“What are you waiting for?” Tia asked as she settled atop her throne, crossing her legs rather seductively. “Don’t tell me you are getting embarrassed?”
Miria pulled closer to Asterios, hiding her rosy face in the crook of his neck.
“You’ve already partaken in each other’s bodies so many times.” The cheeky Dryad rolled her eyes with a tiny smirk. “Or is it my presence that discourages you? Should I leave until you get comfortable?”
“No.” The panthergirl shook her head, taking a peek at the exquisite lady of dark caramel skin. “You are right. And you have seen all of us do it many times through Master’s eyes. Besides, you are now his mate too… I wouldn’t mind if you wanted to join in with us here…”
Asterios cupped Miria’s flushed cheeks and lifted her chin, placing a loving kiss on her soft lips. “For now, let’s focus on you. I’ll give you a hand if you do the same for me. Alright?”
She smiled adorably and dipped her head. Her furry fingers moved to his face to caress his cheeks too, then slid down his neck, starting to tug at Ast’s crimson coat. Slowly and gently, they helped each other out of their tops. Miria’s face heated up along the way, but she kept the charming smile up, bravely not hiding her chest behind her arms. She admired his physique as much as he admired hers.
A moment later, they stood before each other in their birthday suits, Ast’s hands resting on Miria’s sides while hers affectionately grazing his chest as their gazes connected deeply. They got a bit lost in the leisurely closeness and intimacy, exchanging a few pecks, until a contented sigh broke them out of their world, making them look to the side.
“You two make such a perfect couple.” Tia rested her chin atop her palm as she grinned at them fondly. “No wonder you are the first female Master fell for.”
“I think it’s the other way…” Miria murmured, getting even redder.
“What are the next steps?” Asterios asked, brushing his fingers over her skin, trying to guide the process forward so as to not embarrass his timid mate further.
Their generous host snapped her fingers and part of the ticklish grass around them fell with an audible snip. They glanced at the ground and watched a gentle spiritual current carry the green blades away, revealing a complex magical formation under their feet.
“Sit while facing the same direction, but close enough to reach with an extended arm,” Tia instructed them.
The duo followed her guidance, and figuring out the proper circumstances, ended up sitting in a cross-legged position with Asterios behind Miria, as close as his legs allowed him. He scratched her back a bit, making the feline girl giggle sweetly and throw him a cute pout over her shoulder, the tip of her tail starting to tickle his nose strongly enough to make him sneeze.
Their wise friend approached them from the side and assumed a slightly more serious expression. “Miria.”
“Ummm… Yes?” The panthergirl’s expression grew tense too as she gazed upon the beautiful tree girl.
“I’m going to assist you two as much as I can, but this will very likely hurt like nothing you have ever experienced before,” Tia said with a calm but stern tone. “You don’t have to worry about the consequences of failure, success, or even going too far, but I have to ask before we begin, are you sure you want this? I understand your desire to grow stronger and there might be more opportunities for you to gain power in the future without being so painful. There is no shame in walking away now.”
A resolute frown descended on the usually cheerful panthergirl’s face. “I want this. For Master, I can bear anything. Unless something goes wrong and I risk injuring myself gravely or losing my life, allow me to endure anything. If it comes to that though, stop me even if it’s at the cost of all the strength I currently possess. I would rather become powerless than let Master blame himself for everything and have his heart break. I would sacrifice my everything to stay by his side and support him with just my weakened presence.”
“Miria…” Asterios looked at her proudly straightened back, her black tail resting trustfully in his hand
He knew how much she yearned for equal power to stand next to him like the proper warrior that she was. Her statement was so much stronger with that knowledge, making his chest tighten.
An adoring smile appeared on Tia’s lips. “I’ve heard your oath. I swear on my very nature that I will uphold this promise. Now, Asterios, are you willing to permit this ritual?”
He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Denying Miria this opportunity after listening to her words would be the greatest offense I could show her. I’m proud to be her mate. Therefore, I’m willing to support her fully in this endeavor. Know that my love for you will not change in the slightest regardless of the result. You could be at the level of the most basic human and I would look at you no differently ever. I will not deny your faith and devotion.”
“Master…” She gazed at him over her shoulder, her eyes glistening at their edges.
“I’ve heard you both.” Tia held her palm over her heart. “I will give my everything to support your bond. You are unaware of how deeply being part of this incredible family touches upon my soul. I’m honored to call myself your sister-mate, Miria. And I’m elated to be one of your bonded females, Asterios. Let me show you just how grateful I am through this ceremony.”
The elegant Dryad walked closer and knelt by Ast’s side. Joining her hands together, she whispered a few unrecognizable words and her fingertips began to glow almost orange. Bringing her pointer finger to Miria’s smooth back, she paused briefly, meeting the panthergirl’s curious black eyes.
“This will sting. And leave a mark that might become permanent. Are you completely certain?” she asked cooly.
“Do it.” Miria nodded seriously. “I know that no matter how unsightly it might end up looking, Master will never let it stand in the way of his feelings for me. I said I would bear anything and I meant it.”
Extending her left hand to Asterios, Tia nodded back with respect. He took it carefully as she turned to him.
“Just follow the flow and let me guide your energies for a moment,” she explained. “I’m going to start. Prepare yourselves.”
Miria gritted her teeth and latched onto her knees. As Asterios opened himself to Tia, bringing forth all three of his sources, the Dryad’s own lifeforce connected with all of the spiritual cores. He could tell that it was a challenge even for her, an ancient Arch Dryad with lots of knowledge, experience, and strength of the soul. Trying to harness the power of two True Dragons was no joke.
The combined mana ravaged Tia’s ethereal body as it flowed through their connected limbs. She kept healing herself constantly, at the same time directing all that energy to her finger. Achieving a satisfactory and stable connection, she finally pressed her fingertip against Miria’s skin.
Immediately, a pained wail escaped the panthergirl’s lips before she clamped her mouth shut with a vicious growl. It shook Asterios briefly, but he recomposed himself a fraction of a second later. This was what Miria wanted and he wasn’t going to ruin it with his overprotective anxiety and concern.
She was a strong woman. One of the strongest he knew.
She was also his mate. The True Mate of a powerful True Dragon.
Just like he had absorbed the cluster’s energy earlier while letting it burn his very flesh to protect his friends and family, she was taking in lots of his spiritual power while Tia’s fingers burned her skin.
Literally.
A faint trail of smoke wafted from the point of contact as the Dryad traced complex patterns over Miria’s gorgeous back. It was a long and arduous process for both of the ladies. Asterios could only focus as much as he could and watch the sophisticated tattoo appear on his lover’s smooth skin. And as Miria had said, seeing it expand bit by bit, leaving a black path in its wake, he just thought how much more beautiful she was becoming, all for his sake.
After what felt like an hour, the dark circuit was almost complete. Looking at it as a whole, Asterios couldn’t help but experience an eerie feeling of familiarity. Then, just about the time Tia was going to wrap it up, he understood and his eyes widened to the brim.
This was almost exactly the same pattern he had once inscribed on Miria’s back during their early days, making her fur go into flames as she wielded his energy. The difference was in the depiction in the middle and the general characteristics of the style with which the lines were made. Back then, they had seemed connected to a fiery entity that could be a Phoenix, but right now, they had assumed a clearly draconic theme.
It took him back, seeing this kind of a thing again.
Especially since he didn’t exactly need much of its help to turn Miria into a flaming goddess anymore.
Tia’s finger traced back to the start of the reminiscent formation and she slowly brought it away. The draconic circuit now fully completed on Miria’s glistening and sweat-riddled skin emitted faint fumes as her growling lessened in strength and volume, switching to heavy, labored breaths. His Dryad lover shuddered and Asterios quickly wrapped his arm around the forest lady to bring her against his shoulder, rubbing her waist comfortingly.
“I’m alright.” She smiled gratefully. “You should direct your affection at this brave mate of yours. I shall rest briefly, my dear master.”
He received a thankful peck on the cheek and she pushed him forward. Crawling around the panting panthergirl, Asterios sat in front of Miria, who kept herself upright with her hands on her knees, her claws digging deep into the spiritual depiction of her flesh. Gently uncrossing her legs, he pulled her closer until their waists came together and her arms wound around his neck affectionately, her chin resting atop his shoulder.
“I did it… Master…” Miria muttered between her rough breaths.
“Yes, you did. I witnessed all of it. You are so amazing.” He comforted her in his embrace, caressing her lovely ears with his entire heart.
“How bad… is it?” she asked tentatively.
“So bad I can barely hold myself back from making love to you right here right now,” he answered honestly.
Miria understood the meaning of his words instantly, her own heart filling with so much joy and fondness too, also becoming very aware of how close and intimate their lower parts were during this tender hug.
“You know you can always do anything you want to me, Master, ehehe~” She tried to hide her growing excitement behind a little tease.
“I do know, but you are still hurting so I’ll just stay with you like this until the pain goes away,” he replied, making the inside of her chest flutter softly.
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They remained stationary for a few minutes before Miria pulled back and brought her lips to Ast’s, kissing him passionately while releasing cute purrs. They chased each other’s tongues for a moment and chuckled after parting.
Sighing daintily, she glanced over her back. Seeing the effort with which the panthergirl tried to examine her skin, Tia giggled and shared her sight since they were part of Ast’s bond.
Miria’s brows rose in surprise. “Oh, wow. Isn’t this like…”
“It is.” Asterios nodded.
“Why is my hair not on fire, then?” She tilted her head.
“Because what Asterios instinctually used back during your first adventures is very close to what I engraved on your soul,” their Dryad friend explained.
“Soul?” He frowned.
“Yes.” Tia nodded, moving closer to brush her palm over the pattern. “You made a temporary circuit with the intention to share that fiery energy during that battle. Right now, we are inside your soul, your Ancestral Plane, and the two of us are also spiritual projections of our own existences. This hurt so much because I was operating directly on your very being, Miria. This is not a mere tattoo or some other etching. It’s much more serious than that.”
“Awesome…” Miria whispered in awe. “You gave me external circuits?”
“I guess you can think of it like that.” The elegant lady giggled. “But, it’s not completely correct. This is vastly different from what your vulpine sister-mate possesses, even if its function is somewhat similar. I’m afraid your source wouldn’t be able to bear the strain of these pathways covering your entire figure like hers is.”
“I wouldn’t ever expect myself to come anywhere close to how remarkable Selene is in that regard.” The panthergirl showed a warm smile that held no jealousy or sadness.
“You are a wondrous thing yourself, Miria. I’m sure our kind master will agree.” Tia stood up with noble grace. “Now, if you have recovered in his affectionate embrace, shall we move on to the next step?”
“Next step?” Miria’s forehead creased in confusion. “This wasn’t all?”
The Dryad giggled amusedly. “Oh, no. We haven’t even used the cluster’s energy yet, or the magical circle I have prepared for you. This little thing on your back is simply… a small gift from me. The real thing is only about to begin.”
Blinking a few times in a stupor, Miria supported herself on Ast’s shoulders and also rose with an unsteady step. She turned to face Tia and bowed deeply, forcing Asterios to avert his eyes as his face came in direct line with an unbelievably arousing view.
“I have no words for how grateful I am, Tia. I’ve never been good with those. Thank you so much. I swear to use this gift as well as I can and master it quickly to not disappoint you,” Miria promised.
Tia brought her up with a charming smile and embraced her adorable sister-mate, pressing their foreheads together. “Do not bow before me, sister. This is something from one female caring for a male to another who holds him in her heart too. We grow stronger supporting each other, and so does he. Since I can’t assist him in the real world, I’m passing that responsibility onto your shoulders. It’s more selfish than you might think.”
“Okay.” The shy panthergirl grinned. “I’ll work hard for both of us. Everyone will. As Master’s first mate, I’ll make sure of it.”
“I would expect nothing less from a proud beastfolk.” The gorgeous Dryad nodded. “Alright. Let’s get back to whatever we have been doing before our beloved Dragon reaches the limit of how much he can hold himself back.”
Miria took a peek over her shoulder at Asterios, who still sat on the grass behind them, and her eyes sparkled with mischief. She shook her bubbly rump at him with a timid giggle, causing him to groan while tearing his gaze off the two beauties embracing each other. They quickly separated, not wanting to further provoke the insatiable beast locked deep within Ast’s chest. As much as either of them would have enjoyed submitting to it.
“This time, we all have to hold onto each other,” Tia said, guiding Miria to sit next to Asterios with her. “And the real pain will start now. You will feel like bursting from inside, Miria. Don’t try to contain it. Relax as much as you can and work on assimilating as much of the energy as you can, even if it’s going to feel like it’s stretching your insides above and beyond.”
The feline girl shot Asterios a fleeting glance, making him blush a tiny bit as he caught its meaning.
Their Dryad companion chuckled openly, clearly picking her words intentionally. “Okay. You are comfortable enough. Work alongside me, Master. You have already experienced this, but having three sources made it less distressing. We will scoop everything she can’t take hold of and either sprinkle it over our own sources or release it into the air. Don’t be greedy. This is about Miria.”
“I won’t.” He made a solemn face. “Her well-being is my priority.”
“I warned everyone outside.” Tia closed her eyes. “It’s time.”
They joined her and deepened the connection the three of them shared, opening themselves consciously to each other. For a few minutes, they meditated on it, synchronizing their minds and bodies, getting to know each other intimately. Trying not to distract themselves with the flashing memories appearing here and there, they became one.
A mighty pulse shook them and everything in their vicinity as the familiar energy of the fake sun started flowing into them. It wasn’t the same as the last time and Asterios had a hunch that the cluster hadn’t been triggered. Tia was simply guiding its power while it remained dormant. Not knowing if that would last forever, he gave it his all.
With a surge of spiritual energy coming into her from both sides as she held hands with Tia and Asterios, Miria let out a deafening cry. It almost forced him out of their joint concentration, never before hearing his beloved mate in so much agony. But, his jaw clenched to its limits as he focused on not crushing the gentle palms of his girls, staying true to Miria’s wishes and unfathomable dedication.
As for Miria, she had thought she was ready for the pain, but Tia’s warnings were literal. As potent mana crashed into her source like an unstoppable tsunami, filling it up in a blink, she felt herself ready to explode. Her entire circuits buzzed with the overload of power, making it feel like they were burning, electrocuting, and freezing her flesh from inside all at once. Only her caring Master and her newest sister-mate stood between her complete annihilation and she understood it well.
So, she fought viciously for them. For him.
More screams and howls filled the air alongside intense spiritual storms. The formation Tia had prepared in the grass shone with a green glow, actively rejuvenating and soothing Miria’s soul. Meanwhile, the panthergirl’s body shone with strong golden light from her very core, turning her almost transparent and making the wooden chamber bathed in blinding light.
Asterios did what he could to help Miria direct the robust mana, but this was somewhat different than doing it to himself. He couldn’t take her place fully. She had to be the one to assimilate it. It was up to her to make use of this opportunity and turn it into a valuable benefit. As much as he knew her inside out, there were things that only she could comprehend.
And that thing was the power of her Werebeast lineage.
Miria, a little panicked at the moment, scared that she would end up wasting so much of the received energy and her companions’ goodwill, took note of it. She had been convinced that there wasn’t anything else to explore in that regard. The Elders had taught her everything and she cultivated her bloodline to its purest form, achieving the full transformation.
That was supposed to be the apex.
But it wasn’t.
It was her limit.
Not the end of the path.
And so, she was going to break it.
First, she did something so bold she would have never expected herself to dare to. Miria grasped at her master’s mixed draconic energies and… provoked them. She issued a challenge. And they responded immediately.
Even Asterios was surprised at the sudden surge that came out of him in a helix, assaulting the root of Miria’s spiritual lineage. She felt like the very base of her existence was crumbling, threatening to leave her with nothing, but she didn’t relent. Using the ferocious mana, she obliterated the foundation of her animalistic power, going up stage after stage until she reached the apex of full Werepanther peak, but didn’t let the fragments dissipate.
Extending her will towards Tia, she respectfully requested the Dryad’s source to assist her next. It didn’t hesitate, flooding her with the indomitable power of life and nature. She directed it to recombine the scattered pieces. What previously could be imagined as a fairly thin and long tree with separate crowns at various heights including the top, now took the form of a short but thick trunk with a ginormous crest of branches and leaves at the very peak.
Miria led all of the cluster’s energy into that peak, forcing it to grow and expand, not forgetting to reinforce the base of the tree too as it reformed and solidified. Tia’s energy worked to its limits to piece everything together properly, leaving no cracks behind. Whatever mana Miria couldn’t infuse into the crown, the trunk, or the roots without making herself burst, she sent to her core, to her very source, feeling her mana reserves, capacity, and quality increase as it expanded.
Painfully, of course.
So much that it was pure torture.
But that didn’t matter.
It was nothing compared to her feelings, or the prospect of torment Asterios would suffer seeing her crippled.
So, she battled, brawled, clashed, and struggled, feeling him support her through the entirety of the process, believing in her unconditionally.
It felt like hours passed with her diverting the cluster between her source and her improved lineage tree. Her mind was starting to get clouded, affectionately caressed and kept on track by Asterios and Tia, who didn’t stop their efforts for even a second. Miria wasn’t sure how long she would be able to keep going. She didn’t want to waste any more energy than she already had through her poor ability to manage such a fleeting thing.
Thankfully, she noticed the flow slowing down gradually until it fully dissipated. Almost missing that moment completely, she didn’t withdraw Ast’s fierce energies in time and they rebounded, clashing with Tia’s mana as the sun’s power disappeared and disrupted the harmony they had achieved. With a pained shout, Miria was launched backward, her furry palms slipping from the grasp of her gentle allies.
“Miria!” Ast’s eyes shot open and he jumped to his feet, his heart sinking at the thought of injuring her at the very end of her awe-inspiring struggle.
Before he could lunge after his mate’s prone, unmoving form, an arm blocked his way and he let out a vicious growl at the brave but stupid offender.
Tia didn’t even flinch under his murderous gaze, showing an expression full of compassion, understanding, but also firmness.
“Don’t,” she addressed him softly.
His emotions soothed partially, he turned his attention to Miria, and so did the Dryad lady. The panthergirl’s frame twitched and shivered irregularly, quiet groans and whimpers reaching their ears as she curled into herself. Her body still glowed brightly, but the light gradually faded. It took his everything for Asterios not to ignore Tia’s request.
But then, Miria brought herself up little by little, having a hard time not collapsing back onto the grass. She sat on her thighs and slumped forward, her fingers rolling into fists. Asterios and Tia waited with bated breaths for her to meet their eyes and smile victoriously, gracing them with that cheerful grin so iconic for the adorable panther.
Instead, fur crawled up Miria’s skin in a blink, transforming her fully into the form she had taken outside of the Ancestral Plane, save for the lack of clothes. Yet, there was a difference. It felt like her muscles became more pronounced underneath that silky smooth black fur. They frowned as Miria’s frame, even while on her knees, seemed bigger than before.
As they examined their friend more, she threw her arms to the side, pushed out her bare chest, and roared into the air. The pressure of the thunderous shockwave pushed them both back, but Asterios caught Tia and held them steady, fighting against the outburst. The roar continued for a few seconds before it ceased.
Miria rose to her feet with an aggressive posture, looking ready to pounce. She glared at them as her feline muzzle scrunched from the threatening growls escaping it. Her fierce irises swirled with a combination of black, red, and a smattering of gold, right behind her more vicious vertical pupils, now even more visible than before. And she truly was taller, at least a head more than Asterios.
“Go.” Tia nodded at her delicately. “Before your unconscious body finds an outlet for all this vigor on its own.”
Without a single word, the Werepanther girl blinked out of existence.
Sighing lightly, Tia turned to Asterios.
“You should follow her,” she said with a sly smile. “You don’t want to miss the show, do you?”
Before she could react, her lips were already joined with his, breaking the foxy giggle midway. Ast’s strong arms pulled her close, one palm resting on her tender behind, grabbing a handful of it, and the other securing a fistful of her dreaded hair. He explored her mouth hungrily as she shuddered in his powerful embrace, the initial surprise replaced by the thoughts of him.
Drawing back and making her chase after him briefly, he caressed her cheek firmly. “We will speak later.”
And he blinked out of the Ancestral Plane too.
Tia stumbled, her fingers moving to her lips. She sauntered towards her throne absentmindedly, her steps a little unsteady. Falling into the wooden seat, she took a calming breath, her dainty palm moving to the center of her chest.
“Don’t act like a young maiden now… He even already mated you…” She felt her heart thumping furiously under her hand. “Focus. There’s still much to do. They can grow so much before they finish this journey. Make them stronger. For him.”
The old and wise Arch Dryad squeezed her thighs together, her teeth delicately sinking into her bottom lip as she grazed it longingly, peering into the outside world through his eyes.