35: The Vines of Lust
Summer and Caitlyn were sitting in Celine’s workshop. While Summer looked around with interest, closely examining every machine and invention, Caitlyn studied her soon-to-be teammate.
“Why did you send Celine an application?”
Summer turned to the black-haired police officer and gave her a puzzled grin.
“I can’t exactly beg Ava’s parents to pay my tuition. So why not do something I enjoy and earn some money at the same time?” Summer said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, and turned back to a machine that was processing cobwebs into threads and winding them onto spools.
“I see… and now you’re coming with us into the forest?”
“Apparently,” Summer said with a shrug, “I know a lot about plants, and Ifry says I’m ready… By the way, is it true that you were swallowed by a pitcher plant? Can you tell me more about it?” “
Caitlyn’s expression darkened.
“If I ever get my hands on Ifry, then…”
“Then what?” asked Ifry, who had just walked into the workshop with Rilliana and Celine and was looking at Caitlyn with a raised eyebrow. But instead of reacting to the surprise, Caitlyn went on the offensive.
“Why did you tell Summer about the pitcher plant!?”
“Otherwise, Ava would’ve probably spanked us. I wanted to know if Summer could handle a situation like that,” Ifry said with a shrug, watching Celine gather a few suits and pieces of equipment.
“I see,” said Caitlyn, annoyed, glancing briefly at Summer, who just grinned.
“Ifry, do you need anything else from…?” asked Celine distractedly, a stack of latex in her arms.
“Nah. I don’t need that,” Ifry waved her off boredly, “There’s nothing in that forest that could hurt me.”
“Show-off,” Rilliana laughed and playfully slapped Ifry on the butt, who just chuckled.
“I’m heading out the door. Get ready before I end up leaving without you,” the demoness said and strode outside.
“I’m getting ready too,” Rilliana announced, catching a cloak that had slipped from Celine’s stack. She placed it on the workbench next to Caitlyn.
“Of course you’re both leaving the talking to me,” Celine said, dropping the stack between Summer and Caitlyn.
“Sure. It’s your forest, after all,” Rilliana laughed, winking at the two young women before disappearing behind the door and up to her room. Celine shook her head before turning to Caitlyn and Summer.
“Please put on these suits and the capes. And yes, they’re necessary, no matter how silly you feel in them,” she added as Caitlyn opened her mouth. She closed it again, and Summer spoke up.
“Can’t we just wear our other suits?” she asked, but picked up one of the latex suits with interest. It was black as night. Thicker than their own suits, but just as flexible.
“Well, dear Summer, these suits protect you from acid, thorns, minor bruises, and whatever else the forest might have in store for you. Stronger magic to protect you. Of course, I don’t want to lose my intern on the very first day,” Celine explained, opening a display case.
“Hahahaha, good joke,” Summer laughed, but fell silent when Caitlyn shook her head. Celine took two swords from the display case and handed them to the two of them.
“This is serious, Summer. There’s probably nothing in the forest that could be dangerous to you, but if there is… you have to look out for each other and protect one another.”
Summer nodded and took the sword. It was lighter than she’d thought, and reminded her of the C&T events. Caitlyn, however, looked at the sword in her hand with a frown.
“Swords? Shouldn’t I just use my gun…” Caitlyn asked, but Celine cut her off.
“If a vine grabs you by the foot, where are you going to shoot with your gun?”
“Well…” Caitlyn began, but she was interrupted again.
“If Summer gets grabbed and dragged away, will you be able to hit the vines?”
“It depends on…”
“Do you know where you have to hit a tree to take it down? What if you have to reload? Look out the window and tell me how many bullets you’d need to shoot down every tree in the forest. Do you think…?”
“I get it!” Caitlyn interrupted this time and swung the sword tentatively. It felt surprisingly good in her hand.
“Good, just don’t try to bonk Rilliana, Ifry, or each other with it. Now get changed. And put on the capes. They’ll protect you from pollen. Rilliana and Ifry are immune to it, but humans like us are helpless against it.”
“Pollen?” Summer asked curiously, but Celine waved her off.
“Just put them on when Rilliana starts sneezing. Trust me. You don’t want to see what happens next,” Celine muttered, as if the situation made her very uncomfortable. She turned away and scanned her shelves, hoping to find something else she could give the two of them.
“Why…” Summer began, but was quickly interrupted when Caitlyn placed her hand over her mouth.
“Everyone has their reasons…” whispered Caitlyn, but she fell silent immediately and shot Summer a venomous look.
“You’re gross, you know that?” asked Caitlyn, pulling her hand away before waving it around to get rid of Summer’s drool.
“I’m kind of having déjà vu,” Summer murmured with a laugh and began to undress. She carelessly dropped her clothes beside her while staring greedily at the new suits. Caitlyn wiped the rest of the drool off her shirt and blushed as she briefly watched Summer undress.
“Um, Summer,” Celine said as she turned back to them, “I have changing rooms.”
She pointed her thumb toward a corner of the lab, and Summer shrugged.
“It’s not like this is anything new for you guys.”
“It’s not like we have to see you naked,” Caitlyn retorted, and Summer stuck her tongue out at her, grabbed her stack of latex outfits, and walked into the changing room, swaying her hips widely. Caitlyn shook her head with a smile and held up the latex suit.
“To be honest, I thought you were giving me another magical girl costume.”
“Pff. Don’t tempt me… You look really enchanting in that costume. Have you run into those magicians again?”
Silence.
“Cait?”
“Yeah… That’s how Summer and Ava found out about magic, and I had to tell Cass about it, too.”
“Hmm, and did the costume help?”
“It did, but… I still need to train more. We wouldn’t have made it without Cass. My magic is just too weak.”
“Too weak? I heard from Terra that you train at every opportunity. You should already be able to defend yourself properly.”
“I filled a subway station with ropes.”
“Well… if you’re throwing your energy around like candy, I get it. Didn’t your mom teach you anything?”
“Her lessons were a while ago, and she’s already given me an earful about it.”
“Deserved, I’d say. And now get ready before Ifry leaves without you,” Celine said, shooing Caitlyn into the other changing room.
Minutes later, Summer and Caitlyn stepped into the clearing toward Rilliana and Ifry, who were already waiting for them. Both their latex suits and their gear were identical. A simple black catsuit that hugged their bodies tightly and was definitely magical. The zipper that vanished after they’d zipped it up was proof of that. This meant it didn’t restrict their bodies in any way, and it accentuated their figures perfectly. Additionally, both had swords strapped to their hips. Straps extended across their bodies, providing them with extra stability. Their legs were encased in flat-soled boots that gently hugged their calves. A cape draped over their shoulders, and finally, they had strapped on a small bag in which Celine had packed flashlights, bandages, and other emergency supplies. Rilliana wore the same outfit as the two of them, though her latex suit was somewhat worn. Gray stains that seemed impossible to remove, burn marks, and the absence of the usual sheen made it look much older. In addition to another sword, she carried arrows on her back and held a bow in her hand. Caitlyn suspected that the elf’s entire gear had been a lifelong companion. Ifry, on the other hand, broke the pattern and wore a simple white T-shirt with a thick shirt loosely draped over it. Black jeans and sneakers completed the outfit. Summer didn’t miss the fact that she was staring at the suits with a touch of envy, but she probably didn’t want to make a fool of herself by asking Celine for another combat suit.
“There you are at last,” Ifry commented, studying their latex-clad bodies. “Didn’t you find the entrance to the suits?”
Rilliana playfully nudged her in the ribs.
“I’m sure Celine just wanted to play it safe to make sure nothing happened to them. Right?” she asked, and the two young women nodded.
“Fine…” said Ifry, clapping her hands, “there’s a rule. When Rilliana or I say something, you do it without questioning us. We don’t know how dangerous it could get, and we both have the expertise needed to decide whether you’re ready for it or not,” Ifry explained, looking at Summer a moment longer than necessary, but she held the demoness’s gaze.
“Follow me,” Ifry finally said and led the way. Rilliana let the two go ahead and brought up the rear.
“So. Let me repeat that for the record. We’re investigating the forest for corruption. In magical places, so-called dungeon cores sometimes form. Magical nodes that, among other things, strengthen the forest, allowing it to provide this fantastic habitat,” Ifry said, pointing up into a tree where a thick blue spider sat. Caitlyn pursed her lips slightly, while Summer waved at her.
“Unfortunately, these Dungeon Cores can sometimes absorb negative magic and then corrupt the forest. Turning the creatures within it evil,” Rilliana continued.
“That would explain the pitcher plant that almost ate you,” said Ifry.
“And that’s what caused my headache?” asked Caitlyn.
“At least, that’s what we suspect. We’ll work our way from the inside out and, if necessary, destroy the dungeon core if it can’t be saved.”
Ifry paused and looked at a rock. She pointed to a crack in it.
“That’s where we’ll find our first core. Follow me,” she said simply and squeezed into the crack. Summer hurried after her, while Rilliana gave Caitlyn an encouraging nod.
“Everything okay?”
“Maybe. It just all seems so… confusing to me. There’s a lot I still need to process.”
Rilliana nodded sympathetically and guided Caitlyn through the crevice.
“That’s just how magic is. I was once exactly where you are now. For over 20 years, I thought I couldn’t cast spells, and then…”
“Hey! No whispering back there. I’m leading this mission and I want your full attention!” Ifry called out to them, and Caitlyn could detect a hint of concern in her voice. Rilliana gave her another encouraging nod and stumbled into a moss-covered cave. Enough light filtered through the crack, but the two passages leading deeper into the cave looked like black holes ready to swallow them whole.
“I completely forgot there were two paths here,” the elf muttered, helping Caitlyn into the cave.
“So? Are we going to make the dumbest mistake ever and split up?” Summer asked with a grin, and Ifry smiled.
“Of course. This is still Caitlyn’s training, and there shouldn’t be anything in this cave that could be dangerous to you.”
“Wait, what?” Caitlyn and Summer asked in unison.
“So! “Don’t try to die from the slime!” Ifry called out, dragging Rilliana behind her, who merely waved at the two women.
“I don’t know if I should feel worried or offended,” Caitlyn said, drawing her sword. Summer took the flashlight and shone it down the path.
“A little of both, perhaps,” replied Summer, following Caitlyn. In the glow of the flashlight, they dodged the slimes clinging to the floor and walls. Some tried to pounce on them, but they were so sluggish that they always missed their mark. Summer noticed that the deeper they went into the cave, the more moss grew on the rocks. It cushioned their steps and muffled the sounds. The echo made them seem ghostly and strange.
“I wonder if the moss tickles the slimes,” Summer mused aloud, earning a confused look from Caitlyn.
“What the hell, Summer.”
“What? That’s a valid question! Maybe that’s why they’re attacking us. They don’t want to be tickled by the moss anymore, so they’re jumping at our suits. “
Caitlyn wanted to say something against it, but how was she to know if Summer hadn’t hit the nail on the head? She opened her mouth several times to say something, but then closed it again.
“Well… maybe,” she finally said, narrowing her eyes to slits as she noticed a soft, white light ahead of her.
“There’s something up ahead,” she whispered, drawing her sword. Summer turned off her light, and now she could see it too. A glow that reflected off the cave walls and illuminated the moss. They stepped into the next chamber and, between a rock formation, saw a glowing sphere. As big as a fist, but perfectly shaped. Its light illuminated the entire section of the cave with a milky-white glow and seemed to give it life. It sat on a smooth stone, and water flowed out from beneath it, trickling down the side. Because of the dampness and the moss, the entire cave was slippery, and both of them had to watch their step.
“That must be the Dungeon Core,” Caitlyn murmured, sheathing her sword as she approached.
“At least it doesn’t look corrupted,” Summer commented, reaching out her hand, which Caitlyn immediately swatted away.
“Are you crazy? That’s magic! I thought you were a scientist and knew how to handle unknown things.”
“Geologists lick rocks.”
“You’re not licking the Dungeon Core!”
“Awwww,” Summer said disappointedly as the women heard something behind them. They turned around just in time as a particularly large slime leaped at them. Caitlyn quickly ducked out of the way, while Summer clumsily dodged. In doing so, she touched the Dungeon Core with her elbow, causing it to roll off its platform immediately.
“SUMMER!” Caitlyn barked, trying to grab the Dungeon Core, but her hands were pushed away by Summer’s own attempt to save it, and the sphere fell to the floor. Instead of shattering, as the two had feared, it sent out a shockwave that knocked them to the ground. Due to the force and the wet ground, both of them slid across the moss toward the wall. Caitlyn braced herself for excruciating pain and prepared to catch Summer, but nothing of the sort happened. They slid into a hidden crevice unseen in the dim light. Instantly, gravity took hold, pulling Caitlyn and Summer down a muddy chute. Unable to hold on, they shot into the darkness at breakneck speed until the mud beneath them vanished, along with the ground. Both of their eyes widened as gravity pulled them down with all its might and they crashed into a huge underground lake. It immediately knocked the wind out of them as they plunged into the icy water, and they choked on it. But the shock was short-lived, and they broke through the water’s surface, coughing. They greedily gasped for air and coughed uncontrollably.
“Fuck!” Caitlyn cursed, kicking her way to the center of the lake, where she could see a rock. Summer swam after her, and both of them rolled onto the shore, still coughing.
“Fuck,” Caitlyn said again, shivering, while Summer spat out water.
“I guess that’s part of the training too?” she asked, wrapping her arms around her body.
“I guess so,” Caitlyn said uncertainly, looking around. They were on a peninsula in the middle of a steel-colored lake. A path led to another tunnel. Vines with thorns grew wild on the walls. Violet-colored flowers bloomed on them, illuminating the area. Even underwater, they could see the glow and the bubbles rising from them.
“Summer, put your hood up. I don’t trust these… plants; they look creepy.”
Summer nodded and followed her friend’s example, but she took a closer look at the flowers.
“They look a little like thistles. But in a place like this and underwater…? Do you think they’re dangerous?”
“These aren’t ordinary plants, and that’s enough for me,” Caitlyn replied, looking around. The rocks seemed too steep to climb up. Besides, the plants’ thorns looked like they could cause serious injury, even with the suits.
“Come on, let’s find another way out of here.”
“What about Ifry and Rilliana?”
“I… I don’t want to run to them for every problem. This is a test, training for me, for us. Let’s find a way out of here on our own.”
Summer watched her for a moment as Caitlyn headed toward the tunnel, which was also lit by the plants. She had a really bad feeling about it, but followed her friend anyway.
“Weren’t Summer and Cait just here a moment ago?” Rilliana asked as she and Ifry rounded a corner and now stood in the room with the Dungeon Core as well.
“I mean, I thought I heard them too…” Ifry muttered, trying to sense the two with her magic, but the crystal in their center masked their signatures. She furrowed her brow and tried again, with the same result. But there was something else.
“Something’s not right here,” Ifry murmured, bending down to carefully lift the Dungeon Core back onto its pedestal. She paused when she sensed a faint trace of magic through the moss on the floor.
“Can you sense it?”
“No… but there’s another source of magic beneath us. Have you ever been down here before?”
Rilliana shook her head and furrowed her brow when she saw the drag marks the two of them had left behind. They led to a crack in the rock that hadn’t been there before.
“Do you think they went down there? But why?”
“Maybe they were attacked and slipped?” Rilliana murmured, pointing to the tracks and slime residue on the ground. “That slime can be really nasty. And I don’t think those two know much about dealing with them.”
Ifry looked down into the crevice and exhaled in frustration.
“I’ll go get them. It shouldn’t take too long,” she said, slipping her legs into the crevice.
“I’m not letting you go down there alone! Who knows what’s lurking down there!”
“Seriously, Rilliana? I’ve been protecting this forest while you were away. There’s nothing here that could be dangerous to me,” Ifry replied proudly, but Rilliana shook her head.
“You said yourself that some strange things have been happening here lately, didn’t you? So let’s play it safe. We’ll find them, and Terra and Celine won’t rip our heads off for losing them. “
“Who could have guessed they’d be overpowered by slimes? That’s a solid fail, I’d say, hahaha.”
“Ifry…”
“Just kidding,” she laughed and squeezed through the gap, closely followed by Rilliana.
They slid down the slide, and while Rilliana fell into the lake without slowing down, Ifry opened her wings and glided onto the peninsula. With a flick of her hand, the mud fell away from her, and she spotted water trails leading deeper into the cave.
“They go this way,” Ifry murmured as Rilliana swam to the shore. She helped the elf up and blushed as the elf brushed the water from her hair.
“What?” Rilliana asked, and Ifry shook her head.
“Nothing… I just thought the water made you look pretty good,” she murmured.
“Achoo!”
Rilliana didn’t hear the remark as she sneezed, and the echo reverberated through the chamber. She blinked hard and sneezed again.
“Oh fuck,” she muttered, shaking her head before sneezing a third time.
“Are you okay? Did you catch a cold?” Ifry asked worriedly, pulling her into a hug to warm her up. Rilliana, completely taken aback by the gesture, could only shake her head.
“I hope I’ve caught a cold. Anything else would be bad… for the two of them,” she muttered, trying to break free, but the demoness held her in an iron grip.
“Uh… Ifry? We have to keep going.”
“Oh! Yes, of course,” Ifry said hastily, her face turning even redder. She quickly turned away so as not to give herself away. The light in the cave made Rilliana seem unusually attractive to her, even if she didn’t want to admit it.
Meanwhile, Summer and Caitlyn walked through the tunnel. The cold from the lake still lingered in their bones, and the chilly air didn’t help. Small clouds formed as they exhaled, and every breath burned a little in their lungs. Caitlyn didn’t let that deter her, however, and kept her sword pointed forward. In her mind, every slime lying around lazily was an enemy who had trampled her honor underfoot. She watched them suspiciously, while Summer walked behind her, closely studying the vines and blossoms growing on the cave walls.
“These slimes are really annoying,” Caitlyn commented as one of them leaped at her. She swatted it with the flat side of her sword, and it tumbled against the rock wall, where it scurried away, offended.
“I still think they’re really cute. Chloe once told me that Celine uses them to make the suits,” Summer explained, ducking under another slime attack. “That’s also one of the reasons I applied for an internship. I want to help out when they’re being milked, too.”
Caitlyn looked at Summer with a frown before shaking her head. She couldn’t imagine how anyone could milk those sneaky beasts.
“And how…” Caitlyn fell silent as they reached the end of the tunnel and the cave opened up before them. Not only was more of the violet light streaming down from the ceiling, but it revealed a primeval forest with trees growing high up to the ceiling. At least Caitlyn hoped there was a ceiling. Where the ground wasn’t covered by large colorful plants or tree trunks, it was overgrown with thick grass that grew up to their knees. Caitlyn could see droplets running down some of them and certain plants, as if morning dew still lay upon them. Besides, it was warm. Way too warm. And a stark contrast to the tunnel, where the two of them had still been able to see their breath.
“It’s like stepping into a heated pool in winter,” Summer thought aloud, “doesn’t look like we’ll be getting out of here anytime soon.”
“Nope,” Caitlyn agreed, now watching the vines suspiciously, but they stayed where they were. For now, at least.
“Come on, standing around isn’t going to make things any better,” Caitlyn muttered, but Summer suddenly pulled her back. Somewhat annoyed, Caitlyn turned to her.
“What?”
“We should turn back. I’m not a hundred percent sure, but I think I see a few carnivorous plants.”
Caitlyn’s annoyance vanished immediately, and she turned back toward the jungle. And now she saw the massive pitcher plant she’d encountered before lurking among the leaves of a bush.
“Yeah… I’m not exactly eager for that,” Caitlyn muttered, but then paused. “What do you mean, ‘a few’?”
Summer was just about to answer when a slime leaped at Caitlyn with full force, slamming into her back and hurling her forward. Taken by surprise, she flew through the wet and slippery grass. Caitlyn crashed onto a root with her stomach, and the impact knocked the wind out of her lungs. She dropped her sword, which plunged into the ground a step in front of her.
“Fuck,” she croaked, trying to scramble to her feet, but in the next moment she simply toppled sideways, overwhelmed by pain. Or so she thought, until she kept spinning around her own axis.
“What the…” she whispered, looking down at herself. The world was spinning around her, and for a brief moment she could see Summer frantically trying to draw her sword and run toward her. Then she felt it. A pressure that now also wrapped around her arms and closed in on her chest, squeezing her legs together and refusing to let go. With wide eyes, she saw a vine wrapping itself around her body and tightening ever more. Tiny hairs coated in thick, viscous nectar pressed against her suit and glued her limbs together. Caitlyn finally realized she was in deep trouble and struggled against the plant’s grip, but to her horror, she discovered that the nectar had glued her arms firmly to her body. She couldn’t move and could only watch as the world spun around her. One moment she saw a tree, a bush, Summer still running after her, and then finally the plant itself. Caitlyn’s breath caught in her throat as more of these tendrils stretched toward her to receive her. She screamed. She was overcome with fear, but just at that moment, a thick drop of nectar splattered onto her mouth and silenced her. A sweet taste spread across her tongue and immediately glued her mouth shut. She felt dizzy, her breathing grew labored, and the last thing she saw was Summer swinging her sword before a tendril draped over her face and swept her hood from her head. Then it was dark. Caitlyn couldn’t breathe, couldn’t see anything. Only feel the tendrils wrapping tighter around her.
Almost like a hug. She thought, before a deafening explosion rang out. The next moment, Caitlyn felt the plant’s grip loosen, then gravity took hold of her. The vine released her body completely as she crashed to the ground. Once again, the air was forced out of her lungs, but this time it carried the sticky nectar with it. Coughing and blind, she spat it out while rolling around on the ground in pain like a worm. But she could breathe; she was alive. Caitlyn could hear shouts, and then she felt the glue on her disappear. She blinked upward and saw Rilliana and Ifry standing over her. The elf had drawn her bow and held a flaming arrow in her other hand. Ifry, on the other hand, held her hands over Caitlyn. The magic wafted down onto the young policewoman, freeing her from the nectar.
“We got here just in time,” the elf said, out of breath, and Caitlyn nodded weakly.
“Th… thank you,” she said, sitting up shakily.
“No problem,” Ifry said, licking her lips. Her face had flushed red, and Caitlyn could hardly blame her. If the situation hadn’t been so dangerous, she might have found it hot, too. Caitlyn blinked.
“What the hell am I thinking right now?” Caitlyn muttered as Summer appeared behind her. Breathing heavily and holding a sword smeared with sticky goo. She reached out and pulled the hood back over Caitlyn’s head. Caitlyn didn’t get it at first, until Rilliana had to sneeze.
“Damn, this place stinks of that stupid pollen,” the elf muttered in disgust.
“I don’t know, I find the smell very pleasant,” Ifry said with a smile.
“Ifry, pull yourself together. Come on, we have to get these two out of here.”
“But I want to…” Caitlyn said.
“Rule number one!” Rilliana barked, silencing Caitlyn immediately.
“She’s right, Cait, this is a little too high for us,” Summer whispered, swallowing. “Never thought I’d see such a huge sundew.”
Rilliana helped Caitlyn up and was about to escort her to the entrance when Ifry held her back.
“Is something wrong, Ifry?” the elf asked worriedly, but turned pale the next moment.
“Let’s stay here a little longer, Rilliana, and have some fun with Summer and Caitlyn.”
“Fun?” Summer and Caitlyn asked in unison, staring at Ifry in horror, just before Rilliana slapped her hard across the face. The two humans gasped and turned to look at Rilliana. She grimaced and waved her hand as if she’d burned herself.
“Ifry, pull yourself together, we have to get out of here!” Rilliana barked at Ifry, and now Caitlyn and Summer looked back at Ifry. Her normally red eye had a violet sheen, and she licked her lips as if Rilliana were a sweet dessert. The next moment, Ifry pounced on Rilliana and knocked her down. Surprised, Rilliana screamed, but the scream was immediately stifled as Ifry pressed her mouth against the elf’s, turning it into a sensual moan. The demoness pressed Rilliana’s head into the wet grass while her other hand massaged her breast.
“What… what’s happening here?” asked Summer, who was the first to find her voice again.
“…The… pollen!” Rilliana moaned as Ifry briefly let her breathe and instead bit her earlobe. “Ow! Fuck, Ifry, stop it! AH! Keep your hoods on and get out of here! I can handle this. Go get Celine or… aaaah! Ifry, what the…”
At that moment, Ifry made Rilliana’s zipper appear and pulled it down. Her hand slipped underneath and kneaded the elf’s breast. She leaned down toward Rilliana’s ear again and whispered so loudly that everyone could hear.
“Rilliana was gone for so long and left me and Phae all alone,” she whispered in a sensual voice, “it’s time we made up for that.”
Summer and Caitlyn exchanged a glance. While Caitlyn didn’t want to leave Rilliana behind, Summer now seemed eager to see where the spectacle before her would lead.
“Now run damn it! … Ah! Ifry, please, AH!” Rilliana said before Ifry shoved her long tongue back into her mouth.
“That’s hot,” whispered Summer, earning an accusing look from Caitlyn. But the policewoman had enough of the spectacle before her and clenched her hand into a fist. She gathered all her strength and struck Ifry’s cheek. There was a loud crack. Ifry’s eyes turned toward Caitlyn. Caitlyn herself hissed as she drew in a breath; her hand felt as though she’d just struck steel. Ifry sat up and looked at Caitlyn and Summer in surprise. For a moment, both thought they had brought Ifry back, until Ifry’s pupil formed a violet-colored heart.
“Cait… lyn,” she murmured, trying to reach for Caitlyn, but Caitlyn stumbled back quickly, closely followed by Summer, who narrowly escaped Ifry’s fingers.
“GET OUT OF HERE NOW!” Rilliana snapped at them and pulled Ifry back down to the ground as she stood up. This time, Summer and Caitlyn obeyed the order and turned back.
“Can we even get up the mud slide?” Summer asked, looking down at Caitlyn’s hand. It had turned red, and the cracking sound still echoed in her head.
“We’ll manage…” Caitlyn said, though she doubted her own words as her fingers refused to obey her properly. The pain in her hand numbed her movements.
“Friends… stay here…” Ifry murmured, raising her hand toward the two of them. Rilliana understood immediately and shoved her aside. Ifry clicked her tongue and grabbed Rilliana’s wrists, before pressing them into the grass over the elf’s head with one hand. Her free hand rose again toward the women, who had just reached the cave’s entrance. Immediately, the vines sprang to life and closed in front of the tunnel with sharp thorns. Caitlyn and Summer were just able to slow down and came to a stop in front of them. The next moment, thick blossoms sprouted from the vines and spat a full load of pollen into their faces. Both flinched as a sort of protective shield appeared before their faces, glowing from blue to red and turning the pollen to ash. Summer stumbled backward, tripping into the tall grass, while Caitlyn stared at the blossoms in disbelief and then turned to Ifry. She reached for her sword, but it was still stuck somewhere in the jungle.
“Caitlyn, stay here…” Ifry murmured, reaching out her hand toward Caitlyn once more. At first she saw nothing, until she noticed the grass moving as something slithered through it. She couldn’t react as vines shot out of the grass at lightning speed and seized her ankles. They wrapped tightly around her legs and dragged her through the wet grass the next moment.
“Ifry, let me go, damn it!” Caitlyn cursed as the grass cut into her face while she was slowly being dragged back. But Ifry seemed neither to hear her nor to have any desire to wait for her, and stood up. Before Rilliana could do anything, another vine had wrapped itself around her wrists. Ifry licked her lips and walked deeper into the jungle, dragging the elf behind her.
“Ifry, you’d better stop right there!” Caitlyn shouted after her, but suddenly felt her journey through the grass come to an abrupt end as her legs were wrapped in something soft. Annoyed, she tried to stand up until she found herself wobbling in the middle of a large, pink flower. Her legs were still wrapped in the vines, but what worried her more was a green, barely transparent membrane that had suctioned itself around her lower legs and was now slowly sliding further up her legs. More pink petals at the edge of the membrane fluttered up and down as it engulfed more and more of her legs.
“Rillianaaaa?” Caitlyn asked hopefully, but the elf had already vanished with the demoness. There was no sign of Summer either, and Caitlyn began to panic again until she remembered Celine’s suit. It would protect her until help arrived… but when would that be? She could be stuck in the plant forever, couldn’t she? Suddenly, the prospect didn’t seem as pleasant as Caitlyn had thought just seconds ago.
“Not again!” Caitlyn said, looking around. She saw drag marks and grass that had stuck together.
“This is where I just got snatched by that other plant!” Caitlyn exclaimed, and sure enough, she saw her sword, which was still stuck in the ground. She let out a cry of joy and lunged for it. She threw herself to the ground and felt herself slipping out of the plant.
“Yes! Just a little more, then I can grab it!” Caitlyn cried out, but the plant had other plans, and the tentacles crawled up her body and seized one of her arms, pulling her back. Caitlyn bit her tongue and tried to fight against the pulling and suction. Her red hand clawed into the ground, and at least she came to a stop. Caitlyn braced herself for a battle against her pain and against the plant. But it didn’t have to come to that, as Summer finally stumbled out of a bush.
“Summer! Yes!” Caitlyn cried happily.
“Honestly, I thought you were going to have to rescue me the whole time,” Summer laughed, and Caitlyn couldn’t help but laugh with relief as well.
“Next time,” Caitlyn said, shaking her head, as the pain slowly brought tears to her eyes. Summer was just about to reach for the sword when, out of nowhere, a thick, white liquid shot toward her. She screamed in surprise, and Caitlyn turned her head toward the attack.
“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me…” she whispered as a thick, pulsating body emerged from a bush. A sort of giant green caterpillar had ambushed Summer with threads and was now pulling her toward it as if she were a fish in a net. Summer’s face showed a mixture of fascination, disgust, and—as Caitlyn sadly realized—desire, while the wet threads clung tighter and tighter to her body. Still, she tried to grab the sword as it passed her, but her fingers missed it by a hair.
“Fuck!” she cursed as the caterpillar yanked her back and took her legs, along with the sticky threads, into its mouth. Summer’s mouth trembled slightly until she suddenly began to laugh loudly.
That’s it… She’s finally gone mad. Caitlyn thought, as Summer couldn’t stop laughing and gasped for air.
“Summer, what’s wrong?” Caitlyn cried desperately as her grip on the ground slowly weakened.
“That damn thing is tickling me!” Summer laughed between her attempts to gasp for air. Caitlyn’s eyes widened as Summer disappeared almost without a fight up to her hips into the monster’s maw. At that moment, the pain in Caitlyn’s hand became too much and she slipped. The plant sucked her deeper into its maw. The membrane was stretched so tightly and snugly around her legs that it looked like a vacuum bed. An airtight seal from which she couldn’t escape.
“I’m sorry, Summer,” Caitlyn said weakly over her friend’s laughter as she was stuck up to her neck in the caterpillar. The sticky threads had prevented her from holding on, and the constant tickling that now spread across her entire body rendered her defenseless anyway. Her breathing grew shallower, and her laughter was increasingly replaced by gasps.
“Can’t… can’t you cast a spell?” Summer asked in agony as her body tensed.
“Well,” Caitlyn began, looking worriedly at the sword. Of course she could cast a spell, but she was bound. What if the spell failed or made things worse? Worse than it is now?
“Cait?!” Summer asked again, this time a bit more forcefully, despite her exhaustion, as the caterpillar began to move and retreated into the bushes.
“Summer, wait, I— AAAH! Screw it!” Caitlyn cursed and swallowed. She raised her injured hand above her head as the plant’s membrane reached her neck. She summoned her magic, and immediately the sword shot out of the ground into her hand. Pain shot through her entire body, and she flinched. That was all the plant needed, and the membrane slid over her head. She wanted to move her arm, but the tightness wouldn’t allow it, and instead it pressed uncomfortably against her face as she once again couldn’t breathe that day.
I have to hold on! I have to wait until the plant has completely enclosed my arm. Caitlyn thought, feeling the membrane suck itself higher and higher. It was tightly wrapped around her arm and slid over her hand. Her body screamed for air. Her vision went black until the plant reached her hand. A new wave of adrenaline surged through Caitlyn as the pain in her hand reached its peak. She was just about to scream when the grip loosened and the membrane tore. The pressure eased immediately, and she swung the sword downward. What the plant had started, Caitlyn finished with a single blow, splitting it in two. Coughing and gasping, she stumbled forward.
“It worked? But I thought the curse…” said Caitlyn, taking a deep breath. She shook the thoughts from her mind. She had to save Summer first, then Rilliana and Ifry. Somehow. After that, she could worry about that stupid dryad curse her mother had passed down to her like an allergy.
“Summer!” Caitlyn croaked, straightening up, stumbling, on the caterpillar to follow. It was easy to spot, since it flattened the grass wherever it crawled and was currently trying to climb a tree. Summer’s head poked out of it like a pink pimple, and Cait forced herself not to think about whether Summer was really stuck in the monster’s maw or… not.
“So, um,” said Caitlyn, raising her sword, but then lowering it again; she didn’t want to hurt Summer with it. She didn’t trust the precision of her left hand that much. Instead, she raised her injured hand and made a grabbing motion. The caterpillar flinched, and she began to speed up her ascent. However, she left Summer behind as Caitlyn pulled her out with her magic. With a pop, Summer finally slipped out and slid into the wet grass. The cocoon around her body had tightened tightly around her. It was still sticky, but Caitlyn managed to cut Summer out despite using the wrong hand. She cut, but Summer didn’t seem to be conscious. All that tickling had apparently taken a heavy toll on her body.
“If only my hand weren’t junk,” Caitlyn muttered, patting Summer’s cheeks lightly to wake her up. Fortunately, she slowly woke up. Her eyes fluttered open, but it took her a few more minutes before she could sit up.
“I didn’t know you could pass out from being tickled.”
“Believe me. You don’t want to try it yourself,” Summer muttered sheepishly, looking up at the tree where the caterpillar had disappeared.
“What do we do now?” she asked, stretching her body with a loud crack. The tickling had made her body tense up, and she was trying to loosen it up again.
“We have to save Rilliana and free Ifry from the pollen’s influence. “I doubt we can crawl through the thorn vines at the entrance, even with Celine’s suits. Besides…” Caitlyn muttered, looking down at her hand. It had turned color after she hadn’t given it a break.
“That looks bad,” Summer said worriedly, motioning for Caitlyn to sit down while she rummaged through the small pouch Celine had given them. She quickly found what she was looking for and pulled out a bandage. She carefully took Caitlyn’s hand and wrapped it around it. Caitlyn now felt constant pressure around her and could barely move it.
“I don’t think it’s broken, but at least you should keep it still until it heals. Can’t you use magic to heal it?”
“It’s still too taxing for me. But I’ll manage,” said Caitlyn, picking up the sword again, but she flinched once more.
“Maybe I should take this and you can focus on casting spells,” said Summer, and Caitlyn nodded, but then pricked up her ears again.
“What’s up with your sword, anyway? You haven’t drawn it since you cut me loose from the plant.”
Summer blushed and whispered something.
“What?”
“I said it’s stuck in the sheath.”
“Have you thought of a proper plan?” Summer asked, dodging a plant on the ground that clearly had humans as its favorite food.
“Yeah… I’ll take care of pollen and you handle everything else that gets in our way.”
“I’m not so sure I’m happy with the division of labor,” Summer remarked, pausing as a massive tree stretched toward the ceiling in front of them. Its bark was wider than several houses, and its roots were as thick as normal trees. They also bore the violet-colored flowers, and a thick orange mist hung in the air. When the shields on their capes began to glow again, they both knew it wasn’t normal fog. Summer waved her hand to clear the air, but it didn’t help much.
“It’s a bit annoying. “
“Better than the alternative, but I’ll take care of it,” said Caitlyn, pointing with her left hand between the tree’s roots. They could make out bent blades of grass and a drag mark, and Caitlyn thought she could see a hole between them.
“If you say so,” said Summer, slightly doubtful, since she couldn’t quite gauge Caitlyn’s magic. Immediately, their vision was obscured by the fog and the protective shield, but Caitlyn held back. As long as things hadn’t started yet, she didn’t need to waste any magic. They slipped down through the gap beneath the tree. Once again, everything was illuminated by the violet blossoms, giving the cave a sinister appearance that made the hairs on the back of both their necks stand on end.
“Do you hear that?”
“Could be Rilliana and Ifry,” Summer confirmed, raising her sword with both hands. They stopped when they reached a chamber, and it made them gasp sharply. A dungeon core lay in the center on a pedestal, but it had changed color. Not the pure white they had seen before, but a sickly violet that illuminated a bed of plants and vines that had wrapped themselves around the bodies of Ifry and Rilliana. The vines writhed like snakes around the two of them, holding them fast. They were part of them, something they couldn’t escape. Ifry didn’t seem to want to escape either; she caressed Rilliana’s body and stole her breath with her kisses.
“Summer, free her,” Caitlyn commanded, and Summer obeyed after a brief hesitation. She didn’t want to confront the demon like this, even though Caitlyn had a plan. She began cutting the vines from their bodies while Caitlyn concentrated. She raised her hands, and a breeze made her cape flutter. A gust of wind arose in the chamber and blew the pollen outside. Caitlyn immediately felt her magic burning, but she kept going.
“Oh shit… CAIT!” Summer cried out as roots wrapped around her legs and forced her to the ground. Even Ifry had awakened from her cuddle with Rilliana and now wanted to pull Summer into her bed of vines, whether she wanted to or not.
“Yes!” Cait shouted, taking a deep breath. She pulled off her cape and ran toward the three women. Summer’s eyes widened, while Ifry smiled invitingly. Caitlyn could still see the violet in her eyes, but she had to keep purifying the air. She threw her cape at Ifry, which wrapped around her head and knocked her over. Caitlyn then directed her magic at the dungeon core, and a bolt of lightning shot out of her hand, burning the air and the remaining pollen. In an instant, Caitlyn’s remaining magic was exhausted. She stumbled toward Ifry and Summer and finally caught her breath. Suddenly, her friends looked so inviting and especially sexy, more than ever before. But Caitlyn couldn’t even really focus on it as her magic demanded its toll. However, it didn’t come to that, as the crystal finally exploded and hurled her away. She slammed into Summer with full force. Together they flew toward Ifry, who stood up in confusion at that moment, her cape draped over her head. She caught them both, and then everything went black again for Caitlyn.
“Caitlyn?” Summer asked, and the young police officer fluttered her eyes open.
“Yes, Summer?” Caitlyn asked cautiously.
“Has anyone told you yet that your plan was TOTALLY nuts?”
Caitlyn exhaled deeply.
“Why? It worked,” she muttered, groaning in pain as she tried to sit up. Her body wouldn’t obey her.
“I… I can’t move!” Caitlyn added as panic rose within her.
“Yeah. Celine said something like this might happen. You used too much magic, you idiot. And our little collision took me out of the game right along with you. But Celine said it’ll get better overnight. By the way, was that part of your grand plan, too?” murmured Summer, who was lying in bed with Caitlyn.
“I’m sorry, Summer. Well… that I’d run out of magic and collapse, yes—so I wouldn’t be a danger to you guys when Ifry gets my cape. The other part? Well… not really. Are the other two okay?”
“Ifry is really embarrassed by all this, Rilliana even more so, and Celine… well, she’s just glad we’re all back. She also healed your hand while you were knocked out.”
“Ah. But we made it?”
“Yes… only… Rilliana is worried… very worried, in fact.”
Kim’s body, gritting her teeth, retreated back into the jungle, which was now slowly beginning to rot.
“All my effort and preparations, destroyed by two humans, that filthy elf and one of my own,” Jinaras’s voice whispered, seething. She had just left the hole under the tree, yet nothing remained of the dungeon core. Breeding a new core would be a waste of time. The Guardians of the Forest were now aware of the situation. And if things continued this way, they would catch on to her. She had to step up her efforts. Had to…
“Give me back my body already, you witch!” Kim’s voice cried out inside her, and Jinara rolled her eyes. Perhaps it was time to find herself a new body as well. The longer Kim was trapped inside her own head, the better she became at freeing herself from the tiny cell within it. Of course, the demon enjoyed tormenting Kim, but eventually it became too monotonous.
“Don’t worry, little Kim. If everything goes according to plan from now on, I won’t need your body anymore,” Jinara muttered, tossing Kim back into her cell.
Just a little more time is all I need.