Chapter 0 - Losing Bet

Karia Walidah stepped into Agliophilia with a sense of trepidation. She'd heard tales of the arena since she came to Asmana, and she'd finally come to test her skills. She didn't expect very much from herself: she was an archivist first, an adventurer second. Yes, she could take down bandits and bears with the rest of them, but she wasn't dedicated to self improvement the way so many other fighters were.

Karia merely watched a couple of fights at first. One between two fire wizards that ended after one of them used Sunblast-one of the most powerful spells a fire mage can know, and the second a fistfight between a veteran of the arena and a newcomer, with the newcomer coming out victorious. After seeing the newcomer win a fight, Karia felt slightly more confident. She headed to the register and put her name down for fighting.

While waiting and drinking a small mug of mead, Karia overheard a strange language. Strange, but familiar. She turned to see the speaker was a female hybrid. She was unmistakably a unicorn-the pure white skin, mane and horn protruding from the forehead gave that away instantly. Looking her up and down, Karia noticed many other things such as a hooves in place of feet, a low-cut set of robes, giving a generous view of her bust, which was smaller than other horse-hybrids but still larger than most women Karia noticed.

The unicorn's language was an form of elvish dialect that Karia knew from back home in Alay Kaibuq. She was talking to a male dark elf, and her words-and tone-were that of flirtation bordering on outright seduction. The dark elf was disinterested, which confused Karia. Surely any self respecting man would take such a beautiful woman up on such an offer. After a few seconds the man got up and left, leaving the unicorn a little disheartened.

Karia acted without thinking. She walked over to the unicorn and spoke in the elvish language "You know, for all their good parts, men are pretty stupid sometimes."

"Such is the lesson all women must learn." the unicorn answered. She took a second to look Karia up and down, studying the elf's muscular figure, her sunkissed skin, her toned waist and hips. Apparently the unicorn found Karia nice to look at, for her next words were "I imagine a woman such as yourself would have no problem with getting such men under your sway."

Karia spoke simply with a shrug. "I find men to be easy prey. Too easy, in fact. I haven't met a single man here who could pose a challenge to me."

The unicorn blinked and asked "Is that a challenge upon me?"

"If you wish it to be." Karia replied, smirking. "Karia Walidah, by the way." she offered her hand.

"I do wish it so. Layre Unicorn." her challenger shook her hand and they headed to the registry to book the fight.

Five minutes later, the two stood on opposite sides of the arena. Karia gripped her trusty shield a little tighter and gulped. She didn't want to appear nervous, but how could she stop herself? She jumped slightly as the announcer's voice rang out to the spectators:

"Ladies and gentlemen! Human and not! We have a fight ready to go between two newcomers to our fair land! On this side, a desert elf with a big shield and a bigger hunger for adventure: Karia Walidah!" Karia noticed he said her last name wrong, but she knew better than to point it out. Applause rang out for her, giving her confidence. "On this side, a hybrid unlike any we have seen before, seeking challengers in fighting or in it's opposite: Layre Unicorn!" Around the same amount of applause rang out; Layre seemed to bask in the claps. "Now, let the match begin!"

Layre opened with a magic missile that Karia barely blocked it in time. The unicorn sent another at her, but this time she was ready: she pushed the shield just as it hit and sent the spell back at her opponent. Layre looked surprised. She clearly hadn't expected Karia's shield centre to be pure silver; it cost a small fortune, but had saved Karia's life many times.

Karia ran at her opponent, who sent a fireball at the ground below the elf, forcing her to stop. She blocked another fireball and sent a spell of her own: a lightning spark. The elf missed, though it forced Layre to duck to the side. She charged and smacked the unicorn's face with her shield while laying a fist into her stomach.

Layre jumped backwards while firing a fireball, but Karia dodged it and leapt at her opponent, readying a punch. Her fist was barely sidestepped, but Layre wasn't ready for the elbow that came afterward. The attack staggered her as Karia began unleashing blow after blow, relentlessly assaulting the unicorn with punches and kicks alike.

Layre suddenly burst magic out from herself, forcing Karia back slightly. She followed up with a hard kick to the mouth that nearly broke the elf's teeth. The unicorn then cast a summoning spell that conjured a wolf familiar that gripped Karia's arm tightly until she kicked it away and dispelled it with another lightning spell. However, the unicorn had put some distance between the two and was glowing slightly purple, charging up an attack. Karia's eyes widened as she realized what was about to happen.

Layre unleashed a powerful beam of pure arcane magic. In response, Karia hunkered down and channeled shield magic directly in front of herself, taking the full force of the beam and hoping she could last through it. How long the beam lasted Karia wasn't sure; maybe a few seconds, maybe a full minute. But when it ended she was barely able to stand back up: Fortify was a powerful ability that only the most skilled shield-users could properly channel, and Karia wasn't among that number yet.

Karia was exhausted. Her strength was almost gone. It was all she could do to stand up. However, her opponent didn't look any better. After using such a powerful attack, Layre was on hands and knees, panting heavily. Karia somehow managed to put one foot in front of the other, and again, and again until she reached the unicorn. 

She held out a hand, spit out some blood and offered "Call it a draw before one of us topples over?"

Layre smiled and took her hand. Karia pulled the unicorn opponent to her feet-with some difficulty-and lightly tapped on her wrist three times, the recognized sign of a draw. The audience looked disappointed at the result, but nobody complained. Clapping, without cheers, sounded around the arena as the two women headed into the back where they were given healing and potions to recover their strength. 

As feeling returned to Karia's shield arm, she talked with Layre. "You're certainly an excellent fighter. It's not often I meet a warrior who can match me for stamina, much less power as well."

"We may be equal in battle, but I could outlast you in a bedchamber." Layre answered. Karia almost choked on her potion as Layre continued. "I'm a better lover than a fighter anyway."

Karia smirked. "Is that another challenge I hear in your tones?"

"Outlasting you in the sheets wouldn't be a challenge." Layre answered confidently.

"500 gold says otherwise." Karia bet instantly. "500 gold, and the loser has to finish off the winner." She held out her hand.

Layre took her hand and they shook. "I hope you've got a second stomach in that body to keep you going, because you'll need it."

Karia asked the orc at the registry if any inns were nearby, and he told them of two: the Bear and Bison, and the Bluegrass Inn. The Bear and Bison was usually full by this time, though. With this in mind, the two headed to Bluegrass, full of excitement yet nervousness. The afternoon sun shone brightly around Asmana, though it seemed to be getting lower in the sky by the second.

The Bluegrass Inn wasn't as cramped as Karia expected. She supposed most of Bluegrass' people were cooking food in their own homes. The smell of beef delighted her nostrils, and the few customers inside chatted amicably. It was a homely and welcoming place. A giant of a man stood behind the bar, carefully wiping a glass. The two walked over to him. 
"Hey, friends. What can I do for you?" he asked, his voice deep as an ocean.

"We'll take the attic room for the day, please." Layre told him, handing over a small coin purse.

He smiled and joked. "Need I put a muffle spell on the room?"

Layre answered, already leading Karia to the stairs. "Oh, the elf's going to scream so loudly a muffle spell will make no difference." However, Karia noticed him flick his hand upwards all the same.

Karia stepped into the room after Layre. It was a small room without much inside, but a huge bed sat in the centre. She shut the door behind her and a click told her it had locked. Layre was already undressing, pulling her robe over her head. Karia stripped down too, her armour clattering to the floor loudly.

The unicorn smiled. "I can smell your eagerness from here." she told the elf. "Why not let me warm you up?"

"Because that puts you at an advantage." Karia answered. "But go ahead; I want to see if you're as good in bed as you are in the arena." she continued, laying on the bed and spreading her legs apart.

Layre wasted no time: she crawled onto the bed and spread Karia's cunny lips apart with her thumbs before letting her tongue touch the inner layers. She prodded with a finger, testing the elf's tightness. "Wow, you're pretty tight. Has it been a while?" Layre asked curiously.

Karia shrugged. "A few months, give or take."

"You starved thing!" Layre was clearly surprised. She slipped her left middle and forefingers inside Karia's depths, murmuring to herself "This may be harder than I first thought..."

Layre's fingers worked into Karia's wetness slowly but deeply; the unicorn using every inch she could reach. Her tongue touched Karia's bead and the elf arched her back at the spike of pleasure. Karia nearly reached for her breasts, only just reminding herself that she was supposed to outlast Layre. However, she couldn't stop her toes from curling or her gasp from escaping her mouth. She felt Layre's thumb brush her other opening; she touched the unicorn's cheek to get her attention and shook her head slowly; she didn't want anything doing there. The finger instantly lifted away from it.

"You're tastier than most elves, I have to admit." Layre commented, sucking Karia's juices from her fingers. "You're also dripping wet, so I think you're ready for what comes next..."
"No. You've had your turn to take charge, now it's mine." Karia told her. "Lay on your back."

The unicorn obliged, and Karia got on top of her, hooking the left-side leg with her own and holding Layre's other leg over her shoulder. Karia thrust forwards, rubbing their cunnies together, and the burst of pleasure jolted both of them.

"Wh-Where did you learn this?" Layre asked, shocked.

Karia smirked, thrusting hard every few seconds. "My race is-ah!-mostly female so we-ugh!-compromise."

Before Layre could answer, Karia sped up, rubbing her cunny against the unicorn's faster. Judging from her moans, Layre was having trouble fighting the waves of pleasure, and as Karia thrusted harder and faster, Layre began massaging her breasts. Karia paused for a second to reach down and sample some of the unicorn's juices. She lightly licked her fingers and a mixed taste of strawberries and elderflower met her tongue. Without commenting, Karia instantly pushed back against Layre, coaxing a gasp and a moan out of the unicorn.

The elf grinded her cunny against Layre's, her hips thrusting forward as she placed a hand on Layre's chest to balance herself. Karia thrusted faster, her bead grinding against Layre's, driving the two of them closer to orgasm. Karia wasn't sure how much longer she could hold her climax off, but Layre was clearly struggling too; even her horn seemed to glow with the pleasure it's owner was experiencing. The feeling was immense and it was a matter of seconds before Karia would orgasm. Thinking fast, the elf placed her hand on Layre's right udder and squeezed firmly, her thumb playing with the teat. At the same time, she reached downwards and pinched Layre's bead firmly.

Karia's quick thinking paid off. Layre screamed her orgasm to the lands, her body shaking madly and her fingers gripping the bedsheets like they were a cliff saving her from falling. The sound of the unicorn's climax was a serenade to Karia's ears. She waited a few seconds for Layre to recover before speaking: "You lose." Karia smirked triumphantly. 

After a second, Layre's head slumped back onto the bed and she let out a barely audible "Damn."

There was a knock on the door and the bartender's voice asked "Are you two okay? It sounded like one of you was being tortured."

"We're fine." Karia shouted back. "The unicorn just screamed so loudly that a muffle spell made no difference!"

A booming laugh sounded through the door as the bartender retreated down the stairs.

Karia got off of Layre and sat back, spreading her legs apart again, relieved she'd won the bet. Layre was a little slower than before, still coming down from her orgasm high. As soon as she reached Karia, her tongue set to work exploring the inner layers of Karia's dripping wetness. Her middle and forefingers reclaimed their spot inside the elf's depths as her thumb ran the bead in circles.

Layre removed her fingers from the elf's depths and slipped her tongue inside in their stead. Karia rubbed her nipples lightly as Layre's fingers pulled, pinched and massaged her bead. The elf could feel her orgasm rapidly approaching, and Layre's sudden tongue-thrust into her cunny drove her over the edge.

Karia was unable to hold back longer and pressed her cunny into Layre's mouth as she came, her only noises grunts and gasps. Layre answered by shoving her whole tongue into the elf's wetness, tasting every drop as Karia's orgasm hit her like a lightning bolt. Little sound escaped the elf, but she seized up as her cunny convulsed on Layre's long tongue. Karia's body flopped on the bed, all semblance of strength gone. However, she felt the unicorn slowly working her way up the bed until her head was laying on Karia's heaving chest.

"You are something else...pulchra..." Layre murmured. 

The elf could only hold her equally beautiful lover close. Between the fight, the bet and the intense orgasm, little was left but exhaustion and a desire to sleep. But something inside her smiled warmly as Layre's body pressed against Karia's. Karia just fell into sleep, content she would wake up and smile as warmly the next morning.