The plans had been made. Mira, Belle, and I would intercept the caravan en route to Thanreas, secure Abstinence and bring the knight back to Eudora. Unfortunately, Ceris didn't like it one bit that we were leaving her and the bunyips behind. As soon as she found out about the plan, she, Io, and Mana, stormed into my room to confront me.

"We came here together, it's only right that we go with. Io and Mana are plenty strong, they will be a great asset in case the fighting gets rough." The High Priestess was keen to follow us, but the danger was far too great to get her involved. None of us had any idea what Abstinence was capable of with whatever Zertos put in her. However, that wasn't enough to convince her. "What's to stop us from catching another caravan after you leave?"

Belle took my side to talk them down. "All we're doing is capturing one person. Once we return, we're beelining it right back to Lotherain."

"Please, Ceris. You've done enough by helping us get in contact with the Silver Cross. Stay here with Io and Mana where it's safe," I pleaded.

Knock. Knock. Tap.

That was the designated pattern to tell each other if it was one of us at the door. Since the five of us were in my room, that only left Mira. But when the door opened, we were surprised to see Madam Gestain come through, followed by Mira who shut the door behind them.

"I raised a mind maggot," Mira said, giddy as a child finding candy.

"You didn't…" I rubbed my head in disbelief.

"I sure did. Watch— " She snapped her finger, causing Madam Gestain to stand up straight. Then Mira made an order, "Squat and croak like a frog."

Madam Gestain did exactly just that, and with the perfect baritone pitch.

"Ribbbiiiit!" she croaked.

"Gods… damn it, Mira… and why did you do that?" Belle asked.

Mira rolled her eyes as though she hadn't just put our entire plans in jeopardy. Or maybe she did know and wanted to mess around as much as she could before we left.

"I know what I'm doing. Madam Gestain won't know when we leave, and neither will she pester Ceris and the others while we're gone," Mira said.

Belle and I suddenly felt a lot less peeved and a lot more stupid.

"After seeing what mind maggots can do first hand in Randover, I just had to try it out," Mira added.

Ceris relented with the three of us badgering her to stay. She gave us Vessyra's blessing, an ironic thing to do since I had the Goddess' power dwelling within me, but welcomed nonetheless.

As we made our way to the north gate where the caravan was set to depart, Mira hijacked Talos' vision to get our familiars in place. They had all our equipment, and we planned to change into them if things got hairy.

Quinny's predictions were spot on. Soldiers and guards packed the city as much as the citizens. A dozen different banners of King Uldrin's retainers were present, which went to show how scared they were of an invasion from Parthun.

They were technically right, since three witches— their nightmare scenario— had infiltrated Semiramis. Too bad they wouldn't know what hit them until it was too late.

At the gate, a number of shackled orcs loaded crates and barrels onto open-roof wagons, each pulled by a mix of horses and centaurs. There were twenty carts in total, and only a few in the back had coverings to conceal the contents within.

A large crowd had gathered to watch whatever it was their King was sending out of the city. They murmured amongst themselves about what it could be.

"I heard Uldrin's sending a pile of gold to them wankers at Thanreas," one man whispered to his companion.

"For what? He been raising our taxes and giving it away just like that?" his friend complained.

Another group was more enthused about the prospect of King Uldrin appeasing the Council of Kings.

"Who knows of them's witches're coming here. Maybe the Council will finally send more help," an older lady said, clutching an effigy of Vessyra.

A younger lady, presumably her daughter, nodded in agreement. "What we need're more of them Piety knights. I'd be safer with them around than our good fer nothing city guards."

Mira, who had been hijacking Talos' vision with her eyes closed so as to not attract attention, released the spell and reported the positioning of eight-hundred guard escorts.

"About six hundred lead the front on foot, a hundred in the rear on horseback, and a mix of another hundred guard the sides. The wagon we are looking for is at the very front, painted in maroon with gold bandings around it. I sensed magic scrolls are plastered on the inside. They are definitely transporting something other than gold," Mira revealed.

"Now the question is, how do we hitch a ride without appearing too suspicious?" I mumbled.

Belle pointed to an older gentleman wearing a metal-pointed helmet. He was on horseback, barking orders to his fellow riders. It was clear his status was a superior officer and might be the commanding officer of the unit guarding the rear.

"I have an idea. Follow me," Mira said, then grabbed Belle's collar and pushed through the crowd.

"W-What?" I went along with Belle, who was trying to steady her footing while Mira tugged on the leash.

"Milord!" Mira shouted.

We were quickly surrounded by a group of riders, a dozen swords and spears ready to poke new holes into us.

"What is the meaning of this?" The soldiers made way for their officer to come through. 

"Lord Egel, these wenches burst out of the crowd calling for you," a soldier said.

A stern glare bore down on us. Lord Egel's plate armor was pristine, untouched by battle. More likely than not, he was all show and no bite. He leered at us with lecherous eyes, and I understood right away what Mira wanted to do.

"Milord, we hear you are bound for Thanreas. We beg you to take us with, so that we may start life anew. Madam Gestain is a thieving hog who doesn't leave us more than pittance," Mira begged.

Belle and I were stunned at Mira's theatrics. My jaw about dislodged from its socket. It took every bit of willpower not to react in any way to suggest she was acting.

The officer sneered at us. "And why should I care about stowaway whores? I would better take you back to Madam Gestain. She would give me free patronage thereafter."

"Perhaps we can… make it worth your while? Your stay at Thanreas might be lonely," Mira pleaded.

"Say I do take you with. A massive city like Thanreas has plenty of places for you to slip away. I'm not buying it," the officer turned his horse, but Mira wasn't going to let this chance pass up.

"This is no trick. The leash in my hand is magic, Madam Gestain put on my companion for her disobedience. It makes her subservient. You can even try it yourself, Milord! You need only make a request." Mira offered the leash to the officer. He snatched it and stared at the leash dubious of its potential.

The officer tugged Belle forward and said, "Strip."

Belle did as she was told, disrobing herself of the burlap clothes. She went red up to her ears and glared at Mira, who winked in return.

"A whore getting naked is nothing new. Anyone could feign an order as simple as that," he said. While Belle was being made an exhibitionist out of, Egel mulled over what he could subject her to that would prove Mira told the truth. His eyes laid on an orc, who was delivering a barrel sloshing with liquid inside to the backmost wagon "Orc, it's your lucky day. Get over here before I cut your throat."

The orc, not wanting to lose his life early today, sat the barrel down where he stood and hurried over in a huff. He was sweating all over, old lashings scarred his body from the neck down to his legs. A loose pair of pants was all he wore.

"No sane woman would copulate with these creatures. Avail yourself to the orc and give us a good show, will you?" Egel tugged the leash so hard Belle tripped over in front of the orc. 

"As you wish..." Belle said.

At first, I felt terrible for Belle. Then I remembered that she, of all people, enjoyed this sort of play. Her breath grew shallow as she pulled down the confused orc's pants to reveal an arm-sized penis. She positioned her legs between the massive cock and slowly slid down on it, holding her moans in while others gawked with a mixture of disgust and awe. Egel was certainly enjoying himself.

I remained speechless, but Mira, in her infinite talents, played the damsel to such perfection she might belong on the stage.

"Y-You're a terrible man… but if this is what it takes, you see how we are willing to debase ourselves?" Mira put a hand over her mouth and wept.

By the time the caravan was ready to go, Belle had been fucked to submission, filled to the brim such that her pussy gushes with cum when the orc pulled out. Some of the soldiers who weren't wearing heavier armor shifted uncomfortable where they stood, presumably to hide that they had an erection. Even I got hard from watching Belle get rammed.

"That's about all the fun you'll get." Egel kicked the orc with the spurs of his boots. Then he turned to us with a wicked grin and tossed the leash back to Mira. "Heh. Get onto the back of the last carriage. You three will make for fine company later. The rest of you, get back into formation! We're about to set out!"

He rode away with nodding to himself.

I helped Belle get up and dressed.

The other soldiers slowly dispersed, after having an eyeful of Belle. Some of the muttered spitefully amongst each other.

"Damn Egel getting all the fun for himself," a bearded soldier said.

"You think he'll share if we ask nicely?" another asked.

"Forget it. He's about as greedy as they come, that sonuvabitch."

The inside of the wagon was cramped. Crates and barrels filled with grain were stacked haphazardly on top of each other. As the wagon moved, it seemed like they could collapse and crush us at any moment. Mira sat on top of a rectangular box full of spears, eating an apple she found in one of the many containers. Belle laid flat on her belly, rubbing her ass. She was still sore from the railing she received, but had a look of satisfaction despite being thoroughly humiliated. Or rather— thanks to being humiliated.

About two hours had gone by, and we were entering the remote countryside of Juna. Rio and Luna had slipped in while the soldiers weren't watching, and no one suspected a thing seeing a raven land at the back entrance of the wagon. We were at last reunited with our robes and staff, the soldiers outside were none the wiser thanks to the wagon's covering.

"With every passing day, I despise you all the more intensely, Mira…" Belle remarked.

Mira grinned and said, "Hah. In another lifetime, you would be calling me mistress!"

"Alright, you two. Settle down, we have work to do. Shall we get started?" I asked, eager to find out what was inside the front vehicle.

"Ladies! Why wait, when we can get started now… huh?" Egel opened the flap to peek inside, but went silent seeing the three of us.

Belle tipped her hat and bowed at the officer. "Allow me to be the opening act— igni."

"Witches! We're under—" A fireball cut off the rest of Egel's warning, knocking him to the ground a rolling, charred mess. The rest of the wagon's cloth covering burned away. The three of us conjured a firestorm that derailed the caravan, causing panic to the hundreds of escorts. Soldiers were thrown off horses, wagons combusted and tipped over, the army scattered to avoid the onslaught of spells.

We flew to the front of the caravan under Belle's flight spell and found the red wagon with the gold bandings. She raised a barrier of ice to separate us from the six hundred soldiers in the vanguard. Mira was right, there was serious magic emanating from within. 

"What do we do? Pick up the whole wagon?" Belle asked.

"Rio, grab it and let's go!" I ordered.

Rio unfurled his draconic wings, but as he got close, a blast of magical energy sent him hurling into my arms. A clawed, black hand broke out of the wagon, then another. Abstinence pulled herself out.

We gasped at the terrible sight, she was nothing Mira and I last remembered her to be. Her armor was charred black, melded into her body. The closed helmet she wore opened and closed like gnashing jaws, and a tail extended from the top, whipping around like a dragon's tail.

"Hey, that's not the Abstinence I knew. What the fuck is that?" Belle asked in disgust.

Abstinence groaned, like the sound of a door creaking open in an empty chamber. Her voice was hollow, and echoed with each breath.

"Councillor Anora will cleanse this world of impurity, and I will do whatever it takes… The Order of Piety, Eleanor Mycasta… Christened— Abstinence."