Epilogue End : A Glimpse of the past, A Hope for the Futur

An hour away from the capital city of Frost Giants, the party battled against the blizzard trying to swallow them in the neverending cold. Their ears rung, trudging through the harsh winter winds that slammed and robbed them of any visibility, Althea clasped Yazmin's hands so tight it could bruise. If Althea was starting to feel the unbearable chill even with her insulated coat, how much worse could it be for her Gorgon lover?

"Hang on, we're almost there!" Bryn screamed, leading the charge.

Had it not been for a rited like Bryn, they would be wandering this blizzard for an eternity, failing to catch even a glimpse of the clan's whereabouts.

A sorcery to keep those that the werewolves deemed unwelcome.

Minutes later, the fight against the cruel blizzard ceased. The savage winds no longer blew, but the temperature was still as cold as one could expect albeit a bit more forgiving.

In front of the party were marvelous wooden houses. The roof designs akin to boats turned over boats, they boasted no heating for much like the Frost Giants, the winter wolves need no protection from the cold.

"Yaz, we're here!" Althea leapt for joy, embracing her lover over the glee. At long last, the cure for her illness was at hand!

Smiling underneath her mask, Yazmin tried to return the embrace, but she suddenly found her arms too heavy, as if they were shackled to boulders.

(That's funny. I can't move my arms.)

Soon, Yazmin's train of thought ceased, collapsing within Althea's embrace.

"Yaz, are you okay, Yaz talk to me! Yaaaaz!"

On the verge of tears, Althea rocked her unconscious lover.

+++

The softness, the warmth enveloping her. A lovely warmth enough to stave of even the cold. Yazmin opened her eyes within Althea's embrace. Even her little snakes were all vying for her lover's body heat as they lingered all over Althea.

They appear to be in a cabin of some sort. Not far from them, the sound of burning wood crackled. Ah, the heat of both her lover's embrace and the fireplace brought immense relief for the cold-blooded Gorgon.

"Althea, where are we?"

"Bryn let us use this cabin while we're staying with their clan, said she was sure that the chief won't mind."

Although the winter wolves are immune to the cold, there are cases when they have to receive visitors who are not.

Even if these visitors are extremely rare, the chief had built for them cabins with fireplaces in it.

"The chief! We need to rush and meet him immediately!" Yazmin exclaimed. Even with all the heat she was getting, her body was still recovering from the cold's lethargy. Thus, it was easy for Althea to gently hold her lover down.

"Yaz, stop. Get some rest and recover, getting my cure won't be worth it if I lose you."

The merciful tone that Althea used to rebuke Yazmin made the Gorgon accept her predicament, sinking into Althea's arms futher.

"I...I shouldn't have accompanied you. How stupid of me."

Yazmin overestimated herself, thinking she is above and beyond the weakness of their race. She experienced firsthand how unforgiving the cold is towards them, becoming a burden to her lover. By now, Althea should have received her cure.

Althea tightented her embrace, letting her lover know that she did no wrong.

"Oh, hush. It's not like we can't meet the chief tomorrow. The most important thing is, we're here, and you are with me."

The kindness in Althea's tone acted as a flood that washed away all of the Gorgon's guilt. Yazmin's lips bent into a smile.

"Then by your embrace, I shall make a full recovery, my love."

Yazmin's huge tail wrapped around Althea, trying to take in as much warmth from her lover as Yazmin can. Skin to skin like this, their closeness incited a budding emotion from withing Yazmin's chest. Lust.

"Are you hungry? I can heat up the soup for you." Althea offered.

"I am hungry, but not for soup."

The coyness lingering in Yazmin's tone paired with her golden slit eyes that gazed with the intent to fuck was all Althea needed to know. Althea giggled. What a horny snake.

"I get it, you want to just gobble me up, is that what you want to say?"

"Since your deduction is spot, here's a reward for you, my love."

Yazmin lips leaned closer, meeting Althea's own. The relished in the gentle softness of each other's lips while bound within each other's embrace.

Ah, but such gentleness would not last for the heat of passion burned brighter than the room's fireplace. Yazmin's absurdly long snake tongue requested for entry in search of her prey. Betraying its own, Althea's lip gladly opened to expose her own. As a true snake would, Yazmin's tongue coiled all over its prey. Althea could only whimper as she tasted the gorgon's sweetness fully enveloping her defenseless tongue.

While Yazmin savored her lover's delicious taste, her two cocks below started to emerged and freed themselves from her skirt, pressing hard on Althea's stomach.

The lovers halted their deep kiss in favor of shedding their clothes.

"Do you want me to move on top?" Althea suggested. For her lover was still recovering and she did not want their lovemaking to inflict any strain.

"No, I have a better idea."

In a spooning position, Yazmin wrapped her arms around Althea from behind. With easy access to Althea's neck, Yazmin planted a soft kiss before positioning her lubed up double dong entered Althea.

Althea moaned in delight as she felt the cocks casually enter her. Its bumpy texture and hardness imparted extreme pleasure as it split her apart, grinding her love spot through its sheer size. And so, in the salacious cuddling position, Althea started getting fucked in a tender ryhthm. It was a rhythm slow enough to avoid putting too much pressure on the recovering Gorgon, pleasurable enough for Althea's lips to spill moans.

Enjoying the delectable sensation of both her holes getting filled to the brim, Althea winced in pleasure as Yazmin bit her ear. After the playful bite, Yazmin whispered into it...

"I love you."

Three simple words that melded both lust and affection in heart towards the Gorgon.

"Aaah! I...I love you too!" Struggling with her moans, Althea managed to say it back.

As minutes went by, Yazmin could feel her climax approaching. Ah, how unfortunate. This pleasure, this embrace that Yazmin wished to last forever was now about to end.

"Ungh...I am close, my love." While her hips swayed, Yazmin warned.

Oh no, In their weeks of travel, Althea had already ran out of her contraceptive tonic. Even more concerning, there are no druids in Vanagrad. Yazmin was not a brute, Althea was 100% sure she would pull out if she told her so. All she needed to do was tell Yazmin to bust it outside...

Moaning at the top of her lungs, Althea shouted, "Inside...aaaah! Do it inside, Yaz!"

...close to climax herself, Reason abandoned Althea. All for the meaty dicks inside of her to pulse, spewing hot, sticky liquid inside of her. In response, Althea tightened as if to squeeze all the semen them, while a blanket of pleasure covered Althea from head to toe as she came.

The lovers need not adjust for they were already in a cuddling position. The moment Yazmin pulled out. Althea could feel the Gorgon's seed drip along her thighs.

(Well shit. I'm in trouble.) It was a bed Althea made, now she must lay in it after losing herself to wanton lust.

Her worry was suddenly interrupted by Yazmin kissing her cheek.

"It's a good thing you packed enough of that tonic."

Althea chuckled, "Oh, most definitely."

----

Come the next day...

Inside the clan's great halls, the party was welcomed as guests by the chief's blessing.

The adults all drank mead while the children the curious children all flocked around the strange half -man half-horse and man with the pointy ears.

A the center the hall, the chief communed with the clan's spirits using the great fire.

Clad in a majestic fur cloak, his majestic gruff beard that extend past his neck was the same shade of blonde as his hair.

The chief closed both eyes. His hands outstretched to welcome the flame, the great fire writhed as if it were alive and conversing to the clan's head.

Yazmin clasped Althea's hands tight. The lovers eagerly awaited the shaman's communion with the spirits. A congregation of all the tundra's fury pack members that have departed to the afterlife, the spirits look out for the clan for Gaia's protection does not extend to the unwelcoming cold that rejects the Goddess.

With the spirits all in agreement, the flame changed its hue into purple. Like a serpent the fire coalesced around Althea, consuming her.

Visions of her past life, one that should have been eroded by her reincarnation flashed snippets. They were all available for her to watch like a play inside her mind. A country in the far east embroiled in a war against all Yokai. The twin snake deities, conjoined but one was killed, a severed caduceus. She was their shrine maiden.

But before she could fully make sense of the visions, the flames retreated into the pyre.

"Is that it, is Althea cured!?" Yazmin could not contain her excitement.

Even after the ritual, the chief remained his stoic self, addressing Althea and ignoring Yazmin's question.

"We must not fear death for it is the final fate that awaits us all. To the warrior who had already concluded her battle in her past life, the other side awaits you now. The spirits have stabilized your soul's connection to this body of yours to make peace with your current life, it shall last for about a year."

Yazmin shouted, putting all eyes on her for the outburst, "CUT THE CRAP! We traveled here so your spirits can cure her, we will not leave until you do so!"

"The spirits work alongside death, not against it."

In her rage Yazmin stormed out of the great hall, she had to or otherwise her daggers might have found their way into the the chief's throat.

Preventing her lover from slithering away, Althea cornered her lover into one of the empty halls. Althea forced her lover into an embrace to cherish what they have and expel any thoughts about her passing. Althea heard Yazmin sniffled under her mask, at this moment, Althea must act as the pillar or else both of them would crumble in despair.

"We have to look into the bright side, Yaz. I still have another year! Surely we can find a cure by then! Come, let's go back inside, it would be a shame to waste the welcoming party they have given us."

"I just...I don't want to lose you."

"You won't." Althea reassured, kissing her lover's shoulder. "I'll always be by your side."

Althea's body might not, but her love would always be.

"It's getting a little cold out. Let's go back to that pyre." Yazmin admitted after the drama she stirred.

Like water, or ice under the bridge. Yazmin's outburst was not even considered an offence by the chief.

Near the gigantic pyre, the banging of the drum intensified, soon both lyres and bone flutes worked in tandem to produce a high pitched melody that everyone could dance to.

<*Evergreen - follow me>

Everyone cheered for the Gorgon. Her hips swayed in perfect rhythm to the beat. With a smile on her face, Althea clapped her hands while enjoying her lover lose herself to the music.

Suddenly, they lock eyes. Yazmin slithered towards Althea.

"Oh, no." Althea audibly said. What was her lover up to now?

Yazmin grabbed her by the wrist, "Come dance with me, my love."

"I can't! I don't know how to dance!"

"I will lead, trust me."

If it trust then Althea had plenty to give. But in terms of dance moves, Althea had none.

And so, Althea let her lover take her hand into dance.

The lovers giggled on the dance floor. Yazmin spun Althea around, embracing her from behind and shaking their hips together. Yazmin was that great of a dancer that she was able to make Althea look like she knew what she was doing.

The two danced with joy in each other's arms, entertaining the crowd until fatigue was starting to set in.

As the music hits its crescendo, the couple now stopped but remained locked in each other's embrace. Yazmin removed her mask. With the two sharing a coy smirk, it was obvious what they were about to share next.

And thus, the night of festivity ended with a kiss.

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Volume End.