was still sitting in the woods and hanging out with the crossbow-wielding women.

“I’ve made five,” my strawberry-blonde priestess reported with a little, proud smile as she held out a five-foot wide net with small stones sewn into the edges. “How many do you think we need?”

“How much cordage do we have left?” I asked.

“Plenty more,” the fairy said. “We made a lot a few days back, and I haven’t used it all yet!”

“Wow, you really are fast at making cordage,” I chuckled. “The amount you still have is impressive, since I thought you might have to stop in the middle of weaving to make more. But what I was thinking was that since the gnomes are done with at least one of the catapults, you could start hauling big rocks over to the northwest tower. Then, in breaks between carrying rocks, you can weave more nets.”

“That makes sense,” Aleia agreed. “I’ll start finding stones right away. Oh, master, I’m so nervous waiting to see if the gargoyles come back, but at the same time, this is the readiest we’ve ever been to fight. There’s at least a little part of me that likes using our new weapons.”

“I guess you’re always on your toes, so you’re probably used to it,” I chuckled. “I wouldn’t mind if we had a week or two when no one tried to murder my women, but that’s not how things seem to go around here.”

“We really don’t get a break,” the fairy responded with a shrug. “Good thing we’re always getting stronger.”

“Yeah, it’s, um, all that exercise, I’m sure,” I told Aleia. “And all that fresh air.”

“Right,” my priestess laughed. “I’m sure you have nothing to do with it.”

It took a few more hours for the gnomes to complete their catapults, and Aleia loaded them up with a more than adequate supply of large, round rocks. My crafty fairy also managed to weave five additional weighted nets before the late afternoon came, and the other priestesses continued to train with their crossbows in the meantime.

“I’m hungry,” the fairy said as she sat down in the kitchen and gazed at the coals. “What could I possibly find for our dinner tonight?”

“Dinner?” Nicola asked as she walked into the kitchen. “Penelope and Celeste are fishing, but they’ll be right back.”

“You were looking good with that crossbow,” I told the dark-haired woman. “I don’t want to jinx anything, but I’m starting to feel like we’re pretty strong.”

“The catapults are officially finished!” Balabar announced as he walked into the kitchen with a proud grin. “And my son and I are going to fight together for the first time.”

“Hopefully not too soon, though?” Nissa yawned. “I’m a little worn out from all the fuss lately, and then all the building, too.”

“Well, there is something I’d like to discuss with you all,” I said to my followers. “The last time I checked on the gargoyle tower, it looked like there was more commotion going on over there. Not much, but it’s more activity than I’ve seen in a long time. Unfortunately, I have a feeling there might not be much time to sit around, and you’re going to have to stay alert at all times.”

“So, we just have to wait and see when they come?” Elowise asked as she looked around with worried eyes. “I guess we’ll have to come up with things to do to stay busy.”

Concern flashed across all my followers’ faces, but then they each attempted a brave smile.

“In that case, don’t forget you promised me a sword fighting lesson,” Nicola reminded Balabar with a pretend swing of a blade. “I’m sure we could still get that in before the sun goes down.”

“Absolutely, Nicola.” The gnomish man patted his little round belly. “After we eat, of course.”

“Of course, and I also want to try hunting with my crossbow,” the brunette mused. “Now that there are more of us, and we know how to smoke meat, maybe I could get us some venison. I always love to practice hunting in new ways, anyway…”

As the group continued to chat, I wondered if it was possible we might actually get an evening off. I checked my God Vision almost lazily, since I wasn’t expecting to see anything so soon. The gargoyles had been completely absent all but one time I scanned their monolith.

But this time, something was there.

Since the last time I’d looked, more than a dozen gargoyles had emerged from the tower. They stood in two straight lines, and each carried a gleaming stone sword while a leader stood in front barking orders.

Fuck.

There went our chances for a night off.

Chapter 20

As I stared in dismay at the formation of gargoyles, I was sorry I was going to have to ruin my followers’ pleasant evening. I didn’t think we could have been more prepared, but I was immediately on edge in anticipation of the largest battle yet.

There were two neat lines of eight soldiers each, as well as a leader in front of the crowd. The commander wore a red sash studded with medals, and he stood half a head taller than the otherwise identical group of monsters.

“Tonight, we will find the trophiessss,” the leader hissed. “There are at least two I know about, a harpy and a fairy. The harpy is our first choice, but to be truly successful, we will leave with both. Do you understand?”

“Yesssss, Asnox!” the troops responded in unison.

“Bring them back alive,” Asnox instructed. “Show no mercy to anyone else.”

“Yesssss, ssssir!” the gargoyle soldiers hissed as one.

“We’re headed for the ruins to the south,” the commander went on. “Don’t forget my commands. The frontline circles over the ruins to start, and the soldiers in the rear spread out through the trees.”

“The harpy is the red one, right?” one of the gargoyles asked.

“Yessss, dumbassss,” the soldier next to him hissed. “She’s the battle bird.”

“Just follow my orders,” the commander sighed with a roll of his gleaming eyes. “We’re getting that fucking harpy back tonight.”

Fury burned through me as I processed what I’d heard, but I didn’t linger long enough to let the ugly group of stony fucks rile me up any more.

It was time to alert my own troops.

“Hey,” I cut into their happy conversation. “The gargoyles are coming, and it’s time to get in position.”

“Shit!” Nicola swore, and Celeste looked at her with alarm.

“It’s them, isn’t it?” the harpy asked. “Did Jack tell you?”

“Yep,” the brunette sighed. “Time to put those crossbow skills to good use.”

“Here’s their strategy,” I said to my followers. “There are sixteen men and one commander, and half of them are planning to circle the convent while the other half retreat to the trees as backup. They’re looking for Celeste and Aleia, but especially Celeste, and they mean to take her alive.”

“If we take out the first soldiers, it will hopefully draw the other gargoyles out from the trees,” Aleia mused. “I hate to think of them lurking around the convent and waiting for the right time to attack.”

“Who are the first soldiers?” Celeste asked in a voice that almost sounded excited, and she watched Aleia intently as the fairy explained what I’d told her about the gargoyles’ battle strategy. “Okay, that makes sense, and I’m sure the front line will be no problem for us. I have an idea, but maybe it’s a little risky. I could fly low and try to draw the gargoyles toward the ground. If Aleia sneaks above them while they’re chasing me, she can smash them from overhead.”

“Tell her I said that’s awesome,” I said to my followers. “I also want Nicola and Penelope on the two northernmost towers so they can get the greatest advantage with their crossbows while the gnomes are on catapult duty.”

“Jack loves your idea,” Penelope reported, and I was pleased to see a pale-pink flush rise up the harpy’s face as my naiad relayed my additions to her plan.

I checked my God Vision, and the gargoyles had just ascended with the sickening sound of leathery wings. They were hovering near the tower in perfect formation, and as Asnox lifted his hand, they started to fly forward.

I estimated we had twenty minutes.

“Time to get moving,” I told my followers. “Nissa, take the children to the tunnel and then report to the southeast catapult station. You’re on net duty. Penelope, show her how to get in through the woods because it will take too long to open the heavy trap door in the kitchen.”

“What do you need, my children?” Nissa fretted. “I’ll give you some fruit, and a canteen to drink from. If Roza fusses, give her a little snack and a bit of water. I know you can calm your sister, Lorifer.”

“Seriously, you need to hurry,” I warned the blonde gnome, but she just stared at her daughter with a solemn expression.

“Yes, mama.” The little girl answered Nissa as if I hadn’t spoken, and her bright orange freckles practically glowed against her ashen cheeks in the rapidly dying daylight. “Come with me, Olwin. I’m going to protect you.”

Lorifer held out her hand to her little brother, and he took his thumb out of his mouth and gripped her tightly.

“You’re so brave,” I praised Lorifer. “You’re going to do such a good job. Now, hurry with your mother to the tunnel. Everything is going to be just fine.”

“Thank you, Jack,” the small gnome responded as she looked down shyly. “I want to make you happy, and my mama and daddy.”

“You will,” I promised. “But you need to go now.”

Penelope led Nissa and the children out into the woods, and the rest of the gnomes looked at each other with stony game faces.

“Off to the towers, then,” Wilfrim declared after a moment, and he started to lead the procession to the front of the convent.

“Come on, Celeste,” Nicola said as she took the harpy by the arm.

“I’m going to stay on the ground for now,” the redhead announced. “I won’t fly until I have to. In the past, my sudden glow has been to my advantage, and I’ll be sure to try to take my enemies by surprise.”

That sounded like a good plan, but I also had to figure out how and when to allot Strength points to one of my priestesses. Last time, Aleia had been temporarily exhausted when the boost wore off, and I couldn’t let that happen in the middle of battle. I decided I would know the exact right moment when it was time for one of my women to destroy someone, and I’d give her the bonus to carry off her finishing moves.

I wished it were light out, but I knew Celeste’s glow would help. I then scanned the convent, and I realized Nissa and Penelope were still in the woods at the entrance to the passages.

“Nissa, you need to hurry to your post at the southeast tower,” I told the blonde gnome, who was still saying a tearful goodbye to her children.

“Yes, Jack,” Nissa sniffled. “Goodbye, and be brave, Lorifer.”

“This is the best place for them,” Penelope said as she shut the entrance to the cellar and pulled the gnomish woman over to her tower. “The sooner we kill those gargoyles, the sooner you can get back to your babies.”

“I’m more than tough enough for this,” Nissa declared. “I’m ready to launch some fucking nets and tear those assholes right out of the sky.”

Nice.

Once Penelope and Nissa headed to their respective stations, I checked on the gargoyles’ position again. The monsters were still soaring loudly above the trees from about ten minutes away, so there was nothing to do but wait.

“You still have time,” I told the group. “Try to get your minds focused.”

“Yes, master,” Aleia gulped. The fairy hovered anxiously a few feet above Nicola’s tower with her mace gripped tightly in both hands, and she fidgeted with its black leather handle. “I’m trying to remember the plan. Celeste flies low, and I come in from above.”

“That’s right,” Celeste encouraged the fairy. “You can do this-- we all can!”

It seemed like my followers were going to be standing around forever, but after several long, silent minutes, the gargoyles were almost within shooting range. I saw the crowd’s faces blanch when they heard the horrible flapping, and they all stared at their respective weapons with stiff, blank faces.

“Gnomes, get ready first,” I commanded the small creatures on the northern towers. “On my count, you’re going to shoot your catapults.”

“Got it,” Wilfrim said with a firm nod. “I’m ready, Jack.”

Elowise bent to ensure the winch was turned tightly enough, and then she stood up and dusted her hands off.

“Everything’s in working order, Jack,” the old woman reported. “Just tell us when.”

I held my virtual breath as the gargoyles got closer and closer to the convent. The sky was deep blue and already dotted with stars, but I could still see the faint gleam of the monsters’ sharp stone swords. It was almost time, they were about five-hundred feet away, and…

“Three, two, one, shoot!” I shouted to the four gnomes operating the catapults, and on my word, the small creatures tripped the mechanisms, and two small boulders went flying through the air.

Both rocks missed the commander and slammed into two gargoyles on the front line. The monsters’ bodies exploded into a spray of gooey black flesh, and it splattered all over the soldiers on either side of them. The struck gargoyles immediately turned to stone as they died, and their destroyed bodies fell to the ground in rocky chunks.

“What the fuck is going on?” the leader of the troops shouted in his strange, hissing way. “Retreat and regroup! I said, retreat and regroup!”

The commander’s words fell on deaf ears, and his soldiers began to fly in confused circles.

“Three, two, one, shoot!” Balabar shouted.

Morrick tripped the catapult again, and another rock blasted into a different monster.

“Retreat!” the commander shouted twice as loud in desperation, and this time, the troops listened and flew a couple hundred feet away.

“They’re pulling back,” I told my troops. “We scared them, and you killed three. Nice work, gnomes.”

“I’m going to hide with you, Celeste,” Aleia announced. “And then we can plan more. Jack, do you think we should attack them before they get back to the convent?”

“We’d be too vulnerable,” Celeste answered for me. “We’re safest here where we have the catapults and crossbows to back us up.”

“I’m just antsy to move,” the fairy growled. “I’m ready to bash these gargoyles’ heads in.”

“Hang in there,” I chuckled grimly. “You’re going to get your chance.”

“We’re going to disperse,” the commander told his remaining troops. “We’re too exposed in this formation. On my word, head off into the trees around the ruins. The frontline flies east, the rear flies west. And go!”

“Get ready!” I shouted to my followers. “They’re going to be surrounding you from the woods on the east and west sides!”

“Jack says the gargoyles are coming in from the sides,” Aleia warned Celeste.

“I can start my transformation now,” the harpy grunted. “I can get myself to the point right before I start to glow, and then I can freeze. Then I’ll be ready at exactly the right moment.”

“Tell her to head east after she changes,” I told the fairy. “If Celeste flies near the southeast tower, she’ll be within range of Nissa and her nets. Once Nissa shoots the nets from her catapult, Celeste can light them up with her flame storm.”

Aleia repeated my words, and Celeste nodded.

It was difficult to see the gargoyles through the dark trees, but I tried my best to keep my eyes on their ghastly progression.

Nicola and Penelope had their crossbows loaded and ready to release deadly bolts at any time, and the gnomes had the catapults prepared to launch. As my party waited, the repulsive flapping noise only contributed to the tension in the air.

“Any second now,” I announced. “Get ready…”

And then the convent erupted in chaos.

Half the gargoyles shot out from the trees and began to hunt in wide circles around the darkened convent. They apparently couldn’t see Aleia and Celeste huddled next to the wall, but they started to swoop down toward the towers with the catapults.

Both pairs of gnomes on the northern towers released boulders, but their assaults sailed just past flying monsters. Our defenses were keeping the gargoyles at a distance, though, and that was helping to hide the fairy and the harpy.

“Look, another trophy!” a gargoyle soldier hiss-screamed with pleasure when he caught a glimpse of Penelope, but he wasn’t prepared for the naiad and her bow.

She fired at him from about ten feet away, and right as she loosed her bolt, the monster’s eyes briefly widened in shock. The projectile shattered the suddenly-stone gargoyle, and a huge cloud of dust spread through the air.

“Fucking awesome, Penelope,” I cheered. “Keep them away!”

Celeste was huddled on the ground with her eyes tightly closed, and a fine coat of scarlet feathers now covered her entire body. A pair of wings had started to sprout from her feathered back, but they were still small and folded.

I wished I could speak directly to the harpy, but I trusted her warrior instincts.

“I don’t see the bird yet,” the commander shouted. “Keep searching.”

The gargoyles flew away from the towers and moved toward the empty center of the convent. They attempted to swerve away from the bolts Penelope and Nicola shot as fast as they could load their bows, but another couple monsters were demolished by the priestesses’ weapons.

The gnomes swiveled their catapults in the direction of the gargoyles, and while precise accuracy wasn’t the weapons’ strong point, the constant barrage of stones added to the chaos and kept the monsters nice and distracted from their true targets.

“I think it’s time for me to fly now,” Celeste growled. “I’m going to head toward Nissa, and I’m sure they’ll follow me when they see my halo.”

“I approve,” I told Aleia, but she didn’t get a chance to tell Celeste before the fiery aura encompassed the bird’s body.

“I sssseeeeee her,” a gargoyle hissed from directly above. “She’s right down there.”

“Aleia, when Celeste flies, I want you to follow her,” I instructed the fairy. “Try to stick close behind her for safety, since I don’t want you flying out there on your own yet.”

“Yes, master.” Aleia nodded, and she fluttered her wings in preparation.

The bird’s eyes glowed crimson as she rose straight into the air like a helicopter, and as the gargoyle who had announced her presence stared at her with wide, shocked eyes, she slammed directly upward into his body.

The gargoyle’s stony sword clattered to the ground far below, and he went spinning through the air.

As the red bird quickly whirled around to face him, she aimed her talons and released her flame storm for the first time that evening.

The hideous monster’s flesh started to melt off his bones like a dripping candle, and he grimaced with horror before he crumbled and fell.

“Another one down!” I cheered, even though I knew Celeste couldn’t hear me.

“I got this one,” Aleia grunted as she swung her mace at the skull of a gleaming-eyed monster who was charging the bird from the side. “I hate it when they’re not stone.”

The force of the spiked weapon split the fleshy gargoyle’s face wide open, and for a moment, I could see the deep-purple muscles that laid directly under his gray skin. As the mace smashed through the monster, his head disintegrated. He was briefly just a decapitated body held up by his ghastly wings, but after a couple moments of terrible flapping, his body fell to the dirt with a loud smash.

The red-sashed commander now flew in a wide circle near the trees that surrounded the convent, and when I realized we’d already brought around half his men down, I guessed he was calling up the remainder of his troops.

After a few moments, another flock of gargoyles emerged from the trees on both sides of the convent and began to circle around Aleia and Celeste.

On the northeast watchtower, Elowise whirled the catapult around and aimed it directly at one of the ugly creatures coming out of the woods.

“Boulder coming in,” I warned Aleia.

“Go, Wilfrim!” the old woman shouted, and in an instant, the arm of the weapon flew upward and released a boulder directly toward the flying beast.

He was between his shifting states when the rock hit him, and his flesh splattered open at the same time his outer shell smashed. The monster went flying back toward the trees, and the two gnomes cheered.

“Down here, Celeste!” Nissa squealed, and the scarlet bird swooped down toward the gnome with Aleia close behind. “I’m ready to help!”

The gnome woman had a net loaded into her catapult, and she turned the wooden machine from side to side as she glanced around with rage in her eyes. She looked like she’d been itching to get in on this action all this time, and I let out a deadly chuckle as I admired my feisty little gnomish soldier.

A gargoyle followed Aleia and Celeste as Nissa prepared for her big moment, and as he started to encircle the priestesses, my virtual heart stopped in anticipation.

The monster was crossing into Nissa’s range. It was time for her to act fast.

“Nissa, now!” I shouted in her ear, and the blonde gnome nodded and flicked her braid over her shoulder.

“Got it, Jack,” Nissa snarled, and she released the arm of the catapult and sent one of Aleia’s weighted nets sailing in the gargoyle's direction.

The cordage got tangled in his leathery wings, and he shrieked as he plummeted toward the ground.

“Blast him, Celeste!” I shouted, and as if she could hear me, she pointed her talons downward and aimed her flames at the monster.

The net immediately caught on fire, and the gargoyle’s hissing shriek turned into a hideous, mournful howl. The charred skeleton of his wings continued to flap and kept him aloft, and his flaming arm desperately groped for his sword. The net was soon completely ashes, but the horrible, now-silent flapping continued as the gargoyle stared out of burned, empty eye sockets.

“He’s gone,” Aleia grunted, and when she slammed the creature’s torso with her mace, he disintegrated into thick flakes of black ash. The fairy choked on the disgusting fumes for a moment, but then she spun away and sailed high above Celeste.

The commander with the red sash swooped in next, just below Aleia, but when she swung her mace, it whooshed right over his head. Then he soared headlong toward the southeast tower, and he grabbed Nissa with his thick gray talons before she could get away.

“Shit!” the gnome screamed as she was dragged twenty feet off the tower platform.

“You stony son of a bitch,” I growled.

“Ssshhhhhh…” the monster hissed to the gnome. “I want to talk to you.”

“Fuck you!” Nissa snarled, and she grabbed her sword from her belt and tried to stab upward into the gargoyle’s groin, but he laughed at her and beckoned to his soldiers with one crooked finger. As the other men gathered around, Nissa began to shriek. “You won’t take me alive!”

“Stay back for now, men,” the leader instructed his troops. “I want to see what her family says.”

He sailed off toward the guard towers near the road, and Aleia and Celeste swiftly followed.

We were demolishing the gargoyles, but they temporarily had the upper hand, and I tried to think of a plan that didn’t involve incinerating Nissa.

The blonde gnome continued to kick and scream in the monster’s talons, but she was much too small, and he was much too strong for her to escape his grasp. Her little legs flailed desperately in the air, and she stabbed up toward the gargoyle’s body again, but when he made a sudden motion to the left, her sword fell to the ground.

“What do you think of thissss?” Asnox called out to Balabar, who immediately swung the catapult in the monster’s direction. When the gnome man saw his wife in the gargoyle’s claws, his face hardened into a mask of pure fury.

“Let. Go. Of. My. Wife.” Balabar stared directly into the soldier’s eyes as he loaded another rock into the catapult.

“You can’t shoot me,” the commander mocked the gnome. “I’ll drop herrrrr.”

Nicola and Penelope both had their crossbows cocked and loaded, and they were pointing them directly at the hideous leader.

“Hold on a minute,” I told all my followers. “I don't want Nissa to fall, and I want to hear what he has to say. You can shoot in an instant if there’s a problem.”

“I’ll fucking ask him what he has to say,” Aleia growled, and the brave little fairy flew directly in front of the gargoyle and looked him in the face. “If you don’t let Nissa go, you’re going to have to deal with me.”

“Aleia, watch out!” I warned the fairy. “Don’t do anything rash.”

“You’re so beautiful,” the monster said with lust in his gleaming black eyes. “You’d make a wonderful trophy, of course, but honestly, little fairy bitches like you are just plain common. We reeeeally want the harpy, so I’m willing to negotiate. If you give us the bird, we’ll leave the rest of you alone forever.”

The adult gnomes were stony-faced as they pretended to consider his proposition, but little Morrick started to wave his arms.

Aleia flicked her eyes downward, she and the boy made eye contact for a long moment, and then she nodded.

The young gnome pulled the catapult away from his father and aimed the weapon directly at the gargoyle’s face.

“Not. My. Fucking. Mother,” the twelve-year-old snarled.

The leader startled at the sudden noise, but when he looked downward, he grinned when he saw the size of the boy. Just as the hideous smile spread across his face, Morrick released the rock.

As the stone made contact with the leader’s head, Nissa dropped from his arms, and Aleia immediately swooped in to catch her. The fairy deposited the gnome woman next to Balabar and Morrick, who threw their arms around her.

“Nice teamwork,” I praised the fairy and the young gnome. “Morrick, I’m glad you’re fighting with us.”

The gnomish boy beamed, and the half-dozen remaining gargoyles swooped in from the trees with expressions of pure hatred on their faces.

“You killed Asnox,” one of the monsters hissed. “There’s no way we’re leaving without that fucking harpy, and now we’re going to take the fairy, too.”

“Aleia, it’s time to work with Celeste,” I commanded. “She should fly low, and when they follow her, you get in there and smash their skulls in.”

“Celeste!” Aleia shouted. “Now!”

I wasn’t quite sure how she made the motion look flirtatious, but the huge red bird flapped her wings in a becoming way toward the gargoyles, and their expressions immediately softened.

The beautiful red bird fluttered in circles as her glow made her look even more like an angel, and her big amber eyes almost seemed to glitter as she kept her gaze fixed on the last six gargoyles.

In that moment, I found myself entranced by the exotic creature, and I kind of understood why red harpies were so sought after in this world. She was absolutely stunning in the fiercest yet graceful way, and all of this was working to her advantage right now.

“I think… I think she wants to come,” one of the gargoyles said as he reached out his arms toward Celeste’s glowing light, and the remaining monsters gazed at the bird in awe.

“She will make a most wonderful addition to our tower,” a gargoyle sighed as the harpy drifted slowly downward.

Every flutter of Celeste’s scarlet wings seemed to cast a spell around the entire convent, and as the gargoyles drifted closer to her glow, she blinked her big amber eyes and slowly drifted out of their reach.

Still, the stony morons devoured the sight of her and followed after, and half of them loosened their grips on the hilts of their swords in the process.

If there was ever a time for a strength boost, it was now.

The gargoyles were clustered in a group and unawares, and if I played my cards right, Aleia could finish these motherfuckers off once and for all.

I concentrated as hard as I could on the fairy who still clutched her mace in her little hands, and she suddenly froze in midair for a moment. Then Aleia’s head flew upward as her eyes flashed bright green. As quickly as I’d ever seen her move, she flapped her wings, dove down into the center of the circle of gargoyles that were following Celeste, and smashed through them in a single circular motion.

It was beyond any video game I’d ever seen.

The gargoyles’ bodies shattered as the mace pummeled their chests, heads, and wings, and Aleia let out a shrill cackle while she kept her wings fluttering like a maniac amidst the volley of rocky shards cascading around her. Two of the gargoyles were unfortunately stuck in their flesh form when the fairy struck them, so there were splatters of black ichor flying through the air as well, but no matter what form the bastards had been in, every one of them were brought down in less than thirty seconds.

Then the only sounds were Aleia’s panting, her buzzing purple wings, and the gentle flapping of Celeste’s feathers nearby.

There were a few long moments when I wasn’t sure if another gargoyle was going to come flying out from the trees, but then I got my favorite pop-up on my display.

Level Up!

I felt the soft dirt and sharp pebbles of the convent grounds beneath my bare feet, and as my followers looked at me from their various posts, they all began to cheer.

Then I caught a glimpse of Celeste.

I was illuminated by the bright warm glow of her aura, and the bird’s amber eyes were huge as she stared down at me.

Her hooked beak was open several inches, and as I raised a hand to mutely wave at her, she let out a distinctively human-sounding gasp.

Chapter 21

“Oh, master!” Penelope breathed. All my women began to move toward me, but the naiad was the first to make it down the stairs of the tower. The blue woman threw her arms around my waist and started to plant kisses all over my face, and the gnomes looked on in awkward silence.

And then Aleia and Nicola attacked me, too.

There were hands all over my body, and their mouths all over my face and neck, and for a minute, I completely lost track of my surroundings, the gnomes, my memories of the battle… everything but my priestesses and Celeste.

I realized I couldn’t just stare at the harpy, but it was impossible not to feel the bird’s eyes as Penelope and I embraced. I was dying to see how much more beautiful the harpy was from the ground, but I reminded myself to focus my attention on my devout priestesses.

Although, could Celeste be a priestess already? I quickly flicked through my display, but, to my disappointment, there were still only the three original women listed.

Apparently, seeing me in the flesh wasn’t enough to convert her, but here I was on the ground again, so where was the second half of my reward?

As my women continued to hang all over me, Celeste slowly morphed back into her harpy form. As usual, her body changed first, and for a moment, her red hair completely blended with the feathers on her back. Throughout her whole transformation, she continued to stare at my priestesses with her amber eyes wide in confusion and amazement, and something about feeling my lovers all kissing me while she watched heated my very real veins all of a sudden.

“Well, should we go to the kitchen?” Elowise finally asked as Celeste’s red aura disappeared. “My, I do feel a little shocked. That was quite a battle.”

“Oh, yes, of course,” I said as I finally came to my senses, and I cleared my throat and gently hugged the priestesses away from my face so I could thank the gnomes. “The battle was another wonderful success, and I have to thank the gnomes. Without your catapults, and your brave actions, there’s no way we could have defended the convent. And I hope no one minds if I offer the greatest thanks of all to Morrick, whose courage helped to save not only his mother, but the convent itself.”

“Hooray, Morrick!” the group cheered, and the young boy flushed and rubbed the back of his neck.

“It wasn’t nothin,’” he mumbled. “I just did what any gnome would do.”

“Well, we’re so proud of you, son,” Nissa said as she clasped Morrick’s arm with tears in her eyes. “And now I need to get to my other children. Penelope, will you help me?”

“Of course,” the naiad said as she pulled away from me. “Let me grab the flashlight and my sword. My lord, do you wish to come with us?”

I was torn.

It was amazing to finally feel the ground under my feet again, and since I had a little longer this time, a huge part of me wanted to see new parts of the convent from my followers’ perspective.

But I still had a priestess to convert, and a bigger part of me seemed to want to stay near Celeste right now. I had no idea why nothing had changed since we’d defeated the gargoyles, and the sheer uncertainty of the situation was drawing me in.

Hadn’t the success in battle been enough to win the harpy warrior over?

“No,” I said in what I hoped was a casual voice. “I’m going to head to the kitchen with everyone else.”

“It will only take a couple minutes,” the naiad promised, and with a wink and a flirty smile in my direction, she and Nissa were off.

“Hi, Jack,” Aleia said in my ear as she squeezed my hand. “Do you… do you want to walk to the kitchen together?”

“Hi, Aleia.” I chuckled at the fairy’s shy tone, since she’d already been trying to make out with me in front of a group of people. “Yes, yes I do.”

“You’ve never eaten when you’ve come down,” Aleia remarked. “Do you wish to share a meal tonight, master?”

“He’s never eaten food, anyway,” Nicola snickered from my other side, and the fairy coughed and blushed as I squeezed her hand a little harder.

I could still feel the harpy’s eyes on me as she strolled behind me and my two women, but she was completely silent. I couldn’t resist turning back to look at her, but when she caught my glance, she furrowed her eyebrows and glanced away.

I really, really needed some private time with the women, but this only made me wonder more about what Celeste would do when I left to spend some quality time with the priestesses.

When we reached the kitchen, the smell of woodsmoke in the air was intoxicating enough to distract me from my thoughts, and I settled myself on a log with a sigh. It had been so long since I’d gotten to enjoy the simple pleasures of life on the ground, like sitting around a campfire, and part of me was almost tempted to hang out with the gnomes all evening.

Penelope and Nissa returned with the children, and the naiad dashed over to me, sat on my lap, and started kissing my neck.

“Penelope!” Aleia hissed. “Everyone is still watching.”

“I don’t care,” the naiad sniffed as she briefly broke away from me. “You were doing it before, too, and Jack is my god. I don’t mind who sees how I pray to him.”

“That’s fine, dear,” Elowise chuckled as she fussed with the fire. “I remember what it was like to be young and in love.”

“I’m not a god, though,” Wilfrim remarked dryly as he walked over and slipped an arm around his wife’s waist. “I never had muscles like that.”

“I like your muscles just fine,” the old woman purred, and as the rest of the gnomes rolled their eyes skyward, she kissed her husband on the mouth.

“I guess the battle got everyone a little excited,” I chuckled.

“I love you, Elowise and Wilfrim,” Penelope said with misty eyes. “I can’t wait until I marry Jack. Oh, we should have a wedding someday! What do you think, my lord?”

“That would be wonderful,” I said honestly. “Seriously, why not?”

“Wow,” Nissa sniffled as she clutched all four of her children as close to her body as she could manage. “How romantic.”

“Anyway, Jack,” Balabar said as he came to stand before me. “We were successful in battle, and I believe it is time I lead the rest of your followers in prayer to thank you.”

“Thank you, but--” I tried to protest.

“No, I insist--”

“Celeste, are you feeling alright?” Aleia cut in, and the whole group, including me, turned to look at the harpy.

Now that I could openly look at the redhead for a moment, I saw her fair cheeks were as ghostly white as they’d been when she was sick, her red lips were parted, and she had a slightly dazed expression in her amber eyes.

She made direct eye contact with me for a long moment, and her lashes fluttered as her lips parted a tiny bit more.

“I-- I’m okay,” Celeste finally whispered. “I-- I didn’t know he was real?”

“He’s real,” Penelope assured the harpy. “But if you’re not feeling well, I can take you to go lie down. You look awfully pale.”

“Maybe Jack should go, too,” Elowise suggested. “If you're really ill, he might need to heal you.”

“That’s kind, Elowise,” Nicola said with gratitude in her voice. “We’ll run right back up here once we settle Celeste--”

“Don't worry about it, dear,” the old woman responded. “I’m sure we’ll see Jack again soon, and we certainly don’t wish to hog our gracious lord’s attention.”

“But--” Balabar protested, but his mother put a finger to her lips as the priestesses, Celeste, and I got up and started to walk out of the kitchen.

“Hush, Balabar,” Elowise instructed the gnomish man. “The kids need some time to themselves.”

“But I wanted to pray--”

“I said, the kids need some time to themselves…” I heard the old woman repeat as we walked out of earshot.

As we left the kitchen, Nicola and Penelope giggled together and ran ahead toward the living quarters. Aleia and Celeste walked behind the other two women without saying a word, and I couldn’t help but stare at the luscious bodies I was so close to touching.

I lagged further and further behind the group as I walked slowly through the convent grounds. The night air filled my very real lungs as the cool grass brushed between my toes, but the sheer joy of being in a physical form in this world actually took a back seat for a moment.

Because my heart was pounding in my chest, and a buzz of energy rippled through the air and pulled me toward the women. Particularly the harpy.

Celeste paused for an instant as if she were going to look back, and my stomach jumped into my throat, but then she continued to walk again, and I stared at her crimson hair spilling down past the cinch of her waist.

I was so tense, I felt like my skin was on fire.

“I’m not sick,” Celeste blurted out the second I reached the living quarters and joined the circle the women had formed.

“Oh, that’s good,” Penelope cooed. “You didn’t look well, though. It can’t hurt for you to lie down.”

“Is that… is that what you're all going to do?” the harpy asked as she nervously tugged on her deer skin top. “Lie down?”

“Well, we do want to spend some… awake… time with Jack,” Nicola said diplomatically. “But if you need to be in your bed, there are lots of other places we could go. We don’t want to infringe on your privacy, seeing as you mentioned you’re a rather private pers--”

“I-I don’t mind if you stay,” Celeste said as she blushed furiously and bowed her head.

All three of my priestesses looked over at me and widened their eyes, and I shrugged so subtly, I hoped the harpy wouldn’t notice.

“Let’s light some candles!” Nicola suddenly suggested. “It will help you relax.”

“Can I relax now?” the harpy asked as she looked around with a slightly crazed expression. “The gargoyles aren’t coming back, are they?”

“I don’t think so,” I answered, but while Celeste didn’t meet my eyes, I saw a soft shiver ripple through her when she heard my voice again. “We’ve thoroughly kicked their asses many times now, and I sincerely doubt they’ll be coming back for you after seeing how well-protected you are here. And even if they do… I’d fight them again and again for you, Celeste.”

“Oh,” the harpy gasped. “Th-Thank you.”

“That’s just how kind our master is,” Penelope said as she reached out to stroke my arm.

“Y-You look like your mural,” Celeste said as she glanced up at me awkwardly, and then she immediately stared back at the ground again.

“Umm, thank you,” I replied. “Or… yes, I do?”

This was going great. Could a god still be nervous around beautiful women?

When I’d awoken at the convent, Nicola, Aleia, and Penelope had already been my priestesses. The naiad had been the most devout, but they’d all already made their pilgrimage, and I could speak directly to them, of course.

But Celeste was a whole different ball game.

“Why don’t we go sit down?” Nicola suggested as she glanced between me and Celeste with a slight smirk. “I’ll cover the floor with blankets so there’s plenty of room to be comfortable.”

“Thanks, Nicola,” I told the brunette as I visually traced the edges of her figure from top to bottom.

All my women were so ridiculously beautiful, and there was literally nothing better than being in the same room with all of them at the same time.

And Celeste apparently wanted to stay.

The harpy watched Nicola and Penelope arrange blankets with the same startled expression on her face she’d worn since she’d first seen me. The redhead stood to the side of the room and shifted uncomfortably from side to side for a couple minutes, and then she finally went over to her bed and sat against the wall with her legs crossed.

“Relax with us, Jack,” Penelope implored as the priestesses all sat down on the ground, and I complied.

Aleia was quick to snuggle up next to me while Nicola inched closer to my other side, and Penelope sat cheerleader-style in front of me so she could weave her cerulean fingers with mine.

The five of us sat in silence for several minutes, and I started to feel more and more laid back, even though the tension I felt between me and Celeste could have been cut with a knife. I could feel her gaze glued to me, and whenever I flicked my eyes toward her, the harpy’s amber eyes were trailing over my exposed torso, or my arms, or my lips. She also followed the trail Aleia was tracing across my crossed legs with a slender finger, and when the fairy stopped a few inches to the side of my dick, Celeste’s cheeks turned beet red.

Still, I was in the candlelight with not just one, but four of the most beautiful women to ever exist, and knowing at least three of them were eager to fuck me tonight kept me somewhat preoccupied.

“Sooo,” Nicola said as she stretched out on her side, and I grinned as she made sure I could reach her legs to stroke her bare, golden calves. “I imagine you won’t be down here forever, Jack. What should we do?”

“Do you really always--” Celeste blurted out the words in a nervous fluster, but then she cut herself off. “Never mind.”

“Yes, we always pray to Jack,” Penelope happily answered anyway. “There are times when he requests our prayers more… fervently… than others, and after a large battle is one of those times. We must show our gratitude to our lord and master for watching over us so constantly, and I enjoy leading a ceremony on his behalf. Do you… might you want to participate?”

“I don’t know,” the harpy mumbled. “As you know, worship is new to me, and I… I wouldn’t exactly say I’ve ever… prayed… before?”

Hoooly shit. Another virgin.

How the fuck had I gotten so lucky?

I instinctively checked my display system again, but Celeste still wasn’t listed among my priestesses, yet.

So, I calmly focused on Nicola’s slender legs under my palm to keep myself distracted from the milky bed of untouched cleavage across the room, and I decided to let my priestesses handle the conversation since the harpy seemed somewhat open to discussing a few things with them.

“I, too, was new to praying when I met Jack,” Penelope purred. “But I have found it most enjoyable.”

“Penelope, I’m not sure Celeste is ready to participate in that sort of ritual,” Aleia suggested in a gentle voice.

“As much as I enjoy my lord’s… godly corrections,” Nicola began, “I’m not sure Celeste would like the same treatment.”

I tried so hard not to smirk at Nicola’s insinuating tone, but I did agree with the sentiment. As much I would have enjoyed that sort of thing, I wasn’t sure what the harpy needed right now was to be whipped with a belt, either.

“Of course,” Penelope said with a serious nod. “Then maybe we will have to reconsider our rites for this evening.”

“Yes, we don’t mind worshipping our lord in many, many ways,” Nicola added.

“I think that’s a lovely idea!” Aleia half-purred, and Celeste didn’t say a damn word of argument.

Then I realized I’d forgotten to draw my next breath, and I swallowed hard as I felt all four women’s gazes turn to me at once.

“You’re in charge, Penelope,” I responded as I watched her perfect red lips curl into a smile. “You tell us what to do this evening.”

“Lie down, master,” the naiad murmured. “Put your head in my lap. I wish to tend to you and show Celeste that the ways of prayer are so tender and loving. Sisters, do you agree?”

Both Nicola and Aleia murmured their assent, and I snuggled down into Penelope’s lap. She began to stroke my head, and my other two priestesses each put a hand on one of my shoulders. The naiad’s soft, golden curls spilled down and tickled my face and neck, and if it weren’t for my painfully engorged cock, I could almost have fallen asleep.

“I love you, Jack,” Penelope whispered, and although I was dying to see the expression on Celeste’s face, I kept my eyes on the beauties above me and focused on the priestesses’ soft hands. “We are so grateful for your blessings.”

Aleia smiled and nodded, and Nicola looked down at my face with the faintest hint of a smirk.

“Soft and gentle,” Nicola mused in an almost hypnotic tone. “Is that how you’d like to be touched tonight… master?”

My cock jumped at the sound of the word that turned me on so much emerging from the brunette’s normally-insolent lips.

“Would you like to come sit with us, Celeste?” Penelope asked the harpy. “You fought so well tonight. You were so strong and valiant, and so beautiful.”

“I think I’ll watch from over here,” the redhead whispered quietly from her position beside the wall. I tilted my head a bit and caught sight of her wide, amber eyes drinking in the scene. “There are clearly many things I do not know about the ways of… prayer. I-I have much to learn, I think. I mean, I have heard things, of course, it’s only that I…”

“Of course,” Aleia said and patted Celeste on her leather-clad thigh. “I have only learned of many things recently myself.”

“So, one of the things we like to do, Celeste,” Penelope continued in a slow, entrancing voice, “is worship our lord’s entire body. Nicola, do you wish to show her what I mean?”

“Penelope,” Nicola snickered, “are you sure--”

“Nicola,” I growled quietly but firmly. “I want you to listen to Penelope as she teaches a new disciple how to pray.”

“Yes, master,” the brunette murmured.

“Celeste, are you sure this is what you want?” Aleia queried as she leveled her pale-green eyes on the harpy.

“Yes, it is,” the harpy whispered so low I almost couldn’t hear her, but then she looked at me and briefly held my gaze. “I don’t know if I wish to pray, but I do want to learn more about your ritual.”

“You are grateful for Jack’s protection,” Penelope surmised, and the harpy nodded shyly.

“So grateful,” she murmured. “He has watched down on me and protected me even though I could not believe he was there. He did all he could to have you and his other followers prepare to defend this place, and I… I don’t know how to truly thank him. Words don’t seem like enough.”

“Oh, Celeste, that’s so wonderful,” Penelope gushed. “I’m sure Jack will be most grateful if you thank him as we do: with our willing bodies.”

“Um, yeah, I would,” I tried not to moan as the naiad continued to stroke my hair.

I was really starting to have trouble holding back my reactions. My skin felt so sensitive that every gentle caress from her warm hands sent a wave of tingles down my spine, and as Nicola ran her palm down my bare chest, my cock jumped, and I immediately wondered if Celeste had noticed.

“Do you wish to take his clothing off, Aleia?” the blue woman asked.

I looked up at Penelope’s face as I rested my head against her belly, and I felt more grateful than ever that I had a devout woman like her in my life to take care of me.

“Yes, I will assist with the ceremony,” the fairy answered in a low voice, and she slowly reached over to untie my pants.

“You see, Celeste, this is how my sisters and I worship,” Penelope murmured in a soothing tone. “We take care of our master’s physical body because he takes care of us.”

“Yes, you take care of him,” Celeste mumbled, and I noticed she couldn’t keep her eyes away from Aleia’s hand at my waist.

My strawberry-blonde priestess had undone the drawstring, and then she knelt next to me so she could pull my pants down. The fairy was both delicate and swift in her motions, and it was only a matter of seconds before my cock was fully exposed.

“Oh!” the harpy gasped, and we all turned to look at her. The feathered woman’s cheeks turned as scarlet as her hair, and she parted her lips in shock.

“Go on, Aleia,” Penelope said. “Do you wish to further lead us in our ceremony?”

“I would,” the fairy answered as she gently put her tiny hand around my balls and the base of my cock.

“Fuck, Aleia,” I moaned, and she squeezed me a tiny bit tighter.

“Today,” Aleia murmured, “I would like to thank our lord for our victory in battle. I would like to thank you, Jack, for making me stronger and stronger, and I would like to share your glory with Celeste.”

“And today…” Nicola began, and then she bent down to kiss me and parted my lips with her hot tongue. She twisted her tongue around mine briefly before she pulled away and began to speak again. “Today, I would like to thank our lord for… his leadership. Celeste, Jack is always good at telling me what to do exactly when I most need it.”

“Yes, I suppose, if you need it,” the harpy murmured, and my cock jumped again in Aleia’s hand.

“Only if I need it,” Nicola semi-whispered.

“Good, good,” Penelope sighed. “Today, I would like to thank our master for the holy child he has placed within my body. And, of course, I would like to thank Jack for the love I share with my sisters, for it was his worship that brought us together. Celeste, when I was speaking to you of my love for Jack, I do not think I fully expressed what I feel for Aleia and Nicola. Our bond is beyond that of normal friendship, or even that of sisters bound by blood. We are joined by our worship of our lord, and we… pray together, as well.”

“I suppose there is much I need to learn about worship,” Celeste mumbled as Penelope lifted Nicola’s face and began to kiss the brunette.

As Aleia stroked my cock, and my other two priestesses enjoyed their sloppy kiss, I couldn't keep my eyes off the amazed expression on Celeste’s face.

Aleia was easy to shock, for sure, but the look the harpy wore was beyond even that. She was staring at my cock as if it was as rare and unusual as her own exotic form, and I caught a glimpse of her involuntarily running her tongue across her lower lip.

“There is more that we can teach you about the ways of prayer, of course,” Penelope laughed softly as Nicola slowly rubbed a finger around the naiad’s nipple. “Celeste, I see the look of surprise in your eyes. I, too, was struck by the beauty of Jack’s manhood when I first laid eyes upon it. And as his priestesses, there are many, many ways we can show our appreciation for that beauty. Nicola, do you wish to show Celeste what I’m talking about?”

“I would,” the brunette replied, and she adjusted her body until she was straddling me. For a moment I thought she might rip her robes off and fuck me, but she continued to inch herself downward until her face was directly in front of my cock. “Can I help, Aleia?”

As Nicola took me in her mouth, Celeste suddenly looked me right in the eyes, and I cried out involuntarily. The harpy continued to somberly hold my gaze for several moments while the two priestesses pleasured me at once, and then she turned to Nicola.

“Can you tell me what you’re doing?” the redhead whispered. Instead of sitting back against the wall, she now rested on her knees. “I… didn’t know you could pray that way.”

“Nicola can teach you what to do,” Penelope suggested. “That is, if you wish to become a disciple.”

“I might.” Celeste whispered so softly I could barely hear her, but the sound sent rolling waves of shivers down my body.

“That’s so wonderful,” the naiad cooed. “Nicola, would you like to tell Celeste what you’re doing?”

“This is what our master likes,” the brunette began to explain. “I run my tongue around the tip, like this, and then up and down the shaft, like this…”

“And our master feels so big in my hand,” Aleia moaned as she continued stroking the base of my cock. “Nicola, can I help? He also likes it when you suck on it, like this… and then also, if you relax a little, you can take his cock aaaallll the way down your throat. You might choke, but he really likes that, don’t you master?”

“Fuck, yessss…” I hissed.

“Oh, my goodness,” Celeste murmured. “There is more to this ceremony than I realized.”

“Would you like to try?” Penelope purred.

“I don’t know,” the harpy demurred as she stroked the long, scarlet feathers that swayed gently back and forth from her arms. “Maybe… maybe I need more lessons. I’m still not sure I understand.”

Celeste’s face had started to relax, and her eyes almost looked sleepy as she settled forward onto her stomach. Her head was only a couple feet away from where my priestesses were going down on me, and I felt myself growing more engorged at her presence.

“Oh, and there’s another thing,” Penelope said, and she languidly rose to her feet and stretched her arms over her head. “When we pray to Jack, he wishes to see our bodies as well. It is one of the offerings we make in his honor.”

“Do you mean…” the harpy trailed off.

“Yes,” the naiad said in a dreamy voice. “I’m going to remove my robes now. I believe our lord might wish to watch that, as well.”

I looked over at Penelope, and she turned to the side so I could watch her undress in profile. She held her golden cascade of waves up off her pale-blue neck, untied the thin string that bound the gold and white fabric over her full tits, and then she turned her head to me and smiled as her top fell away.

“Do you like this, master?” The cerulean woman slid her hands down under the sides of her skirt, and then she slipped it down to her ankles, stepped out of it with ease, and kicked the fabric away.

I could see the outline of her nipples in the shadows, and the candlelight hid and revealed the curves of her body in turn. It could have been my imagination, but for a moment, I thought her belly actually looked a little bigger, and her breasts fuller.

When I turned back to Celeste, she was staring at Penelope with her mouth hanging open.

“Ohhhh…” the harpy breathed. “You’re all so beautiful. I’ve been thinking that all along, but I never realized Jack…”

The redhead covered her mouth with her hand as if she were still in shock, and I couldn’t help but stare at the way her leather top pushed her firm breasts up and together as she laid on her belly.

“Yes, Jack’s body is beautiful, too,” Penelope murmured. “Look at the way my sisters have him in their mouths. Learn from them, Celeste.”

“May I try to pray?” Celeste asked as she looked down shyly. “If that’s okay, of course. I know I’m not a priestess, but I’m finding myself to be more and more grateful to Jack by the day, as well.”

“Of course,” Nicola breathed against my shaft. “But maybe you should tell her about aaalll the ways to pray, Penelope.”

“I’m still learning myself, but there’s one more thing I should tell you about,” the naiad murmured. “I need to describe how my lord and I conceived our child. I didn't know how very, very good it would feel, and I think it’s something you must try if you truly wish to consecrate your relationship with our master.”

“Okay,” Celeste barely intonated. “I can try. Just tell me what to do…”

“Is she ready, Nicola?” Penelope asked. “Tell her how she can find out.”

“Put your finger between your legs,” the brunette breathed. “But wait, I’m not sure you’re going to be able to tell in what you’re wearing.”

“We can all take our clothes off, if that would make you more comfortable, Celeste,” Aleia said as she gazed at the harpy from over the tip of my cock. “I can help you first, if you’d like.”

“Yes,” the redhead responded. “Please, Aleia. You’ve always been so kind to me.”

“Stand up,” the fairy instructed. “I can see you need someone to take off your top, so please, let me help.”

As Nicola continued to slide me in and out of her warm, slippery mouth, I shifted my gaze to watch Aleia. The fairy pushed the harpy’s tumbling crimson waves out of the way, and I desperately waited to fully catch a glimpse of Celeste’s body for the first time.

One side of the deer hide fell away, and then the other, and Celeste stood topless before me. Aleia pushed the harpy’s pants down over her full hips, and when the fierce warrior redhead stood fully bare and vulnerable in front of me for the first time, I reveled in her body.

Celeste’s breasts were bigger than I’d even realized, and they were barely kissed on the sides by crimson plumage. The harpy’s pale-pink nipples contrasted with the bright red tones of the rest of her body, and her long, flowing waves just barely concealed the scarlet that covered the space between her thighs. She dipped her head bashfully as she stood in front of me and my priestesses, and I wanted her sweet, tight pussy so bad that my entire cock felt like it was vibrating in Nicola’s mouth.

“Fuuuuck,” I groaned, and Penelope smiled with pleasure. She was clearly relishing her role as head priestess, and I knew she was nearly as happy as I was to see the feathered woman’s naked body.

“So, now you can find out if you’re ready,” Nicola said as she looked the harpy’s curves up and down. “Just stick your finger in your pussy, and--”

“I’m not sure what that means,” the harpy said as she addressed the brunette but stared at me with puzzled amber eyes. “I thought I knew so much, but it turns out, I may not have understood after all.”

“Why don’t you let Jack do it?” Aleia suggested. “His hands are so gentle.”

“Okay,” Celeste whispered. She stepped closer to me, and as I tentatively touched her leg for the first time, her skin was so hot, it felt like it was sizzling under my hands. I felt sparks run between our bodies that were so sharp they were almost painful, and I moaned aloud.

“Hmmmm…”

“Do you feel that too, Jack?”

“I do,” I answered as I started to slowly run my hand up the inside of the harpy’s thigh.

She was trembling so hard I was afraid she might fall over, and I clasped the back of her thighs and lightly dipped the tip of my finger a fraction of an inch into her pussy. Her velvety skin was already so wet she was almost dripping, and I sharply drew in my breath. I knew I had to answer, but I felt like I could barely breathe.

“Yeah, I think you’re ready to worship me,” I half-growled.

“Come here,” Nicola commanded the quivering redhead, and Celeste tried to take a step and stumbled.

“Hold on,” I said as I pushed myself up with one arm and caught the harpy in the other.

The feeling of her entire body against my skin was almost agonizing, and she was virtually weightless, like she actually had a bird’s hollow bones. Her feathers were unbelievably smooth and silky under my fingers, and I ran my hands down their intricate patterns before I bent my head and kissed the harpy for the first time.

Then I felt another hot blast of sparks run down my arms and legs.

Our lips stayed pressed together for a few moments, and I was completely gone already. Although the kiss was practically chaste, it was somehow one of the most intensely erotic moments of my life.

“Thank you,” Celeste murmured. “I have to confess, I’ve never done that before, either.”

“Thank you,” I whispered as I looked into her amber eyes. “You’ve given me a gift.”

“I want to pray more now,” the harpy announced. “Please, tell me what to do.”

“Let me help,” Aleia said to Celeste. “Kneel on top of our master, and then you may slide his holy manhood inside you.”

“Okay,” the harpy sighed, and she put one thigh on either side of my body. “My… Jack, I… I… have decided I would like to fully worship you now.”

I put my hands on her hips, and I gently lowered her down onto me. When the tip of my cock first touched her opening, she cried out loud.

“Celeste?” I groaned.

“Yesss….” she sighed as she pushed her pussy several inches further onto my cock. “I thought praying was for you… I didn’t know it would be for me, too.”

Even though I felt her squirm a little with pain as she squeezed me into her tight, wet tunnel, our bodies fit together like a lock and key. It was only a matter of moments before we were moving together as if we were one being, and as I filled her completely, she suddenly began to scream and shake.

“That’s right,” Penelope purred as she reached out to stroke the harpy gently on her long, red hair. “That’s what our master likes.”

The walls of the harpy’s pussy quaked rhythmically around my cock, and she started to cry out my name over and over again.

“Jack, Jack, Jaaaaacckkk…” Celeste moaned as she threw her head back, and her scarlet waves tickled my knees. “What is this feeling? Oh, it tingles so much. Oh, oh, ohhhh…”

I wasn’t sure I’d felt a connection like this before with a woman. As an incredible wave of warmth and well-being rushed over me, I suddenly knew I was going to release my holy seed into the harpy’s body, and it was the perfect thing to do. All was right in the world, and as my cock began to spasm over and over, I felt the same intense tingling Celeste described, and for a moment, I actually felt sacred.

I was suddenly filled with peace like nothing I’d ever experienced, and even though I could feel my hot cum shooting up into Celeste from what seemed like universes away, I was starting to drift… and then I heard my priestesses gasp.

I opened my eyes, and my mouth immediately dropped open at the most spectacular sight I’d ever seen. Celeste had her hands folded in prayer in front of her, and her lips moved as she mumbled words of devotion.

“Master,” the harpy sighed as she bowed her head, and her motion gave me a full view of the glorious, thickly-feathered, scarlet wings that now spread outward from her ivory back.

As if from a dream, words popped up on my interface, and I forced my dazed eyes to comprehend the letters in front of my vision.

Special Occurrence: Miracle Performed

End of book 3

End Notes

Thank you for reading Building Harem Town 3! I’ll start writing the next book once this book hits 100 reviews, so leave your review right here!

Don’t forget about my Patreon! You’ll get advanced audio chapters (for your ears) or written chapters (for your eyes), and nude/sexy versions of my covers (for your… uhhh… well…) I also have an audiobook subscription so you can get 3-4 of my books every month at a discount along with all the other stuff. Check it out here! Or search for my name on Patreon.com.

Amazon doesn’t update readers when an author comes out with a new book unless you follow that author on the store. Make sure you click this link and then click on the follow button. Then Amazon will update you a few weeks after my next book comes out.

If you want to get notified of my books the day that they come out, make sure you follow my Facebook author page and join my Facebook fan group. If you don’t follow me on Amazon or join my Facebook page, you’ll never get alerted that next novel is out.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Copyright © 2021 by Eric Vall