Great Journey: Whims of Fate

An hour after Seraphina had fainted from ecstasy, she stirred awake on the couch. Blinking slowly, she felt around her body and noticed she was clothed.

"So it was a dream," she murmured, curling up as one hand wandered instinctively toward her lower region. "Of course it was a dream, you idiot. Bastion would never take the initiative. He can only be captured after a duel and a wager."

But then she paused, a faint ache and lingering pleasure still pulsing within her. Confusion flickered across her face.

'Did I really have this much fun?' she wondered, comparing the overwhelming sensation to the times she had lost control during self-pleasure.

"I see. A wager would certainly work. I am quite prideful, after all," Bastion said casually, eyes still scanning the pages of the book in his hand.

It was then she noticed her head was resting on his lap as the sound of his knightly voice was coming from just above her head. 

Bastion figured such an intimate gesture would show sincerity.

Her gaze lifted and met his. Bastion looked down at her with quiet composure, book in hand, as their eyes locked. Her entire body burned red, gentle flames materializing around her.

"I… I…" she stammered.

"We had sex, in case you were wondering but you fainted after multiple orgasms," Bastion said flatly, idly swirling the flames beginning to spark around them. The couch caught fire, but he snuffed it out with a casual gust of wind.

She froze, her mind unable to process any further as the flames around them grew more intense.

Bastion gently placed a hand over her eyes, shielding her from his expression. He had wanted to tease her a little longer, but her obsession with him ran deeper than he had expected. It was psychologically unhealthy, to say the least.

She was about to stammer something again when his voice interrupted her.

"Shh… calm down," Bastion said in a soft, steady voice. "Breathe in deeply for four seconds, hold for seven, then release for eight. Can you do that for me, Sera?"

His tone was calm and gentle, grounding her in the moment.

She followed his instructions, and the flames slowly receded.

This was the danger with Sorcerers who lost control of their emotions. Their magic could respond instinctively, sometimes spiraling beyond their intent.

A minute later, she had calmed down, but Bastion, unwilling to agitate her again, kept his hand gently over her eyes as he spoke softly.

"I was married with two kids, a boy and a girl. My wife and I fell out of love from the stress of raising them while working constantly. The day I died was the same day we finalized our divorce. A car knocked over a utility pole, and I stepped into a puddle of water that had been electrified."

"I woke up in a hall of clouds, was told to slay a god, and then found myself in the Diamondhart household. I met Elyra when I was 5, and she has been my shadow since 15."

"I first noticed you when you were leaving the Mages Guild. I saw a woman surrounded by a great fate. I did not know what it meant at the time, but when we met again in that materials store, I wanted to know more. What kind of person carries a fate like that?"

"Before I left for the academy, my father told me about heroes from another world and why they were called heroes. He said it was because they had a great fate, one that allowed them to do the impossible. It would drive them forward whether they wished for it or not."

"I do not know if I have that same fate, but I know you do. You are clearly the protagonist of this story and I would be happy to fight for you, Seraphina. You do not have to tell me your secrets. Just give me a place and a time, and I will be there."

Bastion removed his hand from her eyes and returned to his book. He wanted to give her space to think without making her feel any more embarrassed.

Seraphina took his words calmly. She hadn't known her love had such a past. Technically, she had been attracted to an older man from the beginning. For some reason, she was getting more aroused by the second.

'Do I have a daddy fetish?' she asked herself before refocusing.

'I'm sure it's just because he's really hot and a knight in shining armor,' she convinced herself.

Thinking back, he had never trusted anyone in the game the way he trusted her now. Even the main protagonist, Aurelia, had to take advantage of story events to slowly worm her way into Bastion's life.

This meant that none of the others possessed the fate of a hero. Even Aurelia, the character controlled by players, lacked the heroic fate needed to truly capture Bastion's attention. This was why Bastion, as a true hero, remained hidden in plain sight. The players simply lacked the qualifications to uncover his full story.

The harem route required Bastion to bet on a duel and lose to the protagonist, who came fully prepared with magic items specifically meant to bring him down. That loss resulted in a forced marriage contract, while the protagonist continued to collect the other capture targets.

Julius needed a few compliments. Damian required constant sparring before showing any interest. Tobin needed a simple kiss from Aurelia, and Zharak needed emotional reassurance. Once all five were gathered, the harem route was complete.

As for the battles in the story, Aurelia was essential. Her holy power severely weakened the demon worshippers, allowing even a group of Apprentice Rank children to defeat them.

Seraphina thought about this further and realized that Aurelia was the key to defeating the Demon Lord. No one else mattered, not the capture targets, not even herself.

No matter what, Aurelia had to be drawn into this conflict. Even if the majority of students died from regular assaults, the Demon Lord had to be defeated in the end.

Seraphina sat up with newfound resolve, locked eyes with Bastion, and leaned in for a kiss. Bastion reciprocated, but he was surprised when her tongue slipped into his mouth. She had never been this forward before.

A minute later, she pulled away, licking the saliva from her lips before speaking. "Thank you, Bastion. I will need your help, but not now. Not yet."

"Take all the time you need. I'm sure you know how to find me," Bastion said while looking at Mew and Zephy mingling in the corner of the room. This would allow them to send messages to each other.

She nodded, unsummoned Mew, got up, and made her way to the door. Before opening it and leaving, she spoke her parting words.

"Thank you for fulfilling my deepest wish. I apologize for fainting on you. I promise I'll do better next time," she said, forcing the words out before quickly running out of the room.

Bastion chuckled from the couch before calling out, "What do you think, Eli?"

"I like her," Elyra replied as she emerged from the shadow in the corner of the room and lay across the couch, resting her head on his lap.

Bastion absentmindedly played with her tail as she continued, "I didn't think it was possible to find another woman who loves you as much as I do. But even I have to admit, I've never orgasmed just from meeting your gaze."

She turned over facing his crotch, opened his pants, took out his member, and started licking. She often did this whenever she was bored. 

"I admit I lack devotion, Master," she said softly, "but I will strive to do better," before lowering her head and taking his member into her mouth.

"I forbid you from doing so, Elyra," Bastion said seriously, continuing to read.

"Why?" she asked, looking up at him with equal seriousness.

Bastion looked down, meeting Elyra's eyes before speaking.

"The word to describe her feelings toward me is obsession, not love or devotion. Obsession requires a broken mind made whole by a singular desire. She most likely suffered deeply, ran from her problems, then fixated on my archetype so intensely that fulfilling her desire became euphoric enough to give her an orgasm."

He looked away, gaze distant, then continued.

"For you to become like her, you'd have to leave my side forever. You'd turn into a hollow shell of the beautiful woman you are now, and only after years, centuries, maybe even millennia would we meet again. All that time, you'd have to think only of me, day after day. But the slightest doubt, the smallest moment of weakness, and you'd find comfort elsewhere. And in time, you'd forget me."

"You don't trust me to think only of you while we're apart?" she asked quietly.

"I do trust you," Bastion said, setting the book down.

He believed in Elyra deeply. As a wolfkin, she was known for her loyalty and attachment. She was not the problem.

"But I would be lonely without you, Eli. I would drown myself in other women, trying to forget. As romantic as it sounds to reunite after a long time, it is just mental torture. It would destroy what we have now. Would you take that risk? I would not."

He sighed, his eyes softening.

"I have already failed once before. I will likely fail again. After all, I'm only human."

He looked at her with quiet intensity.

"Promise me, Eli. Promise you will never leave me just to love me more than Seraphina. The moment you do, I will cease to be the man you know. I will die and be replaced with a pathetic version of myself, someone you will grow to hate and no longer recognize as worthy of your love."

Elyra sat up and straddled him, slowly guiding him into herself. As she began to move her hips, she locked eyes with him and spoke softly.

"I promise, Master. And I promise I will never hate you, no matter how much you change. I will always be your shadow."

"Eli," Bastion whispered.

They kissed, and they made love until the next morning's light touched the room.

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