The rough cobblestones of the road rocked and bumped at the wheels of the carriage as it rolled along through mists, only the soft glow of a lanturn there to provide guidance in the night. The moon was hidden behind the clouds, its light muted from the world below. A chill was prevalent, enough to steal one’s breath from their lungs. Puffs of white escaped the mouth of the coachman as he drove his mare on through the night.

It was a route he had taken more often in these past few months. Ferrying all sorts of people down this ruined and cracked road. It was hard not to feel like the ferryman himself. Especially as their destination neared. Tonight there was only a lone passenger, wearing thick clothes and with a hood up over their head. They must have been dead exhausted to be able to get any kind of rest on these rough roads, but the coachman didn’t ask questions often. Only one reason one came along these roads after all and it wasn’t for the sights. 

It didn’t take long before there was a glow in the distance up ahead. They started passing by ruined buildings, wooden homes of rotting wood feasted on by the termites and fields that bore no crops any longer. It was a cursed place. One barely needed eyes in their heads to know that. The outskirts of the Cursed City of Istrel. It was an eerie place to pass through. Like a graveyard of a once proud civilization. Silent but for the crows and the occasional creaking of gnarled tree branches. 

At last the carriage slowed to a halt as they came upon the only well maintained building in the area. A Church of the Venerated. The only place inhabited around here by anyone halfway sane that the coachman knew of. As they stopped in the glow of the light outside the small church there was a loud squeaking of the lantern hanging over the entryway. The aged driver turned his attention to the figure in the back of his carriage. They hadn’t stirred it seemed. Still dead asleep. 

He waited for a tick and got up, climbing into the back of the carriage and gently shaking at the traveler’s shoulder. “We’ve reached the church, traveler. Hey now, wake up.” He said in a gruff voice. 

The clutches of sleep were wrapped firmly around Fiona, ill willing to loosen their grip on her. Yet with the prompting of the coachman her eyes fluttered open slowly and she found herself looking at the gruff driver, squinting in the light of the lanturn. She ran her gloved hand along her forehead, grumbling slightly as she looked around to get her bearings. Her back was aching from the awkward sleeping position and she half wondered where she was. Then it was coming to her. 

Right. Istrel. She was heading to Istrel to answer the challenge issued by its countess. She rubbed her eyes and looked at her driver. “Sorry about that, sir. Has been a long trip.”

The man shrugged. “It's no issue, miss. I’d just hurry inside the Church if I were you. They say it’s a bad idea to linger long outside. Course, I know you adventurers like to sink your teeth into a challenge right away. Sister Ana should still be able to point you in the right direction.” He said. 

Fiona stood up and strapped her sword at her side. “Thanks for the advice and the ride. Hopefully I’ll be able to pay you a lot more by the time I’m done here eh?” She had a tired, but cheerful smile on her face as she offered him a small pouch of coins. 

The man took them as she climbed down from the carriage. Her boots hit the uneven stones of the road and she watched as the carriage was backed up and then started heading away through the fog. Soon enough not even its distant glow was visible, swallowed up into the eternal night of this region. Fiona stared after it for a few moments, taking a deep breath that chilled her to the bone. She looked around at the area. 

There was the Church of course, looming over her. It was a rather modest building of solid stone with icons of the Venerated here or there on it. A crucifix was affixed to the door. Its door was firmly shut and there was a slight glow from within, flickering candle lights suggesting the place was indeed inhabited. Stained glass windows depicted various saints of the Followers and divine miracles performed by their followers. 

All around the outside were a number of ruined structures. Wooden buildings rotted by the passage of time and the fell influence of the curse upon the region. Homes, stables, barns, all of them abandoned by whoever had once inhibited them. This was the village that had existed outside the city proper, existing in the shadow of Istrel. Fog rolled between them, obscuring anything from further out than a few hundred feet completely. 

Lastly, looking to the north up the road further one could see the faint shadows of vast walls looming above. That would be where Istrel would be. Fiona felt a chill course down her spine just looking in its general direction. She was not the first to have traveled here. She knew that well. In the past few months many storied and famous heroes and adventurers had come here to make their names and fortune. All to answer the challenge of one of the most foul creatures of the world. 

Countess Sera Lycromel was a legendary figure, a vampire centuries old. She had cursed the lands of her territory and wrapped it all in eternal night. Armies had thrown themselves at her walls and all had fallen. Yet a few months ago, foul servants of hers had delivered a message across all the land. It was a simple challenge. Within her castle there existed a treasury of riches, such vast wealth that could make kings and emperors appear paupers. The one to reach her treasury would be granted all of the wealth within it and free Istrel from its curse. 

It was a challenge unlike any other, enough to draw names both storied and unknown. Fiona was in the middle there. She had some renown in her home city as a warrior that could get things done. She had faced beasts and undead before, she made her name by deed and blade. The woman stood at a towering six foot height, blonde hair tied behind her head in a ponytail. She was rather pretty, though no grand beauty that would still the hearts of men. Her form was fit and wiry, the body of one hardly novice to the ways of battle. Her steely grey eyes looked in the direction of the accursed city and didn’t flinch. 

Of course it was a question of where she would start her journey in this land…

A-1: Fiona headed into the Church

B-1: Fiona explored around the ruins of the village

C-1: Fiona headed straight for the city.

The words of the coachman spurred Fiona to head into the Church. It couldn’t hurt to see what information the local Sister could offer her. The blonde walked her way up to the door and reached for the knocker, the metal shaped in the form of some angelic being. The sound of rapping metal filled the air, far louder than she would have liked and she raised her voice after a moment. 

“My name is Fiona, I’m an adventurer and I come seeking the wisdom of the Followers!” 

There was silence for a few moments before she could hear movement from inside and the sound of a number of locks being undone. At least four of them. The door swung open and Fiona found herself glancing down. Standing in the doorway was a rather petite red haired woman dressed in the black and white vestments of a woman of cloth. A crucifix hung around her neck. She looked Fiona up and down and stepped aside, motioning inside the Church invitingly with a soft smile on her lightly freckled face. 

“Greetings Miss Fiona, please, step inside and feel at ease. Under the watchful eyes of the Venerated no cursed beasts may harm you here.” She said. 

Stepping inside the Church it was indeed a modest affair. Only four pews were arranged through the church. There were three doors around the room, one was cracked and looked to be where the priestess had come from. The other two were shut and rather firmly locked. The altar at the head of the main chamber had a small statue of an angelic figure overlooking it, its arms outstretched invitingly. 

Fiona nodded to the sister as she seated herself down on one of the pews. The door was shut behind her and looking back… there were indeed a number of rather complicated locks that were put in place. The air of the place was peaceful but it was a peace in the middle of a strange and unsettling place. Once the locks were put back in place the Sister made her way over to Fiona, bare feet slapping loudly upon the well maintained marble floors. 

“I am Sister Ana, devoted servant of the Venerated and the member of the Followers overseeing this outpost. I take it you are one of those souls that intends to head into the city?” She asked. Her hair was a bit frazzled rather like she had just awoken from her slumber. 

Fiona nodded. “That’s correct. I was wondering if you could provide me with any aid or information before I head inside. There isn’t too much to go on after all aside from legendary vampire and probably hordes of undead.” She said with a little chuckle. 

“I fear I can offer little in the way of aid for you, some candles and holy water set aside for travelers. Information however, I can offer a bit of that. We have had a number of adventurers, both alone and in rather large groups enter the city. Not a single one has returned. Not once.” The redhead said with a weary sight. “It is a sad thing to be certain. I was assigned here around the same time to replace the Sister here previously. I have seen many come through here both young and old, famous and unknown and not a single one returned from those gates. 

There was a bit of unease to hear that. Fiona had always assumed some of the people had just chickened out and fled. But to hear Ana say it, they did indeed all go there. Just never did they return. It was dangerous, she knew that. But part of being an adventurer meant danger was around every corner. Just because others failed didn’t mean you would. If people believed failure was inevitable they would never do anything. 

There was a scowl that crossed the redhead’s face as she turned her head ever so. Fiona lifted a quizzical brow as she stepped across the way to the opposite set of pews. Her foot lashed out, knocking some very tiny shape from beneath it. She didn’t get a good look at it before Ana brought her foot down and rather *firmly* twisted her bare foot on the floor, dragging her foot back to make sure the thing she crushed was nothing more than a smear on the marble and her sole. Her pretty face was twisted in a look of disgust.

“I can certainly tell you there has also been a bug problem since I moved here. Sweet merciful Venerated, the Vicar had a terrible sense of twisted humor to send the Sister with a phobia to oversee this place. There’ve been dozens of them!” Ana said with a long suffering sigh. She produced a cloth and started wiping at the floor and then at her foot to clean whatever bug she had squished off. 

Fiona let out a chuckle. “Sorry, Sister, afraid I’m only good at killing the really really big bugs. Giant spiders and such. If they get any bigger though, might be able to help out there.” 

“For the sake of my heart let’s hope that doesn’t happen, yes? In any event. I can also tell you to beware of the village outside the city as well. Lesser undead often mill around there in the fog. Easy to get caught unaware if you aren’t paying attention. I haven’t been out there since the last time I ran afoul of some zombies. They generally keep clear of the Church, the beasts of the city are unable to get too close to it. It physically hurts them. Any holy symbol presented to them can weaken them as well. A number of adventurers went in the city with icons of the Venerated to protect them.” She said as she made her way toward one of the locked doors. 

The woman withdrew a wrought iron key from a ring and opened it up, stepping inside. She was in there for a few more moments before returning. She had a vial of crystal clear water in one hand and the other had a pair of candles. She offered them to Fiona with an apologetic smile on her face. “I do wish I could offer you more aid. Unfortunately the most I can offer is safe harbor for those travelers that pass through and whatever knowledge I’ve picked up here or there.” 

Fiona took the items and stored them away, offering a polite smile to the Sister. “No, no, it's plenty helpful. I’ll keep my eye out for any other adventurers while I'm there. I’ve also heard that this place is under an eternal night, that true?” 

Ana nodded. “That is indeed true. There is no daylight in this region. It is essentially cut off from the world outside the region. Normally daylight is enough to cast away the monsters that inhabit this region. But that is past hoping for so long as the curse is upon the land.” 

Would mean she’d be needing the candles then. She could see pretty well in the dark but she was willing to bet there wouldn’t be a whole lot of lights through the city. And especially not in the village around it. Fiona stood up at length and smiled to Ana. “Well then, I’d better be about it then.” 

Ana inclined her head. “As you say, Miss Fiona. Please, if you find yourself in danger and in need do not hesitate to come rest your head here. No monsters will find you here. All children of the Venerated are safe within these walls.” 

With that Fiona headed out of the Church. The door was locked behind her and she stared out at the foggy evening armed with some gifts and knowledge. Where was she heading though? 

A-2: Fiona explores the village

A-3: Fiona heads to the city

Fiona figured it might be a good idea to get the lay of the land outside the city before anything else. There might well be clues that could tell her something about what she was dealing with. Monsters often left a lot of hints around their lairs. That was what the blonde was looking for. She figured that the outside of the city was probably a lot safer than the inside as well. Good idea for some risk free recon. 

The buildings of the village were ruined and ravaged by age and time. Termites were probably the only things that called them home now. She glanced around inside some of the buildings and saw nothing but the rotting and ruined remains of furniture. So far there really didn’t seem to be anything of value around. Which made sense in a way, if there had been surely looters would have claimed it many years ago. The low light of the night certainly wasn’t helping matters. She needed to see if the Sister back at the Church had some candles or something she could use. 

She crossed a rather ravaged barn that looked a few moments from collapsing when she heard something just as she crossed it. She barely had time to lift her arms up before a zombie was on her. She let out a cry of surprise as the monster tackles her bodily to the ground, its rotting teeth snapping at her leather armguards. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins. She kicked and pushed to get the mindless undead off her. 

As soon as it was pushed off her she drew her blade and got up, letting out a cry as she brought it down on the slow creature. She hacked and slashed at it, carving it up well past the point it was dead. She looked down at the creature on the ground, breathing heavily as she did. Gore was sliding from her blade and the stench once it was cut open was more foul than any meat rotting in a fishmarket. 

There was a flare of pain from her arm. She lifted it up and could see one of the bites had gotten through her armor and come down on her skin. It wasn’t a major wound but it hurt like sin that much was for sure. Fiona cursed under her breath and lifted her waterskin up, running some water over the bloody bite marks. She had some bandages she wrapped around it as well. She wrinkled her nose and kicked the corpse of the zombie. 

“Thanks a lot, pal.” She growled. 

Well that had been less than pleasant. She could also guess that if there was one here there would be more that would likely follow. There was never just one zombie milling around. She didn’t have much in the way of light and that meant they could just come out from anywhere without warning. Fiona wasn’t exactly suicidal. Much as she wanted to continue exploring the village, she was injured now and needed to see to that. 

She kicked herself mentally for not going to the church straight away and turned, heading back toward that way. She was in something of a foul mood after that whole affair, but really she didn’t have anyone but herself to blame and she knew that. By the Venerated that bite fucking *hurt*! She bit her lower lip as she made her way back toward the light of the Church. She pounded on the door with her fist as opposed to using the knocker, glancing behind her to make sure no Zombies were coming behind her. 

“Hey! I’m a traveler, ended up getting injured, could use some treatment if you could offer it!” She called inside. 

There was silence for a few moments before she could hear movement from inside and the sound of a number of locks being undone. At least four of them. The door swung open and Fiona found herself glancing down. Standing in the doorway was a rather petite red haired woman dressed in the black and white vestments of a woman of cloth. A crucifix hung around her neck. She took one look at the blood starting to stain the bandages Fiona had wrapped and hurried her inside. 

“Take off the bandages and sit down somewhere, traveler. What happened?” She started locking the door again as Fiona entered. 

“Got bit by a zombie out there in the village, gah, hurts like a bitch.” Fiona hissed in pain. 

Stepping inside the Church it was indeed a modest affair. Only four pews were arranged through the church. There were three doors around the room, one was cracked and looked to be where the priestess had come from. The other two were shut and rather firmly locked. The altar at the head of the main chamber had a small statue of an angelic figure overlooking it, its arms outstretched invitingly. 

Fiona seated herself down and started removing the bandages as the Sister went off to one of the locked doors, pulling out a wrought iron key and opening it up. She stepped inside and when she returned it was with some fresh bandages and some medicine. The redhead sat down on the pew and took Fiona’s injured arm firmly. She applied a bit of the rather greenish medicine to the wound, drawing a pained hiss from Fiona. The redhead ignored this and applied some to one of the bandages before wrapping it around the wound. 

“Haven’t seen someone come by with one of these. What possessed you to go into the village without stopping by here?” The redhead asked, concern written across her lightly freckled face.

The blonde adventurer coughed slightly, more than a tad embarrassed. “Well, I was doing some reconnaissance.” It had been pretty stupid on her part really. 

The sister sighed a weary sigh. “Well what matters is you didn’t suffer anything worse than a minor injury. We can thank the Venerated for that. In any event, I’m Sister Ana, the overseeing sister for this outpost. I can assume you’re one of the adventurers that have been filtering through here to the city. I must insist you rest a bit here. It's not a major injury perhaps, but it will do you no good to head out at anything less than your best.” The sister said sternly. 

Fiona scratched the back of her neck. She was right of course. Probably was a good idea to at least give the wound some time to scar over. “Well I’d be glad for that, Sister.” She accepted. 

A relieved sigh escaped the redhead. “Right then. I don’t have many options for you. You can take a pew or you can take my bed. I’d happily offer it up to you if it would hasten your healing.” The sister offered rather generously. 

Fiona considered it. 

B-2: Fiona chose the pew

B-3: Fiona accepted the bed

Fiona wanted to get this underway as fast as possible. She wasn’t really a religious girl and she was pretty sure the ruined village had nothing of actual value in it. It looked like a complete dump after all. So the blonde took a deep breath and started walking her way further up the road, leaving the zone of comfort near the church. The mists swirled around her, seeming to swallow her up as she made her way up there. There was a feeling of intense dread that was filling her with every step closer. 

Soon enough as she walked her steps brought her to the mouth of the gates of the city. A vast stone structure with its gates flung wide open. It really was like the mouth of some great beast ready to swallow her up. There were no guards posted, no undead milling about in front of the gates waiting to fight her. No archers took aim at her from on high. She was being invited inside of Istrel. Beckoned to enter and try her luck and test her skill. She swallowed hard and forced herself to keep walking. 

“Oh ho? Not a whiff of the Church on you hmm? What a strange one you are! Fufufufu!” 

Fiona spun around, her hand on her sword. Behind her she could see a pale glow of some strange light and it surrounded a woman of brown hair. She was easily as tall as Fiona herself and wore a rather lovely blue and silver ballroom gown. There were the slightest signs of age around her face, a seasoned, mature woman by all appearances. Everything about her was immaculate, from her posture to her attire. Completely at odds with the rest of this place. It immediately put Fiona on edge. 

“W-who, who are you?” She demanded. 

“I daresay a visitor should be the one to announce that first rather than a resident. Simple manners no? When you walk into someone’s home you generally introduce yourself first, do you not? Come now, we are civilized out this way.” The woman said with an amused smirk on her lips. 

All kinds of alarms were blaring in Fiona’s head. Resident. That implied this woman was a native of the city. Plus her appearance was at odds with everything she had seen thus far. It didn’t take a genius to guess this woman might well be aligned with the Countess. Yet she wasn’t attacking yet. So at the least she wasn’t hostile. Not immediately at least. If she was threatened by Fiona’s hand on her blade it certainly wasn’t showing. 

“Fiona. I’m an adventurer answering the challenge of the Countess.” She answered slowly. 

“Fiona is it? Pleased to meet you, Fiona. I am Maribelle de Temrath, a humble witch of Istrel. My, we have had a lot of visitors lately ever since the Countess issued her little challenge. All of them usually enter with the stink of the Venerated on them. You are rather refreshingly stink free however. How very pleasant!” The woman remarked as she inspected the back of her nails. 

So she was indeed a servant of the Countess. Fiona felt ice fill her veins as she considered the distance between her and the woman… 

C-2a: Fiona attacks the witch

C-2b: Fiona continues conversing with the witch

Deciding it was perhaps a good idea to take a look around the place Fiona stepped into the ruins of the village around the city. Since she was now armed with the knowledge of potential zombies around she drew her sword and held it in one hand. She lit up a candle and held it in the other, giving her better visibility. She could handle some minor undead now that she knew what to be on the lookout for. 

The buildings of the village were ruined and ravaged by age and time. Termites were probably the only things that called them home now. She glanced around inside some of the buildings and saw nothing but the rotting and ruined remains of furniture. So far there really didn’t seem to be anything of value around. Which made sense in a way, if there had been surely looters would have claimed it many years ago. 

As she made her way past a barn she was aware of a shuffling nearby and lashed out with her blade, the weapon flashing through the air. Right on time as a zombie had been about to jump her. It wore the rusted and decayed armor of some long forgotten nation. Her blade sliced clean through its neck and sent its head rolling out onto the ground. Another quick slice sent it tumbling over. It moved for a moment before going still. 

There wasn’t anything of value on the creature, but gods it did smell to high heaven. She wrinkled her nose and stood up from her inspection, looking around. No other shapes nearby. Fiona moved on toward the direction it appeared to have come from. As she walked she soon came across something a bit odd compared to everything else around here. 

There was a gravestone, a rather well maintained gravestone at that. It was blank and had no name or markings upon it. There was something hanging from around it though. A rather beautiful crucifix. Rubies glinted in the candle light and the flawless silver didn’t appear to have aged or corroded at all. Fiona knelt down near it and set her sword down, inspecting the crucifix. It was absolutely beautiful and the grave was such an odd sight. Completely undisturbed. No undead seemed to have risen from the dirt. 

What did Fiona do? 

A-2a: Fiona took the Crucifix.

A-2b: Fiona left the Crucifix.

A-2a

Fiona was never one to just leave treasure behind. She also wasn’t a particularly superstitious woman. The Venerated would want to protect the living rather than the dead right? She found the chain of the Crucifix rather hard to remove but after fighting with it for a bit she managed to pull it from the gravestone. She held it in her hand, inspecting it at length. It would probably be worth a pretty penny itself honestly. 

There was an… odd feeling of unease however as she took the thing. A chill ran down her spine and it wasn’t from the cold. The woman stashed the crucifix away after a few moments and shook it off. She figured that was probably the most she was going to find out of the village without attracting a lot of zombies. While she had some holy protection now, no reason to tempt fate or anything. So she headed back to the city. Yet as she did, she couldn’t shake that feeling like something was wrong. (Go to A-3, option will manifest later) 

A-2b

Fiona was absolutely not messing with this grave in any way. Are you joking? That’s how you got cursed or something and the blonde was not keen on adding any kind of additional problems that might come to haunt her later. She let go of the crucifix and stood up, brushing herself off. Still, it was a strange thing. The only thing about the village that was maintained was the grave. Who was doing it? Ana seemed the obvious answer, she was the Sister overseeing this place after all. 

Yet hadn’t Ana said she didn’t come out this way anymore? It was a mystery and a question for another time perhaps. For now, the city awaited and Fiona had no intention of delaying any longer. (Go to A-3, option will manifest later)

It was time for Fiona to head up to the Cursed City of Istrel. She took a deep breath as she looked in its direction. There was that chill as she gazed at it, the words of the sister ringing in her mind still. She had never seen anyone that entered leave the place. Would Fiona be one of those that didn’t leave? Would she manage to prevail over the forces between her and the treasury? Fiona had a lot of faith in her abilities. Yet this was a being she had never faced before. A creature older than many nations.

Still despite all of that, Fiona found her steps leading toward the city proper. She held a lit candle up high as she made her way further up the road, the mists swirling around her and seeming to swallow her up. Her blade was at the ready in her hand. The blonde was uneasy but that was something every adventurer felt before setting forth. Anyone who boasted of having no fear was either lying or crazy.

“You’ve got this, Fio. You know your stuff.” She told herself.

Soon enough as she walked her steps brought her to the mouth of the gates of the city. A vast stone structure with its gates flung wide open. It really was like the mouth of some great beast ready to swallow her up. There were no guards posted, no undead milling about in front of the gates waiting to fight her. No archers took aim at her from on high. She was being invited inside of Istrel. Beckoned to enter and try her luck and test her skill. She swallowed hard and forced herself to keep walking.

The feeling of dread only got worse and worse the closer she came to crossing over. It was enough that it felt like a physical force that was hanging over her. Oppressive really. Still she stepped through the gates of Istrel and walked through them. As soon as she passed them however she started to feel… nauseous. Sick. Like there was some force that was taking hold of her. She felt weak as well. As soon as she passed into the city proper the world started to spin and she held a hand to her head.

Her knees buckled from under her and she dropped her candle, falling forward and only just catching herself with her sword. She felt so heavy. She felt like she was about to buckle under her own weight it was so bad really. It was like a feeling of just such complete and utter fatigue that there was no relief from it. It felt like her very vitality was being sucked dry from her without any chance to stop it. Did she have anything that could stop this feeling?

A-4: She did not have anything (Selected coming straight here and ignored village/or did not take the crucifix at option A-2b)
A-5: She did have something (Selected taking the crucifix at option A-2a)

Fiona was not about to kick this woman out of her own bed, that sounded a touch too far. Even if she didn’t mind it, Fiona was a guest here. “I’ll take a pew. Honestly, after the carriage, just something steady to lay on would be divine.” She chuckled.

The joke at the end seemed to fly over Ana’s head as she nodded. “Let me at least get you something to lay your head on then. Truth be told I was sleeping when you woke me up.” The young priestess said with a rueful smile. She walked into her room and returned with a rather nice little pillow, offering it out to Fiona.

“This church is protected against the monsters and beasts outside. The Venerated have their eyes upon their holy house and will not permit such profane entities to enter. You may sleep easier knowing that.” Ana assured her.

Not having to worry about zombies coming to take a bite out of her was indeed a nice bit of relief. Fiona bid the sister a good evening as the redhead walked back to her room, bare feet slapping loudly upon the marble floors. The door to her room shut moments later and Fiona leaned back against the pew, rubbing the heels of her hands into her eyes. Venerated what a stupid rookie mistake. Right at the gates of her destination and she stumbled. The Sister probably thought she was an idiot.

It gave Fiona time to consider at least. She had entered here without much of a plan and it showed in her injury already. She couldn't keep going out and flailing into the darkness. It was a good thing that had only been a mere zombie otherwise Fiona absolutely could have died in that fight. Something that she wasn't blind to. The adventurer was a seasoned warrior and had fought against the creatures of the night before but this was another situation entirely. She couldn't take for granted that her experienced could pull her through here.

The blonde did wonder, was this place actually safe or was it just not something that the undead could bring themselves to bother with. Whatever the case was they didn't seem to come near here. But what if Fiona led them here? What if her little incident had them showing up at the door? It was an unpleasant thought really. Not one that she wanted to linger on for too long. No. The Sister said it would be safe. She had been living her for a while probably. It was just her nerves talking from the attack.

She rested her head back against the pillow and looked up at the ceiling. For whatever reason… Fiona was finding it tricky keeping her eyes open. There was a wave of fatigue that was assailing her all of a sudden. A numbing sensation was radiating from where she had been bitten. Was it the medicine? Whatever it was the blonde was finding it next to impossible to keep her eyes open. She was drifting and drifting until blackness at last took her.

When she came back to the world of the waking from a grey dreamless sleep, there was such a feeling of weakness about her. She rubbed her head, letting out a groan as she sat back up slowly. The blonde was rubbing the sleep from her eyes, the aches and pains making her feel a bit worse and there was still a rather prevalent chill in the air. Venerated and she had thought the carriage had been uncomfortable. 

She looked around… and her eyes widened significantly. She could see she was on a vast plane of wood that seemed to go on and on in one direction until it hit a wall. It was shorter in the other directions but the shape of it… it was hard to grasp that it was the very pew she had just fallen asleep on. After all it seemed an insane notion. Being this small wasn’t something that happened. Was she dreaming? This had to be a dream right. She smacked herself sharply across the face, blinking from the pain. 

No, this was real. It was very real. Her eyes turned to her injured hand. Was this a result of her getting bitten by that zombie? Had that done this to her? Fiona had no answers really. Just a countless amount of questions. The question was where she’d get the answers. She considered her choices. 

The room of the sister was in the distance, she was presumably still sleeping there. It was possible she could squeeze under the door. She could stay on the pew of course, it was higher up and had a better chance of getting noticed even if she was the size of an ant. Right now finding help and getting help was her first priority. So somehow getting Sister Ana’s help was top of the list. 

B-2a: Fiona climbs down to try and reach Ana’s room.

B-2b: Fiona stays on the pew to try and get noticed higher up.

Well, after being on the road for so long with that carriage rumbling across uneven road Fiona wasn’t about to look a gift bed in the sheets. “Think I’ll take you up on the bed if you are really sure it's alright.” 

Ana smiled softly. “The Followers preach giving to one’s fellow man. What is mine is yours, traveler. Please make yourself at home.”

She stood and led Fiona over to the door to her room. It was a rather modest little room with icons of the Venerated hanging all around it. Easily the room that was the most protected with holy icons. There was a crucifix hanging on each of the four walls of the room as well as one on either side of the doors. It was clearly the stronghold of this whole Church. Made sense given where they were. One couldn’t take too many precautions. 

“You should be completely safe here. The church is protected against the foul beings of the night by the influence of the Venerated. Please, rest easy traveler and heal in peace.” Ana said with a serene expression on her pretty face. 

Fiona nodded. “You got it, thanks again Sister! I’ll be up and ready to take on the world after a little nap I’m sure.” 

With that the door was closed rather softly with a click. It was then that Fiona noted that even the doorknob of the room was gilded in silver and had icons of the Venerated stamped onto it. The blonde haired woman shook her head. The Followers didn’t take any chances it seemed when it came to this type of thing. Really, Fiona probably could have taken a few cues from them. Fiona took off her boots and laid back against the bed. She felt like a complete idiot for her blunder earlier. 

The blonde did wonder, was this place actually safe or was it just not something that the undead could bring themselves to bother with. Whatever the case was they didn't seem to come near here. But what if Fiona led them here? What if her little incident had them showing up at the door? It was an unpleasant thought really. Not one that she wanted to linger on for too long. No. The Sister said it would be safe. She had been living her for a while probably. It was just her nerves talking from the attack. Or concern for the Sister that was currently sleeping on the pew outside. A bit of guilt assailed here there.

She rested her head back against the pillow and looked up at the ceiling. For whatever reason… Fiona was finding it tricky keeping her eyes open. There was a wave of fatigue that was assailing her all of a sudden. A numbing sensation was radiating from where she had been bitten. Was it the medicine? Whatever it was the blonde was finding it next to impossible to keep her eyes open. She was drifting and drifting until blackness at last took her. 

It was an unknown amount of time later when Fiona awoke and when she did she felt… so much better. She didn’t feel pain on her hand anymore and indeed there was a lovely warmth from having enjoyed actually sleeping in a bed. It felt, well, divine. She still felt kind of bad for robbing the sister of her bed but it was only for an evening and she felt better than ever. So much better really that she could bet she could take on whatever the city had to throw at her. She cracked a little yawn as she slid from the bed regretfully and started padding her way toward the door, the cold stones of the floor sending goosebumps rising as her feet slid across it. 

She pulled the door inward and… her eyes widened as she caught it first out of the corner of her vision and then directly staring at it. There were… claw marks on the door. Deep. Red. Scratching all across the door but especially around the handle with the holy symbols. And upon the knob itself were bloody fingerprints. She… hadn’t heard any of this. Fiona felt adrenaline surge through her body and she rushed from the room. 

“Sister Ana! Sister, are you alright?” She called as she rushed into the chapel proper. 

She looked around and spied the Sister’s legs out on a pew, resting like how she might if sleeping. Fiona felt some relief as she made her way over there quickly. “Sister, the door, what happened-”

And then she saw it. A pool of blood so thick it didn’t seem like it could have come from a human being was upon the floor, creeping under the pews. The Sister was indeed lying there. Peacefully, like she was sleeping. It would have been convincing if not for the deep gash that was cut into her neck, so deep one could almost see the spine. So deep it was a miracle it hadn’t just completely decapitated her. Her eyes were closed as though in slumber and her expression was oddly peaceful. But the sight. It was anything but peaceful. 

“A-aaa… AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!” 

Fiona let out a scream and stumbled backward, landing hard against the wall. She had seen death before. Plenty of times. She had killed monsters and criminals but this just seemed. Different in a way. The door to the chapel was open, the crucifix on the front of the door removed. The statue at the main altar had its head removed and the head was placed on the altar a mocking desecration of the church. The other locked doors in the church had similar claw marks as the ones on Fiona’s door as well, clearly someone or something had been trying to get in. 

The sight was just lingering in Fiona’s mind; she was entranced by it. Horrified by it. It had an almost ritualistic air about it with how the Sister was posed. The adventurer squeezed her eyes shut, wishing this was a dream. Wishing she could just wake up in the bed. Wishing she hadn’t told the Sister to sleep on the Pew! Venerated she hadn’t known, she hadn’t known what would have happened! 

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry, oh fuck why…” She didn’t have an answer for that. She didn’t know how it could happen, how someone could do this. 

It took her a good few minutes to have the shock wear off. The blonde slowly managed to stand up. She took a few deep breaths. Right. This could only have been the work of the minions of the Countess. She didn’t know how but they had managed to get into the Church and kill Ana. But the blessings on the other rooms had clearly been too much for them to get entry to. That was her working theory anyway. The question was… now what. 

B-3a: Fiona investigates outside the Church

B-3b: Fiona investigates the locked rooms in the Church (To be Added)

In a flash Fiona had her blade out and was crossing the distance between her and Maribelle, her blade swinging right for the throat of the well dressed witch. The blonde was confident she could take the woman down easily this close and personal and defeating a servant of the Countess could only help her later. Her first fight right at the gates it seemed, an easy and soft target as well. 

Maribelle… rolled her eyes and flicked her fingers, silver and blue flecks of dust falling from them. “Ah, as boring as the rest of them after all. Such a pity really. Ah well.” 

Fiona’s blade swung true and fast outward… only to strike nothing but open air. Her eyes widened as she found her blade met no resistance at all. Though that was the absolutely least of her troubles. The world had shifted in a single instant, nothing but blue and silver filling her vision for the moment her sword was coming down and now the world was… different. Looking around it was clear to see why. 

The cracked and uneven stones leading into the city were much larger, vast compared to Fiona really. Some of the mists pooled above like actual clouds looming over her. Then before her there she was. A vast mountain of silver and blue silks. An utterly enormous behemoth dressed in the best finery money could buy. A figure so large that Fiona backed away and fell over, her mind overwhelmed with grasping something that could be that massive looming above her. 

A pair of golden eyes regarded her rather disdainfully from on high, Maribelle looking at her from over her rather ample chest. Fiona’s heart was pounding in her chest as her brain was struggling, trying to come up with an explanation. The only explanation was that she had been shrunk away to the size of a mere ant skittering on the stones of the road. Absolutely pitiful compared to the grand witch before her. 

“You’ve committed the cardinal sin of boring me, Fiona dear. I do hope you are prepared to pay the price.” Booming words assailed Fiona’s ears, drawing screams from the blonde as she clamped her hands over her ears. This couldn’t be real! It couldn’t be!

Reality was moving with or without her accepting it however as Maribelle hiked up her lovely voluminous skirt. Long creamy legs soared up high beneath, clad in white stockings up to her thighs. A flawless blue heel seemed immune to the filth that littered the ground. Fiona’s eyes widened as she watched the witch lift her foot up in a step, not a stomp, but a simple step forward. Fiona tried to get up to run, but her legs buckled beneath her when she tried and she just ended up flopping down. 

A deep and vast shadow fell over her as she looked up, the sole of Maribelle’s heel poised over her for a moment. The blonde let out a scream of pure terror, her heart pounding and her hands raised over her head. No, nonononono, this couldn’t be happening! “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!” Fiona let out a shriek of pure terror. 

The heel slammed down, Fiona absolutely obliterated in a single step of the brown haired witch. She didn’t even last a second as the heel slammed down, her terrified body being rendered a faint red stain upon the otherwise flawless heel and the dirty stone ground. Maribelle chuckled. “Ah, poor child. For the best really. The terrors of the city are far greater than what you can handle.”

End Unlocked: A Witch’s Boredom

Fiona could probably have crossed the distance. She could probably have sliced Maribelle’s head from her shoulders. However she had no idea what powers Maribelle was hiding. She also wasn’t crazy enough to risk going for it yet. Not until the witch proved she was hostile. After all, so far they were just talking. So Fiona slowly took her hand from the hilt of her blade and instead crossed her arms in front of her modest chest, regarding Maribelle frankly. 

“Surprised you’re greeting visitors like this.” She remarked. 

“Oh I don’t greet every visitor. Usually the stink of the Venerated drives me off. I’m a rather social woman usually I assure you! Fufufufu, what an interesting little thing you are. Smart as well. Mayhaps you’ll prove entertaining during this endless evening of delights, hmm?” Maribelle looked Fiona up and down with an unsettling pair of golden eyes. 

“I’d rather prove successful if it's all the same to you. Speaking of that, don’t suppose you know what happened to all those other adventurers that came through here?” Fiona probed a bit for information. 

Maribelle smirked. “They are within. A few without. Guests for the evening. For as long as the evening lasts. Or as long as they last. Whichever is longer.” The well dressed woman walked closer to Fiona, her heels clacking loudly upon the rough stones.

She started circling around Fiona, her very presence feeling like a razor was being drawn carefully across Fiona’s skin. This close to her Fiona could see that attacking her would have been a very very dumb idea. Golden eyes raked her form up and down, flawless lips quirked upward in a perpetual smirk of amusement. As though party to some joke that Fiona wasn’t familiar with. 

“Unwilling guests I’d suppose?” Fiona asked. 

“They certainly entered willingly. Whether they are pleased with that decision is certainly up for debate. Ah the things humans will do for the gleam of treasure. To slake their desires both modest and gross. Beings like myself take no end of pleasure to watch the lengths firsthand.” Maribelle mused. She came to a halt in front of Fiona. 

“I have decided to offer you something then, Fiona dear. I rather think you have a good head on your shoulders. As well as the good taste to stay far far away from the false goods peddled by the Followers. Regardless of if you accept my gift or not I’ll allow you to enter Istrel unmolested. Far be it for me to prevent someone from joining in the fun.” She said at length. 

Alarms started blaring in Fiona’s head. “I’m listening.” She said tersely. 

“Lovely to know your ears function, dear. I will offer you my sigil. So long as you hold it you will find your passage in the city in areas that owe allegiance to me easier. My servants will do you no harm. All I’d require in return would be a single favor of my choosing.” Maribelle said as she produced a little silver ring. There was a symbol of a snake upon it. It looked… perfectly fitted for Fiona’s finger. 

There were all sorts of concerns with that. All sorts of questions that arose to Fiona’s mind with the suggestion of bearing Maribelle’s sigil. She implied areas of the city owed her loyalty. Wasn’t the whole city beneath the Countess? Also would that make her a target then? Also owing this woman an open ended favor might well cost her dearly down the line. It was a deal with a devil right at the gates of what many might call hell. Would this hinder or help her? Would it cause her more heartache or less? It sounded like an advantage no one else had been offered as well. She licked her lips. 

C-3: Accept the Witch’s offer

C-4: Decline the Witch’s offer

In the end, as much as it was sitting ill with Fiona, if it could give her an edge walking into the whole place Fiona didn’t see any reason not to. Aside from the fact it was coming from a very shady looking witch with rather dubious reasons. “Very well. I accept your sigil, Maribelle.”



The woman clapped her hands together and let out a little delighted laugh. “Wonderful! You are such a funny little human I must say! Here you are, it will look lovely on you.” She held out the ring for her to take.



Fiona hesitated a moment before letting out a sigh, taking the ring between her fingers. She slid off the leather glove from one of her hands and then set the ring right on her ring finger. It was indeed an absolutely flawless fit. Also as soon as it slid on she felt a shiver course down her spine for some reason. She shrugged it off and looked back up to see the witch… but Maribelle was already gone. Nothing but swirling mists and the darkness of the night met Fiona’s eyes with the departure of the woman.



Fiona couldn't help but feel there was some agreement that had just happened that she didn't fully know the details of. A deal with the devil essentially only without a contract. She looked at the ring on her finger and pulled at it. She blinked. The thing was firmly on her finger, like there was no kind of tugging or pulling that could take it off. That was... rather alarming. It wasn't doing any physical harm but it was very clear her accepting it had some consequences she might well have to deal with down the line. For now though the blonde simply sighed and turned her attention to the matter at hand at last.

 

With her gone that rather left her free to head to the city proper. At last she stepped through the gates of Istrel and walked through them. As soon as she passed them however she started to feel… nauseous. Sick. Like there was some force that was taking hold of her. She felt weak as well. As soon as she passed into the city proper the world started to spin and she held a hand to her head.

 

“Gah… what…” Fiona felt her knees buckle beneath her and there was a spinning sensation. She fell forward, only just catching herself with her sword. She felt so heavy. She felt like she was about to buckle under her own weight it was so bad really. It was like a feeling of just such complete and utter fatigue that there was no relief from it. It felt like her very vitality was being sucked dry from her without any chance to stop it.

 

Perhaps it was all her imagination, but as she was dragged into the blackness of unconsciousness she could swear she heard cackling. Cackling from a voice that sounded like Maribelle’s.

 

To be continued...

Accept a ring from a witch? That sounded like an incredible way to get herself cursed and doomed to fail. Fiona was many things but she was no fool, the Church might have been a bit overbearing at times but occasionally they were right about some things. Fiona shook her head slowly. “I’m afraid I must decline. Mother told me to not take rings from strange witches you see.”

 

There was a flash of annoyance that went through Maribelle’s golden eyes, so quick that it would have been easy to dismiss it as a trick of the light. Whatever the case the ring vanished between her fingers in a puff of blue and silver, the woman shrugging slightly. “Ah well. Suppose you would be wary just meeting someone at the gate and accepting that. Very well, as I said you are free to enter. Ah, if I may offer some advice however. If the daughter of the Countess makes you an offer, it is in your best interest to decline. The games she plays are far less kind than mine.”

 

Fiona was about to ask what the woman meant by that before she simply vanished in a flash. She had been standing there one moment and was gone the next, truly a strange woman. Still, at least Fiona was free to continue on. The blonde looked toward the city and took a deep breath. She made the right call. The warning did ring in her head a bit. The daughter of the Countess was it? Was this city fractured rather than united in truth? She supposed she’d find out. As well there was her words regarding the adventurers in the city. She seemed to imply they were still alive, or at the very least that some of them were still alive. Some of the people that came here were stronger than her, so that certainly tracked. She had no idea who was here or what she might find inside but there was only one way to find out for sure.

 

With Maribelle seemingly bored of her or at least not interested in pressing the topic of accepting her sigil, Fiona was free to continue onward. At last she stepped through the gates of Istrel and walked through them. As soon as she passed them however she started to feel… nauseous. Sick. Like there was some force that was taking hold of her. She felt weak as well. As soon as she passed into the city proper the world started to spin and she held a hand to her head.

 

“Gah… what…” Fiona felt her knees buckle beneath her and there was a spinning sensation. She fell forward, only just catching herself with her sword. She felt so heavy. She felt like she was about to buckle under her own weight it was so bad really. It was like a feeling of just such complete and utter fatigue that there was no relief from it. It felt like her very vitality was being sucked dry from her without any chance to stop it.

 



To be continued…

Nothing Fiona had with her could be used against this kind of influence. She found herself getting weaker and weaker and soon enough she lost any strength to even kneel, falling forward with her sword clattering down beside her. It wasn’t painful exactly, that wouldn’t have been the best way to describe it. It was more like all the energy in her body and all the ability she had to go on was being sapped from her. Drained away, flowing from her like a leak that had been punched in a container filled with water. 

She curled up on herself as she felt the chill of the evening seep into her bones. It was like a sickness had been forced upon her suddenly. Then as suddenly as it came the sensation started to fade. The world was becoming clear once more. Her body didn’t feel weak anymore and the chill started to fade away from her body. She slowly lifted her head up and looked around. As she did her eyes widened. 

Everything had grown seemingly around her. The gate had seemed the yawning of a great beast but it was now a vast thing that she could barely see much of. Looking around there were buildings in front of her and before her, the cobbled streets inside the city were actually rather well maintained compared to the ones leading to it. There was a soft glow of lanterns around from on high. The buildings were vast, huge. Bigger than any castle that Fiona had ever seen. It looked like a city fit for giants really. 

Then she looked beside her and realized something rather stark. There was a massive piece of metal that stretched beside her, gleaming in the evening light. She knew what it was but her mind was having trouble catching up to it. It was her sword. The weapon she was used to holding in her hands now was a huge thing, something massive beyond her scope of what a sword could be. She realized it wasn’t the city that was bit, it was her that was now small. How it had happened was up in the air but she had shrunken. 

“A-ah…” She swallowed hard as she managed to wobble to her feet. 

It had to be some curse. Some ward that was placed around the city. Now it rather made perfect sense why no one had left the city if this had affected everyone that entered. The woman swallowed hard. Her scale was such that she would have been about on par with a large ant. It went without saying that making any progress like this would be a pain. The castle was so much further away now. To say nothing of the idea of facing whatever terrors this city held when the size of an ant. 

Then the sound of metal clattering against metal sounded out. It echoed through the night. Like rattling chains. The ground started to quiver slightly, growing stronger every moment. Soon enough a figure stepped into the light of one of the lamps. A vast dark figure that towered far above Fiona ahead. The adventurer felt her heart skip a beat as she looked up at a living landmass of a being, the enormity of the figure something she would have never imagined before. 

She was a dark haired woman dressed in rather tattered grey clothes. Her skin was unearthly pale, it almost had a slightly bluish tint to it really. She was rather pretty, though the look in her eyes as she beheld Fiona below on the street was anything but comforting. A smile split her lips as her dark eyes gleamed with malice. A chain was wrapped around one arm like a snake and dangling from it was a small cage. 

“More moths to the flame, more scurrying little insects scampering in the shadows, welcome to Istrel! Let's get you squared away with quarters suited for your size.” She let out a rather unhinged giggle as she started stepping toward Fiona, her worn and ragged looking boots shaking the ground beneath Fiona. 

She was moving much faster than anything her size should have the right to move, her steps taking her right toward Fiona. It wouldn’t be but a few more moments before she was upon Fiona. She very much doubted she was going to enjoy whatever quarters the woman had in mind!

A-4a: Fiona runs to the right. 

A-4b: Fiona runs to the left.

A-4c: Fiona runs in the opposite direction of the Jailor. 

Fiona bolted to the right, running as fast as her legs could carry her. The ground continued to quake and shudder with every step of the giant. Unsettling giggles boomed from above as the towering woman came closer and closer. Every step of hers was worth dozens of Fiona’s at the moment. Even running as fast as she could the gulf between them was so great it opened a pit of despair in Fiona’s gut. She was running, trying to reach a crack in the road nearby. It looked just big enough for her to fit herself inside and hide. 

BOOM!

Fiona was flung back by the force of impact of something utterly overwhelming in front of her. The blonde fell back away, landing hard and letting out a grunt of pain. Looking up the wall of a well worn boot had appeared in front of her, its shadow cast over her. It was now placed over the crack that Fiona had hoped to find refuge in. Her heart was hammering in her chest as she drank in the sight from this close up. It made the strange woman seem even bigger than she had first thought. Like a living mountain. 

“Whoopsie! Have to watch your step there, or perhaps watch my step as it were.” The pale woman giggled from on high. 

A shadow was coming over her, a vast hand coming toward Fiona. The blonde stood and tried to run away. She tried to flee as fast as she could. Then she felt something jerk hard on her leg and suddenly the world turned upside down. A scream of pure terror escaped the adventurer’s throat as she was hoisted up into the air, the cold of the night rushing past her as her leg was pinched between a pair of pale fingers. She was being lifted up from the ground rather suddenly, the ease of the motion the same as plucking an insect from the ground. 

She found herself dangling upside down, flailing her arms as she stared at the long, LONG drop beneath her. She was able to look down over the rather well formed body of the dark haired Jailor. Her eerie dark eyes beheld the blonde squirming between her pale fingers, the digits ice cold to the touch. Cruel amusement was glittering in the depths of the orbs as she watched the woman in her grasp fight vainly to get free. 

“Lively aren’t you? That's good, very good, good screams in those lungs as well! It will serve you quite well with what I’ve got in mind for you!” She giggled. 

“L-let me go! Stop! What’s going on?” Fiona screamed. 

“Let you go? Oh you poor thing, now why would I do that? A spider doesn’t simply release a fly that has fallen into its web now does it? I am the Jailor of Istrel, it is my duty to deal with those outsiders that walk oh so blindly into this paradise of unending delights.” The pale woman laughed. 

Fiona found herself lowered down into the cage dangling from the woman’s chain. The top of the cage was opened as though from magic and Fiona found herself falling away, screaming as she did. She landed hard upon the cold metal surface and tried to stand to run to the bars and try to squeeze out. However the cage was moved and rattled slightly, knocking Fiona into the bars. She smacked her head against one of them and fell back in a daze. 

“I think you’ll enjoy your new home very much… you’ll find yourself in like company.” The woman giggled from on high as she stepped away, her steps carrying her to somewhere unknown. 

To Be Continued…

Fiona bolted to the left as fast as her legs could carry her, a full sprint using everything she had as she ran toward a crack in the road. The ground shook and quivered beneath her with every step of the woman coming toward her, the booming giggles of an unhinged and rather inhuman creature thundering overhead like a rumble of storm clouds. This was insane! It was completely mad! How could anyone hope to fight this? Certainly she could bet it didn’t matter what kind of hero someone was, something this big would just trample them with ease. 

“It's always so funny to watch and see how the new guests try and run. Scurrying this way and that as though it really matters!” The dark haired woman laughed. 

Fiona ignored the jeering from above and flung herself bodily toward the crack. Time seemed to slow in those moments as she watched a vast shadow fall over her from above. The dusty sole of a well worn boot was hovering overhead. It had bits of dirt and debris that fell from it, striking Fiona. It was going to come down before she could make it. It was going to slam down and crush her into paste. The fear seized her and she corrected course, trying to just not be squashed like a bug. 

BOOM!

Pain. Pain tore through her body almost immediately, Fiona letting out a loud and pitiful shriek. She had managed to clear the boot. Mostly. One of her legs unfortunately had not. An industrial press slammed down upon the blonde’s leg, squashing it flat beneath the boot. The pain… it was worse than anything Fiona could ever recall feeling. She squealed and screamed, her eyes wild and her fingers clawing at the boot to get it to lift up, writhing and actually feeling like she was about to pass out from the waves of agony. 

“Hmm? Ooopsie! Did I… yep, that’s your leg alright. Well darn.” The pale woman set a hand on her hip as she moved her foot away. 

Fiona saw her leg, or what was left of it. A crushed and pulped mess that no longer resembled a limb. The adventurer felt her mind going numb as she tried to crawl. “Ah… AAAAAAAAAAAAA!” She screamed at the top of her lungs, her throat scratching painfully as she tried to claw her way away from this. It had to be a bad dream right? A nightmare. Something that wasn’t real. This wasn’t real! It couldn’t be! 

“And up you go~” 

A shadow fell over her as a pair of massive pale fingers reached down and plucked her up from the ground. The blonde felt the air rushing past her and screamed as it struck her bleeding stump where her leg had been. Oh god make it stop! She wanted it to stop! She needed to wake up! To wake up from this nightmare. 

A pair of inhuman dark eyes glanced over her body between the fingers. A cruel smile filled with inhuman mirth split across her lips. “Well you won’t last long for fun times like that now will you? No, no, not at all. Such a pity, a real shame, nothing to really be done about it. Worry not though, little thing. I’m a merciful girl. I never leave things to suffer long.” 

What exactly she meant by that was clear very soon as Fiona started to feel a pressure build on her body as the pale digits slowly pressed in on her. The fingers of the woman were soft, cold, but still rather delicate in a way. And right now they were an inescapable vice! She couldn’t wriggle or squirm her way free from them! She tried, flailing, screaming, biting, and clawing. Then she felt the first rib crack. An explosion of pain washed over her mind, a soundless scream escaping Fiona’s lips. 

“Annnnnd, squish~” 

Just like that she applied the slightest bit more pressure and Fiona popped almost instantly between her fingers. Red stained pale skin in a little coating, pitiful really as the woman casually wiped it against her grey clothes like one might any stain. Right at the gates of Istrel was where Fiona found her end, completely obliterated by a slight misstep of the Jailor of Istrel. Crushed to oblivion between her fingers like a pathetic insect. 

(Ending Unlocked: A Small Mercy)

Fiona… lost all sense of courage and ran in the opposite direction from the towering woman. It was a natural animal response, running away from something scary. She was running back the way she had come toward the towering gates beyond. It was cowardly but in the face of certain things one just knew they should run. There was no glory to be found under the steps of this Jailor. No battle she could possibly fight against something that big. So she just ran. She ran as far as her legs could carry her with a look of terror on her face. 

“Now that's no fun.” The dark haired woman remarked with a slight pout, picking up her pace slightly. 

Fiona knew it was coming. Knew she was about to get stepped on and crushed. Knew that she couldn’t hope to outrun the towering dark haired woman. The shaking of the ground beneath her boots almost had Fiona fall over and stumble a few times but she kept running, managing to cross into the gateway and just past the threshold where she started feeling the weakening of her body. She didn’t suddenly sprout back up to her normal scale of course, but she crossed some distance. 

Then the shaking of the ground stopped. There was no more quaking and the adventurer dared to glance over her shoulder. She saw the Jailor just… standing right at the edge. Her boots were so close to her. She was towering over her, looming above. But she was stopped dead right there, like there was some invisible line she was unwilling to cross. Her lips were turned down into a pouty little frown and she had her hands on her lips as she glared impotently at Fiona below. 

“Ugggghhhh, hate when you guys do that! Come on now, come back here, I promise I’ll be nice. I’ll give you your own cage… right around my neck. You can be my new necklace!” She said, giggling into her fingers. 

“Not on your life! No amount of gold is worth this!” Fiona called as she kept running as fast as she could. The church, it was so far away at this scale but she could probably make it there eventually that would be her destination. 

The pale woman rolled her eyes and stomped her foot like a petulant child denied a toy. “Fine! Go and get eaten by a crow or something, see if I care! Hmph! I have prettier girls than you anyway!” She turned with a huff, clearly put out by not being able to get her hands on Fiona. 

Fiona for her part just kept on running as fast as she could until she was past the gates. It took her… well over half an hour. She fell to her knees after that, gasping and panting and wheezing. The blonde felt like she was about to die from exhaustion. Her heart was pounding like a war drum. Her mind was reeling from it all. Not even one step into Istrel and this had happened to her. She had nearly been… she honestly didn’t know what the Jailor had in mind for her and she didn’t really want to find out. Not at all. 

She slowly managed to pick herself up and was looking out in the direction of where the Church was. Sister Ana. She could probably help her. Maybe. At the least it would be safer than anything that this city could possibly offer her. Fiona was starting to regret ever coming to this cursed city. Starting to regret ever deciding to try to make her fortune here. This was absolute madness. Who could have ever imagined what would happen to her just from walking through the front gate. 

Slowly, Fiona started making her way back toward the Church. It… took a while. Hours. Quite a few hours. Hours where distant caws or noises pricked at Fiona’s nerves. She was the size of an ant after all, traveling across uneven rocky roads with nothing to arm herself with. A crow would be like fighting a dragon. Not something she considered an appealing proposition. The blonde still managed to make her way to the glow of the Church, feeling such relief as it came within sight. 

The door loomed over Fiona in quite a different way than before. She swallowed hard and then slowly crawled under the thin clearance given under the doorframe. So thin that it would have been hard for anyone not her rather pitiful size to manage it. She squeezed her way inside the door and brushed herself off as she was now inside the Church. Judging from the quaking and rumbling ahead the Sister was now wide awake unlike when she had first met her. 

She spied her in the distance, the woman idly sweeping the floors of her church without a care in the world. After her scare with the pale woman, the redhead looked like the merciful Venerated. Compared to Fiona really she might as well have been given the vast difference in scale. Fiona started walking forward across the marble floors. 

And then she was spotted. The slightest movements upon the floor were enough that the redhead bristled and spotted her quite easily. Though… there was a pit opening up in Fiona’s stomach as she didn’t like the twisting of her expression. The soft and rather pretty Sister had a look of absolute disgust on her face, her nose wrinkling slightly and her eyes bearing a cold fury in them as she saw the ant sized figure moving on her floors.

“I don’t know what it is, Sister Abigail never mentioned having this kind of problem!” She let out a groan of annoyance as she set her broom aside. 

“W-wait! S-sister Ana! It's me! Fiona!” The blonde screamed. 

Ana absolutely didn’t hear what Fiona was saying. Vast bare feet thundered across the marble floors, shaking the ground beneath Fiona. Despair started washing over the blonde as she realized she had made an absolutely horrible mistake. Coming here had been a bad idea! A very very bad idea! Fiona turned and started to run as fast as she could back for the door but this time there was no way she was going to make it. It was just not feasible at all. 

Ana stopped, looming over Fiona on high. Pale walls rose up on either side of the blonde and one lifted up onto its heel. A dark shadow was lifted over Fiona as she scurried away toward the door but there was no way she could do it. No way she could make it. Not like this! Not like-! She didn’t even have time to let out a scream as a pale sole smashed down upon her. She lived only for a single instant of being squished under Ana’s foot before absolutely smearing upon the floor like a miserable insect. 

The Sister lifted her foot back and looked at it with a wrinkle of her nose. “Maybe I should ask the church for a sealed door or something…” She mused. That had to be how they were getting in right? Well regardless she idly wiped Fiona’s remains away with a cloth like the piece of dirt she now was and continued on with her tasks. 

(Ending Unlocked: A Sister’s Scorn)

Fiona’s mind turned to the crucifix. Maybe. Just maybe that would help here. She reached into her pouch with the last bit of strength she had left. She pulled out the silver cross laden with gemstones. She held it in her hands and prayed. She had never really been a religious girl, but she prayed to the Venerated. Prayed for them to stop whatever this was and help her. The blonde just wanted this to end, she didn’t want to falter right at the gates of Istrel! Not when she hadn’t managed to accomplish anything! 

“Please… Venerated… save me…” She pleaded. 

The sensation continued, but there was a feeling of some warmth radiating from the crucifix. It pooled outward and into her very bones. The chill from before when she had picked it up was replaced instead by a dull warmth that filled her body. She still felt herself being drained away but something was answering her prayers. Something was coming to her. The world continued to spin around her and she felt herself lose her sense of the world. There was a bright flash of light that appeared in front of her however. One that seemed to get bigger. 

“Acknowledged.” 

The voice was rigid and steely but it also boomed out above into the heavens above. Fiona felt herself recovering slowly. When she looked around… the world had changed. It had gotten bigger. And then she spied the sword she had dropped nearby. Still at its same scale. No, she had just gotten smaller! Her eyes widened with fright. Fright that only got more pronounced by the time she looked up and saw… her. Saw a being that was absolutely a spitting image of Fiona herself. 

She was towering above into the air, the blonde with the same face gazing down at Fiona. Her eyes were a shining and gleaming gold and her armor was that of a golden warrior. The figure looked down at Fiona upon the ground and stared at her for a long few moments. Fiona… was at a loss for words. Staring up at this clone of herself with radiant eyes and armor like out of some fairy tale. 

“Wh-who…” 

“I am that which you called upon for aid upon the symbol. What you choose to call me is irrelevant. What matters if I have answered your call.” The same voice Fiona had, only it was far louder. Around the woman’s neck was hanging the same crucifix that Fiona had just been holding. 

It was… a lot to take in all at once. She was shrunken for some reason. A divine clone of her was standing over her saying she had basically answered her prayers. The blonde felt like her head was spinning even more than when she had first crossed over into the city. It was complete madness really. Everything about this was madness! Fiona was just stunned into silence for a long while as she traded stares with this other Fiona. 

A silence that was broken by the rattling of chains in the distance and a giggle that thundered through the air. “Well, well, well now this is a funny little toy that’s wandered into Istrel!” 

She was a dark haired woman dressed in rather tattered grey clothes. Her skin was unearthly pale, it almost had a slightly bluish tint to it really. She was rather pretty, though the look in her eyes as she beheld Fiona below on the street was anything but comforting. A smile split her lips as her dark eyes gleamed with malice. A chain was wrapped around one arm like a snake and dangling from it was a small cage. Her eyes then turned to the golden warrior standing over Fiona and she grinned even more. 

“You’ll be soooo much fun when I throw you in a cage! Oh I know Lady Freya will *adore* you! She does so love tormenting those like yourself. And of course the teeny tiny little plaything down below as well!” She giggled in an unhinged way and crouched low, holding her cage like a weapon to be swung. 

“Tch.” The golden warrior seemed irked. She turned to face the dark woman. 

“I understand this is all strange to you most likely. However I need your authorization, otherwise I cannot engage in battle. Say you will enter a contract with me.” The blonde boomed. 

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, tiny! Contracts with beings like her… you’d be better off blindly signing a contract with a devil!” The dark haired woman remarked. 

Fiona was in such an absurd situation. Everything was coming at her so quickly she barely had time to think or react. But what she did know was she felt like this wasn’t just a thing she could take back. It felt binding, whatever it was. 

A-5a: Fiona makes a contract with the entity

A-5b: Fiona does not make a contract with the entity

To be Continued...

It was risky, sure, skittering on the floor like some kind of common insect but Fiona wasn’t someone that shied away from risks. She was an adventurer so it was kind of in the job description really. She made her way to the closest side of the pew and pulled out a dagger. Her sword was a bit much to help with climbing. She also pulled out a little knife she used when eating and held them with one in each hand. Rather like they were improvised climbing tools. 

That done she started stabbing them into the hardwood, wincing as her injured hand had to exert force. It didn’t hurt as much as it had when she had first been bitten, almost numbed in a way. But she was pretty sure the injury was going to reopen by the time she reached the bottom. It would have been a distance that she never would have thought about at her normal scale. To someone the scale of an ant however it was something of a decent climb down, enough to give a bit of a workout. 

She managed to make her way to the floor after a good bit of time and was breathing rather heavily. Thank the Venerated. Her injury was starting to flare up again, Fiona letting out a hiss of paint as she walked out into the chapel proper. There was immediate alarm as she noted the door to the outside was open and the crucifix that had been hanging on the door was gone from what she could see in the distance. There was a chill that ran down her spine. It didn’t sound like there was an intruder here. Still…

Fiona started making her way toward the distant door of Ana’s room, crossing a good distance across the marble floor. As she did she noticed a couple of… disturbing things. There were faint bloodstains of people her scale on the floor. Positioned as though they had been squashed. The blonde swallowed hard as she could see she wasn’t the only one to suffer this fate. She just had to hope she fared better than the poor suckers here. She thought Ana was lovely looking but, uh, maybe not enough to die for. 

The next disturbing thing she noted was the door to Ana’s room. It had scratch marks all over it. Like some animal had tried to get in and failed. Fiona wondered how she could have slept through that happening. Ice was filling her veins as she felt more than a little bit of unease over this whole situation. What the hell was going on here? First she found out she was small and now this?

“Ana, hope you’re okay.” She said to herself as she started squeezing under the thick oaken door. 

The inside of Ana’s room was filled with religious symbols to the Venerated. It was quite clear anything unholy trying to get in here wouldn’t have fared too well. Fiona could hear the distant and rather loud sound of Ana breathing peacefully atop her bed. That alone brought a sigh of relief to Fiona as she decided where best to go in order to get noticed by the slumbering sister. She had a few options. 

B-2a1: Fiona climbs the bed

B-2a2: Fiona climbs the dresser next to the bed

B-2a3: Fiona climbs on Ana’s sandals (seriously?)

To be Continued...

Fiona rather wisely decided that the floor was maybe not the best place for her to be. Ana was a nice gal but if she woke up and started walking around then the blonde doubted she’d notice her easily. Or if she did notice her she’d probably just think she was some bug. At this scale it would have been easy to make that kind of mistake. So Fiona decided to remain on the pew and wait for Ana to wake up and then hope to get her attention. Maybe. Possibly.

So she seated herself down and waited. It was hard to see much of anything going on around the church from her place. The air felt colder than it had when she had fallen asleep. Like someone had left a door or a window open and allowed the chill of the evening to creep inside. Considering where they were, Fiona rather doubted Ana willingly opened a window or something. Probably just terrible building insulation. Wouldn’t surprise her since the church did seem a little bit older. 

After a couple hours Fiona could feel something that felt like distant tremors. It was nothing crazy but enough that the blonde could feel the vibrations through the pew. That had to be Ana waking up. The priestess’s distant steps managed to reach her even here, it was a testament to how small Fiona had gotten where she could detect things she might otherwise never notice. Whatever the case she stood up and brushed herself off, right time to get her attention whenever she passed close by. 

The sound of a door opening sounded out through the church and there was a light gasp. “What in the… what happened!?” Ana’s voice sounded horrified. 

Had she noted her disappearance then? Thank the Venerated. The ground shook rather violently as Ana rushed in the distance. Her figure passed by the pew. “Hey, Sister Ana!” Fiona cried up at the top of her lungs. 

She didn’t even get a glance as Ana continued toward the door to the chapel itself. There was the sound of a door shutting. The redhead was moving around a lot, the shaking of the ground a constant thing for Fiona. She winced as she almost toppled over from losing her balance a few times. Ana sounded pretty concerned about some things she was looking over in the distance. It might as well have been another world for Fiona however. 

At last Ana lingered near her pew. “Hey! HEY! Ana! Down here! Come on, I’m here!” Fiona screamed at the top of her lungs, so hard that it caused her throat to feel a bit raw. 

The redhead didn’t so much as glance her way and instead had a rather pensive look on her face. “And Fiona is gone as well… how in the name of the Venerated did they manage to get in here? Was she working with them?” The redhead seemed to consider the thought disturbing. Whatever that thought was. 

“Hey, I’m not working with anyone big girl, no worries there now could you please just look down?” Fiona shouted in response. 

Ana did start to move toward Fiona’s pew particularly and the blonde felt a wave of relief go through her… until she saw her eyes were not anywhere near her. No, they were focused above and her body was moving as though she was about to… oh no. A dark shadow fell over Fiona as Ana slowly turned around right over where the blonde was standing upon the pew. Looking up, Fiona could see the fabric of Ana’s clothes cling pleasantly to a rather lovely rear hanging overhead. 

Fiona screamed as she tried to run out of the way, adrenaline coursing through her veins as Ana started bending down. This really was a nightmare! “Sister! Wai-!” 

WHUMP

There was a grand pressure that fell over Fiona immediately as Ana seated herself down without a single thought given toward the blonde that had been trying to flee. All breath was forced form Fiona’s lungs and she was pressed firmly beneath the rear of the redhead priestess. She tried to scream but she couldn’t breathe. She tried to squirm her way to freedom but she couldn’t move an inch as the mountain was pressing upon her. She couldn’t escape! She could feel the pressure mounting more and more as she was pressed under soft fabric. 

Ana for her part simply crossed her legs and leaned back, the shift of pressure enough that Fiona would have squealed if she could have. She felt bones breaking, felt her lungs burning. She was being crushed as the rather petite and otherwise lovely priestess sat on her. Fiona felt her world exploding into pain, the edges of her vision going darker and darker as she started to see red more. She couldn’t get away! She couldn’t escape! She couldn’t-

In a single shift of Ana’s place Fiona was dragged and smeared beneath the woman’s rear, crushed entirely between the pew and the fabric of her clothes. The redhead was none the wiser as she simply pondered the strange situation in the church before her, one that Fiona would never see or know about. For she was little more than a smear that would be washed out of Ana’s clothes later. 

(Ending Unlocked: Mounting Pressure)

The blonde was concerned with how the murderer had gotten in the church at all. The crucifix on the main door was gone. It had to have gone somewhere. As far as she knew, touching those was a terrible idea for certain creatures. It had after all kept the church protected for this long. What had changed? Well, one change was that Fiona had showed up. But Fiona didn’t move the crucifix at all. It had been just below the knocker on the door and indeed, looking at the door one could see the outline of where it had been. 

She headed outside into the cold of the evening and started looking around outside the church. There were no shuffling figures or zombies around it seemed. Whoever had killed the Sister seemed to have moved on or at least weren’t back yet. Maybe they would come back and finish the job. Maybe they were watching from the mists around her, just waiting for her to drop her guard so they could kill her too. Fiona shuddered at the thought. 

A glint of something out the corner of her eye was visible and she lifted up the crucifix from the grass just off to the side of the church. It appeared to have been tossed aside rather haphazardly. She brought it closer to the dim light of the lantern outside the church and saw something on the cross. One might have dismissed it as a smudge. However Fiona could see very clearly, it was blood. A couple drops of blood had fallen on the cross. 

The blonde thought back to when she had first entered the church. She had knocked on the door using the knocker. She had used her injured hand since it was her dominant one. It had been an automatic impulse. So it was likely the blood on the cross was her own, gotten from a zombie wound. She blinked as things started to possibly form a much clearer picture in her head. 

“Did I… desecrate this?” It seemed likely. 

“You would be correct, my lady. A rather fortunate stroke of luck on my account, certainly.” 

Fiona turned and drew her blade, striking out at open air. The blade passed inches from a figure that didn’t even flinch from the weapon. A pair of red eyes regarded her with a light of some mild amusement. She was a strange sight for a strange place. Dressed in attire one might normally associate with a butler was a rather lovely and courtly redhead dark haired woman. She had her hands behind her back rather primly and made no move to defend herself. She had the slightest touch of a smirk on her lips, a pair of horns curling around either side of her head rather like a goat. 

“My apologies for the scare, my lady. As well as the rather messy sight you had to see in there. T’was not my cleanest work to be sure. I am not here to kill you despite all appearances.” The Demonic woman said with a cordial tone. Rather like a servant speaking to an honored guest. 

Fiona held her blade up, not wavering for a second. She didn’t attack just yet but she was on edge. This was the woman that had slaughtered Ana judging from the wording. As well as probably the one that had tried to get in the locked rooms. If she had managed to do that so cleanly it stood to reason she’d be a hard fight. The demon didn’t even look remotely threatened by her blade, hubris or simple assurance in the abilities she had was hard to tell. Whatever the case the demon simply continued. 

The dark haired demon reached into her rather fancy coat and produced an envelope. It was red and gilded in gold. There was a symbol on it as well, that of a bat. It was sealed with wax that had the same symbol upon it. An incredibly fancy letter one might see passed around the nobility. What's more… it was addressed to Fiona. Her name was on it in stark black ink. 

“I bear an invitation from my most esteemed lady, Freya Lycromel, daughter of Countess Sera Lycromel. I bid you take it and accept the invitation inside. It would warm her heart if you would do so.” The demon said as she offered the letter out for Fiona. 

The blonde looked at and considered the letter. It was so surreal. So completely surreal to be offered an invitation just after witnessing that rather grisly scene. Still… daughter of the Countess herself. Fiona wondered just what she had to say to her. How did she know her name as well? It was a mystery in and of itself really but for now she shifted her grip on her blade to one hand and took the letter with the other. She opened it rather awkwardly with one hand, keeping the demon in her peripheral vision. 

The letter was quite fancy as well, red parchment with golden letters. “To the most esteemed Fiona. For the great deed of assisting in the removal of the local pest infestation, I would be delighted if you would accompany my servant Evalin to my home in Istrel. I intend to hold a feast in your honor that shall be the talk of the city, as well as reward you for your service. I look forward to your positive reply. Lady Freya Lycromel, Heir to Istrel.” 

Fiona considered the invitation at length, glancing at Eva who was simply waiting to hear her response. Fiona swallowed hard. 

B-3a1: Fiona Rejects the Invitation

B-3a2: Fiona Accepts the Invitation

To be Continued…