Massages Before the Blaze
Massage is massage in its own way, but with the chain of command set, there was no reason to hesitate any longer. We headed straight for the walls encircling the city, making for the south gate among the massive entrances positioned at each cardinal direction.
As we moved, I racked my brain for any fixed patterns the fire spirit might have, but mobs with the "rampaging" modifier usually relied more on player reaction speed than predictable routines. Things like sudden breath attacks, relentless heavy hits on the tank, or AoE blasts you couldn't even dodge mid-fight. You couldn't just prep for them and handle it on the spot. Sure, you might know what was coming in advance, but this wasn't a game. We had to watch for precursors and read the signs ahead of time. If we went in assuming it'd play out exactly like the game and screwed up, it'd be on me.
"Sis, why the death glare?"
"Nngh, just worried. It's a spirit, so no fixed patterns, right? And fire on top of that..."
"Winter means it'll be nice and toasty!"
"Ahaha. Yeah, good point."
Hanbyeol's optimism drew a reluctant chuckle from me, easing the tension a bit. As a proper city, it took time to exit the castle from the FSM temple in the east. And with our numbers, renting carriages wasn't an option. We could've if we really wanted, but the cost... For a group this size round-trip? Even the higher-ups would say walk it. They had nothing urgent anyway; we'd gathered them precisely because they were free.
"Oppa, my legs hurt."
"Yeah? Here, heal. Better now?"
"You think I can't heal myself, oppa?"
"Urk... Want a piggyback?"
"Yeah!"
Meanwhile, the priest couples were busy with their PDA. Some were both girls, others had kept or swapped to their real-world genders for guy-girl pairs. No guy-guy pairs in sight. Even I, stuck in this woman's body, shied away from men now—guys in their original male bodies probably felt the same unless they were gay to begin with.
Priest players generally fell into four types. Fashion lovers who picked priest for the cute outfits often customized female characters meticulously. Bards were the rival class for that. Groups picking priest to party with friends had decent gender balance. Unwanted priest alts got subbed out for other jobs. Then folks like me, seeking low-control, high-contribution roles—usually passionate gamers whose hands couldn't keep up. Even then, guys avoided fluttery priest robes on male avatars to dodge the gay vibe, sticking to female chars. Sure, some oddballs went bald dwarf dude or undead, but... Lastly, those fed up with unreliable heals who rolled their own priest. They often dove into PvP, which wasn't my scene.
Point is, you could guess priest dating patterns. No one levels the same class as their partner for synergy; they mix jobs. So these couples likely started dating after arriving here—pre-existing or new flames. PDA before battle was annoying, but calling it out would just make me the cranky single. It wasn't hindering movement, so I kept walking in silence. The holy knights just furrowed their brows, no big reactions. Made me feel bad for them. Maybe some had dated guys... Nah, if they were seeing someone, they wouldn't have shoved their dicks at me. Who drops trou while their girlfriend stands guard, offering a succubus-ravaged naked girl? Some knights who hadn't raped me were probably guys too. Maybe Daesik and the others picked all-female knights to spare my trauma. Mention racks and I choke up in panic; adding men might trigger worse. My head knew better, but my body didn't—facing them calmly? No confidence. Just thinking about it choked me up.
Don't dwell. Ruins the mood. Still, watching priests get piggybacks or cuddle made me tire faster. My low stamina stats already had my legs aching. Suggest a break?
"Holy knight, um..."
"Call me Frilda, Saintess!"
"Ah... Then call me Ivy, not Saintess. How much farther to the south gate? Everyone looks leg-weary."
I threw the priests under the bus—no whining from me. Priests across genders skimp on stamina investment; exhaustion showed. Some stubborn ones piggybacked lovers on pride alone, others were collapsing. Few marched stoically on mental fortitude. Two hours in, even knights tsked at the fiasco.
"Yeah, looks like. You okay, Saintess?"
Teasing to the end. I gave a wry smile.
"Manageable."
Honestly, their mental fatigue probably topped physical. No hiking or marching experience? Walking's brutal without stamina. Cuddling's fun till hardship reveals true colors. Male priests piggybacking girlfriends soon wheezed, empty. Only the riders chattered. Self-heals prevent injury, but not fatigue cramps. No reason to push. Should've splurged on carriages despite cost. At this rate, priests wipe before the gate; just knights and me fighting. Versus normal mobs, I could've solo-healed while tanks drew aggro, leaving DPS to Hanbyeol and Laila. But not this time. Tanks self-heal to hold aggro on rampaging fire spirit; other healers' distribution crucial. Overhealing tanks risks flipping aggro to me, wiping the raid. Healer count matters for sharing load.
We found a rest spot. Fantasy city? Fountain plaza. "Southern Plaza" sign, benches around fountain—priests sat and resumed PDA. Knights, weighed by armor, welcomed the break too. No objections; during rest, folks scouted snacks. Same region as home base, but first outing in ages?
Hanbyeol was fastest. Slipped behind me, back with drinks in hand, beaming as she popped the straw in my mouth. I sipped—tart-sweet lemon-fruit blend.
"What? Instant teleport?"
"Hehe. Magic's for times like this."
"Hing. What about me?"
"Here. I double-strawed this to share with sis."
Explains the size difference. Laila snatched hers, tongue-twirling the straw lewdly. Jaw working obscenely, but succubus normal... Straw in mouth brought my face close to Hanbyeol's; bangs brushed, embarrassing. Eyes met? Her grin said yes.
"Right, sis's legs hurt?"
"A bit, but not just me. Priests all mid stats; don't worry. You okay?"
"I just floated, pretending to walk."
Enviable mages. Doesn't make me one, though. Envy stays envy. Hanbyeol gazed warmly, glanced at other priests, then slid a hand to my thigh.
"Want a leg massage, sis?"
"Nng? No need...? Won't fix anyway. Heals don't work."
"Try and see?"
"Ahit!"
Drink on my chest, straw in teeth, she plopped one leg over her thigh. Spill risk froze me; straw-muffled plea:
"Hoonbluh. Igguh oongsoomoon uhthuk..."
"No clue what that was."
"Uuuht!"
She kneaded mercilessly over black stockings on my lithe leg—inner thigh up, down. Refreshing over pain; pleasurable groans made me twitch, drink wobbling perilously. Cold drink in chill weather? Perfect cold bait. I stiffened desperately. Laila, slurping amusedly, knelt before me.
"Human flesh so frail—born fun therapies? Like this?"
She yanked off my low-heeled priest shoes, thumbs digging sole to toes.
"Uhphu..."
"Ivy's feet so cute. Hey, no twitching. I wanna tease."
Hanbyeol's felt playful; Laila's blatantly erotic. Same leg/foot touch, different vibe. Hanbyeol's precise pressure for tension release; Laila's lingering strokes on nerve clusters. One leg athwart hers? Mortifying if seen. Quick scan: all averted eyes, resting. Good.
"Uhht, uung..."
No shame? Laila loves exposure, thrives on fluster; Hanbyeol's innocently helping—don't discourage. I'll endure. Slit-side priest skirt draped between thighs, hiding panties—thank god. Plain skirt? One leg up exposes all. Nearby knights flushed, sneaking peeks; I blushed too. Laila licked lips up at me.
"Ivy's legs so supple. This angle... reminds of that night? Me kissing your instep, trailing up leg with smooches..."
Others watching; desperate:
"Hoozum..."
"Calf, knee, thigh..."
Ignoring, she kneaded softly, dipping waist snakelike, miming lips on shin. No contact, but warm breath and proximity sparked soft electricity. Pleading again:
"Hoozumleugeuh!"
"Hehe. Kidding."
I remembered that night hugged by her, but not in public. Not ignoring it, but embarrassed tears welled; glaring reproachfully, she beamed ecstatic.
"Ahh. That look gives me chills."
"Duh. I'll punch you."
"Kyaaak!"
Hanbyeol smacked Laila's back hard—thwack. Laila twisted gripping my leg; recoil unbalanced me. Both legs off ground, couldn't recover. Toppled opposite Hanbyeol onto bench—no roll, but chest drink spilled. Mine damp chest-down; Laila face-drenched.
"Hweeng! What the—!"
Lime-green rivulets trailed her face to neck down; reflexive apology.
"S-sorry."
"Why you sorry, sis? She got karma teasing."
Hanbyeol pouted blame, lowered my leg, magicked off residual after my purify. Glad for the grudge pettiness.
"You okay? Cold?"
"Sniff. Might catch cold—unless Ivy hugs me."
"Shut up. No arms for you, sis. Cold? Burn you?"
"Kyaaa! Not cold!"
No sharing me, though. Hanbyeol stroked my chest worriedly.
"Can't finish now. Get another?"
"Nah. Drawing eyes—time to go. Rested enough?"
"Ahem. Seems recovered; good to move. Records say half again distance to mob."
Nearby knight answered politely, minding surroundings. Over twenty knights and priests walking? Eye-magnet. Healthy parade version Iris mentioned. Unintended spectacle amused oddly. Massaged, my steps lighter. Massages don't fix cramps like heals, but mood boost. Max-level stats: exercise won't bulk or slim; buffs/debuffs tweak. Why ache? Not bad, but others struggled.
Citizens' warm gazes unhindered us to south gate: barren ahead. Dried grass, cracked earth where greenery should've been. Guards grumbled at 30m line from gate, anomaly beyond.
"Pope kidnapped Saintess, tortured unspeakably; god's wrath. Rescued, but pope unpunished, alive—hence this."
Daesik's PR? I'm fine; pope fell once, but hushed. Rumors theirs to sort. Focus: raid. Nodded vaguely, stated obvious to priests/knights. Raid leader duty.
"As seen, cross that line into rampaging fire spirit turf. Aggro-first mob; knights enter first, draw eyes. Hanbyeol, Laila: DPS on knight attack motions to minimize your aggro. Laila, new but please."
"Basics."
"Uh... got it, we'll try. Fighting spirits, teaming succubi—live long see all."
Hanbyeol instant; Laila too. No re-explain—nice. Priests next, clear orders:
"Ten priests: five pairs. Save AoE heals for emergencies; main your front knight, sub the two flanks. Three total. I'll call 1 to 5 if needed. Okay?"
"Easy. Just three."
"Easier than rabble."
"Why save AoE?"
Most got it; one queried. Knights tanking via heals? Quick nods. Max-level experience sped grasp—lucky.
"Enter."
My quiet word: knights drew weapons, shields forward, advanced. Instantly, the field blazed.