Olana woke up around midnight, shortly before I was about to take my late night walk.
“Care to join me?” I asked her.
“For?” She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.
“I like to stroll around the 1st floor of the Underground Forest. It’s peaceful. Funnily enough, the monsters keep away, probably because of my high soul level.”
“Of course. I’d love to walk with you.”
I left the room so she could change her clothes. Though we were soulbonded, we weren’t yet familiar. That would have to happen naturally. I hoped this walk would help move things along.
I needed to get to know her better. She wasn’t just a hot, curvaceous blond. She was a person with a heart. A heart that had been wounded by Adam and whoever else had mistreated her.
She came outside wearing a pink button-down shirt and skirt. It suited her rosy complexion. Her wavy blond locks ended below her neck, where her shapely breasts began. I could see her nipples poking through her shirt.
I didn’t let her catch me staring, though.
I held out my hand. She stared at it, then realized she was meant to take it. From the shaky way she placed her hand in mine, I could tell she was nervous. Her hand was clammy, too.
I smiled at her. “Did you sleep well?”
“I did. Your bed is very comfortable.”
“I’m glad.”
We walked together to the edge of the barrier. She seemed hesitent to leave it.
“What is it you’re worried about?” I asked.
“N-Nothing. Sorry. I just…”
“You can tell me, Olana. I won’t judge you.”
“What if… what if Adam is out there?”
I looked into the distance. All I saw were swamps, a few oozes, and a bunch of ugly gargoyles in the trees.
“You were very brave to come to the Vaulted Ceiling,” I said. “I know now how hard it must’ve been for you. If leaving the barrier makes you uncomfortable, then we don’t have to.”
“I… I want to… I know I’ll be safe as long as I’m with you, Remy.”
That warmed my heart. She believed in me. That was why she’d felt safe enough to come to the Vaulted Ceiling, despite the many dangers lurking there.
We left the barrier together. We walked to the abandoned village, with its stone hovels and broken towers. The stars above twinkled in their strange way.
“Did you grow up on the island?” I asked.
Olana shook her head. “No. I’m from up north in the mainland.”
Interesting. So she wasn’t even from this part of the world.
“How’d you end up here?”
“I was captured by slavers. They sold me to a rich man in the empire, who used my healing skills to make money. He’d charge a few goldcores for people to come and be healed by me. Adam was one of those people. He was so impressed with my skills that he bought me and soulbonded with me.”
Her story made a thorny realization pop into my head. “And you’re still soulbonded to Adam, even as you’re soulbonded to me.”
Olana nodded. “Unfortunately, yes. I thought… I thought he was saving me. That’s why I was so eager to go with him. But he turned out to be the cruelest man I’d ever met.”
No wonder Olana had been hesitent to trust me. I needed to show her that I’d never be anything like Adam.
“We need to find a way to sever your soulbond with him.”
“But how? Soulbonds can’t be severed.”
“They have a saying in my world — ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way.’”
“I like that. There is one problem, though…”
“What is it?”
“Both Adam and I will start feeling intense pain if we’re kept apart for much longer. And yet, the idea of being near him is revolting to me.”
Oh shit. I’d almost forgotten about that side effect of soulbonds. You can’t remain too far from your soulbonds for too long, or the tether starts to flow painful feelings into you.
“We’ll figure it out, together,” I said. “I promise.”
I didn’t want our night walk to be all about Adam or the sad things that had happened in her past.
“What’s your favorite food?” I asked. “We can have Maria and Tara make it for you. I think they’d love that.”
“I don’t know.” Olana chuckled. “Chocolate is nice, I guess.”
So she didn’t have strong opinions about food. Perhaps eating for her was more about survival than enjoyment. That had been the case with most of the girls before I met them. Soon enough, I was certain Olana would learn to enjoy everything.
“What’s yours?” she asked.
“Pizza.” I didn’t even hesitate.
“Pizza? What’s that?”
“Something I haven’t had in a long while. It’s got bread, and tomato sauce, and cheese, and any topping you like.”
“Sounds nice.”
“It’s really nice. I’ll have to ask Tara and Maria if they can make some. With their skills, I’m sure they’ll ace it on the first try. Oh, but we’ll have to build a brick oven for them, otherwise it won’t come out quite right.”
“I can’t wait to try some pizza.” Olana giggled. “I wish I could cook so I could be the one to make it for you.”
“I’m sure Tara and Maria would love to teach you.”
“Really? You don’t think they’d be annoyed?”
“Annoyed? No way. They’re a patient pair. And they’re really kind, too. Like I said, everyone treats each other with love and respect in my harem. You have nothing to worry about.”
We went into one of the houses, climbed the stairs, and sat on the roof. It was nice to look down at the rest of the village from here, and also see across into the distant tree lines. It was neither too hot nor too cold, with a calm breeze blowing through the night air.
“Do you come here a lot?” Olana asked.
“Recently, yes. It’s a nice, peaceful escape. It’s funny, because Whispering Waters used to be that for me. But now it’s become a big town, and I feel I need to get out and be among nature.”
“Being around so many people all the time makes me uneasy, too.”
“Sometimes it’s just nice to hear the wind and look at the stars, as cliche as that may sound.”
“Very true. Up north, we believed we were one with nature and the world. Going outside and being among nature was almost a holy thing.”
“Now that’s something I can believe in.” I chuckled.
I recalled that it was the north where the cults worshiping the Shadowsoul had originated. I wondered if Olana knew anything about that. Although, the north was probably a huge place, and I was largely ignorant of what it was like. Better not to assume anything based on my limited knowledge.
I took out some of the chocolate Maria had made from my soul storage.
“Try these.” I dropped some in Olana’s delicate hands. “I bet you’re gonna love them.”
Olana nibbled on a piece. “It’s delicious, and so sweet.”
“Maria made that.”
“You’re lucky to have such a good cook as a wife.” Olana smiled. I so loved seeing her smile.
“I am a very lucky man,” I replied. “In so many ways. I’m lucky to have you as a wife as well, Olana.”
“You think so? What do I bring to your cause, though? I can’t cook like Tara and Maria. And they can already heal.”
“You bring your companionship. That’s all that I want.”
“But you already have so many companions.”
“So? Each of them are special to me. Each is irreplaceable. As are you.”
She blushed. I took her hand and kissed it in a gentlemanly way.
“You’re quite the charmer, aren’t you?” she said.
“I just speak my heart. Nothing more, nothing less.”
I wrapped my arm around her waist and kissed her on the lips. Tasting her for the first time sent a feeling of electricity through me. No matter how many times I’d gone through this experience, that first kiss was always something special.
Soon enough, we went from light kissing to making out. I pulled her closer until she was basically sitting in my lap. She no doubt felt my sword lengthening.
“I like you so much, Remy. I can’t contain myself.”
“I like you too, Olana. You don’t have to contain yourself. We can do whatever we want. We’re soulbonded, after all.”
We made out some more. I unbuttoned her shirt so I could slide my hands across her waist and up her sides toward her chest. I felt her breasts, which were so soft in the hand. She wasn’t wearing a bra, so I brushed my palm against her nipples. They were soft, too, though utterly erect. Olana moaned as I played with her nipples.
I unbutton her skirt as we made out like high school lovers. She helped me pull off my shirt. Soon enough, we were naked. I so loved the sight of her curves.
Olana woke up around midnight, shortly before I was about to take my late night walk.
“Care to join me?” I asked her.
“For?” She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.
“I like to stroll around the 1st floor of the Underground Forest. It’s peaceful. Funnily enough, the monsters keep away, probably because of my high soul level.”
“Of course. I’d love to walk with you.”
I left the room so she could change her clothes. Though we were soulbonded, we weren’t yet familiar. That would have to happen naturally. I hoped this walk would help move things along.
I needed to get to know her better. She wasn’t just a hot, curvaceous blond. She was a person with a heart. A heart that had been wounded by Adam and whoever else had mistreated her.
She came outside wearing a pink button-down shirt and skirt. It suited her rosy complexion. Her wavy blond locks ended below her neck, where her shapely breasts began. I could see her nipples poking through her shirt.
I didn’t let her catch me staring, though.
I held out my hand. She stared at it, then realized she was meant to take it. From the shaky way she placed her hand in mine, I could tell she was nervous. Her hand was clammy, too.
I smiled at her. “Did you sleep well?”
“I did. Your bed is very comfortable.”
“I’m glad.”
We walked together to the edge of the barrier. She seemed hesitent to leave it.
“What is it you’re worried about?” I asked.
“N-Nothing. Sorry. I just…”
“You can tell me, Olana. I won’t judge you.”
“What if… what if Adam is out there?”
I looked into the distance. All I saw were swamps, a few oozes, and a bunch of ugly gargoyles in the trees.
“You were very brave to come to the Vaulted Ceiling,” I said. “I know now how hard it must’ve been for you. If leaving the barrier makes you uncomfortable, then we don’t have to.”
“I… I want to… I know I’ll be safe as long as I’m with you, Remy.”
That warmed my heart. She believed in me. That was why she’d felt safe enough to come to the Vaulted Ceiling, despite the many dangers lurking there.
We left the barrier together. We walked to the abandoned village, with its stone hovels and broken towers. The stars above twinkled in their strange way.
“Did you grow up on the island?” I asked.
Olana shook her head. “No. I’m from up north in the mainland.”
Interesting. So she wasn’t even from this part of the world.
“How’d you end up here?”
“I was captured by slavers. They sold me to a rich man in the empire, who used my healing skills to make money. He’d charge a few goldcores for people to come and be healed by me. Adam was one of those people. He was so impressed with my skills that he bought me and soulbonded with me.”
Her story made a thorny realization pop into my head. “And you’re still soulbonded to Adam, even as you’re soulbonded to me.”
Olana nodded. “Unfortunately, yes. I thought… I thought he was saving me. That’s why I was so eager to go with him. But he turned out to be the cruelest man I’d ever met.”
No wonder Olana had been hesitent to trust me. I needed to show her that I’d never be anything like Adam.
“We need to find a way to sever your soulbond with him.”
“But how? Soulbonds can’t be severed.”
“They have a saying in my world — ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way.’”
“I like that. There is one problem, though…”
“What is it?”
“Both Adam and I will start feeling intense pain if we’re kept apart for much longer. And yet, the idea of being near him is revolting to me.”
Oh shit. I’d almost forgotten about that side effect of soulbonds. You can’t remain too far from your soulbonds for too long, or the tether starts to flow painful feelings into you.
“We’ll figure it out, together,” I said. “I promise.”
I didn’t want our night walk to be all about Adam or the sad things that had happened in her past.
“What’s your favorite food?” I asked. “We can have Maria and Tara make it for you. I think they’d love that.”
“I don’t know.” Olana chuckled. “Chocolate is nice, I guess.”
So she didn’t have strong opinions about food. Perhaps eating for her was more about survival than enjoyment. That had been the case with most of the girls before I met them. Soon enough, I was certain Olana would learn to enjoy everything.
“What’s yours?” she asked.
“Pizza.” I didn’t even hesitate.
“Pizza? What’s that?”
“Something I haven’t had in a long while. It’s got bread, and tomato sauce, and cheese, and any topping you like.”
“Sounds nice.”
“It’s really nice. I’ll have to ask Tara and Maria if they can make some. With their skills, I’m sure they’ll ace it on the first try. Oh, but we’ll have to build a brick oven for them, otherwise it won’t come out quite right.”
“I can’t wait to try some pizza.” Olana giggled. “I wish I could cook so I could be the one to make it for you.”
“I’m sure Tara and Maria would love to teach you.”
“Really? You don’t think they’d be annoyed?”
“Annoyed? No way. They’re a patient pair. And they’re really kind, too. Like I said, everyone treats each other with love and respect in my harem. You have nothing to worry about.”
We went into one of the houses, climbed the stairs, and sat on the roof. It was nice to look down at the rest of the village from here, and also see across into the distant tree lines. It was neither too hot nor too cold, with a calm breeze blowing through the night air.
“Do you come here a lot?” Olana asked.
“Recently, yes. It’s a nice, peaceful escape. It’s funny, because Whispering Waters used to be that for me. But now it’s become a big town, and I feel I need to get out and be among nature.”
“Being around so many people all the time makes me uneasy, too.”
“Sometimes it’s just nice to hear the wind and look at the stars, as cliche as that may sound.”
“Very true. Up north, we believed we were one with nature and the world. Going outside and being among nature was almost a holy thing.”
“Now that’s something I can believe in.” I chuckled.
I recalled that it was the north where the cults worshiping the Shadowsoul had originated. I wondered if Olana knew anything about that. Although, the north was probably a huge place, and I was largely ignorant of what it was like. Better not to assume anything based on my limited knowledge.
I took out some of the chocolate Maria had made from my soul storage.
“Try these.” I dropped some in Olana’s delicate hands. “I bet you’re gonna love them.”
Olana nibbled on a piece. “It’s delicious, and so sweet.”
“Maria made that.”
“You’re lucky to have such a good cook as a wife.” Olana smiled. I so loved seeing her smile.
“I am a very lucky man,” I replied. “In so many ways. I’m lucky to have you as a wife as well, Olana.”
“You think so? What do I bring to your cause, though? I can’t cook like Tara and Maria. And they can already heal.”
“You bring your companionship. That’s all that I want.”
“But you already have so many companions.”
“So? Each of them are special to me. Each is irreplaceable. As are you.”
She blushed. I took her hand and kissed it in a gentlemanly way.
“You’re quite the charmer, aren’t you?” she said.
“I just speak my heart. Nothing more, nothing less.”
I wrapped my arm around her waist and kissed her on the lips. Tasting her for the first time sent a feeling of electricity through me. No matter how many times I’d gone through this experience, that first kiss was always something special.
Soon enough, we went from light kissing to making out. I pulled her closer until she was basically sitting in my lap. She no doubt felt my sword lengthening.
“I like you so much, Remy. I can’t contain myself.”
“I like you too, Olana. You don’t have to contain yourself. We can do whatever we want. We’re soulbonded, after all.”
We made out some more. I unbuttoned her shirt so I could slide my hands across her waist and up her sides toward her chest. I felt her breasts, which were so soft in the hand. She wasn’t wearing a bra, so I brushed my palm against her nipples. They were soft, too, though utterly erect. Olana moaned as I played with her nipples.
I unbutton her skirt as we made out like high school lovers. She helped me pull off my shirt. Soon enough, we were naked. I so loved the sight of her curves.
