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Truthless always found himself returning to the top of the spire. A whisper urged him along as he climbed the nearly infinite staircase, pulling on the shame in his gut as he neared the top. The whispers giggled maniacally, fading out as his head popped up over the landing. He made his way to the center of the spire, knelt down in the middle and rested his head against his staff. His shadow stretched, bubbling from the ground and molding itself into his other half. His shadow leaned down, lifting Truthless' face by the chin.
Little lamb… it spoke in his head, lips split in a grin. What brings you here?
Whispers clogged his brain once more, telling him to forget, you forgot, you don't know, do you need a reason? You want to be here.
"I... I can't..?" Truthless winced at the flood of noise in his head, he whipped his head out of his shadow’s grip, attempting a spell to repel the beast before he was caught again. Strings wrapped around his staff and yanked it from his hands, tossing it away, and tying themselves around Truthless’ wrists and neck. His arms were pulled above his head, useless to him now.
Really, you should know better than to attack me by now, Nilly.
His shadow tightened the strings on his neck, tilting his head back and exposing the flesh. Let's try this again, shall we?
You came here of your own volition, like always.
Why act like you don't want this?
Truthless hissed at the strings cutting into his skin, refusing to respond to his self declared "master". He glared at the beast, watching helplessly as it approached him again. A finger trailed down his neck and tugged at the collar of his robes.
"Y'know Nilly, I always found your squirming and whining so, so, sooo cute before you fell... Not to say I don't like how feisty you've become, but I think it's about time you remembered your place." Shadow Milk spoke out loud for the first time in their interaction. It circled him, hand curling around his neck as it floated up to look down on its puppet.
You are mine.
Truthless groans as his mind is flooded again, a familiar yet foreign feeling. His eyes screw shut as the beast plays with his head, wrenching up memories of their past encounters. Old dreams where it would play with him, only cut to the fun parts; Shadow Milk biting him, lapping at his wounds like a starved dog. Pure Vanilla willingly giving his body up to the beast, kissing it, biting it back-
"Nnh, no..!" Truthless lashed against the strings as he felt himself hardening slightly at the images in his mind. "I'd never...give into you so easily..!"
Shadow Milk watched Truthless’ display, clicking its tongue in annoyance. Why wouldn't his puppet just play along? He'd spent countless hours shaping him into the perfect toy, numb and without identity, or so he thought. Perhaps there was still a spark of the old hero left in him after all. That just won't do.
The beast opens a small portal next to him, reaching in and producing a small decorative knife. At the same time he cast his shadow beneath his puppet, black arms reaching up, wrapping around Truthless' legs and snaking under his robes. The cloth fell from his body, and the shadows took them away.
"Isn't that better?" It is. Shadow Milk pressed the knife on his puppet’s neck, noting a ping of arousal coursing through the restrained man. Are you done lying to yourself now?
His puppet didn't respond.
You'll love the next act.
The beast releases his physical grip on the hermit, the strings reposition him to bend forwards. Back bared to his puppeteer. He brushed Truthless' hair out of the way, feeling the skin and dragging its nails across teasingly. How badly he wanted to dig his nails in like claws, scratch the skin open and mark him. But such a beautiful canvas needed to be painted properly.
Truthless could feel the beast's presence in his head, it muddled his own thoughts, squashing them before they could fully form. Replacing them with its own. Mantras of obedience ringing in his skull. Maybe he did belong here, as a toy for his shadows' entertainment. That's more like it. He heard the beast praise his acceptance.
Try to keep still.
A hand on his hip, cold metal against his back, pressure, and then pain. Truthless twitched away from the sensation, a moan tore itself free from his throat. The knife continued to carve into him, praises echoing in his head as he panted. Truthless could feel his body begin to shake the more the beast branded him. Slice after slice into a beautiful design, the pain faded into pleasure. He clasped his hands together like he was praying. For more? For mercy? Does it matter?
Each curve in the design gifted Shadow Milk with a tearful whimper from his toy, his mind reduced to mush by this point. The beast was glad he'd planted this seed in him so long ago. A previously celibate man had to have some sort of release, and what could be better than to bleed?
The beast grinned as he finished the carving. A sigil of the eye of deceit, forever linking the hero to him even more than they already were. Blood running down his puppet’s sides, he leaned down and lapped at the blood. Forked tongue dipping into the open wounds, snaking its way through the cuts. Then, he heard it. A quiet plea.
Shadow Milk licked its lips, another grin plastering itself to his face.
"Hm? What was that, little lamb?"
"Please, my Light. My Truth." The hermit was barely audible. Shame still managed to cloud his control over his puppet. Speak.
"I need you," Truthless sobbed the words out. His body trembled, a few stray tears streamed down his face. "I need more."
Shadow Milk hummed, contemplating his puppet’s request. Did he even know what he was asking for? More pain? More blood? More what?
Truthless just whined pathetically, squirming where he knelt. He wanted to give in. Again and again, until he was gone. It didn't matter what happened to him, as long as his Light was doing it to him. Yet the selfish desire to be touched still made itself clear in his mind. He knew the beast knew. Of course I do. I still want to hear you say it.
Swallow your pride. It's useless anyways.
Truthless' body was yanked back, the strings pulled taught so he was upright once more. The shadow arms returned, they squirmed across his skin and pet the sensitive areas around his crotch. One arm reached all the way to his chest and began playing with his breast. Shadow Milk circled around to face his puppet, placing the knife beneath his chin and forcing him to meet eyes.
Just give in.
"I want you." Truthless' voice was laced with lust and shame as he voiced his desires. "I don't care what you do to me. As long as it's you. Touch me, hurt me, eat me, fuck me, kill me. I don't care. I only need you."
The beast began to laugh. "Ooh! You're so cute when you beg! You really are the perfect puppet, aren't you?" It took a handful of blonde hair in its fist and yanked Truthless’ head to the side, licking its lips and grinning menacingly. "I will do my best to fulfill your desires, as I certainly will be fulfilling mine."
"Your desires…are my desires."
Shadow Milk didn't think it could smile any wider. Finally he was playing along! He leaned down and licked a long stripe from collar to ear on his puppet’s neck before biting down hard. Reopening old scars into new wounds. The shadowy hands that teased Truthless became restless. One prodded at his folds and found its way to his swollen clit, rubbing a gentle circle around the tip. Truthless bucked into the touch, noises spilling from his mouth at the dual assault.
The beast retreated from his throat, lapping up any blood that leaked out. He liked giving his toy all this attention, but impatience made itself clear, nearly soaking through his own clothes. He ripped the cloth of his tights open with the knife before tossing it back into the pocket dimension it came from. Floating up to "lay down" in front of his toy's face.
"Why don't you put that mouth to use then, hm?" Shadow Milk snapped its fingers, and the string around his neck retreated. Truthless felt drool pool in his mouth at the sight before him. Sticking his tongue out and greedily licking up his master’s cunt a few times before suctioning around its clit. The beast bucked into his mouth, groaning as his tongue rubbed against it, over and over. Truthless released and kissed the tip before moving lower and licking open the beast’s entrance. Delving his tongue inside and truly eating him out. Shadow Milk grabbed another handful of hair and pulled him as close to his crotch as possible. Commanding the shadow below his puppet to give a similar treatment. A second hand joined the one on Truthless' clit, pushing fingers inside of him as far as they could. Two, then three, stretching him open as much as possible. Truthless groaned around the beast, tongue slipping out of its hole. He panted a little before he was yanked back to the task at hand. The beast shoved its clit against his tongue, attempting to fuck his mouth with it a little before getting frustrated.
"I need to be...deeper!" He leaned up, floating to be behind his puppet once more. He pulled on the blonde locks again, until his puppet was leaning backwards, only supported by his arms still dangling in the air. Shadow Milk knelt down so his crotch could still reach his toy's mouth. "Leave your mouth open." It rested its clit against the flat of his tongue before changing its shape. It grew, morphing into a larger cock and filling his puppets mouth oh-so-perfectly. "That's much better! Now I can ruin your throat from the inside, too!"
Shadow Milk thrust into his mouth, and Truthless gagged around the sudden increase in length, spit dripping down his face. A hand traveled down to the slight bulge in his throat. It squeezed a little, enjoying the feeling of its cock stretching his throat. The beast groaned as it sped up, the shadows on Truthless' crotch matching the energy.
The combination of being filled from both ends was too much, Truthless felt his orgasm building. Threatening to fall over the edge at any moment. He sucked around the length in his mouth harder, hoping the beast would follow in pursuit. Shadow Milk’s moans were also increasing in desperation, surely he was feeling the same. Though, truthfully, he was hanging on by a thread himself. A harsh thrust into his mouth had him whining around the girth. Trembling as pleasure wracked his body. The beast suddenly gripped his throat harder, the mewls from his puppet sending him over the edge. Truthless swallowed what he could before it pulled out. Shadows retreating, strings pulling him back up to kneel before they too disappeared. His body felt heavy, Shadow Milk wrapped his arms around him to keep him upright. Nuzzling and kissing his cheek.
"You really are made for me, aren't you?" The beast whispered. "Now, go rest, little lamb."
With a snap of its fingers, Truthless was in bed. The doll that always sat on his chair was nestled in beside him. It felt warm. He barely registered that his back still stung before drifting off to sleep, knowing it probably wouldn't be a peaceful dream.