Spike, Applejack, Sunset and Fluttershy (as well as their animal allies; Sandra the wolf, Elizabeth the chicken, and the three white unicorns) arrived at a heavily guarded mausoleum at the base of the Forbidden Mountains. All of the enemies within the crypt were undead... and brutally fierce. Applejack had to fire arrows at almost rapid-fire speed just to stand a chance against the skeletal archers. And there was a new type of trap: giant scythes that swung like pendulums out of gaps in the walls to slice anything nearby. They were easy to dodge, but they activated irregularly so the heroes had no choice but to proceed slowly. They found Black Ice, foul cleric of the goddess Argent, in the central chamber; kneeling before an altar and praying to her. Clad in shadowy armor and wielding a rusted sword and shield, he looked like a depraved spawn of evil.

“Death to all who oppose Argent,” he chanted. “We bow before her supreme power and yield to her the blood of those who do not believe in her supremacy. We fear and obey those who command us, and slay those that are weak or of good persuasion. We will fell one foe at a time and keep all folk afraid, uneasy, and in constant strife. Glory to the Blood Moon, our lady Argent!”

Black Ice stood and turned to face Sunset Shimmer/Lady Sistine Sextus.

“So, you would destroy the army I have created in Argent’s name?” he asked. “Prepare for battle, child of light. Your goddess will fail you this fell night.”

Sunset used the basic fighter-to-fighter strategy of circling around him counter-clockwise (so she was always opposite his sword arm) and hacking at his side. Her Flaming Burst Adamantine Morning Star of Purity +4 (which was a fantastically powerful weapon) worked great, especially since its flames staggered Black Ice and prevented him from retaliating. He was dead within a few seconds.

After defeating Black Ice and his undead army, the four heroes ventured on, into the unknown. Eventually, they reached the path that led up the Forbidden Mountains, and the unicorns lowered so they could dismount. The mythical creatures nodded farewell to the heroes and then cantered back the way they came.

“We walk from here,” Spike told the three women.

As they began their ascent up the narrow mountain path, they soon realized that they were not alone. They heard howling in the distance, but it didn’t sound like any wolf they’d ever heard. As they rounded a corner on the path, they found it blocked by a pack of ravenous monsters.

“Gnolls,” Spike growled. “I hate gnolls.”

Gnolls were feral, hyena-headed humanoids that traveled in massive groups. They attacked settlements along the frontiers and borderlands of civilization, striking at random and without warning, plundering and slaughtering everything in their way and devouring their victims’ flesh. They swarmed like locusts, pillaging villages and leaving little behind but razed buildings, gnawed corpses, and befouled land. They chose easy targets; armored warriors holed up in a fortified castle would survive a rampaging gnoll horde unscathed while the towns and farms that surrounded them burned, their people murdered and eaten.

No goodness or compassion resided in the heart of a gnoll. Like demons, they lacked anything resembling a conscience, and they couldn’t be taught or coerced to put aside their destructive tendencies. Their frenzied bloodlust made them an enemy to all, and when they lacked a common foe, they fought among themselves. Even the most savage orcs avoided allying with gnolls.

Spike and the girls tried to move with caution as to not alert the gnolls to their presence, but the monsters’ already large numbers increased as they rounded another tight bend and ran into more unarmored gnolls accompanied by two of their tougher, armored cousins... and several ogres.

About nine to ten feet tall at the shoulder, weighing close to a thousand pounds, and strong enough to rip a tree out of the ground, ogres were savage, fearsome creatures known for their voracious appetites and foul tempers. As lazy of mind as they were strong of body, they were frequently found in the company of other evil humanoids (such as gnolls and bugbears) and were more than content to let those creatures do the thinking for them.

They lived by raiding, scavenging, and killing for food as well as pleasure. They ate almost anything, but they especially enjoyed the taste of dwarves, halflings, and elves. Their favorite method of attack was tossing giant boulders. In combat, ogres tended to smash anything in their way with their fists or great clubs; only rarely did an enemy survive one or two blows from those dim-witted brutes. They tended to not get along with their own kind, and that’s why they were often seen running with a pack of gnolls or wandering alone.

The gnolls were fairly easy to defeat one-on-one, but there was some difficulty when they started surrounding the four heroes. Fortunately, the narrow path presented an excellent opportunity for both ranged and spell attacks. Since it offered little room to maneuver, it was easier to strike the incoming beasts.

They continued down the path, pummeling more gnoll squads before tackling the ogres, until they finally came upon the pack lord—the alpha of the gnolls—who ruled with might and cunning, and earned the best of the spoils (food, valuable trinkets, and magic items). Its body was ornamented with brutal piercings and grotesque trophies, including a bloody necklace made up of body parts from its victims: ears, teeth, and scalps.

Spike fought the pack lord with his spells before switching to hand-to-hand combat. After slaying the pack lord, the group continued up to the summit where, all of a sudden, the landscape seemed to transform into a frozen wasteland.

“I’m... so... cold...” Fluttershy said.

“Why is it so cold?” Sunset asked. “I know we’re in the mountains, but it’s the middle of summer. There shouldn’t be a blizzard like this anywhere.”

Later that night, snow whipped around them as the temperature dropped and Spike, who had been leading the way, started slowing down. The snow was so cold it burned and the girls squinted as they tried to see through the flurries.

“How much further?” Sunset inquired.

“At least three miles,” Spike said back.

Applejack, who was worn-out, said, “We’ll get there in the morning.”

Fluttershy turned back to see Spike lagging behind them. Then she gasped when she saw him collapse in the snow. She tried to get a firm grip on him, but it was difficult with his smooth scales.

“Spike, wake up!” she shouted. “Girls, we’ve got to get him out of this wind! He can’t survive out here!”

Fluttershy was tripping over her own feet as she tried to help Spike up, who could barely stand. His character was a Dragonborn, which meant he was reptilian, and she knew the significance of reptiles getting too cold.

“If we don’t get him warmed up soon, he’ll die!” she cried.

Applejack looked up the snowy trail and saw a small cave just ahead. Spike faded in and out of consciousness as Sunset and Fluttershy each draped one of his arms over their shoulders and they pulled him into the cave.

Applejack had started tearing out roots that hung from the cave’s ceiling and Sunset cast a spell on the pile AJ had already accumulated with her fire magic. They tried warming Spike by the fire, but he lay motionless.

“He’s still cold!” Fluttershy exclaimed. “He’s barely breathing!” She put her ear to his chest. “I can’t hear his heartbeat!”

Spike seemed lifeless. The heat from the fire was not warming him up fast enough. Fluttershy tried to get him to wake up, but he didn’t respond. His body was starting to shut down. That’s when Fluttershy realized that Spike’s only chance was her own five-eight, 120 pounds of warmth. She knew what she had to do... and she started taking off her dress.

“We have to share our body heat!” she shouted.

Shivers rippled down Sunset and AJ’s spines as they watched Fluttershy remove Spike’s robe, then his pants.

“Spike, don’t you dare die on me!” she yelled furiously as she finished stripping him of his garments. “I won’t let you die! Open your eyes!”

“I can’t let him die! I won’t!” Fluttershy thought.

If that happened, she would never forgive herself. And she’d never be able to face Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, or any of the other girls.

Applejack and Sunset shared a look and started shedding their clothes too.

“Don’t worry, Spike,” Sunset said. “We’ll save you.”

“You poor, tortured creature,” Applejack whispered tearfully. “So strong, so brave, so tough in the face of danger...”

The girls wrapped themselves tight around Spike. Applejack and Fluttershy pressed their naked bodies against his chest as Sunset stroked his shaft before she climbed atop him. Then she plunged his cock into her eager, waiting orifice. She felt him glide into her warm, moist opening. She slid all the way down and then some. He was bigger in this form and it was heating her up.

She impaled herself on her lover; it was like fucking a fixed dildo that awaited her every move. Sunset knew she wasn’t going to last much longer as she moved her hips faster. Suddenly, her skin glowed as fire burst from her hair and shot up to the roof of the cave as she climaxed. Hard.

The heat from that magic burst started warming Spike up and the three women kept him from freezing until he regained consciousness. Finally, his eyes fluttered open. He was starting to come back to life. The last thing he remembered was passing out from the numbness of the snow. He was still so cold and exhausted that it took him a few seconds to fully comprehend what was going on.

“It’s us, Spike,” Applejack said.

“Where are my clothes?” he asked.

“We had to get you out of them,” Fluttershy replied.

“You would have frozen to death,” Sunset added.

“It was Fluttershy’s idea,” AJ said.

“Trust me, it works,” Fluttershy told him.

They gently covered him with their bodies again as they each tried to hold his hands in theirs.

“It’s kind of weird,” Fluttershy said. “This kind of thing wouldn’t happen in real life. Going to strange places, meeting a total stranger, and sleeping with them... Spike, can I ask you something?”

“I’m all ears,” he said weakly.

“Why did you risk being trapped in this game to save Micro Chips’ friend?”

“I can’t just sit back and watch someone die,” he answered. “I’d rather die alongside them than do nothing... especially if that someone is you.”

“You’re the only guy I know who would think that,” she said.

They cuddled even closer; a pile of warm, naked bodies.

“You’re so warm,” said Sunset, “even though we’re just a series of ones and zeroes in a virtual world.”

“I know,” he replied.

Spike’s hands roamed over their bodies. Their soft, warm skin; round, curvy asses; full, soft breasts; everything else didn’t matter, all that mattered was making them feel good—the same thing that was happening to him—hands caressing his body in the warm darkness of the cave, a pair of lips slowly moving to swallow his long, Dragonborn shaft... Spike gasped, feeling him slide into Fluttershy’s mouth. Sunset and Applejack cried as Spike’s fingers probed them between their legs while Fluttershy sucked him harder and harder until his hips bucked and stream after stream shot down her throat.

They made love, generating still more heat underneath thick, fur blankets. Unheard was the swirling wind. Forgotten was the immeasurable snow. Unfelt was the numbing cold. All that remained was a loving harem slowly working toward a perfect moment of intimate unity, and when AJ’s voice pierced the night air, Spike ground against her to prolong her release, keeping her full as he tugged at a nipple, riding her pleasure until he could no longer contain his own.

Spike was still inside Applejack as she, Sunset and Fluttershy collapsed in a heap under the fur blankets and drifted into slumber as Spike whispered, “Thank you for saving me.”

---

The girls awoke to find the blizzard had ended... and the cave full of monsters. Several goblins aimed spears at them while others wielded bows and arrows. But these goblins were very different from the ones they had previously encountered. These were tall, some as big as a human child, with leathery bat-like wings protruding from their backs, and clad in black half-plate armor. Some of them even had beards.

The heroines stared at the goblins, who were accompanied by a company of half-orcs, male and female. The half-orcs’ skin ranged from brown to green, with eye colors including brown, hazel, amber, red and even the quite rare blue. The males weighed between 250 and 300 pounds and stood anywhere from six to seven feet in height. They were large, massive, and frightening; wielding battle axes and war hammers in massive fists. The female half-orcs were a half-foot or so shorter and 50-100 pounds lighter than their male counterparts, had very shapely bodies, and long hair styled in thick braids.

Half-orc troops were among the finest in the Realms, often feared for their Berserker Rage. Their armor was thick and their shields were broad. Born warriors, they were a very strong-willed race. It was rare to find a timid half-orc; even the females were strong. They almost always followed their leader, no matter who the leader was or the choices that leader made. There was a time when orcs and half-orcs were common species, but were now rare.

To their enemies, they were brutal and fearsome opponents, without parallel in their ferocity and cunning. To their allies, they were noble and honorable. Though brutal in combat, they fought with a feral grace that equaled even the finest fencing of an Elven noble. For a half-orc, great skill in battle brought great honor. They prized honor over all other things in life - first to bring honor to their clan, and secondly bringing honor to the self and to their sense of self-worth as an individual. For a half-orc, personal reputation was as important as his or her clan, and most would fight to the death in defense of either. While half-orcs seemed quick to anger, they were tempered by the wisdom of their leaders and their shamans. Strength (both physical and mental), courage, initiative, and independence are prized traits in all half-orcs.

Four of the half-orc men stepped to the front of the group. The first (whose name the girls would learn later was Bahk Barash) was heavily tattooed, with dark green skin, a blue beard, and he wielded a war hammer. He was the tallest among them and the fiercest. Renowned as a great warrior, he spoke his mind plainly and was not one to suffer fools lightly. Intensely loyal, he possessed an unshakable belief in his chief’s leadership. A powerful and bruising fighter, Bahk had a natural tendency to distrust anyone who was not a half-orc and was particularly suspicious of dwarves and elves. Proud but brave, Bahk would bow to no one but those who had earned his respect.

The second and third (named Belian and Belril) were twin brothers, each as strong as 30 human men; strong enough to shatter stone walls, lift and catch boulders, and fight off scores of enemies at a time. The fourth, and the leader of the company, had green skin, brown eyes and black hair. His name was Belros.

“What business do a human barbarian, an elf cleric, and a half-elf druid have in our territory?” he asked. “Speak!”

“Give me your name, warrior, and I’ll give you mine,” Sunset replied.

Bahk stepped between Sunset and Belros, clutching his hammer, and said, “I’d knock your head off, elf, if it was a little higher off the ground.”

Applejack grabbed her bow and aimed an arrow at the half-orc, point-blank.

“You would die before your hammer fell!” she stated.

The shadow goblins and half-orcs would have killed Applejack if Spike hadn’t awoken at that very moment.

“Girls, what’s going on?” he yawned.

The shadow goblins and half-orcs gasped at the sight of Spike, lowered their weapons, then fell on their hands and knees and bowed their heads.

“We are not worthy!” they shouted.

“Uh, did I miss something?” Spike asked his harem.

Just then, a small creature floated into the cave from behind the monsters.

It was a fairy, more specifically a pixie.

Cheeky, silly, and a little tempestuous, pixies loved to dance, tell jokes, and be the center of attention. They resembled elves with gossamer wings like those of butterflies. Curious as cats and shy as deer, they liked to spy on other creatures. Though small (standing barely a foot tall), they were not to be trifled with because they could mess people up almost as well as their warrior cousins, the sprites.

Her hair was incredibly long and sleek and golden, her skin the color of honey, her eyes emerald, her green wings delicate, ears pointed, and she wore a form-fitting gown the color of autumn leaves. Spike thought he was looking at a tiny version of Applejack, right down to the freckles on her cheeks.

He gasped. “Fairy Princess Willowstream!”

“Fairy Princess?” Applejack, Sunset, and Fluttershy echoed.

“Your Highness, what are you doing here?” Belros asked.

“Please, there isn’t much time,” the Fairy Princess said. “They must speak with my father.”

Belros and his band gave Spike and the girls a few moments to get dressed. Then they escorted them from the cave and down the other side of the mountain.

“Sorry about the rough reception,” Belros apologized. “I’ve gotta keep out the riff-raff.”

The half-orcs led Spike’s group to a grove of oaks on the other side of the Forbidden Mountains, and nestled in the ring of trees was a large camp.

“Welcome to the home of the Brotherhood of Noble Monsters!” Princess Willowstream said.

Fluttershy’s jaw dropped as she looked at the numerous fairies, pixies, winged goblins, and half-orcs sitting in trees all around them. While the pixies had made their homes (practically a small city) in the boughs of the trees, the half-orcs and goblins had constructed crude huts for shelter. They passed a hut similar in design to Cinnamon Buns’ blacksmith forge; orcish smiths were prized for their craftsmanship. Then the women and children slowly came into view. A game of tag came to a halt when the children saw the newcomers, and the women spoke to one another in whispers.

“Are you serious? He’s really here?”

“Garbuncle? The wizard who defeated 20 Gelatinous Cubes single-handed?”

“Wow!”

Walking through the camp, the heroes passed several fire pits. Female fairies in colorful outfits followed them. They approached the center of the camp and the fairies swarmed Spike. Some of them knelt in front of him while others floated and ran their hands over him; and several of them wondered why their hearts were beating so fast.

“What’s gotten into me all of a sudden?” they thought.

Many of them blushed from a mere glance from Garbuncle.

“He looked at me! Is it because he’s a famous Dragonborn wizard? Is that why my heart’s throbbing out of control?”

Spike was feeling just as uncomfortable... but for different reasons. The pixies were mere inches from his face, staring at him dreamily, as if they had never seen a Dragonborn before. They couldn’t contain their excitement around him; their urge to introduce themselves and strike up a friendship was overwhelming.

The first pixie to approach him wore a dress made of rose pedals and she had scarlet hair and turquoise wings.

“I’m Firesong,” she said.

The second wore a dress of black bird feathers. She also had red hair and wings the color of yellow corn.

“I’m Honeypepper,”

The third pixie wore a dress stitched with bright orange crystals and had matching hair and wings.

“I’m Amberglow,”

And the fourth wore a bluebell-blue dress, had silver hair and translucent wings like a dragonfly.

“And I’m Morningdew,”

The four pixies reached for Garbuncle and rubbed their bodies all over him. They raised his hands and attempted to drive his fingers between their legs. Realizing that the pixies were using his hands to try to get themselves off, Spike quickly withdrew his fingers from them, but they continued to float close to him.

“What’s this?” a voice bellowed.

It was the leader of the Shadow Goblins! He was extremely tall, at least twelve feet, and muscular. He had the largest wings of them all, almost as big as a dragon’s; he had pointed ears like an elf, green skin, and was surprisingly handsome compared to his subjects. He wore gray chainmail armor, a long, crimson cloak, and he wielded a dark magic scepter with a crystal ball at the end.

“Who dares disturb the dominion of the great Goblin King?” he demanded.

“He’s a friend,” Belros said. “We found him wandering in the Mountains.”

Spike immediately bowed.

“Garbuncle the Great, at your service,” he said.

“The Son of the Serpent, the great Dragonborn wizard... to what purpose do you seek out the ruler of the goblin hordes?” the Goblin King asked.

Princess Willowstream floated up from behind Spike and his friends.

“Perhaps I can explain,” she said.

“Princess Willowstream! You snuck out again!” the Goblin King shouted.

“I know, and I’m sorry, Daddy,” she replied.

“‘Daddy’?” Spike, Applejack, Sunset and Fluttershy echoed.

“I shouldn’t have snuck out, and I’ll never do it again, I promise,”

“As of now, you are officially grounded for one year,” the Goblin King stated. “But I’m glad you’re safe, my little princess.”

He smiled as she kissed him on the cheek.

“Please, Your Majesty,” Belros interjected. “We should go inside to talk.”

The Goblin King nodded and he led Spike and company into the largest hut at the foot of the tallest tree in the grove.

“Aratona, we have company!” Princess Willowstream called out.

As the Goblin King took a seat near the head of the table, the heroes were met by a beautiful half-orc woman with green skin, brown eyes, and long blue hair in a French braid.

“Belros!” she said. “We’ve been so worried about you! Come and sit down, you all must be hungry.”

Applejack, Sunset and Fluttershy took their seats while Spike chose to stand.

“I know you’ve traveled a long way,” Aratona said, “the least I can do is offer you something to eat and a place to rest.”

Spike nodded. “I’d appreciate that.”

“I’m sorry, I haven’t even asked your name,” she added. “I hope you don’t think I’m always this rude. It’s not every day we get visitors here.”

“Don’t apologize,” Spike chuckled. “I’m Garbuncle.”

Aratona stared at him with wide eyes.

“If I’d known the son of the Serpent was going to be in my house...”

“It looks fine to me,” he told her.

“Even with only half a roof?” she asked, pointing to a hole in the ceiling.

“I thought that was something to enjoy the stars by,” he replied.

“I wish it was. This place is always falling apart. But I guess we’re no worse than the rest of the Brotherhood. There are too many jobs and not enough people,”

“Then let us give you a hand before we go back on the road,” Spike said.

“You know, you don’t have to,” Aratona replied.

“It’s the least we can do to repay your hospitality,” said Applejack.

“Well, any friend of the Great Garbuncle’s is a friend of ours,” Belros told them. “We’re glad to help however we can. But, I need your help. We need your help. But we’ll talk more about that later. Right now, let’s eat!”

Spike finally sat down as the camp’s main cook, a male half-orc called Kal, came in with another set of half-orc twins, Balok and Talok. Each was balancing several plates on each arm. There was steak, the finest cuts from the wilds; as well as salmon, turkey, venison, chicken eggs, rabbit stew, wedges of cheese, and wine. The sweet aroma of the food made their mouths water.

“Thank you,” Spike said humbly.

Sunset took a plate from Applejack, who then passed along a plate of fresh-baked loaves of bread, still warm from the oven. AJ noticed Fluttershy staring uneasily at the various meats.

“Try it,” she said, “just a bite.”

“I can’t stand the thought of eating meat,” Fluttershy replied.

“You’ve got to get your protein somehow,” Sunset added.

“It’s against my principles,” she protested.

“This is more than they eat in a month,” Spike told her. “They’re starving.”

Fluttershy was trying hard to not be rude while Spike tried hard to not glare at her. Hospitality was considered one of the greatest honors that could be bestowed in half-orc society.

“You’re insulting them,” he said. “And you’re insulting me.”

“We do have some greens,” Aratona put in.

Fluttershy thanked Aratona as she stepped out for a moment and brought back a salad, as well as plate of garlic, potatoes, carrots, red apples, and various berries, and a bowl of potato soup. The meal was delicious, and there was plenty; so much that it was difficult to believe that the clan was on the brink of starvation.

As they ate, Belros spoke of how he and his band came across Spike’s party in the Forbidden Mountains.

“Nephew, let him tell his story,” Aratona said.

“Well, there’s not much to tell,” Spike replied. “Although, Your Highness,” he addressed the Goblin King, “in our travels, we have stumbled upon several packs of goblins without wings. As ruler of the goblin hordes, I was hoping you could tell us why they attacked us.”

“The wingless goblins who attacked you are not my people - once perhaps, but no longer,” the Goblin King answered. “They have chosen to serve Razer, the Red Death. He has great power, terrible anger...”

The red dragon Discord, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Starlight and Twilight met back at Broodmare Manor.

“What does he want with your people?” Fluttershy asked.

“He gives them weapons of metal, so they may take cities for him. Now they slay trees, build great wooden machines that throw spears and rock... He leads them to war, a war they cannot win. He will make the sky rain with their blood, turn them into a feast for the vultures,” the Goblin King said.

Suddenly, a gray-skinned, white-haired half-orc entered the meeting hall. He wore a robe and hooded cloak of deep crimson and he wielded a long wooden staff as well as a battle axe.

“Who are ye?” he demanded. “Tell me what yer doing here, or my axe will be the one askin’ next!”

“We are from Selena’s Gate,” Sunset explained. “I am Lady Sistine Sextus, cleric of Celeste. This is Lady Jacqueline of Clan Applesmith, and Lady Fauna Silentflyer. We came with Garbuncle to investigate disturbances in the region.”

The white-haired half-orc stared at her, almost as if he were examining her.

“Hmmmn... Ye don’t have the look of the dark elves about ye,” he said. “My name is Vrelok. As shaman of the Wolfswift Clan, my job is to deal with all dangers that threaten the chief and his people. So you have my attention.”

It was then that the half-orc chief, Thoendithas Wolfswift, father of Belian and Belril, and uncle to Belros, entered the hut. Clad in black leather armor, standing at just over six feet tall and weighing in at 240 pounds, the green skin, sloping forehead, jutting jaw, and towering build made his orcish heritage plain to see. True, he had a strong streak of human blood in his veins, and he found the daylight less bothersome than most of his kind did, but like many half-orcs, he was judged by his strength, fierceness and wit. Some said that he was as strong as seven elephants. When it came to combat, Thoendithas prioritized cunning and efficiency over brute strength. He would rather make one precise strike, placing it exactly where it would hurt his opponent the most rather than wear them down with a barrage of attacks.

“Husband, look who’s here,” Aratona said.

“Garbuncle!” he exclaimed. “Can it be you have come back to us? I fear you have returned in a dark hour.”

“Thoendithas, I remember you,” Spike replied. “It has been too long. What happened here? Where is the rest of the Wolfswift Clan?”

“This camp is all that remains of our clan - we were forced to fall back when a patrol of dark elves invaded our Hall,” the half-orc chief explained as he took his place at the head of the table. “It started with them raiding our crop supplies and pillaging our food stores, leaving us to starve during the winter months.”

“But stealing our food wasn’t enough!” Princess Willowstream exclaimed. “Once they had a little power over us, all they wanted was more, more, more!”

The Goblin King motioned for his daughter to calm down and she did.

“Scores of us fell beneath their poisoned blades, and they knew when and how to strike us... we were forced to collapse all exits save one, and regroup here in the forest,” Thoendithas went on. “Now only a handful of us remain.”

“We came here to seek the source of troubles that have been plaguing Selena’s Gate recently,” Sunset said. “Perhaps these troubles and the attack of these dark elves are linked.”

“Turn back from here, travelers,” Vrelok told them. “The Hall is closed and there’s nothing for ye here.”

“I will not abandon my friends to the dark elves,” Spike said to Thoendithas. “Let my allies and I enter the Hall and we’ll drive them out of there ourselves.”

“In exchange for what?” the Goblin King inquired.

“A trade; we will drive the dark elves from the Hall of the Half-Orcs in return for the Jade Tiger within,” Spike replied.

“Most honorable and noble wizard, you tempt powers beyond your grasp,” the Goblin King growled. “You know not the forces you are dealing with.”

“Peace, Your Highness,” Thoendithas said. “Garbuncle: if you can slay the dark elves and recover the Hall, my clan will be able to claim it as our own again. You will be a hero among heroes and we can begin crafting in the earnest once more, sell our goods, pay off our debt to those elves, and clear the Wolfswift name once and for all!”

“We won’t ask for yer help, travelers, but if ye could help us drive those shadow-cloaked demons back into the depths, we’d welcome the extra blades,” Vrelok added.

“Getting back into the Hall is the second of our troubles,” Thoendithas continued. “One of the clan elders, Thoven, took the key for the Hall entrance with him, when he and three of our clan went to climb that peak in the distance.”

“Why did they leave the camp?” Sunset asked.

“They seek to light the signal fire and summon our brothers from the East. Trouble is, it’s been near a day and a half, and I’ve seen no signal fire from the top of the peak. I fear they may have been ambushed on the way there,” Thoendithas said. “Without the signal fire, we can expect no aid from the nearby towns, and without the key, we cannot even re-enter the Hall to try and take it back from the drow. We need to get word to our brothers, to send whatever soldiers they can. If you’ll do that, we’ll be in your debt.”

“Can the door to the Hall be forced?” Applejack asked.

“The gate to the Hall was sealed with no ordinary key. Merely touching it to the gate causes the cracks and spaces of the gate to become solid stone - not even a battering ram could break the gate now,” Thoendithas replied. “It keeps us from entering, but at least it keeps the drow trapped in the Hall... for now.”

“First thing in the morning, we will go in search of Thoven and his band and see if we can persuade him to let us use the key to enter the Hall,” Spike said.

“You are going nowhere,” Applejack stated. “You aren’t even close to fully recovered from that fall in the snow. You have to regain your strength. I’ll take Sunset and Fluttershy and we’ll find Thoven and his band.”

Spike agreed. After the meal, Aratona showed the girls to their quarters while Princess Willowstream made Spike a leafy nest-bed high up in the tree right next to her apartment.

“There. How’s that? Comfy?” she asked.

“It’s fine, Princess,” Spike replied solemnly.

The look on his face did not convince her. She started placing tiny kisses on his forehead before slowly working her way down his neck until he turned away from her. He could still feel her eyes on him.

“Garbuncle, what’s wrong?”

“I’m not a good wizard,” he said. “I can’t even survive in the snow.”

“You are a good wizard,” she replied.

“I’m lucky you were there with the others when they found us. If you hadn’t been, who knows what would have happened,”

“I’ll tell you what, if a monster ever tries to harm you, I’ll save you,” she said. “You can count on it.”

“But, then you’d be in danger because of me,” he said sadly. “Everyone would be better off if I wasn’t around.”

Princess Willowstream frowned.

“Come with me. I want to show you something,”

Using her fairy magic, she levitated Spike down from her tree and back to the ground. He walked with her until they came to a tree; one that had fallen and had been dead for quite some time.

“This tree used to stand here, all by itself,” she began.

“What happened to it?”

“Well, one day there was a big storm, and the wind pushed on the tree until it finally blew over,” Willowstream said. “But now, look over here.”

She led him through the half-orc camp until they were back at the place where they’d had dinner.

“This is the strongest tree in this forest, because it has many trunks, all working together, lifting its leaves into the sky. And, like the shadow goblins, pixies and half-orcs, all of the trunks are different. Some are thin, some are thick, some twisted, some straight... but they all help make the tree strong, strong enough to weather any storm,” she said. “Like friends... like a family. You need your friends, Garbuncle, and your friends need you.”

“Nobody needs me,”

“I do,” she replied. “And I always will.”

She hugged his snout with her whole body as he noticed a young female half-orc of eighteen with brown eyes and a streak of black in her blue hair practicing her swordsmanship.

All half-orcs, regardless of gender or station, were expected to pull their own weight and weakness was considered a grave liability. There was no discrimination between genders in their society: women were able to pursue the same career choices as men, rise to positions of power, and were even expected to answer to the call for battle just as the men were.

“Give me your sword,” Spike said to her.

The teenage half-orc complied as she held it out to him.

“What is your name?” he inquired.

“Marony, daughter of Leoamrus, Great Dragonborn,” she replied. “My father believes we will not survive much longer. He believes that it is hopeless.”

“Is that what you believe?” Spike asked her.

“Thoendithas has led us this far; he has not led us astray,” she answered.

She watched the fireflies for a moment before her gaze wandered up the Forbidden Mountains, to where the Hall of the Half-Orcs was.

“When I was a girl, that place always used to give me nightmares,” she said. “Dark elves creeping down the mountains to climb through my window at night...”

Spike twirled Marony’s sword in his hand.

“This is a good sword,” he said as he gave it back to her. “There is always hope, Marony, daughter of Leoamrus.”

They exchanged smiles before Spike and Princess Willowstream returned to the tree and drifted into a sound sleep.

---

Applejack awoke when a firm hand made sound contact with her naked derriere. She jerked up and discovered Spike was standing over her, fully dressed from his emerald robe down to a pair of black leather hunting boots.

“‘Tis morning, my love, and we have things to do. Get up!”

It wasn’t morning at all. There was only the palest flicker of soft light finding its way into the grove. AJ hadn’t risen so early in a very long time. Not since she picked apples before dawn to save her mother, father and big brother the labor after she failed to catch the Great Seedling.

“You’ve been out already?” she asked.

“Aye, milady, I have. The hunting is best in the very early morning, when the creatures of the forest awake to break their own fasts of the eve,” he said. “You should join us next time, after you girls return from the peak.”

“Spike, don’t forget, we’re here to find Micro Chips’ friend and get out,” AJ reminded him.

“Sorry, you’re right, I don’t know what came over me,” he apologized.

Applejack flushed a bit. “I will get dressed.”

Spike sighed with drama before he kissed her, sweetly, deeply and tenderly, and left her to dress. As she rubbed the cheek that Spike had spanked, Applejack found herself turned on by it, and began to wonder if he would spank her more often when they got back to the real world. And that kiss... it was sweet, enflaming, and it sent a surge of molten flame streaking through her.

After AJ, Sunset and Fluttershy dressed, they joined Spike, Princess Willowstream, Thoendithas, Aratona, Vrelok, and the Goblin King for breakfast. When the meal was finished, Thoendithas was the first to rise, pulling back his wife’s chair. Vrelok approached the three heroines and handed them each a vial filled with a dark purple, almost black liquid.

“Take these,” he told them. “They’re recall potions. Simply take a sip and ye will be teleported back here. Ye can use them again to return to the location ye recalled from.”

The girls thanked him.

“I wish ye luck,” he added. “And may Clopgeddin’s twin axes bury themselves in yer enemies!”

Before they departed, Sunset noticed Spike looking sad.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Nothing,” he lied quickly.

Sunset swore. “I wish I knew what it was that could unlock your mind.”

“You have everything!” Spike shouted. “You have even that which I would hold back—”

“Exactly! You try to hold back,”

“I’m not allowed to do so?” he asked bitterly.

“Spike, you are a handsome, compassionate man, and nothing else beyond that matters!” she told him.

Spike lowered his gaze, for he knew that she was as honest as AJ, and that she was not mocking him.

“Humanoids are so complicated,” Princess Willowstream said. “Honestly, your very psychology is confusing. Why do you act so horribly to each other when all you want is companionship?”

“What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked.

“If it were me,” she said, kissing Garbuncle on the cheek, “I’d do that. It’s simple, straightforward, and efficient.”

“That’s an amazing point of view,” Fluttershy said. “Do all pixies act like that, or just around Garbuncle?”

“No, it’s just me,” Spike replied.

Sunset forced a smile and told Spike that they would be back soon. She and Applejack prayed that Spike didn’t see that they were both seething as they walked. It had not occurred to them that he might do to other women, more specifically those horny pixies and (rather attractive) female half-orcs what he had done to them and Fluttershy. They were dismayed at the rage that swept through them. He could not! He couldn’t desire those NPCs over them! He would never!

Applejack’s teeth were grating as she, Sunset and Fluttershy began their ascent up the mountain in search of Thoven, his band of half-orcs, and hopefully the key to the Hall. As they moved along the road, the lush green forest quickly turned into stark, icy blue snow. They continued until more gnolls emerged from both sides of the road and the girls took them down one at a time. They kept moving until they encountered a small encampment further up the path. It was filled with gnolls, but also stocked with chests of gold. After they defeated the monsters in the camp, they continued down the narrow, winding path up the mountain, which mirrored the way they came from White Tail Woods—before Spike almost froze to death. They battled each foe that attempted to block their way as they ascended the steep incline to the plateau about halfway up.

A few more gnolls appeared as they neared the upper plateau; they slayed them and proceeded up the snowy path. Sunset’s area-effect spells served them well, especially since it was very easy to become overwhelmed by an attack from multiple opponents. Monsters typically attacked in groups, making it wise to use ranged weapons and attacks to weaken them before closing for melee combat. A little further up, a large group of yetis tried to dissuade them from continuing.

Yetis could smell living flesh from miles away, and their snow-white fur let them move like ghosts against the frozen landscape. These hulking, furry bipedal beasts boasted both close-range melee and ranged attacks. Their special ability was to toss giant snowballs over long distances, which could temporarily freeze opponents and slow their movements.

Sunset dodged the icy boulders and countered the monsters with her Ball Lightning, Lightning Bolt, Burning Hands, Fireball, Flame Strike attacks, as well as her other lightning and fire-based spells. More yetis protected the last stretch; they took swipes at Applejack with their huge claws, but she sliced through them. After dispatching the final yeti, the three women pressed on.

---

The Sun’s rays shined through the trees and a few leaves fell from the branches as Spike prepared the afternoon meal, and cooked it upon a stone he had transformed into a makeshift grill, which he proved to be quite manly at. There was always something to do: since dawn he’d helped Belros hunt for food, saw logs, the animals had to be attended, and candles and soap had to be made. With Garbuncle in charge of the laborers, the camp quickly became more habitable.

“I have prepared steaks, hamburgers and veggie burgers,” he said. “I have also grilled hot dogs.”

“Are they good?” Bahk inquired.

“Are they good?” Spike echoed. “Words fail me.”

“They smell good,” one of the shadow goblins commented before taking a bite. “Ah! Hey! Now that’s what I call FOOD!!”

“I’ll have a hot dog,” Belian said.

“Me too,” Belril added.

“Such bravery,” Vrelok said. “I’ll take two.”

The women spoke in whispers and watched in awe as Spike cooked and served up the food.

“Boy, he’s a sight for sore eyes, isn’t he?”

“I’d almost forgotten what a real man looked like,”

“Why don’t you go and talk to him?”

“Oh, no. Why don’t you?”

“No, you go,”

“I don’t think I can,”

Marony approached Spike with a leather wineskin.

“You must be thirsty, Garbuncle,” she stammered. “I brought you something to drink.”

He thanked her and took a swig as Princess Willowstream floated up to him.

“I need to talk to you,” she said.

Belros offered to take over the grill and Spike agreed.

“Where’s he going?” one of the women asked.

And one by one, they all groaned in disappointment.

Spike followed Princess Willowstream until they came to a clearing in the grove where Firesong, Honeypepper, Amberglow and Morningdew were waiting. He was a little uneasy being alone with them.

“You want to be able to survive in the cold?” Willowstream began. “Well, Morningdew has agreed to teach you how to use ice magic. Once you master that, you will be that much closer to your goal.”

Spike thought it was a good idea, especially since two of the spells in his arsenal were Icy Sphere and Snowblind.

Morningdew made a few gestures with her fingers and a snowball appeared in her right hand. She threw it, hitting a target upon a distant tree dead center.

“Aim low; the first few throws will kick back,” she warned him. “Take care, lest you give yourself frostbite.”

Spike concentrated and aimed low as she had suggested. His claw ignited with ice and a frigid globe of cold energy the size of a sling stone flew from his fingertips. There was a mighty roar, tremendous recoil, and it sent him flying backward, to the ground.

“You get used to it,” Morningdew said as Spike got to his feet. “Try again.”

Spike was exhausted by the time he did not fall back with the kick of the spells’ power.

“Now, you’re ready,” Princess Willowstream said.

Silently, the five fairies led Spike back to the tree he was staying in and Willowstream poured each of them a cup of wine.

“We’d like to toast you... to Garbuncle!” she said.

“To Garbuncle!” they echoed.

Before Spike could bring the chalice to his lips, the liquid floated out of it in tiny bubbles that hovered around him.

“Now, open wide and savor the taste of each drop,” Willowstream said.

That’s when Spike understood her (and the others’) intentions. The pixies looked so innocent, but they venerated the Dragonborn like a god, with effigies in his honor, performing sexual rituals for him. His presence took those rites even further. They became even more inhibited, desperate to give in to their desires. They couldn’t get enough from their rituals anymore.

They all had strong feelings for him... warm, but also lustful, an obsession.

“Are all the women in this video game so perverted?” Spike thought.

Willowstream made a few gestures with her fingers and Spike’s robe flew open via her magic.

“Wow, I almost forgot what a nice figure you have,” she breathed. “Why don’t you give me a kiss?”

When Spike refused to give in to her, the pixie Princess decided to take stronger measures.

“Okay, girls, the treatment,”

The five fairies suddenly grew to the point that they were as large as humans, and their clothes disappeared.

“Hey, wait, wait. Wait a minute. Whoa, whoa, whoa... Hey, hey, be careful,” Spike protested. “Whoa! Hey! Ooh! Okay, you can look, but don’t touch.”

Princess Willowstream clung to him, her arms about his neck, her bare breasts crushed to his chest. Her skin was so soft and she buried her face against his neck until he finally couldn’t fight back anymore.

---

Meanwhile, another pack of gnolls and their ogre companion greeted Applejack, Sunset and Fluttershy on the summit. The girls quickly defeated them and continued to a clearing ahead, where they found a small cave near the peak of the mountain. They found the half-orc elder Thoven inside, wounded and weary.

“Stay back - I’ve still enough strength ta gut ye...” he said.

“We’re here to help you, Thoven,” Sunset said. “Let us tend your wounds.”

“There’s no time for that! Ye... ye’ve come too late... I’m nearly done. Thrice-damned ogres... too many of ‘em. Ye need to light the signal fire atop the peak, or else the Clan will be butchered by those dark elves as soon as they find a way out of the Hall!”

“We have already volunteered to go into the Hall, Thoven,” Fluttershy said. “We just need the key you have.”

The half-orc didn’t reply.

“Thoven, where’s the key to the Hall?” Applejack asked.

“I... don’t have it. One of the others has it. We were attacked by a dragon atop the peak... an ice dragon. It froze the one holding the key in a block of ice... ye’ll need to light the signal fire to get to his body,”

“How do we light the signal fire?” Fluttershy inquired.

“Me band... each one of my men was carrying fuel and tinder for the watchtower... find them and get it from them. Take this flask from me... ye’ll need it to fuel the flames,”

“Very well,” Applejack said. “We’ll find your fallen brothers and light the signal fire as quickly as we can.”

“Thank ye, strangers... the hopes of me people rest on yer shoulders,”

“We will see to it they are saved,” Sunset promised. “Rest easy, Thoven.”

Thoven’s eyes fluttered shut. His wounds were too great for him to be saved.

The girls exited the cave and made their final climb to the signal fire tower. There, they found a trio of corpses; the three slain members of Thoven’s party. They held the items necessary to light the signal fire: Drak held the flint, Fekk held the torch, and Tolkoth, the one frozen in the block of ice, was the one who held the key which opened the door into the Hall of the Half-Orcs. With the oil flask, flint, and torch in hand, the girls had everything needed to light the fire and melt the ice surrounding Tolkoth. They lit the fire, which defrosted Tolkoth and melted the ice imprisoning him and the hall key.

After acquiring the key, the girls used their recall potions to return to the half-orc camp. It tasted like cough syrup. Grape-flavored cough syrup.

Spike was awaiting them in the meeting hall when they returned. He sat at the table sipping wine with Vrelok and Thoendithas, who offered the women something to eat and drink while they spoke about the mission. Spike poured the girls each a glass of wine as they sat beside him at the table.

“I saw the signal fire alight upon the slopes... and ye have brought the key,” Vrelok said. “But tell me... did any of the men from the expedition survive?”

“No, some were slain by a dragon, and the rest were killed by ogres upon the slopes,” AJ replied. “They fought bravely, but their opponents outnumbered them.”

“More deaths our enemies shall answer for. Ye have done enough, travelers, no need for ye to risk yourselves for our clan any longer,” said Vrelok.

“Vrelok, we wish to enter the Hall and help your people - the drow may decide to leave the Hall before the reinforcements arrive, and we cannot allow that,” Fluttershy replied firmly.

“Very well, then. I’ll not argue with one with fire in the eyes such as ye - simply hold the key in your left hand as ye approach the gate, then push it into the stone door - it should melt inside and the door will open itself. Luck be with ye,”

“We will return when the drow are driven from the Hall,” Sunset stated.

“And we will pray for your success,” Thoendithas added.

They finished the last of the wine, then Spike and the girls stood up and departed for the entrance to the Hall of the Half-Orcs. Spike inserted the key into the door. Upon turning the key, the magic protection around the hall door began to fade away... along with the stone. Once the door had been unlocked, they entered the hall to begin the next stage of their adventure.

Unfortunately, the act of doing so awakened a new menace in the distance...

Next Chapter: Ogres & Oubliettes: Dark Alliance, Act V Estimated time remaining: 7 Hours, 18 Minutes