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Unexpected Detour (Razgriz x Wingshadow)

Dryad, of course, suspected from the start that his cock's chosen shape had a purpose behind it, as although Kratos may have been a perverted, corrupted, monster he also thought things through well enough to avoid most inconveniences. His unique composition allowed him to change his shape and appearance at will, his dick being no exception, if his bragging could be taken as fact. She noted that he had a tendency to talk about himself quite often, especially when it came to his sexual escapades. This much was hardly a surprise, given his reputation.

Still, she did not anticipate him being able to break through her barrier with such ease, a fact she was soon, and abruptly, alerted to. When he suddenly pushed himself into her womb, breaking past her barrier in a single thrust, she cried out loudly in dismay, her chest heaving with each breath as she struggled against the urge to cum around him right there and then. Her inner folds gently stroked his length, the warmth surrounding him growing more intense, skin flushed and breath rapid. "You... Impregnated her? You bastard... She had a dream for her own life and you... You robbed her of it!"

The meaning of his story, moreover, was perfectly clear. He intended to do the same to her as he had to the Dhampir: fill her until pregnancy was an inescapable fact. With her final defenses penetrated, Dryad could not afford to stay complacent any longer. She squirmed and pushed back on his chest with her arms, trying to force him back and away from her body before he could get himself off while still inside her womb. If he came in there, she had no doubt as to the result, as her body craved the opportunity to mate.
 
"Oh, of course, paint me the bad guy. Genetic diversity breeds the strongest offspring, Dryad. You really want to bring some fucked up looking kids into this world? Let some REALLY perverse bastard seed his own daughter? Never realized you were such an incest fanatic" Kratos sneered playfully.

His eyes did narrow a bit though, as if trying to think, his member just sitting within Dryad's depths, "I don't know if I knocked the bitch up, but with how full that pussy was, I'd be surprised as all hell. And besides, it's not like she still can't find her Daddy and Mommy. Who knows, maybe seeing her babies nursing from those juicy, milk-filled tits will bring them all closer together."

Just as she began to fight back a little more, he snickered, "Now you figured it out, eh? Well, don't worry, because I got some nice fat loads for you, you sexy thing." He grinned and pulled back out, the end of his head catching on her cervix and making the bump go away, before driving himself back in again, pushing her stomach out a little. He kept his pace slow for now, wanting to savor this.

"Besides, you were the one who put the moves on poor unsuspecting Sammy. That bastard was clueless...Ha, he actually thought you wanted to sing. What a dumb bastard." He began to push a little harder, the ridges on his cock growing thicker and pulsing like veins, stimulating her insides every time he moved within her tight channel.
 
"Not all diversity is good, especially when it is mixed with corruption. Who would want your genes, anyway? Besides, its not like you really care about any of that. You couldn't care less what actually happens to the girls you use like common whores then cast aside. Its just a game for you, a way for you to let your depraved desires run free," Dryad shot back, although her words did nothing to improve her situation.

She was caught and unable to break away while he savored her body like a delicious morsel, patiently awaiting the moment to sate himself with her and use her like he had used the Dhampir. Her inner walls began to suck on him, tugging on his member and brushing across his ridged length as shutters of pleasure surged through her. She could feel the building tension, the desire in her own body to accept his seed. But her mind refused to yield. She would never accept a man such as him...

"S-sam can choose whoever he wants to be with... He has that choice. I have no right to force his hand," Dryad panted, struggling fruitlessly against Kratos' tight hold, the thickening of his member drawing sharp moans and gasps from the nature spirit. She could feel him pulse within her, the first indication that he might be getting closer to his own release. Her state of arousal was nothing to sneeze at, either, as his persistence was quickly wearing down on what little resistance she had left.

"N-no... Stop, no more..." Dryad's body stiffened, the dam within her filled past her ability to restrain it. Her toes curled and her hands tightened into fists as her cervix suddenly contracted, her walls gripping his massive size like a vise. Waves of pleasure washed over her, the orgasm surging through her with force as she instinctively held him tightly to herself.
 
Kratos continued to thrust into her, feeling her resistance wane as her body began to pull and constrict around his thick dick; while her words did not help her, they didn't do much to actually harm her any further. She would find Kratos receptive to her words of disdain, that arrogant smirk more prominent than ever, "You say that as if I should be ashamed of myself. It's a game I've mastered."

The perverted male could feel her own orgasm approaching, her breathing getting heavier and hotter as the waves threatened to crash over her. And then it happened: Her arms lifted from the tree and wrapped around the back of his neck, while her thighs gripped his hips and her ankles pressed into the small of his back, holding her while her pussy milked his shaft. Over and over again, it pulled but she would find him not quite to the point of release yet, despite how hard his cock was throbbing within her.

He kept still, then pressed in close, whispering as her body shook in the aftershocks of pleasure, "Even your beloved Goddess lost to me. So don't feel too bad, Dryad." He began to thrust into her again, muttering, "Cum for me again...Let me feel that tight pussy of yours suck up my seed." His balls were full at this point, ready to flood her and impregnate the lovely tree spirit, swimming with fertile sperm.
 
Dryad's mind was clouded, her body still somewhat unresponsive on account of her orgasm as he spoke to her, but even so she could still understand his words. She tipped her head forward slightly, "T-the Goddess would never lose to someone like you..." The tree spirit had largely given up by that point, as she lacked the energy to even attempt to push him away, the afterglow sapping away whatever strength she had left in her. When he resumed his movement within her, moans escaped her unhindered as he plunged his monstrous dick into her and forced the fading heat of arousal to blaze once again.

Her body pressed against the tree's bark in time with each thrust, her inner walls squeezing him gently, caressing his entire length each time he drew back. Her moans and cries melded with the sound of their hips meeting. As Kratos had hardly given her even a moment to rest, the pounding of her heart resounded clearly in her ears, a constant reminder of how completely won over her own body had been from his ministrations. Honestly, though, just about any male could have done the same, as Dryad had starved herself of sexual interactions since her late husband's passing.

None of that mattered any longer, however, as Kratos would be the one who would lay claim to her womb, the one person on the entire planet that she would have ranked dead last in terms of her own preferences. She could feel his balls' weight each time they slapped against her bottom: full, thick, and ready. Her own body was still recovering from her last release, however, which may have bought her some time... Or just made waiting for the inevitable all the more painful.
 
Kratos couldn't help but laugh; she would never lose? "Well, the war is still young, my lovely. But I did defeat her in a battle of wit...You see, she's enraptured by that stupid human. So blinded by her desire for him that the trick I tried to use worked wonders on her. And right now, she's got a little something in that holy uterus of hers, haha." he replied, his hips continuing to thrust into her even as he spoke. Of course, whether he actually impregnated her or not was something that he wouldn't disclose.

In any case, his thrusting got rougher and rougher as his release neared; the tree spirit's stomach bulged out a little with each thrust, the bump disappearing each time he pulled back. The thick ridges on his cock seemed to pulse and swell, as did the rest of his length, his heavy balls tightening as he readied to unload his fertile, corrupted sperm inside Dryad.

Grunting, he spoke again as he pounded into her, "I hope you're ready, Dryad, because you're definitely going to get pregnant from this." He could feel the pleasant burning, the utter want to impregnate her rush through him. And it wouldn't be long before his orgasm finally overtook him.

He thrust in one last time, the narrow head pushing her belly out as his dick throbbed madly within her, their hips meeting perfectly. For a few seconds there was nothing, but then came a mad flood of semen. What seemed like impossibly thick ropes painted her insides white, filling her until her womb started to stretch to accommodate the massive load, the bump from his cock-head disappearing as her belly expanded. And even as her womb was filled to capacity, some of it squirted out where his shaft had sealed the semen inside, the thick liquid splashing onto the inside of her thighs until his climax subsided.
 
"You... You bastard!" Dryad cried out against him, tears of anguish beginning to run down her cheeks as she plowed into her without remorse. He had used the Goddess' own affections toward Sam to have his way with her, the Goddess herself? No, he had to be lying. There was no possible way that she had been brought so low. It simply was not possible. She could understand why the Goddess had feelings for Sam, her isolation and loneliness for so many thousands of years doubtless weighing her down even more heavily than she herself felt in the relatively short amount of time she had lived since her late husband passed away. But even so, Dryad concluded that he must have been lying, a spiteful lie to break down her resolve.

Unfortunately, resolve or no, Kratos was about to accomplish his intended goal. She could feel her own body betray her, the pulsing of his member and the prodding of his pointed tip within her womb triggering her own biological response. Her inner walls tightened and tugged eagerly accepting him even as her fertile uterus waited with baited anticipation for his imminent release. Her body's heat burned, her heart pounding in her chest rapidly, the fiery flush tinging her sweat-soaked skin.

"Damn you-" Dryad hissed in reply just as he thrust into her one last time, holding himself deep inside her with their hips flush. She was teetering at the edge of release herself, but had been unable to reach it. She could feel him pulse and throb within her, but the semen did not enter her immediately. Had he run dry? Hardly... As she found out mere moments later. He released jet after jet of his thick seed inside her, her body shaking with mild orgasms each time he did so. He continued to fill her, the moans and cries that escaped her in time with each of his ejaculations escalating to outright screams as her stomach expanded, growing larger and stretching to hold all of the seed that he stuffed into her until she looked nine-months pregnant already. Filled past the limit, he continued to release the content of his balls, the excess squeezing out of her and running down her lovely thighs.

By the time he finished cumming inside her, she had nearly passed out entirely from the repeated forced orgasms, her thoughts completely incoherent. Her head tipped forward, fatigued and stuffed far beyond what she had ever experienced before.
 
Kratos chuckled as he held himself within her, feeling his manhood start to soften; he really had not cum that hard in a while. But then, Dryad had done him quite a courtesy...Even if she never wanted to in the first place. It wasn't long before he slipped out of her, her cervix neatly cleaning his length as it closed up to seal in his sperm. The once long, ridged length folded back up into its squat lump, neatly tucked away until the next time he would use it.

"You might not like it...Hell, you might even HATE it. But you lost, Dryad, and I got to have you. And needless to say, you were an EXCELLENT fuck. Let's hope our little daughters are as lovely as you" he snickered, planting a fakely loving kiss on her forehead as he set her down, her supple legs and freshly fucked slit covered in their combined fluids. There was nothing hotter than that, especially knowing that she had a very high chance now of getting pregnant, and her belly all swollen with his cum just made it all the hotter.

"Now, I'm going to grab some shuteye; you really wore me out, Dryad. And when I get up, I might visit a Honeybee hive and see if they need any help with 'pollination', ahaha"

And without even batting an eye, he laid down with his back against the tree across from her. Like there was nothing wrong with the world, though with how his mind worked, there was nothing at all wrong. Nothing could be better.
 
Dryad found herself quite unable to reply to him, the shame and shock of the entire encounter not having fully sunk in until that very moment. her body became limp in his arms when he pulled himself from her thoroughly-used and filled body, her skin still flushed from the fading arousal of their coupling. her mind swam with disjointed thoughts, worries and doubts concerning the possibility that his seed had taken hold on her, the possible after-effects of such a thing, and of course pointed remarks directed toward Kratos himself. Most of all, however, Dryad wondered why the goddess allowed such a man to perform such atrocities, not only to herself but many other monster girls across the planet.

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Far above, in the cloudy domain of the immortals floated the Goddess herself, her wings spread wide to either side of her as she floated in mid air, her legs tucked under herself. She gently stroked her lower abdomen, fingertips brushing across the slight bulge as a pleasant smile graced her fair lips.

"The beautiful child within me... She is growing so fast..." the Goddess whispered, "I can hardly wait to show her to her father."

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Meanwhile, Sam and his contracted spirits continued their journey, drawing ever closer to their intended destination. Along the way, however, they stumbled upon a certain place that they had never anticipated reaching. They had been traveling for several days, taking breaks to eat and rest as necessary as they continued south toward the before-mentioned mountain. It remained in the distance, but its peak had already begun to reach above the distant horizon, a reminder and encouragement that their journey was drawing ever closer to its end. If Sylph was there, or at least a clue as to her whereabouts, they would be that much closer to confronting both the Succubus and Kratos, and bringing an end to this unexpected detour.

The land they traveled was full of dust, rocky outcroppings and the occasional clump of shrubs which provided the only semblance of life in that barren spit of land. It seemed to extend on into eternity, the distant mountain peak the only visible encouragement. A burst of speed from Sam threw them past a large pile of rocks out into a bit of cleared ground, strangely devoid of jagged flints and padded down to form a narrow path leading toward the entrance to a cave.
 
Though Sam had been traveling for quite some time, he hardly felt fatigued; in fact, he still felt one hundred percent. Well, at least what he thought what one hundred of...this...would feel like. He used his travel to try and hone his power, focusing on trying to reign in the unstoppable fury of Ignus' energy. Much as well as continuing under Undine's tutelage to use the Clear Mind state, and Gnome doing her best to up his defensive and offensive capacities with the earth. It was a bit difficult now that the Fire Elemental had joined them, but he felt like he had made some significant progress.

One thing he did learn was that the contracts he made allowed him great degrees of control over each respective element, something he was still trying to perfect. Because of his tenure with Gnome, he had the largest degree of control of the Earth, followed by Undine with water and Ignus trailing with fire. He imagined that it would still be some time before he had total control of that one, and part of him worried that he wouldn't have the mastery he needed to face Kratos, or Rachel. It was a sobering thought, but one that he was using to drive him onward. To remind him of why he should not give up.

The great leap forward brought him ever closer; as he landed, the ground trembling from the impact, his eyes never left the mountain standing in the distance. That was his final goal, his means of finding and hopefully contracting Sylph before going after his corrupted lover to save her.

However, he then felt a pulse through the ground; was there someone nearby? He took a deep breath and let his thoughts void themselves from his conscious mind. The wavy sigils upon his cranium glowed, his eyes taking a vibrant blue aura as he opened himself to the Flow. He could see three...No, four distinct signatures within the cave's depths. He then looked at the ground, feeling how worn it was beneath his unshod feet. Someone used this path, fairly regularly too from the looks of it.

One of the signatures was strange; it felt somewhat familiar to him. Like he'd met this individual before somewhere, but his mind was drawing a blank as to who that was.

Now he was curious; whoever it was, they could provide information to any hazards or dangers that lurked near or on the mountain. Never hurt to have too much information for things like that, after all. It was mostly because of this he decided to check it out, but he also wanted to see who this stranger that he knew from somewhere was.

The cave led itself down a shallow-angled straight path until it reached the interior. To which he found the cave was empty, but the presence here was quite strong. "I don't get it..." he muttered, his eyes scanning the interior until he caught a small defect in the back. Examining it further, he placed his hand against it; he could feel a void on the other side. A large one. Was it a tunnel perhaps? Another chamber?

At this point, he had switched to his earth element, his torso alight with green power. With both hands, he pressed and pushed up; surprisingly, the defect was an impromptu door-frame and the massive slab of stone slid upward. Revealing a passage that led even deeper into the ground. Walking through, he slid the slab back behind him and continued downward more. Unaware of who or what it was that was watching him.
 
As Sam delved deeper into the cave, the walls and floor became more smooth through wear, the usual pits and crevices worn away by years of use. The passageway that he walked opened up into a wide, dome-topped room, the thick darkness rendering any attempt at seeing details with his human eyes a fruitless endeavor. Through his use of his earth mastery, however, the layout of the room was clear enough.

The room was about a hundred square yards, the interior cleared and smoothed out other than a few stalagmites and pillars on either side. In the center of the room sat what appeared to be a pile of stones stacked together, rather large in size and weight. As he approached the pile, however, deep green runic symbols gleamed on the outer surface of the rocks, a pair of green eyes gleaming from their center as the rocks shifted and joined together.

The golem, for that was the true identity of the rock pile, turned toward Sam, inspecting him for a moment before raising her right fist. before she could bring it down, however, a second figure stepped out from the hallway on the far side of the room, reaching toward a control panel on the wall. There was a loud click, and two flood lights hung from the ceiling flickered to life, revealing an elderly gentleman in a clean yet well-worn lab coat.

"Wait!" he called out to the golem, who stopped all motion upon hearing his voice. The man blinked, his eyes adjusting to the light as he looked over Sam. His hair had grayed, but even so the distinct features on the man's face made him unmistakable. This man was none other than Dr. Braun himself. The golem's face held a sense of calm determination, yet delicate beauty. Her eyes gazed directly at Sam with intensity, evidently identifying him as a threat.

"Wait..." Dr. Braun held his hand up toward Sam, "I see no need for violence. We are both humans, trapped on this planet for the rest of our lives, are we not?"

Out from behind Braun stepped out another monster girl, a Holstaurus. Unlike the Minotaurus that Sam had fought earlier on in his adventures, this one had an air of intelligence and gentility about her rather than simple brutality and violence. She crossed her arms over each other, a wood-cutting axe hanging in its sling across her back. She let out a heavy breath, a cloud of steam accompanying it as she gazed at Sam as well.

"If he tries anything, I'll cleave him clean in two!" she declared with conviction, although she was shaking from head to toe even as she said this.

"Garnet, Daisy," Braun looked toward the Golem first then the Holstaurus, "Please... Let's not jump to conclusions. Let's hear him out before assuming the worst."
 
Sam had had a feeling that something was close, but he couldn't really discern what it was. It was only when he reached yet another large chamber that he stopped walking. Another dead end? No, there was another room somewhere beyond the wall to the far side, and that was where the energy was coming from.

He wouldn't really get the chance to explore yet though, for soon he felt a rumbling. "Now what..." he muttered, his eyes focusing as he 'saw' the stones begin to shift and take shape. It was another Golem, like the one he encountered before fighting the Pharaoh. Great, what did I stumble into this time, thought Sam as he took himself at the ready. The stone behemoth had clearly labeled him an intruder, and he knew from previous experience that there was no reasoning. "Not again" Sam groaned, calling on the Earth power to deal with her.

Still, he would be quite taken aback when he heard another voice call out, forcing the rock-cased guardian to halt as the blinding lights flooded the room with radiance. Arti-Solar lanterns, capable of producing the same radiation profile as the sun at a lower intensity. He had to blink a few times to get the spots from his eyes, his arm having raised up to shield himself from the glare. The voice itself was familiar; where had he heard it before? It was when the voice became accompanied by a face that he put the pieces together. Still he dare not move; the last thing he wanted was another fight, especially if it was who he thought it was.

"Braun...Stanislaus Braun, is that really you?" he finally said after a period By the date of the recording and piecing together what he had learned about the history of this planet...This man should have been long dead. But here he was, up and about like nothing was wrong. Sam had ignored the Holstaurus - apparently named Daisy - and her idle threat, able to see that she herself was likely terrified of him.

By now, the energy coursing through him had died down and he put his hands up in submission, indicating to all that he was in fact not here to cause trouble. "The last time I saw you, you were a hologram." Sam added, before commenting with a nod towards the Golem, "Can you ask your friend here to stop with the death stare, please? I'm really not here to cause any problems. I just felt a familiar energy and wanted to see who it was." Standing up a little straighter, Sam asked, "I just want to talk...Any chance I could come in?"
 
"Garnet, stand down," Braun spoke firmly yet with a delicate tone to the golem. She looked down at the doctor then back at Sam before nodding, lowering her arms and wrapping them around herself as the block-like armor pieces fit together until she once again resembled a simple stone pile. Her head still protruded from the top, however, as her eyes silently studied the figures before her. The Holstaurus as well let out a relieved sigh, but still cowered behind Dr. Braun as if the older man would have afforded any real protection had things taken a turn for the worse. Apparently Sam had not been their first visitor, and not all of them had been the best mannered of individuals.

"Yes... Please come in," the older man granted Sam a friendly yet weary smile, "I do believe we have a great deal to talk about." With that, he waved to Sam to follow him as he walked down the narrow corridor into a larger, wider room. On either side of the room were soft cots, one for the Holstaurus and one for a delicate-looking Were-sheep who looked up at Braun with wide, soft eyes. She looked over at Sam with confusion, but unlike Daisy did not even attempt to threaten him. Instead, she simply paled a bit, until the doctor knelt down next to her and gave her a reassuring pat on the head.

Braun then walked over to the center of the room, where there stood a simple table fashioned from wood and carefully sanded to form a smooth, comfortable surface. He sat down in one of the four chairs around it and gestured for Sam to join him. "So... Tell me, do you believe that our meeting here is a mere coincidence?" Braun began, "I could hardly say so, as even by the local's standards this place is rather remote. Perhaps fate has brought us together... But whatever the reason, I do believe that there is much that we can share with each other."

The were-sheep scooted over close to his side, and he promptly stroked her head lovingly as he continued the discussion, "Throughout all my years of studying life on this planet, I have sought to come to some greater understanding of its ecosystems and life, and their ability to adapt to these pressing times. Unfortunately, not all of my comrades were as apt to change as they."
 
Sam visibly relaxed as the Golem backed off; though it was still unnerving to see those cold green eyes staring at him. Observing him. He had to wonder what kind of 'guests' would have Braun contract the protection of something like her. No one had that kind of security without good reason.

"Thank you" Sam replied as he followed the scientist, walking past the stone pile yet still feeling the weight of the Golem's gaze persist until he crossed the threshold. He came to see that Braun had a rather simplistic home, clearly he was a man of simple tastes. Though it seemed most who dabbled in science were that way: Never really ones for the limelight, just wanting to do their work quietly in the background.

The man only gave a nod as he joined Braun at the table, his attention solely focused on the man sitting before him. To think he was still around, given everything that happened. How long he had been alive? What had he been doing since the day things changed?

"Honestly? I have no real idea what to believe anymore. So much has happened since I landed on this planet. And some things...I don't quite know how they happened." he replied, his eyes drifting towards the smooth-sanded surface; it was so clean he could see his own reflection. And despite how energetic he felt...His eyes made him so look tired. Likely due to the current circumstances, no doubt.

But, he knew he couldn't dwell on that and looked back up at Braun, asking "When I saw your recording, you said you wished you had more time. But what do you mean about your comrades> Were they your fellow researchers? Did something happen to them?"
 
"I share you wonder and confusion, as when I first took upon myself as part of the original team of scientists sent to study life on this planet, I carried many presuppositions with me. To this day, I have been forced to reconsider practically all of them, as even a man of science such as myself has to face the facts when the world turns everything I thought I understood upside down," Braun shook his head slowly, "Intelligent beings reduced to savagery, giving in to the temptation of despair and hatred or forsaking rational thought entirely... If this spreads beyond the confines of this planet, it may well spell the eventual death of life throughout the universe. A slow and gradual death, but a death nonetheless."

"Pardon me, I seem to have strayed from the topic at hand," the scientist coughed, "Yes, my comrades, my fellow researchers who worked alongside me for decades, have all fallen prey to the dangers and temptations of this fallen world. Some were taken away captive by the monsters as unwilling mates, and their whereabouts are unknown. After all these years, I suppose it would be safe to say that they lived out their lives accompanied by their captors. They were the most fortunate out of the lot. Those that remained became embittered and despondent. My own personal assistant became enraged and during a prolonged absence he took several of the other researchers and forcibly infused monster cells within their bodies, transforming them into human/monster hybrids in an effort to create a truly ultimate being. needless to say, I did not approve of his actions, but as I had failed to procure the assistance of the four elemental which hold the flow of power through this world, I had no means with which to oppose him."

Gnome's ears perked up upon hearing mention of the four elementals, but being in spirit form and currently not involved in the conversation, she remained silent so as not to disrupt the discussion. Undine seemed to pick up this this but remained silent as well, as her own thoughts instead drifted toward the possible repercussions Braun's assistant's experiments might have. Had the experiments perished, or where they the ones responsible for the scientist's forced exile?
 
Sam just sat and listened as Braun explained his story, his words sounding like a near-exact replica of his feelings. He would have never guessed that there was such things as succubi and goddesses, or that there were races that thrived on sex. Of course, for whatever reasons, he had given himself to them more times than he would ever care to admit. Maybe he was weak, despite his protesting...Or a pervert. But then, did it matter? He was here now, and he was going to make things right. Somehow.

Though he was more than a bit surprised when he heard the story about Braun's assistant: He made hybrids? Sam was no genealogist or anything of that nature, but he had to wonder if that was possible. Must have been, if these monster girls were willing to use humans as mates for bearing offspring. Well, he could understand why the assistant might be upset; Sam was certainly very much so at first. He had been hostile, angry that these women were coming up to him and ensnaring him to take his seed. As time went on, however, he started to understand their plight even if their way of going about it did not exactly sit well with him.

All the same, this was not the right way to go about doing things. But then, what choice did one have if the species that wanted to take you far surpassed you in terms of strength? In cunning and power? He knew very well that were it not for his contracts with these three elementals, he likely would be taken prisoner by one of the more forceful Mamono species for the rest of his days.

Still, best not to think about that, he rationed. He gave a nod as Braun explained that he didn't have the power to stop him. Still, he felt a particularly surge of bravado rush through him, likely an aftereffect from the contract with Ignus. "Have you heard from your assistant at all? Has he tried to contact you? Make any threats of any kind" he then asked Braun; sometimes employees who were incredibly vindictive took their idiosyncrasies to the extreme. Even if he might not want to target Braun directly, maybe the assistant had reached out to him to try and persuade the doctor to join his cause.
 
"He tried, time and time again to reason with me, to guide me along the same path that he had walked," Braun shook his head sadly, "However, perhaps out of pity for the poor creatures, or perhaps out of a newfound desire to put the balance back into place, I refused to even consider his suggestions. He respected me, however, even then. I suspect he still does to an extent, which is why I have been able to remain here. I doubt that even my loyal companions here would be able to withstand his latest hybrids, or whatever monstrocities he has made in the intervening years."

The aged scientist sighed, "I am an old man now. Even if I had entertained delusions of overthrowing my wayward assistant, I doubt even now I would have the necessary mettle to do so. My assistants and co-workers where like family to me. They were the only ones I could trust and depend on, and now that they are gone, either through the hand of fate or thier own foolishness, I feel an emptiness inside that not even my new companions can heal. They are dependable and caring, a constant reassurance that I made the correct choice. However, I should have acted out before on my concerns, and perhaps this all may have been avoided."
 
Honestly, Sam didn't really know what to say; part of him did want to chew out the doctor for not trying harder to save his assistant. But how many times had he made the wrong choice? Was he, someone who'd done the things he'd done, really able to judge anyone? And in a way, he was directly responsible for unleashing equally a monstrous creature as those spawned by the demented brilliance of his assistant.

And it wasn't like his reasoning was unsound; the man had clearly something like a brother to Braun, someone he could trust with his very life. Sam knew that feeling all too well, sadly to say.

"Sometimes when we want to save someone we care about, the path to doing so is not always clear. Whether or not it would have changed anything, we leave to fate. The only thing we can do now is do what we think is right. That's something I'm starting to realize...Still have a ways to go, but I'm getting there." Sam then added, giving a slight chuckle; man, he sounded like a real fortune cookie.

"But...If I might ask you another question. I'm looking for a mountain; I was told it was called the Tip of the World. Would you happen to know anything about it?" he then asked; at that moment, the one named Daisy brought over a tray with two steaming mugs of what appeared to be some kind of clouded liquid before giving a curt nod and stood off to Braun's side once more, her gentile eyes gazing on him suspiciously. "Thank you..." Sam replied, raising the cup appreciatively before taking an experimental sip. "Oh wow...That's quite good. What is this?" he then asked the Holstaurus, the rim of the cup sitting just in front of his lips as he prepared to take another small swallow of the full-bodied fluid.
 
Braun nodded, "It seems you have had your own fare share of difficult decisions and trying situations. If there is anything I can do to aid you, do let me know. I may still have some useful information at my disposal." He nodded when he mentioned the mountain, "The place you seek is not far from here. It resides at the southernmost tip of the continent, its peak far above even the clouds themselves. The locals call it the Tip of the World, and as far as I can tell it has some sort of religious significance. If I were a younger man, I would very much like to explore it and discover what secrets it might be hiding... Even if there are no gods residing on it, there is doubtless something of some great value to the inhabitants of this world that resulted in such veneration."

"I'm glad you like it," Daisy looked up at Sam timidly in responce to his question, "It... Its milk tea."

"Ah, thank you Daisy," Braun accepted his cup with a grateful nod, downing it in two tips of his cup.
 
"If only I could tell you fully...I wonder if you would believe me." Sam thought to himself, nodding at the doctor's proferred assistance. Though as he went to take another sip of the beverage, Daisy revealed its identity. And the subsequent chain of thoughts made him pause halfway through.

Milk tea.

It wouldn't have been much of a shock, if Sam's knowledge about just what a Holstaurus produced didn't make him realize just WHERE it was the milk came from. It wasn't bad at all; if anything, it gave the simple tea a body he would have never thought possible. It was just...It came from her. And if he were being honest - despite everything else he'd done - it was a little strange.

However, not wanting to be insulting, he continued through with the sip; though anyone who was paying even half-attention would have noticed the pause. "Yes, thank you again, Daisy. It was quite good." he then said to the cow-woman, setting down his cup before turning his attention to Braun.

"I might have an answer to that, if you're interested. I met with a pack of Wolves a while ago, and it was them in fact who told me of the mountain. They say the Wind Elemental Sylph can be found up there a lot of the time; apparently to them, she is quite the deified figure." he then explained, adding, "She is someone I'm looking for. Is there anything you can tell me about Sylph herself?"
 
Daisy picked up on his unease rather readily, simply nodding back to him in aknowledgement. Having lived with the doctor for some time, she had apparently become rather attuned to human social norms and body language, aspects of the finer points of human nature that the other monster girls in the room seemed to let pass by without notice. The sheep girl, for her own part, seemed far more preoccupied with nuzzling her cheek against his shoulder than to pay his guest much mind now that it had been firmly established that he meant no harm.

"Sylph... From what I have gathered, she is quite a difficult individual to work with," Braun leaned back slightly, tapping his chin in a thoughtful manner, "While not exactly unapproachable, she often displays her power over the wind both to amuse herself and to display her power. During most times of the day, she surrounds herself with strong winds, winds that might reach speeds rivaling that of hurricanes, I suppose, if she becomes particularly excited." His voice lowered somewhat, "From what I have seen, you are no ordinary man... I trust that you will take precautions as necessary before approaching her, even without my advice."
 
Sam just listened as Braun explained his observations of the Wind Elemental; while he'd been advised by his current Elementals as to her whimsical personality, he hadn't gathered that she was a showoff, even if the intention wasn't to necessarily make people afraid. That could make things more complicated...And exceptionally more dangerous; he hadn't yet faced an adversary with as much reign over the winds as Sylph.

"I see" Sam replied; really, what else could he say in this moment? "I suppose I'm not. And if what I've heard is true, even remotely...Maybe I never was." he then added on solemnly. "I appreciate the input. I just worry that I won't be as patient with her as I need to be. Without going into too much detail, things are...messy, that's the best I can describe. I had just thought I could find an outpost, something with a radio to contact for help. But now..." He then motioned to himself, his Herculean physique more on display now, "I'm this guy. And honestly, it's been hard to tell which way is up. So, if I could just ask another thing...How would you approach her, Braun, if you were in my shoes?"
 
Braun paused for a moment. This man certainly asked pressing questions, but nonetheless Braun understood that he voiced them not out of laziness, but searching for guidance. He could tell that Sam had been forced to resolve situations that had risen in the past based on only his own judgement, not all of which had turned out well. He nodded before giving his own thoughts on the matter.

"Hm... Well, first of all I would need to catch her attention. She is not aggressive, per say, but a fair bit of caution still needs to be taken. I would likely use a visual aid to draw her gaze, such as a flare or a bright light of some kind, and when she approaches me I would then begin my discussion. Attempting to reach the high perches or approach the strong winds that surround her would only be a futile attempt, especially if her attention is fixed somewhere else," Braun explained, "Aside from that, I am not sure what else I could suggest. She is not someone that one can easily attain an audience with, after all."
 
Sam could only thank the gods that this man was being so patient with him; honestly, he should have already left. But he was tired of his decisions turning out wrong, putting more and more of the people he cared about in harm's way.

Still, Braun's suggestion brought up the Alpha's advice to his head, which in turned made a particular incident come back to memory: The time he rescued the mermaid from the early stages of Silus' transformation. Was that what the man was suggesting he do? It was beautiful at the time, but only because she was doing it herself. Trying to picture himself, a man with two left feet, singing and dancing with lights all around him was all too humorous. So much so that he couldn't help letting a bark of laughter escape him, his hand quickly coming to seal his mouth shut so that there was only a fit of muted giggles.

"Sorry..." he finally said after the outburst subsided a little, "A memory came to mind, and recent context gave me a more comical insight into it." The laughter, however short it was, certainly did lift his spirits a little; maybe that was what he really needed to be like. Based on everything he just heard, Sylph was a being unrestrained by anything bad that might have happened. She was one that simply expressed herself freely, in many ways much like Ignis. He needed to not let the burdens of the past hamper his ability to connect with her.

Of course, saying that and actually making it happen were two very different beasts altogether.

"In any event, Braun...I...Thank you." Sam finally got out, feeling a bit lost for words. Was there really much else to discuss? "I have to admit, it's been quite some time since I was able to have a conversation like this. It reminds me of the normalcy I now see to have taken for granted." Looking down at the mug, the tea had grown somewhat cold, but nonetheless he tossed it back and finished the contents. "But, I think I've taken up enough of your time. Thank you for hearing me out...Hopefully we can meet again another day under less stressful circumstances."

*Later on*

Sam soon reached the base of the mountain, his head craning back to try and witness the summit; of course, heavy clouds obscured the peak from view. The name 'Tip of the World' became all too fitting just from this alone. Just how high was this bloody thing? He knew with Gnome's Earth control, he could easily 'cement' himself to the side and not have to worry about falling off, as well as form convenient holds for his extremities...But this was going to be one hell of climb regardless.

Rubbing the side of his head, he took a deep breath and crouched, his powerful legs priming for launch.

"Here goes"

He then shot upwards quite a fair distance, before long his burly hands and feet sinking into the hard weathered stone. If this was too high up, he imagined Ignus' power would be ineffective due to simple oxygen deficiency. The thought also occured to him about that same issue causing breathing difficulties; sure, he could breathe underwater, but that was probably because his marriage with Vivian did something to allow the extraction of dissolved oxygen from the surrounding water. Would he be handle an oxygen-lean environment?

'Only way to find out' he muttered to himself, hands and feet moving in time as his body began its ascent. Now was not the time for doubt; he had to reach the top, and because he had to he would. He would not allow himself to fail here.
 
The ominous mountain, or rather the gigantic spire of stone and earth as it could be more reasonably described as, towered above Sam, its lofty peak concealed behind a curtain of wind and thick clouds. Exactly why the final elemental spirit chose such an absurdly remote location as one of her frequented locales remained unclear, but his mission lay before him regardless. He had met many people during his journey, during this unexpected detour, and throughout all of it he had inspired hope in many of them, hope for a future not bound to scrambling for desperate survival on a doomed, dying world.

The higher he climbed the more intense the winds tugged at him. Had it not been for Gnome's power, a mere man would have long since been pulled from the mountainside and hurled backward with the slightest misstep. His companions remained silent throughout the ascent, however, silently aknowledging his need to retain his concentration. Little would have prepared him for what he would find at the distant summit.

Upward and higher he climbed, hours giving way one after another, the ground below growing distant and foriegn, a simple memory in this isolated land held high above the world. One last hand reached upward, taking hold of a smooth, flat piece of rock that had not been formed from the spire itself. Just a few inches before him stood the peak, the place gripped by the wind's relentless hands. A relatively large clearing spread out in a roughly circular space with himself at the very edge. As expected, the air felt thin yet not overwhelmingly so, the tugging wind turned frigid. At the very center hovered a green-haired figure who wore only the scantest of clothing, her long flowing locks fluttering about her, curling and enfolding her like the wind itself. She had wide, curious eyes that instantly locked upon him, a broad smile spreading across her lips. Her body took the form of an older teen in the flair of youth and ambition, her feet never touching upon the ground for even moment.

"Hello there!" she waved at him, "Did you bring everyone with you to come visit me? You could have just sent me a message, you know!" Sylph laughed, perhaps realizing the absurdity of her own words, "Its been a while since all the elementals have been in the same place you know... I think we haven't done this since the day we were all born... Well, some of them are actually second-generation elementals though, so I suppose its still a bit different."

With this on her mind she began to wander off, simply floating toward the edge of the summet without a care in the world. Before she could do so, however, Gnome appeared beside her contractor, calling out to the spirit of the wind, "Sylph, wait!"

"Hm?" she turned and looked back at them.

"Have you ever felt lonely before, Sylph?" Gnome gripped at her robe, preventing the cloth from being pulled from her body.

The wind spirit looked over at the earth spirit directly for a moment, blinking twice before replying, "I'm not quite sure what you mean..."

"This is exactly why I dislike dealing with her," Undine muttered while still in spirit form.

"Have you ever felt like you have been searching for something, but can never seem to find it? Have you felt uneasy and restless, wondering what you could do next or see next or experiance next?" Gnome asked.

"All the time," Sylph smiled.

"I used to feel the same way," Gnome nodded, reaching out and taking hold of Sam's arm, "However, that was before I met Sam. He gave me companionship and hope, someone to depend upon and support in both the happy times and the stressful times. He even... He even gave me a daughter to share my love and care with."

"Hm... That might work for someone as stable and earnest as you, Gnome... But can you really hold down the wind in your hand? Can you restrain something that is always in motion? Can you embrace a being who by her very nature is constantly in motion? Can you restrain the impulse within your own soul?" Sylph shrugged, "I have no idea, but it sounds like it might be fun to try..." She looked toward Sam then and held her right hand out toward him, "Would you like to try to become my contractor, Mister?" She smiled, awaiting his reply.
 
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