Sorceress, Part Four*

Melisa and Margaret exchanged confused glances. 

"Shadow Mages?" Margaret asked, her voice trembling slightly. "What... what are those?"

"Yeah, I've never heard of them either. Are they bad guys or something?"

Javir, her eyes glued to the treeline, spoke quietly. 

"Yep. The Shadow Mages are a recent development from the human kingdom. A nasty bunch, to put it lightly." 

She took a deep breath, trying to make sure she didn't miss a single sound or any hint of movement. 

"Essentially, they're a group who practice blood magic. Forbidden arts, stuff that's been outlawed for centuries. But they don't care about rules or ethics. They only care about power."

Margaret gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.

"Blood magic? T-That exists?" 

Javir's grip tightened on her sword, her knuckles turning white.

"Yes, and it's as depraved as it sounds. And here's the real kicker: they mainly like to use nim as their subjects for experiments."

Melisa's eyes widened, a flicker of fear crossing her face.

"What? Why nim?"

Javir shook her head, a bitter smile on her lips.

"Because they don't view your kind as equals, kid. To them, nim are just tools, disposable guinea pigs for their sick little games."

She glanced back at Margaret, her expression softening slightly.

"That's probably why they're so close to your village. Easy access to potential 'subjects'."

Margaret shuddered, pulling Melisa close.

"That's... that's monstrous." 

Javir nodded. 

"But, don't worry. I won't let them harm you." 

Just then, as if on cue, four hooded figures emerged from the shadows of the trees. Three humans and one kitsune, their faces obscured by dark, billowing robes.

[There you are.] 

Javir stepped forward, placing herself firmly between the Shadow Mages and her companions.

Javir's eyes narrowed as she sized up her opponents, her mind racing to formulate a plan of attack.

[The kitsune,] she thought, glancing at the fox-eared mage. [She must be the one guiding them through the forest. On the off chance I somehow fuck up and don't make it through this fight, I at least want to take her down. Make sure these guys end up lost. ]

The lead human mage sneered, his voice dripping with disdain.

"Honestly, pureblood, I'm disappointed in you. Standing beside these filthy nim, as if they were your equals. Have you no shame?"

Javir barked out a laugh, her grip tightening on her sword.

"The only filthy individuals here are you, asshole. Now, are we going to dance, or are you just going to stand there and monologue like a villain from a child's tale?"

The mage's face twisted in rage, and with a flick of his wrist, the battle began.

Javir knew she had her work cut out for her.

Fighting against four mages at once was no easy feat, especially when they had no qualms about using forbidden magic.

But, she'd fought through worse odds than this. 

The mages all launched multiple projectiles at her. Rocks, lightning, spheres of ice and flame, all heading toward her. 

Javir's left hand became a blur, drawing spellsigns in the air and muttering incantations with lightning speed.

The kitsune was the first to abandon magic and pulled out two daggers. This was why Javir carried a sword. 

The kitsune ran up. Javir alternated between creating barriers to block incoming spells and deflecting the kitsune's dagger strikes as the fox-eared woman closed in.

[Damn, she's fast!] Javir thought, barely managing to dodge a particularly vicious swipe. [But I'm faster.]

With a fierce grin, Javir unleashed a burst of flame, catching one of the human mages off guard.

"AAAAH!" He screamed in pain, his robes igniting like kindling.

[Just a fraction of the pain you've surely caused, you prick.] 

He went down and didn't get back up. 

"One down, three to go," Javir muttered, turning her attention back to the kitsune.

The fox-woman was relentless, her daggers a whirlwind of steel. But Javir held her ground, parrying and dodging elegantly. Her speed was the only commendable thing about her. 

[Just need to keep her busy a little longer,] she thought, risking a glance at the two remaining human mages. [Then I can take out those bastards with one big spell.]

As if reading her mind, the kitsune pressed her attack, trying to force Javir back towards the pond.

[Oh no, you don't!]

With a burst of speed, Javir leaped to the side while simultaneously parrying a blow. The kitsune stumbled forward, thrown off balance by the sudden move.

And that was all the opening Javir needed.

"Eat this, you sons of bitches! Glacies, tempestas, fulmina!"

A massive blast of ice and wind erupted from Javir's outstretched hand, slamming into the two human mages with the force of a rampaging behemoth. They flew backwards, their bodies crashing through the underbrush.

She did not see them rise once again. 

[Heh, Ice Storm. Guess I owe Melisa a thank you for the inspiration.]

But Javir's triumph was short-lived. The kitsune, realizing she was outmatched, let out a desperate, feral snarl. 

She turned, her eyes locking onto Margaret and Melisa.

"NO!" Javir screamed, lunging forward. But she was too far away, too slow.

The kitsune's daggers glinted in the sunlight, aimed directly at the nim woman and her child.

[No, no, no! I can't let this happen!] 

Javir's left hand moved on pure instinct, drawing one final spellsign.

"Radix, ligare, vinculum!"

A vine, thick and green, burst from the ground at the kitsune's feet. It twisted around her leg like a snake, yanking her off balance. 

The daggers flew wide, missing Margaret and Melisa by a hair's breadth.

Javir was on the kitsune in an instant, her sword at the woman's throat.

And, she did not hesitate. 

Sirk 

Her blade sank into the kitsune's neck and the dirt beneath her was soon began turning to mud. 

It was done. 

Javir let out a shaky breath, the adrenaline slowly draining from her system.

[It's over. We're safe. They're safe.]

She turned to Margaret and Melisa, a tired but triumphant smile on her face.

"You two okay?"

Margaret nodded, tears of relief streaming down her face as she clutched Melisa close.

"Thanks to you, yes. Javir, I... I don't know how to thank you. You saved our lives."

Javir shook her head, sheathing her sword.

"No need for thanks. I did what any decent person would do. Besides..."

She noticed Melisa staring at the kitsune. 

Javir knelt down and pulled her eyes off the fallen enemy, with a hand on Melisa's cheek. 

"I couldn't let anything happen to my favorite student, now could I? Who else is going to help me pass the time in that village?" 

Melisa nodded, slowly forming an expression of relief. 

[I wish she hadn't had to see that,] Javir thought. [But, maybe it's better that she did. This world, even the kitsune forests, are not kind to your people, kid.] 

---

As they walked back to the village, Javir could see the haunted look in Melisa's eyes, the memory of the fallen kitsune probably still fresh in her mind. The older woman's heart ached for the girl, wishing she could somehow shield her from the cruelties of the world.

The best she could do, though, was try to distract her, to give her something else to focus on.

"Hey, Melisa," Javir said, her voice soft and gentle. "Have I ever told you about Syux? The city where I'm from?"

Melisa shook her head, a flicker of curiosity breaking through the shadows in her eyes.

"No. What's it like?"

Javir smiled, a wistful expression on her face.

"It's big. Bigger than anything you've ever seen. Buildings that touch the sky, streets that go on forever. And the people! There are so many of them, from all different walks of life."

She chuckled, shaking her head.

"To be honest, I've rarely been in a forest like this. In Syux, everything is stone and steel and glass. It's beautiful, in its own way, but sometimes I forget how much I miss the green of the trees and the smell of the earth."

Melisa's eyes widened. Javir could almost see her picturing the place she described. 

"It sounds amazing. I... Uh... I can't imagine a place like that." 

Javir grinned, ruffling the girl's hair affectionately.

"Maybe someday, with your lovely mother's permission, of course, I'll take you there. Show you all the wonders of the human world. Would you like that?"

Melisa nodded eagerly, a smile finally breaking through the clouds on her face.

"Yeah! I'd love that!"

Margaret just shook her head with a smile. 

As they reached the village, Javir felt a wave of relief wash over her. They were safe now, back among friends and family.

But as they hurried into the Blackflames' home, Margaret's sharp gasp brought Javir's attention to a new... Or, unaddressed problem.

"Javir, you're hurt!"

The older woman glanced down, noticing for the first time the thin line of red seeping through her shirt.

"Oh. I am." 

The kitsune's dagger had managed to find its mark after all, but in the heat of battle, she hadn't even felt it.

"It's nothing," Javir said, waving off Margaret's concern. "Just a scratch. I'll heal it up once I get some Essence back."

But Margaret was having none of it. She grabbed Javir's hand, pulling her towards one of the bedrooms. 

"Nonsense. You saved our lives out there. The least I can do is tend to your wounds."

Javir opened her mouth to protest, but the determined look in Margaret's eyes stopped her short. With a sigh of resignation, she allowed herself to be led into the room.

"Take off your shirt," Margaret instructed as she closed the door behind her, her tone brooking no argument. "I need to see the extent of the damage."

Javir hesitated for a moment, suddenly feeling uncharacteristically self-conscious.

But the pain in her side was growing harder to ignore, so with a deep breath, she peeled off her shirt.

Margaret's eyes widened, her gaze roaming over Javir's toned abs and the intricate tattoos that adorned her skin.

Javir felt a blush creeping up her neck, unused to being so exposed.

[Ah, it's been a while.] 

"Like what you see?" she teased, trying to diffuse the sudden tension in the room.

Margaret flushed, quickly averting her eyes and busying herself with gathering supplies to clean the wound.

As she worked, Javir found herself getting lost in the nim woman's gentle touch, the way her fingers seemed to dance across her skin.

She hissed as Margaret applied a salve to the cut. 

"Sorry," Margaret murmured, her voice soft and soothing. "I know it hurts. But it'll help prevent infection."

"I'm fine," she stated. "Just keep doing what you're doing." 

Javir nodded, gritting her teeth against the pain. But as she looked up, her gaze locked with Margaret's, and suddenly, the world, pain included, seemed to fall away.

There was something in those deep, red eyes, something that called to Javir on a primal level.

[Oh fuck,] Javir thought, feeling like those eyes were drawing her in. 

Slowly, as if drawn by an invisible force, they leaned towards each other.

And...

Their lips met. 

Javir's hand came up to cup Margaret's cheek, pulling her closer as the kiss deepened.

She stood up from where she sat, tilting her head, making the kiss deeper. 

For a moment, everything else ceased to exist. 

They stopped for a moment. 

Javir damn near pulled away, remembering Margaret was a married woman. But, as if reading her mind, Margaret said:

"It's okay..." She whispered. "Just as long as the little one doesn't hear." 

Javir smirked. 

"I'll try to be quiet, then." 

Without another word, she closed the distance again, her hand gently cupping Margaret's cheek.

Margaret sighed into the kiss, her body relaxing as she tilted her head herself. Javir's tongue teased Margaret's lips, coaxing them open before slipping inside. Margaret's tongue met Javir's, dancing with it, and a soft moan escaped her lips.

Javir's hand moved from her cheek to the back of her neck, pulling her closer.

Their kiss grew more passionate. Javir's other hand roamed down Margaret's back, her fingers tracing the curve of her spine before boldly sliding lower. Moving past Margaret's swaying tail, she gripped the nim's ass firmly, eliciting a gasp that was quickly swallowed by the kiss.

Margaret responded eagerly, her hands clutching at Javir's shoulders, fingers digging in as their bodies pressed together. Javir nipped at Margaret's lower lip, tugging gently with her teeth.

Margaret's body arched at Javir's touch. The kiss intensified even further before Margaret pulled away. Javir nearly pulled her back before she saw what Margaret intended. 

Margaret dropped to her knees.

Her eyes were filled with desire as she gazed up at Javir. She slowly slid her hands up Javir's thighs and the mage felt chills.

Margaret began to unfasten Javir's trousers, pulling them down along with her undergarments to reveal her wet, glistening pussy.

"Oh, goodness," Javir let out before Margaret put a finger in front of her lips. "Right. Sorry." 

Margaret leaned in, her warm breath falling on Javir's most sensitive spot. Then, Margaret's tongue flicked out, teasing the outer lips before delving in deeper.

Javir let out a soft moan that she quickly hid, biting the insides of her cheeks.

Her hands wrapped around Margaret's horns, pulling her closer. 

Margaret took her time, her tongue exploring every inch of Javir's pussy with a mixture of gentle licks and firm, deliberate strokes. She circled Javir's clit, her tongue swirling around the sensitive bud before sucking on it gently.

Javir's hips bucked involuntarily.

Margaret responded by increasing her pace, her tongue working in rhythmic, passionate motions that drove Javir wild. She licked and sucked powerfully, her lips and tongue bringing Javir closer and closer to the edge.

Javir's grip on Margaret's horns tightened, her breaths coming in ragged gasps as she felt the pressure building within her.

Soon, it was all she could do not to scream. 

Javir cried out, her body convulsing with the force of her orgasm.

Waves of pleasure crashed over her, her juices coating Margaret's tongue.

Margaret licked up every drop, her tongue still working gently to prolong the moment.

As the waves of her orgasm subsided, Javir's body relaxed, her breathing slowly returning to normal.

Margaret looked up, her eyes meeting Javir's with a satisfied smile.

Javir just stared back at her for a moment. 

[... Contrary to what my peers back at the academy would have people think, I'd never fucked a nim until now,] Javir blinked. [Good gods, what an experience.]