Soul Knight - Chapter 32 (Patreon)

“Why am I dressed like an idiot?”

Eirwen giggled at Nick’s sudden question, as they both stood in front of the mirror in his bathroom. “You’re not! You look great, and Kaya’s going to like it! Besides, it’s fitting for what you’ll be doing.”

“I look like I jumped right out of a boy band poster from the 90’s. A tight muscle shirt with a denim vest? Really?”

Nick also wore sunglasses and denim jeans, completing the look.

“You look sexy! Kaya will want to be held in those arms of yours.” Eirwen licked her lips, as she ran her soft hands over his arms with an eager smile. “I wish we had a little more time, but we’re already pushing it here. I just have enough strength to give you this map, and give you my luck.”

She handed Nick a map and keys, and kissed him on the cheek. “Have fun! Your transportation and your date await!”

Eirwen disappeared, and he took a look at the map before walking out of his bathroom. Kaya was looking around his living room, holding his VR helmet.

His studio apartment back on Earth was not a lot to look at with its dull tones and colors, and Kaya stood out like a sore thumb with her bright red hair. Wearing a black tube top that showed her belly, a denim jacket, and a denim skirt, she looked very much his pair.

Kaya was also wearing a happy smile, her furry red ears atop her head straight as Nick observed her. Her body was sexy and fit, her stomach firm and her skin clear. Her chest was large for her frame, and her red panda tail swished behind her.

“You look fantastic, Kaya. Ready to go?”

She smiled, looking a little proud. “Thanks, Nick–I like the denim on you, too. It’s reminiscent of some of our clothes on Orion. Could you show me around, first? I wanted to know more about…your past.”

Nick raised his brow at that detail–that Orion people had denim, but happily obliged. He showed her his small place, telling her about his routine, and a little bit about how he had grown up.

She had already heard about this a little bit, but it seemed she didn’t have the full picture.

“You really came from humble beginnings. At first, I thought…you were really handed everything, that everything came easily for you. But you struggled in a different way, just like Winny and me.”

Nick shrugged. “It was a bit tough for a few years, but in a way, it happened so fast. It was like after I came of age, my body started to fail. It wasn’t even just the cancer. Doctors couldn’t figure out why their treatments didn’t work.”

Kaya looked sad, so Nick tried to move on, “But that led to me ending up on Orion, so I’d do it a dozen times if I got to meet you and Winny–you girls are great. Let’s go? You can see more of my world outside.”

She nodded with a smile, and Nick grabbed her hand as they walked out of his apartment building. Following Eirwen’s map, a sports motorcycle was waiting for him.

Kaya took in the surrounding area, but there were no cars driving around or people–Nick guessed some limitation for Eirwen, or something along those lines. Still, a number of cars sat in the parking lot, and she looked at them with interest.

She looked a bit shocked at the odd vehicles. “W-wow, these are those cars you told us about?”

Nick sat down first on the sports motorcycle, and she leapt easily on it behind him. He helped her find where to put her feet safely, then replied, “That’s right. We’re gonna ride this smaller one, though. It’ll be fun.”

He started up the engine, used to riding such a vehicle. They didn’t wear helmets, but in the dream, he knew any chance of them being hurt was mostly eliminated.

“It’s loud,” Kaya yelled with her ears flat on her head.

“Just keep your hands tight around my waist. We’ll be going fast!”

He eased slowly on the accelerator after removing the kickstand. They took off, driving down the road slowly at first. Even still, Kaya had seemed a bit concerned, her arms far tighter around his waist than they needed to be.

After a few turns, she got used to the speed, and started to laugh. “This is really neat! I wish we had one of these back at home!”

“You haven’t seen anything yet. Watch this!”

He sped up, really pushing the sports motorcycle. The engine revved high, accelerating well past how fast anyone could ever run on foot, probably even on Orion. Well, maybe not.

Kaya laughed before she shouted in excitement, “Wow, this is really fast! The wind feels great!”

Nick continued until they arrived at their first destination: the zoo.

With no other cars on the road and traveling way beyond the speed limit, it didn’t take them overly long. When they got off the motorcycle, Kaya looked at it with a little bit of regret. “That was fun. It was so fast! And…” She blushed, looking at Nick.

He smirked. “And what? You liked how my body felt, didn’t you? I know your hands drifted to my abs a few times. Don’t worry, I get it–Prince Noblefrost goes hard. If I were you, I’d be all over me too.”

Kaya narrowed her eyes, but she snorted and stifled a laugh. “Do you hear the words that are coming out of your mouth? You’re so ridiculous.”

“Who’s being ridiculous? I’m just speaking the truth. Facts are still facts, even if you don’t believe them.”

She gave him a wide smile, taking on a teasing tone again. “I suppose you’re right. Prince Noblefrost is really something else–I’m starting to see it.”

Nick sighed dramatically. “Finally, you get it. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, the entire time! Let’s go check out some weird animals.”

When they arrived at the entry gate, there were very few people there, just enough for there to be a sort of ambiance and feel legitimate. The people’s actions seemed muted, and didn’t quite feel like they were real–even less so than the beach date. There didn’t appear to be any employees anywhere, they just walked inside holding hands.

The Miami Zoo was absolutely massive, and Nick wondered if this was the reason why Eirwen had difficulty creating and maintaining this dream. Between the travel of the motorcycle and the large zoo, it was perhaps too much to maintain.

After they entered, Kaya looked around with a little bit of shock as they walked to the first exhibits. “This is a zoo? I’ve never heard of such a place. They keep animals in cages?”

Nick shrugged. “Big cages, I think the animals are mostly happy in their little habitats. They bring in animals from all over the world, so you can see exotic and sometimes even endangered animals. In a way, it somewhat helps protect them from going extinct. I like the zoo, but I have to wonder why Winny picked this. You like animals?”

Kaya looked a little confused as well. “Y-Yeah! I’ve always felt at home in the forest, and a sort of…affinity with other creatures.”

They continued their walk, looking at a few animals. Kaya frowned as she looked at a large bird. “What the heck is that? What an ugly bird.”

“That’s an ostrich. They live in the savanna and desert, I guess.”

Kaya looked hungrily at the ostrich, a dreamy expression on her face. “That’s a lot of bird meat. Oh, just think about those eggs?”

Nick chuckled. “I heard their eggs aren’t bad, and they are a big, like you’d imagine. But their meat is more red, like a cow’s and the creatures don’t have that much fat on them–the taste isn’t that great cooked, the flavor being lost. I bet the wolflings would love to eat those, though.”

Kaya looked at the birds again with a betrayed look. “Useless birds. And, that’s not true. The wolflings know you only eat meat cooked, and so they won’t even look at it unless it is anymore.”

Nick chuckled. “Well, I’m glad they’re becoming all civilized like. Just need to get them brushing their teeth soon, so their breath doesn’t stink so much.”

“Winny already got them to take baths now. I guess that’ll have to be the next on the list.”

They walked around, checking out more exhibits. However, Nick was starting to notice a pattern.

Kaya’s tail swished behind her, her hungry smile back as she sniffed and pointed at the tropical cow, “That gaur is just a huge cow. Please tell me you eat that?”

Nick chuckled, and shook his head. “Damn, is that what this is gonna be? This is supposed to be a zoo, not a buffet. These exotic animals are for lookin’, not for eatin’. We could've gone out to eat instead, if you’d like that better–what happened to your affinity with them?”

Kaya blushed, then she gave Nick a pleading smile. “These animals are cute and some of them are cool too, but I can’t help it. Can’t we eat just one?”

Nick smirked. “Oh? Can you eat just one? How do I know we won’t go two exhibits down, and then you’ll wanna eat the super deer after we already ate this one? It’s a lot of work cooking up one of these things, you know our time is limited here, right?”

Kaya perked up, her eyes and ears whipping around as if to find it. “Super deer? What’s that?”

Nick snorted. “I just made that up, but there are definitely different kinds of deer here, from tropical kinds to those found in the savanna. They got weird names, I don’t remember them. Still, I’m with you. This is a rare opportunity to try eating some exotic animals, without killing something endangered. I’ll go get us some super deer.”

Kaya beamed, pumping her fist. “Yes! Let’s do it!”

There were various stalls and places where food was meant to be cooked, and Nick procured a knife and a few skewers. Nick was unsurprised to see her partially transformed, her arms and legs covered with fur, the gaur dead at her feet already.

The people paid them no mind as they had slain the creature, going about their fake business.

They did the same for the giant eland–the super deer, and cooked up the steaks on a gas grill in the back of one of the empty stalls. Nick was surprised she could operate one, sparking and starting up the flame with the dials, without him prompting her.

Nick asked, “They got ovens like these on Orion?”

Kaya shrugged. “They aren’t all that different. There is some mana-powered stuff in some people’s homes, even in Havendale. Momma had one in our old home.”

It didn’t take them overly long to cook up some steaks and some bacon, the two working side by side at the grill. Her tail had wrapped around his waist, the two enjoying each other’s presence as they worked.

They sat down to eat it together on a picnic bench, and Nick thought it wasn’t bad–their plates having just steaks and bacon from the two creatures.

Kaya chewed the gaur meat, a confused look on her face. “It’s pretty good! Er, but something’s missing…”

Nick chuckled, as he finished chewing his own bite. “Forgot about that. It’s missing the essence from Orion. Well, this is just a dream anyway, but I guess it must feel almost like it’s missing salt, for you.”

“The super deer bacon is still not bad! It has a lot of flavor. We gotta find one of these on Orion!”

Kaya chewed happily, her smile beaming. Her tail had remained wrapped around Nick’s waist, her body leaning into him.

Finishing up their meal, Nick couldn’t help but smile at Kaya. She looked all too satisfied with her meal as she cleaned her hands and face with some napkins.

She gave him a sly smile. “Thanks, Nick–for indulging me. That sign over there says something about a reptile exhibit? I didn’t know lizards were on the menu. Let’s go cook some of those next?”

Nick chuckled, and Kaya laughed, as she tackled him from the side. Nick just barely got his legs out of the rungs of the picnic table and twisted his body so she ended up on top of him on the bench, her eyes flashing with mischief.

His hands wrapped around her waist, her soft lips meeting his. Her tail remained wrapped around his waist, and her hands roamed his arms.

Their kiss deepened, their tongues seeking one another’s. Her breathing through her nose increased, and he could tell she was taking in his scent.

The park goers completely ignored their public display of affection, almost like NPC’s in a game.

Kaya sniffed some more. “Mmm, you smell so good. Can we just…wait here, for a while?”

Nick chuckled. “We can do this in the real world any time, though.” He narrowed his eyes. “And we’re gonna, right?”

Kaya blushed. “Y-Yeah. But we can do the dream date just about any time, too. Just five minutes? I’m a bit stuffed. Then, we’ll go.”

Nick ran his hand up her back, placing his hand on top of her head. Scratching her ears, she closed her eyes with a pleased hum.

She hugged him tightly, and he hugged her back with his other arm. His soul thrummed with desire, as he enjoyed her soft presence.

When she wasn’t annoyed by his antics, or burdened with responsibility, she was a warm and playful person. While she was happy to tease Nick, that was only for their shared fun–she defended his honor, happy to fight tooth and nail in his defense.

He wanted her by his side–forever.

Understanding the feeling in his soul, he pushed it down. Now was just not the time. Kaya hadn’t switched her class yet to her goal, and this could become a significant problem if they instead evolved her Rogue class–the rarity increasing as she became his Beastfolk Archaen wife, making it more difficult to change.

He thought she was mostly ready to become his wife. Thankfully, Kaya was already his follower, and he was already working hard on her dream, and helping her find fulfillment.

Her dream really was to be an honorable beast warrior like her mother, serving someone worth serving, he could tell through her soul. While his Wife-Partner Soul Pact required equivalent exchange, it seemed to have a much more simple path for a Follower to become a Wife.

The magic wouldn’t ignore the exchange they had already done, and require another to be fulfilled to be established. He thought the sort-of bonus fulfillment, the Quest for Eirwen may still be provided when he created the pact with Kaya, but he wasn’t sure.

And he and Eirwen had already learned from his Codex entries that his Pact options would change. When he became a Noble by claiming his heritage, the equivalent exchange would be much simpler.

Just living in the bounds of his city or kingdom would be a privilege, and people would be happy to provide service to him in order to become his Follower, or perhaps become his Wife.

He could even use resources within to fulfil his part of any bargain, changing someone’s life with merely an agreement and no real action of his own.

It wasn’t yet five minutes, but the dream started to shift, and Kaya stiffened in his arms.

“Shit–We better get moving. I almost fell asleep.” She smiled, as she sat up on his waist and stretched. “I feel so safe in those arms of yours. Y-You know, I think I’m almost ready.”

Nick raised his brow, as he sat up as well. She was now sitting in his lap, facing him. “Ready?”

Kaya blushed. “To become yours–like Winny. If we get out of this Trial, and beat Davon out of Havendale…”

Nick’s soul thrummed, and his body essence stirred, his hand grabbing onto her ass firmly. He felt the primal part of him filled with desire to possess Kaya, but also to fulfil her desires as his partner. He knew she would enjoy what he said next.

“You’re already mine–you have been, probably ever since I pinned you in our little bet. I will win the Trial and free the people of Havendale from their despair, and that will only be the beginning of our adventure together.”

Kaya shivered at his touch, her breaths becoming heavy. Her eyes dilated, as she whimpered. “Y-yes. I… know you’re right. I know if I wasn’t so stubborn, I’d already have been with you…at night.”

He kissed her once more, this time as one hand gripped her tail at its base, and he framed her beautiful face with his other. She kissed him back hungrily, and began grinding her hips against his crotch.

Then she pulled back, breathless. She looked around, blushing at all the people walking around. “Winny thought I probably wouldn’t be ready for…this yet. I’d much rather do this in person. It feels…different here.”

She was right, something did feel different–and it wasn’t just the NPC-like people walking around. Eirwen had invested the magic differently in this dream, making it feel a bit different from the real world. Then, Nick’s duel with Lothar was going to be nearly at dawn.

Nick sighed, as he shifted her off of him onto the bench beside him, and stood up. “I’m full and this not a great place for that action anyway, I guess. Good thing you didn’t growl, I don’t think I could have stopped myself if you did. Let’s go see furry you.”

“W-What?”

“The red pandas. They got them here.”

She snorted, chuckling as she stood up. “That was fun. I could feel how much you wanted me.” She smirked, then counted on her fingers one by one, “You’ll just have to defeat an orc chieftain, a crazy bishop and his followers, and a bandit warlord and his army of bandits before you can sleep with me.”

Nick raised his brow. “Oh, is it just me, who wants you? What do you call this?” He gestured to his waist, where her tail was still rubbing up and down him–his body’s natural response to a sexy beastfolk woman grinding on his lap, through his pants.

Kaya blushed, as she retracted her tail, taking more than one look at his crotch. “S-Sorry. It…has a mind of its own.”

Nick chuckled, and gave her a smile. “It’s been honest with what you’ve wanted the whole time. For the record, I would beat each of those guys one by one to win my sexy red panda samurai if that’s what it took. You’re worth it, and I mean that.”

Kaya’s blush grew deeper, and she looked at Nick with a bit of hunger. “For once, that mouth of yours is good for something. You better full-ass beating all of them, so I can reward my Prince for his victories.”

“Hell yeah, that’s what I wanted to hear. Let’s go.” He gave her a smile and grabbed her hand, walking off to see the different sights within the zoo while holding hands.

They saw the red pandas, the rhino, the elephants, and even the panda bears. She had a teasing grin when they saw the alligators, but did not mention the hated other creature’s name.

Thankfully, Kaya’s hunger was sated and there was no more lip licking or other signs she wanted to eat the exotic or endangered animals. They held hands, and Nick had gotten more than one teasing kiss on her lips between exhibits.

They went to the petting zoo section, where the many farm animals could be fed and petted, a place for people to stand among them.

Kaya looked at the animals confused, as she pet a goat. “But these are just farm animals. Anyone can see these for free. Most farmers wouldn’t even care if you fed and pet them.”

Nick chuckled. “People that live in the city don’t always see them, it’s a novelty. They have pet dogs and cats mostly, not all that much else can be potty-trained without too much effort on Earth, or don’t just stink–like this goat.”

Kaya teased, “So you didn’t have a raccoon? Didn’t you say they were awesome?”

Nick snorted. “They’re too feral, and nocturnal. They are awesome–outside of my house, where they belong, where they don’t shit on and tear up all my stuff. But yeah, this petting zoo is extra lame now to me, when I got you and Winny.”

To illustrate his point, he began petting Kaya’s soft fur atop her head, scratching her ears. She closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying their time together, before heading off to see more animals.

Kaya did enjoy feeding the animals, and Nick saw that she did have a kind of connection to them. The creatures got in line for her to pet and feed them properly, when one shoving to get at the food got chastised.

The two enjoyed looking at the many different animals, but eventually, they ran out of time.

The world began to twist, Eirwen’s magic running out.

Kaya sighed. “Sorry, Nick. There was supposed to be one more place for us to visit, wasn’t there? But we spent so much time on the…meat.”

Nick shrugged. “I had a bunch of fun. We can do the rest next time–there was a bowling ally with a bar and music for our last stop.”

“What the hell is bowling?”

“I’ll show you next time. There are going to be a lot more dates, I promise you that. This is just the first of many.”

Kaya beamed, her brilliant smile the last thing he saw as the world scattered.