Precious Cargo Or: What's a Meal Between Preds?
The Adventures of Elle, Part III
By El Portero
Initial Editing by Miss Kat
For Karbo
Julius Cwal fidgeted with the antenna of his radio. He was nervous, although his pride would never allow him to admit it. This was the score of a lifetime. King Laurentine would pay an exorbitant sum for these beauties. Perfect specimens, too. All thirty-six of them. It was easy money.
But that's what made him nervous.
Why would the trader sell him the location of the ancient gateway and the dimensional coordinates to this place, complete with map and all, rather than use them himself? He claimed that he had happened upon the information easily, and was far too old to be running such expeditions himself, but surely he must have known how much the cargo would be worth!
But none of that mattered right now. They had followed the map, ransacked the hidden underground village, and made away with their prize. All they had to do now was return through the dimensional gateway and then travel back to the king's palace on Tranton. They'd never have to work another day for the rest of their lives.
Yet, this failed to calm his anxiety.
Cwal picked up the radio, seeking reassurance.
A sharp hiss of static broke through the night.
"Warlen? You there? Come in, Warlen."
Hub Warlen took the radio from his belt and pressed the talk button.
"Yeah, I'm here. Go ahead, Cwal." He released the button, waited for his partner's response.
Another sharp hiss. "Any activity by the gate?"
"Not much. There was some old guy in a white coat that came through here a little bit ago, but otherwise it's been clear."
"Good. We're still en route back to your location. I'll call you when we're at the bridge to the ruined city, so you'll know to expect us soon after that. Radio in if anything changes."
"Will do. Warlen, out."
Cwal sat the radio in his lap. He checked the map again.
We should be out of the large grove of carnivorous plants by now. About time. We've already lost four men.
But they had all known the risks when they came here to this world. Each and every man knew the dangers that would await them. But they also knew of the reward. . . .
Elle slowly opened her eyes as the rays of the morning sun filtered down to her through the forest canopy. She had slept well, and felt good. Pleasant thoughts of the previous night made her smile. And reminded her. Elle tilted her head and looked down towards her belly, expecting to find her breakfast snack waiting beneath her hand. But all she found were single, tiny pairs of pants, socks, and shoes.
No tasty human.
Elle sighed. She must have escaped while I was asleep. What a shame.
"Hey, sleepyhead! You're finally awake!"
She turned to her left, saw Crisis looking down at her, smiling.
"Oh, hey, Crisis. Good morning."
"Good morning to you, too, Elle! What happened to your little snack?"
"She got away, I guess." Elle's stomach let out a loud gurgling noise as it pushed its contents into her intestines. She smirked. "And now the other one's leaving, too, I guess."
Elle stood up and yawned as she stretched. "Say, Crisis, is there a lake or something around here? I could really use a swim."
The naga's eyes lit up. "Oooh, that sounds like a great idea! There's a river not too far from here. We could go there!" Crisis' stomach growled, reminding her of its vacant status. "And I could really use something to eat. Last night's dinner was a little light for me."
"Why do you look so nervous?"
The question pulled Cwal out of his hazy stare. He turned toward the driver.
"Sorry, say that again. I wasn't paying attention."
Jacob Kren repeated the question. "I asked, 'Why do you look so nervous?'"
Cwal paused before answering. "We lost four good men, Kren."
"They knew the risks. We all did. You did, too. So there's no reason to beat yourself up over it."
"I know. It's just. . . . It's just that it's such an awful way to die."
"Dying is a part of life. The grand circle of things, you know."
"Yeah, I thought so, too. It's just somehow different this time."
A wicked grin overtook Kren's lips. "The only difference I see is the larger share we'll all be receiving."
Cwal retreated back into his mind. He had run criminal enterprises all his life, but no one had ever been killed by his actions or choices; he merely took advantage of loopholes and weaknesses in the system. But as he stared out the windshield, he began to see this wild world for what it was. Completely devoid of the laws of civilization, there were no loopholes here. The jungle was not Cwal's world. Mercenaries like Kren felt much more at home in such a place. After all, that was why he had hired the man and his team.
Looking out that window, he began to feel very small. He saw how large the universe was. Saw the inevitability of everything. Saw the edge of the forest. The rays of morning light. The cliff.
Oh, god!
"Look out!" Cwal yelled. Kren slammed his foot on the brakes, but the forward momentum of the truck was too great and the tires refused to dig into the soft dirt of the forest floor. The vehicle went over the edge.
As the ground below rushed up to meet Cwal, he closed his eyes and prayed as he never had before.
Elle lightly brushed her hand against the low-lying tree branches as she walked beside Crisis, toward the river.
"You know, Crisis, I think you would really like Dorontu if you were ever to visit."
"I think so, too. It sounds like a really beautiful place!"
Elle once again grew quiet.
"Are you thinking of home?"
Elle nodded. "I am. This place reminds me so much of Dorontu. And . . . having you here makes it feel that much more like home."
Crisis smiled. "I like having you here, too."
The jungle trees started to become less dense, and finally Elle could see through them down to the river bank.
Elle gave out a little cheer. "Yay! Here we are!"
Consciousness came rushing back to Julius Cwal in the the form of searing pain. Needles shot up his left arm, colliding with the throbbing headache already racking his brain. He slowly became aware of wet dirt against his cheek. He opened his eyes, saw deep blue water rushing past him. Using his right arm, he slowly sat up.
Cwal saw he was on a small river embankment, presumably at the base of the cliff they had gone over. He weakly cobbled up onto his feet and turned around. The crumpled remains of the truck were partially embedded in the mud from the force of impact.
He could see Kren's bloody face through the broken windshield, his neck bent at an awkward angle. There was no way the man could be alive. He now turned his attention to the large crate on the back of the truck.
Or the lack thereof.
Where is the crate?! Oh, god, where is the cargo?!
Cwal began to panic. He hobbled toward the wreck, saw the body of one of the guards that had been in the back with the cargo. But there was no sign of the second.
He looked along the bank in both directions, and finally back toward the river. An overwhelming sense of despair blanketed him as realization began to set in.
He stood in silence for what felt like an eternity. Time stops for those men who have lost their future. And for Julius Cwal, the future was resting at the bottom of a very deep river in a world determined to destroy him. He felt utterly alone.
"Cwal? Come in, Cwal."
The sound of the radio snapped him back to reality.
"Julius, are you there? What's going on?"
Cwal followed the sound to the passenger side of the demolished truck. Pulling hard on the door, it finally opened, revealing the radio on the floor. Slowly, he picked it up, raised it to his mouth.
"Hub . . . it's gone."
"What do you mean? What's gone?"
"The crate. It's gone. The truck went over a cliff and the crate is gone. I . . . I think it went into the river."
Silence.
Finally Hub spoke. "What about the others?"
Another long pause. "They're all dead. Everything . . . lost."
The truck creaked loudly, catching Cwal's attention. He looked up, toward the bed.
A grotesque plant creature had climbed up onto the back of the truck. Its large, pod-like mouth sat atop a gut-sack supported by several thick tendrils.
Before he could even react, its mouth opened and slimy, green tentacles shot out, wrapping tightly around his entire body. He screamed as he was pulled off his feet, unable to see anything past the writhing mass of appendages that enveloped his face. They tightened around him, and he felt himself pulled into a tight, wet space. It was hot, and he had trouble breathing. Everything was in constant motion around him.
Once the creature's stomach tendrils had fully pulled the meal into its gut, it climbed back down from the bed of the truck and began digging a small burrow in which to bury itself while it digested its latest catch.
Julius Cwal struggled and screamed with all his might. Even from inside the Gravedigger's stomach, the radio continued to transmit.
"It burns! Oh god, it burns!"
As Elle stepped out onto the grassy riverbank, she could feel the warmth of the sun beating against her face, a firm breeze whisking through her long, dark brown hair. She smiled as she looked out across the wide river, its deep, blue waters inviting.
Beside her, Crisis gave a cheer and charged the river, diving into the water. Her tail whipped behind her and made a large splash as it made contact with the surface. Large, cool drops fell upon Elle. She giggled at Crisis' excitement.
Crisis resurfaced, playfully spitting a stream of water out of her mouth as she swam backward. "Come on in, Elle! The water's nice!"
Elle walked to edge of the river, pausing for a moment. She smiled, bent her knees, and performed a large, arcing dive. The river's cool waters rushed past her face, the sensation soothing as it enveloped her whole body.
Elle surfaced, arching her head and pulling her hair back as she stood up. Her body remained submerged save her shoulders, the current lapping against her bosom.
Crisis playfully splashed Elle, then quickly dove back under the water before the jungle giantess could turn around. Elle laughed and turned, ready to return fire. Her eyes searched for the naga, and finally spotted a shadow beneath the surface. She dove under, her powerful legs propelling her toward her target. Even with her vision blurred, Elle could track Crisis underwater, but her snake tail made her lightning fast.
Crisis made a break for the surface, and Elle pushed up off the riverbed, rocketing out of the water. Her timing was perfect as she tackled Crisis before she could wipe the water from her eyes. Both girls laughed loudly as Elle tackled Crisis back into the water, creating a huge splash.
Elle kept her firm embrace on Crisis, her playful revenge not yet fulfilled. She tickled the naga's sides, causing her to erupt with hysterical laughter.
"Ah! No! Stop! Ahhahahahahaha! Please stop! AHAHAHAHAHA!"
Their breasts squished and rubbed together as Crisis squirmed uncontrollably, finally managing to break Elle's hold on her. She swam free, still giggling. Quickly she whipped around and charged back at Elle.
She yelled playfully, "Vengeance shall be mine! Ah ha ha ha!"
"Ack!" Elle braced herself for a taste of her own medicine. But Crisis was quite clever. At the last moment she darted left and circled to Elle's back. She wrapped her arms over Elle's upper arms, pinning them to her side. Elle couldn't break free of the hold. The naga tickled her stomach mercilessly.
"No! Ahhahaha! No! Please! AHAHAHAHAHA! Stop! Stop! You win! You win! AHAHAHAHAHA!"
After a few additional moments of torture, Crisis released her hold on Elle, who escaped to a safe distance before turning around to face her opponent-in-fun. Elle made a mock serious face, but couldn't keep up the act. She burst into laughter. Genuine, wonderful laughter. Crisis joined in, both very happy to have each other's playful company.
Aaron Michaels watched the river current flow around him as he held on tightly to the crate. His gear had gotten caught on one of the reinforcement straps, and when the oversized cargo was thrown from the vehicle into the river, it pulled Michaels with it. It was fortunate that it turned out the thing floated, otherwise he would have surely been dragged to his drowning death.
Those engineering guys thought of everything.
He finally pulled himself free of the strap and began to scale the side of the crate. Getting a good hold on one of the side tanks, he was able to hoister himself up and stand on top of the huge, floating box.
The river was very wide, much wider than any he had seen in his travels. Then again, this place was so very different from any he had ever been before. It was beautiful, and yet so full of danger. The forests of Myrohna paled in comparison with this lush world.
Michaels heard a splash behind him, and he turned around. Before he could identify the source of the sound he was pummeled with a strong stream of water, knocking him on his back. He grimaced as his spine cracked on impact with the hard surface.
Regaining his bearings, Michaels sat up, finally seeing a large fish floating lazily down the river. Before he could make the connection, the fish shot another stream of water out of its mouth. Unable to react in time, the jet hit the mercenary square in the chest, sliding him off the crate and into the water.
Michaels swam back up to the surface in a panic, wanting to quickly find his way back to the crate. The fish continued to lazily swim toward him. Given the predatory nature of everything else he had seen in this world, he wanted to get out of the water as soon as possible. He swam quickly and efficiently, closing the gap between him and the crate, keeping an eye on the fish. He should have plenty of time at the rate it was moving.
At a point during his mental calculations he became aware of a disturbance in the water beneath him. There wasn't even time for him to react as another fish rushed up and grabbed him, pulling him under. Struggling for air and to escape, Michaels fought against his captor. His lungs burned for oxygen and he couldn't find any sense of orientation.
Then, suddenly, he was free. He pumped his arms, desperate for air. But his freedom was only momentary, as the giant fish once again charged from the deep waters and swallowed the man whole.
Michaels lost consciousness in the Silver Mycorpe's belly as it swam away, content with its latest meal.
Somewhere, on the surface, a Toxotida went hungry for today.
The sun glistened off Crisis' and Elle's dripping wet bodies, creating an angelic glow about them. Their laughter carried in the warm afternoon air as they relaxed in the shallow waters of the river bank.
"No way, Elle! I don't believe it!"
"It's true! He actually promised to make me a new set of clothes if I didn't swallow him! As if this tiny human could possibly hope to kill something large enough to clothe this body!"
Crisis laughed even harder. Finally her laughter settled into a chuckle as she wiped tears from her eyes.
"Elle, that has to be the best excuse I've ever heard for a meal trying to escape. And I've heard some really creative ones. But none have ever offered to make me clothes!"
Elle smiled, happy to have someone to share her stories with. Although, this particular story gave her a question.
"So, Crisis, speaking of clothes, what is the deal with you not wearing any? Don't get me wrong, you've the loveliest bosom a gal could ever desire, but to just have your body so exposed to the elements like that; doesn't it get uncomfortable?"
"Aw, thank you, Elle. Yours isn't so bad, yourself," she said, playfully nudging Elle's right breast with her finger. "I dunno, I’m just used to it, mostly. I did try them once, and found them to be more inconvenient than anything." The naga paused and smirked. "Besides, it seems to give me an advantage in catching certain preys."
Elle laughed at her friend's humor and general carefree nature. She enjoyed it.
"I don't know if I could get used to it, myself. Obrak hide is so comfortable and tough. Forgive the obvious, but I'd feel naked without it!"
Another shared chuckle.
Elle looked out at the river, the water reflecting beautiful patterns of sunlight. But to her left something broke the pattern, just out of the corner of her eye. Her brow furled as she turned her attention to it. As best she could make out, it looked like some kind of large box.
"Crisis, what's that?"
"Huh?"
"Out there, in the water. There's something floating."
Crisis turned her gaze to where Elle was pointing.
"I . . . I don't know. I've never seen anything like it before." A pause, and then a mischievous grin. "But let's go find out!"
Elle nodded in agreement, returning Crisis' smile. Both girls pushed themselves upright and dove back into the deep waters, making a beeline for the mysterious object.
As they drew closer to it, Elle could see that it was indeed a large container of some sort, and given all the lights glowing and flashing on the sides, it seemed technologically advanced.
Crisis got to it first, and started pushing it back toward the shore.
As Elle caught up, she called out to the naga. "What do you think it is?"
Crisis shrugged. "I don't know. But help me bring it back to the shore and we'll find out!"
Elle took one side of the half-submerged cube and guided it back across the river with Crisis. When then reached the bank, they lifted up the massive container and carried it up onto the dry grass at the jungle's edge.
They both studied it after setting it down, their curious natures intrigued.
Crisis was the first to speak.
"It's definitely a container of some type, but I've never seen anything like it here in Felarya."
"Any ideas on how to open it?"
"Hmmm. Perhaps. . . ."
Crisis turned and tentatively approached the trees behind her. Searching among them, she finally found what she was looking for.
"Ah ha! Here we go!" she exclaimed as she pulled off a thin branch. She stripped off the leaves as she moved back toward the box.
"What's that for?" Elle inquired.
"I saw a Deluran do something with a locked door once while I was hunting. She managed to open it. Maybe the same thing will work here."
Crisis hunched down, got really close to one of the sides, took the end of the branch in her right hand and carefully placed it in a small hole in one of the panels. With one eye closed, she carefully tweaked and twisted it, searching for some sign that this little trick was successful.
After several minutes, no such sign came.
Elle interrupted Crisis' concentration. "Here, let me try something I once saw a human do."
Crisis stepped back from the box, crossing her arms with mild disappointment at her failure. Elle got on her knees and bent down to get closer to the strange object. With a small windup, she smacked the side of it with her hand. Lights began flashing red as alarms went off and wisps of white fog began to seep from seams in the top.
"Yay!" Crisis shouted. "You figured it out!"
Elle stood back upright and watched curiously with her companion as the top of the large cube opened. Mechanical whirls and metallic clanks came from deep inside as jets of steam began to push out the sides of the strange device. Components clicked into place, panels chirped with satisfaction. And then, silence.
Slowly the steam and fog began to evaporate and clear away. Elle waved her hand back and forth, attempting to help hasten the process. Bit by bit she could see the inside of the cube. There were thirty-six tubes, lined up in six rows of six. They were filled with some sort of bubbling, green liquid. And there was something inside them. As Elle leaned down to get a closer look, the blinking green lights on top of each tube turned solid and there was a loud click. She cocked her head to one side.
What the—
Jets of green steam suddenly erupted from around each tube, blowing right into Elle's face. She coughed as she jumped backward, the hot air tingling the back of her throat as she breathed it in.
"You all right, Elle?"
After a few more coughs, Elle replied. "Yeah, I'm all right. Just caught me off guard."
Both turned their attention back to the cube, out of which the thick, green steam continued to pour.
Elle waited, more patiently this time. "This thing is just full of surprises."
Hub Warlen panicked, unable to find direction in his frenzy. Cwal's death screams poured through the radio speaker that he had thrown across the platform. He didn't know what to do. He looked to the gate and then to the jungle path, and then back to the gate again. Should he try to help his partner? No, he was as good as gone. Should he just leave? But what about the cargo? It's worth too much to just leave here. What to do? He didn't know. He couldn't think through his panic.
An answer came in the form of green smoke over the horizon. It could mean only one thing: the cargo had been compromised. There was nothing left for him here now. He turned and ran into the gateway.
Get me out of here! Just get me out of here!
"Hey, it's finally starting to thin out!" Crisis said excitedly.
The hiss of the jets began to fade, and finally hushed into silence. The thick cloud of green steam that had continued to pour from the cube lingered in the air. Slowly it lifted, revealing once again the thirty-six tubes. Only this time they contained no green liquid. The girls leaned in for a closer inspection. Elle cocked her eyebrow. She'd never seen anything quiet like these. Crisis however raised her arms in the air and bursted out with excitement.
"Yaaaaaaaay!"
"What . . . what are they, Crisis?"
Crisis put her celebration on temporary hold, Elle's ignorance clearly a correction that needed to be made immediately.
"What?! You don't know what they are?"
"No, I've never seen anything like them before."
"Oh, Elle, then you are in for a real treat! Someone somewhere must really love us, because you discovered a box filled with the most delicious anything that there ever was!"
"Really?"
"Yes! You and I are going to have ourselves a neko feast!"
"Nekos, huh?" Elle pondered, contemplating the strange, small creatures.
Crisis nodded enthusiastically.
"Well, I'm always up for trying exotic new foods. If you say they're tasty, then bring 'em on!"
Crisis was the first to reach into the box and pull out one of the transparent tubes. "Go ahead, Elle. You take one, too!"
Elle reached into the box and grabbed another tube. She held it up to the light, trying to get a better look at its contents. This neko, as Crisis had called it, looked kind of like a normal human, except it had a tail and large ears. She found it rather bizarre, as she had never seen another creature quite like it in all her travels. As she stared at the creature, it started stirring, waking from deep sleep.
However, Crisis was growing impatient with her own neko's unconsciousness. She flicked the side of the tube. "Wakey, wakey, kitty!" Several repetitions of this eventually gave her the result she desired.
Arinya awoke with a startle. A loud and sharp twinging noise rattled her brain into consciousness. She struggled to take in her surroundings and get her bearings. Memory flooded her mind, the flash flood of thought causing her heart to pound.
The men in black uniforms. The raid on their underground village. Her and the other members of her clan drugged by the stinging fog.
Her eyes opened, saw through the translucent sides of her prison, and widened in terror at the enormous licking lips before her. They widened further at the comprehension of whose lips they were.
The naga.
Judgment come at last.
For their greed, for their theft of the Great Frost Gem of Bythium, the gods had finally punished them. Years of hiding on this world had delayed their fate, but could not save them from their due karma. There would be no escaping this time.
But she still had to try.
"So, shall we toast?" Elle asked Crisis. The naga, who had been concentrating intently on the glass tube in her hand, failed to understand Elle's question.
"Huh? What's toast?"
"Not toast, silly. A toast. You do it when you have things in a glass like this."
"So . . . this is a glass?" Crisis asked as she contemplated the clear container holding her neko.
"Yes."
Crisis was still trying to catch up. "And . . . how do you toast this glass?"
"You don't toast the glass, you toast with it. You raise it up, say something nice, and then you toss what's in it into your mouth."
Crisis tentatively mimicked Elle's motion. "Like this?"
"Exactly!"
"What a funny thing to do! I've never seen anyone do anything like that before. Elle, you know so many strange things."
"Well, you tend to learn a thing or two when you hop from world to world. Now, let's make a toast! To new friends!" Elle boasted with a smile.
"To us! Yay!" Crisis chimed in as Elle clanked her makeshift glass against Crisis'. They both threw back their heads and tossed the nekos into their gaping maws.
Arinya thought fast, trying to find a way out of this predicament, but the confines of her prison eliminated more options than it provided advantages. Actually, it provided none whatsoever. The walls were slick, and she couldn't get a firm grip on them. They were too strong to break, so there was no alternate means of escape. She panicked as she failed to come up with a plan. Which left only one option.
Fight.
She felt herself being lifted up, saw that the naga was bringing the open end of the tube toward her widening mouth. Everything was happening so fast, and yet it felt like slow motion. The opening of the tube stopped just past the naga's open lips, but the forward momentum threw Arinya into the waiting maw. She slammed into the dangling uvula and tried desperately to grab hold of it. But everything was too slippery, too slick with saliva. She fell deeper into the throat, digging her feet into its sides to keep her from descending further, clawing her hands on the back of the tongue, but they all failed to find friction. Slowly she slid deeper, the esophageal walls narrowing around her.
After what felt like an eternity, final judgment came in the form of a deep swallow. The esophagus gripped hard around Arinya's waist and pulled her down, her final view not of the world outside, but of the back of the naga's perfect set of pearly white teeth.
Elle enjoyed the struggling of her neko as she worked it to the back of her throat. It tasted slightly sweet, and the softness of the fur against her tongue was a different and wonderful sensation. Better yet, it didn't talk back to her! The neko let out frantic yelps and purrs, but never once did a distinguishable word escape its lips.
"Stop! Stop! Don't eat me!" Katheena screamed, fighting desperately against the giantess' tongue. But her strange language fell on non-fluent ears. Not that they would have been any more understanding if they had been fluent.
Elle swallowed the neko, savoring the bulge it made in her throat as it entered her body. A smile crossed her lips as the struggling morsel slipped into her hungrily awaiting stomach. The neko thrashed against the gastric walls, producing a wonderful sensation that only served to widen her smile.
Finally, a meal without all the drama of a pointless philosophical debate!
She turned to Crisis and saw the naga patting her own stomach, clearly enjoying her first neko.
"They are wonderful, Crisis! Absolutely wonderful!"
Crisis' eyes met the giantess'. "I know! They are the greatest anything, anywhere! And they're really strong, so they feel extra good in your tummy."
Crisis' stomach happily accepted Arinya. Though the digestive organ had no sentience of its own, its nerves received the physical stimulation and passed this pleasurable impulse up the naga's spine, into the primitive regions of her brain, where it registered extreme enjoyment. But, to her consciousness, all she felt was a happy feeling inside her tummy.
And so the stomach began its work. Gastric juices began to flow down the fleshy walls. Rumbling emanated throughout as the stomach's muscles contracted, kneading this latest meal. These motions tossed the prey about, as if the neko were its very own cat toy.
Arinya fought against her digestive fate, even though she knew it was futile. In spite of the facts that she could see nothing in the pitch blackness of the humid cavern which contained her, and it was near-impossible to find footing amidst this tumultuous process, she slammed herself against the churning flesh that surrounded her, beat it with her firsts, the primitive stem of her own brain forcing her to fight to escape. It resulted in nothing more than a rush of air escaping the stomach. The walls closed in further. Her mind screamed with fear. Her feelings, her thoughts—all the horrible sensations she was experiencing—were transmitted telepathically to her band of sisters, startling them awake.
Crisis belched unapologetically as Elle looked pensively over the remaining tubes of nekos, wondering which to pick next. She was in the middle of deciding when suddenly they all sprung to life, as if awoken by a nightmare. They clawed at the sides of the transparent containers, but failed to find escape.
Suddenly a bright green light began flashing next to all the tubes, blinking faster and faster. Elle and Crisis both studied the scene below them intently.
The tubes then collapsed down onto themselves, disappearing into the floor, releasing all the nekos, who were all now running amok inside the container.
But they were unable to climb up its smooth sides, and the top was too high for them to jump up and grab.
In spite of their one stroke of good luck, their escape attempt did not end successfully.
"Now, that was weird," Elle thought aloud.
"Yeah, I know. What a strange contraption. But hey, as long as it contains tasty kitties, it can be as weird as it wants!"
Elle chuckled at her friend's observation.
Leera banged desperately at the walls of her fabricated prison. Her companions did the same, trying to continue the luck they had in escaping the transparent enclosures. She pounded fists into every panel and button she could find. Sparks began to fly. She saw the enormous hands looming overhead, coming for her. She punched harder, completely splitting open the console. Mechanical grinding met her ears. A door opened!
"Run! Run! We have to escape!"
Without any warning, a door opened on the wall of the container, and the nekos began pouring out. They ran straight forward, faster than any prey Elle had seen before, toward the edge of the river.
"They're escaping!" she cried out, springing into action.
Leera's heart pounded, forcing blood through her legs. The shore of the Jewel River was so close. If only they could make it. She could see Keena and My'Ra in front of her, leading the mass exodus. They dove into the water. Leera was prepared to dive herself when suddenly a blur of teal rushed in front of her. The naga's tail! She skidded to a stop, circling, saw the tail wrap around her world, trapping her inside. Others of her clan slammed themselves into the scaled wall that enclosed them, desperate for escape.
Deep inside, Leera knew it was not to be.
Elle looked down at the thirty-two nekos that Crisis had corralled with her tail. "Woah, that was amazing, Crisis! They were so fast, but you were faster!"
Crisis smiled, proud of her quick reaction. "Shall we continue?"
"Yes, please!" Elle replied as she knelt down next to Crisis.
Both girls reached into the herd of nekos and plucked a tasty morsel. Elle grabbed one whole in her hand, but Crisis was a little more skilled with these particular creatures and was easily able to nab one's thrashing tail. Elle watched as Crisis maneuvered the squirming neko over her open maw, head raised to the sky, tongue sticking out, and dropped it right into her mouth. Without Crisis closing her lips, Elle saw the large bulge travel down her throat as the neko slid down the esophagus.
"Woah!" Elle exclaimed. "How did you do that?!"
Crisis turned her head to Elle, puzzled. "How did I do what?"
"How did you swallow that neko without even closing your mouth? That's impossible!"
"Really? It's just, well, natural to me!"
"Oh, I have to see that again! Here, let me give you this one!"
Elle pinched the tail of the neko she had in her hand as she shifted onto her knees and turned to Crisis.
The naga got excited at this prospect of being fed. "Ooooh, this will be fun!" She turned her head towards Elle and opened her upturned mouth once more.
Elle looked down into Crisis' gaping maw, saw the saliva threads that formed in front of her uvula.
So did the neko, because it began to thrash and squeak harder and louder than before, desperate to escape its fate.
It had happened so fast, Leera didn't have time to react. One moment she was dealing with the shock of having been trapped by the naga's tail, the next she was being lifted from the ground by the giantess' powerful hand. She had watched her friend disappear as a bulge down the naga's throat, and now she was about to share the same fate. The giantess had plucked her by the tail from her other hand and was about to ceremoniously lower her into the naga's mouth. The tongue was extended, opening the throat wide, revealing the eternal blackness that resided deep within. Globs of saliva dripped from the ridged palate, slid down the tongue to its tip. Rows of teeth lined the grisly sight, but Leera knew that they were not her problem. She saw the naga tip her head back, understood that the inevitable was coming.
Elle lowered the neko by its tail into Crisis' mouth, past her teeth, next to her outstretched tongue. It tried to get a grip on the tongue, but it was too slick with saliva. Elle watched as the neko brushed against the uvula and then let go of the tail. It dropped only a short distance before becoming caught in the grasp of the powerful throat. Crisis' muscles grabbed onto the neko, wrapping it with warm, slippery flesh. Saliva soaked the helpless creature, who cried out in defiance and fear. The uvula lowered as Crisis' tonsils pushed in from the side. With a strong and fluid motion, her muscles pulled the neko smoothly into and down the esophagus. One moment it was there, fighting to escape, and the next it was suddenly replaced by a closed, pulsating throat, which opened quickly again to reveal nothing, as if by magic. Elle watched in amazement as Crisis' body ingested the neko with such efficiency.
Leera was staring up at one nightmare while trapped in another. Above her was the giantess' face, smiling and excited at the prospect of her demise; she could see her enormous features just past the horrific frame of the naga's open mouth—the nightmare she was currently dealing with. The giantess had let go of her tail, and gravity was working against her. She fought hard to escape its hold, but everything was so slippery. She was able to gain some footing on the tonsils below her, but the buckets of saliva coating everything made it precarious at best. Her hands grabbed for whatever teeth she could grip, but she was unable to pull herself up. The naga's throat flexed and she lost her footing, slipping back down. She felt the throat muscles grip her; she was powerless against them. Their peristaltic waves yanked her down, too quickly for her to even make a grab at the dangling uvula.
Leera screamed in horror as the world outside disappeared, her last vision of it the giantess' horrible, smiling face. Flesh gripped her from all sides as she plummeted toward the awaiting stomach below.
Elle watched the gentle bulge travel down Crisis' neck. "Wow, that's just incredible! I don't know how you do it! I could never swallow anything like that with my mouth open."
Crisis smiled and rubbed her belly as the third neko mixed with the other two. The pounding on her stomach walls was growing much more intense, and she was loving every minute of it.
"Well, I don't know how I'm able to do it, I just can!" she said with a playful smile. Her smile was interrupted with a belch as air escaped her digesting stomach.
Buuuuuuurp!
"Excuse me!" the naga said, although she was clearly not embarrassed in the least. "Now, that's not entirely fair."
"What's not fair?"
"I've already had three nekos, and you've only had one, silly!"
"Well, yeah, I guess."
"So you've got to catch up!" Crisis said playfully. She leaned forward and grabbed two nekos from the squeaking mass, one in each hand. "Now, open up!"
Elle leaned forward slightly on her knees, opened her mouth, and stuck out her tongue, awaiting a tasty treat. Crisis took the first squirming neko and placed it as best she could in Elle's mouth, and then took the second one and quickly shoved it in after it. She held her hand in front of Elle's lips so that they couldn't escape.
"There you go!"
Elle sealed her lips, trapping the nekos inside, although barely. They were quite a mouthful! She leaned her head back and maneuvered the first one to the back of her throat, swallowing it with a large gulp. She then quickly pushed the other one into place with her tongue and swallowed again.
There was no room to maneuver, no light with which to see. They fought, they struggled, but somewhere in the darkness before them still lay their inevitable fate. It was wet, hot, disorienting. The tongue below slickly maneuvered them; there was nothing onto which to hold. Quick, frantic exploration with their hands only found smooth teeth, moving about, and neither dared risk losing a hand to those gnashing beasts.
Quedra felt humid, sticky breath blow past her face as muscles squished her sides. The back of her head grated against the palette, pushed into the uvula. The throat muscles finally found their grip on her, and yanked her hard into the esophagus.
Tyrah sensed the sudden disappearance of her companion, knew what it meant. She fought as hard as she could, pounded her fists into the tongue's flesh. None of it would do her any good. The tongue reared back, shoving her into the open throat. It clamped down on her body and sucked her into the depths below.
Crisis smirked as she saw the two successive bulges travel down Elle's neck. She was glad her friend was having a good time as well.
Elle leaned her head back forward and let out a contented sigh. It felt amazing to have the two additional nekos drop into her stomach, already churning and tossing about the first one. She belched and didn't even bother to excuse herself.
"Wow! Crisis, these nekos are just amazing!"
"I told you that you would love 'em!"
Elle patted her stomach. "I know, but I figured they would just taste good! I didn't realize they would feel so amazing inside!" She looked down and saw the movement of her food's struggles through her belly flesh. Loud gurgles emanated from within.
Crisis contemplated her own gurgling stomach, relishing in the war being waged inside.
"Yep, amazing indeed," the naga agreed, closing her eyes and savoring the moment.
Beltron Kwendel watched from a distance as the naga and giant woman enjoyed their meals. He smiled as he played with the large gem in his hand. Justice was finally being served, all thanks to that greedy criminal and his team of mercenaries. It didn't go exactly as planned, but their karmic ending was even better than the one he'd envisioned. Instead of being eternal slaves to the perverted King Laurentine, the band of pirate nekos would now be nothing more than digestive mush shoved through the bellies of these two predators. His now-avenged brother would have been proud.
He made his way back to the gateway, ready to leave this place. It was time to put his leader's plan in motion.
Hub Warlen's eyes tried to adjust to the dim light in which he now found himself engulfed. Compared to the warm and bright Felarya, this place was dank and dark.
Suddenly he was surrounded by a dozen men clothed in black attire, all carrying weapons, fixed squarely on him.
Behind them, a deep and gravelly voice came from the dark. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"
"I'm . . . I . . . my . . . my name is Hub Warlen. And . . . I . . . I don't know how I got here. I just went through the same magic gate where I entered the jungle world."
"What? From Felarya? How did you get there?"
"An old trader sold us the information. We went through an ancient gate on Praxis."
"Ah, so you are one of the fools Kwendel got to do his dirty work. Excellent. Well, at least that explains how you got here. The dimensional gateways to and from Felarya and our dimension must be out of alignment since my idiot descendant decided to start meddling with them. Well, Mr. Warlen, you'll be happy to know that you've indeed made it back to Praxis, just not back to the same gateway from which you departed. You're currently in my underground laboratory facility, which I'm afraid I can't let you leave."
"But . . . why? What have I done?"
"Nothing, but I can't let you leave and let word get back to Maekus."
"The Emperor? Why would I talk to the Emperor? I've never even been to Rystar!"
The man stepped forth from the shadows, revealing his face. "That's a shame. It really is beautiful. Especially the Imperial Palace."
Warlen's jaw dropped, instantly recognizing the man. "But . . . but . . . you're dead!"
"I'm afraid, Mr. Warlen, that the rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated." He motioned to his left. "Guards, put this man in a holding cell. We'll soon have work to do."
The remaining twenty-eight nekos had tried several times to escape their organic prison, but to no avail. They had managed to climb on top of each other in an attempt to escape that way, but the two giant women were easily able to brush them back inside. They finally gave up and collapsed on the ground, but panic still pounded their minds. They saw flashes of their friends' fates, digesting within those creatures' stomachs, horrified at such thoughts.
Kwendel was taken aback by how dark it was after he passed through the gateway. It should have still been daytime on Praxis. Then he realized where he was. The lab. He turned at the sound of his leader's voice.
"Ah, Mr. Kwendel, you've returned. And I see you have the gem."
"Yes, Mr. Legati."
"Soon to be Emperor Legati once more, my friend." He took the gem from Kwendel's hand. "With the powers locked within this stone, I shall once again hold the royal throne, and avenge myself upon Maekus!"
Claudia Lenter sat up in bed, startled awake. She brushed the red hair out of her eyes, catching her breath as she reassured herself that the nightmare wasn't real. It had only been two days since she'd been brought back to the Imperial Palace, and she still couldn't bring herself to believe that her friends were dead, destroyed in the explosion. She remembered the energy overload, and then the blast. But after that, everything went black until she awoke in the middle of the desert. She'd been rushed to a medical facility, her largely superficial wounds treated. Then she'd been brought here, to the Imperial Palace, still waiting for answers from the Emperor himself.
Lenter slid out of bed, the nightgown flowing about her legs, and looked at the clock. It was almost morning anyway, and she might as well shower and be ready for the day. She slid out of her sleeping clothes and into the shower. The steam felt good against her skin, cleansing the nightmare from her. Her naked and lithe form leaned against the shower wall as she let the bad memories be gently washed away. After she felt enough time had passed, she turned off the water, took a towel, and dried herself off. She dressed and exited the large suite the Emperor had given her.
Outside the door she was immediately greeted by Maekus himself.
"Em-Emperor! I didn't expect to see you here so early."
"You've waited long enough for answers, Doctor Lenter. If you follow me now, I will give them to you."
The edge of their hunger satisfied, Crisis and Elle continued to casually eat their nekos, talking as they enjoyed their feast. Kitty after kitty disappeared into their digestive depths as they conversed. Elle shifted from kneeling to sitting cross-legged, her bare stomach resting gently above her clothed womanhood.
"Well, I don't fully understand it, really. Sometimes it happens when I'm really, really full, and sometimes it happens when I've only had a little bit to eat."
"But it always happens when you are asleep, and after you've eaten?" Crisis picked up another neko, placed it in her mouth.
"Yeah, except for that first time, near Q'ni."
Crisis swallowed. "How strange. Well, I'm glad you didn't disappear last night, because I've been having lots of fun with you today!"
"Me, too. I really like it here." Elle reached for her own neko, the center of their makeshift corral growing increasingly empty and her stomach proportionately full. She'd never had a feast quite like this one.
"The stone is in place, Mr. Legati."
"Excellent. Bring the primary conductors online."
"Yes, sir." Kwendel moved the appropriate switches and levers.
"All right, are all other systems active?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then begin pumping energy into the plasma chamber. Slowly. We don't want anything to become unstable."
Legati watched as energy began to pour into the plasma chamber containing the gem. This machine was designed to tap into the quantum energies contained within the stone and use them as Legati saw fit. Although he only had one purpose in mind.
Revenge.
Lenter sat down at the long conference table, which was conspicuously empty.
"Isn't there anyone else?" she inquired.
"No, Doctor Lenter, I'm afraid not. What I am about to share with you, very few people know. In fact, the only reason that you will be privy to this information is because you are the top expert in your field, the 'Machine Miracle Worker' as they call you. And if we are to destroy Ignus Legati once and for all, I am going to need your help."
"Wait . . . what? Legati is dead. You killed him yourself when you took control of the capitol sixteen years ago. I remember the news broadcasts when I was a child."
"I thought so as well, until three years ago. These so-called rebel strikes have been the work of none other than Legati himself, slowly plotting vengeance, hell-bent on taking back the Imperial throne. Until now he has been unsuccessful, but my intelligence tells me that he is assembling a massive weapon of some sort. Doctor Phrinx was heading the project to build a counter-weapon, the project you were working on."
"So that's why the sense of urgency."
"I'm afraid so. Legati is a clever and evil man, and we cannot allow him to rule again. My father paid the ultimate price trying to stop his reign of terror before I was later able to succeed. He died at the hands of Legati, and I intend to return the favor."
"The five years of his reign, though I was young . . . I remember how horrible they were. I will do anything I can to help."
"I knew you would understand. Now, I must confess, there is another matter on which I must admit disseminating misinformation."
"The temple wasn't destroyed by rebels, or rather Legati's forces, was it?" she guessed.
"No, it wasn't. But how did you figure that out?"
"I keep replaying the incident in my head, and it all comes back to one thing: Doctor Phrinx was overconfident. There was no sabatoge, no attack. It wouldn't be consistent with what I remember. So, I figure, it must have been a simple overload."
"It was. I classified the incident as a rebel attack to keep too many people from asking questions about what was really going on. However, the temple discovered thirteen months ago by Vanessa Crichton was indeed destroyed by Legati. But, before he left the temple in shambles, he took all of the equipment contained inside. Whatever ultimate power it is capable of, he now has control of it."
"Well, you can certainly stay as long as you like, Elle! And I can introduce you to Anna!"
"Anna?" Elle asked after gulping down another neko.
"She's a friend of mine. She's a naga, too. But she used to be a human, you know!"
"What?! How is that even possible?"
"I don't know. It's really weird. I ate her for a late night snack once, and then poof, suddenly she was a naga."
"How weird . . . and very awkward. Well, anyone who is a friend of yours, I'm sure will be a friend of mine."
"In fact, when we've finished here, we should take that strange box to her," she said, thumbing at it over her shoulder. "She loves tinkering with stuff like that. Which reminds, me I should tell you."
"Tell me what?"
"She has this little box, she calls it a tee-vee, and you'll see humans in it, but don't eat it. Apparently, they aren't really there. I learned the hard way once. Anna was not very happy with me!"
Elle chuckled as she held one arm against her bloated stomach, using the other to lean back, protruding her already swollen gut further. She was getting very, very full.
"Changing the subject to back to boxes that actually did have tasty things in them, how many nekos do we have left, Crisis?"
Crisis leaned forward, her own stomach bloated and distended, and counted the remaining morsels. "One, two, three, only four left."
"Wow, really? I can't believe that I've already eaten fifteen of these tasty kitties. No wonder I'm feeling so full!"
This would be his moment of victory. This would be the moment that put history's course back on track, with Ignus Legati as the rightful ruler of the Rystar Empire. He watched as quantum energies pulsed from the gem, glowly brightly in the plasma chamber.
"Mr. Legati, we're not getting the same level of energy throughput you calculated. It's much lower."
"What?! Let me see that!"
Legati pushed Kwendel out of the way so that he could read the output panels. "This is impossible. Unless. . . ."
"Unless what, sir?"
Legati turned angrily to his assistant. "Unless you got the wrong stone, you moron! This isn't the Great Frost Gem of Bythium!"
"But . . . but that's the only stone that was in their village after the mercenaries overtook it!"
"Well, it's the wrong stone, you idiot. But no matter. I have an idea, and it shouldn't set us back too long. Certainly not as long as last time."
Thirteen months ago, when he had raided the Pyronian temple and seized all its machinery, he had had to improvise then, too. The machines had been designed to work in tandem, and adjustments were necessary to operate them on their own. He thought he had the mechanics figured out, but there was still a massive surge of quantum energy that had poured into the space-time plane, causing who knows what to happen. The results were unpredictable. The equipment was completely destroyed, but this time he had learned enough to be able to rebuild it, and understand what had happened. It wasn't that he didn't have enough power, but that his power wasn't pure enough. The purer the energy feed, the more stable the device. Which is why he needed the Great Frost Gem of Bythium.
This was the key factor that Lionel Phrinx never figured out, the reason his machine was destroyed. He tried to compensate purity of power with sheer raw input, and the equipment couldn't take it.
Lenter was still a bit confused. "There's one thing I don't understand. How can I help? The device Doctor Phrinx was working on was quantum in nature. I merely built machines to the specifications he provided, but I don't have some profound understanding of quantum mechanics."
"You won't need to. We're bringing someone else on board that will understand."
"Who?"
"Why don't I just bring him in and introduce you?"
Maekus pushed a button on an intercom device and spoke into the microphone. "Miss Brazilli, please send the good doctor in."
"Yes, sir," came the reply.
Lenter turned to the door as it opened and a young, tall, dark-haired man entered.
"Doctor Lenter, I'd like you to meet Doctor David Phrinx, Lionel Phrinx's son."
Crisis teased her friend. "Full? How can you possibly be too full for another neko? Surely, you can fit two more!"
"I don't know, Crisis. Listen to my belly; it's grumbling pretty loudly."
Keeping her tail encircled around the remaining nekos, Crisis leaned over and put her ear against the giantess' belly, heard the screams and loud digestion within. Gas bubbles slid around the prey as the stomach walls contracted.
"Oh, come on, silly. There's room in there for more," she said as she poked and patted Elle's distended gut. "Just stand up; you'll feel better and it'll make some room."
"All right. I'll give that a try." Gently, the giantess got up to her feet, moving slowly to avoid upsetting her swollen stomach. The jostling knocked loose some gas from her belly and she felt some minor relief in the form of a belch.
Buuuuuuurp!
"Ah, that's a little better," she signed.
"I told you," Crisis said as she picked up her second-to-last neko. She licked her lips and savored the taste of its slick fur on her tongue. A few moments of enjoyment, and then she sent it to join the herd of kitties already corralled in her stomach.
Elle got back down on her knees and gently reached over to take another neko. She took her time swallowing it, mostly because of how full she was. She was amazed how Crisis could eat so much and still be so nimble. She began to wonder if the naga's stomach had no bottom.
"Last ones, Elle!"
Elle groaned as she felt the neko force its way into her stomach, pushing the others out of the way to make room. "Ugh, I don't know if I can do it."
"Of course you can, silly. And we'll do it this special way that I once saw on Anna's tee-vee. They did it with grapes, but we can still do it with our last nekos, because we're friends and friends do things special ways. Kind of like your toast!"
"Okay, you show me."
"Take your neko," Crisis instructed as she did so.
"All right." Elle complied.
"Now lean close and wrap your arm around mine, and do what I'm doing."
Elle saw Crisis hold her elbow out in front of her and hold the neko over her mouth.
"Like this?" Elle asked as she leaned closer on her knees toward the naga and put her arm around Crisis', locking their elbows. Their distended and bloated stomachs pressed against each other, the digestive rumblings from within their two bellies loud and obvious.
"Yep! And then we enjoy. To friendship!"
"To friendship!"
They both dropped their nekos into their respective mouths and savored the last morsels before swallowing deeply. The two nekos raced down their gullets, side by side, and forced their way into the two full stomachs, now pushed even closer together.
Stomach walls contracted, nekos screamed in terror, and two very full women smiled and patted their bellies, content with their very large feast. After a moment they moved back from each other and plopped lazily down on the ground, stretching out. The end of Crisis' tail dipped into the river's cool waters.
"Wow, Crisis. Thank you. That was the greatest meal I've ever had. I've never been so full!"
"You're welcome! I'm glad that we could enjoy it together."
Inside of Crisis' stomach, seventeen nekos fought and struggled to escape their cramped prison as they were mixed thoroughly with digestive juices. The organ was stretched tightly around them; although, should the opportunity have arisen, it could have accepted more. Right now, it was comfortably full.
Fists and feet punched deeply into the fleshy walls, which served only to widen the smile on Crisis' lips.
Mmmmm, my little guests feel so snuggly inside their new home!
She was having such a great day. Elle was very nice, and a good friend. She enjoyed her company. And this meal digesting inside her was one of the best she'd ever had. These particular nekos struggled harder than others, and it made for the most enjoyable feeling. As they tried to escape, it only succeeded in pushing her further into a dream-like state of bliss.
Crisis' cheeks reddened as she blushed slightly. Such a large meal flustered her sometimes, in a good way. She placed her hands over her distended belly. The digestive process within pulsed through her swollen abdomen, passed into the sensitive tips of her fingers. More nerves carried enjoyable sensations to her brain.
Her satisfied gut emanated loud grumbles of digestion as she stared at the clouds lazily floating by in the picturesque blue sky. Crisis couldn't help but think that this was truly the happiest she'd been in a long, long time. Maybe ever.
Everything is so peaceful and wonderful and perfect!
A powerful wave of contractions swept through her stomach, releasing a particularly loud gurgle into the open.
My tummy agrees!
Its contents did not, though their protest failed to register.
Yes, this is a great day, indeed!
It took some time, but Legati was able to modify the equipment to sidestep this temporary inconvenience.
"How is this going to work, again?" Kwendel asked.
Legati sighed, tired of always having to explain his plans to inferior minds. "The stone you brought back isn't the Great Frost Gem of Bythium, but rather one of its lesser kin, a Linking Stone. They look extremely similar, and its easy to mix them up as the shades of color are only slightly different, difficult to tell apart if not side by side with each other. However, as the name implies, the stones are linked. And by using the gem we have, I'm going to attempt to pull back the gem we need through a portal, using the stones' attraction like a magnet. That way, no matter where the Great Frost Gem is, it will make its way back to us. Then we shall continue as originally planned."
He turned to the control panel and started the initiation process himself. He no longer trusted anyone else to carry out his plans. He watched as quantum energies sparked from the gem, flowing into his revamped equipment. A portal opened in the large open area of the lab, swirling with blue light. He couldn't see to the other side, but he didn't need to. What he wanted would come to him.
The readouts were indicating that they had found a lock, but were having trouble pulling back the gem. He increased the power throughput, but still it demanded more. He gave it everything the system had. He would not be stopped!
Elle awoke to the sound of her grumbling stomach, the large meal within still being digested. She looked over at Crisis, who was just staring out at the glistening river. She noticed that the giantess was awake.
"Oh, hey, Elle. You dozed off for a bit there."
"Yeah, I'm sorry. My stomach is just so full and the sun was so nice and warm."
Crisis smirked. "I guess you took a bit of a cat nap, then"
Both girls chuckled at her pun.
"Well," Crisis said. "I'm just glad you didn't go disappearing on me."
"No, something feels different here. It's hard to describe, but every other place that I've ever traveled has felt different. Like, a certain uneasiness that I might slip away at some point. I don't feel it here. Maybe I'm finally done jumping all over the universe."
"That would be awesome! Because then you could stay here and we could have lots of fun!"
"I agree. I like it here!"
The girls sat and stared out at the river, simply enjoying each other's company and listening to the sounds of their digesting stomachs.
Inside Elle's stomach, something other than digestion was going on. No one was left alive to see it, but a bright light began to shine amongst the gastric detritus, emanating from a gem that had been carefully sewn next to Katheena's heart, the nekos' magic caster, which had allowed her to cast enchanted spells. But when she had tried to cast those spells in Elle's stomach, they had failed. Something had canceled out the dimensional magic she could usually summon, given enough time. But now that gem was coming to life, drawn toward its lesser brother.
But it couldn't escape. Some force was holding it back. It was stuck here in the giantess' stomach, unable to move through time or space. It grew brighter, filling with more and more energy.
Elle suddenly felt very strange. Her stomach groaned louder and louder and she clutched her midsection, the sensation extremely uncomfortable.
"What's wrong, Elle? What's the matter?" Crisis asked, her face suddenly very serious with concern.
"I . . . I don't know. My stomach, it just. . . . Oh, no!"
"What is it Elle?!"
Elle tried to stand up but she fell to the ground, pain evident across her face as she clutched her stomach. Crisis saw a bluish aura form around Elle, encapsulating her. Elle reached out to her friend, desperate for help. Crisis moved quickly to rush to her friend's side, but in an instant she was gone, leaving nothing but a patch of grass where she once was.
Panic came over the naga. "Elle? Elle! Where are you, Elle?!"
The explosion threw Legati back a good ten feet, knocking him to the ground. Smoke filled the laboratory, small fires burning from blasted conduit panels. He coughed, trying to see through the black smoke. He got to his feet, found the fire extinguisher on the wall, and began dousing the fires to put them out. As the smoke cleared, he got a better look at his lab equipment. It was a mess, a total disaster. Did he even have the gem to show for this setback? He turned to the large open area where the portal had formed. He was taken aback by what he saw.
A large woman, clad only in animal skin clothes, lay sprawled across the floor. She was unconscious, motionless, save the movements of her digesting and distended stomach.
"What the . . . ?" Legati said under his breath. Kwendel walked up behind him, disbelief of his own apparent on his face.
"Sir, I know this woman."
"What? How?!"
"She and a giant snake woman found the clan of nekos after the mercenaries kidnapped them. They ate all of them, which was fine as far as I was concerned, since they had killed my brother and stolen what was rightfully his."
Suddenly, this all made sense to Legati. He understood, and smiled. His efforts had not been in vain. He called out to his men.
"Secure her to the floor immediately! I want her completely immobilized before she wakes up!"
TO BE CONTINUED. . . .
Leave a Comment