Save State Hero 2 -ch 3- (Patreon)

Standing out in the middle of the desert, the car looking inviting as could be, Edmund felt like he was sweating to death.

“I hate this,” mumbled Ellie, taking a large drink from her water bottle. Practically guzzling it with loud gulping noises.

Looking to the pretty woman, he realized she was doing far worse in this heat than he was.

As much as he had wanted to stay in the car with the air-conditioner running, they’d quickly realized that it was going to burn gas.

Gas they’d need to get back out of the desert if Iren didn’t make it.

Ellie had put in the request for Iren to join them through the Goldie, but apparently she’d been out and there would be a delay.

Finishing off the water bottle, Ellie looked at it morosely then, gently set it down next to herself on the ground.

“I’ll pick it up when we leave,” she said, then sighed. “I’m not built for places like this. Extreme heat does me no good at all. I can handle humid, and even a great deal of cold, but heat like this… I just… melt.”

Licking her lips, Ellie began to gently fan at her face.

“Are you really uncomfortable?” Edmund asked, watching her.

Pouting, the Dryad looked to him, sighed, then looked down.

“I’m sorry, I know you’re suffering in this heat with me. I just feel disgusting here. Sick, too,” she admitted.

“Ellie is suffering dehydration and the early signs of heat-stroke. Her Dryad type is not very conducive to this enviornment,” Oz remarked. “A footnote has been generated.

“Let’s go sit in the car there. We’ll turn on the AC,” Edmund said and then started moving to the passenger’s side door.

“But… how will we make it back?” Ellie asked.

“We’ll abandon the car. I don’t care,” Edmund said. “He had no idea if this would be a first run, last run, or a permanent one. But he didn’t like the idea of Ellie suffering another moment out here. It left him feeling disgraceful for even having let her stand in this heat as long as he had already.

“No. I’m fine. We’ll just wait a bit longer. I’m sure she’ll be here,” Ellie argued.

“Aenor, get in the car please. For me,” Edmund tried. Deliberately hitting a name he knew she had no resistance against. “Aenor Yew… come sit. Cool yourself.”

Pouting at him now in earnest, Ellie was glaring at him.

“You can’t use that name. You’re not mine,” she growled, somewhat like how his sister used to do when she was very little. It made him grin.

“Aenor, get in the car,” he said firmly this time. “Please. You’ve lost your color already.”

Ellie continued to glare at him with her fierce pout. Only to fold her arms in front of her eye-catching bust and stomp her way to the car.

“You can’t call me that,” she murmured at him as she stood next to the door. “Echoes or not. I’m not yours in this life.”

On the way over here, Edmund had explained his power and how he knew a name that’d been given to her by her mother.

A name Ellie had told no one other than her family and Gaia.

“Please, Aenor. I promise I’ll get you an entire box of peppermint patties as soon as we get to a store. The little ones,” offered Edmund, dipping into his memories of her.

Ellie’s brow partially unfurrowed but she said nothing.

“And an entire case of capri-sun,” he added with a grin.

“That’s not fair. You know everything about me,” she muttered as he opened the door. “How’s a woman supposed to be mysterious when you know her inside and out?”

“I mean, you kept it fresh for us over thousands of years, Aenor. I wouldn’t worry about it. And—”

Edmund’s voice fell off as he spotted something flying their way.

“I mean-well-that’s a great way to put it,” Ellie said with a laugh, then followed the direction he was looking with her own gaze. “Oh. Looks like Iren got our message. I do hope she’s been doing alright.”

Edmund could only nod his head.

He hadn’t been around her long but the time spent with her had been enjoyable to a degree. She’d been rather unique for a Dragon.

At least, as far as he knew.

Truth was he hadn’t met many.

Iren flew fast.

Very fast.

Speeding toward him so swiftly that the dot that she’d started out as quickly became her landing in front of them.

“I’m so sorry. I had no idea that I was needed and had been out shopping,” Iren said with a rumbling laugh. “I desperately needed some new clothes and nothing really looked very good on me and… well… anyways, here I am! Iren at your service.”

Edmund chuckled at that, despite it feeling a bit strange to him. He instead nodded his head to her and shut the door to the car after making sure Ellie was clear.

“Thanks for coming, Iren. I need your help,” he started. Then realized technically they hadn’t actually met yet. “I’m Edmund, this is Ellie. We need you to take us up into the sky to go… well, elsewhere.”

“Will I get to fight?” Iren asked excitedly, moving about as she asked. Making the large green Dragon look more like an excited dog rather than the giant fearsome reptile she was.

“Hopefully not. We’re heading somewhere that’s the domain of someone very scary. Someone that even Ryker doesn’t really want to go up against,” answered Edmund.

“Oh. Well. Maybe I’ll get to fight anyways,” Iren said with a chuckle. “Okay. Get on! But… where are we going?”

“Oz, where are we going?” Edmund promptly asked while walking over to Iren after picking up the water bottle.

“Oz?” Iren asked aloud.

“Tell her to fly toward the sun for now, Edmund,” answered Oz.

“Fly at the sun, apparently. Also, know any water magic? Ellie really needs water. A lot of water,” Edmund asked. “And don’t worry about Oz. Magical creature only I can hear and talk to.”

“Hm? Oh. Yes I do know a bit. I’ll just… there,” Iren said after looking at the water bottle. In a flash it’d suddenly become overflowing with water. So much so that the cap shot off the top of it.

Edmund snatched said cap out of the air and put it back onto the bottle and screwed it into place. He handed it off to Ellie and stood next to Iren.

“Thank you, Teddy,” Ellie said, taking the bottle from him and looking up at Iren’s back.

“Ahaha, one second,” Iren said and then casually reached around with one hand. She picked up Ellie and stuck her down on her back.

Edmund raised his eyebrows then stepped into the spot Ellie had been.

“If you don’t mind, Iren,” Edmund said with a grin.

“What, don’t want to climb onto my back?” Iren asked in a snicker.

Not on our first date?

Haha.

“Not on the first date, Iren,” Ellie answered from above. “He’s more of a third date kind of guy.”

Iren laughed loudly at that, picked up Edmund, and plopped him down right behind Ellie.

“Right, right, make sure you pull my hips nice and tight. But don’t touch my horns or hair,” Iren prompted. “Okay! Into the sun we go. That’ll be an odd one for sure.”

Ellie squirmed backward against Edmund until she was quite firmly entrenched against his chest and lap.

A moment after and Iren had launched into the sky.

“What now, Oz?” asked Edmund as they became airborne. Clenching to Iren with his thighs as well as grasping onto her scales with his hands.

He didn’t feel like he would fall off, in fact he was pretty sure Iren was using magic to keep him stationary, but he didn’t want to trust in that alone.

“Continue on this head for aproximately two-thousand and thirty-three feet and one-fourth. From there proceed in a north-westerly direction for exactly—”

“Nevermind Oz! Just tell me yes or no if I’m pointing in the right direction!” Edmund cursed and lifted one shaky hand up. Pointing out in front of himself.

Ellie’s hand shot up and wrapped around his wrist and steadied him.

“Yes,” Oz said in a dry tone.

“I’ll tell you when to change direction Iren, but you’ll have to look back to see where I’m pointing!” Edmund called out

“That’s fine, that’s fine. No need to yell you know. I’ve got a wind-screen up. You also won’t fall off. What do you think this is, the stone-age?” Iren asked in a bubbling laugh. “Wait, are you scared? That’s adorable!

“I didn’t realize at all. You were acting so nonchalantly. Flirting with me and everything through your Dryad partner.

“Never would’ve guessed at all. Well, don’t you worry. You’re safe with me.

“Not to mention, I’m so very flattered to be asked for by name! I didn’t think anyone in the upper stratosphere even knew of me.

“Yet here I am getting ridden by Mr. Wilhelm and his Dryad! Unexpected but not unwelcome. With the Dryad in front and Mr. Wilhelm in back.”

Iren then started laughing loudly. Clearly laughing at her own obviously intended double entendre.

“Ah, errr… I’m sorry, Iren, I really don’t want to go into a three-way,” apologized Ellie. It lined up with what he remembered of Ellie from the past as well. She never participated with anyone but Edmund, despite convincing others to join the harem. “I’m really not interested in anyone else romantically. Or sharing Edmund in the bed with another.

“I’m happy to be the center of a harem, though, as many Dryads are. Make sure all the partners are happy and enjoying one another sexually.

“I’ll even find him the best women for a harem!

“Just not… participating or being with anyone other than my partner.

“I’m-I’m a bit of a prude, I guess.”

Iren laughed even harder at that.

“No,” warned Oz. “To the left and up.”

“Change in direction Iren,” Edmund warned, moving his hand.

“No. No. No. Yes. No. Yes. Yes. Yes,” Oz guided Edmund on with simple commands.

“Okay, look, uh… just push with your knees which way you want me to go. Lean forward for down, backward up for up.

“I don’t mind looking back at you riding me, but I kinda lose my focus,” Iren said, followed by a prompt laugh. “So just focus on the ride and guide me. Yeah? Push. Nice and hard. I’m a big girl, I can handle it.”

Grimacing, feeling like he’d lost the advantage here somewhere, Edmund began pushing with his knees.

“You know what, shut up and roll your hips Iren,” Edmund shot back, his mouth curling at the corners. “You expect me to do anything with what you’re giving me?”

Iren choked, then began laughing even louder.

Surprisingly, Ellie also chuckled, then pushed herself up against him more firmly.

An idle thought broke thought he curtain that held back the echoes.

Ellie was always at her best when Edmund was laughing and having fun. His joy, was her joy.

Even if it was with another woman.

Iren course corrected accordingly with his pressure, sliding to a slow left turn and moving upward in altitude.

“It’s directly ahead. I will open the way accordingly. Please remember, this is no longer your realm and… it’s Claire’s. If she decides you need to die… you probably will do just that,” warned Oz. “Though I’m unsure if you’ll need to fight your way to her or not. With Claire one can never tell.”

“What the fuck is—” yelled Iren a moment before the portal literally yawned open before them and swallowed them whole.

Spitting them out on the other side in a wide open plain.

One that extended for countless miles in every direction that Edmund could see. Endless open grass fields with trees here, bushes, there, and a small amount of shrub like growth.

There were very few hills and even fewer rocky formations.

“Where… are we?” Iren asked.

“Claire’s place,” answered Edmund. “Oz, which way from here to get to Claire?”

There was no response from Oz.

“Oz?” Edmund tried again.

“Ha… haha… he-hello there,” said a voice Edmund recognized. Claire had not just found them, but was clearly paying attention to them. “Ooooos… Oz… is busy. He’s ah… hehehehe… he’s experience a… hang up.

“Hehehehe. You could-could-could say he’s all locked up, at the moment. Haha… yes. Yes? But… who are you? Hm, hm?

“You don’t seem like the type my tricky farmer would send, no. No, no. Not him. No.”

“You sent me,” Edmund lied boldly. “Where can we meet up Lady Claire? We need to discuss your family and the mission you gave me. In fact, I know for a fact you’ve already noticed it on me.

“In me.

“About me.

“You’re just not sure how it happened and you’re too smart and curious for your own good.

“So let’s put the crazy stuff on hold until we discuss it all.”

There was a musically warm laugh that rippled across the entirety of existence. It was a silky thing that made Edmund’s skin prickle.

“Yes. You’re right of course. Hm. Alright. We can have tea. A moment please and I’ll move you along,” Claire declared in a remarkably normal tone. Almost bored sounding, in fact. “Do you like sugar, milk, or honey, in your tea?”

“I don’t mind either way,” Edmund lied once again. He hated tea. “Prepare it how you think would be best for me and I’ll be glad to enjoy it as that.

“Iren? Ellie? How do you like your tea?”

“As much sugar as I can get,” Iren offered with a laugh that sounded quite nervous. Edmund only noticed then that Iren was trembling even as she flew onward.

“Honey, please, Lady Claire,” requested Ellie. “And thank you so much for inviting us in. We showed up unannounced and without even a gift to offer.”

There was yet another smooth laugh from Claire.

“Oh, it’s fine, it’s fine. I don’t get too many guests who seem to know exactly who and what I am,” Claire answered.

A loud thundercrack took Edmund’s sight from him and he suddenly found himself seated on a couch.

There were several other dinning like chairs around them as well as an over sized coffee table.

On either side of him was Iren and Ellie on the couch.

The Dragon was surprisingly in her human form. She was athletic, lithe, green-eyed, green-haired, and exceptionally pretty.

And naked.

“Oh… oh my, I’m so… so sorry,” Iren quickly said, covering her breasts with her hands. “I didn’t come prepared to shift.”

“Gracious me, I’m so sorry!” said the beautiful woman sat across from them. She was in a love-seat and looked to be perfectly at ease in a blue dress.

Claire had black curly hair, bright eyes, an impressive figure, and a set of facial features that made her overly pretty.

Just as Edmund remembered her when he’d seen her last.

She lifted a hand, snapped her fingers, and Iren was suddenly wearing a flowing dress that fit her perfectly and really emphasized her athletic figure and shape.

“There we are. Again, I’m so sorry,” Claire laughed, waved a hand at Iren, then turned to look at Edmund.

The moment their eyes met he realized that this was actually somewhat a mistake. That Claire may not appear as crazy as she had previously, but she was still just as horrifyingly powerful.

Horrifyingly powerful and insane.

Without even contemplating it, Edmund plunked down a save-state immediately. Dropping it right atop the shattered super fight save-state.

He was confident that he could get back into that fight from other people’s save-states.

And if he couldn’t, well, he had other alternatives he could attempt.

“Now… you said I sent you here on a mission,” Claire said and casually made a hand gesture toward nothing at all at her side.

A skeleton rose up off the ground, shambled forward to the tea-set in the middle of the area, and began preparing it.

“That’s right. As you can see you gave me some of your spellwork,” Edmund said and gestured to himself. “Do you need to inspect it to confirm it? You didn’t seem to think so when we spoke last.”

“No. I don’t need to inspect it. You’re right. I can tell,” Claire admitted, her eyes focusing in on him. “The spells are quite strange though.”

“I’m Edmund. You know my power. You’ve heard of me,” Edmund stated firmly. “Even you’re subject to my power. You called it an all encompassing web.”

Claire clicked her tongue, delicate brows moving toward one another. Watching him for several seconds.

Then she huffed and nodded her head.

“Hmmm. Yes. You’re right, of course,” Claire murmured. “Now that I think of it, I do know who you are. I do know your web. And I do seem to be quite firmly stuck in it.

“I didn’t even realize it until you said it. Well… I suppose… that means Zeus lost?”

“Yes, but he did some bad things on his way out. It’s one of the reasons you and I started to work together,” Edmund said. A lot of what he was saying was lies cloaked in half-truths. “You wanted to empower me so I could get work done but… I need more help Lady Claire.

“I need more of your spell work to get our job done. What you wanted me to do.”

“And… what exactly did I want you to do?” Claire asked in a deathly hiss. Her eyes were wide and she was staring at him way that let him know he had possibly made a mistake.

Given the spellwork on him, and the reason why she might do such a thing, she had probably jumped to the end. As far as he could tell, Claire was insane but terrifyingly clever.

“Zeus Ryker. Right in front of you,” Edmund admitted sadly. Leaning in the despair he felt. He looked down to the ground. “I couldn’t save him. I tried. I tried and tried.

“I tried so much I broke the save-state I was working in. You and Runner worked to repair it, believe it or not. To fix it with you so that I could keep using the save-state.”

“Ryker?” Claire asked in a whisper that sounded more like a shriek in a way. “He killed… he killed my Ryker?”

“Runner said Zeus had been in your mind from the beginning. That he was just using you,” Edmund stated.

Claire was breathing hard and heavy, taking in long and heavy breaths. Staring at Edmund the whole time.

“I see,” she said taking in a ragged breath. “It seems… it seems that we’re all trading sides. My daughter was right all along.

“The spells on you now make more sense. Though… they’re already plenty strong. What more do you need from me?

“Can you save… save my Ryker?”

“That’s the goal. And yes. I need more from you, Lady Claire. Will you help me?” Edmund asked.

“I’ll do anything… for my Ryker,” Claire declared. “Now… explain to me what happened in detail.”

It sounded like a threat.

Thankfully it didn’t seem directed at him personally.