Soul Knight - Chapter 15 (Patreon)

Nick looked around in amazement. The sky was clear and the weather warm, as he stood on what was clearly a beach he’d been to in Miami. Various beach goers sat under their umbrellas, swam in the water, and walked up and down the beach.

He wore some swim trunks, but he was still an Archaen rather than his former self. To his surprise, quite a few of those at the beach actually did gawk at him, like he might expect, but their reactions were definitely muted.

He would expect some people to take their phones out to take pictures of what would be a crazy cosplay, but none could be seen.

Nick was now taller than the average man for sure, and he was looking pretty ripped, now that he was filled with Body essence from leveling.

“Wow, this place is really pretty! There’s so many people, too.”

He turned around, finding Eirwen setting up her own massive beach umbrella, complete with towels and cooler, and plenty of beach paraphernalia. She wore a cute white two-piece bikini, which had a frilly skirt around her waist.

Nick could really tell that she was starting to fill out now. She was still a bit skinnier than he’d like, but was also starting to look fit rather than emaciated. Combined with her having a beaming smile, he did think she looked beautiful.

Her sheep tail swished behind her as she crouched, inspecting the stuff. “This should be a lot of fun! What is all this stuff?”

Nick rose an eyebrow. “You don’t know? How did you pick this?”

“I didn’t! In a way, we could say that you did. It was like I asked your subconscious, where’s a fun place to go on a date for a girl.”

Nick frowned. He didn’t think he would choose a beach in Miami for that–he had probably at least a half-dozen options that he would choose first. Though, seeing her in this swimsuit, he boosted it a few more places in his mind.

“Hehe, I might have given it some additional criteria, but that’s a secret! So, what is all this stuff?”

Nick crouched next to her, and put his hand on her hip as he pulled her close to him. She nuzzled into him with a smile and a giggle, her ears flicking up and down.

“Let’s see, you really got a lot here. We have what looks like a kite, a beach ball, an inflatable that is about large enough for us both, some bodyboards and even surfboards, and stuff for swimming like the snorkel and swim fins. Then, all the fixings to build sand castles.”

He pointed at each thing as he mentioned them.

She looked out at what all the other beach goers were doing, and saw someone surfing. “That surfboard thing looks fun! Can we do that?”

Nick looked at her hoofed feet with a bit of doubt. “How are you with swimming, and how much time we got, do you think? It could take well over an hour to learn how to surf, let alone be good enough at it to truly enjoy it. The bodyboards are a lot easier to get into, and I could help you?”

“We should have a couple of hours, at least! I’m okay with swimming, but I’m not very fast. I guess the bodyboards would be fun. That way we have more time to try the rest of this stuff.”

“Alright! Let’s do it.”

He handed her one of the bodyboards and took his own, tucking it under his arm and attaching the tether. He helped her accomplish the same, and grabbed her hand with the other.

Holding hands, they marched out into the waters. The waves were coming in at a decent height, and he thought for sure they’d be able to enjoy some bodyboarding.

She had a bit of trouble with the wet sands with her hooves, stumbling with a giggle as she held on to Nick’s hand. They made it out into the waters, the waves splashing into them periodically.

“Bleh! The water’s salty!”

Nick laughed. “Never been to the ocean before, huh? I guess Havendale must be far from that.”

When it got deep enough, he showed her how to hold the bodyboard under her, to start paddling out deeper into the water. When he saw her hooves kicking to propel her forward, he couldn’t help but laugh as she moved forward slowly.

She had a smile, but she blushed at his laughter. “W-What’s so funny?”

He shook his head. “You might really not be made for this activity, Winny. Still, it’s no problem at all. Why don't you ditch yours and just hold on to my back? I’ll get us a nice wave.”

Putting his hands on the front of the bodyboard, he leaned onto it as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He had a hard time doing the breaststroke, but he was able to kick and propel them both forward at a respectable pace with his strong body.

“Kinda wish I put those flippers on now. Would have helped a bit, but I could tell you couldn’t wear them, so I skipped out on it.”

“The what?”

“Er…the fin things that go on your feet.”

Suddenly, her hand was holding one. “These?”

He chuckled. “Convenient–you’re awesome, Winny. Yeah, those. Lemme put that on.”

They resumed their trek, him having to have her hold her breath as they went under a few waves. As they got further out, the waves got bigger. Eventually, he thought it was time, so he faced them back toward the beach.

“Alright! We’re going to ride the next wave. Make sure you hold on tight!”

“Hehe.”

“What is it?”

“N-Nothing. Oh, look out! It’s coming!”

He looked back, and he gaped. The wave was easily double, almost triple, the size of all the previous waves. “Ah, shit!”

Eirwen laughed heartily as he kicked to get them up to speed, then the wave crashed into them. He did his best to hold on to the board and kick, and keep the board from flying out from under them.

She let out a wordless scream as they rode the wave, then said, “We are moving so fast! This is amazing!”

Nick laughed at her enthusiasm, and couldn’t help but feel she was right. They had risen up several feet as they rode the large wave, and they moved rapidly toward the shore.

When they reached the shore, Eirwen quickly got up off his back. “That was wonderful! Let’s go again!”

He got up and looked at her, and her smile was beaming, though it had a look of mischief.

“You did something to that wave, didn’t you?”

“Secret! Come on!”

They rode a few more waves, each one bigger and moving even faster than the last–until he lost control and was sent tumbling through the water. Somehow, he managed to hold on to both Eirwen and the board, and bring them back to the surface.

He spit out the salt water that got in his mouth during their frenzy, sucking in breaths as she did the same. “That one was a little much, Winny.”

She giggled. “What do you mean? That was still fun! Here comes the next!”

Nick barely had enough time to get into position with her on his back and kicking as the next wave came, and it took them to the shore with her giggling nearly the whole way.

Eirwen handed him a water bottle to clean out his salty mouth, after cleaning her own. She smiled as she looked around. “I guess that’s enough of that! What’s next?”

Nick scratched his head. “Now I feel like we should have started with something else–it’s gonna be hard to top that.”

She got a playful look on her face, as she looked around. “How about that ball thing? That looks fun.”

He shrugged. “Sure, we can do that. Let’s go get–”

The ball appeared in her hand, and she hit it to him. They were still standing relatively close to where the waves still lapped at their feet, but he went ahead and hit it back.

They hit it back and forth for a while, Eirwen laughing and giggling as they played. Eventually, she hit it a good amount behind him with a gust of wind taking it further away, causing him to have to run for it to get it.

After he got it, when he turned around, there was a massive alligator just a few feet away from her.

“Shit, Winny, look out!”

He ran as fast as he could, and she just turned and looked at the alligator, which totally shouldn’t be there on the beach. “Oh, you’re so cute! Look at you.”

The gator was going to reach her before he could. “That’s dangerous–”

Seeing the mischievous smile on her face as she reached out to pat its head, he realized her game. He came to a stop a few feet away from the gator, which seemed to have a grin almost matching Eirwen’s, a satisfied expression on its reptilian snout and eyes as she ran her fingers over its head.

“Hehe, gotcha! So this is the water wollywompus.”

He groaned. “That’s an alligator! And it’s not supposed to be anywhere near here, at least not usually. It sometimes happens.”

She patted it a few more times, and then it walked back off into the water. She smiled at him, as she stood back up. “You should’ve seen your face! What were you gonna do, fight it for me, without a weapon?”

He gave her a smile, as he put his hands on her hips and looked into her eyes. “You know I would. I’d fight as many of them as it took with my bare hands, dream or not.”

She shivered as she wrapped her hands around the back of his neck, and closed her eyes. Her lips looked like they were begging to be kissed, and he obliged.

Her body molded around his as he held her to him. Feeling her soft lips on his own, he couldn’t help but feel a connection to this lovely girl. She was cute and smart, and despite suffering for so long, she was so full of positivity and energy. He wanted her to be his, and to keep her happy.

She eventually pulled away, and had a faraway look as she looked around at the many beach goers. “This was so much fun. I really want to go on lots of adventures with you, but it feels like I might be a burden in a fight. Even Kaya doesn’t seem like she’ll be able to keep up with you.”

He snorted, but didn’t deny it, “So what? We were forced to rush in due to the situation. We’ll get Havendale cleaned up when we get out, then get you all the skills and equipment you need before we go back in. I can think of a dozen ways you can pull your weight. And if you can’t, I’ll still keep you around just for these fun dreams. You’re my girl, and if you want to come with me on adventures, then I’ll carry you on my back through the tower if I have to. You won’t hear a complaint from me.”

She blushed, and chuckled. “What about Kaya?”

“That’s when you’ll hear me complain, but it’ll just be me teasin’. I’ll carry her up the tower on my back too.”

“After we save Havendale…you’ll still fight in the tower? You’re strong, but it feels like…you may not want to come back.”

Now Nick was lost in thought. The truth was, he was a little lazy, or perhaps easily annoyed. He was good at fighting, but the Ordeal felt like a huge pain in the ass. His quest required him to hit the tenth level of the Ordeal, to obtain his disguise.

Odds were, after he got that, he would just sit back and collect followers and wives. The tower was tedious after all, and not straight-forward. He’d rather have someone else conquer it for him, probably.

His Soul Servants collected Essence for him, after all. Nick could just sit and level up back at home.

Of course, Nick was a fighter. You can’t beat cancer several times without being one. But if he had no immediate threat to him? He’d stop trying, probably.

“I still need to collect my disguise for my race, or someone that wanted my people dead in the first place will come knocking. After that, I don’t know? I can just level up by letting my soul servants fight.”

Eirwen looked a bit disappointed. “You mean, you’d give up on progression? You’re not going to seek the peak? Tests and Trials will forever increase your potential. To skip those means that, even with gaining Essence from your servants, you’d get stuck eventually.”

“Is that really such a big deal? Havendale has been stuck for so long, just owning the tower is supposed to help them a lot, right?”

She sighed. “There’s so much you don’t know. You shouldn’t give up on going for the peak, striving for greatness–for after level 100 lies eternity. Then, Havendale is hardly the only city suffering in the frontier. You could do a lot of good if you get that strong, Nick.”

“Eternity? You mean I’d become immortal or something? That sounds crazy. But doing good? I mean, I’ll help the people in front of me, but going out of my way to? I dunno about that, Winny. I don’t really see myself being a hero.”

“Oh, but you could be! You are so strong Nick, I can feel it. You could change the lives of so many. I know it may be wrong of me to ask, but…”

Nick could see she had a determined look, and somehow, he could feel how important this was for her–as if feeling it down to her soul.

“You’re strong, and you could be one of the greatest there ever was. I can feel it, that you want to be better. I have read so many books, with stories of people that have changed the world through the ages. You can be the next, I know it! Can you be a hero… for me?”

He frowned, but turned it into a sly smile. “I may be persuaded into acting like a hero. What’s in it for me?”

Eirwen giggled. “That’s not very hero-like!” She thought a moment, but then gave him a look of determination, mixed with her own sly look.

“If you be the best hero you can be, then I’ll just have to be the best beastfolk wife I can be. You will not only have a partner that will help you gather more wonderful wives and followers, but you will see just how amorous we beastfolk girls can be when we have a strong, powerful mate. I will do anything to help keep my mate motivated.”

Eirwen had walked over to him saucily, and reached out and cupped his balls through his shorts as she reached the end of her speech.

His cock hardened in response, but more than that, something shifted within him.

He could feel the truth in her words, and her desire for him to truly excel. Nick felt like instead of just wanting Eirwen, he needed her. This world was dangerous, and if he stopped growing, death would likely be around the corner.

Whatever he built could come crashing down as some all-powerful person came around and killed all that he loved. Nick wanted to be special, wanted to be powerful.

Left to his own devices though, he’d probably always take the easy way out. He needed Eirwen, and hopefully, his other partners, to keep him moving forward.

Soul Essence surged within him, the magic of the soul brought through the very fabric of their shared dream. A ripple coursed through the sky, the ocean, the sand, and many beach goers.

They all disappeared, scattering into the wind, leaving a clear black landscape, where Nick was emanating a bright white light. Eirwen panicked as she looked at everything happening.

Nick’s voice was firm and steady, filled with a power and wisdom beyond his usual playfulness, “Eirwen, daughter of Gareth and Brynn, I offer you a Soul Pact. With this pact, our souls will be intertwined for as long as I draw breath, and even beyond that. Reaching into Eternity.”

Eirwen looked into his eyes, her own eyes and expression reflecting determination but also curiosity. She could tell something special was happening, and asked, “What will this pact entail?”

“I promise you, my beloved, that if you accept, you will become a part of my kind, a Beastfolk Archaen, bound to me in spirit and essence,” he said, his words carrying the weight of responsibility. “I ask for your love, your wisdom, and your unwavering support of me for all time, bound by Archaen Law. In return, I will do everything possible to make your dreams come true.”

He paused, his gaze never leaving hers. He delved into the essence of who she was, and reached into her heart’s desire–her greatest wish. Nick felt like this was what he had tried to do previously, but failed–when he determined she wanted him to court her like some fairy tale prince or hero.

It was what she wanted, but he now knew it was not the deepest desire of hers. The words came unbidden, as he offered to accomplish this, “I promise to do everything in my power to make Kaya my wife alongside you. I will either make her mine, or find some other way to make her happy and fulfilled.”

Nick came back to himself for a moment, finding this a bit weird, as he frowned. “That’s what you want as your greatest desire? For me to make Kaya my wife too?”

Eirwen blushed. “Y-yeah. Kaya’s really important to me, and I want nothing more than for you to make her happy, too! She has been struggling for far too long to find happiness, just like me. I don’t want her to be alone.”

He shook it off. The power and wisdom of the Soul Pact took over once again, and he continued, “I also offer you my protection, limitless adventure, and my love. I need your courage, your honesty, and your guidance. I need you to challenge me when I falter, to inspire me when I'm weary, and to be my beacon of hope when darkness surrounds us.”

He added, “I want you by my side, not as a mere wife, but as an equal partner in every sense. Together, we will walk the path of heroes, facing challenges and triumphs, and I will fight with all my might to bring you with me into Eternity.”

Eirwen's lips curved into a soft smile, her hand reaching out to touch his cheek. “I accept this pact. Together, we shall face whatever comes our way and dive deep into the Ordeals. I will always stand by your side, leading you toward the hero's path and into Eternity.”

The white light of essence engulfed Nick and Eirwen, and their souls intertwined, bound by a pact that transcended time and mortality. It forged a connection that would endure the Tests and Trials of Orion, guiding them on their shared journey into the unknown.

When the white light subsided, not all that much on Eirwen had changed on the outside. Her green eyes now had a blueish glow to them, making them similar to his own. Her tail flicked behind her and her ears fluttered up and down, as she observed herself as well.

Eirwen’s soul looked brighter and more powerful than ever, and Nick saw that her Mind and Soul orbs had merged to be like his. Now, Nick knew that if she somehow died, that wouldn’t be a problem at all.

He would be able to reconstitute her body given enough time, or use Summon Soul Servant to stuff her soul into any corpse he wanted. As weird as that might be, she would live on as long as he did–no matter what.

This made him deeply wonder about Jerome. Was this entity bound to him in the same way as Eirwen now was? But those were problems for later.

Because both Eirwen and Nick were filled with need and desire for one another. Eirwen’s eyes were hooded with lust, and she shifted the dream world which had disappeared into…

Eirwen and Nick looked around, taking in the room’s features. “Is this some kind of love resort?”

There was a bed shaped like a heart, the lights in the room dim and sensual. Music came from a speaker system softly, that sounded like a sexual jazz. A door to a large bathroom was open, with a hot tub bubbling.

He also saw a swing hanging from the ceiling, and various paraphernalia for having a great time with your lover.

Eirwen blushed as she took in everything, and looked a little fearful as she saw some of the odd fixtures available in the corner. It seemed she wasn’t aware of everything that could be available, and even Nick was shocked at everything that was there. 

She looked worried, lacking the confidence she seemed to have only moments before. “Uh, be gentle with me?”

Nick smiled. “I’ll always strive to make sure you have a good time, Winny. Forever.”