The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

“So, is she going to be all right?” Kyle asked Anadriel, once they were safely back within the confines of the guild hall, as the rather dazed blonde made her way back to her room. “She’s had a pretty rough time.”

“Concerned are you?” Anadriel asked, eyebrows raised. “And here I thought you were the loner type these days, the kind that avoids unwanted attachments?”

Kyle grunted, glancing away. “Who said I was concerned? It’s more a question of self preservation. I only met her yesterday, and this is the second time I’ve been dragged into saving her.” He crossed his arms at his chest. “If this becomes a regular thing, I might have to start a tab. And speaking of which... I believe I’m owed a favor for services rendered.”

“Services... rendered,” Rald muttered, disdain heavy in his voice. “Hmph. Should have known the reward would be first and foremost on your mind. Damned mercenary...”

“Exactly,” Kyle nodded in agreement. “Nothing in life if for free, after all. And yet, I notice that you came to me, a non-guild member, instead of relying on your own people.“

Rald and Anadriel shared a look, confirming what Kyle already suspected. “So you don’t trust your own people,” he continued, sighing heavily. “What is it? Some kind of internal power struggle?”

“Something like that,” Anadriel admitted reluctantly. “With any large guild there are bound to be a few malcontents, people not satisfied with the status quo. There are always some that resent my being the head of the guild, that think they could do a better job. Nothing new there.” She shrugged. “What is worrying, however, are rumors that several of the malcontents were seen conversing with members of the Viridian Sun two days ago, before the attempted capture of Nora and the ambush at Snow Point.”

Ah. So she’s at least figured that much out. “I did warn you earlier to be careful,” Kyle reminded her.

“Did you know what he had planned beforehand?” Rald asked, scowling. “That Viridian Sun would ambush us at the meeting?”

Kyle scowled right back at him. “If you’re asking if I knew exactly what Marion had planned before his attack, and merely waited ’til the last possible second to save your sorry asses just to make myself look good, the answer is no. It turns out he’d been keeping watch over your guild for a while, and when he saw me leave the other day, he tried to ambush me and force me into a duel. And I think you’re all aware now of how that ended.” His brief smile faded. “But if you were insinuating that I knew what he was up to because I’m working for him, then you’ve gravely insulted me, and I demand an apology.”

“An... an apology?” Rald sputtered, incredulously. “Of all the... don’t presume to speak to me as if we’re equals, grunt,” he replied imperiously. “Just because the Lady Anadriel is an old friend, and has allowed you to step foot within this hallowed halls does not mean that I—”

“Enough!” Anadriel snapped, irritated at the squabbling. “Both of you. Kyle, we appreciate your help, we truly do, but with Nora back safe within the guild, our business is concluded. Name your reward, and let’s be done, shall we?”

“Fine,” Kyle replied with a smirk. “Then what I request... is a sparring match.”

“What? Sparring?”

“Yes, a practice duel, just like the old days,” he replied, opening his player menu. “Non-lethal attacks only. Your sorcery versus my sword. And... to make it fair, let’s make it two-on-one, you and Rald versus me.” He sent his request over the network. “So? Do you accept?”

“Such impertinence!” Rald growled, his frustration getting the better of him. “Do you actually think yourself the match for the guildmaster and myself? You might be an able fighter, but you are certainly not in the same league as Lady Anadriel!”

“Then prove me wrong, and accept my challenge,” Kyle replied back, drawing his sword, which flashed blue, denoting its non-lethal status.

Anadriel merely chuckled, opening her menu. “Very well. I accept. I’d thought you would ask for something serious, like some ridiculous amount of gold or jewels. But if all you want is to test your skills against ours, so be it.” Her eyes flashed as she accepted, her staff glowing a deep resonant blue. “I’m actually looking forward to seeing what you’re capable of.”

Muttering softly to himself, Rald likewise accepted the challenge, drawing his claymore which likewise flashed blue. “Very well. Let’s get this over with shall we?”

“Yes, let’s!” Kyle yelled, moving, zipping across the room in an instant. He appeared before Rald, lashing out with an overhand strike nearly before the knight could react. Nearly. Managing to bring up his blade at the last second, he managed to deflect a potentially duel ending blow. Growling, he parried then lashed out with a strike of his own, only to miss, striking air as Kyle danced away, moving back out of range.

And into Anadriel’s.

“Got you!” she cried, unleashing a levinbolt spell, targeting the nimble Shadowchaser. A simple spell, little more than a minor irritant to a moderately bodied fighter, it was more than enough to finish someone with a little life energy as Kyle. Or...so she thought. To her surprise, the spell fizzled out before striking him, leaving the Spellsword completely unharmed. “Wh... what? That... that’s impossible!” she blurted out, charging her mana for a second spell. How did my spell fail? There’s no way his magic resistance can be higher than my magic index! Even with any bonuses his weapon and armor give him, I should easily outclass him! She lashed out again, this time with a twin attack of fire and ice, strafing the field, only to again gape in shock as Kyle stood in the center of the maelstrom, completely untouched.

“Bloody hell!” she growled, abandoning subtlety, marshalling her powers, preparing for an area attack that would cover the entire audience hall, mentally daring Kyle to withstand THIS blast. Kyle, however, merely smiled, feeling the buildup of power, the move he’d expected, hell, had deliberately provoked. Rushing forward, he moved towards Anadriel, who, in the midst of casting, had left herself wide open to attack.

“I won’t let you touch her!” Rald shouted, moving in swiftly, interposing himself between Kyle and his guildmaster. Focusing all his might, he unleashed his strongest attack, a rapid-fire series of sword slashes, at attack to decimate even the hardiest of opponents. His opponent, however, merely smiled, parrying each strike with apparent ease, blocking each blow before slipping behind him, delivering a stinging attack of his own to the knight’s unprotected flank. Rald gasped, stunned physically and mentally, staggering away. A critical hit, not enough to be fatal, but strong enough to stagger him, and leave him temporarily weak and helpless. Gasping, wind knocked out of him. he could only watch as the black clad upstart moved past him to strike at his helpless leader—

“Reverbero,” Anadriel said in a strong clear voice, as her staff flashed with power.

Struck hard with a power force, Kyle flipped end over end, launched into the air, before coming to rest gently back on his feet. Nodding gently, he took a moment to dust himself off, then grinned. “Not bad, Dri,” he commended her, placing his blade back in its sheath. “Not bad at all. Quick thinking, abandoning your slow attack spell for a much faster defensive shield at the last second. And of course, your partner there bought you enough time to make that split second change and get it off just in the nick of time. Impressive. Very impressive.” Tapping his menu, he clicked the ‘concede’ option, signaling a forfeit.

“What? You’re giving up?” she asked in surprise. “Just like that? After a single attack?”

“Yep,” he said with a sigh. “I’ve seen what I needed to see. You win this one, Dri. Thanks for the match. If you don’t mind, I’ll see myself out.” With that, he made his way down the hallways towards the entrance. Watching his go, Anadriel merely shook her head.

“Well... that was strange,” Rand replied, rubbing idly at his sword arm. “He is quite strong for a mere peasant... but in the end, he proved no match for your might, my Lady.”

“Really?” Anadriel said softly, turning back towards her own chamber. “I wonder...”

“My Lady?” Rald inquired.

“He wasn’t even trying, Rald,” the elven guildmaster replied with a deep scowl. “Trading blows with you a few times and then a single charge? He didn’t even cast any spells, and if his magic index is high enough to resist my lower level spells, then his magic must be at a level near to my own.” She sighed deeply. “And even with sword skills alone, he showed more of his ability against the White Grave members than he did just now.“

Despite Kyle’s praise, she was well aware of how close he’d come to taking her out a moment ago. One of the drawbacks of being a Sorceress was needing a tank, a bodyguard to shield her long enough to cast her spells unimpeded. Before today, it had never been an issue, as her party members were more than capable of holding off any would-be attackers the few seconds it took for her magic to utterly destroy them. And while Rald had indeed done his job, giving her the time she needed, she was also acutely aware that, had this been more than a simple sparring match, had Kyle actually been as serious against them as he’d been earlier in the White Graves’ dungeon... things might have very well turned out differently.

Kyle... was this just your way of sizing me up? Getting a look at the competition before the Obelisk Cup? She scowled at that, thinking. Well, Kyle, old friend or not, next time we meet, don’t expect me to hold back...

“Dammit!” Marion growled loudly, slamming a massive fist against the heavy oak desk at which he sat. “Miserable weakling wretches! Unable to catch one weak little girl and bring her back here?” He whirled away from the display in disgust, the notice sent from contacts confirming the obvious—that the minion’s he contracted to snatch the little healer girl had failed miserably.

And its all due to the interference of that kid... Shadowchaser, he fumed inwardly. He’s nothing more than a little flea, but his interference is becoming troublesome. I may need to take steps to have him removed from the equation...

“Well, Marion, dear, that’s what happens when you send mere minions to do the job of a boss,” Vale Stormsinger, his second in command, purred, sidling up next to him, running a long fingered hand lightly across his cheek, lovingly caressing the small narrow scar. “If this girl is so important to you, you should let me go after her.“

Marion scoffed, pulling away. “Do I look like an imbecile to you?” he snapped, shaking his head. “I need the girl brought back to me intact... as in ALIVE and WELL, and fully capable of using her powers for my benefit! All you ever bring me are useless corpses.”

If she took offense to such a statement, the blonde snow pale skinned elf didn’t show it. “Well, corpses aren’t completely useless you know,” she commented, still smirking. “It just requires you to be creative in your use of them.” She laughed at his expression. “I’m joking of course. If you really and truly need her alive and intact, I suppose I could... resist my urges enough to bring her back for you. And anyway, even ‘roughed up’ a little, she’s a healer right? Nothing she couldn’t heal, regenerate or simply grow back, right?“

Marion sighed deeply. Sometime he really wondered why he kept such a free ranged psycho around with him. Well, she does have her uses, he reasoned. And there are few that can match her fighting skill and ferocity—better to have her with me than against me. And she’s loyal. Minions may come and go, but no amount of money can replace the security in having someone at your backside who would literally die to protect you. He chuckled inwardly. Plus, she’s fucking awesome in the sack.

“Perhaps you should send someone with a bit more... self control?” another female voice spoke, pulling him from his introspective. Berena padded over to his desk, her bare feet virtually soundless on the cold hard marble floor. She nodded to Vale briefly in passing, and the two women shared a glance that bespoke their mutual hatred of each other. Despite all that they had in common—their mutual love of bloodshed and carnage, for instance, the only thing that kept them from trying to kill each other was the man sitting before them, and their mutual respect for him. Marion smirked, knowing all too well of the rivalry, merely choosing to use it to his advantage.

“Someone... like you, perhaps?” he mused, as if considering.

“Why not?” Berena replied with a simply shrug. “If this girl is as important to your plans as you say, then I would be happy to retrieve her for you. And I can guarantee you that she’ll be brought to you virtually unharmed.”

“Sure she will,” Vale scoffed, crossing her arms at her ample chest, “But as for anyone else who gets in your way, or crosses your path, or hell, just looks at you funny?” She laughed. “And you dare to imply that YOU have more self control than me, Savage?” Berena bristled at the insult, her hands immediately clenching into fists, but before she could respond, Marion rose to his feet.

“Stop it, both of you,” he barked, causing both women to settled down. “While I appreciate the offer, from BOTH of you, your talents are better utilized elsewhere. Regardless of when we obtain the girl Nora Snowfallen, she is still only a part of the equation for victory. If we are going to take down the members of the Pantheon and wrest away total control of the Reality, we must cover all of our bases.” He pulled a scroll from his desk and unrolled it, spreading it flat, revealing a map of the northern territories.

“All of the research I’ve conducted tells me that the relic we seek is here, within the Lynx Guild’s territory,” he said, tapping at a small collection of caves to the west. “I’d be willing to bet that that airhead Crayfellow has no idea it even exists. Nevertheless, trying to move in and out of her territory unnoticed would be difficult if not impossible.” He sighed softly. “Therefore, we will need to find a way to keep the Lynx occupied and distracted... something big enough to keep the entire Guild busy.”

“Busy and distracted?” Vale replied with a devilish grin. “Say no more, Marion, dear. I have just the strategy to keep those little pussies occupied. And believe me... my idea will be a real killer one!“

What is he up to? Kyle asked himself for the thousandth time as he sat at the bar in the nearby city of Vallendale, nursing his drink. What is your endgame, Marion? You’ve had your people skulking around in the shadows for months now... why are you suddenly coming out into the light? Does it have something to do with that girl, Nora? He grunted to himself, considering. If ’Dri was telling the truth, the girl was a Healer, the first one to appear in more than twenty-five years. Someone who specialized in being able to heal wounds, remove and protect against status ailments, as well as boost a player’s stats and abilities... the ultimate support character. Having Nora at his side would make Marion invincible... even against The Pantheon.

So...is that it? he wondered, draining his glass. He’s set his sights on grabbing the girl and forcing her to become his personal support unit? His eyes narrowed. And of course, if she refuses, a little ‘mind magic’ would get her to see things his way! He cursed silently, as that last clue made all the other pieces of the puzzle line up.

He could really do it, he realized suddenly. With that kid at his side, he could actually sweep the Obelisk Cup and dethrone the heads of The Pantheon With a wince, he recalled Anadriel again, currently serving as The Pantheon’s secondary damager and support. As much as he resented the way she’d hurt him years ago, he really didn’t want to see anything happen to her. Worse, knowing what a pig Marion was, he had little doubt what role he would choose for her once he defeated her. The thought of Dri kneeling before him, eyes blank and empty with nothing but obedience on her mind... he actually surprised himself to find he’d shattered the heavy crystal goblet his drink had come in. Luckily, his leather gloved had stopped the shards from cutting his hand.

I have to stop Marion. And I need to warn Anadriel about what he’s planning. And who knows, maybe after all this, she’ll finally start taking my warnings seriously.

Tossing a few coins to the barkeep, he rose to his feet, deciding to head out. From the corner of his eye, he spied a figure across the crowded room, dressed in a long black cloak, getting up as well. Interesting, Kyle thought, making his way outside. Wonder what his game is? We’re in a town, a safe zone, so unless I agree to a duel, he can’t even attack me. Maybe he’s just here to spy on me, try to figure out how much I know about what’s going on—

“Hey, Leon!” a male voice called out to his side as he passed the fountain. Frowning, glancing around, he saw a young thin man with sandy brown hair and a mustache, and brown eyes, dressed in a simple brown and white tunic. “Leon?” he said again, walking over, peering into Kyle’s face. He sighed, shaking his head. “Oh. I guess not. Sorry, youngster... thought you were somebody else.”

“Um... no problem,” Kyle replied, frowning, glancing back at his unwanted shadow, only to find the person had vanished. Dammit. I lost my concentration just for a second due to this interruption, and now I’ve lost him! He turned to leave, only to find the man moving to stand in front of him.

“So... yer a fighter, I see,” he said pleasantly enough, eyeing Kyle up and down. “A pretty strong one too, I think. What’s your name, kid?”

“Kid? I’m not a kid. And don’t you usually give your own name before asking someone else theirs?” Kyle asked, slightly annoyed.

“Yes, well, manners were never my strong suit,” the mustached man replied with a chuckle. “The name’s Jeffrey. Jeffrey Danzig, though my friends just call me ‘Jack’. And what’s your name, kid? We’ve already established that it’s not ‘Leon’.”

“It’s Kyle,” he replied, huffily, “and stop calling me a kid! I’m a full grown adult!”

“Yes, yes,” the man replied dismissively, walking over to sit along the edge of the fountain. “So, kid, are you planning to enter the upcoming tournament?”

“The Obelisk Cup? Yes, I suppose.”

“Excellent!” the old man replied with a grin. “A fine strapping young man like yourself should do pretty well. How about this? I’ll bet on you to make it to the finals...and if you win, I’ll give you a share of the winnings! Whatdya say?”

Kyle merely shrugged. “Sure. Why not? Anything’s possible. Well, see ya, old man.” Shaking his head, he made his way towards the town exit. Jeffrey watched him as he departed, his grinning innocent expression growing suddenly serious.

“Oh yes, Mr. Shadowchaser,” he whispered softly, as he turned back towards the tavern. “Rest assured, you will.”

“Can I come in?”

Nora glanced up from her bed at the sight of her cousin’s face poking through her doorway. She nodded briskly. “Yes, of course, um, Lady Anadriel,” she said, rising to her feet. “Please, enter, and, um, have a seat—”

“Nora, honey, it’s just the two of us now,” she said gently. “No need to act all flustered. I just wanted to check up on you, and make sure you were okay.”

“Y-y-yeah,” Nora replied with a sigh, sitting back down. “I’m fine now. Really. I was just... I mean... I’m kind of new to this whole MMORPG thing, and virtual reality, and all... I didn’t expect the Reality to be so... so real!” She gaped, then giggled. “That sounds kind of silly out loud, doesn’t it? But still... when those guys grabbed me and dragged me away... when they... started ripping off my clothes... I... I...”

“Shhh... it’s okay, sweetie, it’s okay,” Dri said gently, hugging her younger cousin. “You’re safe now. I won’t let anyone hurt you.” Her expression grew harsh. “But now I take it you understand the reason why I told you you couldn’t leave the guild hall? Axaellel is a dangerous place, and I’m not just talking about the monsters and beasts roaming around!”

“I know. And, I’m sorry!” Nora replied, contritely, “but I just wanted to practice a little... learn how to properly control my powers. And I can’t really do much from in here, you know.” She sighed. “I’m never going to learn how to defend myself in a fight if I never get the chance to experience combat.”

“All right. Fair enough. Tomorrow, we’ll set up an few mock battles and maybe a sparring session or two to get you up to speed. Okay?” Nora nodded. “For now, it’s pretty late, You should turn in and get some rest.” She stood up and turned to leave, but Nora called out to her again as she reached the doorway.

“Um, Cousin?” she asked hesitantly as the tall elfin girl turned to face her once more. “That man you brought with you to rescue me... the swordsman, Kyle...” At Anadriel’s sharp look, she glanced down. “I, um, I mean... how do you know him? You said earlier that he had ‘come back’, but I asked around, and he has never been a member of the Sylvan Order.”

“Yes and no. It was a long time ago, and he was called ‘Strongshield’ back then. He was... is... an old friend.” She sighed heavily, the talk bringing up unpleasant memories. “It’s... complicated. Suffice it to say, shortly after I passed the Proving Grounds test, we parted company. I moved on to bigger and better things, and he... just moved on.” And apparently went on to become a major badass in the process, she thought dimly. “Why are you so interested in him?“

A deep scarlet blush came to Nora’s cheeks. “Well, um... I wouldn’t say interested or anything... I was just... he’s a virtual stranger, and he’s saved me twice now. And well, you and he obviously have some history—you brought him along with you to rescue me.“

“Because he was the perfect man for the job,” Anadriel insisted, blushing slightly herself. Dammit, I am NOT letting myself get emotional about Kyle. He’s... the past. I’ve moved on, dammit! “With all the unusual occurrences that have taken place lately, I needed someone dependable, someone who could hold his own against whatever we came across, but that also had no vested interest in trying to take you away as well. Kyle’s always had something of a ‘hero complex’, and he’s a loner. I knew he would simply do his job, take his reward and leave, no questions asked.“

“His... reward?” Nora replied, visibly crestfallen, obviously disappointed that her ‘savior’ had only come to rescue her again for the prospect of a payday. “I... I see.” She sighed, glancing away. So, I guess he’s not the kind of guy I thought he was after all. But still... he seemed to honestly care about me when he held me earlier. And the first time... well, he was a bit gruff, and close-lipped—he even lied about his name at first—but maybe that’s just because he’s used to traveling alone all the time? I just can’t picture him as some hard-nosed, cold-blooded mercenary that only fights for money. And that other thing... when he used that ‘mind control’ magic on me. He could have done anything he wanted to me. Instead, all he did was make me raise my hands, move around, and make it so I couldn’t tell anyone else that he could use it.

“At any rate, cousin, it’s late,” Anadriel repeated, walking to the door. “Go ahead and get some rest. Every room in the guild hall is doubly shielded, so you can log off without worry. I’ll see you in the morning, and we can begin your training. Goodnight, Nora.”

“Goodnight,” Nora replied, laying down on her bed, closing her eyes and logging out for the night.