Renewal
I'm up and down on my writing, as I'm sure most people who write are. There are more than a few times where I question the quality of what I create, and more than a few stories that may never be written because I don't feel I can do them justice. But this is one that I really like. I can't say whether it's my best writing quality, but I feel good about how it turned out, and I'm happy to have finished it and to be able to share it. It's one of those that's rather lighter on smut, heavier on atmosphere, but I feel it wouldn't be right any other way. It's also on the longer side compared to most of what I've posted, though trust me, nowhere near my ceiling in that regard.
OBLIGATORY CONTENT WARNING: This story contains sexual acts between two males, size disparities, transformation, and dialogue which could be charitably described as "classically verbose" (something else I rather enjoy when I can pull it off).
It was a typical evening at the House of the Joyous Night...a healthy smattering of customers, seeking what they desired, enjoying the foods, the drinks, the views, and more. Rarely were they wanting for customers, and it was small wonder - few businesses offered such a range of services as they did, combining sustenance, relaxation, and companionship of a carnal sort. He could see quite clearly what drew so many to this particular locale, despite the rest of the town being scarcely beyond ordinary. After all, it had drawn him as well.
All eyes turned towards the door as he walked in. It was hard for them not to; even in a prime stop for travelers seeking challenges in life, there were few that could measure up to this one. He was a big jet-black drake, built like the dream of every warrior in the lands, and clearly unafraid to show it off; his arms, legs, and chest were replete with muscle, covered with especially tough inky dark scales. Where most would gird themselves with the best gear to protect their bodies, he wore very little, just a garment around his waist that was barely fit to cover his nethers - despite his anatomy being more conducive to modesty, he professed a set of bulges that left little to the imagination. He wore no gloves or shoes, instead putting his large, sharp claws on full display. He looked every bit the master of combat, but his body bore few of the scars one would expect from an experienced fighter. There was aura about him, the unmistakable aether of one with powerful magic; where for others there might be a whisper of that force, from him it was a veritable roar, a warning call that this was not one to be trifled with. He had no visible weapons on his person, but there was a surety about him that warned that they were at his beck and call, hidden by magic until such time as they were needed.
He stepped towards the counter, leaning towards the wolfen proprietor behind, who appeared slightly nervous but retained his air of professionalism. "G-good day, traveler! I'm certain you have wish to partake of our many services?"
"I don't imagine you get many in here who have no such desire, good sir." His voice was deep, dangerous even despite the amiable content, and he paid the wolf's shiver no mind. It was a common reaction. "I've heard many flattering stories about this place, and it's piqued my interest. Especially one in particular...traveling around alone as I do, companionship of any kind tends to be...shall we say, difficult to come by. As long as I'm seeking, I should seek from what's been recommended, no? A night of rest and release would be...quite appreciated."
The canid smiled and bowed, endeavoring to keep his stride. "You have excellent taste and an ear for a good word. We here at the House of The Joyous Night boast one of the largest and most satisfied clienteles. Our employment of kaethik is part of our appeal, these lizards are made for the activities we wish to provide. We shall provide to you one of our best for the night, mister..."
"Farghod." The dragon eyes the numerous reptilian creatures within the service quarters of the room; all of them were shorter, lithe, and wore either nothing or some very fine garments that provided little cover and were practically see-through anyway. Many of them had their eyes on him, and he grinned involuntarily as he noticed that they practically seemed to be salivating at the sight of him; a scene he was not entirely unfamiliar with, but now had the time to enjoy.
"Well, then, Mister Farghod, you have the entirety of my servicers at your selection, and I will provide you whichever one suits your fancy. If you have any questions, I will do all I can to answer them to your satisfaction."
Farghod nodded absently, his eyes still gazing out over his prospective matches. Not all of them were those reptiles, but the majority of them were, and they seemed the most interested...except for one, he noticed, shrinking away by the back wall, averting his eyes for the most part, except for tiny, frightened glances in Farghod's direction. Something about that one struck his interest...not just the unusual response compared to the others, but something about the way he held himself, and the aura within him...he pointed towards the unique reptile. "I'm interested in this one, if you will."
The proprietor balked suddenly, hesitating in his response. "Erm...I don't think you want that one, I'm sure I can find you a better option for your evening's delight..."
Farghod gave the man a sideways glance, delivering a broad grin not quite directed at him but in his direction, a grin which was mostly good-natured but carried a hint of threat within it. "Surely, sir, you do not wish to dictate to me exactly what my preferences might be?"
"A-ah, my good man, perish the thought. I merely wish to...inform you that your satisfaction may not be met with this particular individual...I have had complaints in the past about his performance, and I would certainly not wish for such a man as yourself to suffer the indignity of not receiving the highest quality service from our organization. However, your decision is your own, as long as your coin remains ours."
"That it shall, sir, and my selection shall stand. Please, bring him to me."
Sensing that the decision was indeed final, the canid cast his eyes over to a pair of disappointed lizards and motioned for them to bring the selection over to them. The two obeyed, making for the chosen one, who at the last second scrambled to compose himself and made his way towards Farghod without resistance. The dragon observed dark looks as he came forth, mainly from the other reptilians; something about those eyes had him suspecting that more than mere jealousy was in play.
The canid seemed equally cold as the lizard came up to him, his expression growing stern and his voice taking on a faint growl as he gave his instruction. "You do a good job with this man, you understand? Falling short here would be...entirely unacceptable."
"Y-yes, sir." The faintness of that voice, almost as feminine a quality as the lizard's form, was rather tantalizing to Farghod. Yet, as desirous as his libido was, his curiosity had always been stronger, and as he made his payment to the proprietor he knew he would be doing much more than just laying this treat.
His charge for the evening led him up the stairs, four flights to the top floor of the building. The doors were few and far between it the hall; without question, these were the biggest and best-kept rooms they had, another attempt to butter him up. Farghod rarely could discern whether they wanted to treat him right because they respected him or because they feared him; often, it made little difference. He merely followed the lizard into one of the rooms, eying him up continuously, examining everything he could see about him.
"The room has...as you can see...a sizable bed, for all you may wish to use it for..." The reptile's voice was unsteady, though it didn't seem for lack of preparation. "To your right is an ample washroom...prepared with warm water and oils for relaxation...to the left is a pantry with...light foods and liquor to indulge at you whim. More substantial food can be prepared for you...um, at a moment's notice, if you so desire."
"Quite the provision for a mere traveler."
The lizard gulped, looking at him as halfways as he could. "One such as yourself...commands respect. Your coin carries you farther than it would many...and...of c-course, you shall have me as you wish..."
"You can look upon me, you know. Lightning won't smite you if you do."
It seemed quite the struggle for the lizard to set his gaze upon Farghod. He seemed to have been expecting something more immediate from the dragon, like he was bracing himself for something he couldn't handle. He spent a few moments drinking in that powerful body, before suddenly turning back towards the bed. "I-I forgot to mention...there are extra bedclothes in the frame underneath the cushioning...should you wish to have me perform for you here, you shan't have to lay in your...excesses..."
With hardly a sound Farghod was right up behind him, standing close but still leaving his hands off of the lizard. "You're intimidated by me, aren't you?"
The lizard jumped slightly, looking up wide-eyed at the dragon; Farghod could see hints of tears in them. "Y-you're...quite a large and imposing man...m-many would be so..."
"Indeed, many have been so...and yet, of those kaethik down there, nearly all of them looked quite eager at the thought of having me in service...in fact, you were the only one who didn't seem so inclined."
A gulp from the lizard. "Your...observation is uncanny..."
"I have traveled innumerable roads throughout many realms, cultivated magic beyond the conceptualization of most mortals, and fought tireless battles against creatures of all natures. One who does all these things develops a keen eye for observation. You are different from the others here...and now I wish to know why." He turned his eyes down on the lizard, who blanched and looked away. "Your owner used a certain word, kaethik, one that I've heard but only rather in passing. I recall one barfly speaking volumes about their area of expertise, and he was bandying about words like sev and limar. Those are unfamiliar to my tongue, and I haven't any idea what they indicate. You can tell me, can't you?"
"I...I can, y-yes...all kaethik are...what many others think of as 'pleasure slaves,' but which in our culture are those who are not quite male, and not quite female, but somewhere in between. They are male in...condition, p-perhaps, but undeveloped, never to gain the full capacity of that condition...so they are very small, never to take another as a male would. Their bodies allow for cl...claiming, through their tail holes as with males, but also in their vents as with females...the space which would filled by their life flesh changes to allow for others to enter."
He paused, and looked up at Farghod. The dragon continued to scrutinize him, curious; it hadn't escaped him that the lizard had seemed to divide himself from this group, despite seemingly belonging. What suspicions he had earlier were only burgeoning with this speech. "Go on, then. With the others."
"V-very well, s-sir...the sev are those who are born in such a way...it is known from the time of their appearing to this world that they will be so. As such, they are...are brought up in the life, trained in the art of pleasure, but given great respect in all ways as they are. The limar are those who are not born kaethik, but decide before the critical time of growth that they wish to become one. They are given...treatment, which prevents their development, such that they will no longer be male but kaethik...it is considered an honorable calling, but they must learn to be as good as the sev, for they haven't the training that the sev have, and must gain it very rapidly...once they have reached that age where the decision must be made final, they are considered ready for use, so much of the time they must learn quickly."
"It sounds as if it is not an unrespectable lifestyle among your kind," Farghod observed. "And yet, you distance yourself from them...is it not perhaps because you do not belong to either the sev or the_limar_?"
The lizard bowed his head, a tear dripping down from one of his eyes. "I...s-sir, I do not. I am...one of the bad ones. One of the grok. One forced into the kaethik. It is a mark of dishonor, to be disallowed the choice...a dishonor upon the self and the family, an insult to all we are."
"Such a very different perspective for what is essentially the same outcome. Pray, how did such a thing happen?"
"It was...my family were respected within our clan, and did good works and played their roles in the public eye. But they had rivals, and they wished for power that my parents did not trust them to have. When they were denied it, they sought their revenge...they took me, before my calling, and used what is used on the limar, holding me and preventing me from developing my true maleness...by the time I was found and rescued, it was too late, and I was...I was grok, a humiliation and a tarnish on my family's name. They did not wish for me to go, but I could not stay, and they knew it...their name was already sullied just by the knowledge that I had been done in such a way, and keeping me around would have destroyed everything they had."
"Such cruelty has no place in this world. Surely they were punished for their misdeeds?"
The lizard shook his head, tearing up even more. "N-no, not one bit...it took much to even bring them before a magister, and the magister was one of theirs...they fabricated a story about how I begged them for it, and I could not defend myself, a grok has no standing, it is lower than a slave...they suffered nothing, and most likely enjoyed greater prosperity from the decline of my family's name."
Farghod nodded. "A travesty...justice seems to be but a myth in some places. And what of your name, little one?"
Another head shake. "I...I cannot use the name I was given, not with such dishonor on me. I...have been given the name A'thiel...it is not a...flattering name, but I deserve nothing better, not as a grok with no hope for future status."
"A name with such distaste and disrespect will not grace my tongue. I defy the conventions of those fools who say you deserve such disgrace for your misfortune. I've inserted myself into many nightmares, some of which have been brought on by naught but the folly of their victims, their faults and arrogance dooming them to suffering, a fate they only avert by my chance intervention. I can only hope that they learn anything from their actions. But you, you have been brought low by no fault of your own, through the machinations of evil men. Innocents are never worthy of condemnation; your fate in life deserved to be far greater."
"S-such a thing is beyond my hope...I, I cannot ask for more in station than what I have now. It is by the grace of good fortune that I even have a place here...surely I would be dead if not for this."
"Hm...yet it does not seem that the man holds you in high regard, not from the way he treated you. Nor your compatriots..."
Another head shake. "They have no need to...those who chose the lifestyle see me as unworthy...they do not associate with me, and would be much nastier if they were allowed. The ones who are not kaethik of our kind, they do not judge, but they are uncomfortable, because of my misfortune...the owner, he is not so bad, but he worries for his reputation...I never had the training of kaethik, and do not perform up to their standards...it has gotten a number of men angry, and I fear if I do not perform well, he will throw me out and I will soon be done for."
"Indeed...I suppose he is a good enough man at that...yet, you do not wish to be here, do you?"
A'thiel started shaking. "I...I could not ask for better grace than what I have-"
"So you say, yet that does not mean this is what you wish for." Farghod looked away from the lizard, his eyes gazing off into the invisible fog of memory. "One's desires are never truly hidden...and I've developed quite an eye for them. To be able to see and read people is a talent few truly appreciate, yet it has saved me many troubles in the past. Those little signs that he who wished to hire my services was setting me up, those tiny cues that reveal the duress she was under, the slight wavers in his voice that told me he was lying about why the men were trying to kill him...had I been blind to them, my life may have ended, certainly my conscience would have been stained much more than it is now. One must never be blind to desire...no, not even to one's own." He cast his gaze back to A'thiel, a hint of formulation in his eyes. "Would you not care to join me in my travels?"
A'thiel's jaw dropped in shock. "W-wha...F-Farghod! You...you cannot mean..."
"Wandering is my life. I simply cannot abide staying in one place for very long...there is simply too much world to see for me to be satisfied seeing the same things every day. I will always be traveling, and fighting, and making a name for myself simply for the spirit of adventure. But the life of a traveler can be very lonely...it isn't just physical companionship, but the capacity to connect with others, to stimulate one's mind, and to have a presence one can rely on to preserve one's sanity. This is something I have longed for frequently in my time, and one I have received very little of. That is my desire..." He cast his eyes over A'thiel once more, the lizard feeling as if he was being bored into by those sharp eyes. "I know you have no desire to be here...you desire to leave, to not be trapped into this life. I desire for someone to come with me, join me in my travels, and become a companion of mine, in many ways. Therefore, bringing you with me seems a good means of taking care of both of our problems."
"I-I-I...F-Farghod...That...I...I cannot...I'm not...suitable for this...I am no man..."
"Irrelevant. One need not be a man to travel. I have met many capable females in my wanderings, perhaps more so than males...though perhaps that is because it takes more for females to be allowed into such a life by those who would keep them down."
"B-but...I cannot do anything...I have no strength, no magic, no skills...I am good for nothing but...being used for sex, and I'm not even that good at that. I wouldn't be able to help you in any way...you are like a god, and I an insect..."
A telling grin appeared on Farghod's face. "So you may say...but as you know, gods are capable of great gifts, and I would not be so callous as to remove you to a world where you would be nothing but threatened. If you should trust me to keep my word, I only ask that you assent to my request, and I shall show you what I mean. What do you say?"
A'thiel looked stricken, almost on the verge of fainting. Farghod felt no surprise or confusion at this; it was likely the boy had not been given such respect in ages, much less from a client he no doubt expected only to use him and be done with him. His fears about his fate were more than justified; it was a dangerous world out there, and he had no idea what Farghod might do to honor his word. But the dragon, though never showing it, was feeling a rising desperation, almost a need to hear those right words. It had been some time since an opportunity to gain a constant companion had been upon him, and the previous failures were starting to weigh on him; as tough and unbreakable as he appeared to be, there were times he felt the constant loneliness would break him down completely.
Yet, he had a good find in A'thiel...the lizard, alone and abandoned, needed someone to care about him, too. Not just a place to waste away with people who at best barely tolerated him, but someone who actually desired his presence...something he hadn't felt in years. And that alone was enough to propel him past all conscious protest. "F-Farghod...if you deem me worthy, I...I will do as you ask. I will t-trust you to do as you see fit to me."
The big black dragon felt as if he could have leapt for joy right there, but such wild demonstrativeness wasn't in his nature. Instead he merely contented himself with sweeping A'thiel into his arms to provide a tight embrace. "You have given me great pleasure already...and I will see to it that you gain the same in return."
"F-Farghod..."
"But come..." He released the tight hold on A'thiel and placed him on the bed gently. "We are here for a certain purpose, and I should not wish to run off so quickly. The night is young, and I have plans."
A'thiel watched the dragon as he finally released the cloth from his loins, dropping it aside without a care, and revealing his full pride to the amazed lizard. He had seen and taken what had seemed large before, and of course, he knew Farghod had to be big, there had been little question of it...but seeing it up close like this, A'thiel was still awestruck at the terrifying spire of flesh. "My...Farghod...I-I may be practiced, but..."
Farghod merely gave a reassuring growl. "Don't worry about how big it is...I've more than learned to provide a little, shall we say, 'assistance' to those I wish to enjoy." He leaned over the lizard, positioning himself at the tight entrance under the scaled tail, but only rested there, not pushing forward. "On a different night I might perhaps start with something smaller, to build things up...but I feel a certain rush tonight. So I shall prepare you right off."
He started muttering under his breath, words that A'thiel couldn't really hear well but didn't sound like anything he'd heard before...the tingle in his body gave him the impression that it was some type of magic, something that must have been designed to let Farghod use him safely. He welcomed it; the discomfort of such a size would likely have been too much for him. It was all too easy to relax under him, savor the moments before it got too busy to think...a great gentlemanly beast who truly wanted him, truly cared for him...he only wished he was worthy of such lofty status, and lamented in his mind that he had so little to offer...
The dragon's maleness came at just the right time, the tip piercing into him and driving the unpleasant thoughts right out of his brain. He gasped and arched his back as it sank in, slowly but unceasingly, his body feeling as if it was expanding around it to allow it in, though such wasn't readily visible. It was hot, thick, yet there was no pain or unpleasantness, just a dull feeling of energy that tickled his innards. It was enough to draw his own arousal into view...an insignificant little thing, scarcely more than a child's size, deprived of the hormones it needed to mature, as with all kaethik, for theirs was not to be used for such things. More and more went in, A'thiel hardly able to believe how much there was, until his rear felt the full of his scaled flesh pressed against him.
Panting, A'thiel chanced a look up at Farghod. The dragon's face was intense, and his mouth was still moving, the features of the prime focus of magic...he presumed he must still be working on the spell for accommodation. Whatever it was, it was working wonders, as the dragon's pull out and subsequent faster re-entry felt like heaven, far from the painful drudgery of others who lacked such courtesies. Farghod began really working him, driving in and out at a steady rate, the lizard feeling like he was getting more sensitive by the moment...for the first time in his life of service, he felt himself getting lost in the pleasure, truly enjoying his position underneath a strong male.
In his bliss, he lost his attention to Farghod...the dragon was trailing claws along him, tantalizing him as his meat spread him wider than possible and yet no wider than normal, teasing all along his body...he had no suspicion of the dragon's ulterior motives. Certainly, he wanted to get his release...it had been quite some time, after all, but he was taking it slower than he would have ordinarily, his attention more on the invisible drawings he was placing on A'thiel's body, leaving only faint magical trails in the wake of his claws. He didn't want to burst too early, and leave his lizard wanting...no, he was going to make sure this was done right.
Even then, he found himself growing close...A'thiel's tightness, coupled with his lack of recent attention, was grating severely on his ability to hold himself back. So he quickly put on the finishing touches, then gripped A'thiel and gave him a taste of what he could really do. The lizard cried out underneath him as he suddenly slammed in with inexplicable force, startling him and giving him such a thunderbolt of pleasure that he could hardly make sense of it, the magic translating everything for the better. From there it became a frenzy, Farghod hammering into him with abandon, working himself rapidly to the final act, eliciting euphoric moans from A'thiel with every movement...
It was all too soon that he pounded himself all the way in and came, letting out a strangled mix of growl and roar as his essence burst forth, flooding into the smaller reptile's body in imposing gouts, filling him effortlessly. A'thiel yelled out his own climax, a dry one that burst through his body, one of only a scant number of times he'd reached that under another. His eye screwed shut tight, he didn't notice the dark aura seeping over his body, lost in the energy of his orgasm...
And then it was different, as the high left him, another energy was taking its place...he felt suddenly drained, then sustained, something pouring into him, not leaving but not being taken, either...his eyes remained screwed shut, his body clenching as he felt something happening, something he couldn't comprehend in the moment, but unquestionably taking place...he knew Farghod was still there, but the dragon had left his body, yet somehow he still almost felt inside him...
Farghod stood back a ways, the only presence towards the lizard being the constant stream of his own energy. The dark aura around A'thiel began to intensify, and the lizard's face took on a grimace as it began to affect him. Farghod kept feeding energy in, helping bolster the powerful spell as it began to take its form. It was slow at first, but noticeable...A'thiel's body was growing, and unevenly, the slim, petite shape becoming more masculinized as his size changed. Muscle built in his arms, legs, and torso, bulging out as A'thiel clenched and writhed, the spell's effects not painful but not entirely pleasant...at least not yet.
That changed when the next phase kicked in. A'thiel jerked suddenly as his gonads began to swell and expand as well, the nerves responding to the shift by firing on all cylinders, sending waves of pleasure through him that offset the discomfort. His previously minuscule length rapidly grew in length and girth, taking on the bulk and shape that true males of his kind had and then some, surpassing even most of those he'd taken during his time. Though less visible, his testes were experiencing a similar shift, pulsing as the magic worked on them...as they did, they began the release a surge of hormones that cascaded through his body with unnatural speed, aiding the magic in its bodily shifting.
Now Farghod ramped up his contribution, amplifying his magic connection to A'thiel and bringing the changes to their final phase. As he did, the lizard was brought to a massive climax, the first he'd ever felt as a proper male, crying out in a far deeper voice as pleasure wracked his body and a strong, thick seed burst forth from him, the energy speeding his new changes. His body mass increased further, packing on the muscle not just of a male but of a proud warrior. The claws on his fingers and toes lengthened and thickened, sharpening into deadly points in place of the feeble nubs of his old body. His muzzle changed in shape slightly, shifting to accommodate his amplified jaw muscles. All aver his body, the formerly soft green scales darkened rapidly, solidifying into a deep jet black to rival Farghod's own as powerful magic energies suffused him, the arcane power becoming his own.
Finally, Farghod released himself, and the spell tapered off rapidly, the shifts ending and the lizard's new body finalizing its shape. A'thiel's eyes opened, and in wonder he stood up, eyes taking in the form that scarcely resembled the previous him: a strong, combat-worthy frame, thick with muscle, easily putting to shame all the men who had used him who had such pride in their offerings. Though Farghod was still larger, it was only moderately now, and he almost seemed to be built in the black dragon's image. The shock at all this kept him mute for a time, until he finally managed to get out a "How?" in a deep, strong voice he barely recognized.
"As I said..." Farghod was panting slightly, such a powerful spell with such high demands even taking a toll on him. "I may only seem a god in the eyes of a select few, but that doesn't mean I'm not capable of granting boons that may seem god-like. The infusion of my own power into a debilitated body, bringing about a renewal of both their selves...your body, and my spirit. I know not where the magic originates from...but its power is truly a thing to behold."
"Farghod...I...I don't even know what to say..."
"You need only say one thing: that you will honor our agreement, and travel with me. I can teach you many things...how to fight, to wield your weapons and spells, as well as many skills to serve you well in the world. And in turn, all I ask is that you provide me with conversation, comfort, and consort. Does that sound fair to you?"
"Yes...yes, absolutely! That is the least I can do to repay you for this gift..." He stumbled forward and embraced Farghod tightly, tears flowing freely. "I shall do whatever you ask of me..."
"Heh...well, then, how about your real name? Seems that with that accursed form cast off of you, you should be free to go by it once more."
"Ah...you...you're right...my name, my real name...is Rasgyos." He shuddered as the word rolled off of his tongue for the first time in years...oh, how he had missed it...
"Rasgyos...yes, yes, a worthy name indeed, a rather wonderful sound." Farghod raised the lizard's head, looking him in the eyes, those glittering blue spheres shining with renewed life and energy. "I believe we shall spend some time preparing you for a visit with those scoundrels who afflicted you in the first place...provide you and your family with the justice they deserve. But first...why don't we take some time to enjoy ourselves? The night remains young, and I have much to teach you about pleasure as an equal partner."
Rasgyos smiled and nodded. "Then I think you will find me an eager student, Farghod, now and ever."