Chapter 24:
Reunited
After a very pleasurable early morning they went out to get some fresh air after breakfast, but as they exited the Bastion a familiar group of figures all but charged them as they made their way towards the gate of the compound.
“Kar!” Erica called enthusiastically.
The loping Amazon had sprinted ahead of her sisters and scooped Erica into a warm hug which was soon joined by Milly.
Kar was laughing and crying as she broke away from them.
“I heard! We all heard! It’s really true isn’t it?!”
Without explaining she pulled Nameless into another hug, his face pressed into her firm breasts and he found that he was so happy to see her that he didn’t mind her bosomy embrace one bit. And everything that might have been between them from when they traveled together was back now in force, the memory of her heated offers, the friendly touches, all of it.
A lump formed in his throat as he returned her embrace with vigor.
While Kar clung to him fiercely he realized that the warriors were all crying happily around them and that news of their discovery must have spread to the Amazons in the city. There were a great many hugs to follow as the old friends were reunited.
The Saenga warriors held back a bit, sizing up the other Amazons, until they too were pulled into friendly embraces and some quick introductions were made.
“My husband told us much of your adventures. You wouldn’t believe the stories people are telling about you in the city! I swear every Undine for miles has been pestering Juni for details since last night!”
Yana wiped a tear from her face and pulled Nameless free from one of the other girls’ breasts only to put him into her own, he felt a pair of wet hands on his neck when Juni joined the hug over Yana’s shoulder.
The Amazons’ mood turned reverent as their embraces finally broke up and he shyly unwrapped the shield and held Volka up for all to see.
“Um, Kar, Yana, girls… This is Volka.”
Hail and well met, tribe of Brael, try not to suffocate my husband, I’m rather fond of him.
He couldn’t help it, he laughed at the look of utter disbelief on their faces at Volka’s warm and teasing voice in their heads.
It was the Saenga all over again, even the stalwart Yana openly wept.
They were creating quite the spectacle in the middle of the Aegis compound, uniformed people gawking at them from all sides and a harried looking official had to all but shoo them over to one of the spacious training areas around the tower.
So they spent a few hours catching up with the Amazons, he had set Volka’s shield on one of the equipment racks, where it looked very out of place indeed amongst the padded practice weapons.
All was going well… until Nameless was abducted.
Standing on one of the wooden benches around the sandy training rings, Erica was telling them all an only-slightly-embellished version of how Milly had destroyed the seeker in the vault beneath the sand, the Minotaur was red to the roots of her hair and receiving many pats on the back from the gathered Amazons at her victory.
But the Katje didn’t get to finish her story as a strange buzzing sound came from above. The gathered monster girls looked up in time to witness Hornets descending all around him.
“The queen requests an audience with the Empath.” One of them said in a firm voice.
“Um, what?”
“We are to bring you to her.”
Abruptly he was airborne, a Hornet gripping him under his arms on either side while one other tucked each of his legs under her arms.
He heard shouts of protest and saw the others scrambling below but they were quickly drowned in the buzzing of the Hornets and faded into obscurity when they shot into the air. He barely had time to be afraid of the great height they were at or to marvel at the incredible view before they flew into the side of one of the many spires in the city.
They set him on his feet gently and he swallowed his nerves as the Hornets formed up around him: he couldn’t tell if it was an honour guard or if he was a prisoner…
As he looked at his surroundings he gaped at the strange construction, the usual smooth stone had been coated in something that looked like opaque yellow melted glass, nearly a foot thick. Beneath his feet the surface was smooth but just as hard as stone.
The Hornets guided him into the labyrinth-like structure until he was well and truly lost in the yellowy hive. Eventually he was led into a massive room with hexagonal cubbies formed from the strange substance all around the walls. Many of them were occupied by other Hornets who appeared to be resting. At the center of the room was a massive circular bed surrounded by fine silk curtains of various yellow and orange hues.
“My Queen, we have brought you the nameless man!” The Hornet to his right proclaimed.
“Oh! Goody! I was so looking forward to this! You may go sweetie, I shall tend to my guest personally.”
“As you command, my Queen.”
The Hornets all around him suddenly broke away, some taking up position by the entrance while others settled into the cubbies in the walls.
The silky curtain was drawn back and Nameless found himself staring at one of the most voluptuous women he had ever met in his life.
Her hair was short and straw coloured, and an ornate golden circlet adorned her head, at the center of which was a bright yellow stone that he suspected was her heart. She had two segmented black antennae sticking up from her hairline and framing the stone in her crown. She also had the same insectoid wings as the others coming out of her back.
She was clad in a very sheer yellow negligee and he could clearly see her nipples through the fabric.
“Hi honey!” She said with a broad smile as the translucent wings on her back gave a rapid flutter and she was abruptly much closer to him than he was comfortable with.
“Um, hi?”
“Ooooh, you are just as bashful as I had heard. Come on honey, we have much to discuss!”
With that she took his hands in her surprisingly strong grip and half flew, half dragged him to the bed.
“Welcome to my bower, do you like it?” She gave a wave of one arm to their surroundings.
She had lain him down on the soft mattress and draped her form across his. Her ample breasts could have even given Milly competition as they pressed tight to his side.
“I-it’s nice?”
“It is isn’t it? But forgive me, I know who you are but you do not know me. I am Queen Oldeera, and you are most welcome in my chambers, and in my bed…”
Nameless squirmed as she finished her introduction with a seductive buzz from her wings.
“How can I help you, er, Queen?”
She poo-pooed his use of her title.
“No need for formality.” She giggled, her laughter doing distracting things to the flesh of her breasts.
“Okay, how may I help you Oldeera, and please remove your hand from my groin. My bond-mates wouldn’t like it.”
Her hand had drifted down and was cupping his penis through his pants, and though still taken aback by her nearness, he knew how upset the others would be at the queen’s forwardness.
She smiled at his words.
“Mmmm, I bet.” Her hand stayed where it was, if anything cupping his length tighter; “Here is the thing honey. I would very much like to count myself amongst those women who share your bed, and before you say anything you should know the kind of perks that come with bonding with a hive!”
His mouth had opened to object but she cut him off as she called out to the surrounding girls.
“Come then my sweets! My guest is even shyer than I expected, let’s show him what it means to own the heart of a queen!”
The silk curtains were cast aside as dozens of naked girls surrounded the bed on all sides.
The Hornets were built differently than their queen: while her breasts were large and her form shapely, they were slight of frame, with hardened muscles and small breasts that had formerly been covered in dark chitinous armour.
Nameless blushed under the intensity of their hungry gaze.
Oldeera’s eyes were just as hungry as she spoke to him while stroking his length through his pants.
“You see honey, when you bond with the queen you bond with the hive. Just imagine it, dozens of beauties attending to your every whim.”
She leaned back and slipped her negligee down to reveal her impressive breasts and Nameless found that his mouth was dry with nerves at the sight.
“Imagine your toes being sucked on by my loyal girls, their tongues going over every inch of you. Imagine grabbing any one of them at any time and stuffing your cock down their willing throats. Or imagine grabbing me and doing the same!”
She leaned towards his crotch and pressed her face to his engorged member and buzzed her wings again.
The vibration was intense. The whole experience was intense, too intense. He scampered back away from the aggressive girls, only to have hands descend on his shoulders from behind.
He was surrounded, and was feeling very trapped.
“And imagine honey, just imagine, your other girls being likewise serviced long into the night. My sweets derive their pleasure from mine so it wouldn’t take anything extra to make them happy.”
She reared up, pinching her nipples and biting her lip; evidently she was imagining it herself. Then she locked eyes with him and her expression turned grave.
“And imagine dozens of angry Hornets to unleash upon your foes. Our lances aren’t for show.”
“I don’t have any foes!” He squeaked as he tried to fend off the grasping hands of the Hornets all around him.
“And you never will with my hive watching over you.” She responded quickly as she began to crawl up his body again, her wings buzzing still.
“P-please let me go!” He pleaded.
“What?!” She stopped abruptly, her face a mask of shock; “You aren’t my prisoner honey! This is flirting!”
In his rattled mind he observed that Nina flirted with more subtlety.
She sat up and gave a single snap of her fingers and abruptly the other Hornets released him and began to clothe themselves, the chitinous armour once more covering their breasts from his view.
“It would seem I have made a miscalculation, you know, most men would have been all over me the moment they were carried in here.”
She sulked a bit as she pulled her lingerie back on, for all the good it did for her modesty.
Nameless breathed a sigh of relief as he slumped back against the bed.
“How come everywhere I go women just throw themselves at me? The Amazons, Jubby, and now this?” He said into the air, speaking to no one in particular.
“Simple honey, you are an Empath, many girls go their whole lives unable to find a bond-mate. But you can bond with anyone! And that doesn’t even take into account all of the things that you have accomplished. Don’t think I don’t know about that shield!”
She loomed over him again, and cupped his head in her hands, though somehow she wasn’t so terrifying now. Instead she was almost… motherly.
He sat up and threw his feet over the edge of the bed. The Hornets that had surrounded it were all in their cubbies again.
“But I already have five girls bonded to me!” He protested.
“Hmmm, you should know that just makes you even more desirable. It speaks of a good heart and loving nature.” Her voice was wistful now.
“I still don’t understand. You don’t even know me at all!”
“What is there to know? You are selfless, loving and gentle, everything beyond that is just details. You would be perfect for my hive!”
She buzzed up into the air and settled beside him where he sat at the edge of her bed. She looked down at him as they sat together.
“Seriously though honey, I am sorry that I frightened you, any other man in Garland would gladly sacrifice a limb to find themselves carried into my bower. So I just assumed you would too. It has been a long time since my Hornets have found someone worthy of sharing my bed! And it seems that it is true what they say, all the good ones are taken.”
Her sigh was morose and he couldn’t help but feel bad for the lonely queen.
“I’m sorry.”
“You are too kind. At least jerk off on my tits once before you leave?” Her voice was hopeful as she licked her lips for his benefit.
He swallowed and shook his head.
“My bond-mates-”
“-Wouldn’t like it.” She finished for him, nodding her head with another sigh; “Very well then, my hive is pledged to the Aegis, but should you change your mind, seek me out and I will happily pledge it to you.”
He wasn’t sure how to respond so he simply gave her a wan smile.
There was a long pause between them as she regarded him, her face inscrutable.
“I really should get back to my friends…” He said quietly.
Her antennae twitched as she nodded and snapped her fingers again. Without delay several Hornets surrounded him and carried him off.
After he was gone she had her Hornets draw her curtains closed.
“Well fuck.” She settled onto her royal bed and into a royal pout.
__________
The sound of grunts and shouting voices greeted Nameless as he was returned to the Aegis compound. Milly and Erica were training with Yana and her Amazons once again, although this time they were both attacking Kar at once, presumably at her request. Apparently Yana had informed the girls that he wasn’t in any danger from Oldeera’s Hornets so they had simply carried on without him.
He stayed back and watched for a while as the trained.
“Move your feet apart Milly! Keep yourself balanced or she’ll topple you!” Once again Yana was taking a hand in their training, shouting instructions to them as they circled the other Amazon in the sandy training area; “Erica! She won’t fall for it so don’t even try.”
With a hiss Erica dropped the handful of sand she had picked up as Milly and Kar began exchanging heavy blows once more.
“Is this about that honour stuff? Cuz winning seems more important!”
Kar threw a feint at Milly before released her own fistful of dirt from her other hand into the Minotaur’s face.
“Hey!” Milly complained as she stumbled back.
Kar then tackled the disoriented cow around the midsection and brought the stronger monster down, Erica chose that time to leap onto her back but Kar promptly rolled off of Milly and onto Erica, the three now in the dirt, Milly coughing at the Amazon’s dirty trick while Kar quickly pinned the hissing Katje.
“Honour has its place, but not in a fight to the death. You’re right: all that matters is winning.”
Kar was breathing heavily as she held her face inches from the Katje’s, their noses almost touching.
They held that pose for several moments, and then her face began to drift lower and Erica’s eyes fluttered closed.
“You two going to fight or fuck?” Nina asked.
She was examining the craftsmanship of the Aegis practice weapons on their racks while her bond-sisters were sparring.
Kar shook her head slightly to clear it before lifting herself off of Erica.
“Fight now, fuck later?” The kitty said cheekily.
The Amazon returned her smile and bit her lip before helping her up.
“Deal.”
Yana rolled her eyes.
“I think perhaps I should spar with you from now on, since you seem unable to focus with Kar?”
The threat in her words was painfully obvious.
“No, we’ll be good! Promise!” Erica squeaked.
Milly was still rubbing at the dirt in her eyes, her lip in a pout.
“How come I get a face-full of dirt and Erica gets promises of sex?”
Kar laughed as she fixed her loose ponytail before hauling Milly to her feet.
“Because you two did as instructed! You have clearly been practicing and have made great progress. If I hadn’t cheated you might have bested me!”
Yana nodded in agreement.
“Yes, your adventures have toughened you it is true, as has the time you spent with the Saenga, their fighting style is different from ours, less rigid and disciplined, more fluid and wild. But only good can come from learning many different ways of fighting.”
At the mention of the Saenga Nameless looked around until he spotted them working with some of the other Brael warriors, a friendly competition seemed to have sprung up between the disparate Amazons as Myrina and Riya squared off.
Arms encircled his waist and a familiar floral scent filled his nostrils as Ophelia rested her chin on his shoulder while her breasts pressed into his upper back.
“You should know dearheart; Nina fully intends to tie a rope around you to keep you from floating away again. We’re all going to help, Milly agreed to sit on you so you don’t squirm too much.”
She planted a kiss on his ear.
He was about to apologize, but then, he had been kidnapped.
“So this queen… was she very pretty?”
“Nope, not even a little bit.”
He was stupid but he wasn’t an idiot.
She giggled and kissed his ear several more times.
“And yet despite scaring you silly she seems to have aroused you in no small measure.”
One hand dropped down and cupped his crotch and squeezed rhythmically.
“Ophelia!”
They were blocked on one side by one of the racks of training supplies but still very much in public. And as he feared someone spotted them, though at least it was just Kar.
He met her eyes just as she finished pouring a bucket of water over her head, the droplets glistening in the sunlight as they rolled down her neck and into her cleavage.
The Amazon smiled at the sight of him and smiled even wider when her eyes slid down to where his Flutterby was fondling him. She then winked and trailed one finger over the water on her breasts and down to her taught naval, then held her mouth open for him, just as she had in the woods several weeks prior.
Once again he couldn’t tell if it was Kar’s arousal or his own that came over him in a wave. He groaned as his cock jumped in his pants and Ophelia caressed him.
“Then again, perhaps it wasn’t the queen at all. You really want her don’t you dearheart? Kar I mean, not the royal kidnapper.”
Ophelia was teasing at first but the more she sensed his emotions on the matter the less she teased, her grip on his crotch eased.
“You don’t have to say anything, we’ll do as Volka says and spend more time with her. I know that Milly and Erica especially have grown very fond of her, and I think Nina appreciates the idea of having another warrior around. For my part I won’t ever forget how she protected you in Bramblewood.”
She kissed his ear again and released him, then turned him around and rested her arms on his shoulders, her smile was as warm and understanding as it had ever been, she kissed him once on the nose.
The intimacy between them was broken however, by the sudden arrival of a Dragon.
Xalanth landed in the middle of the training ring, sending dust everywhere as she scanned the faces of the people and monsters in the compound.
Nina turned from the racks of weapons and spoke nonchalantly.
“Hey ‘Lanthy, where you bin?”
With her glowing green eyes, the Dragon took in the giant.
“Enjoying a tryst with my love, mountain-daughter. Miranda is in with the council again, and my lady meanwhile would like to speak with your lord if you can spare him.”
Nina caught sight of Nameless and gave him a once over.
She sniffed.
“Lord? There’s a fantasy we haven’t tried yet.”
The Dragon smiled at the joke.
He and his other girls couldn’t help but wonder at the casual way Nina addressed the Dragon, even though they had met Xalanth before they were still awestruck in her presence.
The Dragon followed Nina’s gaze and spoke to Nameless.
“The Aegis has already extended you hospitality on my behalf, but allow me to say that you and your escort are most welcome in my home, young Empath.”
She tilted her horned head at the Saenga Amazons, the warriors had kept their composure and Escrya bowed her own head in acknowledgment, though her eyes were wide and she didn’t say anything.
The training session broke apart, Erica wanted to check out the market quarter in the city proper so she and his girls left to do just that. While Yana’s people returned to their duties and the Saenga girls watched in awe, Xalanth flew Nameless to see Sadie after he had retrieved and covered up Volka again.
It was the third time that morning that he found himself airborne, he disliked flying but wasn’t about to tell the Dragon that as she carried him to the very top of the Bastion and flew them into the side of the massive building.
He was soon drinking tea with the white haired woman and her powerful bond-mate and filling them in on his adventures.
He had much to tell them.
The revelation that the Empaths were created by the Valkyrie was staggering to both Sadie and the Dragon. He wasn’t sure how they would take the news when he explained about their shared history.
Sadie did not take it well.
“Then we have failed them.”
She sighed and dabbed at one eye with her napkin.
Nameless protested but Sadie shook her head.
“We’re the last ones, Nameless. After we struck our bond, Xalanth and I searched for years for others. We found only three in all that time. One of them died young, the other just disappeared one day. When Miranda found you I had hope again, but it faded quickly. We really are the last ones, us and Jonathan. He is lost to us, and I have no strength left in me.”
Xalanth rested her claws on her shoulders comfortingly.
He tried his best to distract her from their status as an endangered species.
“Tell me, what was Jonathan like?”
Sadie shook off her despair and looked thoughtful for a moment as she considered how best to answer his question.
“Driven. Just like you, he couldn’t not help if he saw a girl who needed it. I learned early on to pace myself, but Jonathan would go from one girl’s tormented mind to another until he would collapse from exhaustion. Ultimately he burned himself out trying to save them all.”
Nameless could understand that sentiment, the thought of Erica or Nina alone in the darkness made him shudder.
“How did it happen?”
Sadie looked mournful.
“A Lapine was brought in. Her stone was completely black before the Aegis found her. They brought her to us and I told them there was nothing we could do, but Jonathan…”
“He tried to save her?”
She nodded.
“I don’t understand. You said he was burning himself out, but I have only seen two girls who had…”
“There was a massive surge in the number of Tenebrae about twenty years ago, we still don’t know why. This lasted for nearly a decade and only diminished about six months after Jonathan fell into darkness and I lost my strength. The Aegis were working in double shifts for all that time, trying to keep it quiet to prevent panic… they came down so very hard on anyone who violated the charter.”
They sat together in silence for several minutes as Nameless absorbed the information. Sadie watched him, sipping her tea while Xalanth began to rub her shoulders with her strong claws. She sighed and her eyes lidded somewhat at her mate’s affections, her moment of despair forgotten.
“So Jonathan is in a coma now?”
“Yes. He is just a few floors down from us in one of the towers. His bond-mate tends to him while he sleeps. I’ve tried to reach him but he is gone.”
“What about me?”
“I considered this, after your Gigas… but Nameless, my friend, an Empath going dark isn’t like a monster girl. His mind is a kaleidoscope of pain that he has absorbed from hordes of Tenebrae. To save him you would need to…” Her voice trailed off as her gaze shifted to the covered shield leaning against his leg.
“My lady?” Xalanth paused in her shoulder rub, her rumbling voice tinged with concern.
“She helped you with your Gigas right? Could she perhaps help you with this?”
I am Valkyrie, defender of the innocent, my will is as steel. Together we saved Nina and together we will save this Jonathan.
Volka’s voice reverberated in his skull like a trumpet call to arms. And from the shocked look on their faces, Xalanth and Sadie’s as well.
“You finished your nap sweetie?” He asked drily.
She had been silent since Xalanth had arrived.
She gave what sounded like a delicate snort in their minds.
Nap? How droll you are Husband, I merely wished to get the measure of our hosts.
“Wha, but… how?”
It was all Sadie could manage.
Now that I am united with my husband it takes no energy at all to reach out to those around him. In fact, I now draw my power directly from him, and he is young and full of vigor, as he has been demonstrating on a nightly basis with my bond-sisters.
His ears went bright red and Sadie tittered into her hand, while Xalanth barked out a laugh that filled the room with its rumbling peals.
Nameless discovered that it was a strange thing to see a Dragon laugh, strange and terrible as a chill went down his spine.
Do not fear my love. For all of the Valkyrie know of Xalanth Flame-tongue! She who battled alongside the Second Heavenly Host in the mountains on the northern front even before I was born. It was one of the worst engagements of the war and without her intervention many more would have perished. The Dragon is of noble heart, as is this worthy lady.
Sadie and Xalanth paused in their mirth.
“High praise coming from an angel, you have my thanks, warrior of light.” Xalanth inclined her head slightly; “And it is as you say, once upon a time I knew many of your sisters, knew them, and fought alongside them. Their loss pains me still.”
There was a pause, and Nameless could sense the deep sorrow that Volka felt at being the last of her kind, then her voice echoed in their minds again, this time with great solemnity.
Thank you, Flame-tongue. My sisters will rest easier knowing that a Dragon grieves for them. May the winds ever bow to the will of your wings, and may your precious lady find a reprieve from the darkness that she has endured.
Nameless picked up the shield and held it in front of him facing inwards, the faint glow of her stone visible through its covering.
“Are you alright? I know how hard it is for you to think about some of this stuff.”
I am well, although the feeling of your arms around me makes me nostalgic for the days when I might have been able to return your embrace. But the Aegis endures, peace reigns, and I am content.
Xalanth nodded.
“Yes, it endures. Though so does the darkness that the Aegis continues to contend with.”
Ever has it been so. Monster girls are not without their own foibles, but man is singularly gifted in this regard. Still, as long as those like yourself and your lady stand against it, the darkness will never win through. For our part, we should strive then to waken this Jonathan from his painful repose.
Nameless clenched his jaw in determination.
“Sounds like a plan.”