Note: This chapter is based on the chapter "Whoever said Cloud Horses can't talk?" written by a anonymous writer. Any content or ideas taken from that chapter belongs to the original writer. Thank you reading and please enjoy the chapter.
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Four hours passed as they continued their rough ascent up the mountain, the sun still high in the sky as the trio climbed up the mountain path with Marry leading the way. Despite the natural softness of the cloudy ground below them, Issac's feet still ached slightly from walking.
Eventually they made it to the second plateau up the mountain. It was larger, about seven times wider and despite its high altitude had the proper conditions for a thick layer of grass that reached up to Mary's knees.
The three stood in the middle of the plateau, looking around at the sky's below them. The winding starting to pick up as they scanned the sky's, looking for the Pegasi.
They didn't wait long.
At first they had all dismissed it for the wind, but it was growing ever louder and loader. The sound started out quiet and dim but it soon turned into an ear shattering chorus of wind as for a brief second. Dozens of shadows flew over the group as the peircing sound thunderous hoof beats engulf them.
Despite the piercing pain in his ears, Isaac looked up and saw one of the most majestic creatures he would ever see.
Elegant and bold, with pure white fur and furnished with two luscious white wings was a herd of ten Pegasi. All of their bodies were sleek and strong, built for the speed to ride the sky and made for the strength to fight the wind. Leading the herd was what Issac could only presume to be the Alpha. The Alpha was a steed about twice the size of any of the other Pegasus, with iridescent wings with a span of over thirty feet and a beautiful smooth mane that seemed to always gracefully billow in the wind.
Marry and Nat prepared for combat but Issac, still suffering from the noise, put a strained hand up.
The Alpha neighed and flew downwards, his herd following him. They landed on the plateau about thirty feet away from Issac and his group with a loud crash. The herd looked at Issac and his group with wild fierce gazes, as if waiting for their chief to give the order to stampede them. They seemed to give little concern over the sight of Issac, a giant six foot elemental made up of a strange composition of stone, ice,lava, animal, demon, and plant.
The Alpha stood in front of the group, intelligent eyes on Issac as it, somehow despite it not having the proper vocal chords, spoke.
"Only two of you resides from this realm, why have you come to this plane travelers?" The Alphas asked, its voice easily carrying over the roaring winds of the mountains. His question was mostly directed towards Isaac.
Isaac was taken aback. He didn't expect cloud creature who are not cloud people to be sentient. "Pardon me, dear Pegasus, but you can speak!" Issac felt the need to shout over the wind, surprised more than anything, Marry hadn't mentioned anything like this.
The Alpha nodded. "Alas, only those who have proven themselves worthy are given the privilege of speaking the Cloudtongue. The language forged by Lord Stratus, the cloud hero who had once conquered this land so many eons ago and would later create us Pegasi from the clouds. As such, those of my kind who speak are rare, although the cloudfolk speak it freely, though that does not matter to me." It said. "Now tell me, who are you all?" The Pegasus asked, it's tone getting graver each time it spoke.
Issac gave a faint bow before saying "I have many appearances but my name remains the same. You may call me Issac. I had come from another world seeking for a way to rid my land of the spread of viral corruption. That same corruption has thankfully only corrupted my body but not my mind." He waved his hand to Mary and Nat. "These two are my traveling companions." Issac explained.
Nat stepped forward. "My name is Nat Earlyshine and one day I'll be the Cloud Kingdom's greatest Magic user!" She emphasized her point by doing a magical girl pose. Isaac took not that Nat has the same last name as Nathan.
"And I am Marry Windside, I had become Sir Issac's guide for this land after he made a deal with my village to slay the Sky King and free our lands from his reign." Marry said, stepping forward, her hands opened.
The Alpha nodded, its posture relaxing softly as he spoke. "Yes, the Sky King, a brutal man who had hunted down many of my kin. Yet that does not explain why you are here. The Sky King rarely travels these parts now after becoming King. There is another reason for your appearance here. Tell me!" The alpha threatened.
"Alpha Pegasus, what I am about to say will no likely cause you to distrust us even more than you must do now, but I will not lie to a sentient being who has not wronged me." Issac said. He had originally been fine with absorbing the Pegasi since he had thought them to be nothing more than wild animals. However now that he knows the truth, how could he deny a creature, who only seeks it's family's protections the truth?
Before Isaac could continue, the Alpha interrupted him. "You may call me Sagittarius, I will consider your words when you speak, so do so now."
"Thank you Sagittarius, as you can tell my body is vastly different from yours. One of those differences is my ability to absorb other creatures and assimilate them into myself, becoming stronger and gaining traits that creature had before it's absorption. However this also caused the drawback of me becoming heavier and heavier to the point where I had not been able to move a single step easily. Even now, my body's weight plagues me and I believe right now I am in no condition to fight the Sky King." Isaac explained formally.
"So you wish to absorb me and my herd in order to take advantage of our inmate magic to counteract your weight and become stronger?" Sagittarius said, no rage or concern in his voice.
"Yes, I had originally presumed that you and your species were non sentient, but now that I see that you can speak, I have my doubts in whether absorbing you and your herd would be just."
The Pegasus nodded, the wind around them starting to calm.
"So tell me, Issac, what would you do after absorbing me and my herd? Will that give you enough power to slay the Sky King? What would you do after slaying the Sky King? What would you do after returning to your own plane?"
"I would return to my own world and continue on my quest to purge my world of the foul corruption that envelops my very body. After that... I do not know." Isaac answered uneasily. What would he do? If he were to purge the corruption, would his body be cured? Would he stay a monster? Would he even be honored as a hero or still viewed as a monster?
Mary glanced at him, eyes narrowed slightly at Issac before looking away, as if deep in thought.
Sagittarius nodded once more, his animal expression unreadable. His herd behind him started looking slightly uneasy. Sagittarius looked back to his family and in a series of horse grunts spoke to them. Several neighed back at him for several moments as the conversation between Pegasi went on before the Alpha turned back to Issac.
"Sir Issac, your goals are true and your heart is set, however do not think we have not perceived some of your more hidden motives that perhaps you yourself are not aware of." The Pegasus said.
"W-what do you mean?" Issac said, already knowing the answer.
"You wish to do good in the world, but, the corruption that dwells within your body is one of lust. Even now the idea of us merging with you, to gain our own personal lusts and desires, to feel yourself descend further into the sins of pleasure and become a true sexual beast arouses you to no end." Sagittarius explained.
Issac sighed. Isaac could ignore his growing lust so as long he can save the Cloud Kingdom and his own home. Yet, he knew that he can't resist his body and the lust demon in his cock forever. One day, he will have to purge his body of its corrupt desires. But until then, he has to endure. Even if he didn't want to say it aloud, it was undeniable. His path as a paladin isn't without temptations he must confront eventually.
"It's true. Before my body turned like this, I had no such desires, but now, it is a part of my body. Perhaps even my very being." Issac said looking down, not wishing to meet Sagittarius' eyes.
"Issac, as the leader of this herd, will not allow you to absorb any of my number nor will we show any shred of mercy should you attempt to take our bodies by force. You may all leave if you wish, but I do grant you another option as well." Sagittarius explained.
Issac's ears perked up, looking up to meet Sagittarius' eyes, Issac saw what appeared to be a sly grin on the Alpha's face. What was the Pegasus planning?
"What option is that?" Issac asked.
Marry stood beside him, eyeing the horse with a deep suspicion.
"I can sympathize with you Issac, long when I was in my prime I too indulged myself in lust, I would seek sex with anyone and everyone, enjoying the feeling of penetrating and being penetrated. The urge to mate is in all of us. Weather we like it or not, it is a part of every living thing's nature. As such, I give you a challenge that is usually only bestowed to another Pegasus, to take my seat as the Alpha of this herd. If you win, you will become our leader and we will become your eternally loyal servants and will allow you to do whatever you wish to us." Sagittarius explained. "However, should I win, you will absorb me into your body and make me the dominant personality, I will be the one in charge and I continue to lead my herd. I can already assure you that I will not cause harm to anyone including your friends, but that body of yours will become mine." He laughed.
Issac was taken aback. At the same time though, he can see the flaws of Sagittarius's logic. Weather Sagittarius is the dominate personality or not, it's still Isaac's body. So as long as he has the Halo of Purity, he can take control at any time. Regardless, Isaac was intrigued in were Sagittarius's offer was going.
Nat and Marry both immediately started telling him to refuse, that they could find another herd of Pegasi, that they could find some other way of decreasing his weight. And for the most part, he agreed. There was no reason why he should agree and risking his body just to be lighter would be verging on the end of madness. Even if Isaac can betray Sagittarius and keep control over his body if he wins. As a Palidin, he must honor his deal if Sagittarius wins. But another part of him said otherwise. His honor as a paladin remains prevalent and his urge to fill himself with Sagittarius and his herd's essence whispered in his head.
"If you still have any doubts, I will offer you something else should you win. " Sagittarius said, and for the first time Issac saw the lustful, manipulative look in the Alpha's eye, not to mention the thick equine cock that was already stirring from the pegasus's sheath, already dropping precum onto the cloudy ground
"Several months ago there was another plane traveler who came here, although he was much less monstrous than you. He wielded powerful magic and came to me saying the exact same thing you said. To purge his world of a foul corruption. He went by the name of Nathan."
Issac's corrupted heart skipped a beat. All four of his hands were clutched and he had started oozing a purple sweat. Nathan. He was here.
"You know where he is?" Issac asked. He has suspicions that Nathan is the corrupted air dragon. Even so, any information regarding Nathan is welcome.
"Yes, if you defeat me in battle, you will become my Leader and I will gladly answer any questions you may have. Until then, do you accept?"
Both Nat and Marry looked surprised at the mention of Nathan, and weren't quite sure what to say, but Issac didn't give them a chance to convince him of anything.
"I accept." Isaac said, standing up at his full height.
"Very well! Then now let us commence my people's ancient tradition and begin our..."