Chapter 10 - A Different Path

The army was gone and they were finally safe. She directed Armon, with the help of the scepter, to lead the army away and trust that the villagers would live out their lives peacefully. It’s not like we’re going to last long anyway, only daughters are being born and not many outside males are willing to mate with women blessed by Kinok. Many people flocked to their town after the army turned back, most of them outcasts from other ruined villages that had been touched by Kinok’s influence. Vanita knew it wasn’t over yet.
 
“I hear your village has relics, could you direct me to the artisan that crafted them?” The shorter woman with broad features and a commanding presence asked. 
Vanita was pleased that others had heard of her accomplishments. “I am the creator, Vanita.”
“A woman?” The dusky eyed woman dismissed the idea. “Drop the ruse and show me to the man who created them.”
“A man started, but a woman finished.” Vanita’s head tilted, dimples showing with a non-genuine smile.
The woman crossed her arms, finally seeming to understand. “Tell me about your relics, Vanita.”
Vanita raised her hand to show the ring. “This is the Band of Possession.” She explained how it would transfer consciousness between bodies. Agreeing, the unnamed woman launched her hand out and grabbed her arm, her own band pressing against the skin. The same odd sensation passed and Vanita found herself in the foreign body, looking at her wispy features from a distance. The other woman had swapped their bodies and Vanita now realized how foolish she had been. 
 
“What do you want? Who are you?”
“I am a crafter like you,” Vanita’s former body said. “You weren’t the only one given knowledge.”
Vanita could see a similar ring on her new hand. Without much thought, she reached up and grabbed her old body’s pierced breast. Nothing happened. It feels nice, though. “I learned how to control when it happens.” The woman in Vanita’s body gave a big grin, her cheeks flush with delight over her victory. “Your thoughts play a big portion in how it responds. Now, what I really want is for you to show me to whatever you made to command Armon and his army to march away.”
--
Many refugees had found their way into town and most were welcome additions. However, there were exceptions. A large, naked man waddled into their home. Nora remembered the rotund man from long ago. He has to release his seed into someone to deflate. He nearly popped Krina when she helped him in town. “How are you still alive?”
The heavy man leaned upon the table, causing it to tilt slightly. “I remember you…” He huffed. “I found a delightful woman who emptied me every few hours.” His jowls shook as he spoke, sweat rolled along his brow. “She let me go a little too long one night and it was too much for her, the poor girl.”
“You are not welcome here.”
“You cannot leave me to die. If you are careful then you can empty me safely.”
“You are not our problem! Leave and do not trouble us!” Nora snapped uncharacteristically. She felt bad for the man, but he was selfish and he would always be a burden if she let him stay. The bulky man passed through the door with a loud grumble, slamming it shut behind him.
 
A scream came a few minutes later as she rushed to the door. Outside she saw her daughter Samara pinned beneath the writhing fat man. He awkwardly reached down, trying desperately to guide his cock in between her spread legs. “Just put it in and I’ll stop, I swear.” The fat, glistening man pleaded to her.”
“Don’t, he’s going to-“ Nora called out, but she could see Samara’s hand reach down and she knew it was too late.
 
Both of them grunted, as his quivering belly began shrinking and hers blasted upward. The massive amount of seed transferred into her at an unreal speed. The man leaned forward upon her, pinning her arms and legs with his. The girl showed her teeth in pain as her belly grew, his weight forcing it to expand outward between them. Her belly slowly gained dominance, pushing his up as he pumped his stored seed into her womb. She screeched in agony as his body was lifted upright, their hips still connected.
 
Pulling herself away from the scene, Nora recalled the item Vanita had left behind. She bolted inside and returned with the scepter. “Stop!”
 
The man fell upon her, motionless with now distant eyes, but his belly still shrank. The fluid continued forcing its way into the swollen woman. Samara flailed, trying desperately to lift him off of her squished, inflated belly. “Get him off! Get it out of me!”
 
Nora raised the rod to command him to step back. Instead, it slipped from her grasp. Panicked, she fumbled to grab it from the taller grass. A blood-curdling howl came from her daughter and Nora looked up to see lighter stretch marks on her darker skin. Looking as if she might pop at any moment, Samara’s eyes closed and she knew it was too late. The girl’s belly pulsed up with another blast and then... Her midsection burst open as white goo blasted everyone in the area. The thin, now lanky man was blown onto his back, still holding the girl’s hips as her ruined body flopped upon him.
 
Nora wailed as she dropped to her knees. She found the rod and commanded the man to dunk his face in a stream and breathe deeply.
--
Denah stepped through to the small clearing in the trees. A little girl stood beside the robed women, encircling Krina, Cilia, and two other bound women he hadn’t seen before. Those must be Krina’s newest daughters. The robed women chanted, pressing their hands together in prayer. And that girl is the one I rescued from the town! Denah moved like a big cat stalking its prey. Her smaller, fit body moved gently through the brush. With good timing I can probably get them before they can counterattack. Denah hoisted a spear and began the charge, launching it as she readied her sword. She stopped, dumbfounded as she hit an invisible wall and the spear bounced aside in midair.
 
The little girl scoffed. “Not that easy, you freak!” 
“What is this? Why are you helping them?!”
The girl was disgusted by the question. “We’re going to restore balance by purging all of Kinok’s followers. You’re just a plague upon the land.” The girl turned to the robed women, who were lost in their incantations. “This will end all tainted mortals, and now that we are protected, it’s just a matter of time.”
Denah struck the transparent shield, frustrated that she could not find a weak point.
 
“It doesn’t have to be this way.” Cilia pleaded as she knelt.
“I told you that you may not speak!” The little girl reached down and squeezed the bound woman’s shaft.
Cilia whimpered, her cock growing hard from the pain. Her mother gave protest, but that only increased Cilia’s pain. “I can fix both of our problems, just please listen!” She cried out.
The girl pulled her cock, guiding her to stand awkwardly. “Fine. I’m listening.”
The petite girl stood well above her pre-pubescent captor. “What if we left and promised not to breed?”
“You cannot make such a promise. Your entire village is twisted by Kinok’s curse and the only way to stop you is for you to be removed!” The girl tightened her grasp, causing Cilia to buckle in pain. “You waste your words-“
“No, no, they can leave! Without the two of us they are just women, normal women! Without a man’s seed they are nothing unique.” The little girl relaxed her grip once again. “We were tricked by Kinok as well. We do not wish to defy you, we only want to live! If you have to kill the two of us then so be it, we only want to protect our loved ones.”
 
“You would sacrifice yourself and your mother to save them?” The girl scoffed, glancing at Krina, who sat silently. “How altruistic.” She let go of her cock and slapped it hard. Cilia stumbled in her bindings, groaning. “I know better. You would just leave and direct them to us. We will not let you walk free.”
 
“Ugh… If you let me talk to them then I get the items you fear and we will find someplace else to spend the rest of our days as normal people!” Cilia grit her teeth, still fighting the sting. “I heard your fear about what our village created. I know how much you want those items.”
The girl’s expression went blank. “What assurance would we have?”
Cilia drew in a calming breath. “Keep Krina and use her for your ritual if you suspect we are lying. If I am truthful then you’ll get magical artifacts that will make you as powerful as the gods you worship! If I am lying then you can destroy anything magical in the area. The risk is minimal; I just want to protect my people.”
 
The young girl nodded. “You make a strong point.”
--
It took convincing, but Vanita got her body back as did the woman, named Mileena. She had moved through many bodies using a similar relic that she had crafted. Unlike her, she had found a way to craft relics based on the other two gods, Tulla and Kinok himself.
 
She lifted an unimpressive black metal necklace as she spoke. “This is The Pendant of Lapsing Time.” It can pause time around you, allowing you to move and interact with your surroundings unimpeded.” She slid a tiny black rod with a pointed tip from her belt. “And this is the Barb of Entrance. This allows a person to create a portal.”
 
Perplexed, Vanita reached out, only to have Mileena pull it away. Vanita apologized, “A portal? You can make a doorway somewhere?”
“A doorway anywhere.” Mileena smirked. “Remember, your mind plays an important role when using any of these. You must visualize the location and then trace in the air or an object to create the link. The size does not matter.” She drew a calming breath as she drew a square in the air using the black pen. Once she joined the corners, Vanita could see a tall, slender blonde woman with a full posterior standing in a field. It took her a moment to realize she was staring at herself through the gateway. She searched, but could see no exit for the portal.
 
“Where is it?” She turned back to watch herself through the window. “I know it’s there, but I see nothing.”
“It is a one way portal. Anything that goes through will come out on the opposite side unless it is tethered somehow.”
Vanita marveled as she put her arm through the window and watched as it appeared in midair a short distance behind her. She pulled back and looked at her palm. “Amazing.”
She traced the barb over the portal causing it pop out of existence. “The portals last for a long while until you collapse them.” She created another portal upon the side of her furs.  She sneered as she inserted her hand through the dark opening upon her side. Immediately, Vanita felt something large force its way into her pussy. Her hand is inside me! “Sorry, but I don’t trust you. My ring is in there, so I can move into you if you try to fuck me.” She spread her fingers causing Vanita to grip her crotch painfully. “Now, show me your relic.”
 
 “I… I do not carry it. Follow me back to our home.”
--
The two women trekked to the center of the village. Hundreds of women went about their lives, barely regarding them as they passed. Mileena noticed a gooey circle upon the grass as they moved into the house. Inside three women stared at them questioningly. “This is Mileena, she is a craftsman like me.” Mileena moved her hand slightly deeper into the portal upon her bundle of furs. Vanita gave a pained expression. “She wants to see the Scepter of Dominance.”
 
They tensed, looking at one another. Eventually, the pretty girl with a small waist and an unnatural endowment glanced to a nearby box. Mileena took the opportunity to stop time. Only Vanita still moved. The woman noticed her questioning expression. “Since we are touching, it frees you from the restriction of time as well.” Mileena curled her hidden hand into a fist and pushed it deeper, causing Vanita to drop to her knees in agony. Without care, Mileena rifled through the chest and finally found the basic black rod wrapped in linens. She unwrapped it with one hand, holding the rod into the air victoriously.
 
“We… we could have… worked together.” Vanita stammered as the woman magically fisted her.
“We both know one of us would have taken control of everything eventually. I’m just expediting the process. Tell me how this works.” She commanded as she withdrew her hand from the portal upon her side.
Vanita stared at the ground as she spoke. “You issue a command and it reads what you are thinking to force that person to comply.”
Mileena laughed. “Wonderful!” She tapped the necklace, causing time to resume for the others. “I command you all to let me leave with the Scepter and be happy that I took it.” She closed the gateway upon her clothing and removed the necklace before placing the barb and pendant upon the table. She happily left with the Scepter of Dominance, glad that it had gone so smoothly.
--
They rejoiced after they were certain that she had gone. “Thank the gods!” Nora gave the real command rod to Vanita.
Cilia had set up the plan just in case someone were to come looking for the scepter. They talked about how to continue. They’re going to kill us all if we don’t surrender. Even Zuli agreed, there was little chance to reason with the outsiders save for godly intervention.
 
A thought stuck Cilia and she decided now was a good time to prepare. She touched the pendant upon the table and was awestruck as everyone else in the room stood frozen. I must find another place for us, for these artifacts. These will only cause us trouble if we keep them. She held the Barb of Entrance as she thought. She made a doorway upon the wall and moved Nora just enough to put her raised hand through the opening. As expected, Cilia was able to pass back and forth by using Nora’s finger as a placeholder to keep the portal open both directions.
 
Nora’s inanimate hand brushed against her breast and sent Cilia’s mind to a more nagging concern. Her unnatural endowment rose from between her legs. I could have sex with any of them like this… That wouldn’t be right, though. But, the nagging lust remained and she needed to sate it before her mind would focus. She took a fist-sized rock and traced a portal onto the surface. She spread open the linked cheeks and spit upon the perfect ass. She moved the object onto her shaft and slowly pushed it down, making it disappear into the orifice.
 
She felt the pain in her backside, but she chose to ignore it. She continued moving it lower until the rock was pressing flat against her, her cock vanishing into the portal. She stood on her tiptoes as she fought to endure the self-inflicted pain. Once it lessened, she started fucking herself. She increased the pace and slowly built into a frenzy. She held the rock with both hands as she pounded her ass relentlessly. Climax came suddenly and she shot her thick cream through the magical hole and into her sore rump. She jerked in pain with each pulse of her cock, unwilling to pull out and loose the wonderful feeling.
 
We have to give up the relics, but I’m keeping this. No one has to know. Now focused, she walked a short distance and peered into the valley below. Countless people all moved like ants in their grand city. She knew this place would work. Time did not stop here. She made her way down the hillside to investigate.
--
Did she just disappear for a moment? Her mentally and physically blessed daughter explained her plan. Cilia created a standing portal upon the wall using their new artifact, ushering everyone through. They stepped into the doorway and found themselves in the grass beneath the magical barrier Denah had spoken about. Krina still knelt in the center, confused by their sudden appearance. Vanita, wearing Acharon’s Crown, stepped out last.
 
The small girl bowed her head in reverence to the visitors. Appearing in the image of Tulla, God of Time, Cilia motioned for the girls to cease their incantations. They complied after another, more forceful gesture. “I have brought these few to discuss terms of surrender.” Vanita watched, mostly hiding her reservations about their surrender. She hates the thought of relinquishing power. She only ceded knowing that someone else would intervene if they abused their power. Who knew how many others were out there with the same power over the mysterious metal.
 
“Why do you assist them, wise Tulla?” The young girl bowed once more.
“I do not wish to see mortals die due to a god’s mettle. You will kill hundreds with this spell, but there are thousands more that will propagate and continue. This will cause a conflict that spans an age. Instead, I offer a solution.” She paused for effect. “You fear their relics and they fear your magic. I propose that the leaders of these people use their artifacts to travel far away, never to return. In repayment, you must help the blessed people. You must take the time and remove their blessings with your magics.”
 
“That will take decades, perhaps longer!” The girl pleaded.
“Indeed it shall. But, the blessed individuals will come to you in time. They were all people who wanted a wish, but were given a curse instead. This one only wanted a son. Instead, she got a fully grown man and a dead husband. Pease understand that they only fight because they feel threatened by the outsiders. They feel it is the only path.”
 
“This… this is a lot to process.”
“I have seen many paths and this is the point where you must decide which way to go.” Cilia put a hand on Nora’s shoulder as a signal. The rest quickly, subtly, linked hands.
Vanita stopped time once again. “Do you think they will listen?”
“I do. Seeing a god can have a moving effect on a person.”
 
Cilia traced a doorway in the air. The land beyond looked lush and vibrant. A strange furry animal darted up the thick base of a tree. “You must go, Nora. You and Denah must take these heirlooms and keep them away from people who will misuse them.“
 
Nora was distraught by the thought. “The plan was for all of us to leave!” 
Cilia frowned. “You know we all can’t go. I will keep your family safe and ensure that these zealots keep the peace.”
“I will stay as well.” Vanita interjected. “If our plans fall apart after they remove Malia, Tesha, and Numa’s blessings, then we believe that Erin holds more of the metal we need. With any of them, I will be able make something from the ore they create. It is merely a fallback.”
 
Tears clouded Nora’s view. “Please, there has to be another way! We can stay…”
Cilia shook her head. “You know I was given a greater understanding.” She held Nora’s hands. “This is the best way.”
 
Nora continued fighting the plan, but eventually Cilia convinced her. With the robed figures and the young girl still frozen, Nora said her goodbyes.
Krina stepped in for the final hug. “Be safe on the other side.”
“You as well, take care of what we have created.” Nora gave a melancholy smile. “Thank you for helping me.” They shared a long embrace. Nora stepped back and took her daughter’s hand.
“I opened a portal to another world; hopefully it is someplace better than this.” Cilia explained. “People live there, but gods do not intervene directly. I… took a little time to explore.” She hushed their questions. “Just be assured that you will be able to live happily.” Nora showed her trust with a curt nod. 
 
Nora and Denah stepped through the portal and turned, smiling back at them one last time before they set off into the unknown carrying five enchanted items. No matter what happens, at least we are together.