The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

The Reality

by asianpersuasion & J. Darksong

Introspection

Amanda Faraday was NOT a happy camper.

Stomping her way across the hall to the door of her penthouse apartment, she was hard pressed not to burst into tears. She’d flat out refused to surrender to her pain and frustration earlier, in front of her subordinates, or her security, or her limo driver. But now, back home, in private, the urge to let it all out in a scream of primal rage was almost overwhelming.

It was gone. Her trump card. Her special project. Gone. Destroyed. Blown to bits in a grand and terrible explosion that not only wrecked the lab, but caused extensive damage to most of the building as well. Dozens of people had been injured. Worse, the electromagnetic feedback prior to the explosion had acted like a miniature EMP, effectively wiping out most of the systems at the plant undamaged by the actual explosion. It was a complete catastrophe. In fact, the only real saving grace of the incident was that the servers hosting the Reality program had been unaffected, safely stored down in the shielded subbasement.

Still, it had been a complete and total disaster, from beginning to end. She herself had gotten shaken up by the blast, though the observation room she’d been standing in had been specially fortified just for this kind of incident, and had remained mostly intact. She’d sprained her ankle, knocked back by the explosion, and banged her head on the wall, but had taken no serious injuries. Her clothing had actually fared worse, her skirt catching and ripping, and heel of her pump snapping off, leaving her looking an unkempt vagabond instead of a high level executive. She’d hardly been at her best when Dr. Edmonds forced his way past the rescue crews and confronted her over what had happened.

“My lab! My lab!” he’d screamed like a petulant child. “What the hell happened here?!?”

“That’s exactly what I’d like to know, Doctor,” she’d answered back. “We lost the emitter in the early morning test. And I’m not sure if it was a design flaw, or a problem with the new configuration you sent, but—”

“Test? What test?” he’d snapped, turning to glare at her. “I didn’t order any early morning tests! And what new configuration? What the hell are you talking about?”

She’d scowled at him then, not used to being talked to that way by one of her employees. “I ordered the test, Doctor,” she’d answered stiffly, “using the new system configuration you gave me earlier. And everything was fine until the main computer console locked up and stopped responding, no doubt from some kind of virus. And as your technicians have informed me, the control system runs on a completely separate internal network cut off from all interactions, I was hoping you could explain how your computer could be infected with a debilitating virus severe enough to cause all this!”

Far from being intimidated, however, Edmonds had glared right back at her. “You arrogant insufferable cunt!” he’d snarled, actually making her jaw drop in shock. “Are you SERIOUSLY trying to pin this incident on me?!? I’m not the one who ordered and set up an unauthorized test of our one and only prototype with a new and untested configuration! Oh no... this is all on you!”

“B... bu.. it was YOUR configuration!” she’d protested only to be shut down again.

“Bullshit!” he’d raged, shaking his head emphatically. “You said I gave you a new system configuration? When? I haven’t been in the lab for a week, remember?” Amanda had blinked in surprise; he actually had been that long since she’d met him face to face. “Or are you saying I sent it to you online or through the mail?” he scoffed.

Stiffening her expression, gripping the flash drive in her hand, she spat back at him. “That’s EXACTLY what I’m saying! You sent it directly to my private account last night for use in this morning’s test. I have the flash drive right here with me—”

“ARE YOU REALLY THAT STUPID?!?” he’d all but screamed at her, holding up both of his hands. “Did you suddenly forget WHY I was away from the lab for the past week? I had carpal tunnel surgery on both hands!! I didn’t send anything to your account! I can barely manage to open a door, let alone draw and sketch a complicated electronic diagram to type instructions on how to use it!” He sighed heavily, shaking his head. “Years... decades of hard work and research, ruined, because you were too impatient and too dimwitted to check the information you’d received! And you KNEW I was coming back in today at ten o’clock! If you’d just waited until I’d gotten here to confirm it, we wouldn’t be standing here in the middle of a burned out wreck... you bubble-brained bombastic simpleton!”

Things had devolved quickly from there. She had, of course, fired him on the spot, having security escort him out of her building, taking a slight bit of satisfaction as they none too gently ejected him. He’d been correct on every point, that the accident was entirely her own fault, but right or not, she would stand for no such abuse from one of her employees, no matter how senior. Edmonds had countered quickly, however, to her dismay. She’d expected him to file some kind of grievance, and possibly sue for wrongful termination, which she was fully prepared to deal with. He had, however, made an end-run instead, going over her head to the Board members with his grievances. And she’d received a call only an hour earlier from Jim Patchett, her President of Marketing, informing her that the Board of Directors was having an official meeting tomorrow at nine a.m. sharp to discuss the day’s events, and that “her attendance had been requested”.

Which is business speak for, ‘you fucked up and we’re going to read you the riot act before threatening to take your damned company away from you’, she thought dismally. Under normal circumstances, she would have relished the chance to meet with them, stared them all down, one-by-one, just daring them to call her out, But the day’s events had severely shaken her confidence. Edmonds couldn’t have sent me those changes, she thought to herself, shucking off her ruined clothes, moving to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of wine. Now that I think about it, it should have been obvious! So... how could I have missed that? How the hell was I so convinced that the information was solid that I never even considered otherwise? She shuddered, It was very unlike her to simply accept or trust something at face value.

Glancing down, she realized that she was still carrying the portable flash drive, clutched tightly in her hand. Huh. I must have forgotten to put it back in the vault where I’d taken it... from? She blinked in confusion. Wait. Hadn’t she actually brought the drive from home? She had gone straight from her office to the lab—she hadn’t actually stopped at the main vault to retrieve the drive holding the frequencies, had she? Suddenly, she stiffened, her eyes glazing over slightly, as she stared at the red colored piece of plastic in her hand.

“I need... to destroy this...” she said in a soft monotone. Placing the drive on her table, she brought down the heavy glass wine bottle, bashing it repeatedly before gathering up the pieces and tossing them into the trash. “Evidence is disposed of,” she intoned, turning back to the table, retrieving her wine glass, taking a sip. “Out of sight, out of mind...”

Shaking her head a moment later, she frowned. Damn... must have zoned out for a second and lost my train of thought... oh! Right! If I’m going to deal with the board tomorrow morning, I need something definite to defend my actions... some kind of proof to shift the blame off me and back to Edmonds. Taking another drink, draining her glass, she made her way back to her computer. She was quite aware that Edmonds hadn’t sabotaged the project, but someone HAD, and she had no qualms about pointing the finger at him, painting him as a disgruntled employee out for revenge.

Besides, she thought with a grin as she powered on her computer, he deserves a bit of payback for the way he talked to me. Maybe a few years in federal prison for industrial espionage will teach him some manners.

She paused, frowning slightly, her hand hovering over the mouse, just before opening her mail folder. She felt a strange sense of deja vu, as if she’d done this before, which was odd, as she’d used her home terminal countless times before with no unusual feelings of unease. And yet, as she moved to click on the program, a small voice in the back of her mind yelled, screamed, begging for her to stop. As the program opened, however, that tiny voice, as well as all of her other thoughts, went silent as her wide glazed eyes were assaulted by a kaleidoscopic rainbow of colorful flashes.

“Uhhnnnn...” she groaned softly, her hand sliding from the mouse to drop down into her lap, laying idly for a moment or two before slipping deftly down underneath her panties, finding her very wet pussy, and teasing herself, bringing her pleasure to a slow boil. All the while, the static in her mind slowly resolved itself, as her shattered thoughts slowly reformed.

Mmmm... yes... I understand... I see it all now. It was sabotage. Only someone familiar with the project would even know about it. And only someone on the technical staff would know how to destroy the prototype. Her cheek twitched slightly, her eyes wide and unblinking, the thoughts linking together like a sweater being knitted. I see. Dr. Edmonds... yes... it makes perfect sense. He knows the frequencies. And he designed the machine. If he destroyed the prototype, then the project would be considered a failure... leaving him with the knowledge to construct his own device.

Her eyes fluttered slightly, her toes curling and clenching as her pleasure began to reach its peak. She was so close, coming closer all the while as the truth made itself known to her. Edmonds... wouldn’t be working alone... would have to have had help... backing... someone pulling his strings...someone who wanted her out of the way... like... like... Her fingers worked feverishly as her hot snatch, thumb rubbing against her clit as she struggled to know, desperate now to believe whatever the colors told her, needing that final piece, needing the Truth so absolutely HAD to have—

“The Booooaaaarrrddddd!” she screamed as she came, back arching, head back, the Truth revealed to her finally. Of course! Obvious! So obvious! Every single member hated her, and wanted nothing more than to see her removed. They’d tried for years to force her out, to find some chink in her armor that they could use as leverage to depose her. And when their spy, their turncoat traitor of a stooge, had been found out and fired, where had he run? Straight to his masters, the Board of Directors that had set up everything in the first place!

All these thoughts slowly percolated within her mazed and scattered mind as she slid a wet and shuddering hand up to her computer mouse, clicking off the program before stumbling her way across the room to her bed, where she collapsed, ready to sleep and dream about her revenge against those who had wronged her...

* * *

“Kim.” the voice called out.

Kimberly Rhodes blinked her eyes rapidly, her vision blurring into focus as she woke, letting out a long yawn and stretch not unlike a cat arching its back. She could see that her Master was there in front of her, smiling at her. Her heart leapt in her chest. Her character, Serena, and her actual self could barely believe that he knew her name. Her real name. It sounded so good coming from him. She purred.

“Hello Master.”

He gave her a kiss, playful and warm and she melted slightly. “I’m glad you’re awake. I need your help with something.”

She rose quickly, giving him all of her attention, “Yes Master, anything. What can I do for you?”

He smiled, “Take a look at this.” He showed her a blueprint roughly sketched out by his own hand. “It’s a sketch of Marion’s castle keep. How’s it compare to what you’ve found so far?”

She blanched. Her mind racing. “I—I’m sorry Master, I just—I must have been really tired, I just woke up and I logged straight in! I was going to get—”

He held up a hand, silencing her. “Good.” He smiled at her. Giving her an even bigger kiss than before he pushed her back onto her rolled out cot, the smooth grains of sands of the cove getting tangled in her hair, “You did exactly what I wanted.”

Raw pleasure filled her mind as the pleasure of pleasing her Master overwhelmed her. For a brief moment, nothing else mattered, but as her higher level thoughts returned she became confused. “Wait. Master? What do you mean?” Serena asked.

“I told you earlier to get rest and take care of yourself first. My mission to find information was secondary. I’m sorry for the test, but well, that schematic was fake. It was for an old mineshaft down in Sylvan Order territory.” He looked at her, his dark eyes warm and soft, “I told you what I wanted you to do, and you listened. You did exactly what I wanted and that makes me happy.” More pleasure filled her and she smiled and kissed him back, they rolled around in the sand of Ker-Is and they laughed.

“We hold each other accountable, you know... all of you to me, saying that I can’t throw my life away for all of you.” Kyle said sheepishly, as they lay there side by side, “Well, I’m pulling the same card on you all. You can’t throw your life away recklessly just for me. I won’t have it.”

Serena nodded. “Yes Master.” She snuggled into his body and for a few moments they just lay there, side by side.

“Mmmm. Nice. Who knew chasing tail to the Lynx party all those weeks ago would get us in a situation like this huh?” Kyle said after a moment with a laugh.

“I certainly didn’t.” Serena said with a smile, “But I’m happy.”

“Whatever happened to that Greek slave girl outfit you were wearing that night?” Kyle asked.

“I uh…” Serena blushed, “I think it’s still back with the Lynx.”

“Damn.” Kyle laughed ruefully. “That was the first time I really met you. Snowpoint doesn’t really count. And well…” He blushed, “It did suit you quite well.”

It was now Serena’s turn to laugh. “I’ll see what I can do Master. Maybe get a matching set for everyone here? Dress us all up like the Greek Goddesses?”

Her playful voice had turned more seductive and it was having obvious affects on Kyle’s physical state. “Well as lovely as that would be, I’ve got other priorities.” He said with a sigh, briefly closing his eyes, deep in thought, “But save that thought for later. Right now, I don’t even want to think about all that big stuff with Marion and everything.” He continued, playing idly with her hair, he looked down at her, “You know. I just won’t for a bit. No sense in getting all worked up over stuff we can’t possibly address right now.”

“Sounds good to me, Master,” she agreed, snuggling close. “We could all use a break, but no one more so than you.”

He rolled on his side to look straight in her eyes, causing a chill to run up her spine. “Tell me about yourself Kim. I know Serena some, but I don’t know the girl underneath at all. Where are you from?”

“I’m from Stamford Bridge.” Serena replied softly, “But I live in London now.”

“Oh really? Wow. Never been. Always wanted to go. I was a huge Stamford Knights fan growing up.”

“Oh?”

“Well… yeah. I mean all of the American teams for the Reality were always so…rigid? I guess. The Knights always played a beautiful game. Lots of tactics, lots of showmanship, great leadership. I was really sad when they broke up. But no one was really ever able to challenge the Pantheon, so it made sense.”

Serena nodded, “I was a big Knights fan too growing up. But yeah, individual players started getting so much bigger than teams, the Knights sorta just became obsolete with the fame of the Pantheon.”

Kyle shrugged, “Yeah. I used to pretend to be Ashley Mannix, you know? With his bow?” Kyle made little ‘pew! pew!’ sounds while miming the firing of a bow at a rapid pace, “I thought he was so cool.”

“I had a crush on the guy to be honest,” she admitted shyly. “Don’t see a man like that everyday. Leads the Knights, dashing, brave, rugged good looks.”

Kyle shook his head. “You can say that again. Ok. So you’re from Stamford, you live in London. When did you join the Lynx?”

“Same time as Honor. We became friends in primary school. Met each other as we messed around here like everyone else did. And we both liked playing and formed a fast friendship. Then we worked our way up together and joined the Lynx about seven years ago. And then with Honor, it was up, up, up, until we were numbers one and two in the guild. And then, after a year or two under us, we were one of the richest guilds in the game. And then well… you came along, and now I’m here.”

Kyle nodded, “You two are both so impressive. Working your way up like that in such a short time? I remember the Lynx when they were just a party guild. Yeah, before you guys left you were a real powerhouse.”

Serena beamed with pride, “Oh Master! Thank you! So... What about you?”

“Me?”

“Where are you from?”

Kyle rotated to lay on his back and Serena inched closer to lay her head on his chest as Kyle mused, “I guess no one really knows that either huh? I was born in Chicago. My mom and dad weren’t around much and my mom passed away when I was five. My dad worked hard to provide for us and provide for my ever expensive dream of going pro. But it worked, and my dad realized that my aptitude for the game wasn’t normal. He paid for some special tutors and things so I could focus full time. Nearly cleaned out his coffers, but he told me it was worth it. Ethan, my sponsor, sponsored me when I was just 16, and set my dad up in a nice place in Downtown Chicago since the old bastard would never leave that city. Now I’m out in California near the beach, got my own private estate.”

He yawned and stretched, relaxing as he thought back. “Anadriel and I met like you and Honor did, but back then I was weak, fat, and a little too naïve. I let her play me like a fiddle and she rode me for all I was worth then ditched me right before she joined the Order. In the end, it was good for me. Broke me of my innocence but drove me to be ambitious, practical, and work harder than ever. I spent the next few years experimenting with class builds, trying to go on speed runs till I figured out the best way to level up fast. I adopted this character like four years ago and got turned into a werewolf on an accidental encounter with Hollowclaw up in the Hinterlands, and well, the rest is history really.”

“You’re loyal to a fault, huh, Master?” Serena looked at him, and smiled, “I really do admire that.”

Kyle shrugged, “I make vows, I keep them, and I work my ass off to make sure I keep them.”

“Speaking of work, I better get on those schematics Master.” Serena said, looking at him.

“Yeah, ok, I suppose,” Kyle said with a slight frown, “But just stay with me like this for five more minutes.”

“Is that an order, Master?” Serena asked with a giggle.

“Shush. Just stay here.” he said, closing his eyes and drawing her close tousling her hair. Needless to say, Serena didn’t refuse.

* * *

Alexis glanced up, smiling as a familiar figure appeared outside the cave. She’d sensed his return moments before, and had removed her clothing in preparation. “Master! Welcome back!” she rose, greeting James as he entered with a searing kiss, before returning back to the floor, kneeling demurely. “I trust everything went well in your latest quest?” James groaned softly, willing his robes to shrink into a pair of boxers, wincing slightly at the latest batch of scratches and scrapes all over. Alexis, head tilted slightly, stood up, running a hand lightly along his chest. “Hmmm. Perhaps ‘well’ is a bit too strong a word.” Focusing a bit of her power, a wave of pure healing energy swept through him, healing all his wounds, bringing his life back to full. “There now. All better.”

James grunted, nodding. “Thank you. So... what brings you here today?” he asked, glancing around.

“Oh, I know how you get after a quest,” Alexis replied with a shrug. “I knew you’d need to... unwind, and work off some excess tension.”

James grunted again, walking past her into their larder, grabbing a large piece of smoked meat. “And how did you know I wouldn’t have rather spent time with one of the others instead?” he asked, smirking” My current team also have a couple of girls and ALL of them are VERY HOT, not to mention my other …erm ..friends. Who is to say I have not already gone to them first?” even though he already knew the answer.

Alexis merely rolled her eyes. “Master, I may not be able to play this game at a stretch, but that does not mean I don’t know what goes on around here. I knew perfectly well what happened with your battle in the water temple. And when you are forced to surrender that much control to your inner dragon,” she stated with a smirk, padding barefoot across the room to press herself against him from behind, “I am very well aware of the particular mood you return in. You will want sex,” she purred softly, grinning as he growled, tearing into the smoked meat, devouring it in a matter of second. “Hard. Brutal. Vicious. Animalistic sex,” she continued, moving to stand in front of him, seeing the glint in his eye. “And the other girls might not be able to handle it... but we both know I can.”

As the hunger in his belly was replaced by a different kind of hunger, James sighed inwardly. Alexis was right. Hell, she was usually right. Even now, he knew it was inevitable that he give in and surrender to his animal side once more. It irked him, somewhat... losing control of himself to the beast within him, It was a trade off—the dragon gave him great power and strength, but the cost was the loss of his humanity. And whenever he tapped into that power, he had to pay the cost. He could repress it for a while, of course, but the dragon would always have his due. And right now, the dragon wanted to mate.

With a sudden and savage turn, he whirled around, pinning Alexis to the floor. “So... you think you can handle me in this mood?” he challenged, eye glowing, hair standing up in spikes. “You think you can withstand my onslaught and come through unscathed? Well, slave slut... we shall see!” With that, he forced her to the ground, and pried her legs apart.

Alexis for her part, merely smiled and sighed deeply. “Yesssss... yes, Master! Use me, use me in whatever way you desirr-aaaaah, me,” she panted as she was suddenly impaled upon his cock. “Mmmmnnnh... ooohhhh yes... fuck, me... fuck me, my Dragon Lord!” she moaned, panting as her Master began pistoning inside her, ramming her down again and again into the floor.

The small part of James that was still himself, merely along for the ride, winced in sympathy. He wasn’t being gentle. And the girl would definitely be sore in the morning. It was so strange, so ironic, in a way... of all the people in his life, he’d known Alexis the longest, and cared for her the deepest, yet she was the one he always used for this... debasement. The one he cared for the most, that he wished to show the most kindness to, was the one who received it the least. Fortunately, she neither wanted nor needed kindness or compassion from him.

It was hard not to feel guilty for the way things had turned out. She had been part of the accident that had bound his mind to the Reality, had been logged on with him during the accident. The jolt she has received had been less physically traumatic for her. Unlike him, she was able, even now, to log off and return to the real world at any time. Unfortunately, the mental effects had been much more pronounced. A large amount of digitized data had been downloaded directly into her brain, burning out several pathways, leaving her incredibly intelligent, but emotionally hollow. She was literally unable to feel emotions, happiness, sadness, joy, sorrow, or love. Being logged into the Reality, the computer matrix linked to her damaged mind was able to somewhat compensate, simulating real feelings, and giving her at least a limited range of emotional responses... but offline, she was reduced to a cold, clinical logical thinking automaton.

“Uhhhn! Uhhhn! Uhhhn! Uhhhn!""” she grunted, head whipping back and forth in a frenzy. James’ claws had left a webwork of scratches all along her back and sides as he held her, lifting and slamming her entire body with each hard thrust. She was nowhere near ready to cum, despite her body’s reaction to the stimulation. She was merely the receptacle of her Master’s pleasure, and her reactions were linked directly to his. She would only cum, only feel true pleasure, when she had fulfilled her duty to him, when she had pleased him fully. When he pulled out of her suddenly, and flipped her over, spreading her thighs, she merely smiled again as he positioned himself behind her. The scream that escaped her lips as he took her in the ass was that of surprise, not pain or anger, and she redoubled her efforts, pressing back against each hard thrust even as his cock threatened to split her apart.

James, or rather, the dragon in control of him at that moment, grinned sadistically. Alexis was indeed a good fuck. Any other girl would have been broken by this treatment, despite his Dragon tongue. But she was stronger, inside and out. In fact, it was really only Dragonspeak that allowed him to control her this way, to make her bend to his every whim. It still bothered James greatly, having made the woman he loved into his total and absolute slave, despite the fact that Alexis herself had begged for it.

She was, simply, too powerful, to strong with her partially digitized mind synching to the Reality, able to integrate and even rewrite parts of the code at will. Not as powerful as Uncle JD when he was in his prime, but still pretty damn close. Only by surrendering herself so completely to the one person she trusted was she able to keep that power in check. It also helped her cope with the huge amount of data her brain normally received because of the sync. It also, however, relieved her of the few traces of motivation she had retained from her partial digitization. She no longer cared about the Reality, or anything happening inside it. All she cared about was pleasing James, her Master, and doing whatever he wished of her.

“Aaaaaararrggghhhhhh!” he roared loudly, as he finally reached his peak, firing off deep inside her. Alexis, likewise, went rigid, her purpose fulfilled, as she too came, her thoughts fading as the world around her whited out. Afterwards, Master would be sullen, discouraged, and angry that he had once again given in to his bestial side. He will again complain about her calling him master. She would comfort and reassure him, as she always did, and remind him that her pleasure was his pleasure. She was incapable of being abused or misused, simply because for her, she was experiencing the joy of serving him. And then, finally, once his guilt was assuaged, they would bed down and sleep, rest and recover... and truly begin to heal.

* * *

Takae and Kokoro Ogasawara, had been born and raised in Kyoto, Japan. Kokoro had never really cared for the thrills of the Reality, but her cousin Takae had poured herself into the game at an early age. Takae’s parents had moved to Germany early on in her life, placing her with Kokoro and her family to be taken care of.

Playing The Reality, every chance she got and getting into the best schools to train in the Reality. Both girls weren’t living in the lap of luxury and Takae never seemed to forget it, vowing to make something of herself from a young age. Earning scholarship after scholarship, Takae soon found massive success upon joining the Sylvan Order and becoming an international celebrity with her character, Anadriel Shalandearl. Kokoro had done her best to keep by her cousin’s side. She knew she wasn’t particularly smart or strong like her cousin but she had worked hard to make something of herself to keep up with her cousin and Takae had always liked the drawings that the younger Kokoro had given her.

All I ever wanted was to be strong like Dri, Nora thought to herself, thinking back on the past. And to help her achieve her goals in life. And now... I just want the same for Master.

Nora sat in her room in the Viridian Sun HQ contemplating everything that had happened. She remembered in the Otaru Desert, the absolute pleasure of pleasing her Master, the moment she could tell he was happy, the look in his eye, the smirk on his face.

I’m getting all worked up just thinking about it—mmmmm.

A part of her could tell that this was unnatural, her feelings and her thought processes, but she also recognized that she wasn’t going to worry about it.

I literally can’t worry about it. Master ordered me to not get too emotional about events so I’m incapable. I guess if I wasn’t under his control that would be quite disturbing.

Yet it didn’t matter. The magic of the Dragonspeak dominating her mind assuaged her thoughts, just giving her pleasure, reminding her that serving her Master was all that mattered. If she thought about it more, it wasn’t too different from before.

I won’t freak out about it now. Nora thought. But... I do so hope Dri is ok.

Just then, a cacophony of yelling could be heard outside her door and Nora peaked her head out the door. “Erm, Soldier?”

“Yes ma’am?”

She’d stopped a random Sun member rushing through the halls, “What’s going on?”

“Lady Barena is organizing a hunting party, ma’am, to track down Lady Stormsinger.”

Nora nodded in understanding. I don’t particularly mind if Vale is out of the picture, but with all of these people moving around, this is a bit overkill… “I thought she had already sent out another hunting party?” Nora questioned.

“Yes ma’am, but Lady Barena informed Lord Marion that she was under the protection of Kyle Shadowchaser and she needed reinforcements.”

Nora nodded in understanding, now that made more sense. “Thank you soldier.” Nora replied, and the soldier bowed to her and got on his way at a brisk pace.

Kyle.

The name rang in her head as she briefly considered whether if speaking to Master was necessary, to see if he wanted her help.

No, if Master wants me, he’ll call for me. Best not to disturb him. Nora thought.

Kyle. She hadn’t thought about him for some time now, consumed by her desire to please her Master and find the relics. As she thought about it, she realized that indeed, if not for her feelings for her Master, she would still be head over heels for the upstart hero.

Huh. And those feelings are magically induced.

But she also recognized that at this point, the only way she was going to be free of Marion was through Kyle and his Dragonspeak. It was something she both hoped for and dreaded at the same time. The thought of being separated from her Master was unbearable. It would surely displease him... but yet the thought of Kyle made her heart swim.

I guess not even Master’s magic can eliminate those feelings entirely.

If she thought about it deeper she could almost picture her mind like a beaker filled with oil and water. The water was Kokoro Ogasawara, the young Japanese girl still wanting to aid her cousin, fall in love, study business and law to be cousin Takae’s full time manager or agent or something of that nature. Meanwhile the oil was Nora Snowfallen, the deeply rooted absolutely enthralled and enslaved woman desperate to please her Master, Marion. Her body was the beaker, merely the container in which all of this was going inside.

I can’t worry about it. Nora thought as she pulled out a piece of paper from her desk and took to sketching. She let the pen wander, just drawing on instinct and emotion, letting her mind go blank.

When her mind returned to reality she saw that she had drawn nothing other than Kyle Shadowchaser... wearing Master Marion’s armor.

Oh. Well... It’s a good thing I can’t worry about it. This can’t be healthy.

Although as even that simply thought occurred to her, the magic quickly swept her away, and she couldn’t bring herself to care.

* * *

Kyle sighed deeply as the world around him slowly came back into focus. The transition from the Reality back to the real world was normally seamless, but after being pulled out forcibly by his own pet stalker, he’d become hyperaware of just how long it took from the moment you were disconnected from the system to being able to see and move about freely again. Perhaps it was his overblown paranoia, or maybe just his sense of self-preservation, but the moment his eyes were able to focus, the first thing he’d done was scan the room to make sure he was alone. Confirming it, he finally let out a breath and relaxed.

Not that I should feel too concerned, he reasoned, removing his helmet interface, stepping into the bathroom to refresh himself a bit. I set a timer to alert me to log out when Natasha and Aurelie were set to arrive. Even if Natasha had driven like a bat out of hell, there’s no way she could have arrived back here this fast. And the purpose of setting an alarm was that I’d be up and alert when they arrived, anyway, so there would be no more surprise. Everything is going to be fine. I just need to relax.

Truth be told, he was still a bit on edge. He didn’t like feeling helpless, and waking up to find himself tied and bound had shaken him more than he cared to admit, even to himself. He’d instructed Natasha for her and Aurelie to sit and wait patiently if they arrived while he was logged in or away. Still, while Natasha was currently under his thrall, Aurelie was still something of a wildcard, and he didn’t want to take the chance of emerging from virtual reality to find himself pinned down and straddled by a frantic French supermodel, furiously humping herself to completion atop him.

A quick shower and shave later, he was resting comfortably drinking some bottled spring water when his door alarm rang. A glance at the monitor revealed the two supermodels standing on the doorstep, one composed and still, almost blank, the other so jittery she seemed to be literally vibrating in place. Sighing deeply, he took a moment, considering the best way to handle the situation. He was loathe to use more Dragonspeak on the poor girl after everything she’d already endured, but Aurelie Renoir seemed even more crazed than Natasha had when he’d first confronted her. And unlike her friend, she hadn’t yet had the chance to relieve the sexual tension that had been plaguing her for more than a week. Settling on a compromise, he unlocked the door, allowing them both to come in.

“Sir,” Natasha said blankly, “I’ve returned with Aurelie, as ordered,” moving to one side as the disheveled, frantic blonde surged forth, looking all too much like a thin lithe, exquisitely curved linebacker about to make a tackle. Kyle took a few steps back, however, placing a hand out before him.

Jilg ugyot,” he barked, causing the stunned blonde to freeze in place. “Aurelie, I want you to listen to me carefully. In a moment, when I will allow you to move again, you will go down the hallway into the bathroom on the left side, strip naked, and get into the shower. You will wash yourself thoroughly, letting the hot water relax and calm you, and clear your mind. Once you are calm and settled you will then come to the bedroom across the hall. And then I will help you cum until you are satisfied. Okay?” Wide eyed, she managed a small nod. “Qe duulo,” he said finally, allowing her to move before turning his attention to Natasha. “Good job bringing your friend back here to me. Now, I want you to, um...” he said, glancing around, “Oh! I want you to do the dishes, and clean up the kitchen. Once you have done so, you will sit down on the couch and immediately drift off into a deep and comforting sleep. And you’ll remain asleep until I call your name to awaken you.”

“Yes, Sir. I obey,” the leggy model replied, turning on her heel to head into the kitchen.

In his bedroom several minutes later, Kyle glanced up as the door opened, and Aurelie, naked and slightly damp from her shower, padded softly into the room. “Excusez-moi, monsieur,” she said shyly. “Pardon. Est-ce bien? I am sorry about how I acted earlier... when I began to charge at you. I was... derange... not myself... but I am calmer now.”

“It’s okay, Aurelie. And really, its my fault.” He sighed softly, reaching out a hand, bringing her to the bed. “What happened at the hot tub after the party that night was a mistake. I hadn’t meant for that to happen.” He glanced to the side. “Worse, I had no idea you and Natasha would still be feeling the effects days later. It was my bad,” he said softly, pulling her down to him, kissing her gently, feeling her melt into him. “So I intend to make it up to you, right here and now,” he growled, pulling her down to the bed...

Much later, Kyle stirred, feeling the soft blush of Aurelie’s hair against the chest and she shifted slightly against him. He held still for a moment, not wanting to disturb her if she was still asleep, but then she lifted her head, turning to face him. “Hey,” Kyle said softly, smiling at her. “How are you feeling?”

“Mmmm, tres bien,” she purred, snuggling. “Serieusement! I can’t remember when I’ve felt so loose and carefree. I feel as if I ’ave been in a long dark tunnel, and ’ave finally come back to the light once more.” She smiled at him then, her entire face lighting up. “You are a wonderful lover, Kyle. Tell me... will it always be this way? Serving you, I mean?”

Kyle blinked. “Serving me?”

She nodded. “As your servant, your... how do you say... ‘slave’?” She sighed. “Not that it matters. I will do anything you ask of me. Anything!” She shuddered slightly. “I have seen the way you control ‘Tasha, and felt that control myself. And I do not wish to again experience ze ’orror of that last week by displeasing you...”

Kyle went visibly pale. “Aurelie. Let me make something perfectly clear right now. You are not my slave. What happened to you and Natasha was a mistake, an accident. I had Natasha bring you here so I could help you, and relieve that sexual tension you were struggling with. But you can leave any time you wish. You aren’t beholden to me anymore—you can cum without my help.”

Aurelie nodded slowly, considering his words. “So... I can leave anytime I wish? No, how you say... ‘strings attached’?” Kyle nodded. “Mon Dieu,” she said softly, shaking her head in disbelief, surprising him by hugging him tightly, and kissing him again. “You are truly too good to be true. I do not know anyone who could do what you do, that can make any person obey them this way, and yet not turn everyone into his or her servant.”

Kyle glanced away, blushing in embarrassment. She’d actually come a bit closer to the truth that was comfortable. “Well, um, for one thing, you’re still very much a stranger. I know almost nothing about you, except that you’re a supermodel, and you’re French.”

Aurelie nodded, leaning back against him staring up at the ceiling. “You wish to know about me, Sir? There is not much to tell. Oui, I am a model of some repute, but it is not my true calling. For me, it is but a stepping stone to what I truly wish to do!”

“Oh? And what is that? You want to become an actress?”

“No! No! Bien sur que non!” She said, laughing. “My interests are much more ’umble. It may sound, how you say... cliché? But I wish to become a chef.” She sighed dreamily. “When I was a young girl, one of my favorite things to do was to help my mother in the kitchen. We would cook together, working side by side, just the two of us... and then the food once it was done, seeing the pleasure on my brothers’ and my dad’s faces as they tasted what we’d made...” She sighed again. “We lived in a small town on the outskirts of Grenoble, up in the mountains. We were not wealthy, but we lived well, with loving parents, a roof over our heads, and plenty of food to eat. And then, after high school, by chance, a man was taking photographs of the landscape, and asked if he could take a picture of me as well. I did not know he was a famous photographer for a national magazine or anything, or that he would show my picture to his editors.” She shrugged. “All I know is, one day, out of the blue, I get an offer to do a professional photo shoot and a contract for more work after that. My parents and brothers encouraged me to do it... and the rest is, as you say, ’istory!”

“Wow. That’s pretty impressive. And I can see why they chose you to model. You’re one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever met.” Aurelie preened at the compliment, blushing deeply. “Moreover, you haven’t let it go to your head,” he added, glancing towards the living room, “like some OTHER models I can think of. You’re a very sweet girl, Aurelie. And I’m very glad to have known you.”

“Je ressens la meme chose,” she gushed, before sitting up from the bed. “I feel just the same... though I would have preferred to do so without the last week,” she added ruefully. “Still, it seems to ’ave worked out for the best.” Kneeling down, she retrieved her discarded clothes. “So... I know you said I was free to go with no strings attached... but I must ask. What do you intend to do with Natasha?”

Kyle’s smiled widened. “Concerned about your friend, eh? Well, don’t worry. Like you, I intend to free her shortly, and send her on her way. I just intend to wipe her memory of everything that happened, and make sure that she can’t tell anyone about what I can do, or cause trouble for me in the future.” He gave her a direct look. “I’m not going to wipe your memory, Aurelie,” he told her, “not unless you wish me to. But I will have to make sure that you’re unable to tell anyone either.”

“Of course,” Aurelie agreed, immediately, looking almost eager. “You can do whatever you need to do, Sir. It is not necessary—I would never wish to cause you trouble—but if it will give you piece of mind, then I am glad to do it.” She paused, holding her panties and bra in her hands, considering. “Une requete... a request, if you please,” she said, biting her lip.

“Um, okay. What is it?”

“Before I leave and return to my... old life, as you say,” she purred, tossing her clothes back onto the floor, returning to the bed, “I’d like for you to give me something to truly remember me by.” Kyle chuckled as the tiny blonde French girl pushed him back down onto the bed, and mounted him... and they proceeded to make some memories...

* * *

Vale stared down at her menu, unconsciously holding her breath as the duel timer finished its countdown: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0—duel terminated. Match draw. Letting out the breath she’d been holding, she stood up and stretched. Well, that part’s finally over, she thought dimly. Hopefully I won’t have to stay in this dank musty old cave for much longer. She glanced down the corridor leading into the back. Looks like all the local yokels are either asleep or logged out for the night. Perfect time to stretch my legs and get some fresh air. Approaching the entrance of the cave, she gasped, nearly jumping three feet as a figure emerged from the shadows.

“Gong somewhere, Stormsinger?” Leila asked, idly tapping the flat of her dagger lightly against her thigh.

“Aaaah! Shit... you nearly gave me a heart attack,” the Snow Elf complained. “It’s fine. I was just getting some air, that’s all.”

“Plenty of air back inside the cave,” Leila stated dryly.

Vale scowled. “I wanted to get out and stretch my legs, alright? I’ve been sitting inside that stupid cave so long I swear mushrooms were starting to sprout!”

Leila merely shrugged. “Your lack of hygiene isn’t my concern. You trying to sneak off unsupervised, possibly to run back to your beloved Marion? That’s my concern.”

“I wasn’t sneaking off, you half-wit!” Vale protested, incensed. “It’s not as if I have any way to defend myself, or anyplace to run off to! God! How many times do I have to go through this with you people! Marion wants my head on a silver platter, and he sent his favorite mutt Barena to claim it!”

“So you say,” Leila replied coolly, “but I’m not convinced that you’re telling the truth. I heard a little bit of that bullshit sob story you gave Master earlier... and yeah, it sounds nice in theory, but it just doesn’t ring true to me—”

“Ahhh, bloody fucking hell,” Vale groaned, rolling her eyes. “Do you even fucking HEAR yourself? ‘I heard that bullshit sob story you gave Master earlier’...” she said, mocking Leila’s voice. “God... you’re just another sheep, blinding following your Master’s will, doing everything you can for your Master.”

Leila merely raise an eyebrow. “Really? Well, Vale, if I’m a sheep, I guess that would make you a lemming, the way you followed around your beloved Marion. How many times have you lied, cheated, stole, and killed for your beloved Master—oh, excuse me, your ‘Lord Guildmaster’.” She smirked at Vale’s expression. “The same person who just decided to dump your sorry ass on a whim. Say what you want about Kyle Shadowchaser, but he is loyal to a fault. All of us that follow him do so out of our loyalty to him. Loyalty, not fear or compulsion!”

Vale rolled her eyes in response. “Hmph. Still sounds like the bleating of a sheep to me. You can rationalize it all you want, but at the end of the day, I was able to escape the one oppressing me. You’re stuck with your ‘boss’ until he decides to let you go.”

Leila sighed deeply. She would retort that Kyle was about as oppressive a gentle refreshing breeze, but she highly doubted her words would get through to the thick headed Snow Elf. Still, she wasn’t here to debate the point. She was here to protect her Master and her sister slaves from any trickery Vale might be up to.

“Think what you want,” Leila stated, pointing the dagger at her, “but I’m still not convinced that Marion has let you go. You can try and deny it all you want, but a leopard doesn’t change her spots. You were his number one, his lieutenant, his most trusted advisor—”

“UNTIL THAT FUCKING BITCH SLUT HEALER CAME ALONG!” Vale screamed, huffing and shaking with barely restrained rage. “It’s all HER fault!” she grumbled, turning away. “Everything was fine until she came along. I was Marion’s lieutenant. I was the one he depended on.” Her head lowered. “And then he learned that the cousin of the Great and Powerful Lady Anadriel Shalandearl was a Healer,” she spat angrily, “and decided that she would be an asset in tracking down the rest of this stupid relics. He turned her into his obedient little slave, a puppet unable to do anything but obey his every command. And suddenly...”

“And suddenly, you weren’t his most needed, most vital, right hand anymore,” Leila said slowly, nodding. “Ahhhh. I get it now. I understand.”

Vale sighed, glancing back over at her. “So you believe that I’m on your side now?”

“Not for a second,” Leila replied with a smirk. “You’re on your own side. Still, I suppose your cooperation makes sense now. You don’t give a damn about rescuing Nora Snowfallen. You just want her gone, away from Marion’s side, so that maybe, maybe, he’ll realize he needs you again.”

Vale’s mouth opened and closed several times, then she turned on her heel. “Hmph. Guess I was wrong,” she grumbled loudly, moving back towards the caves. “The air out here is even worse than the air inside.”

“Oh, Vale?” Leila called out, causing her to pause.

“What?”

“I just wanted to tell you up front and personal,” she said, sliding the dagger back into it’s sheath on her leg. “If you betray my Master, for whatever reason, I’ll kill you. Plain and simple.”

Vale blinked. In her time she’d received hundreds, no thousands of threats to that effect. Marion himself had come close to threatening her life, had all but threatened to smash her head in with his warhammers on multiple occasions. She’d seen anger, rage, fury, even fear at times. But Leila’s cold, almost casual delivery chilled her in a way none of the others ever had. Swallowing, she made her way back deeper into the cave.