Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1998 13:51:04 -0500
From: Jerry <jerryli@systec.com>
Subject: Arin Part 7

The following story contains scenes of boys having sex with other boys
 and/or men, depending on what I decided on by the time I got around to 
writing it. ;) It is science fiction and fantasy, and as such contains
things which simply don't happen in real life. If your imagination is
not good, you won't enjoy it very much. As for the sex thing, if this stuff
is against your personal moral codes, don't read it. If there's anything 
you don't understand, ask your parents or friends or whoever you think will. 
If you like the story, feel free to write me a letter at jerryli@systec.com.
You're allowed to do anything you like with my story with the following
exceptions: 

1. You may not place it on a system which charges people to read it unless you 
   request permission from me first. I have no problem giving you permission, but
   there will be a slight one-time fee. ;) 

2. You may not post alterations to the story, or write sequels to it, 
   without my permission. 

Happy reading! 

=====================================================================

Chapter 31

   "ARIN!", the cry came, sooner than I had expected. I turned and there
she was, running down the street with her arms wide open. I stood casually
at her approach, allowing her to close the distance until I found myself
wrapped in her arms, my head against her bosom as she rocked me gleefully
back and forth.

   "Hello, Sister", I stated, with a tone that was glad to see her, yet
reserved in my happiness. "You look well."

   "Indeed, Arin, as do you. When Zed returned this past week and told us
of your abduction, I became terribly afright for your safety."

   I raised an eyebrow. "My brother is here?"

   "Neigh", she replied, "he has gone off on a quest to find you. He vowed
that he will not rest until he sees your safe return."

   I smiled at her. "Then I hope he rests well tonight, for his quest is
completed, and without his even lifting a finger."

   She turned over towards Cedra and smiled down at him. "And who,
praytell, are your charming companions?"

   I indicated each of my friends in turn as I spoke their names. "This is
Dejana, that Tarus, the elf's name is Rath, and this is my Cedra."

   "YOUR Cedra?", my sister inquired. I hadn't realized I had used the
possessive until she pointed it out. Indeed, it was a reflex - an
unconscious sign of affection.

   I smiled broadly, and Cedra punched me lightly on the shoulder. "Well,
there's time for all that later", I mused. "Tell Mother to prepare for
company tonight."  I opened up my backpack and removed the finest gem that
I had taken from the keep's treasure room. It was a large blue Sapphire
with sparkling edges and a radiant glow as the suns shone down upon
it. "This should cover just about anything she needs."

   My sister took the gem with little interest in it's beauty - she never
was fascinated by material things. She did smile at me, though, and
declared "You must have an interesting story to tell", before departing to
tell my mom of our arrival.  A small, coy smile appeared on my face as I
envisioned my mother's much more awed reaction to seeing a gem like
that. No doubt she would gasp and grow feint and babble on about how proud
of her son she is.

   "Well", Tarus said, rubbing his hands together. "That went off without a
hitch."

   "Come on", Dejana said. "Let's go see Etiyn."

Chapter 32

    Etiyn lived in a somewhat quiet tent on the outskirts of the
village. No one was really sure why he'd chosen to remain here instead of
some more reputable town or wealthier district. But he was a welcome member
of the village, as it was set in an area where any number of disasters,
natural and otherwise, could befall it. Etiyn had been their protection.

    We were escorted into the tent by two of his apprentices. "Ah", he
exclaimed, rising to greet us as we approached. "So my intrepid adventurers
have returned, two days ahead of schedule I might add. Have you obtained
the item that I requested?"

    "Yes, my lord", Dejana replied in a professional, curt tone. It was the
first time since we met that I'd seen her as anything but a laid back,
easygoing fighter with a calm attitude. It was interesting to me. "We have
the box that you requested." With no further exchange, she removed the box
from it's clamp above her backpack and held it in front of her.

     "And you have not opened it?"

     "No, my Lord." Dejana said this with a perfectly straight face. I was
proud of her.

     "Very well", Etiyn replied. "My apprentice will take you into town for
your payment.  If you remain in town for awhile, I may have a follow-up
mission for you." I smiled at that. There probably would be a follow up
mission - a mission into the imaginary cave that we had created in our
forged scroll. If we played things out correctly, we could probably get a
good deal of payment in advance for heading out - a "bonus" for doing our
job well. "In the meantime, please excuse me as I make use of the box's
contents."

     "Don't we get to watch?", I asked, feigning interest. Tarus couldn't
help but smile sideways at me. He knew what I was doing - any normal person
(who hadn't already opened the box) would be understandably curious about
it. NOT asking to see what it contained was like admitting that you already
knew, and I wasn't about to do that.

      Etiyn smiled down at me. "Hmmm... you're that little boy who used to
live around here... Zed's brother, aren't you? You've certainly sprouted up
nicely. What's your name?"

      "Arin."

      "No Arin, you don't get to watch. Not yet. I'll call for you soon." I
nodded, putting my best look of disappointment on my face. We walked out
with Etiyn's apprentice, who took us straight to the town's meager treasury
area. He withdrew our reward (much to the angst of the teller, who had a
hell of a time lugging around the gold sacs) and we collected it in one
area.

      "We have to go on shopping spree", I declared. "This stuff is getting
way too heavy."

      "Well, we can rent a horse to carry it. Once we get to a mainstream
settlement we can get some useful things for the journey ahead."

      Cedra had said it. There was more exchange of words, after which we
went to my mother's small cottage. I introduced her to my friends, and
unloaded my equipment, and went out with Cedra for a walk on the town, but
still his statement was in my head.  It was a simple thing to say, but it
was said way too jubilantly. Cedra was still excited by the journey,
excited by the mission ahead of us.

      "Cedra", I began, choosing my words slowly and carefully, "doesn't it
seem a little bit random to just go off and collect these amulet pieces?"

      He looked down somberly at his feet as we crossed the dirt roads in
the village, heading for no place in particular. "Well yeah, it does. But
that amulet will be worth a hell of a lot once it's completed."

      "Sure it will", I replied. "But we already have more than enough
money to live comfortably here."

      He stopped and looked up at me. "Are you saying you don't want to
go?"

      I sighed. "Well, I'm saying a bit more than that."

      He looked at me quizically. "What do you mean?"

      I took his hand in mine. "I mean, I'm saying I don't want US to go."

      He quirked an eyebrow. "Us? You and me? You want me to stay here with
you?"

      I gave him a soft, wry smile. "Well yeah, kiddo. I mean, I luh--"

      I swear, to this day, I cannot try to tell someone I love them
without looking around first. How unlucky can a person get?

Chapter 33

      They surrounded us, coming seemingly from nowhere, and until I saw
them I hadn't even realized that the sun was down. But these were
definitely drow elves, in fact they were the same elves we'd seen by the
keep's entrance. I drew my dagger, cursing myself for leaving my more
efficient weapons behind. Cedra raised his bare hands in defense,
instinctively placing his back against mine.

      "Kurl Prachek?", I called to the small, dark figure in front of me.

      He smiled. "You remember me. I'm honored. I remember you as well,
Arin. You assured me that you had no interest in the Vorigan Keep, let
alone the box it contained. And yet I'm informed you just had a rather
interesting meeting with Etiyn, and that you were seen in the market this
morning giving a gem from the Keep's treasury to someone. Your word seems
to have been faulty."

      I just stared at him, tightening my grip on my dagger. These five
were not going to take any kind of diplomatic talk. This was a fight, and I
wanted to make sure I got in first.

      "The box belongs to the Kynex Alliance. You can tell us where it is,
or you can die." I didn't wait for another opportunity. As soon as he began
to say "or you will die", I leaped forward and stabbed the drow to his left
right through the throat. The elf fell to the ground dead, twitching and
bleeding from his own cut neck.

      "ATTACK!", Kurl screamed, leaping forward with his remaining men. The
first leaped forward with a long sword, slashing my shoulder open. It was a
small, clean cut, but the pain was still unbelievable. Kurl swung a large
polearm at me, but I ducked and covered under his strike.

      "Tsdhio!", I screamed, and a ball of brilliant blue light flew from
my hands and burned another of them square in the chest. But I wasn't
stupid - there was no way I was winning a battle against these odds, not
even on my sharpest, brightest day.  I grabbed Cedra and hauled ass through
the hole that I had created in the Drow lines.  They took off in fast
pursuit, but already I could see Tarus heading forward with a blade at the
ready. It was the last thing I saw, as the elves threw a Globe of Darkness
around me and Cedra. I continued on blind, using my memory of the place to
dodge and weave in the right directions. In any place other than my home
town, I may have fallen. But I knew these roads like the back of my hand,
and as the rain began to fall hard from the sky I bolted into what I hoped
was an abandoned shack in the town square.

       In ages past I had used it as a base from which to strike into the
village, pilfering whatever was available. I couldn't tell if anyone since
had found it and used it, but no one seemed to object to our
presence. Feeling safe for the moment, I laid back and tried to sleep.

Chapter 34

        About an hour afterwards, the Globe had finally worn off. The first
sight I was treated to was Cedra's small boyish frame, shaking like a leaf
in his wet clothing and looking shyly back at me. I took a brief glance at
my surroundings.

        My navigation was accurate, this was the old shack that I had used
when I was a small child. And if anyone was using it now, well, they
weren't home. Feeling somewhat proud of myself, I went to stretch my arm
only to feel the sharp flow of pain come screeching through. "Ow!", I
cried.

        "What's the matter?", Cedra asked, his voice littered with
concern. There was very little light in the shack, but I could see him
well. His matty blonde hair was stuck to his forehead in wet clumps. His
cheeks had raindrops dripping from them, splattering down to the ground
with small, inaudible plops. His clothing, disheveled and stuck to his
body, looked worn and dirty from rolling underneath the fence that was in
place outside.

         He was incredibly beautiful.

         "Nothing", I said, though my voice was feint and weighed with the
impact of his beautiful radiance on my eyes. "I just have a cut."

         "Let me see."

         "Alright", I said, slipping my tunic off to give him a better
look. He brought my arm around, holding it tenderly as he examined the
area. I could feel the sensation of his breath hitting down on it.

         "It's a small cut", he said. "Here." He placed his hands on it and
began to pray silently, reaching out to his deity on my behalf. The cut
began to shrivel and seal underneath his ministrations.

          "I love you", I said. The declaration came so suddenly, and so
without warning, that Cedra jerked upright and lost the rest of his
spell. I don't know why I chose that moment.  Maybe because I'd had enough
interruptions. I wasn't going to take the chance of his dying before I ever
got to tell him.

          "I love you", I said again. "You mean everything to me. You're my
best friend, my partner, the boy I want to see first thing in the morning
and last thing at night. I want to hold you, to kiss you, to be one with
you. I never want to be anywhere but at your side."

          Tears were streaming down his cheeks, and his breathing became
slow and heavy.  "I love you too, Arin. I always have. I think about the
time we've spent together... the best time of my life. I don't ever want it
to end."

          Slowly, gently, I undid the straps of his trousers. I reached
under them to find the bottom of his tunic and I pushed it up over his
head. I wrapped myself around him, bare chest to bare chest. No, not bare,
I realized. The Holy Symbol he wore was pressing against me, the symbol of
a deity of unrequited love. I pulled back for a moment to admire it, and I
swear it was half-glowing. I removed it from Cedra's chest and gingerly
kissed the spot where it rested.

          "Mmmmm", Cedra mumbled, enjoying the moment. I kissed lower,
coming down to his nipples. I moved over to the right one and placed it in
my mouth, sucking it ever so slowly until I could feel the little tip,
normally dormant and flat on his chest, reach out of his body like a small
dagger unsheathed. I licked my way across his skin to the other nipple and
repeated the process, making it firm and excited.

           He gently pushed my forehead up to look at him, and he kissed me
long and deep, his tounge darting through the roof of my mouth as if I had
peanut butter stuck up there. I leaned back and he kissed his way down my
chest, going straight down to the belly button and licking inside it
frantically. That made my hips arch up to him, and he easily slid my
trousers and breeches down to my knees. I laid back on a bale of hay, and
he slipped them completely off.

           He stood up for a moment, removing his own trousers to stand
naked in front of me. His penis looked enticing in the shadows, looking for
a moment like a dark purple head extruding from nowhere. Only when he
leaned close could I see the delicate skin of the base.  I reached out and
caressed it in my hand, once again savoring it's firmness. Cedra reached
out for mine, but not with his hands.

           No, this time he brought his lips down to slowly kiss the small
pink head. He lapped his tounge around the base and I jumped from the
sensation. Then he slowly wrapped his lips around the head and moved
downward, engulfing me easily. It felt like my penis was exploring a damp
cavern. Then he began to suck, and although the walls closing in on a
person would scare him half to death, my penis relished the expansion and
contraction. A surge of pleasure like none I'd ever experienced before
surfaced through me.

          My hips started slowly arching up and down, pushing me in and out
of his mouth as he sucked on me. But he pulled back a bit, slowing me down
and holding the tingling feeling out for as long as he could. Then an idea
popped into my mind.

          I slowly turned, my penis never leaving his mouth, until I was
directly underneath his small member. I slipped it gently into my mouth,
and was blinded by his ball sac falling gingerly on my eyes. The smooth
skin of it against my nose was so arousing that I almost went into orgasmic
convulsions right then and there. I started to slowly vent saliva all over
his cock, not so much sucking as licking for the moment, making his
breathing go frantic and his hips cry out for more. Only then did I start
sucking, and we went down on each other so fiercely and so passionately
that I swear it almost began to hurt.

          I felt so... complete. So loved. So unbelievably adored. For a
brief moment, as my orgasm reached it's crescendo and his body began to
convulse and shake, I felt utterly content with myself and my life. And
though there were no words exchanged, since our mouths were somewhat full,
I could hear his voice in my head, silently repeating "I love you."

Chapter 35

         The dream was very strange. I didn't understand it at the time,
and to this day, when I recall it in my memory, I wonder if there are not
even more subtle truths hidden within it.  Perhaps the secrets of the
universe itself, revealed in splendor for me to see.

         In the dream I am wrapped passionately around Cedra, our nude
forms simulacrumed by each other. But that's okay, because the view of his
penis is not the important part. It's the feeling of warmth, of absolute
joy and contentment, that washes over me in waves, like the water gently
caressing the beach on a cool spring day.

         "Courage, my love", he says to me. "There are hard times ahead." I
feel the weight of truth in his words, but none of the concern. Hard times
mean nothing to me while I'm wrapped in his arms. The suns shine down on us
from overhead, at that perfect moment in the mid-day when they are
equadistant in the sky, shining on both my back and his as we hug.

         I ruffle my fingers through his hair, marveling at the shine. "I
will never forget this moment", I tell him, and I know it to be true.

         But he frowns silently, and I am made aware of his unhappiness. I
begin to feel him pulling slowly away, and a small flutter of panic is in
my head. "Stay with me", I plead, but he is drifting back further. I look
down at his crotch, but instead of a penis there is a sword, bloodstained
and red. I look down at myself to see my heart pierced, torn open by his
metallic erection. There is no pain, at least not physically. But there is
agony beyond description.

         And then the scene changes. A graveyard, during the day. Tarus,
Dejana, Rath, and I, gathered around a headstone with Cedra's name on it. I
feel the heavy weight of Cedra's death on me, and yet he stands next to me
as I mourn for him. With a devillish grin he turns to me and says, "You
have to know what to see."

         I turn my head to the right, and I catch a glimpse of a strikingly
handsome man with dark hair and dark eyes, holding a holy symbol I don't
recognize as he seems to preside over Cedra's burial.

         I woke up in a cold sweat, with his face etched into my memory. I
looked around at the shack, still cold and rickety but without the pounding
noise of a thousand small drops of rain hitting the roof. Instead, the
small rays of a warm sun shone through the cracks, bathing my still nude
form with warm light. I almost forgot the horrors of my dream, that is
until I rolled over to my side.

         Cedra was gone.
--------------------------------------------
Heh, I forgot to mention I was going away for a weekend. ;) Stay tuned,
more ahead soon. 
And don't forget, if you like the story, let me know! ;)