NTR Quest 57 - End- (Patreon)

Lauda beamed at your answer. “I'm glad. This relationship benefits all of us, after all. Together the three of us have been guiding history.”

That statement shocked you. You were not sure how they would have. Your mind wandered back to the brief memory of Coda imploring Calpin to avoid going to war a second time.
“You've been rigging history?”

“Tweaking.” Tintamere chimed in.
“It was my idea... Or intention, at first, though initially it was somewhat selfish. Humans had become incredibly numerous but suffered. We were quick to reproduce but held no real natural advantages that could allow us to stand on our own against incarnates with their physical capabilities, or seraph, with their natural Aura. Naturally we were used by the stronger species for labor. It allowed us to proliferate all across the world even faster, but that in itself was... Not ideal.” She seemed uncomfortable to even mention it.

“I was the first to develop the fundamentals of magic. Expanding and training Aura. There are other ways, but the basic methods I was able to reproduce made it efficient and effective to train others.”

“The only reason I heard of you was from my father. I remembered him talking about you, as opposed to... The other guy.” You strained to even remember his name.

Tintamere nodded. “I would've preferred if you elevated that name more.”

“Why? It sounds like he took credit.”

“He was I.” She motioned towards herself and became even more saddened.
“When I revealed myself to my own people they were proud. At least, I thought it was pride at first. Eventually it gave way to ownership. The Dark Continent is home to many peoples and though we may look similar, our customs and values differ greatly from nation to nation. When my own people whom I trusted most began to look down on others, I decided that I did not want to be a party to it.” She motioned with her hand to her right and showed portraits hanging in the air. Many faces of different shapes and colors.
“I went to the other peoples on the dark continent first and advised them by posing as one of their own. Over time they all came to call the methods their own. But with all of them having claim to it, none of them could take ownership of it completely. They also were given their own idols to look up to. It had the effect that I wanted, which was to inspire others to innovate and feel as though these ideas were theirs, as well as others. When I figured out the world was a lot bigger I went even further. I revealed myself in the east, in the west and all over.”

Lauda chuckled. “At roughly the same time all over the world humans began to understand magic. They were the first. That is when it caught my attention. Suffice to say we had a long conversation. At first it was just the two of us. We shared similar ideals, though I admittedly just wanted no power to be able to rise above my own. I was satisfied where I was.”

“If the others are fighting, they aren't joining together to set their eyes on you?”

“That's right. The Seraph and Gnolls were strong at the time. The Ogres in the east also had dominion.” The woman winked.

“When seraph became too powerful we orchestrated a split. The ensuing conflict gave way to the ciaren, the 'dark elves' which eventually gave way to the elven people.”

“The exile of the ciaren is what put Coda on our radar. The woman had been building her coven around the world tree, hidden from the world right up until the point the ciaren exiles arrived on her doorstep. That was when we made the same proposal we made to you just now. That you thankfully accepted.”

“The only thing we did not understand at the time were 'accidents,' according to her.” Lauda sighed.

You somehow recognized that term. “An accident... It's a freak outcome with no branching solutions.” Coda had always seen those outcomes when she looked into the roots. Looking ahead at everything that could happen meant that they would of course show themselves to her just like any other event. They were called accidents because there was no way to predict that they would happen. They existed at the end of branches just like any other event, but the closer reality came to align with the 'accidents' the more branches seemed to close off until eventually there was no longer probability or chance. It just was.

“The first accident was the destruction of the tree...” It was an accident so sudden that there was barely any use even giving it consideration. Not only was the outcome unexpected, but there was not even any context to understand what it was or what would cause it. Coda thought that it appeared to be able to connect to so many paths because it was an utter non-sequitur with no beginning and no end. What she did not consider until too late was that most paths seemed to end, against all common sense, in that outcome.

“That's when things became serious.”

* *

With those words weighing heavily on your mind you entered the chamber. Assembled at either side, standing in formal attire were several ciar and beastfolk of many kinds. It was the throne room that you recognized, repurposed for the wedding. Sitting in the large seat reserved for the King was of course Djir. He was responsible for officiating such an important occasion. Pillars latticed with roots flanked the fine carpet that you walked on as you made your way steadily towards Jeane in her white gown. You were surprised it was still a white gown. Even with such different cultures the emblematic garb of a new union for a woman still happened to be a white, shining gown that hugged her attractive figure. You were dressed quite elaborately as well in fine red and gold robes. Reds, oranges and golds seemed to be the color that symbolized the coven. It made sense. The most common gold eye color mixed with Coda's, now your striking red hair.

As you reached her you apologized quietly as you reached for her gloved hand and held it in yours. “I'm sorry that I've seemed so impersonal. There's been a lot on my mind. I hadn't felt like myself and it must've seemed like I was only do this because it made sense.” You smiled.
“The reality is, I am marrying you because I love you and I want us to spend eternity together.” The assembled Coven members gasped. A few of them began to weep quietly while holding their bellies. It was ironic, as many of them carried your unborn children. They had just yet to show.

In an extremely appropriate gesture Jeane's face scrunched up in annoyance and she complained. “It just does not feel like long enough does it?”

The two of you closed the distance in equal parts, embraced and kissed. In the background Ranaghast stared at Djir harshly, triggering the gnoll to wave his hand and make it all official. No words were required. You had both said all that needed to be said. When it was done you lifted her up into your arms and carried her to your room.

It was funny that the dress and robes that were such lavish, necessary ingredients to form such a union were so quickly discarded once you were both alone. As you climbed over her and held her it was almost as if none of that was ever necessary to begin with. The ceremony, the clothes, the officiator. The only thing that was needed were you and her meeting on top of a bed like this. You both had sex before, so it was not new technically, but somehow it felt new. More intimate, more meaningful as you lovingly pounded her small ciaren pussy. When you impregnated the coven it was necessary. It was something that you wanted to do for the sake of a vision you had. With Jeane, it was important. It wasn't just something you needed it was something you wanted. You wanted to produce something that was only yours and hers. Maybe two or three more. However many she wanted. An eternity was a long time, after all. When you looked into her eyes in those brief moments when they opened and ceased fluttering to lock with your, you could tell she felt the same way.

* *

“That wasn't where it ended, exactly, but I think it's probably the high point.” Raithe stated as she closed the book read.
“There was a lot of weird details and some stuff that wasn't included. Djir went over your head to ship Malik back to his homeland predicting it would stir things up across the water. He was right. Of course. That made you really mad.” She smiled, running her hand over the cover.
“Your children with Jeane were born elves with a thin layer of soft fur over their ears. Their lifespan was long, but still far too short to outlast you and Jeane. Because you were originally human it had an effect on your children... All of them. You loved the first generation and their grandchildren, but as time went on you faded into the background as most ancient things do. Eventually ou were both just a portrait on the wall as the dynasty continued. Their strings being pulled by you in the background. I made sure to attend to all of them out in the open just as you asked. Just as you raised me to do, Father.”
“If you ever told anyone what happened to Kara we would've written that down, too. It was a group effort, so don't thank me. If you can thank me... You can thank others for all the racier bits, though. I do not want to take credit for those. Some are more enthusiastic about them than others.” She had attempted to talk to him in such a way whenever possible after the disaster. She could never tell if it was working and thought on a whim to compile his own story so that she could read it back to him in hopes of illicit a response. Anything. The Coven had taken on a new form but was still wanting for it's Patriarch.

Raithe was in a different body, but the features were startlingly similar. Raithe was a grown fox woman that seemed uncomfortable in her own body, as though she was wearing a suit within the smart clothes she was already wearing. Her uniform as a CEO was a pair of gold eyes dimmed by contact lenses, a black turtle neck and black slacks. They had become her trademark. Her hair was short and her ears neatly trimmed along with her gently waving tail. She lifted her hand off the cover and ran it up the cold hard surface of the monster of a machine. It was a huge cylindrical tank that contained and blocked out any and all radiation. It sat many miles under the ground at the center of her company's latest project. She took a deep breath.
“We rebuilt the world tree father. We turned it upside down and wound it together with a lattice of wires. METAL, of all things. As good... No, maybe better; right under their noses. The world is fully connected thanks to our Root Network. The people of this world within just a few generations learned to create worlds within worlds in virtual space... I wish you could see it.”

 * * *

NTR Quest will begin again next week as NT Runner.