Chapter 2: Work-work

“Careful sparky” bellowed the outraged giant as I had nearly blown our target to smithereens.

Above me perched on a high branch of a Benian tree our scout, Leera was trying to weave a subtle illusion to guide our prey into our specially dug out trap.

I had to keep cutting off its escape by lighting the part of the forest it was facing on fire. The last time it had almost broken my blockade by leaping over the burning line forcing me to launch explosive orbs to cut it’s escape.

The giant on our team, Grog was our vanguard and tasked with corralling the beast into our trap. That part was proving especially challenging as the golden boar was using its mighty tusks to keep flinging any branches and other debris it could scoop up at him.

It would also occasionally use it’s tough snout in conjunction with its tusks to scoop out earth from the forest floor and dump it on the nearest fire in front of it forcing me to keep lighting new fires.

It was certainly living up to its mighty reputation. No wonder its meat was considered such a rare and treasured delicacy by the nobility.

In all the commotion, Leera had completed her illusion, which appeared like an opening—a relatively clear path for the animal to take where there were no tree roots or underbrush to slow it down or give it pause.

The illusion had a shimmering sort of outline which was hard to miss for any viewer, but it was somewhat masked by the shimmering heat and smoke the forest fire I had lit was producing.

Another three explosive orbs had lit up between my fingers. I blew into my hand launching them towards the rear of the animal. It was startled by the deafening explosions at it’s rear forcing it to charge along the ‘clear path’ pushing our resident giant to the side in the process.

It didn’t go far before the forest floor gave out under it’s enormous weight and it collapsed in our disguised pit, leaving it dazed. I quickly created searing hot flames around the pit making sure to keep them going till they had consumed all the breathable air around the mighty beast killing it slowly from asphyxiation while leaving it’s body completely untouched.

“Nicely done team” Grog said as he got up brushing some dirt and soot off the loincloth he wore. That was the only piece of clothing on his massive ten-foot-tall frame which was nearly half as wide as it was tall. That along with his crocodile leather boots, stone axe and tower-shield completed his ensemble.

His grey skin was neatly camouflaged by the large amounts of soot which had deposited itself on him during the fight. His beard not so much as it had a lot of twigs sticking out at random.

Leera floated down from her perch on her glossy translucent wings. Being a fairy her wings allowed her to float and sometimes catch updrafts to launch herself higher in the air but true flight remained out of reach for her.

Her wings melted into her back aided by the fact her battle dress didn't pose much obstruction to them. Her risqué ensemble had her wearing a front black colored leather armor piece which was backless and had a plunging neckline. It was attached to her body by strategic metal chains. It struggled to contain her decently sized bust.

Her long legs were wrapped in black fishnet armor and her modesty was protected by a vibrant red sash wrapped just below her waist. The drapes of the sash hung down her middle to just above her knees. The entire package was completed with black metal arm bracers and a quiver of arrows attached to her right leg.

"I remembered asking her why she dressed so provocatively on the battlefield. Her response—that she preferred her opponents be distracted by thoughts of bedding her rather than concentrating on disemboweling her—left me with a new appreciation for her chutzpah.

That was the word I’d use to describe her: chutzpah. She confidently strode around in a country that, if not outright hostile, was at least ambivalent to her, labeling her a demi-human and calling her subhuman among much worse things behind her back. She made no effort to hide who she was, flaunting as much of her mulberry-pink colored skin as possible without it entering the realm of being obscene. Her purple hair, in contrast to the rest of her scandalous exterior, was always cut in a boring boy cut.

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She sauntered over to Grog and frenched him for a minute. How she had managed to pull the giant down to eye level by grabbing his family jewels through his loincloth had been mildly amusing if not slightly off putting.

“Hey people I’m still here. Can’t you two do this in private when you get back to your room?” I asked my tone filled with aggravation.

When the two of them had broken off from tasting each other’s tonsils Leera turned to face me with a long-suffering sigh.

“Ignore this prude my love” she said turning to Grog.

“Someday when she is old enough, she will appreciate a good snogging with her man.”

My ears burned red from embarrassment. Leera had taken every opportunity to tease me about my apparent age and gender, feeling that a good hazing would get me out of my funk quicker than any long drawn-out heart to heart could. I had been forced to tell them about my amnesia when a few too many obvious inconsistencies in my general knowledge had become apparent to the pair.

They along with Eliza had really took great pains to try and correct any obvious gaps in my basic knowledge. For that I would be forever grateful.

Eliza, being Leera’s mother, was almost a hundred years old and was the sweetest, most patient person I had ever met. How someone like her could be related to Leera was beyond me.

Grog loudly cleared his throat, apparently just as embarrassed as me by Leera’s domineering personality.

“I think we should hurry and get this boar to the Count’s estate right now. He wants it to be as fresh as possible for the grand celebration he is hosting”

I made sure to snuff out all the fires first by exerting my Will over them. Being in the middle of summer I was worried even a few embers could snowball into a massive forest fire.

We lifted the golden boar carcass and tied it to Grog’s tower shield with rope. Then I lifted the front side and he lifted the backside. I could barely manage to lift the thing even with Grog’s help.

I teetered around precariously until Grog had adjusted the shield so that he was carrying it in his arms while i had it balanced on my head making him carry a major chunk of the package's weight which he didn't seem to mind at all.

This was not the first time I was impressed by the giant’s physiology which made my gifted physiology look weak by comparison.

Leera instead of helping was feeling up Grog’s taut muscles, making sure to cup his biceps and abs.

“How you managed to get someone as supportive as Leera to fall for you, man must be a tale for the ages.” I said grumbling good naturedly.

“Oh there's nothing much to say sparky. I’m a total size queen.” She said mock proudly deflecting my criticism entirely.

“And once you experience your first foot long there is no going back. Just ask mum.”

I made gagging noises wishing I wasn't balancing such a heavy package on my head so I could cover my ears.

“Too much information” I complained. I could really have gone without the mental image of what Eliza and Grog got up to behind closed doors.

That thought reminded me as to why Eliza wasn't here helping us and why I was needed as a temporary replacement in the first place. Eliza had been heavily pregnant when I had met her for the first time. When I realized who the father was, I had been downright concerned.

To my knowledge cross species couplings never ended well. If they could breed at all the resulting hybrid was almost always deathly sick and infertile. It was why all religions without fail marked such a relationship as a taboo. In fact, incest would barely raise an eyebrow but an inter species relationship would have the entire neighborhood in uproar and sharpening their pitchforks.

No, I was exaggerating a bit I guess. Because it was such a forbidden taboo, the wealthy and the powerful went to great lengths to acquire members of exotic species for their harems. Everyone knew the true meaning behind the words ‘maid servants’ -a veiled euphemism for something far more clandestine. Everyone just chose to close their eyes and pretend they believed the thin veneer of the lie. Nine times out of ten nothing ever came out of such a coupling. If a hybrid was ever produced on the off chance, it was quickly and quietly taken care off one way or another.

The only exceptions were Gods who by their very nature as partly amorphous entities could breed freely with any and all species they chose to. That fact held true to a lesser extent for their children, the demigods too.

I was still worried for Eliza and her little family unit. Although I was repeatedly assured by her and Grog that they were taking all possible measures to care for the fetus and it's mother, so maybe I should have a bit more faith. The family unit had even cajoled a 'bonafide saint' to come check up on Eliza regularly.

It had been almost two weeks now I had been working as a sell sword or if I wanted to give it a more charitable spin then as an adventurer.

Grog and Leera had certainly taken a chance with me. Although I suppose they would have sacrificed little if their gambit with me would have failed. I had certainly impressed them enough during my probationary period, so they must be feeling pretty good about themselves.

We had been taking small jobs which could be completed in a day or two at most as Grog and Leera didn't want to leave Eliza home alone for long.

Grog’s colossal ten foot tall frame had other advantages too, it sure had a way to keep their neighbors nosiness at bay. Especially because everyone knew the giant often worked as hired muscle for the local count.

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We trekked back to Guarai having entered through the eastern gates which stood closer to the affluent district where most of the wealthy residents including the nobility, affluent merchants, bureaucrats etc stayed.

I was always struck by the contrast between this district and the general squalor of the remaining parts of the city. The duality of the impoverished and destitute living at the feet of the rich and powerful never failed to sour my mood. This scene was so maddeningly familiar that I had to wonder if I was hallucinating.

Leera who had been walking just behind me reached over and pinched my butt.

“None of that, sparky.”

“What was that for?” I complained. She had been none too gentle with her assault on my derriere.

“I happen to be an illusionist sparky. It's my job to be observant. I can read your tells like a book” she explained wagging her finger at me.

That light reprimand helped me clear my head and let me notice some other details I had been ignoring in the city. Someone had clearly gone to great lengths to repair and beautify the route the parade had taken and would take again on it’s return journey.

‘Nothing like a visit from your superior to remind you to get your act together.’

Leera stepped in front of us both, stretching erotically. Her generous bust almost spilling out of her top armor piece.

“Alright, you big strapping men can deliver this to the count’s estate. I want to go to my mum’s side now”

“Oh so suddenly I’m a man again. That’s very convenient whenever you need me to be your pack mule” I huffed my voice colored with slight irritation.

Leera smirked, not at all bothered by my grumblings. She stepped over to my side and kissed my cheek affectionately before going over to Grog’s side and sharing a deep searing kiss.

My long-suffering sigh was ignored again.