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Chapter 21: Incentives matter
🕑 Added 2023-07-09 17:15:07 +0000 UTCMason took Haley’s hand and stepped out of the dungeon. The same, strange, disorienting effect seized him, then he was back standing in the same forest he’d left. Afternoon light flickered through the foliage, and a gentle breeze blew through the trees. Mason let go of Haley and summoned his Claw when he saw two gnolls just ahead.
“Oh God,” Haley clung to his back. But the gnolls turned to Mason, then lowered their heads, paws held up in what he assumed was some kind of submission.
“I think it’s alright,” he said. “I don’t think they want to fight.” Something like comfort surged through his body as his feet touched the forest floor. It was strange, but almost familiar, like it knew who he was and welcomed him. It felt like he’d come home.
“There’s a large body of water to the East of my brother,” Mason said to himself as much as the girl. “The trees they described are right, so it’s possible he’s in the same forest we are. Therefore we go East until we hit water and hope it’s the right place. Then we decide if we go North or South, and look for landmarks.”
“OK.” Haley hadn’t stopped eyeing the gnolls, and Mason supposed he couldn’t blame her. She hadn’t seen anything of this world except that tree prison and the foul, violent creatures.
He took her hand, and moved East. After maybe an hour of walking, the air shimmered with some kind of blueish tinged aura, and ghostly text appeared in Mason’s vision.
[Tutorial completed. Tutorial activity: maximally successful. Completion reward: random power enhancement. Trapmaking.]
[Title gained: Hit the ground running. +1 to a random statistic. Did not die once in the tutorial.]
“You see that?” Mason stopped and turned to Haley.
“Yeah.” She smiled. “I got a reward, too, for finding a tier 1 patron.”
Mason quirked a brow, pulling up his powers as they talked to see he could now drop three traps instead of two. “Tier 1 patron?”
She nodded. “In the top 10% of power.” She looked slightly at her shoes. “A bonded contract, with someone like you, is pretty much the peak of what I could have done. Because I benefit with your success.”
“How so?”
“Civilians get experience too, and another thing just for civilians. I can take a new power, actually, you can decide if you want. There’s…first aid, negotiate, or identify. And my inventory expanded a little. I can hold more stuff, if it comes up.”
“Identify,” Mason said without hesitation. “I’m going to start moving faster now. Ready to run?”
Haley nodded, and he smiled slightly at the determination in her eyes.
“Alright. Here we go.”
He led the way and took it easy for about an hour. Before the apocalypse he’d worked every day on cardio, usually running in loops around the park. He ran with the track team and competed a little, but never actually cared about that. He knew he could jog for hours, if he needed to, but by the end he’d pay for it. Today, though, his legs felt incredible. They were like steel pistons pumping him forward, his breaths clear and easy, his heart hardly working. He picked up his pace, faster and faster until the sounds of the forest changed, almost crystallized, like he could hear the life of the forest all around him, and somehow discern. He wanted to shout, to cheer, to howl.
“Wait! Stop!”
Mason blinked and came to a halt. Haley was racing behind him, covered in sweat, her eyes filled with shame. “I’m sorry. You’re too fast…I didn’t know…that was…insane.”
Finally Mason felt his heart rate increased, the beat throbbing in his ears, in his hands, urging him to run on, to hunt. His eyes roamed Haley’s body. Her skintight workout tights clung to her skin, sweat dripped down her neck and the cleavage of her sports bra. She watched his eyes, and his expression, and it was clear he wasn’t remotely subtle.
“Sorry,” he cleared his throat. “I’ll slow down.”
“OK.” Haley leaned against a tree. “Can we take a little rest? Just two minutes.”
Mason frowned, wondering if he could make some kind of cart for her. But the forest floor was uneven and filled with roots and broken branches. He knew it wouldn’t work. Then he turned and ran his eyes up and down the petite frame of the civilian, and held out his compound bow. “Can you put this in your storage, please?”
“Oh. Sure.” She took it, and it vanished. Them Mason knelt down and turned his back to her.
“Um, what are you doing?”
“Climb up,” he said. “I’m going to carry you.”
* * *
Branches whipped at Mason’s face and shoulders as he raced through the trees. He held one of Haley’s legs over each arm as he ran, and he could hardly believe his own strength and endurance. Clearly the robot god had enhanced players physically, and he expected his Aspect of the Cheetah and maybe even Regeneration were keeping his muscles from exhausting. It was still painful, of course, but pain was nothing. All that mattered was finding Blake.
“Mason?”
“Yeah?” he called over his shoulder.
“I’m really sorry,” the girl sounded close to tears. “But I think if I stay on your back much longer, I’m not going to be able to walk.”
“Oh.” Mason stopped and eased the girl to the ground. She groaned, and he had to catch her, her arms wrapping around his chest. “I’m sorry. I thought I’d last, you know, that there was no way you’d last longer than me, since you were carrying me. But, um, yeah.”
“It’s alright,” Mason glanced around the trees, which were getting darker by the moment as the sun clearly reached the horizon. “I think we’ve been going all day. It’ll be dark soon. It’s a good time to stop. Can you bring out some food and water? Truth is, with your supplies meaning I don’t have to hunt or find water, and the fact I can apparently just carry you…well, I don’t think you’ll be slowing me down. I’ll gather some firewood. I don’t even know what season it is, but it seems to get cold at night.
Haley’s eyes were a little watery again after his speech, her radiant smile wide. “Of course. Um. Would you like a bath?”
Mason snorted. “Sure. If you can find a lake, or a river.”
“Well…” Haley rubbed her sore legs and her eyes focused like she was reading something he couldn’t see. “I actually have a hygiene kit. And it includes a portable tub.”
Mason blinked. “You are carrying a bathtub?”
“Yeah.” Haley grinned. “It even comes with a little gas flame to heat itself. So we can probably use that to start a fire?”
“I’m…” Mason shrugged helplessly. “I’m at a loss for words. Please set it up.”
“OK!” Haley grinned. “And I can wash your clothes, too…you know, what’s left of them. I think later I get some wardrobe function for you, too, just not yet.” She reached out a hand, and a single-person sized, ceramic-looking tub appeared on the forest floor, already full of clear water.
“Well.” Mason shrugged. “That is something. I’ll get in, so…”
“Oh sure, I’ll just…get some firewood, and, cook something.”
Mason nodded, too tired and sore to care much if the girl saw him naked. He stripped off his bloodstained, tattered shorts and shoes, and climbed into the tub. He groaned at the feel, even before it started to warm. His arms and shoulders ached, and he hadn’t slept well in days. He closed his eyes, then nearly leapt and pulled his sword when something soft touched his shoulders. “It’s just me,” said Haley. “I figured…maybe you could use a massage? After all that running, and carrying. And, you know, fighting to the death.”
“I…” Mason’s instinct was to say no to everything and everyone. But actually he’d sure as hell love a massage. “Sure.”
Her soft, warm hands dug into his shoulders, and he groaned and tried not to think about the beautiful, French, personal assistant slash contractual slave massaging him. This robo-god apocalypse was all kinds of weird, and Mason decided it was best not to think about it all. She massaged his neck, his scalp, his arms, also scrubbing and cleaning him with some kind of soap and shampoo. When he’d both gained an erection that nearly left the tub, and felt like falling asleep, he’d decided it was probably enough.
“I’ll hop out now,” he said. “Thanks again. Oh, did you need a bath?” He looked at the now bloody water and winced.
“I’m good,” Haley giggled. “I’ve had the kit since the start. And, you know, I’m not covered in hyena blood.”
“Right,” Mason breathed, then lifted himself halfway until Haley turned around. He hopped out, then realized he literally had nothing to wear or cover himself with. Haley turned back around.
Mason froze, unsure what to do, his erection saluting Haley at full mast.
“Uh.”
The girl frowned, and her eyes stroked his body, ending right at his manhood.
“I figured that might be the next problem.”
Mason didn’t bother to cover himself. She’d been the one to turn around, after all, but he had no idea what to do now.
“I don’t suppose you have a towel?”
Haley took a few steps toward him, stopping close enough to reach out and touch.
“Look,” she bit her thick lower lip. “I realize…despite some of my utility, I’m currently not a great asset.”
Mason went to speak but she raised a hand for him to wait.
“I’m still a burden.” She came closer, and Mason nearly flinched away in surprise as she put a cool hand around his shaft. “I’m making your goal more difficult. And that’s the opposite of what I want.” She met his eyes. “I think you’re pretty much my best shot to survive in this new world. And I don’t want you to end the contract.” She started stroking him slowly. “And, the way I see it, I’m your personal assistant, yes? My job is to take care of everything you need.”
Her hand felt wonderful, and Mason had no burning desire to stop it from stroking him.
“I’m not sure this is part of the job description,” he said, utterly without conviction.
“I am your bonded servant, patron,” Haley said, her voice lowering, eyes drooping slightly. “If you say it is my job, than it is. Would you like me to take care of you?”
Mason reminded himself this was the apocalypse. Everything was gone, destroyed, made new. And he’d already decided it was time to stop holding back, stop thinking so much.
“Yes.” He put his hands on the girl’s arms as she stroked him, and she smiled.
“Good. Now let me do my job.”
She sunk to her knees, and Mason practically groaned just at the sight of her. She leaned forward and opened her mouth, licking his tip with her tongue.
“Would you like to sit?” she asked, looking up at him as she stroked with both hands. A chair appeared out of nothing behind him, and Mason eased down his trembling legs. Haley gave him her full, white smile, then held him with her blue eyes as she took him halfway into her mouth. He groaned, closing his eyes as he leaned back and just enjoyed. How long had it been? Several months, certainly. He’d only been with a couple girls, and not for very long. And certainly not a girl like Haley. She had to be in her early to mid twenties. Which meant probably some experience, and…
Mason twitched as Haley’s lips slid like silk down his entire length. He opened his eyes to find her taking him nearly all the way before she pulled back with a gasp and went more slowly. His eyes rolled with pleasure and exhaustion. Then she was bobbing up and down, playing with his balls with her hand as she slurped and sucked with every plunge. He knew he wouldn’t last long, even if she hadn’t been so gorgeous. And apparently so talented. Her tongue was sliding up and down the sides of his cock, both hands stroking as she moved back and forth, swallowing him with tight lipped concentration as she held his gaze.
Tight heat coursed up his balls, then exploded. Mason didn’t even manage to warn her before he came. He moaned and grabbed a handful of her hair as he pumped stream after stream into her mouth. Her throat worked and she looked like she intended to swallow it all, but soon went wide eyed as cum dripped from her lips. Mason twitched as the last few sensitive spurts finished, and all the while Haley just kept licking and sucking until he was drained.
“It’s been awhile.” Mason weaved slightly in his chair, struggling to keep his eyes open.
Haley giggled, and he cocked a brow.
“I, em, got experience for that. And a title.”
Mason snorted and might have blushed if he’d had any blood to spare.
“Dare I ask the name of said title?”
“High Class. I think it’s, um, because of your tier level. I’m being rewarded for blowing you.”
For a moment Mason had no idea what to say. Finally, he muttered: “Robot God is starting to grow on me,” and Haley laughed out loud. The sight of her smiling, open mouth, her face all covered in spit and cum as she continued to hold his cock was not an image he would forget. “We should get some sleep,” he added, because he could hardly hold himself up. He should have sorted out a bed but it was too late now and he was beyond caring.
“Should I get us a bedroll?” Haley giggled again. “I can, um…purchase one, with my blowjob points.”
“Sure.” Mason couldn’t help but laugh with her now.
As usual it appeared out of nothing, and Haley lay it down by the fire and started undressing. Mason watched her with tired, but renewed eyes, unable to look away. She turned away and stripped naked, a full, glorious view of her hourglass figure and thick, yet taut ass. Then she slipped on panties and a white t-shirt and climbed into the bedroll before looking back at him.
“You said it might get cold?” She raised a plucked brow. “So come on in.”
She didn’t need to ask him twice.
