The Unlucky Paladin

Originally Posted on Deviantart on December 28, 2022.

Author’s Note : This story is heavily inspired by “The Cursed Armlet” by Anew. Anew was a creative consultant.

“HYAAA!” Ruth shouted. Her hammer ignited with golden fire, and she reeled the weapon in. It shattered the cursed bones, reducing them to ash. Rusty pieces of gear clattered to the ground, as another skeleton marched in. The paladin refused to yield ground, hoisting her hammer high. Gravity did the rest of the work, denting the skeleton’s shield. Momentum punched through its bones and holy flames engulfing the cursed spawn.

She raised her shield, eyes hunting the caverns around her. Ruth gripped her hammer, and more golden flames erupted from the head. The light shimmered back at her from a few stray puddles. A rusty spear fell beside the dented shield. Nobody remained in the cave. At least, as far as Ruth could tell.

She relaxed her stance, still holding her mace as a makeshift torch. Her boot kicked into some of the ash, letting puffs of violet smoke into the air. Stone skeletons. Not the true work of a necromancer. Turning rocks into bone was far from mastered magic, and they still carried a weakness to holy fire. Something Ruth could easily supply. No, skeletons like these were a scarecrow.

Ruth continued deeper into the cave, letting her hammer guide her path. She took a glance at her surroundings, before letting her free hand hover near the warmer fire. Then she hugged her cloak over her figure, it served as a shield against cool air nibbling at her arms. The paladin followed the cave until she found a more open area.

Droplets of water echoed through the cave. Ruth spotted a stick with some old rags wrapped around the end. She gripped her hammer, and reached behind her back, withdrawing a small shield. The golden flames lit every corner that she could see. No bandits, no goblins, and no skeletons. Ruth did see one thing, however. A chest.

A smirk appeared on her face as she returned her shield to its buckler. She placed her hammer on top of a nearby rock and handled the chest. A lock rattled in resistance. The browned iron surrendered a flake as Ruth tugged on the lid. Every tug caused the lid to extend its opening a little further.

The paladin adjusted her stance, changed her grip on the lid, and pulled. Ruth grit her teeth, hearing splinters moan and aged metal fail. Her efforts met a sudden “snap”, and the lid came loose. She stumbled and gave a confused glance at the lid in her hands. It fell to the ground, a failure at protecting the treasure. Ruth held her torch over the chest, and her smile sagged in an instant.

A simple bracer sat within. Perhaps more like an armlet The paladin picked it up, noting its gray color, and a few etchings. Its metallic surface didn’t seem heavy. It also didn’t have a single spot of rust, despite the condition of some of the other metal items she found. That may catch the attention of a blacksmith and could fetch a few coins. But this armlet also lacked a twin.

Ruth sighed and took a seat on a rock. Not every uncharted cave had to contain riches. She dragged her eyes over the odd etchings that covered it. ‘Why’, she wondered, would someone go through the trouble to hide this?

The paladin was about to place her “treasure” in her bag of spoils, before pausing. A loose feeling around her wrist. She raised an eyebrow and looked at her own bracer. A leather strap had come loose. The same one that would slip a little in every fight. Ruth took a glance at the armlet she found and smirked. She started unfastening the leather straps that held her bracer in place.

The armlet could open and clamp around a wearer’s wrist. A simple tug caused it to open, which was easy enough. Ruth closed it around her wrist. She smirked. It slid up and down her forearm. It seemed meant for for someone larger than her. But the smirk soon recoiled into surprise, as the armlet began to emit a purple glow from its etchings. Ruth blinked, feeling her heart rate pick up. What was this thing doing? The armlet began to shrink, tightening around her wrist. It stopped at a snug fit, letting the purple glow fade.

It changed size and became a proper fit. That was all it did. Or at least, Ruth hoped that was all it did. Ruth took a breath, chuckled, and shook her head. A normal armlet like this would only fetch a few coins. An enchanted one could prove far more valuable. This belonged in the spoils bag. Ruth reached for the armlet and began unfastening its leather straps.

Ruth paused, blinking as the armlet was glowing again. She pulled on the straps again, wondering why the armlet was still in place. Her eyes shot wide, as the protective bracer fell free from the opposite hand.

“What the… how did…” Ruth looked at the fallen piece of gear. Somehow she had removed the wrong armlet. Her left arm now felt the crisp cave air. No… that wasn’t right. She meant to remove the armlet that she *found*. Not the one she brought with her to the cave. Ruth stared at the armlet, feeling her heart pound a little harder. Was this armlet hidden here for a reason? Was it cursed?

Ruth tried to reach for her bracer but found her hands stopping. Nothing restrained her, she knew she could put the gear back on. And yet her hands refused to move toward the bracer.

“Raaaaasssssk!”

The hiss bit into her ears, sending a shiver up her spine. Ruth jumped, feeling her hand reach behind her back, fumbling uselessly for a shield. It clattered to the ground. Her eyes went wide as her hands refused to move for the shield. “A-ah!”

The skeleton jumped at her, and Ruth had no option but to leap away from her shield. Hammer. Hammer. She needed her hammer. But the skeleton stood between her and her precious weapon. It had a sword. She was defenseless.

If she could just get her hammer. One distraction. That was all she needed. Her hands felt around for a weapon of any kind. They found fabric. Her cloak. Ruth whipped the clock over her head. The skeleton raised its arm for a swing. Heavy cloth shook its balance.

Ruth dove for her hammer and glared at the skeleton, still fumbling with the cloak. She held her hammer high above her head, and golden fire erupted from its fist. One firm crash and the skeleton dropped the sword. The holy flames waved over the skeleton and it crumbled to ash.

The paladin sighed and fell to her knees. She glanced at her hammer. At least there was no issue holding that. She could still defend herself. Her eyes turned to the cloak, sitting atop the ash pile. It didn’t appear damaged. But as soon as Ruth approached it, she found herself only able to stare at the cloak on the ground. Even though Ruth told her hands to go down, to pick up the clothing, they refused to obey.

“What’s happening… why can’t I…” A leather strap slipped through metal. She looked and saw her hand moving on its own, unfastening her breastplate. “N-no!” Ruth blushed, reaching for the leather strap that secured her breastplate. All Ruth could do was fumble it between her fingers. She had done this knot countless times and her fingers refused to even start the process.

The armlet began to glow again, giving off the same violet energy. Only, it was a touch brighter than before. With it, an odd warmth began to flicker deep within her. Ruth blushed at the alien feeling and shook her head.

This armlet was doing things to her. It was making her remove her gear. She turned to her hammer, fearing the worst. The paladin extended her opposite hand to her weapon. She grasped the handle with no conflict. At the very least, she could still fight.

Another leather strap loosened. The heavy breastplate shifted, surging red on her face. Ruth let go of her hammer and reached to clutch the armor. A flimsy grip kept it in place. But every time it moved, every time it budged an inch, the armlet would give her more of that odd heat.

It spread through her, making her heart flutter. It swelled, hugging her with internal warmth. A sigh escaped her. She bit her lip and opened one eye. Her opposite arm still held the breastplate in place. Ruth knew it needed to stay on, that she couldn’t keep removing her gear in the cave. And yet, her hands continued shifting around the armor. The tiniest gap between the plate and the rest of her gear led to another release of warmth.

Ruth took a breath. What if more skeletons attacked? She couldn’t battle with her breastplate so loose. It could fall, get in the way, and trip her. There was still a chainmail shirt beneath, it could protect her from light attacks. If the armlet refused to let her keep the plate, then it would do her little good to let the breastplate hang.

The paladin took a breath. As soon as she removed that breastplate, she would leave. All she would have to do is flee to the city. The mage at the magic shop could help her remove this bracer.

A deep breath and she allowed the opposite hand to unfasten the remaining pieces of leather. The breastplate lowered from her, revealing the silver chain mail shirt. In an instant, more warmth swelled over Ruth. She put her hands on a rock and panted. It was as if she was in a warm bath, with pleasant heat caressing her from the inside.

“What… what is this feeling… I feel so hot…” Ruth pressed her thighs together. The clothing on the lower half of her body sat in the way of her skin rubbing against itself. What would it have felt like? The paladin took a glance at the armlet. Its violet glow hummed every time something came off, followed by warmth flowing through her.

Ruth took a breath and put her left hand on her chainmail shirt. With a gentle tug, the armlet warmed further. Another sweet tingle rode through her body. She took a breath, and pulled the armor over her head, dropping it by the breastplate. The armlet glowed once more, going bright enough to highlight her in the cave, only for a moment.

“Ahh…. ahh… ohh…” Ruth moaned, her cheeks flashing pink. A thin layer of sweat formed over her head. She could only tremble, wrapping her arms around her chest. It gave her more of that warmth every time she removed something. But what was this warmth? Would a curse really feel this… sweet?

The paladin fumbled, now starting to crave the warmth. Her boots fell aside, keeping the armlet bright enough to let her ignore the chill of the cave. Against better judgment, Ruth unfastened her belt. It felt as if the warmth was pouring into her, her body begging for freedom from her pants. Ruth grasped at a wall, taking deep breaths, allowing her chest to heave as her trousers inched down her legs. They pooled around her ankles, along with her will to ever touch them again.

Ruth stumbled, the armlet giving her a full burst of that feeling. Her undergarments remained, but the rest of her tender skin found freedom from her shell of armor. As she let her hands wander, she found her fingertips brushing against the final pieces of fabric. What kind of warmth would the armlet give her if those came off?

“I… I have to stop… I have to… get to the mage…” Ruth glanced at the armlet again. “I… I shouldn’t… it’s n-not what a paladin should do…” She took a moment to consider her current state. A normally proud paladin now stood in nothing but her underwear and an armlet. Her face flashed red, and her breathing labored. Every inch of exposed skin felt so soft. And despite all the fortitude she trained, she could only stare at the abandoning pile of gear. If anybody saw her this way…

Ruth shook her head and tried to reach for the armlet. But her hand couldn’t approach it. “N-no… this feels good but I can’t… I have to…” The paladin grit her teeth and pushed to reach the armlet. But her mind refused to let her touch it. A frustrated sigh escaped her. She couldn’t break free on her own. If she couldn’t before, there was no way that would change with all the power it exerted now.

“The cloak… let me at least… have that…” Ruth pleaded to the armlet. She wasn’t sure if it was cursed, haunted, or… enchanted. No, this was not an enchantment. All she knew was that she at least needed the cloak to get help. The paladin extended a hand towards the cloak but froze. “N-no… I need it…”

She grit her teeth and glanced at her hammer. Her hands balled into fists as she looked at her cloak again. A deep breath filled her lungs and she closed her eyes. There was one more idea.

“Light… grant me strength!” The paladin’s eyes flashed, and her body tensed. Her bared figure firmed, muscles tensing. She grit her teeth and reached for the cloak. This time, her holy magic brought her closer. As her now more muscular hand extended towards the cloak, the armlet’s violet glow brightened. Her hand began to tremble.

“A-almost…” Ruth grit her teeth. A single piece of proper cover. It would be enough. She could come back for the rest later. Her fingertip brushed the fabric of the cloak.

The armlet surged.

Another wave of warmth flooded her. Ruth threw her head back and moaned. Her hands retreated to her body in an instant. They gripped her top, the golden glow still in her eyes. With her own holy magic still pushing her strength, she pulled in opposite directions. A loud tear barked through the cave. Her top became useless scraps in an instant.

“N-noo… I needed… ahhh…” Ruth gasped. Her chest slipped into freedom as half her remaining wardrobe fell. She wrapped her arms around the tender skin. Her face was crimson in the moment. A proud paladin had quickly become a quivering mess with one scrap to her name. With her muscles still tense, Ruth could do little but watch as her hands fumbled away from her breasts. As they bounced and kissed the open air of the cavern, more tingles flowed through her. The golden glow from her eyes faded soon after, and her body lost tension.

Ruth panted and hummed as her hands clamored around her body. Resisting this armlet was worthless. What was the point when it would reward her with so much sweet warmth? Her thighs squeezed against each other. One more time. Just one more time. She wanted to feel it now.

Her hands found their way to her panties and began pushing them down her thighs. A moist patch briefly clung to her skin. It was her last piece of clothing. But the inferno she was about to dive into was all too enticing. The armlet glowed as she pushed her final piece of clothing to the ground. It hung over her foot for a moment. Ruth couldn’t help but smile as lifted her leg and flicked her ankle. Her panties, her final piece of clothing, joined her pile of gear.

She looked at the armlet, the final item on her body. At last, she was naked. From head to toe, her body was now free of any gear. Her skin felt so soft and smooth. Letting her hands drag over her figure felt good. Part of her knew this wasn’t okay. A paladin shouldn’t be so eager to undress. And yet here she was, anticipating the next wave of heat.

The armlet bared a weak glow for the moment but soon surged violet, providing a spotlight in the cave.

“A-h!!!” Ruth gasped, her face screaming crimson. Her arms wrapped around her form, as the warmth spread around her body. She bit her lip and wanted to curl into a little ball. Eventually, an inexperienced hand found its way between her legs. It squeezed, creating a pressure that soon drew out a moan from the nude girl. An intense heat swelled within her, and Ruth couldn’t help but smile as it boiled within her. There was a feeling… she wasn’t far from it, but she hadn’t a clue how to get more.

After several minutes of her aimless hands wandering her body, the heat started to calm down. Only… it didn’t go away like before. Now that she was naked, that feeling rode through her. A slow constant. Only… she knew it was capable of more.

She fumbled her hand around and gripped her hammer. Ruth couldn’t stay. If she was attacked again in this state, could she fight back? No, it was long past time to go. Even if that lingering feeling seemed capable of more.

Ruth’s pace on the way out of the cave was slow. While the interior of the cave was smooth enough to walk on, the feelings the armlet provided lingered. One arm wrapped around her chest, holding the hammer in place. The other found its way between her legs. Ruth simply blushed and squeezed herself. It felt… good. All her training as a paladin left so little time to explore her body. Was this the armlet’s doing? Or was this some sort of secret about herself?

Every so many steps Ruth took, she paused. She’d set her hammer down and let her hands wander. Not just her labia, but her ample chest. Cupping each breast in a palm and giving herself a gentle squeeze. A small burst of warmth flowed over her, earning a little hum.

A few steps later, this repeated. Ruth would set her hammer down, wanting to feel that heat again. The paladin let her hands explore her body. If only she knew what to do. There was pleasure there, and she wasn’t sure how to fully reach it.

By the time Ruth had left the cave, she came to the conclusion that squeezing herself between the legs felt best. The pressure from her own hand would sometimes make her clamp herself with her thighs. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder how to get that intense heat from before. Every chance she took to indulge would only reward her with a little pleasure. Nothing compared to when she removed her panties… and there was nothing left for her to remove.

Unable to get that heat back, Ruth continued on, bringing her hammer with her. She was getting close to the city. The mage would be able to remove this cursed… or perhaps enchanted armlet. Then Ruth could sell it… or perhaps figured out how it worked.

Ruth darted for an alley, her heart racing. She was walking in the city now, naked besides the armlet. If somebody saw her, a respected paladin wandering the city without a sock to her name, there would be trouble. With her hammer being the only thing that could obscure the view of her intimates, she held it close to her body.

But even in the city, Ruth would take a moment. Her heart raced, knowing that eyes could crawl all over her at the wrong moment. Disaster waited for her, and she would still take the time to allow a hand to squeeze herself. If she could feel that heat one more time. Maybe she had to rub herself instead of squeezing?

“Give me your coin purse, everything!” A blade hissed through its sheethe.

“Ahhh! P-please don’t hurt me! I’ll give it to you, I’ll give it to you!”

Ruth’s eyes shot open. She peered around the corner and saw a thief holding a knife at another person. Her heart raced as she retreated. Someone was in trouble. Were there guards? A thief wouldn’t strike if guards were near. The paladin looked down at her hammer, knowing what it meant.

But she was naked. Completely naked. Clearly in a state that a paladin should never be in. She was supposed to be holy and pure. What would those people think if she confronted that thief like this? Would they call her a pervert? A crazy streaker?

“Hurry up!”

“Ah! P-please, I’m going as fast as I can!”

Ruth took a breath. Hopefully “hero” would be at least one thing they’d call her. She gripped her hammer and steeled herself.

“H-halt!” Ruth charged out, trying to use her righteous fury to push through her embarrassment. The full light of the sun shined down on her naked figure and flowing blonde hair. Her breasts bounced, and her smooth behind even had a slight sway.

The thief turned, gripping her knife and taking a stance. “Stay where you are and nobody… gets… hurt…?” Her stance faltered to one of utter confusion, seeing a naked girl with a hammer confronting her. She couldn’t help but smirk. “Not very modest, are you?”

Ruth glared through her blush. A holy fire ignited on her hammer. “D-don’t let looks fool you! I-I still wield the light of justice!”

The thief held her knife, eyebrow raised, seeing her nude except for the armlet. That certainly looked interesting.

“This way!” said a voice.

“We can still catch the thief!”

The thief checked the crowd and resheathed her dagger. “Alright, you win,” she smirked. She darted for the alley, the shadows befriending the rogue.

“H-hey, come back here!” Ruth said, about to give chase. “You can’t threaten the innocent!” She started a run but nearly stumbled. Bare feet didn’t have the traction of boots. Especially not on cobblestone. “…Darn it…”

“Umm…”

“Is she naked?”

“Who is that?”

Ruth froze, her eyes widening. A crowd of people had witnessed her confrontation with the thief. And she was completely naked for the whole thing. Her heart accelerated as her arms flailed to covering positions, using her hammer to block the view between her legs. The paladin’s face turned crimson.

“U-um… I… um… you see…” She took a breath. “Light, forgive me for the lies I must speak…” she whispered to the air. “I was… I heard the shouting and had no time to prepare!” Ruth gave a nervous laugh.

The woman running the food stand approached. She blushed but smiled nonetheless. “Well… naked or not… you did save me. I owe you a thanks.” The woman held a cloak towards Ruth. “Here, you might want to put this on,” she closed her eyes, trying to be respectful to the naked girl.

Ruth sighed with relief. “Oh, thank you, that’s,” she extended a hand, but the armlet glowed. It blocked her hand from going even the tiniest bit closer to the cloak. It wouldn’t budge. She was still out in public, completely naked, and unable to dress. Dozens of people were in the street now, seeing her in such a vulnerable state. At the very least, they had witnessed her bravery.

“C-could you point me to the magic shop, please?”