The morning sun shone through the trees that lined the cobbled path running beside the apothecary. Long shadows criss-crossed the road as it weaved through the misty wood ahead.
Pip stood at the road's edge, gleaming under the sunlight like a well polished pole. Vuvi knelt down beside him, carefully unfolding a massive sheet of parchment, revealing a detailed geographical map.
"This is it, Pip. The road to redemption! The pathway to paradise!" she declared before slapping a finger onto the map like a general planning a siege. "This is the route we're gonna take to save the kingdom! Wait… was it… this way?"
She twists and turns the map, eyes narrowing as she tries to make sense of her own directions.
"Well… that's not important. Fate is flexible. We'll figure it out as we go."
Pip leaned over her shoulders, peeking at the parchment that was filled with wild scribblings like "Dragonkin here?" and "Beware the snake ladies!!!". A crude drawing of a stick figure being roasted over a fire sat below the words "Orcs! Bring food!"
"Oh, right, we're here." Vuvi says as she points to the centre of the map. "The Green Vale, pretty much in the middle of the continent. We start our journey in Market Town, it's a day's walk North, from there we follow the Forest Vein west, pop into all the villages along the way then we cut south and make our way through the Feral Tribelands. They've got catgirls, bunnyfolk, wolfkins, you name it. Ooooh… maybe we'll even see a Sand Sprite. Better bring lots of lube."
Pip beeps nervously as he gives a hesitant thumbs up.
"Then we move East." Vuvi says as she drags her finger across the map. "We cross the Zenirith Plains, hit the lakeside towns around the Solemn Sea and then the elven settlements that line the Dragontail Mountains."
He nods slowly.
"And theeeen, we reach the port city Solsalene on the eastern coast, follow the drow villages along the shore northwards, swing back west through the noble lands and finally, we reach the royal capital, and plead our case with King Thorobrin to allow us into the Demon Lands."
She rises, posing triumphantly before Pip, hair billowing in the breeze like a roaring inferno.
"Every city, every town and every village. We're gonna leave behind a trail of satisfied customers and empty coin purses. By the time we reach the King, his kingdom will be screaming out your name. Orgasm after orgasm!"
Pip's HUD flickered with a new message.
[Primary Objective Added: Save and Satisfy the Kingdom]
He straightened his posture, metal heels clinking together as his hand slaps against his heart.
"That's my little tin soldier!" Vuvi smiles proudly as she slaps him on the back. "We're gonna have so much—"
Just then, the front door of the apothecary flew open with a bang, sending birds and small wildlife scrambling through the trees.
Reena stomped out of the building barefoot and barely covered in a milk-stained tunic, eyes puffy and scowling through yawns.
"Why didn't you wake me?!" she scolds.
"You looked like you needed the rest." Vuvi answers, flicking her hand non-chalantly at Reena. "You were snoring like an asthmatic dragon. Clearly, Pip over here, did his job well!"
She sneers at Vuvi as she struggles to adjust her barely contained chest.
"You're lucky I'm still numb from all those…" she hesitates, mouth curling into a smile as she turns to Pip. "...all those orgasms. You really moooo-ved me back there." she says with a sly whisper.
Vuvi grins. "Then spread the world. Let every woman know that you've been milked dry by the Prince of Pleasure. Let them know that Blackthorn Apothecary has the answers to their prayers!"
Reena rolled her eyes and turned towards the road, bounding off dramatically, her breasts bouncing like seismic events.
"I'll spread the word." Reena yells over her shoulders. "You better pound some hope into this sad world, Pip. And then you better come back here and pound me some more!"
Pip raised his hand toward his head in solid salute.
Before Vuvi could turn back to the map to gush on about their mission, a sudden cold chill swept through the trees as Maribelle oozed out of a shadowy garden path. Barefoot and barechested.
She approaches slowly, her steps measured and deadly.
"Heading to Market Town?" she asks, her voice calm and commanding like thunderclouds wrapped in silk.
"Yup." Vuvi nods. "Gotta start building his reputation somewhere. A little word of mouth and a happy noble or two should get us going."
Maribells scoffs, as she turns her head.
"Go south, to the Green Sea."
Vuvi blinked at her, confused. "What? Why?"
"Centaurs." she smirks. "Once a proud warrior race. Now the men do nothing but laze around, smoking numbing-herbs and muttering about celibacy and sacred sufferings. The women run the tribes now. Fierce, strong and frustrated to the edge of sanity."
Pip shivered as Maribelle stepped closer, brushing her hand across his chin.
"Take him there, see what he's really capable of. He's good. But can he satisfy a tribe of centaurs?"
"Is that a challenge?" Vuvi grinned.
"A warning, my dear." Maribelle smirked. "The centaur women don't need cuddles and kisses and sweet words. They need someone that can bring powerful warriors to their knees."
She turns to her daughter, her voice softening slightly.
"I love you, Vuvi. I live for you. But this world is broken. I wish I could believe like you do, have hope like you do…" she says as she runs her fingers through her daughter's fiery curls. "But if you're right… if your little Pleasure Prince here can prove he's more than just divine metal and thrust settings… maybe this old hag could find it in herself to believe in hope again..."
Vuvi lunged at her mother, grabbing her in a tight embrace. "Just wait, Mama! We'll make you believe again."
Maribelle bends down and smothers Vuvi's forehead with a long, gentle kiss before turning back to her garden and sauntering off into the shadows.
Pip stood stiff as a stick, his brain beeping through a thousand thoughts.
"Relax!" Vuvi grinned as she wrapped her arm around his shoulder. "You're about to bed hooved royalty. A centaur queen! That will definitely boost our reputation!"
He stares at her silently as she grins even wider.
"Come on, Pip! Time to saddle up. We're heading to the Green Sea. Centaur country!"