The Oracle's Pet

She loved watching the Scorned. Whenever they would rise from the muck, they weren’t aware of her presence, and Suri often wondered if it had been the same for her, the day she woke in this world, a part of the fire. It was entirely possible, for it could’ve been a hundred years ago or two days ago. Time was relative here, like one, long unending day.

Suri stared across the cemetery, past the uneven tombstones and found the mountains in the distance. The fog always hung oppressively low, and the sky was always grey and swirled with ravens. She wondered if the darkness up above were storm clouds, but they never dropped rain. The only thing that changed in this place was her coming and going, and here, at the end, she was growing bored.

There weren’t many things that could best her. Suri was the greatest fighter in the Kingdom of Marlow.

She was a tall woman—standing at six foot and three inches—but she wore her size well. There was nothing bulky about her. Most of the men and women who came through the Kingdom of Marlow prized themselves of being walking tanks—they carried so much armor and gear that they looked like scrapheaps. But not Suri. She preferred her form-fitting leathers because those gave her a greater range of mobility. She could take a hit, but she preferred that she didn’t. If one was quick enough, a monster could be dispatched before it landed a single blow. And it was in that spirit where Suri excelled.

The Scorned at the edge of the cemetery lifted his arms and pulled himself out of the mud, then looked around. He didn’t see her, but they rarely did. Sometimes they could drift in and out of her plane, but that was almost unheard of. And even then, it was a tossup whether they would be hostile or respectable, so she wasn’t sad when a thin veil of realty kept them apart. Whether they were with her or not, they always needed to know the direction to the Oracle, and their paths were always wrought with peril.

Not to say Suri’s journey had grown easy.

The kingdom was a perilous place, and she longed for adventure. She’d grown powerful in her tenure, inside the haggard lands of Marlow, and she had the skill to show for it. Suri was one of the most formidable women to walk the realm.

Just then, she heard a noise from around the corner. Beyond a copse of dead, scraggly trees she spied a trio of Banshees simply milling about. One was hovering near the edge of the cliff, looking into the abyss as if pondering the meaning of it all. The other two were simply leaning against the crumbling stone wall, their reddish robes almost glowing beneath the lantern above them.

“Are you gentlemen lost?” asked Suri with a wicked grin. Her voice was high, rather dainty, and it was often used as a weapon in itself. She could be so disarming with her words. But that hardly mattered to this lot—they were among the unthinking, cursed to be here and cursed to kill whatever was at the end of their noses. She always wondered what they’d been in life—perhaps priests? It no longer mattered.

The Banshee by the cliff was the only one roused by her words. He made a halfhearted turn, and that’s when she noticed the crossbow gripped in his bony hands. His head turned to the side, as if he were sniffing her out, and that’s when he made a guttural growl and raised his weapon.

Suri was on him before the other two even sprang into action, shoving him with her boot as hard as she could. He loosed a shot that whizzed by her ear, tousling her hair, but otherwise missing. His arms went out wide, he dropped the crossbow, and then disappeared into the chasm below.

The remaining two brandished short swords, with the closest lunging hard with an overhand chop. Suri easily sidestepped it, then riposted, taking the thing’s hand right off. The second one came at her with a ferocity not common with the Banshees, its blade leading. She deflected it toward the wall, the tip biting off sparks. Her foot came down hard on its wrist and the blade clattered to the flagstones. It made an attempt to grab it, but she hooked her blade upward and ran through its withered chin and through its skull.

She’d no sooner pulled her blade free when the other—now using its remaining hand—took a swing that caught Suri in the bicep, a thin spray of blood fanning out. Her leg came around and kicked, sending the creature toward the edge of the cliff where its brethren had just plummeted. It made a loan groan, something between anger and torment, and lunged.

But just before it reached her, its head was blown open by a flaming crossbow bolt. The creature dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes, and instantly burst into flames as if nothing more than dry straw. It wasn’t dead—the monster simply thrashed about on the stone, wailing in an inhuman voice.

Suri turned back to see a woman standing on the path, shouldering her crossbow. She was tall, although not as tall as Suri, but she carried herself with poise and a look of determination. She approached Suri, drew a long, slender blade and said, “Excuse me,” as she walked past. With a flourish, she twirled her blade to point down, then jabbed it into the head of the creature. The Banshee relaxed and lay still, flames still biting at its robes.

“Who are you?” Suri asked, dropping her sword to the side, but still not willing to sheathe it. Her shoulder was still pouring blood.

“Terribly sorry,” said the girl. “I’m Yuniko, the greatest champion in the Kingdom of Marlow.”

“I’m sorry?” said Suri, not sure if she heard the girl right.

“Say,” she said, and pointed toward the north. “I’ve just dispatched that large, ebony beast back there. Mind telling me the way to the Frostbrand Keep?”

Suri remembered when she killed the beast, as well. It had been an endeavor for such an inexperienced adventurer.

“I’m heading that way myself,” said Suri. There weren’t any more Banshees about, but there would be later.

“Great!” she said. “For I long for rest and food.”

“Your experience may differ, but we shall see. Follow.”

It was a short walk through the ankle-high water and up the hill from the cemetery to the apex, and from there Frostbrand Keep could be seen. Suri wasn’t sure how many times she’d walked this valley, but there was a stoic beauty to the place every time she came here. The structure looked old as time itself, but ever changing with the overlapping planes. Suri’s version may not have been the same as Yuniko, but the way the girl’s bright eyes lit up, it was clear she was seeing something interesting.

“Come on,” said Suri. “Since you’re here with me, maybe you can see my Oracle.”

“Your . . . Oracle?” asked the girl without even moving.

Suri wasn’t sure she heard the girl correctly. How could one be here and not know that? She certainly hadn’t been here long—even if she had taken down the ebony beast of the cemetery.

“She’s the one who holds power over this realm. And if she likes you, she’ll make you a little stronger.”

“I’m strong enough.”

Suri just rolled her eyes and said, “C’mon,” before heading down the mountain.

There were no other Banshees here, only those in the next plane, for the girls could see the translucent figures fighting unseen monsters. Such was the case in this place. Suri had no better grasp of understanding it now than she had when she struck down her first undead. The only thing that was certain was that she was the same—dead, but different. Like Yuniko, Suri had her mind, her wits. But what they didn’t have was their past. Whatever they were in the life before, it didn’t bleed through to the Kingdom of Marlow. And that’s why she didn’t bother to understand why Yuniko looked vaguely familiar.

Frostbrand Keep, like all scattered structures in Marlow, looked old as time. It sat on the edge of a cliff, off to itself, surrounded by nothing but skeletal trees and crumbling granite. A square tower rose into the sky, and the sun peeked through the curved windows at the top. Suri often wondered if the sea would claim it someday, or if it were simply like the Scorned—undying, reborn, gripped inside an eternal struggle with time itself.

It wasn’t such an easy journey to the keep in the early days. There were many people inside, each serving a vital purpose. But none were as important as the Oracle, and none were as special to Suri.

They entered a large, circular chamber that once served as a throne room. In the center, standing just in front of the throne was the Oracle herself, at least the one who was tied to Suri. She’d learned through trial and error (as well as a bit of allusion from the Oracle herself) that every Scorned had their own. And although Yuniko was on the same plane, she was probably seeing an entirely different Oracle, one who had thoughts and memories and camaraderie that differed from Suri’s.

“Greetings, Suri,” said the Oracle as she approached. “You are hurt.”

The Oracle was a beautiful woman, although her mystery was part of her appeal. Her long red hair hung down in a braid across her back. The flowing white robes trailed the ground along the dingy ground but never got dirty. Suri wondered so many things about her—how long had she been here, what was her real name, and what did her body look like under the robes. Just hearing her smooth, sensual voice sent a warm tingle down Suri’s spine.

She was confused for just a moment, but then realized her shoulder had been badly cut. It wasn’t the first blade to pass through her, and certainly wouldn’t be the last.

“I am. A Banshee got a lucky shot. It’s fine.”

“Perhaps it is, my dear. But I will take care of it, nonetheless.”

Suri glanced over at Yuniko who looked as though her voice had been lost. She was speaking, lips moving, face showing signs of inflection, only the sound had vanished. That’s when Suri realized she’d slipped between planes and was discussing matters with her own Oracle, who was no doubt layered atop Suri’s special friend.

“I need to be more powerful. When will I be capable to handle these lands without injury?” asked Suri, just as she sat at the foot of the throne. The Oracle waved a hand across her wound. The skin and muscle stitched back together and the leather mended. The blood would wash off, but she was fully healed.

“What power do you seek?” asked the Oracle.

It wounded Suri’s pride that the Banshee had so easily slashed her. She’d gone up against greater foes—she was one of those to kill Blastyn the Unbowed—so there was no rational reason that her guard was becoming so lax. Had she grown weary of battle? Had she grown careless?

“I want to be better protected,” said Suri. “Make me stronger.”

The Oracle grew silent. It was always difficult to know when she was thinking or if she simply didn’t comprehend what Suri meant. The old cliché ‘the eyes are the window to the soul’ was true, and in this case Suri didn’t have a clue what was happening in the Oracle’s soul because her eyes had gone white. But after a moment, the woman said, “So be it.”

She held up a hand and Suri could feel a pulling at her temples that quickly spread through the rest of her body. This wasn’t normally how it felt when she was given power. But she trusted the Oracle, and had come to call her a friend after all these days, months, years. A soft, orange glow encased Suri, and she watched as her essence left her body. She didn’t understand, nor did she notice the slight change in how her armor was fitting. But something about it excited her, and made her skin sensitive.

“Does you have any gold to offer?” asked the Oracle. “I require more to replenish my spell reagents.”

“I’ll gather more,” said Suri, rising to her feet.

“There is a particularly powerful foe in the Blackwater Lake,” said the Oracle. “But I’m not so sure you can best this creature.” Her soothing voice trailed off, but Suri was agitated to the core.

“I’ve bested every creature to step in front of me. I’ll return with its treasure. What manner of creature is it?”

Again, the Oracle said nothing, only stood motionless with her lips pursed tightly together. “I cannot say. I cannot see it from here, only feel the largeness of its spirit. Bring it to me and I’ll make sure you are protected.”

“Something is different,” said Suri, gazing at the Oracle. She’d never seen the woman look so . . . content, as if there was a smile just beneath the surface that was soon rise. “You seem . . . happy.”

“Does that bother you?”

“Not at all. It’s just strange that it comes now. After we’ve been through so much together already.”

And now the Oracle really did smile. “I wish you to be protected. And after today, it will be done.”

“Where are you off to now?” asked Yuniko, now seemingly done with her Oracle. Suri couldn’t shake the feeling that the girl was looking her more level in the eyes now, as if she’d stepped into a pair of platform boots.

“To Blackwater Lake,” said Suri.

“Sounds exciting. Have you ever been there?”

Suri nodded. “Many times. Well, be safe out there.” She turned on her heels and started off toward the blacksmith.

“Wait! Take me?”

“Why? You’re the greatest champion in all the land,” said Suri with a bit of sarcasm.

Yuniko shook her head—dainty, short hair falling across her ears. “I am, but I would love to see this lake. We can adventure together.”

Suri stared at her long and hard in hopes that she would ultimately decide to go another route, to find death somewhere else in the Kingdom of Marlow, but she didn’t. It was almost as if she were too stupid to be afraid, or perhaps just too proud. Suri blew a sigh from her lips and said, “Fine. Meet me at the south exit in ten minutes. I need to let the smith temper my blade.”

“Yes, milady,” said Yuniko, and then bowed slightly.

Suri looked back at the Oracle who only shrugged. “I didn’t hear what she said, but her body language suggests that she thinks she is your superior.”

“She’s not.” Suri pulled at her sleeves, having trouble keeping them from falling toward her hands. It was something she would need Sigmon to fix, as the leather sometimes stretched from the heat or if a creature groped as she was running it through.

Blacksmith Sigmon was a young man with a sharp black beard and hair to match. Sweat glistened from his naked chest, and the sparks often landed against his ashen skin whenever he struck his hammer. He’d become a good friend, and she’d traded much gold to make her blade what it was today. She’d nicknamed it Bloodreaver, and he’d put a pair of sapphires in the hilt as commemoration.

“You look different, girl,” said Sigmon as he wiped the sweat from his brow. It was always so hot in the forge.

“How so?” wondered Suri as she watched him shape a broadsword.

He stopped striking the metal long enough to give her a lengthy appraisal, but then shook his head. “I’m not for knowing. But I’ve been in this business for a long time, girl. And I’m sayin’ something about you has changed.”

“It’s the confidence,” said Suri, but she was sure it wasn’t that. If anything, she was feeling less confident now than ever. With the arrival of Yuniko, and the graze the Banshee had given her, she was starting to feel insignificant. It didn’t help that her feet were sliding inside her boots. It was time for a whole new set of leathers, but she had to earn the gold first. She thanked Sigmon for his work, then trod through the crumbling hallways until she met back up with her new friend.

“That took a long time,” she said, swinging her samurai sword in short, practiced arcs.

“Do you know how to use that thing? Or are you only a coward fighter?”

“Coward fighter?” she asked, dropping her sword arm to the side.

Suri pointed to the crossbow across her shoulder. “I don’t kill anything unless I can see the whites of its eyes.”

“I’m sure I could learn a lot from you,” she said, then started down the stone staircase that would lead to the West End. Suri couldn’t tell if the girl was genuine or sarcastic, but either way, she welcomed the company. It would be nice for the denizens of Marlow to have another target besides her.

It was as though they’d stepped into another world as they pushed open the massive doors and entered the West End of Marlow. Below them lay the battlements of a large keep, the low fog clinging to every corner. A battle had been waged here long ago, and the place was still reeling from the effects. Pointed towers dotted the horizon, their tattered flags flapping in the wind.

No sooner had they come out the doors did a skeletal archer step up and take aim at Yuniko. Instinctively, she brought her thin sword around and chopped the front of its weapon, the bolt flipping up into the air harmlessly. And just as its dingy bones started to waft black smoke, she cut it down, slicing its legs and then its spine in one quick, fluid movement.

They continued along the ramparts, watching creatures all over—some patrolling as they had in life, some staggering around listlessly as if only waiting for the heroines to come along and vanquish them. Yuniko may not have been experienced, but she was at least watchful. The denizens of Marlow loved nothing more than to stalk from high vantage points or inside shadows, and then pounce on the unsuspecting.

“Are you okay?” Yuniko asked suddenly as they descended a spiral staircase. It was a long, treacherous trip to the Blackwater Lake, and Suri wanted to get there quickly.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“Your armor. It . . . doesn’t look right.”

Suri stopped and looked down at herself, and then squeezed her hands into fists. The girl was right, just as Suri had suspected back at Frostbrand Keep. Her armor wasn’t fitting right, and she couldn’t account for it. These leathers had been through so much, but something had changed.

She didn’t get to dwell on it long.

A terrible shriek filled the sky above them, and the girls looked up just in time to see a large, leathery wing zip by. Suri tracked it through the valley of buildings until it circled around and came back toward them.

“Dragon!” she yelled, grabbing Yuniko by the arm and pulling her along the rampart. They’d no sooner burst through a sturdy, wooden door when the walkway outside was filled with bright, glowing fire. The dragon strafed, bellowed another screech, and gained altitude. Its wingbeats were stirring up the dust.

Suri had been so enraptured by the flying beast that she didn’t notice the pair of skeletal guards inside. One of them brought a shield down hard against her chest, to which she lost her breath and staggered a few steps. She lost her footing and tripped down a thick set of stone stairs, coming to land at the bottom, inside an antechamber with a roaring fireplace. Yuniko’s strikes could be heard above, sword against sword and sword against shield. The dragon was still making rounds, its long, scaly body shaking the walls as it passed over.

By the time she made it back up the steps, Yuniko—the ‘greatest’ champion in Marlow, was dead. Suri didn’t know where the gods had spat her spirit, but she figured another trip to the Frostbrand Keep was in order.

Still, there were two skeletons, although one was missing an arm. At least Yuniko had scored a hit before taking her last breath. Suri closed the distance, raising her weapon high, then feigning to the left so that she could cut across the creature’s midsection. It turned to dust in two parts along the floor.

The other monster had dropped its sword and picked up a pike, favoring the tight quarters and assuming Suri wouldn’t have much room to maneuver. She watched its shoulders and when it lunged, she rolled forward, narrowly passing beneath the razor-sharp tip, and coming up behind it with a hard, staggering slice. It pitched forward, dropped its weapon, and she buried her blade up to the hilt in its chest.

Suri threw her back against the door and had to recover one of her boots because it had slipped off in the scuffle. Slowly, she inched to the side, and caught sight of the dragon bearing down on her, spitting a jet of fire across the battlement. A pair of skeleton archers and a trio of robe-clad men were caught up in the blast, and all withered and died as black husks.

The dragon hovered over the doorway, perhaps smelling her out, perhaps seeing her through the wall. Suri wasn’t adept at understanding how dragons hunted, but it gave one, short blast of fire and then flew off. She didn’t think it would stay gone forever, it was simply circling for another strafe.

There was a Gate up the steps, atop a high rampart, the golden edges glowing. All of the Gates in Marlow were magical portals to Frostbrand Keep, and if only she could reach it, touch her fingers to the stone, she would be teleported back to safety, and perhaps see Yuniko again. She would certainly get to see her Oracle.

She waited for another pass, then took off running—and fell right across the stones. Her sword clattered to the ground and skidded away. A loud screech behind her sent her into motion, so she stood, scooped up her sword, and took off running. A skeletal beast lunged at her, but she sidestepped it and the brainless creature fell over the side. Two steps later, a skeletal archer sent a bolt whizzing past her ear but she’d been lucky enough to stagger again—the damned boots were going to get her killed.

When she mounted the steps and had the Gate in sight, the ground shook, and she nearly lost her sword over the stone railing. She threw a look over her shoulder, and there on the rampart was the dragon, its taloned wings pulling it along. It gave a hiss, the light in its throat a brilliant orange. Suri wasn’t sure if it was going to breathe fire at such close proximity, but she didn’t wait around to find out. She trudged the last of the steps, threw her hand against the Gate’s stones and thought of her Oracle.

***

“That hurt like hell,” said a voice to her right. “Sorry for the language, but it did.”

Suri looked over to see Yuniko sitting on the stone steps leading to Sigmon’s hovel, little tealights all around her feet. As with anyone who’d been returned to Frostbrand Keep, she was completely healed. At the very least, being Scorned provided priceless experience, for one could learn time and again how to improve.

“You do not appear to be carrying spoils of war,” said the Oracle, a thin smile as she looked down at the seated Suri.

“I didn’t make it. A dragon showed up. I should probably just go straight to the Blackwater Lake Gate.”

“That’s . . . unfortunate,” she said.

Suri nodded. The Oracle held up a hand and placed it on her shoulder. She was left with the same odd feeling that she was falling, that her skin was burning, that something was behind her eyes and pushing out through her skull. It wasn’t painful—just the contrary, she enjoyed the feeling, and as she stood there, her gauntlets slid off and clattered to the floor. It was all so sensual, and her skin felt so sensitive, as if the very air could make her tingle. Next, her sword belt slipped down around her ankles.

The Oracle pulled her closer, her lips dangerously close. She was wrapping Suri inside her robe, pulling the material tight against her own perfect body so that it could reach across the warrioress. With their bodies touching, Suri couldn’t help but tremble, for the heat emanating from the Oracle lit a fire in her pants. Her legs were shaking when the heat dimmed and its Oracle stepped away. Suri groped at her dress, her very soft, soft dress.

“You are protected,” said the Oracle at last. Before Suri could question the change, she tossed a little black pouch into her waiting, naked hands, and added, “Go see the seamstress. She will have new armor for you, if you give her this.”

Suri pulled the drawstrings back to reveal a jingle of gold coins.

“What’s happening to me?” asked Suri, not meeting the face of the Oracle as she once had. Something drastic had changed, and perhaps it was her addled, Scorned mind creating a haze, but she couldn’t explain it.

“We shall talk more after your refitting. Go now.”

Suri started off toward the forge, casting a glance at Yuniko. “Wait here.”

The seamstress was seated behind a counter only a few feet from the throne room. She kept her wares nearby, always in sight of Sigmon and his pounding hammer. The old woman wore robes that nearly matched the Oracle’s but it was clear she was much older and haggard. Suri had come to know her quite well in her travels, and could count on the lady to have the latest wares—from armor to medicinal herbs.

The seamstress eyed Suri as she approached, looking up from beneath the hood with a modest appraisal. Her eyes were always sincere, but lifeless. Just like everyone else in Frostbrand Keep, she served a purpose, and that purpose had most likely been chosen for her. But she was a kindhearted woman who wanted to see Suri at her best.

But by the time Suri had made it the few steps over, her pants were already falling down. She turned back to see the Oracle crack a smile so wide that a tiny, white sliver of tooth could be seen. And then, just as quickly she regained her composure and became stoic. Suri’s face turned red, but she couldn’t help but feel the tingle between her legs, the arousal by being on display in front of both the Oracle and Yuniko. Sigmon simply continued to shape metal down the hall, oblivious to all but his work.

“What will it be?” asked the seamstress as Suri approached. She tossed the old woman the cinched pouch and her hand snatched it in midair with reflexes that should’ve been impossible for someone so frail looking. She opened it up, glanced inside, and her face melted into a warm smile. She stuffed the pouch into her robes, lost forever to anyone but her. “New armor?”

“Yes, milady. Something like what I have but . . . tighter.”

The seamstress looked at her, as if seeing her for the first time. It wasn’t—Suri had visited her during the first trip to Frostbrand Keep. But after she gave a lengthy perusal, she opened her robe and magically produced a full set of leathers, similar to what Suri had worn before, but obviously tighter. Or was that even the right word? Smaller, was more appropriate.

“Am I . . . shrinking?” she asked to no one in particular. It wasn’t something she really expected an answer to, so she didn’t let the awkwardness of it hang in the air for too long. She easily slipped out of her current gear. And then, the new armor went on, feeling like a second skin, the way all armor should feel. When the gloves were pulled tight, she lifted her sword and gave it a test swing. Things felt normal again, even if the blade seemed slightly heavier.

But when she walked back to join Yuniko and the girl stood, it was clear she was taller now. A lot taller, in fact, for Suri’s eyes were lined up directly with her ample breasts. When she turned to the Oracle, it was just as obvious. The woman’s hands looked bigger as they clasped around her midsection, and her breasts—although nowhere near as prominently displayed as Yuniko’s—were much thicker and rounder.

Suri stepped up to the Oracle, now level with her chest as well, and said, “What’s happening? The world is getting bigger.”

The Oracle leaned over and said, “And so you shall grow stronger. I will protect you, if only I have the supplies. Go to the Blackwater Lake at once and bring me the beast’s hoard. And then . . . all will be as it should.”

That wasn’t the answer Suri was hoping for, and she was usually fine with the Oracle’s roundabout way of explaining the world, but she didn’t feel the same. She was getting smaller—of that she had no doubt. And then, as if she needed any further coaxing, the Oracle did something unheard of—and leaned in close enough that Suri could feel warm breath on her face. A thin, red tongue parted between her lips, and then she planted a kiss right on Suri. It sent warm tingles through her whole body, and she wanted to undress the Oracle right then and there, but felt she had an audience in that moment. The groaning of the seamstress’s chair, the striking hammer in Sigmon’s forge, and the darting villagers had all gone quiet.

And when the Oracle separated, she brought up a dainty finger to her lips, as if to rub the kiss in and preserve it. She couldn’t keep the warm, gentle smile off her face. Suri wondered, with all that had changed in the last few epic battles, had the Oracle’s soul become something new altogether? There was a flighty playfulness that wasn’t there before and Suri was immensely enjoying it. She wanted to see where the next adventure would take her, so she turned to touch the Gate.

“Wait, Suri,” said the Oracle to her back. She turned around to see the woman back to her default stoicism. She said, “If you wish to take this companion, then do so. I’ll allow her to walk through the Gate to Blackwater Lake. But if she dies again, I cannot guarantee she’ll be returned to this plane.” Suri glanced over at her, and the girl just stared back, unable to hear an Oracle that wasn’t her own.

“You’re coming with me,” said Suri. “Blackwater Lake isn’t to be taken lightly. Are you sure you can handle this?”

The girl stood, and when she was on her feet, she was looking down at Suri. A small grin festered and she said, “I am the best, after all.”

“Don’t make me regret this. And stay close to me. If you die, we’ll never see each other again.”

Yuniko nodded, most likely not understanding the implications. Suri took her by the hand, and with her free one she reached out and touched the Gate stone.

***

They stepped through one Gate and out of another. This one was inside a tall, curved hallway with torches lining the two exits. Yuniko looked around, for she’d never stepped foot here before and had no idea what to expect. This was a dangerous part of Marlow—one of the most dangerous of all—and that was the angle in which enemies had the advantage. They hoped that their sudden appearance, size and ferocity would give adventurers such a pause that it would be their undoing. It had been Suri’s many times before.

“Come on,” she said, pulling Yuniko to the north exit. “I guarantee I know where the beast is hiding.”

Down a narrow set of slick, grimy steps the world opened up to a massive underground lake. The water stank, as it was probably home to thousands of creatures both big and small. The big ones made themselves known, specifically the giant snakes that tread the water when they were looking for prey. Suri had fought them enough to know their patterns, and knew exactly the path to take to stay beneath their eyes and ears. Most everything in this place was blind, the darkness stretching far and wide.

“Have you noticed something odd?” Yuniko said behind her. Suri led on, not saying a word. “You’re way shorter than me. You weren’t when we began this adventure. Don’t you think that’s strange?”

“Yeah, I suppose it is,” said Suri, not seeing the point in discussing it. The Oracle knew all about it, and she was trusting the flighty woman, as she had her whole tenure in the Kingdom of Marlow.

“I keep thinking I know you,” Yuniko went on. “That we’ve met before all this.”

“It’s possible,” said Suri, who had felt the same thing. She’d gotten snippets from the previous life, before the Scorned, before Marlow, before the Oracle. She said, “Who knows what we were in our past lives?”

They walked a little further around the perimeter of the lake, keeping the giant, scaly beast in sight. There were more creatures, almost equally as large, who flitted about and Suri hoped they’d be crafty enough to avoid them. She always hated this place. Hated the smell and the hunting monsters. But what it lacked in safety it made up for in bountiful treasure. The reward far outweighed the risk.

Neither of them spoke as they dispatched a series of horse-sized lizards, their forked tongues and gnashing jaws coming in for the kill. They also remained quiet through the lake rats—mindless rodents with razor-sharp teeth. Suri hacked wildly at the opposition while Yuniko favored a more delicate, almost dance-like prose with her sword.

The lake circled to a network of worked, stone hallways, elaborate and dark enough to make them slow down. Enemies hid all over the place, and twice Suri had been slashed because her sword swung slower. On the way out of a dimly lit tunnel, a lake rat jumped at her throat, but she was unable to lift the now heavier sword up in time, so the creature landed against her and both went over. If not for Yuniko firing a bolt right into its brain, she may have died right there in the hallway.

“That sword is becoming a liability,” said Yuniko, kicking the rodent off her and offering a hand to help up Suri.

On her feet, she sheathed it, and now realized that the scabbard was dragging the ground.

“You’re still shrinking!” said the girl. Suri blushed and she walked off, but the sword was making a loud, obnoxious grinding sound across the stones. “And you’re going to get us caught and killed.”

Suri turned around and said, “Well what do you suggest?” with a bit of venom in her voice.

Yuniko walked up to her, close enough to kiss her, then unclasped Suri’s sword belt. The blade clattered to the ground. Then, Yuniko looked around and found a hand axe with jewels in the hilt, wedged into the side of a thick, ornate table. She wrenched it free, gave it a flip and a swipe, then handed it to Suri, hilt first. “It’s weighted nicely. I’m sure you can use it.”

Suri took it, gave it a few flourishes and checked the sharpness of the blade. It was in tip-top condition. She hooked it into her belt loop and nodded.

They returned to wordless adventuring. Suri was happy that her shrinking had not become so pronounced that her clothes were falling off as before. But twice, she’d cinched her belt and hoped for the best. When they left the next series of tunnels and corridors, she was happy to see that inside the deepest antechamber sat the beast in which the Oracle referenced. The only reason Suri knew this to be a new creature was because she’d been over every inch of the Blackwater Lake, and had never seen such a thing.

It was reptilian in nature, but unlike the snakes prowling the lake, this thing had arms and legs, each tipped in razor-sharp claws. And also unlike the snakes, this one could think, could probably speak. In its hand it held a massive morning star, the spiked ball at the end of the chain large enough to put holes in stone. Currently, it was wrapped up in a ball in the corner of a large, spacious stone room. Whether it was sleeping or simply listening, Suri didn’t know.

“I’m going to use a fire arrow,” said Yuniko, striking up her flint

“On three,” Suri whispered. “And get ready to go in, full force. Got it?” Yuniko nodded, her face going pale. Suri got into position, put her knee up on the stone and said, “One . . . two . . . three!”

Yuniko launched her arrow, hitting the beast on the hindquarters. The whole room shook as it stood on powerfully muscular legs and let loose a scream. Suri knew they were in trouble the moment the fire didn’t catch—it burned its makeshift linens and scorched the surface of the scales, but she didn’t think it had caused any sort of damage. There was no time to think about it, so both girls rushed in, blade and axe leading.

Standing before it, Suri was overcome by its size. The beast probably reached twenty feet tall, appearing far more imposing now that she’d lost some of her height. Yuniko ducked beneath its legs, striking her sword across its calf. The blade bit deep—a good sign, and the creature staggered for a moment, driving its knee so hard into Suri that she went flying, but at least she kept a hold on the axe.

She rolled aside just as it brought a thick, barbed foot down, the stone crushing in a spiderweb beneath its weight. Back on her feet, she retreated to the corner so she could regroup. It was like fighting in a new body, and if she weren’t careful, this new body would be killed in a flash. With powerful swings, it brought the morning star down, the chain rattling, the ball piercing stone.

Yuniko slashed across the creature’s hand, but it only enraged it. The beast had an alligator’s head, with rows of gnashing teeth that it sprung toward her. She stabbed beneath its jaw, a powerful thrust that made the beast wail in pain. It hit her with the back of its scaly hand and she went flying across the room.

Now with Suri being the closest prey, it turned its full attention and began to charge. She raised the axe, jumped up on its knee, and buried her axe in its midsection. The thing yelled, and she lost her hold on the axe and went tumbling down. It was about to stomp her again, but a flaming bolt hit it right in the neck and it staggered back, its footfalls shaking the room.

Suri sprang to action, climbed atop its knee, wrenched free her axe, and continued on until she got to the beast’s head and slashed her weapon across its throat. It looked at her with its beady, yellow eyes, and then its whole body went limp. Dark, acidic blood poured from the wound and it collapsed. She tucked her legs and rolled to safety.

She helped Yuniko to her feet and together the girls collected their bounty—a tiny alcove with a box full of gemstones. Suri said, “C’mon. Oracle is waiting.”

***

When she stepped through the Gate and approached the Oracle, she wasn’t ready to see her at such a size. She’d grown desensitized to Yuniko, but the lady in the keep was another story altogether.

Suri had shrunk even more since she’d departed for Blackwater Lake. The Oracle looked down at her, and now the warrioress, who once stood at a commanding six feet and three inches, was level with her breasts. The Oracle could sense her dismay, and her mouth turned to a frown.

“You are troubled?”

“I am very much troubled! I’m shrinking!”

“Yes,” she said.

“So you knew?”

“I have been responsible.”

“You . . . did this?”

“I did. For it was the only way to keep your soul safe. I’ve . . . grown fond of you. And I wish nothing more than to keep you forever.”

“I don’t understand,” said Suri, sitting on the step below the throne.

“I wish to keep you here with me. Is that . . . permissible?”

Suri had also grown fond of the Oracle, and she couldn’t explain why. She had no idea what became of the spirit once it left the Kingdom of Marlow, but that unknown was terrifying. At least here, she had a purpose, and she could be useful. It didn’t sit well with her to think of her spirit being locked in a cage, stored away like some jarred vegetables.

“What does this have to do with me growing smaller?” asked Suri.

“Because I have found a way. I can keep you. I can take your size and make you more substantial. And you may still remain. What say you?”

Before Suri could even answer, the Oracle crept close, her soft dress touching Suri’s skin in a way that sent a jolt down her spine. For her whole life—at least the life she remembered—she’d looked down at everyone, but now the Oracle was so massive, so imposing that she couldn’t help but feel weak in the knees. And then the woman’s hand came up and stroked Suri’s breast, and her size began to purge.

Her skin was warm, tingly, and that’s when she felt the Oracle’s fingers slipping up her shirt, her fingers settling over Suri’s erect nipple. As Suri’s inches began to slowly bleed away, the Oracle’s fingers gently began to tweak. Suri felt a pounding between the legs that only intensified as the Oracle brought her free hand around, pulling the robe to enshroud the dwindling woman.

“Oracle . . .,” she muttered, aroused.

“Shhh,” said the woman by her ear. “Just stay still, and I shall be done in a moment.”

It just then occurred to Suri that the Oracle had pulled her into a sitting position, and now she was on the woman’s lap, the robe covering her whole body, as if it had billowed out of thin air. Suri’s boots dropped to the ground, then her gauntlets. Already she could see her shrinking breasts when she looked down. The Oracle’s hand appeared on Suri’s leg, and as she looked beneath the robe, it startled her to see just how large it had become—and how it continued to inch even larger.

The woman’s soft lips were on her cheek, then on her neck, and after that Suri felt the fingers move from her leg to the waistband of her leather pants. It was a loose fit now that she’d lost so many inches, but as the fingers hovered above her shrinking pussy, she wondered if it would be painful or pleasurable. But after testing her wetness, the Oracle’s fingers made the plunge, first hooking down with one, then using two. That was the maximum space Suri could stand—and it didn’t seem as though her shrinking was finished yet.

Her armor was becoming burdensome, and somehow, without moving her fingers, without unraveling the robe, the Oracle managed to slip off Suri’s leather pants, and then the shirt over her head. Now, she was a shrinking woman atop the giantess’s lap, and still she dwindled. Her whole body was sensitive, the Oracle’s touch sending electrical jolts to her extremities. She relaxed, her legs going wide, and let the big lady use her fingers however she saw fit.

Suri felt herself building to climax, and the Oracle seemed to sense this, as her other hand wrapped tightly around a nipple and pulled her close, against her warmth. And when Suri finally did orgasm, the Oracle made a soft moan by her ear, as if it was just as much release for her as it was for the dwindling woman. After it was over, the robe seemed to loosen, a mere extension of the one who wore it—an outer layer filled with muscles and bones. Suri hopped off her lap, naked feet slapping the floor, and she took in her surroundings.

“By the gods old and new!” she said, and instinctively she wrapped her arm around her breasts and used the other to cover below. Everything was so large now—the individual stones beneath her feet, the throne, the impossibly high ceiling—all of these inanimate objects were colossal. But none of it was as impressive as the living, breathing women standing close.

“You’re so small!” said Yuniko, stepping up to the shrunken woman. Suri was staring directly into her crotch now. How tall did that make her? Three feet? She was child-sized now, hardly an adventurer. Bending low, she scooped up the hand axe she’d just used to fell the beast at Blackwater Lake, and now her fingers couldn’t even wrap around its wooden, notched handle. Suri tossed it aside in disgust.

“Why? Why did you do this?” she screamed at the Oracle. “I thought we were friends. I thought . . . I thought you were fond of me.”

She simply took her hand, and knelt down on the stone, her robe sweeping left and right. In times like these, Suri wished she could read the woman’s eyes, but her stoicism was extreme.

“It is the only way. You could have either passed on to the unknown, or allowed me to dwindle you. Suri is still an adventurer. Suri is still a person. This, is how I protect Suri.”

“How can I be an adventurer?” she asked. “Look at me! I’m like a child.”

“The size of the woman matters not. The spirit is the same size. The heart is the same size.”

Suri couldn’t believe what she was hearing, but she accepted it, for the unlife of the Scorned was a hard one.

She spent a long time exploring Frostbrand Keep. Yuniko had gone on to find adventure but promised she would return. Everyone eventually made their way back to Frostbrand Keep. Suri was now seeing the place with new eyes, marveling by how an already spacious cavern could look even larger. The candles that lined the tables and altars were thick and stout, the flames large enough to fit in her hands. None of the inhabitants seemed to notice or care about her size, nor her nakedness. The Oracle had given her another satchel of gold, to which the seamstress graciously exchanged for a new set of leathers.

A little while later, Suri was sitting on a stone step, watching as the Oracle stood by the throne, as motionless as a statue. But then, the woman was gliding over, and her movements were so smooth she may as well have been on wheels. Suri snapped to attention and looked up, barely able to see the woman’s chiseled face beyond the swell of her breasts.

“Suri, please come with me.” She reached out a rather large, yet delicate hand, and Suri took it, feeling a rush of heat pass between them.

A brilliant fire surrounded them, so bright and so hot that Suri thought they would both be consumed by it. The flames flickered and twisted and when they died away, the women were standing in another room—a spacious bedroom with a four-poster, ornate bed and matching furniture. From here, Suri could see out the window, and found the cemetery in the distance. They were still inside Frostbrand Keep.

“Where are we?” asked Suri.

“A place no one has ever seen but me,” said the Oracle. A hand came up and pulled the drawstring of her cloak. It fell to the floor behind her, and with it any confusion as to why they were here.

“I didn’t know you could leave the throne room,” said Suri.

“Normally I cannot. But as long as you are with me, it is permissible.”

“Why exactly are we here?” asked Suri, a playful bent to her voice. Already she could feel a tingling between the legs.

The Oracle dropped a few inches as she took off her shoes and kicked them aside. The flowing robes were so much a part of her that Suri wasn’t even aware that she wore them. But now, her natural, nearly perfect toes were peeking out beneath the folds.

She pulled her hair up and draped it across her chest so that she could unfasten her robe. And then, when it dropped to the ground, Suri saw a body that she wasn’t expecting. The Oracle, in all her naked glory stood like a statue, arms locking behind her back. A gentle smile surfaced on her face but Suri hardly noticed it. The Oracle had amazing, voluptuous breasts and a glistening, shaved pussy.

“Will you get undressed?” she asked, and sat on the bed.

Suri didn’t need to be told twice, so she quickly slipped out of her armor, heart thudding in her chest. She approached the Oracle, who simply held up a foot. Her sole was perfect, and Suri’s hand lay flat against it, feeling the smooth flesh. The Oracle sat back on her elbows, the leg suspended in the air so that the tiny woman could massage.

She loved the feeling of how her thumbs could push into the thick flesh, and the way the Oracle moaned sent her over the edge. Suri wanted more, so she dropped the foot and moved forward, batting the larger lady’s thighs apart, and then buried her face. The Oracle’s fingers were in her hair, grabbing it, twisting it, stroking it. Suri’s little tongue lapped at the giant pussy, and was rewarded by sweet wetness.

The Oracle was writhing on the bed, her long hair falling down so low that Suri could almost reach it. Her large mouth was open, but Suri could barely see it, for the woman’s breasts were still in the way, still heaving up and down with each breath.

And then, as if years of denying herself pleasure, the Oracle exploded in a frenzy of juices. Suri’s little head snapped back by the force, but she kept right along, kept working. Her little tongue darted in and out of the giant slit, eventually kissing along the lips until she’d reached the clit. Then, she popped it into her mouth, and the big lady’s moans were renewed.

Suri felt her ferocity well up inside, and she was climbing atop the giantess, her legs struggling to mount her torso. She put one knee on the bed, one on the Oracle’s flawless stomach, and began to suck on her nipple. A giant hand wrapped around her small head and pushed her in, forcing her to attach whether she wanted to or not. The nipple turned hard in her mouth, and started to inch larger. When Suri was finished with that one, the Oracle guided her over to the other, and she sucked and licked and kissed until the giantess’s moans turned ragged, and she orgasmed again.

“What a wonderful pet,” said the Oracle. The title should’ve been offensive, but Suri didn’t mind, especially once the giantess lifted her into the air and spun her around so that she lay on her back.

Then, Suri’s entire field of vision was nothing more than face. The Oracle’s blindfold was directly in front of her because the woman’s giant tongue was between Suri’s legs. She brought her feet up to rest on the giantess’s shoulders, and was amazed by the size difference. The Oracle’s hands came up, and she pinned down Suri’s arms with incredible strength, and from there on it was a losing battle. Suri’s whole body relaxed, then quivered, and then she was gushing across the giantess’s face.

They lay together for a long time after that, the Oracle using her robe to pull the tiny woman close. If Suri turned her body just right, she could fit between the larger woman’s breasts. She could feel the Oracle’s heartbeat, could hear her breathing. It was enough to lull her to sleep.

When she woke, they were back in the main room, and she was curled up by the throne. The Oracle stood above her, like a colossal statue. She was clothed again, with her robe and cloak billowing out across the floor. Suri could still taste her, could still feel the tremors throughout her body. She stood up and realized she was also completely dressed. Had it all been a dream?

“Welcome back,” she said. “I hope thee enjoyed my sanctuary. I know that I did.” A thin smile etched across her face.

“It was . . . amazing. So I can really stay?” asked Suri.

“Yes, but you are needed for one more thing. One last battle.”

“Battle?” she asked.

“The Banshee Lord,” she said. “He’s lingered into the cemetery. Bring me his crown and it’ll be complete. We will be united forever.”

“How?” she asked. “I’m three feet tall.”

“It matters not. Use this.” She waved her arms and from her sleeve produced a slender dagger which she tossed at Suri’s feet. It clattered across the stone, and the tiny woman bent down and scooped it up. She slid its gleaming, silver blade from the scabbard, then hooked it to her belt.

“Alright. Then I suppose I’ll return.”

She promptly headed out, feeling naked because she was so small and helpless. The stairs were an endeavor for her short legs, and she was thankful the massive door leading into the cemetery was opened or else she’d be stuck. Suri caught sight of a few squawking crows, but nothing else.

In the cemetery, she found it easy to dispatch simple Banshees, as her small stature made her almost invisible to them. They didn’t realize it was a foe until she was right beside them, and by then it was too late. She’d use their knees as a jumping point and then behead them with her tiny, quick dagger.

But at the rear of the cemetery, near the spot where she took her first breath of unlife, she found him. He was taller than the rest, his bones a silvery-grey. He was wearing bronze armor, his crown tipped in rubies. Two red orbs danced in his eye sockets as he found her coming down the path, dagger leading. In his bony, adorned hand, he held a scimitar that was as long as her body. She’d never backed away from a challenge, and she certainly wasn’t going to start today.

Both charged, kicking up dust as they barreled toward one another. The Banshee Lord brought its blade up high, and at the last moment came down, hard enough to rend stone, but Suri wasn’t there. She’d slid along the ground between its legs, slashing at its ankle as she went by. The beast hardly noticed and turned around with far more speed that something so large should’ve been capable. It kicked her in the hind section and sent her flying.

It was upon her in a flash, and Suri barely had time to move aside before its blade bit into the stone wall, sinking nearly up to the hilt. The tiny woman ran up the weapon, across the arm, and over the shoulder. She grabbed on to the collar of its arm and began to stab into its head. The Banshee Lord lurched to the side, forgetting about the weapon, and grabbed her from its back. She struggled to get away, but its bony fingers tightened, and she felt the air rush from her lungs.

And just when she was sure she would be crushed to death, she was falling. She hit the ground just as the creature wailed and fell back, groping its stump of a wrist. The hand was still wrapped around her, but it was dead and useless. She wiggled her way free and backed up, looking to her savior who was now facing off with the creature.

“What did you expect to do?” asked Yuniko. “Stab its feet?”

“Hush, I’m taking care of it!” she yelled.

“Just like the first time we met, eh?” Yuniko flashed a look back to smile.

Suri rushed the beast, ran up her friend’s back and leaped from her shoulders, and landed right on the Banshee Lord’s armor. It raked a hand across, but she’d already moved on, traveling up its backside until she reached the head.

“Here!” said Yuniko, tossing her the crossbow up. It already had a flaming bolt loaded. Suri barely caught it, and it was a task to maneuver it around so that she could point it down. But when she had it in place, she pulled the trigger, and the beast made one last wail as the dart exploded the back of its head, sending bone fragments all over.

“Who’s a coward fighter now?” asked Yuniko, smiling broadly.

“It’s good to see you again,” said Suri. “I didn’t think I would.”

“Yeah? Neither did I.”

They sat and talked for a while, catching up on the killing and spoils of war. Inside a mausoleum, they found the Banshee Lord’s hoard. It was difficult to tell how long they’d been apart, for time was distorted in the Kingdom of Marlow.

“I keep telling myself that I knew you from the time before,” said Suri. “But I can’t place where or how.”

“I know,” said Yuniko. “But it doesn’t matter.”

“It doesn’t?”

“No. Because we are here now. In this place. And it makes no difference who we were before. You’re my friend, and I’m glad we have right now.”

Suri smiled. “Yeah. Me too.”

***

At the throne, the Oracle began to purge the size from Suri’s body. Once again, her skin was electrified, and she could feel herself starting to change. This time, she walked forward and put her arms across the Oracle, feeling the fabric of the robe as it expanded under her finger, as it grew coarser and thicker. The giantess looked down at her and smiled.

By the time it was over, Suri stood at a very small size, the armor like a house beside her. She couldn’t have been more than six-inches tall, and Frostbrand Keep looked more colossal than ever. The Oracle bent low and picked her up and wrapped her inside the folds of her robe, then said, “Let us go play.”

When the robe parted, they were on the bed, and the Oracle pulled the garment up, away from her breasts, so the tiny woman could go explore. The nipples were so big, like trying to hold a cup between her hands. She rolled over between the breasts and the giantess pressed them together, massaging the tiny woman in the middle. Suri’s fingers disappeared between her own legs, and she began to rub in motion with the giantess. It wouldn’t take much to get her off right now—this was a life she could learn to love.

But Suri continued to crawl downward, pulled by the giantess’s scent and heat. When she made it to the lips, the Oracle bent at the knees and spread her legs. The robe was all around her, and Suri loved that she could feel it against her back as she moved toward the opening, first shoving her hands in to make room, and then her head.

The Oracle mumbled something, and then her words were lost to moans. By now, Suri was halfway in, the darkness complete. She couldn’t see what she was doing, she was only being led by the heat and the scent. It was easy to read the Oracle’s body language, as she often relaxed and clenched with Suri’s movements.

A hand suddenly appeared beneath the shrunken woman’s feet, and gently helped to shove her in. All of the light was now gone, and the tiny girl flipped around so that her body was covered in the juices. There was an odd suction sound coming above her head, and the heartbeat of the Oracle was tremendously fast. Suri’s fingers went below—one hand worked her clit, and one plunged fingers inside. By the time she came to orgasm, the Oracle had already experienced two of them. The first one simply caked her in juices, but the second almost dislodged her. Suri beat her arms and legs until she could feel the canal quiver, contract, and then relax. But in the final throes, she was expelled, lying in a pool of juices between the woman’s feet.

She massaged them while the Oracle caught her breath, and then they played the same game several times again. While they were here, time stood still in Marlow. And hours later, after the giantess’s large tongue had returned the favor, the sun still hung in the same spot. It was perpetually twilight in the kingdom.

“Do you have regrets?” asked the Oracle a short time later.

Suri had been walking up her naked chest, and the giantess snatched her and rolled her in the robe, then placed her on the pillow by her large face.

“None,” she said. “But I will grow tired of not adventuring.”

“Who says you must forfeit that? There’s someone out there still waiting for you.”

“Yuniko?”

The Oracle smiled.

“What I cannot give you, she will. The two warrioresses will be a fearless team. I know you do not think it, but you are still useful.”

“We’ll see about that,” said Suri. Either way, she didn’t care. The adventuring she could do without. But the companionship—that’s something she didn’t want to go away.

“We shall,” said the Oracle. “Now, I must go tend the throne.” She sat up and spread her legs, then placed the tiny woman right between them. “Would you like a warm place so you can go with me?”

Suri licked her lips. “Very much so.”

Copyright 2022. Amber Collins. All Rights Reserved.