Stacia looked up at Tiny with a grin, “You remind me of Theoliphius, my father’s Destroyer.”
“I need to offload all of this junk from yesterday.” Alburet broke away from the group to speak with the quartermaster, who was also the smith at this fort. After unloading his bag of junk and getting some gold in return he went back to the gate. “Okay, we’re ready to go. Let’s head off towards the tree I was at the other day. The patrols there are nice and steady.”
The group set out across the grasslands. As they approached the first patrol Alburet buffed Tiny. When he was all buffed up, Tiny ran a few steps ahead of the others to get the attention of the patrol. The Warg Handler turned his warg loose onto Tiny as he and the Orc Rover with him also closed the distance. Tiny got a solid hit in on the warg as the combat started.
Letting out a howl of pain, the warg lunged for Tiny’s leg, just grazing the demon as Tiny sidestepped. Alburet ignited his axe as he came up behind Tiny, waiting to join in. Fluff had pulled her two handed weapon and went to the other side of Tiny, staying a step back so Tiny could get aggro on the Orcs who were nearly in melee range now.
Stacia stayed a few steps back next to Bob, who began to toss his Fire Blasts at the warg. Tiny landed a second strike on the warg before turning his attention to the Orcs who had finally reached him. Fluff slid around behind Tiny, putting herself at his back and cutting the warg off from attacking Tiny from behind. As the warg tried to go around Fluff, it got an axe firmly planted into its shoulders right on the spine from Alburet, causing a big chunk of its life to vanish. Fluff wasted no time as the warg howled again, launching her own attack as the warg spun towards Alburet. Her axe connected with its side, causing it to stumble.
“Stunning Strike worked,” Fluff said with a cheer as she pulled her axe back for another blow.
Alburet beat her to the punch, his axe crashing firmly down on the stunned warg’s skull with a grisly sound. The warg shook its head, baring its fangs at Alburet just as Bob's Fire Blast hit it and Fluff’s axe slammed into it again, this time killing it. Wasting no time the trio turned their attention to the orc Tiny had been damaging while they killed the warg.
Alburet beckoned to Stacia, who stood back with her mouth open in fascination as she watched the speed and damage the group was causing, “Come, join in.”
He turned back to the orc and slashed with his axe, getting a solid hit into the orc’s side. Fluff, not to be outdone also connected, her strike pulling more life off the unfortunate orc just as a Fire Blast hit it as well. Stacia came in more slowly, a dagger in her hand, as if uncertain about how to fit in. Alburet stepped a bit further around the orc to give her a little more space. Still nervous, Stacia lunged forward, her dagger sinking into the Orcs hide. It did minimal damage but still hurt it. Yanking the dagger out she stepped back as if afraid it would turn on her. That wasn’t likely with Alburet, Fluff and Bob all hitting it again. Those three attacks left it with a sliver of life, at which point Alburet left it and went to the last orc. Fluff stayed with Stacia as Bob shifted his target as well.
“You got this, Stacia,” Fluffball said encouragingly, “just stab it one or two more times.”
Nodding, Stacia lunged in again sinking the dagger into the orc for a second time. Yanking the blade free she quickly struck a third and fourth time in rapid succession. The last attack was enough to kill the Orc, which gurgled as it collapsed to the ground. Feeling bolder now that she had killed her first monster, Stacia jumped in with the others on the last of the patrol. The others all stopped when it reached low hit points and let Stacia finish it off. As it died the group let out a small cheer for Stacia, who was engulfed in a flash of light.
“You leveled, well done Stacia,” Alburet said, hugging her with one arm, his axe in his other hand. “See? I told you everything would be fine.”
“Aye, master. I never doubted ya,” Stacia said as she knelt, touching the orc, which vanished as she looted it. “It only had coin?”
“That is very common,” Fluff said as she rested her axe on her shoulder. “I’m sure we’ll end up with more loot by the time we stop, though.”
The group looted the other corpses and set out again. They slaughtered at least two dozen patrols before they reached the tree that Alburet was aiming for. It was the tree the messengers had met under the other day. Knowing the spawn rate, the group settled in for a nice relaxing day of slaughtering the Orcs. While they rested briefly between packs they would chat about different things. Stacia did at one point start to go into detail about all the wonderful things Alburet had done for her.
Alburet listened for a few moments as Stacia started off talking about how he had treated her with respect. He turned his attention to the fields around them, waiting for a new patrol to appear. It wasn’t until Bob broke out laughing that Alburet glanced over at the women. Fluffball was wide eyed and crimson as she stared at Stacia with rapt fascination. Stacia was describing in detail how Alburet had taken her by force the first time.
Spluttering slightly, Alburet cut in, “Stop! Stacia, there is no reason to go into detail like that. Besides, Fluff doesn’t want to hear that.”
Stacia blinked, looking at him, “But master, she asked why I be so enamored with ya. I be just tellin’ her the truth. Never have I felt so complete as when ya control me.” She shivered at the last few words, her eyes glazing slightly.
Covering his face with one hand he groaned silently, wondering what he had done to her. Bob was cackling like this was the best entertainment he had ever had. Alburet finally gathered his words to reply to Stacia, “Unless she says she wants to hear graphic details, do not share any.”
Stacia pouted, “As ya wish, master.”
Fluff shook her head as if coming out of a trance, her face still crimson. Before she could say anything Tiny rumbled out his warning of a patrol coming their way. Alburet buffed Tiny up as the others got to their feet and readied themselves for battle. The rest of the day went relatively smoothly. Stacia never came close to pulling aggro, only taking a single wound all day which healed in seconds after combat was over. The conversations never went back to X-rated topics, much to Alburet’s relief. He didn’t want to alienate Fluff, he really did enjoy her company. He did notice her giving him the occasional odd look as the day wore on. The trio shared Alburet’s jerky, cheese and tea in the field, staying out until the sun was about to set.
“I think it’s about time to call it a day,” Alburet said, happy that everyone had leveled at least once. He was looking forward to seeing what abilities he would be able to pick up from Stewart. Everyone used their Homestones to teleport back to Stormguard, agreeing to meet at Grimgar’s to sell loot as Alburet was carrying most of it. Stacia appeared right next to him outside the inn, so he wrapped her in a hug and gave her a kiss. Once they broke for air he said, “That is your reward for not going back to the topic I asked you to stay away from.”
“I think more is required. Master. It was very hard for me not to share,” Stacia said as she nuzzled his neck, “please.”
A shiver of desire lanced though him at her words, “Later, kitten. Right now we need to sell loot off, then we’ll go find some dinner before we come back here. If you’re really good until we get back to our room I’ll give you another hard spanking, just the way you like.”
Panting slightly, Stacia nodded, “As ya wish, master. I’ll be a good kitten for ya.”
Taking her arm in his, he led her down the street towards Grimgar’s Weaponry to meet up with Fluffball. The trio reunited just outside the shop, going in as a group. The bell announced them, bringing Grimgar out to meet them. He smiled when as he saw them, “Glad to see I will nay have to be huntin’ ya down, Alburet.” He turned his attention to Stacia, “How was ya first hunt, lass?”