Caitlyn's Curse
Part 1 - Caitlyn's Gambel
Caitlyn had everything ready. All her bondage gear, her suits, and a few days off were ahead of her. Her fingers were itching, but she had to hold back. She had seen an idea on the internet that she really wanted to try, and she vowed to herself that she would do just that, no matter what. She had asked online for a list of self-bondage options, and now chance would decide what she had to do.
“Here we go. Clothes first,” Caitlyn muttered, letting her PC randomly select one item from the clothing category.
“Latex catsuit, perfect!” Caitlyn said when the first item was selected, but she frowned briefly when it said “roll again.” “Um… okay?”
A spandex catsuit appeared, and she had to roll again.
“What the… did I do something wrong in the settings? I'll have to check if I have to roll again…”
The word “latex catsuit” appeared again, and Caitlyn's mouth fell open, because her only other latex catsuit was actually much too small for her and would mercilessly squeeze her body. Especially when she wore Celine's tailor-made catsuit and the spandex suit underneath it. When she read that she had to roll again, she shook her head and checked the settings.
“25% chance of rerolling for clothing? My ass! And the other stuff… Location 10%, Bondage 50%… Toys also 50%. At least there's no chance for time.”
In the end, she rolled the dice again and ended up having to wear white tights, high-heeled leather boots, her dark silver leotard swimsuit, and, to her utter humiliation, a headband with bunny ears over her much too tight latex catsuit. She hissed as she finally moved on to the next category, the location. Caitlyn was getting a little nervous with her current bad luck and hoped she could just stay home.
“Oh, fuck me! To the harbor? … And I have to roll again?!?” Caitlyn cried, but she did as her PC commanded and read aloud, her face growing paler and paler.
“Change at home and lock yourself in your clothes. The key remains frozen at home. It can't get any worse…”
30 minutes later, she regretted everything she had planned. Each new roll of the dice had gotten her deeper into trouble, and now she was reaping what she had sown. She hid most of her outfit under a long coat and strapped a huge bag to her back, in which almost all of her restraints were hidden. She crept down the stairs of her parents' house and into the kitchen, where she placed her keys in a bowl of water in the freezer. Caitlyn went into the hallway and opened the front door.
“Cait?”
Caitlyn flinched and stood rooted to the spot.
“Mom?”
“Are you going out?” Terra asked from the living room.
“Yeah?”
“All right! Have fun!” she said, glancing briefly into the hallway, where she saw her daughter wearing high-heeled boots, white tights under a thick coat, and white bunny ears on her head.
“Um… what kind of outfit is that, and what is that. . .”
“Don’t ask.”
“All right…” Terra said cautiously and slowly walked back into the living room. Caitlyn wanted to sink into the ground and hoped her mother hadn't heard the buzzing in her crotch or seen her nipples, which were almost piercing holes through her coat. As she got into her car, she couldn't help but feel like she'd been completely fooled. Her unlucky streak had not only given her a vibrator on low power, but also a butt plug that was now digging even deeper into her butt. The nipple clamps bit hard into her nipples and pressed even more uncomfortably into her skin through her tight clothing. She started the engine and drove off. It was going to be a long night.
When she arrived at the harbor, she prayed that no one would see her. Mainly because of the bunny ears, but also for every other reason. She quickly found a small, abandoned warehouse that was unlocked, and with a bitter look, she realized that it was perfect for the bondage she would have to endure for the next few hours. She dropped the coat that had been hiding her body and revealed her swimsuit, which had bulges in her crotch and breasts.
“This game has been such a scam,” she cursed as she opened her backpack and took out ropes, handcuffs, gloves, and more. After the third repetition of bondage, she realized that she could never perform the bondage alone, and the program told her to ask someone to help her if she needed assistance. However, Caitlyn didn't want to do that and preferred to resort to her magic. She looked up and saw a claw above her that was used to transport heavy loads from A to B. A remote control hung next to it.
“Haaaaa. Time to get started… otherwise I'll never get out of here…”
She put a ball gag in her mouth and locked it behind her head with a small lock. The key to it was at home, of course. Next, she put on a crotch rope that pushed the devilish vibrator and butt plug deeper into her crotch. Caitlyn sat down on the cold floor and tied her legs at the ankles, incorporating her heels as well. The boots already fit her legs like a glove, but this would definitely keep her in place. More ropes followed around her calves and thighs, as well as a noose that she tied to the restraints on her ankles. Caitlyn turned onto her stomach and formed a ring with a rope, which she placed around her hands. In between, she pulled the noose from her ankles and tightened it. The rope tightened and her hands were now stuck forever. At least until the time was up and she was allowed to go home.
Caitlyn breathed heavily through her nose and looked at the rest of her bondage equipment, which still lay innocently beside her. She swallowed and cast her spell, which would seal her fate for the next eight hours. She still couldn't believe that she had been so unlucky that she had gotten the most out of this situation as well. The ropes began to move toward her like snakes, wrapping themselves around her elbows and upper body. To prevent her from undoing any knots she couldn't reach anyway, two bondage gloves were slipped over her hands and locked with handcuffs.
Next, cling film wrapped around her legs and continued up her body, followed by a roll of duct tape, transforming her into a silver cocoon. She was lucky in her misfortune, though, because her head was spared. Instead, a sleeping bag crept toward her and engulfed her body. A collar secured it around her neck and chains rattled across the floor, closing around Caitlyn's body and mercilessly squeezing her into a metal net. She glanced up at the remote control and cast another spell. The spreader above her lowered instantly. It grabbed a chain, lifted it up, and with it, Caitlyn. She was now dangling a good seven feet above the ground, staring grimly at the small clock that read eleven o'clock in the evening. Although she regretted a little what she had just done to herself, she still found it exciting. And maybe the vibrator could give her a few nice moments after all. The night was still young, after all!
The night was still young, after all.
This sentence echoed over and over in her head as the vibrator continued to torment her and the clamps on her nipples felt like they were burning. In addition, the butt plug pressed uncomfortably into her butt and now felt like something she wanted to get rid of as quickly as possible. Saliva also dripped from the corner of her mouth onto the floor from time to time, and a small puddle had formed beneath her. But the worst thing was the little clock that told her she still had five hours to go.
At least the chains didn't hurt because of all the padding I'm wearing, Caitlyn thought, blinking tiredly. Finally, her eyes closed, but the slam of the door immediately startled her awake. Half a dozen flashlights illuminated the floor of the hall, and she heard the whispers of several men.
“All right. We can get in here!”
“You can't be serious!”
“How is it that she always finds us?”
“How should I know? I really miss the old order and the boss.”
“Don't you think I do? It's time we got him out and… What's that coat?”
Caitlyn froze when one of the men saw her coat lying on the floor, along with the empty roll of tape and foil, and the backpack.
“Looks like a kidnapper's set, hahaha. Lance would love that!”
“Sure, but whose is it? Looks like a lady in distress and…” One of the men fumbled around in Caitlyn's jacket and fished out her wallet.
“Ohoooo. Looks like little Caitlyn Taylor is on the run,” he said, and the others gathered right below her to look at Caitlyn's ID.
“Let's see!”
“Oh, I wouldn't push her out of bed. Do you think she's here somewhere?”
“Sure, but first we have to find out who's after her AND get rid of the guy who's after us!”
“Ah! I think the roof is leaking. I just got a drop on my head,” said another, rubbing his head as Caitlyn's eyes widened. He looked down and saw the puddle of Caitlyn's saliva before six flashlights were aimed at the Caitlyn piñata the next moment.
“Well, well, well. Who do we have here? A little bondage bunny all to ourselves to play with?”
Caitlyn muttered something incomprehensible into the gag and shook her head frantically as one of the men grabbed the remote control and Caitlyn was slowly lowered. Right in the middle of them, until she was lying at their feet. She swallowed as the men grinned broadly.
“Lucky in misfortune, dear friends,” said the man with the remote control, and the others laughed.
“More like out of the frying pan into the fire,” shouted a woman, and now it was the men’s turn to look up in panic. Caitlyn only saw her for a brief moment.
A shadow jumped behind one of the men and knocked him down. Another fell less than half a second later. They spun around, raising guns and knives, but the shadow had already disappeared. Just a moment later, the men behind Caitlyn collapsed, and she looked over her shoulder in fear. It wasn't easy with the two collars around her neck, but a flashlight rolled across the floor and illuminated her savior. She wore a dark combat suit that was well padded and was armed with batons, which she now tucked into her belt.
“Faffff?”
"Hey Cait… are you stuck again? What's with the bunny ears? You know what? I don't even want to know,“ Cass said, shaking her head as she looked down at Caitlyn with a slightly disgusted look. Caitlyn just shrugged weakly.
”You're impossible… come here!" Cass said, picking up the backpack to put Caitlyn and her things inside. Not even her head was sticking out, so she didn't see Cass tie up the men and call the police. While the phone was still ringing, she strapped Caitlyn onto her back and left the warehouse. She drove Cait's car out of the harbor area just as a police car pulled onto the premises.
Part 2 - Cass Solo?
Cass opened the trunk of Caitlyn's car and stared down at the backpack bouncing around inside. She briefly considered just closing the trunk and leaving the whole thing to Caitlyn's family, but she had to admit that she still was one of the good guys. Even if her “teammates” were all perverts. Besides, she needed Caitlyn's car to get home. She unzipped the bag and Caitlyn's head popped out, wearing her bunny ear headband.
“We're here. Can you manage to do the rest yourself, or do I have to wake your parents up?” Cass asked, crossing her arms. Caitlyn looked away, ashamed. Her mouth was still tightly sealed with a gag, and the key to it was in her room.
“How do you always manage to get yourself into such a mess? It's not rocket science. I bet if I tried this… self-bondage… What?”
Caitlyn looked at Cass questioningly and raised an eyebrow, as if to say, “I'd like to see that.”
“Is that a challenge, Caitlyn?”
Caitlyn nodded.
“Pff. If you say so. I'm taking your car to get home. I'm not walking through the woods and then over the bridge back to town. But since we're already at your house, I might as well leave you here,” Cass explained, pushing Caitlyn back into the backpack. She lifted it out of the trunk, went to the Taylors' house, and simply put it down there before getting back into the car. Grinning maliciously, she saw in the rearview mirror how the backpack was moving and Caitlyn was trying to free herself inside it. From an objective point of view, impossible. However, she had also seen Caitlyn in a battle between magicians, so maybe it wasn't so impossible after all.
When she got home, Cass changed into comfortable clothes. Her combat suit had been designed for comfort, but it was also equipped with a number of weapons that could be a bit of a hindrance. Cass threw herself on her bed and searched for “self-bondage” on her phone. She immediately found pictures, examples, stories, and reports, but above all, warnings. In fact, there were so many that she began to believe that Caitlyn couldn't read or didn't understand simple warnings.
“And she works for the police… no wonder the city is turning to hell,” Cass muttered and found instructions for a bondage technique that was perfect for this late hour. She had already obtained everything she needed from a few slave traders. Since they were rotting in a cell, they probably had other things to worry about. A few ropes and a pair of handcuffs. Since she didn't have time to freeze the key, she simply tied it around her wrist so she could easily pull it into her fingers. Cass sat down on her bed and tied the ropes to the two posts at the foot of the bed.
“Now tie this knot here,” she muttered, glancing at her phone from time to time to tie the knot shown to the ropes. She tied another knot and simply tied it to the headboard of her bed. She locked the handcuffs on the other side. Finally, Cass put her feet through the loops and pulled. The ropes tightened and caught her legs. With her free hand, Cass closed the handcuffs around her wrist and tested whether she could really free herself with one hand. Satisfied that it worked, albeit with a little effort, she put her free hand through the loop. Cass took a deep breath and felt a slight tingling in her stomach. She pulled on the rope and it tightened around her wrist. Satisfied, she let herself fall onto her bed and looked up at the ceiling.
“Not as hard as Caitlyn always makes it look… but… why?” Cass wondered as the tingling in her stomach disappeared.
“Fuck… forgot to turn off the light. I could…”
Cass looked at her handcuffed hand, but shook her head.
“Well, that would be cheating,” she muttered and closed her eyes. It took less than a minute for her to start breathing calmly. After everything she had to do in the recent past to get to sleep, this was a piece of cake. But she still didn’t understand why Caitlyn was excited about tying herself up.
Part 3 - Caitlyn is kidnapped
Caitlyn stood on a bridge in Leon City Park. A green space for jogging, playing, and enjoying the sun and nature. Caitlyn, however, was not here for any of that, and instead of the warm rays of the sun, the moon shone down on her. Her hand stroked the smooth wood of the bridge and she looked around nervously. She didn't feel comfortable in her own skin, but she tried to hide it. A dozen eyes rested on her body. Studying her every move. Every shaky step she took in her sneakers. Her legs, hugged by blue leggings. The sway of her hips and her breasts, hidden by a sports bra and a white shirt. Caitlyn looked at her watch. It was just after five, and she began to jog lightly until she reached her jogging speed and ran her lap. The eyes followed her. She heard the whispering in her ear, the murmuring. She ran past a few bushes and then it happened. A dark figure jumped out of the undergrowth and blocked Caitlyn's path. A knife was raised in her direction and Caitlyn recoiled. Inside, she fought every instinct to disarm her opponent and instead raised her arms.
“Please don't hurt me!” she cried as he rushed toward her. He grabbed her hands and pulled them behind her back. She heard the whirring of two zip ties, and a second later, they cut uncomfortably into her skin.
“Ouch! Please! Not so tight! Please…!”
“Shut up, or I'll have to gag you!”
Caitlyn nodded quickly as he dragged her into the bushes and to a car he had parked there. The trunk opened and she was thrown inside. More zip ties were tied around her legs, and each ziiiiip robbed Caitlyn of more of her freedom.
“Open your mouth!”
“No, please don't, I'll be quiet,” Caitlyn cried out, but the knife at her throat silenced her and she reluctantly opened her mouth. The kidnapper stuffed a white cloth into her mouth and tied another around her head to secure it. She stared up fearfully into her captor's greedy eyes. He stroked her black hair before closing the trunk and getting in. Caitlyn's frightened face disappeared instantly and gave way to annoyance, as the cable ties cut uncomfortably into her wrists. She rolled onto her stomach as the car drove off and remained silent throughout the journey. She listened to the sounds outside and the whispering in her ear. Caitlyn drove through the city for at least twenty minutes before her kidnapper finally stopped and apparently drove into a large warehouse. The smell of oil and metal, as well as old sweat, filled Caitlyn's nose. The crying of women and the laughter of people who had just made a great catch filled her ears. Caitlyn listened to them and then she heard it again. The whispering in her ear.
“Move in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… GO, GO, GO.”
All hell broke loose as dozens of Caitlyn's colleagues stormed the building and surrounded the car. Four of them pulled the kidnapper out of the car and Officer Ruiz broke open the trunk where Caitlyn was being held.
“Hey, Boot,” he said with a smile, and Caitlyn smiled back. He removed the gag from her mouth and cut her bonds.
“Good work. And congratulations on your first successful little undercover mission.”
“I hope my next ones don't end up in the trunk of slave traders,” Caitlyn muttered, pulling the speaker out of her ear.
“I don't know, Boot. This is still Leon City…”
“This is still Leon City…” Caitlyn repeated, watching bitterly as the traffickers were led away and the kidnapped women were freed from cages and wrapped in blankets.
Part 4 - Magical rematch
Tea stared down at Leon City with dull eyes. Her mistress hadn't spoken to her in a long time. She could still feel her power within her, but the voice was gone. The voice that told her what to do. The voice that told her to restrain herself, not to attract too much attention. How could she serve her mistress if she couldn't use her full potential? How could she satisfy her mistress if she couldn't bring the full load of suffering upon the city—the suffering her mistress needed to become stronger? Tea stood up from the old gargoyle and looked down in disgust at the hustle and bustle of the people hundreds of meters below her.
“Maybe I need to show my mistress what I'm really capable of… Maybe it's time to let go,” Tea muttered, summoning her clarinet in her hand. She began to play a beautiful melody, and every person in Leon City would hear it… and despair.
Caitlyn looked at her watch and groaned with relief. Her shift was almost over and she could go home. She just had to get back to the station and hand in her reports. She pulled out her work phone and took a photo of the parking offender. The shutter clicked and the screen went black for a moment. Within a fraction of a second, she noticed something behind her in the reflection of the screen and spun around. A car was speeding toward her, and Caitlyn jumped out of the way at the last moment before the car crashed into the parking offender and the fire hydrant next to it. There was a deafening bang and water sprayed in all directions. Caitlyn immediately got up and sprinted the short distance to the car that had almost flattened her.
“Hey! Are you out of your mind?” Caitlyn yelled at the driver until she noticed that he had slumped over the steering wheel. Her anger immediately evaporated, and she opened the door. She carefully felt his pulse. Caitlyn could feel it, but it was extremely rapid—as was his breathing.
“Hey, can you hear me?” she asked, but he didn't answer because he seemed to be asleep. Caitlyn was about to nudge him when another car crashed into another and the screeching tires echoed throughout the street. Caitlyn looked up.
The intersection a few houses down was complete traffic chaos, but what worried her even more were the pedestrians lying on the sidewalks. They all had their eyes closed, were breathing heavily, and were trembling as if they were afraid. “What the…?” Caitlyn asked, pulling out her radio.
“Central, I need backup and every ambulance you can send. Corner of Hog Street and Eleventh.”
Caitlyn waited for confirmation, but none came.
“Central?”
Still nothing.
“What's going on here?” Caitlyn muttered, pulling out her cell phone to reach Officer Ruiz, but he didn't answer. Neither did Jade, Summer, or Ava. A rumble of thunder could be heard above her, and a glance upward confirmed her fear that something magical was happening. She thanked the earrings that protected her from evil and called home.
“Hello, sweetheart?” Terra asked cheerfully, and Caitlyn breathed a sigh of relief.
"Good, you're okay. “
” What is supposed to happen to me?” Terra asked, amused.
“Well… quite a lot…” Caitlyn muttered, looking up at the sky again and seeing that a huge cloud had formed over the center of the city. It was dark red in color and swirled like a spiral over the city, with the tallest building at its center.
“Mom… something terrible is happening in the city… I have to stop it, and I just wanted to know if you're okay.”
Silence.
“Mom?” Caitlyn asked, panicked.
“I'm still here, Cait. Everything's fine with us… Do you need anything?”
“Well…” Caitlyn began, blushing, but she knew she couldn't waste any time. “In my closet, on the far right, Celine's light blue latex outfit – and the box underneath it…”
“Right away,” Terra said simply and hung up. Less than two minutes later, there was a bang as her magical girl outfit and wand appeared right in front of her.
“Thanks, Mom—and thanks, Celine,” Caitlyn muttered as she changed on the street. She didn't know exactly what to expect up there, but she knew that whoever or whatever was up there was a danger to the city. And she was the only one who could save it.
As the elevator took Caitlyn to the roof, she gripped her wand tightly with both hands. She remembered her last fight all too well and hoped she was better prepared this time. Her training had been tough—in some ways, just as dangerous as her first fight. But she had survived, and she would survive again and put an end to the terror. She just wished her friends were with her. But they were counting on her right now. The elevator door opened, and a stairwell appeared before her. A beautiful melody echoed within it.
“A clarinet? So it really is a rematch,” Caitlyn realized. She climbed the short staircase and pushed open the door to the roof. As expected, the masked woman in the red dress stood before her. Her melody wafted from up here over the entire city, bringing nightmares to every citizen.
“Stop right now!” Caitlyn shouted, and the magician turned around in surprise, but did not stop playing. Instead, looks of uncertainty and even fear formed on her face.
Does she have to keep playing to maintain the spell? Caitlyn wondered, pointing her wand at her.
“Now!” Caitlyn barked again, but all she got was a middle finger. “As you wish!”
Caitlyn summoned her power and remembered the lessons her mother had taught her.
I have to capture her.
Black balls shot out of Caitlyn's wand and flew toward the red mage. She dodged them elegantly, and Caitlyn's spells bounced off the railing and burst. Black latex splattered in all directions, and Caitlyn grinned mockingly as she hit the mage with it. Irritated, she spun around when she felt something hit her and realized too late that long, sticky threads were clinging to her. The woman looked up at Caitlyn angrily and turned pale when Caitlyn fired again. This time she stopped playing and tried to roll away to the side, but Caitlyn had already anticipated this. Instead of aiming directly at the mage, she shot at the ground in front of her. The bullets bounced off the roof, and the force of the impact sent the latex flying at a tremendous angle toward the mage. The roll prevented her from dodging further, and she remained stuck halfway as more and more latex clung to her.
“You little…!” cursed the magician, putting her clarinet to her mouth. Immediately, a note shot out of it and toward Caitlyn. She didn't hesitate for long, rolling herself to the side and firing her latex spell again. The spells collided in the air and exploded. Black latex shot in all directions, and even Caitlyn was hit by the force. At the same time, the magician lost her clarinet when her arms were glued to her chest and she was thrown against the railing of the skyscraper.
“Ha! Gotcha!” Caitlyn shouted triumphantly and tried to get up. Only now did she realize that her own spell had also incapacitated her. She was stuck on the roof, unable to move a finger.
“You got yourself, idiot!” the magician shouted, trying to free herself from the latex glue, but she was stuck.
“Great…” she muttered and groaned. “How long does this damn spell last?”
“Um… I don't know,” Caitlyn said truthfully and tried to free herself with another spell, but of course her magic failed her at that very moment. She was stuck. Together with one of the villains.
Well, at least she wasn't alone… Caitlyn thought and said, “Tell me… why are you doing this?”
“What?”
“You know what I mean! You could do so much good with your magic, but instead you're throwing the city into chaos. Hurting people.”
“Because my mistress demands it of me! She saved me, and I will serve her forever!”
“Your mistress?”
“Shut up. I don't want to talk to you!”
"Well… but you can listen. You know, I'm sure if you could use your talents elsewhere, we could even be friends. I can tell by your dress that you like to wear sexy clothes.“
”I said shut up!“ interrupted the mage Caitlyn, but she continued undeterred.
”I know someone who could make just such dresses out of latex—for you. And a friend of mine would definitely test them out with you. Her name is Summer, and…"
“SHUT UP!” shouted the magician, and at that moment a powerful sound wave burst from her mouth. It destroyed the latex and freed them both. Caitlyn was swept over the roof by the force of the spell and thrown over the railing. She was just able to hold on. Caitlyn swallowed and looked down. Hundreds of feet below her was the bare, hard asphalt. She immediately tightened her grip on the railing and didn't even think about letting go.
“Hey! I could use some help here!” Caitlyn called up, but no one answered her.
“Hello?” Caitlyn asked, struggling to pull herself up. The roof was empty and the mage had disappeared.
“Haaaaa… good conversation…” Caitlyn muttered, picked up her wand, and walked down the stairs. She would win the next encounter… for sure. Just a little more training.
Part 5 - The forgetful Taylors
“Good night, Cait! Don't wait up for us with dinner!” Caitlyn's father, called up the stairs as he stood in the hallway with his wife Terra.
“All right! Have fun, you two!” Caitlyn called back and closed her door.
She turned back to her room and stared nervously at the ropes, restraints, pulleys, and, most importantly, a small machine her brother Luke had built. Set correctly, it would be able to restrain Caitlyn—and release her again when the time was up. At least, that was what she hoped.
“So, let's go over everything again,” she muttered, pulling out a list on which she had written everything down. She loved self-bondage more than anything, but since misfortune always seemed to follow her, she had to do everything in her power to outwit it – with caution and one emergency backup after another.
“Frozen keys, emergency switch, phone within reach, safety scissors and knife,” Caitlyn read aloud, nervously crumpling the paper in her hands. “I mean… what could possibly go wrong?”
She looked at her equipment with a frown. She considered stopping, but then all the preparation would have been for nothing. She took off her shirt and pants, followed by her underwear. She didn't want to overdo it and instead just put on her latex suit from C&T. It fit like a glove. She suspected that Celine had enchanted it so that it would always do so.
Next came the cuffs, which she fastened around her arms, legs, and body. Caitlyn threaded ropes through the D-rings and tied them in double knots. The other ends led to a pulley on the ceiling and then to her brother's bondage machine. When Caitlyn turned it on, it would tighten the ropes—but only enough so that she could lie relaxed on her bed. Unable to free herself until the machine released her or she took the keys, knife, or scissors.
“Have I forgotten anything?” Caitlyn wondered, but then shook her head. “Well, everything is where it should be.”
She turned on the machine and lay down on her bed. She closed her eyes and waited for it to start – until she suddenly opened them.
“OH, THE GAG!” she cried and jumped up quickly. Caitlyn quickly picked up the gag from the floor and strapped it on. Without it, the experience would only be half as enjoyable. She was about to lie back down on her bed when the machine suddenly turned on.
In a fraction of a second, it pulled in the loose lengths of rope – while Caitlyn was still half standing and half jumping onto the bed. She was caught roughly in midair and hung a hand's breadth above her bed. Her right arm was pulled behind her back by an unintentional twist around her neck, while the rope on her other arm ran under her breasts. Her legs were crossed and, fortunately, only partially pulled back toward her back.
I'm so stupid, thought Caitlyn, who once again couldn't believe her bad luck and short-sightedness.
Caitlyn, you really are the pride of the LCPD, flashed through her mind as she waved her hand toward the scissors. They slowly rose from the nightstand and floated toward her hand.
Just a little more… just a little further… thought Caitlyn, but suddenly her magic failed. The scissors spun a little further until they landed in the machine, which made a loud bang and then started beeping.
“Oh oh,” Caitlyn whispered into the gag as the machine came back to life and pulled her up to the ceiling. There she hit her head, saw stars for a moment, until the machine loosened the rope again—only to pull once more.
POCK, POCK, POCK echoed through Caitlyn's room at regular intervals, while Caitlyn groaned into the gag each time.
I had to try again… ouch… but at least now I know that… ouch… I'm cursed or something! Ouch, thought Caitlyn, mentally preparing herself for a very, very, very long night.
Terra hurried back into the house. She had forgotten the movie tickets and they were already late. She unlocked the front door, rushed up the stairs and past Caitlyn's room – that's when she heard her daughter's strained, almost desperate moans.
“Oh, Cait…” Terra murmured, immediately knowing what this meant. She doubted that Caitlyn's self-bondage was the reason she had forgotten the tickets – but she was clearly in bigger trouble than that.
“Caitlyn…” Terra said gently and knocked on the door. Silence. Then a sound as if she was being invited in. Terra opened the door – and saw her daughter hanging from the ceiling. Her arms and legs were hopelessly tangled in ropes. A machine stood next to the bed, pulling on the ropes and trying to lift her up with the pulleys on the ceiling, causing Caitlyn to repeatedly bang her head against it.
“Oh, Cait…” she whispered, raising her hand and cutting the ropes with a spell. Caitlyn fell to the floor screaming, but her mother caught her with her magic and gently placed her on the bed. Then she left the room at lightning speed and closed the door. She thought briefly about what to do next, but then decided that there were more important things to do than go to the movies.
As she walked down the stairs, she called her husband, who was waiting outside in the car.
“Hey honey… something came up. I need to talk to Cait in private.”
“Did she set her bed on fire again?”
“No… well… no, I… girl stuff, you know. Can you watch the action movie, and… we'll repeat the movie night?”
“Of course, my love. I'll be back at midnight.”
Part 6 - Terra’s Confession
Caitlyn was trembling—not from the cold, but because her skin was burning. Because her mother had just freed her from another failed self-bondage session. She had seen Caitlyn. She wanted to sink into the ground in shame. She had even considered saying nothing when her mother knocked on the door, but that wouldn't have freed her either. She pulled her latex-covered legs up to her chest and rested her head on them.
“I'll never forget the look on her face,” Caitlyn muttered, sniffling loudly. She began to seethe with anger at her own stupidity and recklessness. It grew stronger and stronger, and Caitlyn began to talk herself into a rage.
“I always have to try again! I always have to take it to the extreme! It's best if I just throw all this stuff away and…”
At that moment, Caitlyn's cell phone rang and a message appeared. “Cait, I can hear you down here. Please come down before you do something reckless.” Caitlyn blushed even more than before.
“I… haaaa!” she cried and rolled off her bed. She didn't really feel like listening to her mother right now, let alone looking her in the eye. Caitlyn stood up unsteadily and was about to drag herself to the door, but then she paused.
“Maybe I should get changed first,” she muttered, fumbling for the key to open the cuffs.
Terra breathed heavily. She was about to have a very unpleasant conversation. But she had prepared herself: thick blankets and a pot of hot cocoa. That had always helped when she had to discuss something important with Caitlyn. Then she remembered that the last time she had done that was seven years ago.
“Maybe she's outgrown hot chocolate,” Terra muttered, turning toward the living room door when she heard Caitlyn coming.
“Hey, sweetie, I… um… when I told you to come downstairs, I thought you'd change first.”
Caitlyn looked down at herself—her body was still completely covered in latex and enclosed by the cuffs. She looked up, exhausted, and said only,
“The key broke.”
Her eyes watered and she began to cry.
“Oh, my darling, come here,” Terra whispered gently. She immediately rushed to her daughter and took her in her arms. She held Caitlyn tightly as she trembled and tears ran down her cheeks.
“I'm such a bad daughter… I… I'm a disgrace and—” The words stumbled out of her mouth, each one like a stab in both their bodies.
“No, Caitlyn, you're not. Calm down, sweetheart. You've grown into such a wonderful woman, and I'm proud of you and everything you do…”
“But I'm a pervert! How can you be proud of me?!” Caitlyn cried between her tears, trying to break free from Terra's embrace. But her mother held her tight.
“Because none of this is your fault—it's mine.”
Through her sobs, Caitlyn looked up at her mother. She didn't understand what Terra meant. There was silence between them, and all that could be heard was the ticking of the clock in the hallway and the sounds of the forest.
“Come, sit down, sweetheart. I need to explain a few things to you,” Terra said, leading Caitlyn to the sofa. She wrapped her in a blanket, sat down next to her, and pulled her daughter close. Caitlyn rested her head on Terra's shoulder and was hugged from behind. She sniffed, and Terra took a deep breath.
“Well, Cait, first of all, I want you to know that I love you—and your hobbies will never change that. I just want you to be careful. More than usual. And please, no more such reckless bondage, okay?”
“More than usual?” Caitlyn mumbled questioningly and looked up at her mother, who smiled gently at her.
“Well… just a moment, sweetie. I want you to understand that nothing that happens to you in terms of self-bondage is your fault.”
Caitlyn looked away again. She felt like that was just a platitude to calm her down.
“You know that I don't really belong in this time. A little over a year before you were born, I appeared in the Cursed Forest—and well, there's a reason why they say it's cursed.”
“But Ifry made sure it was called that, right?”
“Well… our neighbor may have contributed to that, but it was already called that before. But that doesn't matter now. The truth is, I was in quite a predicament back then—and I couldn't see a way out until someone found me.”
“Dad?”
Terra chuckled.
“No, not your dad. Believe me, we wouldn't be having this conversation if it had been him. It was a nymph who called this part of the forest her home. She offered to help me—in exchange for my firstborn.”
Caitlyn blinked.
“But… I grew up with you… didn't I?” she asked, frowning. Everything she knew suddenly seemed to waver. She looked at her mother in horror.
“Yes, and that's exactly why that nymph cursed me. And with me… you.”
“What?”
“I can't remember exactly what she said, but she basically meant that if you love bondage, you will always fail at it.”
“That sounds… very implausible – and suspiciously fitting for my situation.”
“Believe me, I didn't believe it either – until your dad and I tried it.”
“Mom…”
“Your father broke his leg doing it, and I was stuck in steel shackles for six weeks.”
“What?!”
“The key slipped into his cast, my magic didn't help, and I didn't want to risk cutting into my own flesh with an angle grinder.”
“Well… that sounds pretty unfortunate, but…” Caitlyn began, then fell silent.
“You've had your share of bad luck, haven't you? And the people who wanted to help you got caught up in it too? Your magic suddenly fails or you get stuck?”
“Well…” Caitlyn said, but the more she thought about it, the more she had to agree with her mother.
“Summer and Tea wanted to check on me when I first tried self-bondage—and then we all got caught in Luke's burglar trap. Or at the sleepover… my camping trip… oh my… You're saying it's all because of a curse?!”
Terra nodded.
“Can you forgive me?”
Caitlyn looked at her mother with furrowed brows.
“You didn't do anything wrong, Mom… well, maybe you should have told me sooner, but…”
Terra smiled, and Caitlyn snuggled up to her.
“You're the best mom,” Caitlyn murmured and closed her eyes. “And I guess I'll have to pay that nymph a visit.”
“DON'T!” Terra suddenly exclaimed, and Caitlyn jumped.
“Even Celine is afraid of her!”
Part 7 - Terra’s Curse
“NOOO!” Terra screamed, pulling at her chains as a blinding light engulfed her, Trisha, and Celine. Then it was gone in an instant, and Terra blinked to see what had happened. She felt cold air on her face and snowflakes falling on her body. When she could finally see clearly, she saw that a forest stretched out before her. There was no sign of her friends.
“What the… Rilliana! Trisha?! Celine?” Terra called out, but no one answered her. “Where… are you… and where am I… ? And why is it winter?” Terra asked, wanting to take a step forward, but at that moment she noticed the chains on her wrists. They were wrapped around a tree, still holding her in place.
“Well, at least I'm out in the fresh air,” Terra muttered, looking up. The night sky looked just like it did at home, so she wasn't too far from Leon's Keep. Terra guessed she was somewhere in Celine's forest. But then she paused when a star seemed to move rapidly and glow in different colors. And it wasn't alone. She could see at least six such stars at once, either moving away from Leon's Keep or flying toward it. Terra frowned and looked toward the city. She doubted she would be able to see anything through the trees, but her breath caught when a bright glow came from that direction.
“Leon's Keep is on fire, but… what? But…” Terra looked closer, but saw no smoke above the glow. Nothing that would indicate a fire, except for the bright light. She didn't understand and stumbled back against the tree. Something was very wrong here, and she had to do something to free herself. The chains still robbed her of her magic, but maybe she could saw through the tree with them? Terra looked at the tree.
“This will take forever,” she muttered, but she knew she had no other choice if she didn't want to freeze to death. She began to pull her hands back and forth and heard metal rubbing against wood. The movement would also help keep her warm.
The ratchet, ratchet, ratchet echoed through the forest as Terra worked unwaveringly. She could feel that she had already sawed a small groove, as the chain was no longer slipping as often. However, when she checked how far she had gotten, her motivation sank.
“So much work for so little success?” she muttered, rubbing her ice-cold hands. Terra knew she didn't have much time left.
“What success?” asked a gentle voice, and Terra spun around. Standing before her was a blonde woman whose clothes were made of magnificent green leaves. Small antlers like those of a young deer grew from her head, and white flowers adorned her body like jewelry on her arms and in her hair. Terra sensed that she was standing before a magical being who was watching her curiously.
“Hello, I'm in a bit of a bind here, and unfortunately my attempt to escape has not been successful,” said Terra, pointing to the scratch she had made on the bark. “I'm sorry for hurting the tree, if it's yours… but I don't see any other way.”
The woman looked displeased at first, but then concluded that Terra really had no other choice.
“Would you like me to help you?”
Terra beamed.
“That would be fantastic! I urgently need to find my friends, and it's really cold here. You would be saving my life.”
“I'd be happy to. In return for something.”
Terra's smile disappeared.
“What kind of favor?”
“Shouldn't I get you out of there first? I can leave and come back later if you want.”
“NO! I… okay, but… I don't have much with me right now.”
The stranger smiled.
“That's okay!” she said and walked toward Terra. She carefully picked up the metal shackles and looked at them for a moment.
“My name is Elyanna, by the way. What's yours?”
“Terra,” she said curtly, nervously watching the stranger's movements.
"Nice to meet you, Terra. What's holding you here is very, very old magic. Did you know that? At least 800 years old.“
”No?“ said Terra, confused. She had actually thought the chains were fairly new.
“Ooh, really old magic… where did you find it?”
“Well, this demon named…”
“And done,” said Elyanna, and all the shackles clicked and fell from Terra’s joints. Her eyes widened.
“How… how did you do that?”
“Well, I'm a little older than 800 human years,” said Elyanna with a grin as Terra snapped her fingers and ignited a fire in her palm. Instantly, it warmed her body, and she groaned with satisfaction.
“Oh, thank you so, so much,” she murmured, closing her eyes for a moment.
“Well… let's get to the payment,” Elyanna began, and Terra opened one eye, half to look at her.
“As I said, I don't have anything with me right now. But if you're a little patient, then…”
“Oh, there's no rush,” Elyanna said with a broad grin, sending a shiver down Terra's spine. “I can wait about nine months.”
“Um, okay? What do you mean?”
“I want your firstborn as payment.”
The fire in Terra's hand went out instantly, and she stared at Elyanna blankly. Terra didn't want to have children anyway, so Elyanna would come away empty-handed, but that was still a huge price to pay, no matter how you looked at it.
“Um… did I hear that right? Did you say my firstborn?”
Elyanna nodded.
“Well, um… no, I'm sorry. First of all, I don't want to have children, and secondly, even if I did have one, I'd rather raise it myself.”
Now it was Elyanna's turn to stare at Terra as if she had just been mortally offended.
“We have an agreement!”
“I thought you wanted money or something! A hot meal! Who asks for the other person's firstborn?!?” Terra exclaimed indignantly and took a step back. At that moment, Elyanna's appearance changed. Her hair darkened until it was a deep jet black, and her leaf dress withered.
The vines that wrapped around her body grew thorns, and her skin became cold and pale.
“You dare not keep your part of the bargain?” she asked menacingly, her voice making the entire forest tremble.
“What a bargain! This is fraud!” Terra retorted, preparing to throw a fireball at Elyanna’s face. Elyanna looked down at the shackles and then at Terra. She pointed a bony finger in her direction.
“Very well—if you will not pay with blood, you will pay with a curse! By the roots of this forest, I swear: If they bind themselves, they shall remain bound. No rope shall obey their will, no lock shall open for them. As long as my echo resounds through the branches, their souls shall remain entangled in their own longing!“ she shouted, and Terra stared at her in disbelief. She then looked down at her body, but felt no change.
“Great curse… I'll show you what real magic can do!“ Terra shouted, but when she looked up, Elyanna had disappeared.
”Coward," Terra muttered, lowering her hand. She turned away and headed toward Leon's Keep. At least, that's what she thought. She quickly found a path and, following it, came to a large stone clearing.
What irritated her, however, was that the stone was flat—even and unnatural and perfect. Lines were drawn on it, the meaning of which Terra could not fathom. “What the hell…” she muttered and continued walking across the stone until she came to a steel fence that only came up to her knees.
She climbed over it and then she saw Leon's Keep – or at least what used to be it. In front of her stretched houses that towered into the sky. Brightly lit and visible for miles. Even the large bridge was illuminated. Ships sailed beneath it, lighting up the black water. Terra couldn't believe her eyes when she saw Leon's Keep. She saw the exact same landmarks, but nothing remained of the fortress she once knew. What's more, what she saw was so much bigger. Not only in height, but also in width. The city stretched further than Terra could see, and she stood in the middle of the street with her mouth open. At that moment, something illuminated her back, and Terra turned around, irritated.
“What the…”
A light blinded her, and she heard a shrill noise and a loud honking. Terra just had time to cast a spell to protect herself before she was hit.
The next moment, she was thrown backwards. She rolled across the ground and lay there moaning.
“What the hell was that?” she muttered as she felt that the attack had used up almost all of her magic. She stood up unsteadily and looked into the blinding light when suddenly someone stepped out of the light and rushed towards her.
"Ar… are you hurt?!?
I'm so sorry, I didn't see you! The street is so dark, and you suddenly appeared. I'd better drive you to the LC hospital right away! Come on, come on!" said a young man with black hair, supporting Terra. Terra immediately saw that he was handsome, and he smelled good—better than any other man she had ever served.
“LC?” Terra asked, confused. “What's an LC?”
“Oh, damn. Did you hit your head? Leon City—the big city up ahead?” he asked, putting Terra in his iron carriage. The seat was comfortable, and it was warm. The man hurried around the carriage and got in on the other side.
“But…” Terra fell silent.
“Um… what's the best thing to ask? What's your name?”
“Terra…”
“Hey, Terra. My name is Arthur Taylor. Do you have a last name?”
Terra shook her head.
“Maybe you've forgotten… Do you know what year it is?”
Terra looked at him, stunned by this pointless question, but then she looked ahead, and suddenly a lot of things became clear to her.
“Arthur… I haven't the faintest idea what year it is, but I'm pretty sure it's 800 years more than I could tell you.”