A Wizard's War - 5. The Ceremony

Simon sat at the large dining table in Hawthorn manor, his eyes narrowed, and his brow furrowed as he studied Bronn. Bronn was talking cheerfully with Abbot Qualls at the far end of the table, and his winning smile completely hid the monster that Simon knew was lurking beneath the surface. Simon had yet to decide what he would do the next time Bronn came to him in the night, but the dagger he had left at his bedside was a start.

“Is it strange for you that we are betrothed?” came a small meek voice to Simon’s left. He had been so focused he had forgotten Ellina was sitting there. She was quite a stunning girl with her curly locks of light brown hair perfectly maintained framing her rosy cheeks. Her breasts were not overly large, but were full and perky in her slimming, lavender dress. She sat bolt upright and ate her breakfast with the most prim and precise movements. Simon had to consider the question she had asked.

“Oh,” Simon stammered, “I…uh, guess I haven’t given it much thought with everything that has happened.”

“Yes,” she giggled almost mechanically, “I suppose you have had more pressing issues.”

“How do you feel about my proposal?” Simon asked.

“It’s not my place,” Ellina smiled joylessly, “my father knows what is best.”

“But surely you have some opinion,” Simon frowned at her, “I entered the contract to help my family survive, but now that my…”

Ellina placed a comforting hand on Simon’s arm as his eyes fell to his plate and he could not say the words: family is dead.

“The point is,” Simon continued, looking back up at her, “our situation has changed if you do not wish to marry me.”

“I was going to suggest we should get to know each other better,” Ellina smiled, “perhaps dinner some night next week, just the two of us and my father, of course, to supervise.”

“I would be willing to do that,” Simon nodded.

“Unless I’ve had to end your father’s life,” Simon reflected internally.

“Thank you,” Ellina practically beamed, “and thank you for offering me a choice, even though I know it is not mine to make.”

Simon glared back down at Bronn at the far end. Even Bronn’s own daughter felt trapped by the man. Just a red eyed goblin smiling his crooked smile at the clerical guest. Simon noticed for the first time that Abbot Qualls in his unadorned gray robes was looking directly at Simon as he listened to Bronn speak. The abbot had been studying Simon, and Simon felt almost exposed under the man’s gaze. Simon quickly broke eye contact and focused on his food.

“Dear boy,” Abbot Qualls called down the length of the table, “Simon, is it not?”

“Yes?” Simon looked up and was slightly amused by the perturbed look on Bronn’s face at being interrupted, “I’m Simon.”

“You’ve had much going on,” the abbot continued, “but I was hoping you might come by my study this afternoon. I’d still like to get your perspective on the goblin menace. According to the other two you were shown more of the camp.”

“That is correct,” Simon nodded, “we can discuss it now, if you want.”

“No,” the abbot smiled enigmatically, “we should meet later in my study. Perhaps we will both learn something.”

__________

After breakfast was blessedly over, Simon made haste out of the manor and out to the back of the house. He wound his way down a small path through a copse of trees toward a small stream. As he approached, Simon could hear the heavy thud of an axe and the clattering of split wood falling to either side. Amos had started the day much earlier while it was not yet too hot, and he stood shirtless in the clearing with his axe.

Simon had not seen the man without his shirt before, but every muscle was clear and pronounced, like a perfectly chiseled work of art. Amos’ body glistened with a thin sheen of sweat and even from the distance Simon could smell his musky odor. It was incredible how alike Amos looked to his father, but unlike Bronn, Amos had a quiet and almost calming presence.

“I wanted to thank you,” Simon spoke.

“For what?” Amos mused as he placed another log on the stump.

“For helping me find a stone for my parents,” Simon answered.

Crack! The log fell into pieces.

“It needed to be done,” Amos shrugged.

“But no one else offered to help me, and I was not in a good state of mind.”

“I know,” Amos paused and looked at Simon squarely for the first time, “I remember how I felt when my mother died. Adrift and quite lost.”

“Well, I appreciate it.”

“I was young when she died, but I was the only one of my siblings to really know her and understand the loss. Trent was still quite young, and Ellina never knew her since it happened during her birth.”

“I’m sorry,” Simon took a step forward as he listened, “that must have been lonely for you.”

“It was, I suppose,” Amos wondered, “I never thought of it that way. And my father would rarely speak of her. We all mourn in our own way.”

“My parents didn’t deserve such a terrible end,” Simon looked down, “and somehow I survived by sheer dumb luck.”

Amos placed a hand under Simon’s chin and made him meet his gaze, “Your parents would have wanted you to live, and you have. Maybe you can make the best of it, for them.”

“That’s why you are so different from your father, isn’t it?” Simon wondered aloud, “You are more like your mother in order to honor her memory.”

Simon knew he had said too much as soon as he spoke. Amos’ expression suddenly darkened, and he pulled his hand away. Amos turned back to his work and bid Simon a good day. Simon stood awkward for a moment, wanting to comfort the big man, but in the end he just walked away.

__________

Simon entered the study as the late afternoon sun filtered through the window and swirling motes of dust danced in the rays of light. Abbot Qualls was sitting at his desk reading a large tome while several vials and potions bubbled and brewed to his left. The abbot had adorned some spectacles for reading and he looked up over them as he greeted Simon.

“Good afternoon,” Simon replied.

“I am glad you stopped by,” the abbot smiled as he removed his spectacles and set them aside, “I feel we need to get to know each other at once.”

“Oh?” Simon was legitimately confused.

“My sacred order of Belothemid came to this town in pursuit of goblins and other such vile creatures, but nothing happens by accident. I believe the real reason I was brought here was to meet you.”

“Me?” Simon laughed nervously.

“Yes, I believe somehow you are very important to the future.”

“I’m sorry, Abbot, but you are likely mistaken. I’m just a poor farm boy.”

“Auren,” the abbot waved, “please call me Auren. And you should know, I rarely make mistakes. In fact, not too long ago I made my first mistake in years that resulted in an unexpected assassination attempt, but even that mistake only played into some higher purpose I could not yet see.”

“Assassination?” Simon was stunned, “Who was nearly assassinated?”

“A nobleman from a far-off kingdom you’ve probably never heard of,” Auren waved again, “that’s not the point. The point is, that if I sense you are special, then you probably are.”

“Special to the order of Belothemid?” Simon asked, “because I must admit I don’t know much about that particular deity.”

“Few would recall such an ancient god, I suppose,” Auren laughed wistfully, “He was a glorious ruler when he walked the earth.”

“I thought most gods were unattainable, separate but present in the lives of men?”

“But there was a time that they walked among us,” Auren smiled and held up his finger, “You are quite the scholar aren’t you? At least for such a small village.”

“I have read as much as I could over the years.”

“Well allow me to enlighten you on the history of the great Belothemid. Please take a seat. When Belothemid came in the form of a man he was able to touch the dead and dying and offer them a chance to return. His powers became known far and wide and many sought him out to restore the ones they loved…”

“…the god of miraculous healing,” Simon recalled.

“Quite right!” Auren smiled, “Belothemid wanted all of man to live in harmony and peace for all eternity upon the earth in exchange for their loyalty. But the Eternal Empress in her dark realm began to realize the souls of the dead were lingering upon the earth beyond their time. She was furious and conspired with the other gods to imprison Belothemid for all eternity in her realm, but this could only happen if Belothemid’s mortal form were to die.”

“Why did she not just claim his soul?”

“Vale the Eternal Empress is just as much a slave to time as the rest of us. She could not claim a soul if it were not yet hers to take. None of the four primary gods may meddle directly in the affairs of humans because in the face of the gods we would be driven mad! Their only recourse was to select champions upon the earth to defeat Belothemid and cast him to the eternal realm.”

“How have I never heard this story before?” Simon interrupted, “You would think it would be in the texts honoring the gods of fortune?”

“The gods wish to present themselves as infallible and their followers construct the stories that make them appear most innocent. What was done to imprison Belothemid, would have drastic and long-lasting consequences for the entire world. The human champions chosen by the gods would end up becoming the first wizards.”

“So, the desperate power struggles that culminated in the wizard wars would never have happened, if the gods had not created the wizards in the first place to defeat Belothemid…”

“You catch on quick,” Auren stood from the desk and paced a bit as he continued his story, “In the end, as Belothemid died, he swore that he would one day return and call the souls of man back to live long upon the earth. With the Eternal Empress we face only death, but in the god Belothemid we can live forever.”

“I still don’t see how I am special to the future of your order?” Simon pointed out. He realized that Qualls had a magnetic aura around him, and Simon had been easily drawn into the story. Simon knew he had a fascination with history, and his curiosity was genuine, but it felt like more was at work when the abbot was speaking. A glamor? A spell?

“I see potential in you,” Auren turned and stared pointedly at Simon in a way that made Simon uncomfortable, “You have a fury inside of you, a drive, that gives you strength.”

Simon could feel the pull of the abbot’s aura growing stronger and more intense as their eyes were now locked. Simon felt compelled to listen and compelled to understand what Auren had in store for him.

“You will answer me honestly,” Auren almost whispered, “you will show me what I need to know.”

“I can show you,” Simon replied lazily.

“The girl arrived first,” Auren wavered hypnotically before Simon’s vision, “I thought she was important, but she led to you.”

“What girl?” Simon asked.

“Jemma,” Auren was now simply a whisper in Simon’s mind. Like thousands of snakes slithering and hissing to form the words he wanted Simon to hear.

“Yes, the elf girl,” Simon yawned, and he felt drool down his chin. He wanted to look away, but he lacked the energy to do so.

“The goblins took you, but not with the others. Why?”

“So many snakes…” Simon laughed drunkenly.

“Why did they spare you?” Auren roared.

“Jell…” Simon slurred, “Lekoooooo”

“What does that mean?”

“I don’t know.”

“Is it a goblin word?”

“Yes.”

“See them, hear them when they said it.”

Simon could suddenly see goblins standing over him and around him ejaculating all over his body before spreading their cum over his naked form. He recoiled at the foul memory, but the word was there too, over and over again they spoke it to him.

“Jeleko-ohn,” Simon blurted out as if one of the vision goblins had spoken through him. Auren’s eyes went wide with amazement and then he snapped his fingers. Simon blinked a few times and could not recall much of the last few moments. He felt embarrassed and wondered momentarily if he had drifted off while Qualls had talked about Belothemid, but he still remembered the story from start to finish.

“I still don’t see how I’m special to the future of your order?” Simon finally spoke.

“I see great potential in you,” Auren smiled broadly, “roughly translated, you are the ‘Seeded One.’”

“The seeded one?” Simon puzzled, “that sounds kinda dumb.”

“Most mortals cannot withstand the power of the gods,” Auren continued, “unless they are born as a wizard. But seeded ones are unique, they can accept the power of the gods through the seed of a god. Many texts call them warlocks, ones that derive their power by gaining the favor of a god.”

“So, I can become a warlock?” Simon asked skeptically.

“If you so choose,” Auren nodded, “And I can guide you in the process.”

“I don’t understand,” Simon laughed, “How do you know all this?”

“Belothemid has granted me many divine gifts and as I said before, I rarely make a mistake.”

“This all sounds farfetched.”

“And did you suspect a goblin to take you captive only just a week ago? There is more in this world than your small village and haven’t you longed to go elsewhere? To see more? Isn’t that why you love your books and stories, to escape? Let me give you the power to be something spectacular.”

“I do want to see more,” Simon agreed, “there is little left for me here now. But why would you help me in this?”

“Because it is what Belothemid has led me here to do.”

__________

Simon crept down the stairs of the manor using a candle to light his way in the dark. He reached the front door and stepped outside. Just as instructed there was a black horse and black carriage there waiting for him. He probably would not have seen them if it were not for the bright moonlight overhead. He climbed into the carriage where Auren Qualls was already waiting. To his normally drab gray robes, Auren had added many amulets and chains with unusual symbols and markings.

“Are you ready, my boy?” Auren asked.

“I’m not sure,” Simon answered honestly, “but the more I’ve contemplated today, the more certain I am that I do not wish to be powerless any longer.”

“You are far from powerless,” Auren spoke grimly, “Tonight we shall gauge your potential.”

Auren flourished his hands, and the carriage was set in motion. Simon did not recall a driver waiting in the dark, but the horse seemed to know exactly where to go. It was not long before they arrived at the destination.

“You have magic too,” Simon stated, knowing it was a fact.

“I do,” Auren admitted.

“Are you also a warlock?”

“I am not,” Auren shook his head, “Alas, my ancestors are that of wizard blood.”

“The wizards who defeated Belothemid now have a descendant who actively serves him.”

“Believe me, the irony is not lost on me,” Auren smiled and then motioned to the door, “Shall we?”

Simon stepped out of the carriage and he saw many of the soldiers dressed in black forming a tight circular formation around their destination. In the center of the opening a ring of black candles had been lit and many lines and whorls had been poured out using sand or perhaps salt upon the bare earth. Auren exited the carriage swiftly behind Simon and began to roam around the outside of the formation.

“You,” Auren indicated one of the soldiers.

“You,” another soldier and on around he went until he had selected four.

“Remove your armor and undress.”

To Simon’s amazement not a single soldier argued or questioned the unusual request, they simply began removing their shoulder pauldrons, grieves, and breast plates and etcetera and began to undress. Then Auren glided back to Simon and gently laid his cold, bony hands upon Simon’s shoulders.

“You must also now disrobe,” Auren whispered and again there was that hint of snakes in the mind that Simon forgot almost as quickly as it occurred. Simon pulled his shirt over his head, took off his shoes, and then unfastened his trousers. Soon Simon stood naked in the moonlight and candlelight.

“It is not an easy process,” Auren spoke calmly, “you will need to be prepared or you will not be able to handle the transfer. The men I have selected will open you and they will seed you. There is life giving power in the seed, especially for a seeded one.”

Auren positioned Simon in the center of the candles and in the center of the many patterns left upon the ground. Auren made it clear that the men entering could not disturb the patterns on the ground or it would cost them their lives. Finally, Auren asked Simon to bend over so he could unceremoniously wipe some type of salve across Simon’s rectum.

“Is this really necessary?” Simon wondered as he shivered in the night air and felt gooseflesh prickle his skin. There was fear there too and Simon wondered not for the first time what he was thinking?

“Calm,” the whispered snakes from Auren, “Remember you do not want to feel powerless ever again.”

“I won’t be powerless again,” Simon nodded. He pictured the red eyed goblins and the red eyed Bronn and his will hardened.

The first soldier stepped into the circle and with no foreplay or preparation filled Simon’s hole with his erection. The salve Auren had applied was nice and reduced friction, the initial entry was much less painful than all the other sexual encounters Simon had. The lubrication was similar to the goblin chieftain’s great bouts of cum, and had allowed more complete and pleasurable penetration. The first soldier had a penis perhaps a little smaller than Bronn and it was hitting all the right places without being too big. Simon moaned a bit and felt his own erection begin to grow.

“You respond nicely,” Auren marveled as he began to wave his hands over the symbols on the ground. Some of the sand or salt glittered brighter in the moonlight.

Soon the first soldier had worked up a good steady pace, he gripped Simon’s waist with one hand and Simon’s shoulder in the other and pumped harder until at last he ejaculated inside. Simon loved the hot warmth that flooded his insides, and he was almost disappointed when the soldier withdrew and walked away without hesitation. Simon wanted to let him sit inside for a bit and continue experiencing that fullness.

Simon didn’t have to wait long though as the next soldier took up position behind him and penetrated him. The second soldier had a shorter dick, but the thickness was much more reminiscent of Bronn. It stretched Simon and he grunted as the soldier made his first few strokes. The cum already inside acted nicely as lubrication and as the soldier began to fuck faster, Simon enjoyed it more and more. By the time the second soldier ejaculated inside, Simon could see his own dick was also now fully erect.

Playing with his own dick absently while waiting for the next soldier, Simon almost forgot where he was. There were a great many eyes all staring at him and Auren continued to move about and was now chanting in languages unknown. The next soldier approached, and Simon looked down at the large cock swinging between his legs. It was quite long and the man’s balls were easily the size of lemons!

The soldier suggested Simon lay back on the ground, he then took hold of Simon’s legs and raised them up onto his shoulders. Simon got a good view of the soldier’s slim muscular form, his dark-haired stubble and the delicious treasure trail below his navel. The soldier guided his long dick to the entrance of Simon’s hole and used his weight to push inside. The soldier went up and down slowly and thoroughly using his whole shaft to penetrate and then exit Simon’s ass.

Without warning the soldier came inside Simon a little, but also all over Simon’s ass as he pulled out. It seemed like the soldier had been surprised as well, but he didn’t stop, he pushed back inside. Simon could feel the man’s massive dick pushing past some unseen barrier inside him and there was pain at first, but Simon’s own dick also twitched with need every time the man went deep. All the way in, all the way out. It went on so long, Simon could barely stand it, he thought he’d go crazy with the pressure so deep in his body.

“Fuck me,” Simon moaned, “Please fuck me already!”

As if the soldier was waiting for this moment, he suddenly let loose and began pile driving his massive cock down into Simon’s hole. The man’s whole weight was being used to slam down inside of Simon and his massive balls were bouncing and rebounding off Simon’s round ass cheeks. Simon screamed in pain at the sudden shift in speed, but then his ass opened and each ramming deep in his gut made his cock twitch and jerk with delight. Simon barely touched his own dick, and it began pouring cum into his own face and mouth. He tasted his own salty cum and smiled as he begged the soldier to keep fucking.

The soldier was happy to comply, he grabbed hold of Simon’s legs lifting Simon to a position where he was practically upside down and his ass was bouncing on and off the full length of the soldier’s huge cock. The soldier panted with effort and drove his massive cock home again and again with relentless intent. Simon was crying and moaning and screaming, but always begging for more. The soldier began to roar and grunt with the effort he was making to satisfy the hungry hole he had entered.

Suddenly Simon knew he needed that seed, he wanted that cum buried so deep inside and he clenched his insides around the soldier’s mighty shaft. The soldier roared in pleasure at the sudden change, and he ejaculated the contents of his full, massive balls over the course of seven more thrusts. At the last thrust the soldier was buried completely inside of Simon and nearly collapsed on top of Simon as he staggered backward.

“Not the symbols,” Auren warned, “Be careful.”

“I’ve never…felt anything…” the soldier stammered.

“His power is impressive,” Auren agreed, “now get out of the way.”

Simon was laying on the ground feeling both sore, but also hornier than he’d ever been in his entire life. His dick was already hard again and he wanted more. The final soldier entered the circle and the man was built like an ox. He had darker olive complexion to his skin and between his legs was a cock to rival a goblin chieftain. It was long, thick and Simon couldn’t wait to have it. Simon got to his hands and knees and waggled his open hole at the soldier. Simon could see the man’s erection jump with need.

“So,” the soldier said in a thick accent, “You like it rough.”

“Give me what you got,” Simon urged.

The soldier grabbed each hip in a great meaty hand and then plowed his monster member inside. Simon moaned and gasped in pleasure and pain as his hole stretched. The soldier seemed to explore a bit inside of Simon’s ass and Simon wiggled his ass against the cock until it was balls deep. Then the soldier who promised to fuck rough did not disappoint. He rammed his cock inside of Simon and began smacking Simon’s ass with his large hands.

“You like Igor’s hammer?” the soldier teased.

“Yes, fuck me!”

“You take my cock better than any I’ve ever had. I think you can take it harder.”

Simon begged for it and Igor did indeed fuck harder and rougher with each thrust. Simon was so full of cock it was all he could think about. Then Igor pushed Simon flat on his belly and began using his whole weight to pin Simon down as he pounded his ass without mercy. Their bodies made intense slapping sounds as they slammed together. Simon grunted each time that Igor’s full weight landed on him. The two men ejaculated simultaneously, and Igor roared in extreme satisfaction. He gave Simon one last swat on his butt as he pulled his huge cock out and left Simon shaking on the ground.

“The magic is complete,” Auren spoke, “It is time for the final step.”

Simon managed to look toward the source of Auren’s voice, but he was unable to get up from the ground. Auren produced from his robes a massively thick phallic shape. It appeared to hewn from some sort of bone and carefully smoothed. Auren entered the circle and set the phallus in the center, then he left the circle.

“You must sit on it,” Auren spoke.

Sit on it.

“You must allow it to penetrate you of your own free will,” Auren continued, “You must accept the power inside.”

Sit on it.

Simon crawled to the huge bone dick and was unable to wrap both hands around the base. It was too big for anyone to take. Simon noticed that Auren had placed the salve all over the outer surface to help. Simon had come too far now.

Sit on it.

As strange as it seemed somehow Simon knew every moment had been leading to this. The strange object and this ceremony would unlock his entire future. He had only to do this one last thing. He lined his ass up over the bone dick and sat down.

Sit on it.

The opening of his ass stretched, and he moaned in pain and some pleasure. The massive dick had no give at all, it was so hard and resistant. He pulled up and down, wiggled his ass over the surface, but could not get more than an inch or two of the head inside. He leaned back, using his own weight to let the massive shaft slide in a bit further. He moved up and then let his full weight back down. He did this again and again and made minor progress over the next several minutes.

The rest of the night seemed to have fallen entirely still, not even the breeze rustled through the grass. The carriage didn’t creak, the horse didn’t make a sound. Everything was hushed except the sounds of Simon grunting and struggling to take the massive bone shaft. Without warning Simon plunged down with his weight again and felt an icy cold sensation blast through his body. The force of that icy chill caused his own dick to stiffen again, and gooseflesh pulsed across his body. Every hair stood on end.

Up again and back down. On the down stroke another blast of cold froze him from the inside out and he could see his own breath plume out into the night air. He repeated the process again and again and each downward motion filled him with this exhilarating blast of energy and cold. The whole circle began to freeze up, ice crystals formed on the inner edge of the black candles, but none of the cold seemed to escape the circle.

Simon could feel his skin tight and cold as well, but with each movement he felt the cold less and less. Just like Igor had done, Simon could sense large meaty hands now gripping his waist and pulling him down onto the bone dick. The extra force and pull allowed Simon to finally take the entire shaft into his expanded hole. He threw back his head and was unable to move back up as the full shaft filled him. For a moment Simon was frozen in place and his mind escaped inside.

“You have summoned me,” a voice suddenly boomed through the void.

“I sought power,” Simon spoke uncertainly, “Perhaps I’ve made a mistake.”

“We can give you power,” the voice spoke more intimately and seemed closer as opposed to scattered in every direction.

“I want to be a warlock.”

“I can give you whatever you desire,” the voice cooed, “but tell me your name.”

“I am Simon.”

“We are Yidian. Call me by name and invite me inside.”

“What will become of me?”

“You will remain, we will remain.”

“Yidian, I invite you to enter me…”