Rilliana and Trisha

5: Lost

Evening was falling when the carriage finally came to a halt. Jeffrey helped his passengers out of the carriage and supported Trisha, who was still weak on her feet. Rilliana knocked on Celine's door and looked around nervously.

"Are you okay, Rilli?" Trisha whispered, stroking her friend's arm.

"Yes…yes, everything's fine, I'm just…tired," Rilliana murmured, pulling her arm away when Trisha touched her. The shifter frowned but said nothing as the door opened a crack. Celine's face peered out, but they couldn't see any more of her.

“Trisha, Rilliana, what are you doing here again?” Celine asked in surprise, and they could see that their presence made her extremely uncomfortable.

“We got into trouble after the mission. Can we come in?” Trisha asked. Celine exhaled heavily and said, “Couldn’t you come back later…”

"Now, Celine!" Rilliana said emphatically, pushing against the door. Celine resisted in surprise, but finally gave way.

"All right, but don't any of you laugh!" Celine said reluctantly, blushing and opening the door. They immediately understood why Celine didn't want them to come in. She was wearing a black dress with a skirt so wide that it blocked the entire hallway. It was puffed at the sleeves, and her arms were covered in opera gloves that went past her elbows. Her red hair fell like a waterfall down her back, and around her neck was a black choker with a red stone shining in the middle.

"This is unexpected," said Trisha, trying to suppress a laugh. Terra blushed and Jeffrey quickly turned around and hurried to his carriage.

"Get in before I change my mind…and you are?" Celine asked Terra.

"I'm Terra, a friend of Rilliana and Trisha, and the reason we're here…Please forgive us for disturbing you during…whatever," said Terra, bowing with her head bright red .

"Yes, come on in. And don't worry, you're not disturbing me, I'm just testing some of my latest products," said Celine, pushing her dress aside as best she could to make room for her guests. Trisha led Terra past her sister into the living room, while Rilliana stayed with Celine.

"Do you have a room where I could rest a little?" asked Rilliana. Celine looked at the elf with concern.

"Are you all right, dear?" she asked, raising her hand to brush a strand of hair from Rilliana's face. Rilliana pushed her hand away and looked down the hallway.

"I'm fine. Please, I just need a quiet place."

Celine looked at her thoughtfully.

"Here, take this and go to the dungeon…The throne room should be the quietest place in the whole house," she whispered, handing Rilliana her keys. Without another word, Rilliana went downstairs and unlocked the door to the throne room. As she entered the room, she got goosebumps when she noticed the sweet smell of Celine's clothes, but she couldn't enjoy it. She let herself fall against the wall and slid down it as tears ran down her cheeks.

 

Celine came into the living room carrying a tray with cups and a pot and served her guests tea. Trisha immediately noticed that her sister could only take very short steps and suspected that it had something to do with the unusual robe.

"Celine, what is this new product you're trying out?"

"Wouldn't it be better to talk about your friend who is sitting in my throne room right now, doing who knows what, rather than talking about my work?" Celine asked, looking sternly at Trisha. "What happened to you two?"

Trisha fell silent, avoiding her sister's gaze and looking down at the floor.

"That would be my fault," Terra muttered, nervously wringing her hands. "Through the mission that Rilliana and Trisha completed, I got my hands on some documents that showed me that a man named Faluden was interested in my business. He…pinned crimes on me and wanted to get rid of me. However, thanks to the two of them, I found out in time. Nevertheless, Faluden had already set his men on us, and they followed us from the masquerade ball. Rilliana and Trisha protected me and guided me to safety."

"That still doesn't explain what's going on with Rilliana, and I want to hear it from my sister!" Celine said impatiently, still looking down at Trisha. Trisha struggled to find the words, opening her mouth several times only to close it again.

"Speak!" Celine demanded, pushing Trisha back in her chair so that she had to look her sister in the eye.

"When we escaped, Rilliana killed for the first time," Trisha finally murmured, "and when we arrived at Leon's Keep, we split up to get supplies. I wasn't paying attention and got caught. Faluden had taken me to one of his hideouts, and Rilliana freed me, but when we left the hideout… Trisha paused and fell silent.

"What?"

"Faluden's hideout…it was like a fortress in the sewers of Leon's Keep. Celine…dozens of guards…all dead. Rilliana killed them all…

Celine closed her eyes and sank back into an armchair.

"And neither of you thought to talk to her?" she asked, massaging her temples.

"I tried, but she wouldn't listen. Maybe you could… Trisha said desperately.

"I'm the wrong person to ask, Trisha. After I grilled your kidnappers, she could barely look me in the eye."

"I…don't know what I could say to her. She did the right thing. Faluden's men are scum. I don't understand how she can be so upset about it," Trisha said, shaking her head. At that moment, they heard a soft cough from the door and looked up in alarm, thinking it was Rilliana, but it was Jeffrey standing in front of them.

"With your permission, young ladies, if you would allow me, I would like to take care of Miss Rilliana and talk to her," he said, bowing to them.

"Do you think you can help her, Jeffrey?" Celine asked doubtfully.

"I think I know exactly what she needs right now, mistress. Leave her to me and do…whatever you do," he said, raising his hand and pointing to Celine's dress. Celine blushed again, but immediately regained her composure and nodded to him.

"She's in the basement in my room."

"Very well," said the coachman, bowing again before going into the dungeon and disappearing a moment later with a crying elf in his arms. Trisha stood up and wanted to follow, but Jeffrey shook his head and Celine pulled her back to her seat.

"Now that my bondage princess is taken care of, what shall I do with you two?" Celine asked, looking at Trisha and Terra over the rim of her teacup.

"Your sister said you were an excellent craftswoman. Is that what she meant?" asked Terra, examining the black dress covered with ruffles.

"By the gods! I'm testing! Come with me, I'll show you," Celine said, standing up irritably. She led her guests into her laboratory and pointed to several chokers in different colors, each with a red crystal in the center.

"I'm currently testing these necklaces. They should be able to create dresses according to the wishes of their wearers," Celine said, giving Terra and Trisha one of the necklaces each.

"How do they work?" Trisha asked.

"That's the thing. They don't work yet, at least not the way I want them to. I accidentally cast a spell on them that prevents the wearer from using magic. Now I have to wait until the thing runs out of energy and I can take it off," Celine said, annoyed, and took the necklace back from Trisha. Something glowed behind the sisters, and suddenly Terra stood before them in a white dress after putting on the ribbon. She now looked like a princess at the altar. The ribbon had even given her a small tiara.

"Unbelievable!" Terra exclaimed as she examined her elegant gloves.

"Terra…weren't you listening?" Trisha asked, shaking her head.

"Excuse me?" Terra asked, looking at the two sisters in bewilderment.

"How long?" Trisha asked, turning to Celine, who just shrugged. Terra immediately realized her mistake.

"Don't you want to try it too, now that we're at it?" Celine asked her sister, while Terra desperately tried to loosen the necklace.

"Oh no. Last night was enough for me!" said Trisha with a laugh, looking at Celine's other projects.

"Don't pull too hard on the ribbon, or it might get a little uncomfortable for you, Terra," Celine said, and at that moment, Terra's robe lit up again and she suddenly wore a white corset over her dress that took her breath away.

"Too late," Celine murmured amusedly as Terra gasped in shock.

"Come with me, I'd like to show you a few other things," said Celine, taking Terra by the hand and gently pulling her along behind her. Trisha couldn't suppress her laughter when she saw the Princess of Darkness pulling the innocent princess deeper into the rabbit hole, which immediately earned her a cold stare from Celine . Trisha knew she would regret laughing this time.

"Trisha, dear, do you know what this is?" Celine asked, pointing to a picture frame with a shiny black canvas stretched across the middle that looked suspiciously like it was made of the same material as Celine's slime catsuits. The big sister dug her fingers into Trisha's shoulder and pushed the shifter toward the frame.

 

Rilliana sat next to Jeffrey on the carriage. He had wrapped her in a warm blanket, and she leaned against his shoulder as they drove down the road.

"Where are we going?" the elf asked coldly, staring ahead with empty eyes.

"Training," the coachman said curtly and grimly.

 

Only when the sun had set did Jeffrey stop at a clearing outside the forest. He climbed down from the carriage and helped Rilliana free herself from the blanket. He took two swords from inside the carriage.

"I assume Miss Trisha showed you how to use these?" Jeffrey asked, tossing Rilliana a sword, which she caught deftly. The elf nodded and swung the sword back and forth a few times to test it.

"Here and there," she muttered, seeming satisfied with her weapon.

"Then go ahead…attack me!" he challenged, raising his blade.

"Are you sure, Jeffrey? Unlike you, I can see very well in the dark, and the blade looks sharp… said Rilliana as Jeffrey rushed towards her and struck at her. Instinctively, the elf blocked his sword and looked at him in horror.

"I said attack me!" he repeated, pushing her backwards. Rilliana stumbled and fell over a rock behind her.

"Dodge!" he yelled and jumped after her. He swung his sword high above his head and brought it crashing down to the ground where Rilliana had been lying just a moment before, had she not rolled aside at the last moment.

"Are you crazy?" Rilliana asked, scrambling to her feet as Jeffrey pulled his sword out of the ground.

"Oh, I'm fine," said Jeffrey, examining his blade to see if the ground had damaged it, "it's you I'm worried about."

"Your sword is sending a different message. Besides, I told you I'm fine…

She was interrupted again when Jeffrey struck at her and she parried and deflected the blow with her sword. Her blade began to vibrate and her hands started to shake.

"Where is the warrior who accompanied me last night?" Jeffrey asked, striking her again. Rilliana tried to block the blow again, but lost her grip on her sword and it flew out of her hand in a high arc into the dirt. Rilliana clicked her tongue in disappointment and bent down to retrieve the sword when she saw Jeffrey's blade out of the corner of her eye. He struck her with full force with the flat side of the blade, and Rilliana gasped for breath. Her legs gave way beneath her and she began to cough. One of her hands clutched her chest and she tried to breathe as her body cried out for air in panic.

"Was that really necessary?" Rilliana spat indignantly, looking at him accusingly. Jeffrey did not deem it necessary to answer the question and said, "Pick up your sword and get ready!"

Rilliana swallowed. Her fingers fumbled for the sword. She picked it up and stood on her shaky legs. This time, he didn't ask Rilliana to attack him and took the initiative. Jeffrey struck with his sword, and Rilliana had to use both hands to block his blade. In a flash, he repositioned his blade and once again Rilliana's sword flew out of her hands. This time, the elf dodged his blade as it shot toward her again. However, she was unable to avoid his foot, which struck her in the stomach and sent her flying backward. Rilliana rolled across the ground and lay trembling in the dirt.

"Pick up your sword and get ready!" he repeated, waiting until she had staggered to her feet and raised her blade. This time, Rilliana had had enough and put all her strength into a blow, which he blocked effortlessly. He feinted a blow to her right side and changed direction at the last moment as she held her sword ready to parry the blow. Rilliana fell to the ground for the third time and lay face up. Tears ran down her face as he stood over her and sank the sword into the ground beside her.

"What was that about? If you wanted a one-sided fight, you could have just given me a butter knife!"

"Should I have asked you if everything was okay so you could lie to me? I'd rather we talk now. Wouldn't you?"

Rilliana looked up at him, clicked her tongue, but finally nodded.

"We can talk," she murmured and took his hand. Jeffrey led Rilliana up a hill, at the top of which stood a large rock. He helped her up and climbed up after her. Jeffrey sat down and motioned for Rilliana to do the same. The elf looked up at the full moon, which was now shining brightly, illuminating the dark night with its cold light.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Jeffrey asked, looking up as well. Rilliana said nothing. She waited to hear what he wanted to tell her.

"If you want to know if I know any spells that can help you, I'm afraid I have to disappoint you. There is no such thing, but I can help you process it so that you can move forward on your own," he said as he continued to watch the moon rise. Rilliana turned away from the moon and looked at him. She didn't really know what to say, but she knew that if she didn't speak now, he would definitely train her even more.

"Those people I…they had friends and families, and I took them away from them," Rilliana murmured.

"Yes, you did, but what if you hadn't? Then Celine would no longer have a sister. I wouldn't be able to return to my wife and children. Lady Terra would never be able to clear her name, and you? You would never be able to travel the world, save it, explore its wonders and mysteries."

"But my victims can't do that anymore either!"

"Yes…but they also chose to devote their lives to a man without honor."

"And what about the people you work for? Celine…Trisha…and I assume their father too. They can just kill without remorse…without…

Jeffrey snorted briefly.

"They still feel remorse. I taught Lady Celine and Trisha how to fight and also about death at an early age. But both of them know what it takes to protect their loved ones. So does the honorable Lord. I am deeply indebted to him and have always fought for him, but without coercion. It is my own decision. Faluden, on the other hand, rules with fear. The honorable Lord with…

"Surely with something completely different… Rilliana interrupted him and glanced at him from the side.

"Well …both probably have their bad sides, and one day I may lose my life because of my loyalty to the Lord, but it was my decisions that got me there. Just like those of the men you killed in the past few days."

"That helps me less than you might think right now."

Jeffrey laughed loudly.

"I didn't expect that either, but you asked. No, what I want to say is that you have a good heart, Rilliana. The fact that it was so difficult for you and that you're now worrying about it so much is proof of that."

"Will it get easier someday?"

"By the gods, no! But as long as you protect the living who are important to you and honor the dead, you can go on living and enjoy it with Trisha."

Rilliana exhaled heavily. Jeffrey put his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently.

"Shall we go back?"
"I don't know, I…yes…and, um…thank you, Jeffrey," Rilliana murmured hesitantly. She didn't know if the conversation was really what she needed, but at least she now had a lot to think about.

 

It was late at night when Celine lay on her sofa, a glass of wine in her hand. She leafed through a book, trying to figure out where her spell had gone wrong after the magic in her choker had worn off and she was finally able to take it off. Instead of the dress she had been forced to wear, she had now put on one of her new dark red catsuits, which glistened darkly in the candlelight and left nothing to the imagination. She swirled her glass as she skipped over a passage that was of no help to her.

"Mmmmhhmmm!" Trisha said to get her attention, but Celine ignored her and sipped her wine as if her sister weren't there. There was a knock at the door. Celine exhaled heavily and closed her book.

"Coming!" she called, yawning loudly as she opened the door. Standing in front of her were Rilliana, who looked a little worn out but had a happier expression on her face than she had a few hours ago, and Jeffrey, who blushed when he saw Celine's robe and quickly turned away.

"Miss Celine, need I remind you that I have worked for your father since you were a small child, and I have no interest in seeing you like this?" said Jeffrey, and you could see that he was desperately trying to erase what he had seen from his memory.

"I'm sorry, Jeffrey. It won't happen again," she said with a laugh and pulled Rilliana into her arms.

"If only it were so," he said, taking the horses to the stables to finally give them some rest.

"How are you, sweetheart?" Celine asked Rilliana, gently stroking her head.

"Better…I think. I'm not sure yet, but…I have a lot to think about," Rilliana murmured into Celine's shoulder and sniffed loudly. "What are you guys doing?" she added as she broke free from Celine's embrace and looked at her catsuit.

"I just threw it on. I was just glad to finally get out of that dress. Terra will probably wear it for a while longer, she's upstairs sleeping."

"And Trisha?"

“Trisha? Oh, you mean my new artwork! It looks truly breathtaking above my sofa!” said Celine, walking into the living room.

"Artwork?" Rilliana asked amusedly, closing the door and following the witch into the living room. Celine stood in front of her sofa, her arms akimbo, looking at the wall with a beaming smile. Rilliana entered the living room and gasped in shock when she saw what Celine had done to her friend. A picture frame was attached above Celine's sofa, and Trisha was pressed against the wall by a large sheet of slime stretched across the middle. Rilliana could see every detail of her friend through the black layer. The material enveloped the shifter so tightly.

"Celine, what is this?"

"I already told you," said Celine, tickling the sole of Trisha's foot. Immediately, the shifter began to scream and twitch. However, both were suppressed by the canvas, and Celine simply continued without paying attention to her sister. Only when Trisha's screams began to sound tortured did Celine stop and look at Rilliana with her broad smile. The elf didn't know what to say until Celine spoke up.

"That, my little bondage princess, is a vacuum bed. After Trisha laughed so heartily at Terra's and my clothes last night, I decided to turn her into an overpriced work of art. So…how do you like it?"

Rilliana ran her hand over Trisha's thigh and her friend began to tremble again.

"Does that hurt her?" Rilliana asked.

"No, no. The bed amplifies our touch, and at the same time, it exerts pressure on her entire body after I've sucked all the air out of it."

Rilliana refrained from asking whether her friend would suffocate and pinched Trisha's stomach through the latex. The shifter squealed loudly.

“Celine?”

“Mmm?”

Do you have another one like that?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

 

Celine removed the dining table from the living room and placed a black cube between the chairs instead. Rilliana had put her catsuit back on and was examining her soon-to-be prison.

"But this is different from Trisha's," she remarked as Celine pushed her through a small opening on the side.

"Always the same thing is boring. Besides, I need a new table. I wanted to hear Terra's story in more detail and discuss a few ideas. Maybe close a deal or two."

“What do you mean, table? What about the one you carried out?” Celine heard the elf ask in a hushed voice.

"It's simple. You're my new table!" Celine exclaimed and began to use her magic to remove the air from the cube. Rilliana didn't notice. She frowned in confusion as she knelt in the dark and felt the walls and frame.

"Is something else happening to Celine?"

"Make yourself comfortable, it will take a while!" Rilliana heard her mistress's voice. The elf pressed against the walls to test them and felt that they were becoming more resistant with every passing second.

Are the walls getting closer? Rilliana thought, feeling the walls trying to squeeze between her hands. Then she felt the floor pressing against her buttocks. At the same time, the latex lifted her slightly, then the walls pressed inexorably against her arms. She just managed to grab the bars, then the walls closed around her body. From one moment to the next, she could no longer move. Rilliana was frozen between the layers of slime. Every movement was absorbed and the elf was pushed back into position. Rilliana's breath caught in her throat. She felt embraced from all sides at once. It was a feeling she had never experienced before. She tried to free herself, but her struggles had no effect. Her body just swung back and forth in the middle of the cube.

"How does it feel?" Rilliana heard Celine say.

"MMMHMMMH!" was all Rilliana could say, as her mouth was covered.

"Fine! Then let's see how you cope with a little time out," Rilliana heard Celine say before she suddenly fell silent.

"Mhmmhh?"

Rilliana heard no answer, but she felt someone caressing her body, and she immediately got goosebumps.

This feels incredible! Rilliana thought, feeling all the tension that had built up inside her over the last few days melt away as Celine massaged her body. The all-encompassing darkness. No sound reached her ears. Just her, Celine's hands caressing her body, and her own thoughts. Rilliana's eyes relaxed. The words Jeffrey had given her echoed in her head. Now she had time to think about them.

 

Celine had lain down on her sofa after the elf had barely moved. Only her chest moved steadily. Celine assumed she had fallen asleep.

"Hopefully she's having a nice dream," Celine murmured and closed her eyes, only to open them again immediately. At least that's what she thought at first, but the sun was just rising. She wondered briefly why she had woken up when she heard the click-clack of high heels on the stairs. Celine got up from her sofa and smiled at Terra, who was just coming down. She was still trapped in a dress and now stared open-mouthed at Trisha's and Rilliana's prisons.

"What is that?" Terra asked, running her hand over Trisha's calves.

"These are my latest creations. I call them vacuum beds…although this one is more of a cube. I build them from a few simple materials, as well as my inventions and a touch of magic," said the witch, placing a glass plate on top of the cube so they could use Rilliana's prison as a table.

"Can they see us?" Terra asked, waving her hand in front of Rilliana's face.

"Not right now. I could change that with my magic, but I want them to sleep a little longer. I'd like to take a look at them, though," Celine remarked, waving her hand. The black faded away, revealing Rilliana and Trisha's imprisoned bodies. She still seemed to be asleep.

"They can't hear or see us right now, so we can talk in peace," Celine explained, stroking the elf's head. Rilliana didn't seem to mind, though.

"I need this for my business!" said Terra, admiring the shiny bodies of Trisha and Rilliana.

"Why do you think I turned Rilliana into a table? Sit down, we have a lot to discuss."

 

Rilliana awoke from her trance as her prison lost pressure and made a smacking sound. Celine's hand appeared in the cube and carefully pulled the elf out.

"You did well, Rilliana. I made the deal of my life with Terra…as soon as she's safe again, of course," said Celine, helping Rilliana lie down on the sofa where Trisha was already lying. She wrapped her protégés in a thick blanket and kissed them both on the forehead.

“Thank you, mistress,” they both mumbled and snuggled up to each other.

“That is two dears,” whispered Terra, who had been watching from the doorway. Celine said nothing and just nodded, a warm smile on her face. They went into the workshop, and as if on cue, the magic in Terra’s choker disappeared, her princess dress vanished into thin air, and she was back in her normal clothes.

"Finally!" she groaned and took off the necklace to give it back to Celine.

"How did you like it?" asked Celine, who took the necklace and put it back with the others.

"Let's come back to that question when you've repaired those things," said Terra, but there was a hint of red on her cheeks.

"Hahaha. That sounds fair. I think as an apology and for the successful business deal, I have a little gift for you," said Celine, rummaging through a wardrobe until she pulled out a catsuit and handed it to Terra.

"I can't accept that," said Terra, taking a few steps back.

"Please. You've only had eyes for the suits since we all put them on and you were still stuck in your dress. Come on, try it on."

Terra bit her lower lip and carefully took the suit.

"You can change here. I'll make us something to eat. Have fun," Celine said, winking at her.

 

Terra stood in Celine's workshop and admired her body drenched in black. Her midnight black hair fell down her back, causing a tingling sensation when it touched the suit.

"By the gods…Now I know why Trisha spoke so disparagingly about my bondage equipment," she murmured. The catsuit fit her like a glove, and she imagined all the things that could be made with this strange material.

"Celine? Can I look around a little?" she asked aloud, but got no answer.

She wouldn't mind, she thought, and took a closer look at Celine's inventions. She gave the chokers she had already become acquainted with a wide berth and discovered a sleeping bag made of the same material as her suit on one of the pedestals. It was much tighter-fitting than her own leather ones. Terra assumed this was because the material was so stretchy that it didn't need to be shrunk with magic. In a large vat, she discovered a slimy, pink substance. A piece of paper was attached to it with various names for the substance written on it, but they had all been crossed out. At the end of the list was "Latex?" Celine had probably had trouble finding a name for her invention, but Terra liked the sound of "Latex" and took a pen from the work surface and crossed out the question mark after the name. As she put the pen back, her hand bumped into an apple-sized sphere lying on the table. It was black in color, and next to it were three more spheres: one white, one burgundy, and one silver. She picked up the black sphere and examined it. It seemed completely smooth, except for a groove that ran around it.

"Maybe you can open it?" she wondered, trying to unscrew the sphere. The sphere did indeed turn, but instead of opening, the line began to pulsate with a blue light. Terra curiously set the sphere aside and turned the other spheres. The white one got a red line, the red one a black one, and the silver one a gold one. Fascinated, she placed the spheres next to each other and admired Celine's work until she noticed that the lights were pulsing faster and faster. Terra frowned nervously and picked up the black sphere to try to turn it off again, but it would not turn back. Instead, her fingers were now stuck to the sphere.

"Celine?" Terra asked worriedly as she desperately tried to free her fingers. The light from the sphere pulsed faster and faster until it shone continuously. Blue liquid suddenly oozed out of the sphere, sticking to her hands and spreading over her arms. Terra's eyes widened in shock and she tried to wipe the liquid off at the table, but it crept inexorably up her arms until it reached her shoulders and began to spread over her upper body. In a panic, Terra slammed the orb onto the table, causing the other orbs to fall and roll toward the door. Terra was about to follow them and ask Celine for help when the liquid spilled over her lower body, preventing her from running. Her legs stuck together and seemed to merge. She lost her balance and fell to the floor. The liquid seemed to cushion her fall, but it still knocked the wind out of her when she hit the ground.

"Celine… was the last thing Terra could scream as the blue mass crept up her throat, closed her mouth, and robbed her of her sight. She felt the sphere finally split apart and her arms were drawn by the hemispheres to cross over her breasts.

 

"Terra, breakfast is ready. Are you okay?" asked Celine, who opened her workshop wearing a cooking apron over her catsuit. She froze when she saw Terra's body lying on the floor in front of her. Celine saw how the blue mass covered every fiber of her body and how she desperately tried to free herself from it. Too late, Celine noticed that the three other spheres were rolling toward her and the silver one jumped at her like one of her slimes. The sphere splattered her entire front with golden liquid, preventing her from shouting a warning or casting a spell. Celine stumbled backward into the wall as the silver sphere split in two and settled into her palms. More gold poured out of the hemispheres and stuck the mage to the wall. Within moments, her body was covered, glued, and mummified. Her hands were also crossed over her breasts. When the liquid had finished with her, she wriggled a hand's breadth from the floor, stuck to the wall a , and slowly noticed how the gold was becoming increasingly viscous until she could hardly move.

Terra…Why can't you keep your fingers to yourself? Celine asked herself irritably, hoping that at least her protégés would not fall victim to her inventions.

 

Trisha and Rilliana were still lying arm in arm on the sofa, resting from their experiences in the vacuum beds. Rilliana blinked when she heard a noise in the hallway and looked over the edge of the sofa. However, she saw nothing. Carefully, she slipped out from under the blanket so as not to wake Trisha and stretched, yawning. She overlooked a fold in the carpet and stumbled awkwardly over it, but managed to catch herself. Rilliana clicked her tongue and continued through the second door directly into the kitchen instead of walking through the hallway first. She smelled Celine's food and her mouth watered. A pot was bubbling on the stove and the lid was already threatening to fall off. Rilliana hurried over to it and lifted it off the stove. She extinguished the fire and looked around the kitchen.

"Celine? Terra?" Rilliana asked, but got no answer. She shrugged, set out plates for everyone, and gave each of them a portion of the stew. Her stomach growled loudly when she saw the food on her plate, but she held back and looked into the hallway. Rilliana noticed that the door to Celine's workshop was open.

"Honestly. Are you so engrossed in your inventions that you forgot about dinner?" Rilliana asked loudly. She yawned loudly again as she stepped into the hallway and squinted her eyes shut so tightly that she didn't notice Celine trapped in a golden cocoon on the wall next to her. Only when she opened her eyes again and saw Terra's blue prison on the floor of the workshop did adrenaline rush through her body and she heard a soft moan behind her. Rilliana spun around and saw Celine's mummified body. However, she didn't have time to try to free her, as a red ball jumped at her and Rilliana was barely able to dodge it. She rolled to the side and ran into the living room to warn Trisha. Rilliana skidded to a halt when she saw Trisha's body mummified in red.

Trisha wasn't wriggling like Terra or Celine. Rilliana suspected she was still asleep. Rilliana looked around for something sharp to free her.

"The knives in the kitchen!" she said, and was about to run when she heard something rolling across the floor behind her. Instinctively, she ducked to the side. Unfortunately, the ball seemed to have anticipated her evasive maneuver and stuck to her leg. Panicked, Rilliana stood up and tried to shake off the ball, while a black liquid oozed out of it and restricted her movements more and more with every passing second. She stumbled over the carpet fold again, but this time she couldn't catch herself. She fell to the floor and immediately stuck to it. Annoyed, she gave up and remained lying there, waiting for the black mass to completely engulf her. She felt herself being turned onto her back and the ball wrapping around her arms. Rilliana's stomach growled again. Now Rilliana knew why Trisha didn't like magicians, but she decided to make the best of her situation and wriggled around in her cocoon. A sensual moan could be heard in the living room as Rilliana playfully tried to escape from her prison.

 

Jeffrey closed the door of the guest house behind him and walked to the main house. He took a drag on his pipe and inhaled the smoke with relish as he thoughtfully pulled a letter addressed to Trisha and Rilliana from his pocket. A hurried messenger had given the letter to Jeffrey after knocking unsuccessfully at the main house. Jeffrey took his key and put it in the lock. He opened the door and sucked sharply on his pipe when he found Celine's body in a skin-tight, golden cocoon.

"I need a raise," he muttered, turning around and walking back with a red face.

 

Rilliana sat in a small room Arissa had given her and meditated. She reviewed the past few days in her mind and thought about the upcoming mission. After Trisha, Terra, Celine, and she herself had fallen victim to one of Celine's inventions and were only freed by Jeffrey in the evening, she and Trisha had received a letter from him. Their friend Arissa had written to them and offered them a job that could ruin Faluden. An informant wanted to give her sensitive information, but expected something in return first. If all went well, they would all be able to go home satisfied. Rilliana and Trisha could move back into their hideouts in Leon's Keep, Terra could return to her girls, and Arissa could expand her business in the city.

"If all goes well," Rilliana muttered as she heard footsteps. She opened her eyes and drew her dagger. There was a knock on the door in a certain rhythm, and the elf knew immediately that it was her friend and opened the door for her. Trisha had met with the informant to find out exactly what the mission was about.

"Hey, Rilli," Trisha said, kissing Rilliana on the cheek.

"Hey Trish. Did everything go smoothly?"

Trisha nodded and they sat down at the small table.

"He said it's going to be a very easy mission."

She rolled her eyes.
"As if I've never heard that before. We just have to steal a magical golden egg from Faluden's warehouse and bring it to the informant. Then he'll give Arissa everything she needs to bring Faluden down," said Trisha.

"It does sound too easy. What's the catch?" asked Rilliana.

"Well, we just have to watch out for Faluden's henchmen and the city guard, the rest is no problem. In quick, out quick, just the way I like it."

"I assume you'll go in while I keep an eye on the outside?"

Trisha nodded and began to grin.

"Nothing escapes your eyes, and I know you always have my back ," she said, clasping Rilliana's hands.

“You can count on me!” said Rilliana, stroking Trisha’s hands with her thumbs.

“We actually have a little time before we have to leave,” Trisha said, squeezing the elf’s hands tighter. “Would you like to play a little first?”

"Who's the bondage addict between us now?" Rilliana asked with a laugh. "Let's save that for later, then I'll have something to look forward to."

"As you wish, princess," Trisha sighed exaggeratedly.

 

Rilliana and Trisha lay together on the bed, waiting for the townspeople to go to bed. Fewer eyes meant less trouble.

"Trisha? What are we going to do after the mission?" Rilliana asked as she caressed Trisha.

"What do you mean, Rilli? First you want to save our games for after the mission, and now you want me to tell you what I'm planning? Forget it!" Trisha replied with a laugh. Rilliana didn't laugh, she just looked at her friend seriously.

"No, I meant what our future will look like."

Trisha fell silent and her smile disappeared.

"I know… she murmured, "Arissa has offered to take us on an adventure with her. She wants to set off in a few weeks and cross the fog…to see what lies beyond the water."

Rilliana nodded slowly.

"Not for me…I'd rather stay here with you and Celine," Rilliana murmured.

"Now that you mention it, since my apartment is probably a pile of ashes by now, and I assume yours is too, maybe we could move in with Celine. She always needs help gathering materials or testing her inventions. With Faluden soon to be history, Terra can come back, and with Celine as her sponsor , her shop can only make a profit," said Trisha.

"We could also work for Terra," Rilliana suggested with a grin.

"Yes…no. I think I've already said enough about that," Trisha said dryly, shuddering at the thought.

"Mmhh…what about us?" asked Rilliana.

"We'll stick together, Rilli. No matter what happens!" Trisha said confidently, looking her friend firmly in the eyes.

"Yeah…that would be nice…

 

Under the cover of darkness, Rilliana and Trisha jumped from roof to roof. The suits Celine had given them were perfect for nighttime walks, allowing them to reach the docks unnoticed. Faluden's warehouse was only a stone's throw away, but both sensed that something big was about to happen and stood in awe.

"Here we are," Rilliana said nervously, her voice muffled by the mask Celine had given them.

"Just in and out," Trisha murmured to reassure Rilliana.

"Sure…I'm just thinking about everything that could go wrong," said Rilliana.

"That's my job, Rilli, and we're well prepared. With your bow in my back, nothing can happen to me," said Trisha, placing a hand on Rilliana's shoulder. Rilliana took the weapon from her shoulder and shot a rope attached to a special arrow from Celine across the street to Faluden's warehouse. It hooked onto the roof, so Rilliana tied the rope to a chimney so they could climb over. Rilliana counted her ammunition for the tenth time while Trisha opened the skylight and let a rope slide down. Then she climbed through the window, but still held on to the edge.

"Cover my back," the shifter reminded the elf.

"For a kiss," demanded the elf, leaning forward. Trisha granted her wish, and they kissed through their masks . Trisha slid down the rope and began searching the crates for the egg. Meanwhile, Rilliana scanned the streets and houses, occasionally glancing through the window to see if anyone was lurking in the darkness of the hall, waiting for Trisha. It took what seemed like an eternity before Trisha pulled on the rope to signal Rilliana that she could pull up the egg.

"Man, this is heavy!" she muttered as she pulled it up. Trisha had put it in a bag and tied it to the rope. Rilliana pulled out the egg, feeling uneasy. It was barely bigger than her hand, but certainly thousands of times heavier than a normal egg. The gold shimmered even in the dark, and Rilliana's eyes were glued to the jewels embedded in it. With its ornate decorations, it was truly a magnificent treasure. It was almost too good to give away, but she had a job to do. Rilliana didn't hesitate any longer, wrapped the egg in cloths, and put it in a shoulder bag.

Now just Trish and get out of here. Rilliana thought and threw the rope down to her friend. At that moment, lights flickered on throughout the hall and Rilliana was blinded by the sudden light. She clicked her tongue and turned away. And not a moment too soon, because at that moment a knife whizzed past her head and dug into the roof behind her. Rilliana opened her eyes in panic and dropped behind the window just before more knives flew in her direction.
That was close, Rilliana thought, listening into the night as she heard Faluden's cold voice from the window.

"Well, well, well, who do we have here? A little cat lost in my halls?"

"I was just about to leave," Trisha replied, and Rilliana heard her draw her weapons.

"Please, Trisha, put those away. Do you really think I came alone?" Faluden asked, snapping his fingers. Rilliana heard footsteps, many footsteps.

"I assume you're not alone either? Your little elf killer must be lurking around here somewhere," he said, surveying the hall. "But it doesn't matter, I've sent a specialist after her, and she's probably already dead."

"Not quite yet," Rilliana muttered, peeking out from behind her cover. Her eyes feverishly scanned the roof, but for the first time in her life, they failed her. She saw only the darkness of the night until another knife flew at her out of nowhere. She rolled to the side and the knife dug into the roof next to her.

Where the hell did that come from? Rilliana thought, kneeling cautiously behind the window sill. She didn't want to give her attacker another chance. She had to do something, and she looked at the knife next to her.

"Maybe… Rilliana murmured and swallowed. Trisha would be furious with her for this foolish idea. Suddenly, she jumped out from behind her cover and drew her bow at the same time. She saw a metallic flash and released the string in one fluid motion. The arrow whistled forward, while another knife flew toward Rilliana. Two cries of pain cut through the night. The outline of a person flickered in front of Rilliana. He fell backward. A second later, a body could be heard crashing to the ground. Meanwhile, Rilliana couldn't believe what she had just seen until a sharp pain in her leg brought her back to reality. Rilliana bit her lip when she saw the knife stuck in her.

"Shit!" Rilliana muttered through clenched teeth and yanked the knife out of her leg. Once again, a sharp scream escaped her lips and tears welled up in her eyes. The knife fell to the floor with a clatter as Rilliana tried to collect herself and pulled a bandage out of her shoulder bag. She was about to apply it when her suit closed over the wound, stopping the bleeding. Rilliana made a mental note to thank Celine later and limped back to help her friend. But she was interrupted when an explosion inside the hall blew out the window and knocked Rilliana off her feet. She slid across the roof and just managed to grab hold of a rain gutter.

"TRISHA!" Rilliana screamed, desperately trying to pull herself up, when another explosion shook the building, causing her to lose her grip and fall into the depths. She closed her eyes tightly and pulled her limbs close to her body. Rilliana expected a painful impact with the ground at any moment, but it never came. Instead, she landed gently on a soft mattress. She cautiously opened her eyes when she could no longer hear the sound of the waves that had just been crashing against the harbor walls of Leon's Keep. Light illuminated the familiar prison cell in Celine's basement. She was lying on her soft bed, and above her was a hole in the ceiling that revealed the burning warehouse of Faluden and the night sky above Leon's Keep.

"Celine," Rilliana murmured as she recognized the witch's powerful magic. The portal that had brought her to the dungeon made a smacking sound as it closed, and in its place appeared the familiar ceiling of the dungeon. Rilliana calmed down, if only for a moment.

"Trisha!" Rilliana shouted, looking into the cell opposite, where another portal had appeared, but there was no sign of the shifter. Instead, sparks shot out of the portal itself, and it seemed unstable as it constantly changed size and shape, showing no image of Leon's Keep, only a dark play of colors. Finally, it popped loudly and the portal disappeared.

"Something went wrong," Rilliana thought, and she immediately jumped out of bed. She clicked her tongue disapprovingly when she realized that the door to her cell was locked. She lifted her boot and pulled a hidden lock pick from its sole. She immediately began picking at the lock, doubting that Celine could hear her down here. She felt the lock pick warming up and remembered Trisha warning her not to pick the lock for fear of getting an electric shock, but her suit seemed to protect her from the magic. Finally, there was a soft click as the lock gave way, and Rilliana quickly threw the lock pick aside as it heated up menacingly and would have burned her hand the next moment. She stepped into the dungeon corridor and ran toward the stairs to tell Celine about Trisha's situation, but she stopped dead in her tracks when she heard it clicking on the walls. She looked around nervously and noticed that dozens of tubes were pointed at her and seemed to be following her movements. There was a dull thud as one of the tubes fired something at her, and Rilliana managed to jump out of the way just in time. A black, slimy ball hit the floor next to her and began to swell, hissing.

"Celine, what the…why?" Rilliana asked weakly and sprinted back toward the stairs as all the cannons began firing at her. From her blind spot, one of the balls hit her in the shoulder and knocked her off balance. Rilliana fell and landed with her right hand on another ball. She immediately scrambled to her feet, only to find that her hand was stuck. She pulled with all her might as the balls continued to inflate. Rilliana managed to detach the ball from the floor, but it refused to let go of her hand.

I have to get out of here as quickly as possible before I'm buried by these things, Rilliana thought in panic and tried to run again when another shot hit her right shoulder. Instinctively, she reached for it with her left hand to tear it off, only to find that she had now lost both her hands to Celine's new invention.

"Idiot!" she scolded herself and jumped awkwardly into the air to dodge several bullets on the ground. A mistake, as she realized, because she couldn't change direction during the jump. A combination of five projectiles covered her body and she fell hard to the ground. Immediately, the balls devoured more and more of her body as they hissed and swelled.

"CELINE!" Rilliana yelled at the top of her lungs as the cannons continued to cover her, giving her no chance to escape. The hissing sound robbed her of any chance of hearing anything else, but just before one of the growing balls blocked her view, she saw two pairs of high boots. The pressure on Rilliana's body made it difficult for her to breathe. Panic spread through her and she lost consciousness shortly thereafter.

 

A few minutes earlier. Inside the warehouse.

Lights flickered throughout the warehouse, and Trisha blinked several times as her eyes adjusted to the new lighting conditions.

"Well, well, well, who do we have here? A little cat lost in my halls?"

Of course it had been a trap. Trisha thought and drew her black dagger.

"I was just about to leave," she replied to Faluden and smiled when she noticed that Rilliana had a clear shot at him. But her smile vanished instantly when he said, "Come on, Trisha. Do you really think I come alone?" and snapped his fingers. Immediately, a dozen henchmen appeared beside him.

Missed opportunity, Trisha thought.

“I assume you’re not alone either? Your little elf killer is surely lurking around here somewhere,” he said, surveying the hall. “But it doesn’t matter, I’ve sent a specialist after her and she’s probably already dead.”

Trisha's heart sank when she heard Faluden's statement. However, she couldn't show her vulnerability and narrowed her eyes to slits.

"Don't underestimate her, she was trained by me, after all," said Trisha, raising her weapon in a fighting stance toward Faluden. At the same time, she let her innate power take over her body. Her arms and legs became more muscular and her pupils narrowed to slits. Trisha began to smile again, revealing her long fangs.

"And this time I'm better prepared. I'll beat the information about my parents out of you!"

"Then show me what you've got, Shifter," Faluden laughed and spat, "get her!"

Faluden's men ran toward Trisha without hesitation. The Shifter took a deep breath, leaned forward slightly, and pushed herself off the ground. The stone beneath her shattered, and in the blink of an eye, she ran past one of the men and rammed her dark blade into his upper body. Stunned, he looked down at her and opened his mouth in a silent scream before collapsing.

Trisha pulled out her dagger with a quick movement and ran to the next one. She dropped to the ground to avoid a sword swing from another henchman and slid through his legs. Trisha's dagger found an unprotected spot on his thigh and drove its blade in. He buckled and felt cold steel against his throat. Trisha pulled her weapon back in a high arc and turned to Faluden's other men, who recoiled in shock as the two men collapsed behind the shifter, dead. A bloody veil spread around Trisha, slowly sinking to the ground and staining it red. Barely a handful of seconds had passed, and the other men were already calculating their chances against her.

"Who's next?" Trisha asked, casually twirling her dagger in her hand. The men made no move to approach her, and Faluden's expression darkened when he saw the fear in their eyes. Trisha was about to seize the opportunity to end it all immediately when she heard a cry from the roof. She looked up anxiously, momentarily forgetting that she was not alone.

I have to end this quickly, she thought as she heard something roll across the floor and come to a stop next to her boots. Trisha looked down and her veins froze when she discovered a fist-sized ball with a burning fuse sticking out of it. She didn't think twice and kicked the grenade. It flew in a high arc onto a shelf where several boxes were standing.

"You'll have to come up with something better than that… Trisha said, falling silent when she saw that Faluden now had fear written all over his face and was rushing out of his warehouse. A second later, a huge fireball tore through the shelf and engulfed the boxes, which now also exploded. The fire spread with the shock wave and Faluden's henchman was immediately engulfed by it. Trisha herself was thrown back by the blast wave. She held her arms protectively in front of her face, but her suit protected her from the worst, and she braced herself for the impact. Then she felt herself slow down and gently set down on a soft surface. She opened her eyes and saw an unstable portal above her, and she flinched as sparks rained down on her from it. It popped loudly as it disappeared, and Trisha was alone in a square room with padded floors and walls. A magical light shone from the ceiling, dimly illuminating the room. Trisha saw no door anywhere, let alone a gap in the padding. Her first thought was to cut her way out, but only then did she realize she had lost her dagger. Trisha suspected that the explosion had knocked the weapon out of her hand.

"Hello? Can someone get me out of here? Is anyone there?" she asked, but no one answered. She clicked her tongue disapprovingly and felt along the walls for a hidden passage.

"Is this one of Faluden's tricks?" Trisha muttered helplessly and sat down against one of the walls. She pulled her legs up and stared at the opposite wall. Her thoughts were with Rilliana when a wave of exhaustion washed over her, forcing her to close her eyes.

 

Rilliana woke up with a start and gasped for air, as if she were afraid of being pushed underwater at any moment. She felt a hand on her shoulder and recoiled. Celine was sitting next to her. She had a worried look on her face, took her hand down and kneaded it in her lap as if she were very embarrassed about something.

"Rilliana, I'm so incredibly sorry. Terra and I were testing a new security system and forgot to turn it off. I didn't think you could be teleported to the basement," Celine murmured, her voice growing quieter as she spoke. "I've already sent a letter to Leon's Keep to let Trisha know where you are. She'll surely…

She fell silent when she saw Rilliana's tears streaming down her face. "…hat happened?" she asked, her voice serious.

 

When Rilliana had finished her story, Celine looked at her with furrowed brows. She rose from her chair and gently covered Rilliana.

"What does this mean, Celine? Where is Trisha?" Rilliana asked fearfully.

"I'm not sure yet…Stay here for a while, I need to check a few things. If you need anything, Terra will take care of your every need. And could I take a look at that egg and your suit?" Celine asked, pointing to Rilliana's bag and her black one-piece suit lying next to her bed.

“Yes, of course…” Rilliana murmured and closed her eyes. Celine picked up both items and quietly left the room. She silently closed the door and turned to Terra, who had been waiting anxiously outside.

"What happened to them? I knew I shouldn't have let them help me, it's all my fault," she said gloomily.

"No, it's not your fault. My suits protected them as they should have. Rilliana even teleported them here when it got too dangerous, but…I…I must have made a mistake in Trisha's suit…but…that can't be… Celine said, biting her thumb. She would never forgive herself if something had happened to Trisha. But first, Celine had to find out what had happened to her magic. Celine looked up when she still felt Terra's gaze on her and placed a reassuring hand on Terra's shoulder.

"Can you take care of Rilliana while I check the suit? Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid," Celine whispered.

"It's the least I can do for Rilliana," Terra said, hurrying ahead of Celine into the kitchen to prepare something nutritious for the elf. Celine disappeared into her lab, spread Rilliana's suit out on the table, and carefully placed the golden egg next to it. She sensed a gentle magic within it. She couldn't say exactly what it did.

"Not yet," she murmured, holding her hand over it. She felt a slight tingling on her skin. It almost felt as if its magic was cleansing her hand.

"Um…okay?" Celine murmured and turned her attention to the suit.

 

"THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!" Celine shouted as she checked Rilliana's suit for the tenth time and found no error in her magic. She had enchanted both of them at the same time, so it couldn't be her fault. The egg still hadn't revealed anything about itself, and she was slowly losing her patience. Celine even started chewing on her fingernails out of concern for her little sister. She stared angrily at the egg, hoping to come up with an idea. She picked it up and checked it again, with no result. Her left eyebrow twitched.

"USELESS!" she shouted and threw the egg back onto the table. It slid across the countertop and fell to the floor. Celine rolled her eyes as the egg disappeared toward the hallway and stood up, annoyed, to retrieve it. She accidentally touched Rilliana's suit and flinched when she suddenly sensed foreign magic in it.

"What…how…" Celine asked, looking toward the door where the egg lay.

"Terra? Can you bring me the egg? It's in the hallway!" she called across the house, waiting with her hand on the suit.

“Couldn’t you have gotten it yourself?” Terra asked, holding the egg in her hand and about to place it on the table next to Celine when she motioned for her to stop. The trace of magic immediately disappeared, as if it had been driven away by the egg.

"Please take it to the kitchen," Celine said excitedly, without looking up at her. Terra raised an eyebrow but did as she was told. Immediately, Celine felt the strange magic again. A spell that did not belong to her and was easy to overlook if one did not look for it . The egg seemed not only to cleanse Celine's hands, but also to dispel magical impurities. Its magic had suppressed the strange magic, and so she had been safely teleported to the dungeon when it became too dangerous.

"If Rilliana hadn't had it with her, she would be…yes…where would she be now… Celine murmured, examining the foreign spell more closely. First her eyebrows twitched, then her forehead wrinkled until her breath caught. A lone tear rolled down her cheek and she had to swallow.

"You're alive?" whispered Celine, clenching her hands into fists. A mixture of grief and anger spread through her body. She slammed her fist down on the table, smashing it in two with a loud crack.