On the second day of training, Esther woke with a confidence she hadn't felt the day before. She had the potions. She had the knowledge of healing. This time would be different. This time, she wouldn't be a punching bag. Reality hit her with the force of a tidal wave. Erik looked at her with a cold, clinical detachment. "Today you'll move faster," he said. But she didn't. Her body, though it didn't have the open wounds from the previous day, was stiff and sore from the effort. Her muscles, still recovering, betrayed her. Every movement was slow, clumsy, heavy. She was weaker than the first time. "You thought you were stronger, didn't you?" Erik said as he knocked her down for the fourth time. "Pain doesn't make you stronger. It teaches you your limits. And today, your limits are lower than yesterday." The session was an ordeal of frustration and pain. When it ended, she wasn't just exhausted, but deeply disappointed. She sat on the ground, her back against a tree, and drank two of the fast-acting potions. She felt the magical tingle closing the cuts and soothing the bruises, but the deep exhaustion, the ache in her bones, remained.
"It's over," she told herself, with a determination born of desperation. She couldn't go on like this. She couldn't rely solely on her body. She went back to the apothecary where they had bought the potions. The apothecary recognized her. "Another problem, girl?" "I'm looking for... something stronger," Esther said, keeping her voice low. "Magic drugs." The man frowned and shook his head. "No, not here. That's for other people. But if you really want it... you'll surely find it in the Labyrinth Market." He looked at her over his glasses. "Be careful. Not just of getting robbed. There are worse things there." The Labyrinth Market was a hell. A torrent of humanity that barely let you pass. The smell of fish, sweat, and rotten spices was so dense you could almost taste it. Esther pushed her way through, her bag pressed against her chest, both hands gripping it tightly. She knew she was a target. She knew what would happen. And it did. Shortly after entering, she felt the first caress. A hand that slid over her ass, disappearing as quickly as it arrived. Then another, bolder, that squeezed a buttock. She tried to ignore it, keep moving, but it was like trying to swim against a current of hands. They brushed her breasts, pinched an arm. A man rubbed against her with a crudeness that made her shudder. She tried to fend them off with sharp movements of her elbows, but there were too many, a constant wave. A hand managed to slip under her skirt and brush the fabric of her underwear before she could push it away with a choked sob. On the outside, her face was a mask of concentrated horror. On the inside, her body was betraying her panic. She felt a growing heat between her legs, a wetness that terrified her. How could she be reacting this way? Was this part of the terror? Or something worse? She had no time to think about it. She just wanted to get out.
Finally, she saw the stall she was looking for. It was small and dark, filled with jars of all colors. The seller was a thin, pale man with bloodshot eyes and yellowed fingers from nicotine and some other substance. He leaned against the counter, with a lazy, distrustful smile. "What do you want?" he asked without preamble. "Magic drugs," Esther whispered. The man looked her up and down and gestured to one side of the stall, away from curious ears. "We don't talk about that out loud here." Once there, he spoke in a low voice. "Right now I don't have much. Only the good stuff. And it's expensive." He pointed to three jars with a bright blue liquid. "Three of these. Magic power enhancer." Then, three jars of an intense red. "Three of these. Vitality boost." And finally, a single jar of a dark purple color. "And one of these. Temporary boost. For when you need a push." "And the side effects?" Esther asked, her heart pounding. The man laughed, a dry, raspy laugh. "It's a drug, girl. If it didn't have side effects, it would be a potion. The price is one gold coin each. In letters of exchange, of course." Esther hesitated only a second. She needed this. She took out the coins and paid. The merchant put away the money and gave her the jars. "If you don't want to go through this mess again, come at night. I sell in the gambling district, at the 'Queen of Hearts' tavern or in the alley next to it. I also have the cheaper ones and the non-magical ones, if you ever need them."
Esther nodded and prepared to return. Getting out was almost as bad as getting in. She knew where she was going, but the crowd wouldn't leave her in peace. She felt an expert hand that almost managed to pull a breast out of her camisole, and as she struggled to get out of a tight spot, her skirt got caught around her waist, exposing half of her ass and her underwear for several seconds before she could pull it down, amid the laughter and comments of the men around her. Despite everything, or perhaps because of it, when she got out to a wider street, she felt fulfilled. She had survived. She had gotten what she needed. She was exhausted, but she had a new weapon. On the way back to the inn, she decided to try one. Although she wanted to increase her magical power, that could wait. She needed to endure the training. She needed vitality. She stopped in an alley, took out one of the red drugs, and drank it in one gulp. She felt a sweet taste in her throat, like fermented honey, and a pleasant warmth that spread from her stomach throughout her body. For the first time in days, she felt she could handle whatever came her way.
But she couldn't handle what came. The side effect hit her almost as hard as the main effect. An intense heat concentrated in her crotch, completely soaking her with a sudden and abundant wetness. Her breasts felt heavy, and her nipples hardened, pulsing with every beat of her heart. She was completely aroused, like a cat in heat, an animal warmth that took over her reason. She decided to hurry to the inn, to lock herself in her room until the effect passed. But when she arrived, the tavern was almost empty, in the rare calm between lunch and dinner. Near the door, as if he had been waiting for her, was Kork. His rat eyes scanned her, and a smile of wicked understanding spread across his face. He seemed to sense something, the source of that heat emanating from her. "Come on, I'll walk you," he said, his voice a hoarse whisper. He led her behind the counter, to the semi-private space where only employees entered. As they walked, he began to talk to her, asking with false curiosity how the adventurer life was treating her. Since she was shorter, he stood behind her and pretended to massage her shoulders. His fingers were iron hooks. But his right hand didn't stay there. It descended slowly, sliding under the neckline of her camisole and directly into her bra. He felt her hard nipple, erect like a pebble, and began to torment it, rubbing and pinching it gently while he continued to talk about trivialities, as if nothing were happening. His other hand went to massage her ass again, but this time with more possession. Esther lowered her hands to her sides, under his amused gaze in the bar's mirror, and relaxed. She couldn't fight. Her body didn't obey her. Her sex was dripping, soaking her underwear, and she didn't know what to do but, once again, surrender.
He noticed. His hands became bolder. The hand on her ass traced the crack of her buttocks, entering her underwear and sliding along the wet groove. Esther held her breath. His other hand moved to where she herself had not yet dared to touch. He did it slowly, with a torturous deliberation, and Esther moaned with excitement and anticipation. His fingers seemed to know exactly what they were doing. They began to stimulate her clit, moving in slow, precise circles. "In the end, you were just a whore," Kork whispered in her ear, his hot, humid breath. "I can't believe you're dripping just from this. I've never seen such an easy and sensitive whore." She wanted to say it wasn't like that, she wanted to scream it, but her hips moved on their own, accompanying the rhythm of his fingers, seeking more pleasure. Her sex dripped even more at hearing those words that degraded her, humiliation fueling the fire of her arousal. It was the first time someone had masturbated her sex, and it wasn't even her.
As soon as the door clicked shut, Esther collapsed onto the bed. There was no time for doubt or for shame. The heat between her legs was an urgency, an ache that needed to be relieved. She lay back, still fully clothed, and closed her eyes, her hand already descending to the center of her torment. She remembered the woman in the sauna, her expert, circular, constant movement. She mimicked the gesture, her fingers trembling at first, searching for the small button of skin she had been shown. On contact, an electric shock ran through her body. "Ah," she moaned, unable to help it. She tried to build a fantasy, something pure and beautiful that would lead her to climax. A prince, a knight, a tender caress. But her mind, poisoned by her experience, could only offer her monsters. The image of the knight faded, and in its place appeared Kork. Not the image of his face, but the sensation of his hands: one twisting her nipple, the other exploring under her skirt. She felt guilty, dirty, but her body reacted with a spasm of pleasure. Her fingers moved faster, imitating the rhythm of Kork's hand.
Then, the market. It wasn't a single memory; it was a wave. Dozens of anonymous hands touching her, squeezing her. A man whistling at her, another shouting about her fat ass. Every humiliating comment, every non-consensual brush, became a spark of arousal in her mind. She imagined being groped by the crowd, lost in a sea of bodies that desired and took her. She felt disgusted with herself for enjoying that thought, but her hips began to move on their own, rising to meet the pressure of her own fingers. "What an easy whore," Kork's voice echoed in her head, and the sound made her moan louder. The humiliation was the fuel. The guilt was the match. She felt dirty, used, and that very feeling was pushing her to the brink.
Her moans filled the small room, a desperate and animalistic sound. She was no longer in control of anything. Her fingers moved with a life of their own, rubbing her clit with a ferocity that almost hurt, seeking that burst that would free her. And then it came. The orgasm hit her like a wave, a violent contraction that ran through her entire body from her feet to her head. She arched her back and let out a choked, loud scream, a sound of pain and pure pleasure that escaped her throat and resonated through the wooden floor. Downstairs, Marco was cleaning a mug and Kork was counting the cash drawer. Esther's scream made them stop. They looked at each other over the bar, a knowing and understanding look in their eyes. A small smile formed on Kork's lips. Marco simply shook his head, with an expression of resignation, and returned to his work.
Upstairs, Esther lay motionless, her heart pounding and her body trembling. The pleasure faded, leaving an icy void. Tears began to roll down her cheeks. She felt dirty, broken, and more alone than ever.
Esther, when she finished, adjusted her clothes and, without the unrelenting desire, fell asleep. A while later, Lyra returned with the rats and more potions, seeing her sleeping. From the doorway, she noticed a strange scent and saw the fabric of her underwear under her skirt completely soaked. Even Lyra, inexperienced, understood why she had asked her to leave. But she didn't fully understand why. Although she started to piece things together, she returned later with Eric and arrived excited, then asked her to leave to masturbate. Evidently, Eric had done something she liked. It hurt her to think that other men were entering Esther's heart instead of her, but she knew she had to resign herself because it was impossible. Lyra went downstairs to prepare her a calming tea and waited for her to wake up to work.
When she did, Esther told her that the training had gone better and that's why it took longer, but she was very exhausted, although she had been able to resolve the blows with the potions. What she didn't say was that while the drug had made her too aroused, it was true that it worked because she felt better. Her body was less tired. She took the tea and thanked Lyra. Her underwear had dried a bit by now. Now she was worried about Kork; after what he did, she imagined he thought he could do whatever he wanted with her. The worst part was that when this idea formed, she didn't imagine herself refusing or resisting much. She knew that if they lost Marco's and Father Valentin's support, they would be too alone in the city.
Esther had to go to work, but her mind was elsewhere. She thought that later, maybe, she would go talk to the drug dealer. She needed more information, and she imagined the guy knew much more than he had told her. She told Lyra that she would go out after work to do something but would be back soon. She didn't want to confess that she was taking drugs to get stronger. She took the sack she had brought, her bag with some things, including money, and went down to work.
The work was the same as before, a hell of noise and lecherous looks. Only this time, Esther decided to take Kork's advice. She didn't dare to lean her body against the men or imagine their reactions, but she could lean a little more and show them her cleavage, or let those behind see her ass. Although with the skirt she was wearing, she was showing her underwear and practically her ass to everyone. That's why she did it as limited as possible, but still, the men wouldn't stop harassing her and saying terrible things. As she passed a table, a sailor with a face weathered by sun and alcohol said to her: "Hey, baby! Those tits look like two melons ready to be harvested. Can I have a bite?". Another, from another table, shouted: "With that cleavage, it's not that you're showing your tits, it's that you're throwing them in our faces! Thanks for the view!". A third, younger and bolder, whispered in her ear when she approached to serve him: "I bet those hard nipples could cut the air. Will you let me check?". But the worst came from behind. Every time she leaned over to put down a mug, she felt the gazes fixed on her ass. "That ass is a direct invitation to my bed!", a man shouted from the back of the room. "Move that fat ass!" said another while slapping the air. The most humiliating comment came from an old, bald man, who stared at her and said in a hoarse voice: "With that skirt, it's not that you're showing your ass, it's that you're giving it away. How much do you charge for the full night?".
Esther endured it all, her face burning and her heart pounding hard. Every comment humiliated her, but also aroused her a little, an echo of the drug's effect. She finished her shift, her legs trembling and her soul heavy. She hurried and collected the tip money, which this time was much more, which left her satisfied. Before Kork could cross her, she put on the sack to cover herself completely. Even at night, it was hot, but this way she hid her body from gazes. She was afraid of bandits and rapists.
The Gambling District was a hive of lights, smoke, and constant noise. The streets were lit by gas lamps and garlands of colored magical light, creating a sickly and brilliant atmosphere. The air was dense, a suffocating mix of opium smoke, cheap alcohol, sweat, and a metallic ozone that emanated from the magical artifacts of the games. The sound was an overwhelming cacophony: the rattle of dice, the clinking of coins, the shouts of triumph and the groans of defeat, all mixed with the strident music of the pianos in the salons and the nervous laughter of the losers.
Esther was able to easily reach the gambling district. Knowing where to look, she quickly found the place the dealer had told her about and found him drinking beer in the alley. Seeing the sack open, he recognized her. He smiled mockingly and said she was back for more. She didn't deny it, said that maybe she was, but she wanted to know the effects of what he had sold her. She still planned to buy. The man looked to one side; he didn't want to talk about that. She told him she had already tried the red one and the man burst out laughing. He added that with that body, if it had been now, he would have made her try it right away for the side effects. Esther looked at him seriously and the man told her: "You already know about that one, the side effect is a spike of sexual desire, but it's temporary. The effect of the drug is permanent. The other two aren't as good. The blue one increases mana, but has the opposite effect to the red one as a side effect and it's permanent. Some take both together. The orange one also weakens you physically and emotionally. The effect is permanent, it's less than in the blue one, but it affects your mood". Esther asked him if he wasn't lying or hiding something from her. He said no, smiling, and she asked if he had more. She bought 3 more of vitality, 3 more of mana and 4 of the orange ones. Looking at the orange ones, she asked how long the effect lasted and he told her 30 minutes. Then she asked what happened if you took 2 at once. He explained that the power multiplied, but it was a good way to tempt death.
Esther went to pay and he told her that if next time she showed him her tits and let him touch them, he could give her a discount. Esther didn't answer, she was going to take the drugs and leave, but the man gave her something. A package. "If you apply it to any vein with this, it will have more effect and less will be wasted," he said, handing her a large glass syringe. "And take this," he added, giving her a drug of a sky-blue color. "It's not magical, it's a sedative. It doesn't end the effects of the red one, but you can control them a little more. The non-magical ones in general don't have side effects". Esther thanked him in the end, despite him telling her about her tits, and left. When she arrived, Lyra was already in bed sleeping. She lay down next to her carefully, cuddling with her, and soon fell asleep.