Blake’s dream of a comfortable life with his would-be wives and children was abruptly cut short as he was forced awake just in time to see and dodge an arrow, making it hit the tree he was resting against. Scrambling to his feet he got his shield out to block a second arrow. "Guys! Company!” he roared as he drew his sword.

Looking around for a second, he notices that none of them are reacting, walking over and kicking Block’s foot the tall man doesn’t react.

He hears a bit of laughter, followed by a voice, “I am surprised, my sleep magic is not meant to be easily broken, yet here you are, awake and very angry, mister knight,” said the voice from a bit ahead of him and up in the tree, “I am both annoyed and intrigued human.” something in the voice made Blake feel odd, like he didn’t really want to fight, or at least not really fight to the death, but for control of a sexual nature.

Blake raised his shield a bit higher and turned to face off with the tree. “I am glad you find me a human of note, but I am sorry if I don’t show the same joy to my attacker.” Blake called back. “So why don’t you show yourself.”

Blake watched as a woman, about his height, leapt down from a tree and stood still with her hand on her hip, she was definitely a demon of some kind based on her horns that curled back and away from her face, and tail that whipped a bit behind her, she was barely dress, in what Blake could only call a bodysuit of black leather, that was close up to her midsection along the front, with a quiver of arrows and short blade on her belt that hung a bit loose around her, her figure was curved in the ways most men would find alluring, not too far but just enough to make all her movements seductive in some way, her other hand was holding a short recurve bow. Her face was sharp and beautiful by all accounts, while her eyes were bloodshot red, and her hair was a deep shade of crimson. But Blake’s eyes also show the illusion she was using to look like a naked Jackie, which infuriated him more than the desire of lust she seemed to emanate.

“You can drop your illusion. I know you are a demoness.” Blake said plainly, as he tightened his grip.

“Oh dear, I am sorry lover,” she said and snapped her finger shifting the illusion to Hilda.

“Funny, I can see past illusions, and I can see that you are just shifting the spell, good try though.” Blake said. [Hallow binding may work, I need to close the gap and get at her before she can shoot, but she may shoot at my friends if I attack.]

The demoness smiled, the sight of it made Blake's heart ache a bit, “Oh, you have magic eyes, I see. Care to tell me how you broke my spell?” she asked while leaning forward a bit, as she pulled her body suit open a bit more, nearly revealing her breast.

Blake sucked his teeth to stop his heart from being affected, “Frist tell me what you are demon, and I may think about it.” Blake said back lifting his shield a bit higher.

She leaned back up and seemed to think over his responses, then tilted her head with a wicked smile, “Let’s play a game, if you win you can ask me anything, or do anything, but if I win you become mine. I want to have fun.” she said as she reached for an arrow twirling it in her hand. “What do you say human?”

“And why would I entertain your game, I would be better off killing you and freeing your trapped spirit over risk anything,” Blake said, and he watched the demoness think about his rebuttal. [I need to focus on closing the gap] he thought then shifted his feet.

“Because this game is a fight, if you can block three hits from me, I give you anything you want, but if I hit you once then you have to do as I say.” she said and set her arrow. “Besides if you don’t play, I’ll just shoot your friends.” she added as she aimed the bow at Block.

Blake sucked his teeth, and she had him in a bind, “fine, you get three shots then I get to ask for anything?” he said back [I can block her shots easily, then I can close the distance and hit her once, and smite to end the problem]

“Yeah, see it will be fun, I am excited, I haven’t had fun with a knight before, and I have played this game for sooo many centuries.” She shifted her aim at Blake, “Ready?” she asked, and as soon as Blake nodded, she leaned back and shot the arrow up and through the trees, before looking back to Blake, “Here they come, Space Folding Arrow” she giggled.

Blake looked up and saw nothing but the few stars in the sky being blocked out, then nothing. [Bitch! Light Barrier!] He willed and covered the area he and his team were in, enveloping the zone in a dome of light that manifested in time for all the arrows to be blocked, vanishing as they did. Blake looked to the Demoness as the barrier faded, his low magic power reserves not allowing him to keep it up. “Dirty trick, but I guess demons can’t be trusted.” He said before taking a step.

The demoness’s face had shifted, and she bit on her thumb, “I see, I thought you were a knight, but you are something else, well I have two more attacks.” She said as she hopped back and fired a second arrow, “Splinter Shot” she roared as the arrow got about halfway to Blake’s raised shield, forming four new arrows at different angles that arched at him as they flew.

[holy shield] Blake mentally roared while blocking the original arrow letting the other four hits bounce off his magic defense. Blake peeked over his shield “Nice try, but you can’t win me over like that” he said to her and watched as the seductive expression she wore broke to fury.

“Well then,” as she landed, she raised her bow with a third arrow in it, “TRY THIS HUMAN, DARK SUN SHOT!” she roared as the arrowhead started to absorb all the light near it before she fired.

Blake dropped to a knee and angled his shield skyward, [Solar Forge] he thought and created a second shield that encased his, then the second he felt the impact, [Rebuke!] he willed, and felt the arrow bounce high and out the trees. Panting heavily as his magic and energy were mostly burned up, he had to force a lot into that last defense, but he stood up and gave the demoness a wide grin. “Looks like you lost.” he said as he raised his sword at her, “Now I get whatever I want, right?”

The demoness sucked her teeth, “Yeah fuck that.” she said before turning to run away.

“Hallowed Binding” Blake roared using the last of his magic points, trapping the demoness onto her knees as he walked up to her calmly, raising the sword up and over his head. “Any last word from the trapped soul you hold.” he asked as he stood over her.

The demoness showed a fearful panic as she looked about trying to find a way out, then landing her eyes on him. “If… if you let me go, I’ll let you sleep with me, I’ll do anything, any desire you may have, any fantasies you keep from those you love, anything, just let me go afterward.” her voice sounded like it was alluring but it was underlined with fear, which left a sour note in Blake’s mind.

Blake looked down on her as he willed a bit of his health away for magic points, the effect of the act draining a bit of color from him, before smiling with as much comfort and compassion he could muster “I am letting you go, I am letting you free of the Dark Lords control and freeing your soul to the heavens, is that not what you want?” He said, his hand resting the sword on his shoulder.

The demoness stopped breathing for a second, and her expression shifted, her mind racing the information, “you… you are freeing me of his control, are you ending this cursed life I have led, are you really freeing me?” she asked with a note of self-pity and awe.

Blake smiled again and nodded.

“Then please do, I don’t want to fight for him anymore.” She said as she closed her eyes.

Blake lowered his sword, tapping the top of her forehead before gently casting to them both. “Smite,” the flash of light emanated from the point of contact, and her form broke down freeing her spirit to rise skywards.

“Thank you, champion.” he heard her soul say before she vanished from the space.

Blake let out a sigh then walked back over to his sleeping spot, pulling the arrow she had used free and tossing it into the dwindling fire. Shifting a bit to get back to sleep, his mind considered if the dream he had was her doing or his but shook and closed his eyes. Hoping that the dream he had will come back and soothe him for a good rest.

Blake Woke up to the scent of cooking eggs and light chatter, opening his eyes he saw his party finishing to cook breakfast with Jessica reaching over to him, only to stop as she noticed him open his eyes.

Stolen story; please report.

“Breakfast is ready.” she said with a warm smile before leaning back towards the others, “Come on before it gets cold.”

Blake let out a bit of a groan as he sat up before crawling a bit to sit next to the campfire and yawning wide. “Who cooked?” he said as he looked down at the eggs and lightly burned meats. “And who hunted?”

“Me and Me.” Claira said with a smile.

“We saw the signs of a fight last night, the arrow in your shield, and the missing part of the mountain.” Jessica said with a point to his shield then a nearby mountain that now had two sharp peaks, instead of the one it had yesterday. “We guessed you protected us while we slept so we got everything done before waking you up.” Jessica spoke and smiled at him. “We really would have helped if you had woken us up.”

“Yeah, I like fighting, would have been fun.” Block added in.

“Yeah, I wish I could have, but you were all under a sleep spell and I wouldn’t have won if I woke you, she was powerful, I just barely deflected her last attack.” Blake said as he took a big bite of the meat. “Used up so much magic power yesterday, I had to sacrifice my health to finish the fight, well not finish so much, more like end her suffering.” he added aloud.

Claira looked over at him and asked, “Did she have a bow and look like someone you know?”

Blake looked up and over his cup. “Yeah, why?”

Claira and Jessica went pale, and Jessica was the first to timidly ask, “Who did you see?”

“Umm, Jackie then Hilda, but I could see that it was an illusion, also she didn’t do them any justice.” Blake said after scratching at the stubble on his neck, getting sighs of relief from the women. “She was somewhat attractive under the magic though.”

Jessica glared at him after the last comment, “Blake, you must not be tempted by the demon, especially succubi, they do not have emotions, they only need your seed to empower themselves and they will always kill their prey after.” She started to lecture, and her tone was very much like a priestess scolding their congregation “And if you need help to control your urges then I am happy to help.” she added then went red as her words dawned on her, and she faltered as she stopped speaking and just sheepishly withdrawing inward.

“Relax Jessica, I am not so weak-willed to be swayed by her. Also, I don’t care for appearance so much, was she alluring? yes, but her magic probably affected me too before she attacked and the dream, she gave me was her undoing. I am sure you all had very interesting dreams too, fantasies of your truest desires.” Blake said back, making the already blushing priestess turn beat red, while Claira also blushed and looked away from him.

“Yeah, I was in Guild and was strong like you, and no one was mean to me, and everyone was happy.” Block said as he put his plate down.

“Yeah, see Block gets it. Now let's finish eating and get to the dungeon, we have missions to do.” Blake said back as he ate the last piece of egg he had been given.

“Yeah, it was a dream… not real… “Jessica said then shuddered as Claira patted her back.

“Yep, just a dream, Now let’s go before we overthink it.” She said as she stood and helped Jessica up.

Their walk to the dungeon was overall nice as they had no more encounters as they moved, reaching the entrance by mid-morning, Blake felt a bit disappointed as he saw the swirl of magic energy that looked like a barrier in the mouth of a cave. But followed them in as they just walked forward without batting an eye at the sight.

Blake first felt the light chill as he stepped through the passage, and looked about noticing the darkness that surrounded them, he could hear his teammates shuffle.

“Mage Light.” Claira said and a small orb about the size of a fist formed and hovered by her hat, casting a bit of a shadow over her left.

Jessica held her staff with both hands “Sacred Light” she said and made her staff head glow with a soft white light. Then she walked over to Blake. “I can share the spell effect with three people, so which weapon do you want it on?" She asked.

Blake looked around, he wasn’t sure how much room he had, but noticing that the ceiling was high, and he would have no trouble with overhead swings, he turned back to her, and held his halberd up. “This one, best case, I use it, worse case I drop it and it still shines some light for us.”

Jessica smiled and tapped her staff head on his halberd’s head, and the glow transferred over, before walking over to Block and doing the same with the big man.

Blake turned to Claira, “What is the Monster encounters the guild knows about for the first floor?”

“First floor is apparently giant rats, and the boss is a massive one with horns, there is also a small chance to encounter a different type of rat called a seeker rat, they are apparently the size of a small dog and always have magic stones.” Claira said after looking over a small book she had taken from the guild. “According to this, it would be best to skip right to the boss and move on to the next floor as there are no unexplored rooms.” she added after flipping through some pages.

“OK, you guys ready?” Blake said and looked at Jessica and Block, who were currently checking over Block's armor once more.

“Ready” Jessica said with a hint of determination.

“We go kill big rat then go Next floor, yeah?” Block asked.

“Yeah, big buddy” Blake said back, as he shouldered his halberd, and looked to Claira, “do we have a marching order?”

Claira closed the book and looked up to him. “Umm, this is our first dive so no, but I will take suggestions.”

Blake looked to the others, Jessica was thinking about it, and Block didn’t seem interested, he didn’t want to push his luck, but he had an idea, “How about Block in front, then you and Jessica in the middle at arm’s length from Block and each other, then me behind you as a rear guard, my blessing will work best there I think as I can’t be surprised.” Blake said as he turned back to Claira with a smile, “Also that way, I can cover both of you if something gets past Block, and you are both in the best spot to support both Block and I.”

Claira thought it over and nodded as they got into the formation he suggested and started moving, Blake followed a bit behind as he didn’t want to get too close as he needed room to swing, their egress into the dungeon was very uneventful as no monsters came at them. But as they came down one passage that ended in a T-intersection, Blake could see an illusion over the end and saw a door on the other side. Stepping a bit up and next to Claira he peeked over her shoulder at the map that was made of this floor, spotting where they were thanks to Claira pointing at it before tracking their path forward. However, the map didn’t show this room he could see on it.

“Claira, you said all the rooms were scouted right?” Blake asked as they moved.

“Yeah, well no, no one has ever found the treasure room, so the map was never completed even after a party of mages tried to scout for it using magic.” Claira said back then faltered, snapping her head around to Blake and staring at him. “Wait, don’t tell me you see it?”

Blake smiled and pointed his free hand to the end of the intersection. “There is a door right there under an illusion, looks a bit burned in a few spots.”

“Eep, Yes, yes, yes…” Claira said then started to stare intently at the end, “Ok, guys we are getting a scouting bonus and a boatload of treasure. Blake found the first-floor treasure room.”

“We don’t know for sure it is the treasure room, it could just be a trap.” Blake said.

“Yeah, Claira we should be careful.” Jessica added, her hands gripping the staff tight.

Claira let out a sigh, then inhaled deeply before she spoke, “Yeah, you guys are right, but even if it is, the scouting bonus is a gold piece for a new room for this floor, and that is worth something still so let’s go check it out.”

Blake and Jessica let a joint sigh out, before Jessica spoke, “Can’t be helped when it comes to money with her.”

“Too true, at least we will be a gold coin closer to our own magic bag.” Blake added as he got his halberd up and over his shoulder so he could bring it down.

As they got about fifty feet from it a swarm of giant rats came around the corner, blocking their path. Each was about the size of a large dog and twice as wide, their beady eyes locked on the party, and rushed forward.

“Holy Guardian, Power Boost, Magic Boost.” Jessica cast as soon as the rats came around the corner.

“Holy Shield, Holy Ward, Holy Blessing” Blake added a second later as he stepped between the ladies and leveled his halberd so he could thrust with ease.

“Ice Flurry, Icy Forms” Claira said with a raise of her staff, freezing the floor and sending a heavy gust of freezing wind toward the rats. Freezing the front five solid and making the ones behind trip and fall.

Block didn’t waste a second and immediately kicked the first frozen rat back the way it came, knocking about ten more over as the equal-sized monster slammed into them with more power than they had. Before Block brought his ax down on a still-alive rat, cutting it in half.

Blake thrust hard into one rat that tried to jump onto Block’s back, while Claira fired a shower of icicles at a different one, and Jessica pointed her staff and let a small beam of like blind a third. Their effort gave Block a clear chance to swing wide in a horizontal slash, cutting through two rats, and bisecting them from the middle forward.

Blake spotted something smaller in the swarm and took an extra step forward bringing his halberd up, “Block move right!” he roared and got the big man to step aside as he brought the blade down. [Wind Slash] Blake thought and saw as his cut through the air made a visible line of air pressure that raced forward, cutting its path through six more rats, and cutting the small one he was aiming for in half. “Thanks, big buddy, switch back.” he said as he hopped back, and Block blocked the path again.

As Block took his place, he Swung a backhand swing at a rat that tried to jump the opening, the hit cutting the monster in half. Blake thrust as a different one trying to use the gap in Block’s guard, catching it on the neck and killing it. Claira raised her staff and fired a new array of icicles at the main mass of rats in the back, killing three. Jessica gripped her staff and started a long chant, then raised her staff at the end, making a blinding light beam over Block’s shoulder.

Block cut a new rat that used his shadow to approach, While Blake thrust at one that again tried to use the opening. Finally, Claira gripped her staff tight and leveled it down the passage, “Ice Spike of Orianel” she roared and fired an ice spike about the size of Rowin down the passage, killing or knocking the remaining rats.

Block rushed forward and cut down one rat getting back up, and Blake followed suit, thrusting into the head of another. Then they fell back into formation, killing the last two rats that rushed forward.

They all glanced about while panting for a bit as they held to see if anything else would show up until Claira squealed and jumped up. “Yeah, that was awesome. We got them all.” she said and hugged Jessica tight.

Blake glanced over the bodies and noticed that they were slowly breaking down into ash, but walked over to where the small one died, and looked down before kneeling down and picking up the peach pit-sized magic stone, then walked back over to Claira. “Here Boss, catch.” he said as he tossed her the stone, which she caught after a fumble.

“Score, I think it’s maybe three silvers.” she said before pocketing the stone in one of her pouches. “Ok, let's take a bit of a break, and then we check out that room.” she said as she looked around.

Blake walked over and patted her head, “That magic you used was impressive, I guess it eats a lot of magic power?” he asked with a small smile.

Claira batted his hand away, then pouted at him “Yeah, it does, so I need a snack and a drink before we move on.” She said before her eyes locked on something running past him and picked up a dagger that was made out of a rat’s tooth. “Loot, Yay.”

Blake and Jessica shared a glance and laughed to themselves before Blake walked over to Block, “Hey, hold still big buddy, I need to get the snacks out of your bag, ok?” he asked, and the big man sat down, giving Blake easy access to the deeper parts of the bag, and getting Block his snacks and then giving the others theirs, Blake didn’t feel too weighted so he stood guard until they got moving again and reached the door.

“Ok, we peek inside and see what's up, then if it looks like the treasure room we loot the hell out of it, if it isn’t we mark it and move on, ok?” Claira said as she felt the door, before looking at all of them, who nodded back.

As she opened the door and stepped through, they could see the room was about as big as the Guild Hall’s bottom floor and twice as tall, and then their eyes fell on the pile of coins, and a chest in the middle of the room. But Blake’s mind pinged and he grabbed Claira before she could rush off as the alert of danger rang.

“Wait, there is something in here.” He growled, getting the other two to stop moving forward too.