I gawked as Miranda used telekinesis to place the wooden wall in the swamp.
“How the hell did you do that?” I asked.
She wiped sweat off her eyebrows. “I’m an experienced crafter and builder. It comes with the trade.”
“What is that wall even for?”
“It’s to separate the men and women.”
“I’m the only man here, and all the women are my wives.”
“You all can do whatever you like. I’m just following the standard blueprint.”
Ayla walked over the bridge and entered the glyph barrier, her neck sweaty. She pulled logs out of her soul storage and piled them at Miranda’s feet.
“Where are Tara and Maria?”
“They went deeper in the forest to hunt Baleful Frogs,” Ayla said.
“Baleful Frogs?”
“They drop the glue that Miranda needs.”
A scream sounded, coming from the distant tree line.
“I’ll go,” I said. “Everyone, keep up the good work.”
I ran through the swamp, ignoring the stupid gargoyles, and entered into the thicket. Maria and Tara were surrounded by big, oily frogs. They hit them with their water whips, killing them on impact, but the frogs kept coming.
“Check this out.” I drew mana from Sherry’s tether and summoned a meteor, right at the mass of frogs. It appeared out of a portal in the sky and crashed into them, setting many on fire. Then I used my flame spear to impale the rest, while Maria and Tara whipped what they could.
The frogs left behind soulcores, as well as small sacs of glue, though the drop rate for the glue didn’t seem all that high.
“Thanks, Remy,” Maria said. Or was that Tara? I couldn’t be certain. Maria was the more demure one, though.
I still needed to unlock our next water ability. But the mechanics of doing that confused me.
“Since you two share a tether, does that mean our soulbonds are shared?” I asked.
Tara nodded. “Indeed.”
“So to level up the soulbond, I have to advance my bond with both of you.”
“Yes, Remy.” Tara took my arm. “You know, I was thinking, as badly as we want to get to the next floor, we haven’t quite finished exploring this one.”
Exploring could help the three of us tighten our bond. “Let’s do it, then.”
Tara pointed eastward. At least, I think it was eastward. “How about we start with the ruined village?”
“I’m game.”
We crossed over rickety wooden bridges and waded through forests and swampland. All the while, we chatted. It was so good to see the two of them happy and free.
“I still can’t believe we’re here,” Maria said. “It’s all thanks to you, Remy.”
“I did what any decent man would do.”
Tara lashed at a gargoyle with her water whip. I unleashed an ice arrow, turning it to shadows.
“You did so much more,” she said. “I don’t think we’ll ever be able to thank you.”
“Just having you two with me is thanks enough.”
Tara kissed my forearm, then pressed her lithe form against me. I did my best not to get hard so we could focus on the journey.
We made it to the ruined village. A dead well sat in the center. Around it were many overturned stone houses.
“Let’s spread out and search each house,” I said. “Never know what we could find.”
“Yes, sir!” Maria said.
I walked toward the largest house, which was three stories of stone, with pillars at the front. Perhaps the mayor had lived there. Or maybe it was a community center of some sort.
I pulled a lantern out of my soul storage and opened the door. Dust hit me, making me sneeze. Broken pottery shards dotted the floor.
Eyes. There were eyes glowing red in the distance. I dropped my lantern and conjured my flame spear. It provided even more light with which to see.
A giant bat with an angry snarl and demonic eyes glared at me. It was hanging upside down from a high ceiling. Before I could react, it spread its wings and flew toward me.
I thrust my spear at it, but it swerved sideways. It bit my shoulder, its fangs boring deep.
It was worse than a kick to the balls. I screamed as I turned invisible.
“Remy!” Tara shouted from outside.
Immediately, water filled my wound, numbing the pain. Soon as my invisibility wore off, the Angry Bat swooped in for a second attack. This time, I pulled on my tether with Ayla and released a Wind Blast.
The miniature tornado caught the bat’s wings. While it was trapped in the whirlwind, I conjured my ice katana and slashed it, again and again.
Tara and Maria burst into the house. Together, we hit the bat with our weapons until it was nothing but shadows.
A goldcore clattered onto the floor along with something that resembled a thigh garter.
“Gear?” I said.
Tara was already wearing the Healing Choker that we found in the Abandoned Lodge, which was probably why her reflexive Water Heal had worked so well.
But Maria wasn’t wearing any gear. Never a good idea to leave a gear slot empty. Also, the garter, which was entirely black with a black ribbon, would look great across one of her slender thighs.
I read the effect written in gold thread on the inside of the garter: decreases chance to be targeted.
That was perfect for a healer. Also, if Maria wore it, it would not just apply to me, but to Tara, as well. Although I usually wanted to be targeted, I could generate enough hate by attacking the enemy more to compensate for the effect.
I handed it to Maria and watched as she tied it across her thigh. It provided a nice contrast to her white skirt.
“Let’s keep exploring,” I said.
At the end of the hallway, we spotted a golden treasure chest surrounded by a golden mist. I rubbed my hands together in excitement, then opened it.
The contents almost blinded me. Goldcores! It was full of them. Tara bent down and counted.
“At least twenty!” she said.
“Great. It’s all going to Miranda. Down payment on the onsen.”
Tara put them in her soul storage. We climbed to the second floor and looted a few more chests, each containing soulcores. We were just taking what the residents of the village had stored for themselves, I assumed.
Finally, we arrived on the roof of the building. It overlooked the entire ruined village. The whole place seemed so peaceful beneath the dim light of the unreal stars shining on the tarp above.
We sat together. Tara took out some sweet pastries from her soul storage for us to enjoy. They were like jelly-filled cakes.
“Where’d you get these?” I asked.
“A vendor at the port makes them,” she said. “He’d give them to me for free, since I had no money.”
“How kind of him.” I bit into one. It was so mushy and delicious. Raspberry was a favorite of mine, even back on earth.
Suddenly, I felt my attention sharpen. The tethers that connected me to my harem seemed to surge with renewed life.
“Oh, I forgot to mention,” Tara said, “they increase magic power temporarily.”
“Maybe we should keep some in reserve, then…”
“I’ve got plenty.” Tara giggled. “Let’s save some for the flying eel.”
Maria was rather quiet. I suppose she was comfortable letting her sister talk for her. Though they were twins, Maria had told me that Tara was the braver, more confident of the two.
Still, I didn’t want Maria to feel left out. “What’s your favorite food?” I asked her.
She hemmed and hawed and her cheeks turned pink. “I don’t know. I haven’t tried very many things.”
Obviously not. She’d been trapped in that tower most of her life.
“We should try everything,” I said. “Let’s recruit a cook.”
“Can we really convince a cook to come live down here?” Maria said.
“Why not? We’re going to make this place thrive!”
Sure, the Underground Forest was dark, filled with monsters, and mysterious. Not ideal living conditions. But with Miranda around, we could change that. The onsen alone would make it a more livable place.
Tara and Maria finished their snacks, then snuggled up close to me. I put my arms around them, and kissed them each on the cheek.
“I had a bad dream the other night,” Tara said. “Saran came with a huge army. He invaded the Underground Forest, then captured all of us and put us in chains.”
“I had the same dream.” Maria sniffled. Did they share dreams, too?
Until Saran was dead, Maria and Tara would never feel safe. While I couldn’t kill him yet, I had to reassure them that I was working toward it. “Saran will never, ever touch the two of you again. No way in hell will I let any of those creeps near you.”
“I know you’ll do your best, Remy,” Tara said. “But he has the prince and the emperor behind him.”
“I’ll kill every last one of them, if I must. While I don’t believe violence can solve all problems, there are those who understand nothing else. Saran is one. I’m going to end his world.” I took both their hands. “Do you trust me?”
Tara and Maria nodded. “Of course.”
“Do you really trust me? We haven’t known each other very long, so I understand if you feel insecure about this whole thing.”
“You’re the best person I’ve ever met,” Maria said, tears dripping down her cheeks. “Although I haven’t met very many people.”
I dried her tears with my sleeve, then kissed her on the lips. “You two are everything to me. I love you both with every fiber of my being.”
“I love you too.” Maria hugged me.
“I love you, Remy.” Tara hugged me, as well. I was enveloped in their warmth.
The white tether that connected the three of us appeared. Through it, I felt their fears. They were like two travelers lost at sea, clinging to a piece of wood.
I was that wood. They were holding on to me for dear life. They knew that without my protection, they would both be enslaved or dead.
I had to be more than just a piece of wood drifting in the ocean. But for now, perhaps that was enough. Enough to give them hope.
The light of our soulbond blinded me. The power of water coursed through my veins.
SOULBOND OF WATER LEVEL 2 UNLOCKED
NAME: Tara and Maria
CLASS: Water Cleric
Strength: 1
Intelligence: 4 -> 6
Agility: 3 -> 4
Endurance 2
Vigor: 1
Mind: 1 -> 2
Luck: 3
WATER ABILITIES STRENGTHENED
NEW WATER ABILITY UNLOCKED
Just what I wanted to see.
Announcement Hey there! Go up to 10 chapters ahead by joining my PATREON, and get clothed and nude art of the girls!
I gawked as Miranda used telekinesis to place the wooden wall in the swamp.
“How the hell did you do that?” I asked.
She wiped sweat off her eyebrows. “I’m an experienced crafter and builder. It comes with the trade.”
“What is that wall even for?”
“It’s to separate the men and women.”
“I’m the only man here, and all the women are my wives.”
“You all can do whatever you like. I’m just following the standard blueprint.”
Ayla walked over the bridge and entered the glyph barrier, her neck sweaty. She pulled logs out of her soul storage and piled them at Miranda’s feet.
“Where are Tara and Maria?”
“They went deeper in the forest to hunt Baleful Frogs,” Ayla said.
“Baleful Frogs?”
“They drop the glue that Miranda needs.”
A scream sounded, coming from the distant tree line.
“I’ll go,” I said. “Everyone, keep up the good work.”
I ran through the swamp, ignoring the stupid gargoyles, and entered into the thicket. Maria and Tara were surrounded by big, oily frogs. They hit them with their water whips, killing them on impact, but the frogs kept coming.
“Check this out.” I drew mana from Sherry’s tether and summoned a meteor, right at the mass of frogs. It appeared out of a portal in the sky and crashed into them, setting many on fire. Then I used my flame spear to impale the rest, while Maria and Tara whipped what they could.
The frogs left behind soulcores, as well as small sacs of glue, though the drop rate for the glue didn’t seem all that high.
“Thanks, Remy,” Maria said. Or was that Tara? I couldn’t be certain. Maria was the more demure one, though.
I still needed to unlock our next water ability. But the mechanics of doing that confused me.
“Since you two share a tether, does that mean our soulbonds are shared?” I asked.
Tara nodded. “Indeed.”
“So to level up the soulbond, I have to advance my bond with both of you.”
“Yes, Remy.” Tara took my arm. “You know, I was thinking, as badly as we want to get to the next floor, we haven’t quite finished exploring this one.”
Exploring could help the three of us tighten our bond. “Let’s do it, then.”
Tara pointed eastward. At least, I think it was eastward. “How about we start with the ruined village?”
“I’m game.”
We crossed over rickety wooden bridges and waded through forests and swampland. All the while, we chatted. It was so good to see the two of them happy and free.
“I still can’t believe we’re here,” Maria said. “It’s all thanks to you, Remy.”
“I did what any decent man would do.”
Tara lashed at a gargoyle with her water whip. I unleashed an ice arrow, turning it to shadows.
“You did so much more,” she said. “I don’t think we’ll ever be able to thank you.”
“Just having you two with me is thanks enough.”
Tara kissed my forearm, then pressed her lithe form against me. I did my best not to get hard so we could focus on the journey.
We made it to the ruined village. A dead well sat in the center. Around it were many overturned stone houses.
“Let’s spread out and search each house,” I said. “Never know what we could find.”
“Yes, sir!” Maria said.
I walked toward the largest house, which was three stories of stone, with pillars at the front. Perhaps the mayor had lived there. Or maybe it was a community center of some sort.
I pulled a lantern out of my soul storage and opened the door. Dust hit me, making me sneeze. Broken pottery shards dotted the floor.
Eyes. There were eyes glowing red in the distance. I dropped my lantern and conjured my flame spear. It provided even more light with which to see.
A giant bat with an angry snarl and demonic eyes glared at me. It was hanging upside down from a high ceiling. Before I could react, it spread its wings and flew toward me.
I thrust my spear at it, but it swerved sideways. It bit my shoulder, its fangs boring deep.
It was worse than a kick to the balls. I screamed as I turned invisible.
“Remy!” Tara shouted from outside.
Immediately, water filled my wound, numbing the pain. Soon as my invisibility wore off, the Angry Bat swooped in for a second attack. This time, I pulled on my tether with Ayla and released a Wind Blast.
The miniature tornado caught the bat’s wings. While it was trapped in the whirlwind, I conjured my ice katana and slashed it, again and again.
Tara and Maria burst into the house. Together, we hit the bat with our weapons until it was nothing but shadows.
A goldcore clattered onto the floor along with something that resembled a thigh garter.
“Gear?” I said.
Tara was already wearing the Healing Choker that we found in the Abandoned Lodge, which was probably why her reflexive Water Heal had worked so well.
But Maria wasn’t wearing any gear. Never a good idea to leave a gear slot empty. Also, the garter, which was entirely black with a black ribbon, would look great across one of her slender thighs.
I read the effect written in gold thread on the inside of the garter: decreases chance to be targeted.
That was perfect for a healer. Also, if Maria wore it, it would not just apply to me, but to Tara, as well. Although I usually wanted to be targeted, I could generate enough hate by attacking the enemy more to compensate for the effect.
I handed it to Maria and watched as she tied it across her thigh. It provided a nice contrast to her white skirt.
“Let’s keep exploring,” I said.
At the end of the hallway, we spotted a golden treasure chest surrounded by a golden mist. I rubbed my hands together in excitement, then opened it.
The contents almost blinded me. Goldcores! It was full of them. Tara bent down and counted.
“At least twenty!” she said.
“Great. It’s all going to Miranda. Down payment on the onsen.”
Tara put them in her soul storage. We climbed to the second floor and looted a few more chests, each containing soulcores. We were just taking what the residents of the village had stored for themselves, I assumed.
Finally, we arrived on the roof of the building. It overlooked the entire ruined village. The whole place seemed so peaceful beneath the dim light of the unreal stars shining on the tarp above.
We sat together. Tara took out some sweet pastries from her soul storage for us to enjoy. They were like jelly-filled cakes.
“Where’d you get these?” I asked.
“A vendor at the port makes them,” she said. “He’d give them to me for free, since I had no money.”
“How kind of him.” I bit into one. It was so mushy and delicious. Raspberry was a favorite of mine, even back on earth.
Suddenly, I felt my attention sharpen. The tethers that connected me to my harem seemed to surge with renewed life.
“Oh, I forgot to mention,” Tara said, “they increase magic power temporarily.”
“Maybe we should keep some in reserve, then…”
“I’ve got plenty.” Tara giggled. “Let’s save some for the flying eel.”
Maria was rather quiet. I suppose she was comfortable letting her sister talk for her. Though they were twins, Maria had told me that Tara was the braver, more confident of the two.
Still, I didn’t want Maria to feel left out. “What’s your favorite food?” I asked her.
She hemmed and hawed and her cheeks turned pink. “I don’t know. I haven’t tried very many things.”
Obviously not. She’d been trapped in that tower most of her life.
“We should try everything,” I said. “Let’s recruit a cook.”
“Can we really convince a cook to come live down here?” Maria said.
“Why not? We’re going to make this place thrive!”
Sure, the Underground Forest was dark, filled with monsters, and mysterious. Not ideal living conditions. But with Miranda around, we could change that. The onsen alone would make it a more livable place.
Tara and Maria finished their snacks, then snuggled up close to me. I put my arms around them, and kissed them each on the cheek.
“I had a bad dream the other night,” Tara said. “Saran came with a huge army. He invaded the Underground Forest, then captured all of us and put us in chains.”
“I had the same dream.” Maria sniffled. Did they share dreams, too?
Until Saran was dead, Maria and Tara would never feel safe. While I couldn’t kill him yet, I had to reassure them that I was working toward it. “Saran will never, ever touch the two of you again. No way in hell will I let any of those creeps near you.”
“I know you’ll do your best, Remy,” Tara said. “But he has the prince and the emperor behind him.”
“I’ll kill every last one of them, if I must. While I don’t believe violence can solve all problems, there are those who understand nothing else. Saran is one. I’m going to end his world.” I took both their hands. “Do you trust me?”
Tara and Maria nodded. “Of course.”
“Do you really trust me? We haven’t known each other very long, so I understand if you feel insecure about this whole thing.”
“You’re the best person I’ve ever met,” Maria said, tears dripping down her cheeks. “Although I haven’t met very many people.”
I dried her tears with my sleeve, then kissed her on the lips. “You two are everything to me. I love you both with every fiber of my being.”
“I love you too.” Maria hugged me.
“I love you, Remy.” Tara hugged me, as well. I was enveloped in their warmth.
The white tether that connected the three of us appeared. Through it, I felt their fears. They were like two travelers lost at sea, clinging to a piece of wood.
I was that wood. They were holding on to me for dear life. They knew that without my protection, they would both be enslaved or dead.
I had to be more than just a piece of wood drifting in the ocean. But for now, perhaps that was enough. Enough to give them hope.
The light of our soulbond blinded me. The power of water coursed through my veins.
SOULBOND OF WATER LEVEL 2 UNLOCKED
NAME: Tara and Maria
CLASS: Water Cleric
Strength: 1
Intelligence: 4 -> 6
Agility: 3 -> 4
Endurance 2
Vigor: 1
Mind: 1 -> 2
Luck: 3
WATER ABILITIES STRENGTHENED
NEW WATER ABILITY UNLOCKED
Just what I wanted to see.
Announcement Hey there! Go up to 10 chapters ahead by joining my PATREON, and get clothed and nude art of the girls!
