Chapter Text
The Emmar’s Academy for Magically Gifted was a sprawling complex of buildings, parks, and sports arenas. It was also, as far as everyone on the continent was concerned, the place to be if you had system access. For Inara, it seemed like the scariest place right now as she entered the grand auditorium. Vast open space filled with cushioned seats stood before her, easily large enough to fit a few thousand new students the academy expected to greet each year. She was dressed as expected for the first day of school: a white shirt with embroidery, a navy skirt with pockets that reached just past her knees, and her trusted black sandals that refused to break no matter what she put them through.
A small blue card that was given to her yesterday flashed in her hand, and a bright green arrow appeared above it, pointing to the left. Looking around, Inara quickly spotted the massive sign reading ‘Submissive’ in bright blue letters with an arrow pointing in a similar direction. She took a deep breath, absentmindedly adjusted her clothes, and started walking. The green arrow shifted slowly with her movements, guiding her towards what she assumed was her assigned seat.
A stray thought made her question if the rest of her life would be dictated for her like that. Told where to go, where to sit, eat, and sleep. She mentally shuddered at the idea, even when her body betrayed how it felt with a wave of arousal. She briefly squeezed her thighs before catching herself in the act and focusing on finding her spot. This was not the time to fantasize about the future.
The auditorium was mostly empty; only a few seats were filled here and there. She was a good twenty minutes early. Better early than late. What if she got lost on the way? Not that she would, not with the guidance from her card, but the habit of always leaving early just in case was a hard one to break. She passed rows of seats, reading the occasional signs that designated seating areas for different groups of students. Some seemed almost mundane, like ‘service subs’, others more suggestive in nature, ‘sex slaves’. She passed the seats labeled as ‘pets’ and briefly wondered why the arrow led her past that group. It became obvious when she arrived at her spot. A small corner of the ‘laborers’ section sported a sub-sign stating ‘beasts of burden’, a total of five seats dedicated to the area.
Inara stopped breathing for a moment, struggling to comprehend the rather obvious placement. She stared at the seat her green arrow was pointing at. Her subconscious mind must have called forward her system as a transparent box came into her field of vision, happily providing her with all the details of what she was.
Name: Inara Morgset
Age: 21
Class: Draft animal (stage 0)
Level: 0/10
Affinities: Nature, Earth
Skills: None
How in the abyss was this her life now, and more importantly, how was she supposed to make sex magic with this class? Magic ability was rare enough that it barely came up in her life before, and what she knew did not provide many answers to her current predicament. It would have been much easier if she had time to do some proper reading on the subject, but no, her system had to awaken just two weeks before the start of the academic year. She wasn’t keen on waiting a whole year with an unlocked system, so she rushed things and barely had enough time to get registered. The one book she found informed her she was a high-maintenance submissive.
There was no question as to whether she would do it; all alternatives led to a boring life of mediocrity. Shit, the internship money was better than the paycheck from the pastry shop. She was so happy to tell her boss she quit. The stray fantasies about a life where someone else controlled everything about her that started plaguing her from day one of the system unlocking only enforced that decision.
Now that she was here, reality hit Inara with full force. She felt dizzy as the system’s words floated before her. What if she hated it? What if it hurts? If all it brought her was failure and anxiety, like everything else in life thus far?
She took a shaky breath- just how her brother thought her. Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out. The creeping dread slowly subsided. Not gone completely, but enough for her to move. She put the card in her pocket and sat down. Deep breath in, and out. She repeated the exercise a few more times for good measure.
With a clearer head, she scanned her surroundings properly. She was maybe twenty rows away from a central platform. A single lectern stood at its center against the backdrop of a massive banner depicting the school’s coat of arms; deep green fabric with two androgynous figures facing each other, painted in soft orange and holding hands.
Slowly, the bustle of moving bodies grew more frequent; seats around her started filling up. A massive unit of a man attempted to move past her, so she tucked her legs in, trying to make more space.
“Sorry,” came a gruff voice. “I’m big. I know.” The man, who could not be much older than her, squeezed past. “Oh,” he muttered to himself and stopped, promptly plopping himself in the seat next to her. “Hi there, neighbor.”
“Hi,” Inara responded.
Now, that was a beast of burden if she ever saw one, nothing like her slim body. Not that she was short at 5’8” but compared to the giant next to her… she was a tiny creature.
“I’m Leo. Future best working ox out there,” there was a lightness in his voice, as if this was the most normal thing in the world. He reached his hand towards her.
“Inara,” she responded by extending her own hand. “I’m not sure what will become of me yet,” she laughed softly, hoping her nervousness did not show.
Leo’s handshake was surprisingly gentle. If he detected her distress, he did not show it. “Oh. I knew the moment I read about it. Right now, my class says pack animal, but the evolution just fits. I have the right affinities for a pack ox as well. Gonna be hauling large things on my back in no time.” He moved to pat his biceps as if to prove a point. “Plus, ya know, the kinky stuff that gets the mana flowing…”
The grin on his face made Inara feel even more inadequate and unprepared. Her own lack of knowledge gnawed at her, boring a hole of anxiety into her stomach. She nodded and smiled at him, hoping to present a confident front.
The seats around them were getting full by now. The hum of conversations filled the air. At some point, someone sat on Inara’s right. A slightly chubby and short young woman, who proved to be much less talkative than Leo. She quickly introduced herself as Marianne, the livestock, but chose to remain silent otherwise, seemingly happy to listen to Leo’s long-winded explanation on how metal and air affinity made him perfect for carrying things that no normal person could ever dream of even lifting. “I wonder how long till I can carry a ton of stone up a mountain.” Such a bizarre thing to say, Inara thought.
Their merry band of beasts was soon completed as they were joined by Jess, a somewhat clumsy, if their entrance by tripping on a chair leg was anything to go by, livestock animal in the making. Last to arrive was a handsome young man, the youngest in their group at only nineteen. Zachary, as he introduced himself, turned out to have a draft animal class, the same as Inara. She could not wait to talk to him, but sadly, that would have to wait as a gong sounded out across the auditorium.
Every head turned towards the central podium, where now stood a middle-aged woman. Her hands were lightly holding the lectern as she looked around, scanning the auditorium.
“Good morning, everybody.” Despite the distance, her voice was clearly audible as if she were right next to Inara. “I am dean Korrina Halon, and it is my pleasure to welcome you all to The Emmar’s Academy for Magically Gifted.”
Inara heard a soft sigh coming from Leo, followed by a yawn. “This is going to take forever.”
“Sure will,” someone behind them commented.
“Hush, this stuff might be important,” Marianne scolded them without looking back.
It soon became apparent that none of what the dean had to say was important. She drowned on about the importance of magic in the world, then spent almost half an hour thanking the academy sponsors in detail, before moving on to conduct matters that were covered in the small booklet every student got when registering. Someone in the back row was snoring loudly. The joke on where to find contraceptives was mildly entertaining; the faculty's introductions that followed were not. The dean’s voice and the sound of Leo’s conversation with the students behind them created the perfect background sound as Inara’s mind drifted into a daydream.
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She was brought back from her happy place by Marianne poking her in the shoulder. “She’s finishing up,” her fellow student informed her.
“…organizes your groups for orientation,” Inara caught the end of a sentence. “And with that, I thank you all for attending our esteemed institution and wish you luck in your academic pursuits.”
Inara stretched in her seat. “Gods, that was boring.” Her comment earned her a few murmurs of agreement.
At least her nerves from earlier have settled. It was all so mundane, terrifyingly similar to the first day of school back when her subjects of study included math and literature instead of sex magic, or whatever this ended up being.
“Now we’ve gotta wait for our handler,” Leo commented, drawing Inara’s attention.
“Handler?” She asked.
“Well, yeah.” He looked at her, puzzled, before adding. “That’s what they call the doms for folks like us.” Her face must have betrayed her lack of knowledge as he continued. “Someone with a dominant class to oversee our training. We will be assigned a handler for sure. It’s all in the academy extended manual, the system gives bonuses for it and all that,” he waved his hands excitedly as he spoke.
“Very good explanation mister Rasse,” a female voice cut in, preventing Inara from asking more questions. “There is a bit more detail to it than that, but for you all that is more than enough to know.”
The new arrival was a short, athletic woman, dressed in dark leather. From her belt hung a rather sizable collection of what could only be described as sex toys: a wand vibrator, fleshlight, two pairs of handcuffs, a crop, and a nasty-looking whip. Inara shuddered at the last two. There was one odd addition to the belt; a book holster with what looked like a collection of notebooks peeking out of it.
“I’m the head handler for beasts of burden division of the laborers department,” she spoke while studying their small group. “You will address me as head handler or handler Ashbark when permitted to speak; anything else will get you whipped until you can’t stand. Is that clear?”
Inara nodded, feeling her throat constrict at the sudden threat, while a chorus of weak “yes, head handler” sounded from the others. Inara caught herself thinking of the woman as her superior already. More than that, an owner. ‘Maybe it’s a skill,’ she wondered internally while trying to get her nerves under control.
“Good. Follow me,” the handler did not wait for them to respond before turning and walking off.
The initial shock gave way to mad scrambling as Leo took point in leading them. Inara took a shaky step, then another, more confident one after him.
“Hey, Inara?” Jess appeared next to her as they walked. “Um…. Could I maybe hold your hand for a bit?”
She took a good look at her fellow student while taking the offered appendage in her palm and squeezing gently. Jess looked exactly how she felt. Their tanned skin felt warm and slightly sweaty in Inara’s hold, and there was an unmistakable edge of anxiety radiating from them.
“Scared?” She asked and received a nod in response. “Yeah, me too.”
She wanted to say more but struggled to find the words. Jess was clearly in the same boat as her right now. That left them walking in silence, glancing at each other from time to time. Having companionship in this moment felt like a lifeboat amid a raging ocean storm. Jess was the only thing keeping her afloat as her legs carried her after Leo.
They were led outside through a back door, down a few narrow streets, and towards a rural-looking area. Large wooden buildings were spread over a vast distance, filled with greenery and broken up only by dirt paths. Handler Ashbark confidently strode ahead of them, not looking back even once until she reached the side of a wide barn.
“Alright, your first lesson starts right now,” she said after facing them. “Once we are inside you don’t speak unless spoken to. Your job for now is to watch and listen.” She reached for a door that blended in with the wall so well that Inara only now spotted it. “Get in.”
The sight that greeted them was the most bizarre thing Inara had ever seen. The barn opened into a large open space, packed dirt covered the floor, or maybe it was the floor. A short fence sectioned off most of the space, leaving only a small path to walk around the barn’s interior perimeter. The real showstopper though was the sight of people in various states of undress moving about. Inara leaned in, instantly fascinated.
She glanced at the nearest figure. A muscular woman was pulling a small metal cart. She was completely naked save for the black material that pulled her arms tightly behind her back, and a strange metal device wrapped around her head. Her lips were forced slightly open; the metal sneaking its way inside. Next to her, an unfurled whip floated lazily in the air. The threat of it was obvious if the red welts covering the woman’s breasts and thighs were any indication. The whip chose that moment to strike. Inara turned her gaze away before it could impact. It did not save her from hearing the sharp sound of flesh being struck. Heart hammering with dread, she waited for the scream of pain, but the stranger didn’t make any noise. When she chanced a glance, it was as if it had never happened.
Inara opened her mouth to say something, but remembered just in time the no-talking rule. There was no chance she would risk getting acquainted with that whip if she could help it. She did glance at the head handler, who was in the process of writing something in one of her notebooks.
“Watch them,” handler Ashbark ordered without lifting her head.
Disobedience seemed like a very bad idea, so Inara turned back to regard the crazy show.
Some distance away, by the fence, were three motionless figures. All were bound in a similar manner that forced them to balance on their elbows and knees. While two of them were mostly naked, the third one was encased in white material with only their massive breasts left open to the air and hanging freely. Not sure what to think of it, Inara looked further away, consciously avoiding the woman who first drew her attention.
All it took was one glance for her to fall in love, or at least experience something like that. A half-dressed man — if bondage gear counted as being dressed — was pulling a cart. Not just pulling, he was making an art of the act; knees lifting high with each step. His legs were encased in black, and where his feet should be was something resembling horse hooves. Inara watched, trying to understand. His feet must have been forced into an en pointe position like that of a ballet dancer. How could he walk like this, and with so much grace? She lifted the soles of her feet, trying to mimic the posture.
“It seems you found something of interest, Inara,” handler Ashbark disrupted her momentary trance. “Stay still. This will do well as a teaching moment.”
Inara did not dare to move a muscle.
After a moment of silence came a set of instructions. “Feet apart.” Inara obeyed. “Lift up a bit more.” She had to grip the fence railing to keep steady and rose until her ankle refused to bend any further. Not quite en pointe but close to it. “Now, move your hands behind your back.”
Inara tried to stay in position, but the wobble happened anyway. There was a hand on her back instantly, steadying her.
“Easy, lean on me a little bit.”
Ashbark moved with precision; one hand on Inara’s back while the other adjusted her arms. Before Inara knew what was happening, there was a click as metal closed around both of her wrists, locking her in the handcuffs. She felt the metal shifting, clinging to her flesh, and when she attempted to pull slightly there was no give whatsoever.
“You are doing amazing, Inara.”
She felt wetness gathering between her legs at the praise. Arms bound, legs straining from the effort; it all sent the unmistakable jolts of pleasure straight to her pussy. If she had the presence of mind to analyze it, she would, but all she could think of was rubbing her thighs together in an effort to relieve the pressure.
“Keep steady, eyes front. Find your balance,” the handler spoke softly now. “I’m going to slowly let you go. Focus on your body.”
Ashbark did as she promised, and by some miracle, Inara remained in position without the support. It took all her willpower to keep her muscles locked in place. She focused her eyes on a wooden pole of the barn support structure, afraid of looking at something that could distract her.
“Watch closely, everyone,” the handler’s voice returned to the strict tone as she addressed the rest of the group. “This position is rather difficult to maintain for a newbie, but soon, with proper training and the support of pony boots, Inara here will be able to stay for hours standing like this.”
Doubt crept into Inara’s thoughts. Her legs were already aching from effort. Dropping down was becoming a real possibility, and the idea of failure filled her with dread. It was not even the threat of potential punishment. Simple fear of disappointing someone in a position of power kept her struggling.
“High-stepping at a decent pace is another, much more difficult matter altogether. It gives the concept of endurance a whole new meaning. Hmm… Let’s work on your posture. Lift the chin higher.”
The handler put a hand under her jaw and tugged slightly. Inara let herself be guided; too focused on keeping her now trembling legs in position to put up any resistance.
“Shoulders back.” Inara obeyed instantly. “A little bit more.”
The movement forced her to adjust her hips to keep balance. Her legs were properly hurting from the effort. She was going to fail spectacularly any second now. She kept her breathing shallow, manually controlling the airflow in fear of even that small movement throwing her off balance. The arousal was still there, but completely irrelevant in the face of the upcoming disaster.
“Endurance,” Ashbark continued the impromptu lecture as if oblivious to Inara’s suffering. “Is a beast of burden’s best friend as you will soon learn. It will be one of the first skills all of you unlock.”
Inara barely understood what the handler was saying. Her mind was singularly focused on the task. Eyes fixed in front of her on a wall in the distance. For one glorious moment, when the strain seemed too much, yet she still held on, the entire world stopped existing. She did not notice when Ashbark stopped talking and silence fell.
“That’s enough, Inara.”
She dropped back onto the soles of her feet. Her body swayed dangerously, head spinning. Strong hands were on her instantly, holding her steady. “You did well,” the handler whispered in her ear while hugging her from behind. “That was very hard, I know. Breath for me.” Inara inhaled. “Good girl.”
She whined; an honest to god whine escaped her lips at the praise. Blushing from the embarrassment, she hunched a bit and turned her head to the side in an attempt to hide.
“Sorry,” the small word escaped Inara before she could think about its meaning.
“Shh…” Ashbark whispered. “It’s all good. Just focus on breathing.” She rubbed Inara’s back with one hand as she spoke, matching the movements with the rise and fall of her chest.
It took an embarrassing amount of time for Inara to stand on her own two feet without the support, and only when she did the handler removed her handcuffs. She glanced at the other students. They were all looking at her, eyes wide with emotions that were hard for her to decode. She thought she saw a glimpse of envy in Zachary’s eyes, but it might have been just her imagination.
“Alright,” the handler broke the tension. “Let’s get out of here.” She was already making her way towards the door that they entered through. “Come on.”
As Inara followed along, she felt Leo brush against her shoulder. “You good?” He asked quietly.
“I think so,” she replied in a whisper. “That was kinda intense.”
“Yeah. I tried the position before coming here,” as Leo spoke, everyone else turned their attention towards the conversation. “Just to see if it was for me. Couldn’t last more than ten seconds,” he chuckled. “It’s harder than it looks.”
To their surprise, Ashbark interjected. “That’s good to know,” she said while turning a page in her notebook and scribbling a quick note.
“Umm…” Marianne chimed in. “Are you making notes about us, handler Ashbark?”
“Yes,” she nodded. “And no, you can’t see them,” the answer was quick and to the point. Something told Inara it was a question asked every year at some point. “Come on, we are nearly there.”
Their next stop turned out to be another building. It was much smaller than the barn, and a part of a cluster of similar-looking structures. Ashbark led them inside, revealing an interior full of benches and tables. Tools, whose purpose Inara could only guess at, were hanging from various hooks neatly lining the walls.
“Lesson number two: privacy, or rather the lack of it.” Ashbark looked at all of them before saying, “Get naked.”