Desolate Mage: A Legend Reborn! 79 Goatherd

He panted and huffed and puffed as he ran as fast as he could.

Stay and watch the result of the monumental battle between two apex combatants?

Forget it! He'd rather flee and survive, live to hide another day and all that! That's how the saying went, right...?

So he had abandoned the "safety" of the group of contestants he had initially started out with.

He had fled the scene of danger of the arena as quickly as he could along with a large group of other preliminary candidates. The moment they left, they had been swarmed by the weak but numerous memphits, quasits and to a lesser extent, Murlocs, devilised bats, rats and rabid beasts and some few mighty goatmen demons.

Regardless of the fact that the infernals were not threatening alone, the mere fact that there were more than a thousand of them swooping down from the skies onto them or biting at their legs was a nightmare in and of itself!

The youths had fought for their lives, slaying countless of the demonspawn, but had been forced to make a run for it after they realised that the critters numbers could not be overcome.

So they had fled, with their initial large group starting at roughly 50 youths, but now dwindled down to less than 25 survivors!

It was at that point as they sprinted haphazardly along the main roads and past scenes of bloodshed, carnage, pillaging or soldiers in combat against demonfolk that Charley decided he had enough of this non-plan of running around like headless chickens.

He had insisted on taking the secluded, abandoned or deserted ways to hide away in the empty warehouses of the commercial district, but had been disparaged by the others. Which was an obvious choice that he did not blame the others for, not when their group included the heroic Reshmont and the enigmatic and silent Darius. Since the two most potent fighters in their group had chosen to stay on the main roads and try to unite with the militia, army, quester or other major forces, the group had obviously chosen to follow suit.

So Charley had shrugged and sped off along the backways that he was the most familiar with - headed straight for the secret hidey hole he had prepared for rainy days just like this - ever since the games of thrones had brought the downfall of House Charlemagne, once the second greatest among the FIVE Noble Families!

Yet ever since his father and family had been executed for treason with their assets seized, he remained the sole living survivor of his family - and survive he did, no matter how low he had to stoop or how much he had to lie, cheat and deceive to do it!

After all, his father had lived a completely honest life - and look where that took him, right...?

So he could not believe in living like that boy Lars prescribed - living honestly, openly and trustingly at all times, taking a "gentleman's" word at face value.

Pah! He spat as he thought about nonsensical concepts such as Chivalry, Honour or the Noble's Code.

Where were these sophistries when he needed them the most...? When his family was hanged before his eyes, swaying from the gallows as his ancestral home was sacked, turned inside out to unearth every treasure - all on the premise of sniffing out devil worshippers?

Look what good that had brought the city! Obviously the devil worshippers were NOT his family - else the hell-like scene today wouldn't be happening!

Twice he avoided near death encounters pre-emptively, all thanks to his sharp senses honed over the 8 or so years of scrounging by and cheating his way through life.

The first time, he had a bad premonition about the alleyway he was cannoning down, and decided to turn around and backtrack his steps. Just in time, for a mere 15 seconds later, he heard terrible roars and a great rumbling of the earth as explosions broke out in that alley he had just been in.

The second time was when he had been faced with a choice of facing 3 minor demons and be injured, or choose a seemingly unhindered alternate path. This time his senses screamed to him to swallow his fear and face the demon ilk head on - which he did.

Once more, he sighed in relief after killing the three quasits, for despite taking several bleeding and infected wounds, after the initial three demonkin, he found the road clear all the way to his secret hideout! And when he peeked down onto the roads from the safety of his dark and hidden safehouse, he saw three mid-tier Elite-level demons patrolling the other apparently safer path!

'Phew! Lucky!' He slumped down against the side of this dilapidated hut that he had discovered. It was in bad shape externally, but he found that the structure was still strong and it had running water as well as a hard to discover entrance. He had to lie down, pressing his chest against the ground, belly flat and sucked in while she shimmied his body across the floor. Even as slim and scrawny as he was, he could barely slip under!

So it was to his great surprise when a furry white creature leapt at him and hit him right in the chest!

Charley crossed his arms frantically in defence, but was too late - he had let his guard down and was unprepared for the attack!

Before he knew it, the white figure with its horns were right in his face, ready to pierce through his flesh and rend his bones.

'This is it...?!!' He freaked out as he considered his death, but he could do nothing to prevent the inevitable end to his short and bitter life.

In fact, he had nothing left to live for. What did he have? Money? Possessions? A life to look forward to? Lover?

None!

He had none of those!

In fact, every living moment in this city was a reminder of the pathetic state of life he was in, being downtrodden daily and bullied wherever he went.

But there was just one thing that had kept him going all these years...

Revenge.

His eyes turned bloodred and he roared in rage as he swung his arms faster than he thought he ever could, twisting his upper body so fiercely that he feared he would dislocate his hips!

But he ignored the pain and slammed his right shoulder into the head of his attacker and sent it flying away into the opposite wall!

*BANG!!!!* The flimsy wooden walls held up under the impact of the white creature but reverberated and let out a horrifying loud noise.

More than enough to draw the mid-level demons he had just seen roaring and rushing over to find fresh meat, a fresh and juicy new prey!

'Dammit!!!! Run!!!'

Charley spared a glimpse for what had just attacked him before he ran off.

It was a cute, furry and fluffy white kid - not a human kid, but the young of a goat!

Except that, even with its adorable and cute looks with large and round watery eyes, it had one aspect that made Charley's hairs stand on end.

The tiny goat the size of a grown cat had sharp teeth and was licking its lips even as it stared at him with cute "puppy dog" eyes.

As if it were looking at FOOD.

Charley froze mid-step, then immediately regretted his decision.

There were 3 Elite level demons headed right for him! What did it matter that a little demon goat was staring at him like he were a meal!

So he ran! Ran for his life!

But to his horror, the little white furry creature turned into a blur and tangled up his legs, sending him flying and sprawling onto the floor!

And before he knew it, those same razor sharp white teeth were staring him in the face as he found himself looking straight into the mouth of the carnivorous goat!

'OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!' He screamed and tried to move but found that he was bound by some sinister power, unable to budge an inch!

But at that instant, the goat's eyes suddenly turned sharp and darted to the side, as if sensing great danger as the fur on its body stood up straight!

Then the goat moved its mouth away in a flash and then shrank! It shrank and shrank and shrank until it was smaller than Charley's little finger, and then it slipped its way down the collar of his tunic and squirrelled itself away somewhere - in his pants!

'OH!!!! MY!!!! GOSH!!!!!'

Charley nearly fainted at the sense of being violated and defiled, but he forced his jelly-like legs to stand by sheer willpower - he had to flee for his life!

And he rose just in time to greet the three bull-headed, gorillbodied, red eyed ravenous demons as they burst through the windows and entire wall where he had been spying on them from earlier!

'OHMYGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'

Why were things going from bad to worse to rock bottom!!!??

He trembled, then fell to his knees in despair.

Without a head start, what was he, a mere lower-Adept level cultivator to do against three monsters rippling with muscles and bursting with vigour...?

So Charley closed his eyes and prayed for a swift death, prayed that it would be painless...

And that all his enemies would be killed off just like he would be in a mere moment.

He heard a loud roar and the pounding of heavy footsteps charge towards him and pressed his eyes shut in fear.

Then he heard a solid *THUD* sound, then a thundering crash, then another *THUMP* and similar crashing sound. Then a third time.

And then silence.

Except for the sound of solid footsteps but this time, very different in their gait... How should he put it... Dainty? Graceful? Trying to be light-footed...?

Then he heard the sound of breathing - no longer the heavy nosed breathing of a demon, but the even breathing of a human.

And to his shock, he heard a girl's voice call out to him.

A sultry, seductive voice that literally dripped with honey, one that just at the merest sound of the voice awokened all his suppressed CARNAL DESIRES.

"Boy... You're that Lars' friend, right...?"

Charley gulped, trying to repress his natural reaction and shuddered in fear as he wondered if he were about to face a fate worse than death - his Yang energy sucked dry endlessly by a succubus!

But he forced his eyes open a millimetre to squint at just who it was speaking to him.

He opened his eyes and saw the attire first.

Completely in black, wearing a pair of femme fatale high-heel stilettos.

Sheer black stockings unable to hide the lean and well-toned legs underneath them.

The racy looking black leather stocking holders apparently connected to an equally seductive leather garter belt, and just above that, a lacey-bordered black skirt so short it looked like just the slightest movement or just the merest hint of wind would reveal unmentionables.

And the skirt joined to a tight form-fitting maid uniform with puffy short sleeves, lacey and goth looking.

And a scarred, murderous face of a 2.2 metre tall hulking giant literally bursting with muscles - LITERALLY about to burst out of the maid uniform with his... *Ahem*, HER bulging biceps, triceps, pectorals and glutes.

A stunning maid.

Stunning in the sense that one punch would probably level an entire building.

Charley's eyes rolled up in his head as he fainted at the "beauty" he had just gotten a hard-on for, much to the surprise of the red-headed temptress decked out in a full-body black leather skin-suit that accentuated her every curve.

And he mumbled out some incomprehensible nonsense even as the froth rose from his mouth and his head hit the floor with a solid *THUMP!*.

"Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo... Mr goatherd... The hills are so high... The voices so loud!"

Sharon frowned, but then changed to a smile as "she" lovingly stroked the boy's cheeks and gave him a kiss on the lips. Then "she" easily picked him up and flung his body over "her" shoulders, looking like a father -- err, mother picking up her naughty child who refused to go to sleep and fell asleep on the living room floor.

A smudged kiss-stain was left behind by the maid's gargantuan lips, left behind by the lipstick she had just applied earlier. She obviously had started to take care of her skin and looks better, investing in high-quality Raccoon-brand cosmetics!

But Seline pouted.

"What was that nonsense??! He can't even say thank you? After we saved his life...??!" Then she grinned evilly and her eyes flashed with a dangerous glint.

"Oh well, as punishment for a man who can't even stay awake to thank his saviour, I'll just have to tell him just whose lipstick that is on his lips, ho ho ho ho...!"

She laughed while covering her mouth with her hand, looking every bit as sensual as an actual succubus, and able to command droves of men to madness with lust to do her every bidding!

Sharon winked at Seline and gave a dainty little curtsy as she carried the boy away to seek safety and left to reunite with Lars.

Chapter end