Polaris, a dragon Paladin-in-training, is handpicked by the Knight-Commander of his order to locate and ensure the safety of his Scout comrade, who was last seen investigating a cave deep in the Wilderness. However, the mission quickly takes an unexpected turn, and Polaris discovers that some monsters have other methods of dealing with their prey. Methods that can prove agonizingly torturous… and overwhelmingly orgastic.
An original story set in a modern fantasy universe, featuring art commissioned from the wonderful @artsywoodpecker ! Check out the full works at https://www.furaffinity.net/view/61232817/ and https://www.furaffinity.net/view/61232847/ , along with a plethora of other beautiful kinky art!
C/W for: non-consensual bondage and tentacle milking, anal penetration, urethral insertion/sounding, electrotorture, foot fetish, nipple play, gagging, mild (non-graphic) violence.
Disclaimer: the events depicted in this story are purely fantasy. The author does not support any non-consensual acts between real people.
This story discusses themes of loneliness and low self-worth, which may be triggering for some. Please read with care.
It did not always manifest as a conscious feeling. Sometimes, it was a mere tickle at the back of his brain; sometimes his Light reacted before he was even aware of the danger. Now, however, Polaris knew something was amiss the moment he stepped inside the mouth of the cave.
His sensitivity to magic and Darkness, honed over two years of Paladin training and countless more in his younger years, had never steered him awry. Everything about the presence emanating from these subterranean recesses screamed at him to beware, to begone . Ordinarily, Polaris would respect the danger enough to obey, returning with higher-ranked Paladins as protocol dictated for particularly strong manifestations of Darkness.
But this was a rescue mission. Haste superseded protocol when every second counted.
Polaris kept his shield raised as he marched into the black crevasse, the sound of his boots against the stone echoing painfully around the space. In his other gauntleted hand, he channeled his Light into an illuminatory ball, just bright enough to see where he stepped. The scent of damp earth and moss filled his sinuses, along with something else that the Paladin could not quite place.
A rescue mission. He conjured a mental image of his target: a husky Scout two years his senior, by the name of Nillus. Though Polaris had little direct interaction with the husky, being in the Guardian program rather than the Scouts, he at least knew what the young man looked like. A lithe and muscular build, blue and white fur, heterochromia. Very lightly armored, even for a Scout.
Nillus’ original mission had been the investigation of a seemingly-empty cave about a day’s journey into the Wilderness. Since no technology could breach the Wilderness barrier, any explorer had to make such journeys on foot. It should have been straightforward for a seasoned warrior like Nillus, even solo.
But the presence Polaris felt now did not at all match the cave’s original classification of “Minimal” given to Nillus.
The further in Polaris marched, the more the darkness seemed to swallow his illumination. The air felt unnaturally warm and moist, even more so than the air of the dense forest above. Beneath his heavy armor, sweat dripped down his body.
Normally, a second-year Paladin would never be sent into the field alone, particularly not for something as crucial as a rescue mission. However, Pelinal Academy’s martial programs had been in decline since nepotism and greed dominated the magic schools, leaving few to aspire towards anything not backed by substantial finances. Indeed, had Polaris not been given a personal endorsement by one of his patients two years ago when he was a traveling healer, he never would have considered the reality where he could attend such a university.
As it was, he had originally enrolled in the Healing school per his recommendation. That was his specialty, after all, though the entitlement of the other elite attendees and their disdain for Polaris’… nature … left him ready to drop out after a term, despite his position at the top of his class. However, a particular incident at the end of the semester caused the Paladins to take note of his martial abilities; they offered him an opportunity to dual-enroll, a privilege reserved for only the best and brightest of students.
Polaris thought himself neither of those traits, yet the Knight-Commander seemed to have enough faith in his abilities to entrust him with this quest. And Polaris would not disappoint his Commander.
A squelch filled the Paladin’s ears, bringing him back to the present. He glanced down to see his massive boot had stepped in a pool of what looked like purple slime. Quickly, he pulled his foot out, unsure of its origin and whether it had any toxic or acidic properties. Polaris would need to be cautious of where he walked.
Unfortunately, the slimy pools only seemed to grow more frequent the further into the cave he moved. Each step squished and squelched below him, adding ever more noise atop the clanking of his armor. Still, he was grateful for the thick metal boots guarding his feet from the substance, as it seemed unable to penetrate there.
The heat in the air appeared to intensify as well, growing ever more stifling as the Paladin sweated beneath his gear. He considered Nillus being trapped in here for days, and his heart sank upon realizing how severely dehydrated the husky must be from this heat. The thought only quickened Polaris’ pace.
All the while, he felt his Light reacting to the malevolent presence. Recoiling, as though each step he took was poisoning his own power. He desperately hoped that Nillus had not fallen prey to whatever foul creature was emanating such evil. Polaris kept his shield at the ready, his stance ever vigilant.
The slime was everywhere now. Not a single inch of the cave floor was free of it. Even the walls were dripping with the purple substance. The Paladin considered what it might portend. It did not appear acidic or caustic – at least, not immediately so. He knew of lesser-evil beasts that manifested a form out of slime, though such creatures were hardly a threat to the trained warrior. This substance, it almost appeared to be… residual. As though left behind by something much bigger.
His speculation was cut short when the cave passage suddenly opened into a larger cavern, and he saw the body in front of him.
Polaris sprang into action without hesitation. “Sir Nillus!” he called, his deep voice resounding around the cave. There was no point in being clandestine now. He intensified the light spell until its brightness filled most of the space around him and gave the cavern a quick inspection. It was empty, aside from the unmoving individual about a dozen paces away.
With his shield still raised, he carefully approached the body. It was indeed Nillus’ form, though with a concerning difference. The husky was completely nude, his armor nowhere to be seen. The light from Polaris’ spell glanced off the sheen of Nillus’ damp chest, which was wholly exposed. Along with his… other parts.
Patient nudity did not bother the Paladin; on the contrary, it made identifying wounds for unconscious victims substantially easier. But Polaris did not know how the husky had come to be thusly unequipped, and that mystery disturbed him.
After one more sweep of the area, he knelt next to the husky and immediately felt for a pulse. There was one, albeit a bit faint. Polaris exhaled in relief. “Sir Nillus,” he attempted once more, giving the Scout’s shoulder a light shake. “It is Polaris. Can you discern my voice?”
No response. Polaris set to scanning the husky’s form for injuries. There were no lacerations or external bruises, at least on his front. Without proper equipment, he did not wish to flip the soldier over to inspect his back.
Then he noticed a spot of fur that appeared slightly more damp on the side of the husky’s neck. Polaris parted the fur there and inspected it more closely, revealing what appeared to be a jellyfish-like sting rash.
He felt Nillus’ head; it was hot, as though he were feverish. Polaris gritted his teeth.
Poison. That complicated matters.
The Paladin leaned back on his hip plates and thought. With no way of identifying the particular toxin, he could not safely attempt to cure it with a spell. Antidote magic was very precise and could backfire severely if used on the wrong ailment, similar to pharmaceutical medicine. However, this poison did not seem to be affecting the husky in any life-threatening way. The only discernible symptoms were unconsciousness and a fever. In fact, the toxin may have been keeping him alive by slowing down his other bodily functions.
Polaris did not wish to try anything complicated so far away from civilization, but he needed to act somehow. He decided that a general healing spell would be safe. It would not purge the toxin from his body, but it would hopefully kickstart his sympathetic nervous system back into equilibrium.
He concentrated as Light gathered in his palm, coalescing into a soft glow that he placed upon the husky’s bare chest. A moment passed; Polaris felt the Scout’s heartbeat below his gauntleted hand. The Light spread through Nillus’ body, distributing the glow from the tips of his ears down to his toes. Warmth enveloped them both – not the damp and sticky heat of the cave, but the gentle warmth of a crackling fire on a snowy day, the warmth of safety and comfort and home.
The glow faded, and Polaris lifted his hand. A moment passed, then another. “Sir Nillus,” he tried once more.
He nearly fell back as the Scout’s eyes shot open and his hands grabbed at Polaris’ neck. “Get off of me! Get away, get away, get –”
“Sir Nillus!” Polaris exclaimed, trying to gently but firmly pull the husky back. Despite Nillus’ impressive musculature, Polaris was still massive in comparison. Thus, he had little difficulty in subduing the husky’s sudden struggle. “Sir Nillus, please be at peace! It is Polaris, I am here to aid you!”
The Scout ceased his movement and narrowed his eyes. “Polaris?” he whispered.
He nodded and said, “Yes. You are safe now, Sir. It is alright.” Then, in a sign of trust, Polaris reached up and removed his helmet, exposing his draconic visage to the husky. Not an action he took lightly, for anti-dragon sentiment was rampant throughout the Academy and beyond. “It is alright,” he repeated. “I am here.”
He did not know if he expected Nillus to be disappointed or angered to see Polaris, as many of the Paladins still refused to accept a dragon as their comrade. Hence why he kept his face covered most of the time, to spare them the sight. But to his surprise, Nillus exhaled and threw his arms around the armored Paladin. “Oh, Light, I’m so thankful that you came for me!”
“I-I apologize that it is merely I, Sir,” Polaris said bashfully, afraid to return the gesture but uncertain of how to end it. “I am certain you would have preferred –”
“No!” cried the husky, pulling away to look at Polaris with tears welling in his eyes. “You came for me, and I’m humbled by that. So thank you.”
“I-it… was merely my duty…” Polaris stuttered, reaching around to unhook the cloak from his back. He offered it to Nillus, who only now seemed to realize that his nude proximity to the dragon had caused him to press a certain part of himself against Polaris.
“O-oh, thank you,” he mumbled, quickly wrapping the cloak around his midsection. Then, he suddenly seemed to remember where they were, and the panic crept back into his voice. “Wait – how did you get here? Where did it go? Did you destroy it?”
Polaris did not know what he meant, but he assumed it had to do with the presence that now seemed overwhelming to his Light. “I encountered naught but darkness and slime before I discovered your unconscious form here.”
Nillus’ eyes widened. “By the Light. We need to run,” he whispered. He rose on unsteady feet before Polaris could offer to help him up. “We need to get out of here, before it comes back!”
Polaris never received an opportunity to ask what “it” was. The moment he stood up to follow the husky, who was already stumbling toward the tunnel leading out, Polaris felt something grab at his ankle.
“Gyah!” he exclaimed, as he fell face-first toward the ground. He grunted as his body hit the stone, his armor absorbing most of the impact. Turning, he tried to see what had tripped him, only to glimpse some form of glowing green tentacle wrapped around his lower leg. Frustrated, he kicked at it, but the appendage refused to release him. He reached for his shield, barely wrapping his hand around the disc before it was torn from his grip by another tentacle.
“Polaris!” cried Nillus in front of him, already a dozen paces away. He paused, turning around with a horrified expression on his muzzle.
“Go!” Polaris barked at him, still kicking at the tentacles. Another reached out and wrapped around his wrist, then one more grabbed at his other leg. “Go, escape from here!”
Nillus was torn. “B-but… I can’t leave you to this…” he whispered, though his legs were already moving toward the exit. “I’m… so sorry….”
If the husky could not decide, then Polaris would do so for him. “Run, Sir Nillus! Run!” he shouted, and he poured every ounce of his remaining magic into the most powerful fortification spell he could muster. With a roar, he cast it at the husky’s legs, which glowed a mighty gold as the Scout was granted impossible speed.
“I’ll bring help!” the husky promised, tears falling from his face as he at last turned and fully obeyed the Paladin. “Please, be strong, and trust in your Light!”
Then, just as another tentacle reached out of the darkness to grab at the husky, he took off down the passage. The sound of his bare paws slapping the stone echoed back for a few moments before the sound faded into silence. He was gone.
Polaris closed his eyes for a second, exhaling in relief. Had he empowered himself with that magic, he might have been able to escape, too. But duty came first, always. This way, he had guaranteed the safety of his charge, perhaps at his own expense.
Polaris did not know what this creature was or what it wanted with him, but if this was to be his end, he would not fall without resistance. With as much strength as he could manage, he twisted onto his back and kicked viciously at the appendages that were holding his ankles, trying to pry them off with the heel of his boot. The tentacles did not budge. In fact, they only seemed to twist their way up his legs with greater enthusiasm, strengthening their grasp of the Paladin.
Heart racing, Polaris tried to free his arms, but now both were held by similar appendages. They were remarkably strong, though they appeared organic, and only the tips glowed green. The majority of the tentacles’ lengths were a dark purple.
“Release me at once, foul beast, or prepare to face the wrath of the Paladins!” Polaris cried, still pulling and twisting, still to no avail.
Then, suddenly, he paused. Out of the darkness had slithered the source of the tentacles, and the Paladin gasped as he at last laid eyes upon its form. Its terrible, repulsive form.
Before him sat a massive, slug-like creature at least triple his own size. Dozens of tendrils bristled along its sides, the tips glowing with the same green bioluminescence as the tentacles holding the Paladin. Four larger masses stuck out from its sides like legs; it was from these that the tentacles restraining Polaris were attached.
This, he realized, was the origin of the malevolent presence. And now, Polaris was entirely at its mercy.