Havas also had a number of unique species of plants. This included a breed of rubber tree, mutated by the excess mana. The rubber and latex made from its sap have special properties and are excellent conductors of magic. A number of magical tools could be made from them.
To a lesser extent, there were magical ores as well. This had caused them to develop a number of magical items in the past. However, now they had started to stagnate in recent years, content with exporting the abundant æthernite and coveted rubber. It had brought them wealth, after all.
Mercy Anaxarete didn't care about that. What she wanted were the magical items they had created in the past using skills they had not maintained over the generations. One such item was the armor worn by the royal guards. It was lightweight and very flexible, but offered protection that could stop any mundane sword or arrow. Reports varied, but was said it could triple or even quadruple the wearer's strength. What’s more, the armor never needed to be maintained.
She was a mage and magic was her game. She collected enchanted objects, keeping those that interested her and selling the rest to whoever paid the most. A member of the royal guard had died recently and she couldn't pass up the opportunity.
She had arrived by passenger airship. Cavorite wasn't at all common in this area, but they could afford to import it. And import they did. Mercy looked around as she saw a number airships lazily floating around above the city. Not only ships, but houses as well. There were a few buildings floating a few dozen feet about the ground, casting large shadows below them.
As Mercy walked through the crowded streets, she noticed latex was quite common. Most everyone wore latex in some form or another, although plenty didn't. None seemed to be bothered by the heat. The potent mana made it at least mildly warm all year round. Some wore the latex loose. Others, the exact opposite, like a pair of women wearing skintight red latex she spotted shortly after arrival, their faces hidden behind white masks. Regardless, the frequency with which passersby wore the material made it near-omnipresent.
Magic was on full display. Mercy strolled into the marketplace and paused at a meat vendor. He had a boar on a spit above a grill. She watched him slide a small æthernite crystal, no bigger the a grape, into the hatch on the side. As soon as he pressed the sigil, flames erupted from the grill. Then, the spit started turning the boar.
Mercy moved on when he started trying to sell the already cooked pieces. She glanced around at the different stands and shops. There were a number of magical items, but the majority of them seemed to use æthernite, such as the lamp shop, which even had floating lamps. Still, there were wands, amulets, and a few other items that used the wielder's own mana.
Mercy stepped out of the way as a bronze golem walked by, following its master. From the looks of the glowing lens on its chest, it seemed to also be using æthernite.
Another golem resembled a bronze horse. This one was rather fancy, having a detailed pattern across its body. Its rider seemed to control it with reins like a normal horse.
The majority of people were tan-skinned humans. While there were a few demihumans, they weren't all that common. With her dark gray skin, Mercy stuck out a bit. However, it wasn't all that uncommon to hide your face around here. So she found a latex shop that took Blitz Marks.
Mercy stopped to inspect a blue latex hood on display. It was skin tight and had holes for the eyes and mouth.
The shopkeeper walked up to her. She wore a purple latex catsuit with a blue æthernite crystal embedded on the chest. She also had on a black corset and a pair of black boots. Blue lines went across the suit, glowing dots traveling across them from the crystal. "Hello there. Are you finding everything all right?"
"I was wondering how comfortable this hood is. It won't be too hot, would it?"
"Oh, don't worry about that. All our latex pieces have temperature-regulating enchantments already engraved into them. They are fully charged. Why, I even have a catsuit that would be cooler then those clothes you have on." The shopkeep walked over to a lifelike mannequin wearing a black catsuit with red accents. "We even have booster pendants to extend the life span of the enchantment." She held up a crystal with a metal frame. "Slap one of these on and it could last you all year."
"Thanks, but I think I will start small. For now I'll just take the mask." Mercy spied a matching pair of gloves. "These too." She collected the latex hood, the gloves, and a short muzzled mask that had an enchantment so that it wouldn't hamper her voice.
"First time. Well, I always have something if you change your mind. That will be 65 copper please."
"And here I thought it would be cheaper where they make the stuff." Mercy pulled out her wallet and removed the strips of paper. They had a weird texture, but she was impressed by the detailed images and how identical each of them were, excluding the numbers. She had never seen Blitz Marks until a few decades ago. It was rather surprising how many trade cities took them, but it did make traveling easier.
"Thank you." The shopkeep gave Mercy her change.
Mercy turned and walked away. She pocked her wallet and combed back her hair. She then slipped on the hood and mask. She took a pair of goggles out of her bag and slipped them on. With the gloves, the last of her obsidian skin was covered. However, she didn't like how the hood pressed against her long ears.
She then went about her day exploring the city, memorizing the streets.
***
Mercy approached the royal palace under the cover of night. It had been built after Havas became a major power and thus didn't have the same fortification as a castle. She wore blue to better blend in with the night's sky. However, she hadn't counted on how bright sections of the city would be after dark. Still, it wasn't that much of an issue. At least it was rather dark here.
She channeled her mana through the legatum sigil on her arm. Her mana then shifted to her legs. Pressing off, she propelled herself into the air and hopped the fence. Grabbing on, she looked over the side. She spied two regular guards walking down through the courtyard. Hiding in their blind spot, she waited for them to pass.
Her goggles were enchanted, allowing her to see the invisible tripwires about a foot off the ground, running between the statue pedestals. From here, she couldn't tell if they were for traps or just alarms. The guards walked a path that avoided them all the same.
The enchantment on the shoes muffled her landing. Summoning another spell from the sigil's library, she turned herself invisible. Careful so as not to leave any footprints, she headed to the main building. When moving past the tripwires, she jumped onto the pedestals. After a quick look around, she scaled the wall to the second floor.
She didn't want to break the windows, as glass made too much noise. One by one. Mercy checked the windows until she found one that was unlocked. Slowly, she pulled it open and slipped in, closing the window behind her. She found herself in a hallway with a few items and paintings on display. Through her googles, she could see the glow of mana around them. She was cautious around them, but they seemed to be mainly for display, such as the crystal floating and spinning above its stand. Still, she avoided them.
She got to a larger hall and jumped onto the rafters. She wasn't able to get into the palace during the day, so she was only starting to figure out the layout. She pressed against a beam and froze as a door opened.
Two armored figures entered the hallway, their faces hidden by steel helmets. Below their steel armor was some kind of magenta undersuit. Neither seemed to be holding a weapon, but both had powerful auras. Their boots clunked against the ground as they walked under.
Mercy kept to the rafters whenever possible. Her ears twitched whenever she heard a sound that could be movement. She switched to an air vent, removing and replacing the grate. She found an enchantment, pausing, but soon discovered it was just a simple wind spell to move air around.
In time, she found the armory. Sitting on a shelf was a box sporting the Havas royal seal. The large box was certainly big enough to hold the armor, but Mercy was confused as to the lack of mana surrounding it.
Dropping her invisibility, at least for now, Mercy reached out her hand. She channeled her mana through her sigil. However, nothing happened. The box failed to move.
Mercy sighed. "Nothing worth doing is ever so easy." She jumped down from the rafters, landing without a sound. She walked over to the box and used a spell to open the lock. Again, it failed. She had to pull out a lockpick and do it manually.
After a few nerve-wracking moments, Mercy opened the box. Inside was the magenta armor she had been looking for. She recognized the magical aura she was looking for, matching the royal guard she had seen during the day.
Closing the box when she heard a noise outside, she fixed her eyes on the door. She could hear steps growing louder. Soon, they started to soften as whoever their owner was passed.
Mercy relaxed and grabbed the box. "I can't afforded to linger any longer." She jumped back to the rafters and quickly got into the vent. From there, she made her exit.
****
Mercy returned to her hotel room. It was already early morning and even she was starting to get tired. She uncovered the box and set it on the table. Opening it, she looked it over.
It wasn't quite what she was expecting. The metal was dyed and she wasn't sure what kind it was. Folded below it was some material, maybe the latex this land was known for. It seemed rather light, but there was no mistaking the aura.
Her eyes were starting to hurt, so she removed the goggles, tossing them onto the bed. In fact .she removed the mask and hood as well, letting her hair down. "I worked up a sweat." She looked behind her at the door. This was one of the cheaper hotels on the far side of town, but even it had a personal bathing room attached.
Mercy stripped off her tight clothes, tossing them into a pile, and headed to the bathing room. It was small, with an even smaller chamber with a glass door. Once inside, she turned the knobs with the red and blue crystals. A cloud appeared over her head and poured rain down on her. It was cold at first, but another turn of the red knob and it warmed up. "Mmmmm."
She dried herself off with a towel after a good scrubbing. She then wrapped herself in another. Her ears twitched as she heard a clank. It was coming from her room.
The sigil on her arm started to glow as she readied an attack spell. Carefully, she opened the door with her off hand. She then rushed into the room and skirted to the side. She was shocked at what she saw.
Before her was a lanky figure, letting its arms hang loose as it barely supported its own weight. It lacked a head, but faced Mercy despite that handicap. Its metallic boots clanked against the floor as it shifted. It had on gauntlets and what could only be described as bikini armor, which appeared to be too big for its skinny body.
After a moment she recognized it. "The armor." As it stepped forward she released a concussive wind blast from her palm. It struck the armor in the belly, causing it to fall back and fold in on itself. However, it soon recovered and stammered forward.
Mercy stepped back as she charged another spell. This time, her hand lit up as sparks shot off it and her towel fell away. She couldn't worry about modesty now and let loose a bolt of lightning right at the chest.
The armor didn't seem to care about this one and kept going. Its arm extended and grabbed Mercy's arm. "Of course, latex." Panicking, she fired off another wind blast, trying to buy time while she thought of what spell in her arsenal to use next.
The latex ripped and for a moment Mercy was revealed, thinking she hurt it. However, it was short lived, as it pulled itself back it started falling apart. Globs of latex shot at her, attaching itself to her arm. More covered her belly. Soon, it started to spread out, covering her in a thin coat.
The detached gauntlet split open and clamped onto her forearm. Latex spread out and covered the rest of her arm. More spilled onto the floor and onto her legs. It slid up her body, along with a strange belt. It soon settled around her waist and between her legs, covering her sex as the three ends met.
Mercy tried to pull it off, but her elbow hit her side and some of the gooey latex spread over to it, sliding up and down her limb. "Get this stuff off of me!"
A pair of domes latched themselves onto her chest, shrinking to accommodate her bust size. She moaned as it gave her a squeeze before growing slightly to correct itself. A metal band snapped behind her back. She grabbed the metallic bra with her free hand, trying to pull it off.
Having no luck, Mercy tried to pull her feet free of the puddle of latex at her feet. She only really succeeded in falling on her butt. However, the globs of latex covering her feet were shrinking as they slid up her body, and soon she was able to move her legs again.
Two more pieces attached itself to her shins and covered her foot, soon forming the boots. She started to moan as the latex slid across her body. Then, she snapped out of her haze tried to pull it off her. "No, wait!" It had gone past her neck and was reaching her face. Latex was forcing its way past her lips and filling her mouth, muffling her screams. It formed a plug with a small hole in the middle.
Mercy was alternating between states of panic and bliss. She struggled to keep her mind out of the haze. Something felt so right about this, but also so wrong. It seemed to have calmed down, now that everything below the nose was covered in latex.
Her hands explored her body, her fingers sliding down the now perfectly smooth latex. She pried at the cups now encasing her chest, but they wouldn't move. She couldn't even slip her fingers between the metal and her skin; it was now fused with the latex. In time, her hands moved down her belly and down to the belt. Again, she was unable to budge it.
Mercy rolled around on the floor trying to get it off. She laid on her back as she tried to at least stimulate herself through the metal. The latex was driving her crazy. On the one hand ,something about it just felt right. On the other hand, it was riling her up. However, the thin metal strip prevented her release. Still, after some leg exercises, she was once again calm.
She then collapsed and closed her eyes. "I'll deal with this in the morning."
*****
Mercy snapped out of her trance. The light of day was now coming through the window. However, that wasn't of any interest to her now. Standing in the room were two women in similar armor. They wore the same latex catsuits and had the same gauntlets and boots she did. However, their faces were covered in helmets Mercy hadn't found in the box and had additional armor covering some of their more exposed spots. One held a translucent sword in her hand, the other a spear. Both of them silently stared at her.
The spear woman pinned her down. She was quite strong, but something was telling Mercy to relax. Before she could do anything, the other dropped her sword, which vanished, and then wrapped Mercy's hands in the form of latex bandages. She then forced her arms together. Next, she bound her legs with the bandages.
Mercy struggled weakly and the spear woman pressed her foot down on her chest. She released her only so they could unceremoniously stuff her into a sack. One of them, she couldn't tell who, picked her up and carried her away.
Soon, she could hear other people. It was rather light as it was still early morning, but she could tell she was being carried through the streets. She was then dumped onto a wooden floor, which then started to move.
"Looks like I'm in a carriage." Mercy started to struggle in the sack, flopping around as it moved. However, she couldn't escape and her efforts only caused her to become frustrated again. This time, she wasn't able to find any kind of relief.
When she was finally picked up again, she felt herself being carried around for even longer. Then, after a while, the bag was opened and she was dumped onto the floor.
Mercy looked around. She found herself in what appeared to be the throne room. At the end of the long carpet stood a throne with a man sitting on top of it. She had never seen him in person before, but Mercy knew he had to be King Havas.
It was at this point I realized I haven't put any effort into the king himself or even what he was wearing aside from that ring. For the record, Havas is his last name.
Members of the royal guard stood beside him, one to each side. More subjects, such as regular soldiers and what appeared to be officials, stood in a pair of lines on either side of the long carpet. On the wall was a mural depicting an ancient conflict, likely the battle of the gods this land was known for.
"Oh, you must be our little thief. Seems you were a bit careless and opened the box." King Havas looked at one of the guards. "Unbind her."
A sword appeared in the guard's hand as the gem on her gauntlet glowed. She then cut the latex bindings around Mercy's legs. Next, she freed her hands. The latex still clung to her, but the guard peeled it off and wadded it up into a ball.
Mercy got up slowly. "What's going on here?" She was confused as to why they were untying her. For a moment, she considered running. "This armor should enhance my abilities. If these guards are human, I might be able to out run them. No, I don't know how to use it yet. They will overtake me. Crap, what should I do?
"Scan her," ordered the King.
A woman in purple latex walked up. Only her eyes and mouth were visible. The Havas crest was printed on her chest. In her hands was a glass disk about 5 inches wide with metal handles, a few colored crystals embedded in them. She viewed Mercy through the glass for a moment. "My lord, her mana level is 5.7 and she has a legatum sigil."
The King smiled. "5.7! Well that's impressive, and an elf mage on top of it." He clapped his hands. "You also must be quite competent to sneak in here unnoticed. That was you, right?"
Mercy was compelled to nod her head.
"Excellent." The King tapped his fingers together with a smile. "I happen to have an opening. After 35 years of service, one of my royal guards has died. We were looking for a replacement, someone with suitable mana levels. Unfortunately, the median mana level for magic users in this country is only 2.3, and few are above 4. We were keeping the armor in an anti-magic box until we found someone to wear it. You see, we have to be very careful with these armors when they don't have a user. Only level zeros are permitted to handle them. They have the rather bad habit of attaching themselves to someone when they smell magic." He chuckles.
Mercy grunted. She tried to yell at him, but only made unintelligible muffles. So instead, she stomped her foot.
The King held out his hand. The ring shined briefly as he spoke. "Bow before me." There was a commanding tone to his voice.
"What?" Mercy was shocked when she got down on one knee and lowered her head. "What!?"
"You are now conscripted into the royal guard. And no, you don't have a choice in the matter. My ancestors crafted that armor from mithril and latex. The enchantments bind it and the wearer to my bloodline. You will find serving me is quite rewarding." He waved his hand.
A ripple of pleasure washed over Mercy's body. She couldn't help but moan. Her loins were running wild. She broke her pose and collapsed on to the floor. Her mind entered a state of bliss.
"You will be fitted with the rest of your armor soon enough. Although I'm afraid we'll have to forge a new helmet to accommodate your lovely ears." The King stood up and walked over. He stroked Mercy's ear softly.
Mercy snapped out of it and jumped back. She balled her hand into a fist, but couldn't bring herself to throw it.
King Havas chuckled. "I see you're still willful. No matter, We will have plenty of time together." He then looked serious. "Do not leave the palace without my say so."
Mercy felt his words as more binding the chains. She shuddered.
"Now follow the guards to your new quarters. Someone will be along later to tend to you."
Mercy slowly got up. She slowly followed her silent captors as they headed down the throne room.
The End