(font: "Open Sans")[This is an **Interactive Story**. Your experience will vary depending on your choices.
This story was written by (link: "Phantom")[(goto-url: "http://phantomdotexe.deviantart.com/")] and features characters by (link: "Karyu.")[(goto-url: "http://k-a-r-y-u.deviantart.com/")]
You can <a href="mailto:phantomdotexe@gmail.com">click here to email me</a> with comments or critiques.
To navigate the story, click the blue highlighted links. You can click the 'back' and 'forward' arrows on the left if you want to change your decision, but don't use the //refresh, back, or forward// buttons on your browser.
(set: $hood to false)
[[Onward!]]]
(font: "open sans")[**DOUBLE WORLD NINJA - BY PHANTOM** This story is a *fantasy* in the grand tradition of retro anime, dungeon-crawling games, and paperback romance novels. If you're reading this, you're aware that it features //adult themes//. This fiction is thick with fetish; bondage, domination, and kink. Assuming you're okay with this, then] [[read on]]!
You take the role of **Cynthia Heart**, a ninja from the **Unseen School**. You've gone solo; a clandestine agent who roams the land to right wrongs and protect the innocent.
<a href="http://imgur.com/dgp0YHz"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/dgp0YHz.jpg?1" title="You!" /></a>
Cynthia is a bit of an idealist. She's spunky, honest, and has a strong moral center. Sometimes it can get her into trouble; she's willing to stick her neck out and put herself in danger if it means she can help others. She's charitable and kind... but she's also a dangerous warrior. As a member of the Unseen School, she's a ninja //par excellence//.
[[So what's the problem?]]
The **Unseen School** has many successes, but there are two failures that stick out - former classmates of the earnest Cynthia Heart. Individuals are allowed some degree of freedom in their activities, but when they take to banditry and curelty, they must be stopped - and these two have done far worse. You have been sent to top them.
They've given you two names:
(link: "Fantom, the Usurper")[Fantom is quick, smart, and dangerous. Familiar to Cynthia since their early days, she generally spends her career in search of sybaritic pleasures; leather, lace, and legions of slaves. In fact, Fantom has been rumored to use her magic and seduction to dominate innocents into submissive states. Those who aren't been convinced to join her are locked away.]
(link: "Zanthie, the Sorceress")[Zanthie is a classic villain, possessing a haughty laugh, an evil smile, and a penchant for teasing her rivals. The purple-haired spellcaster has been known to abduct those that she finds valuable, keeping them magically preserved in her harem. Some find their way into her bedchambers, while others find themselves enslaved as her bonded familiars.]
[[Let's get to it, then!]]
Cynthia reached the valley early in the morning.
<a href="http://imgur.com/ObHUFsj"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/ObHUFsjh.jpg?1" titlev="valley" /></a>
The valley, cradled on three sides by mountains, was an impressive sight, and Cyn spent a few moments to take it all in. She unbuckled her coat and inhaled. Her journey wasn't yet halfway over. It wouldn't be over until Zanthie and Fantom were properly punished for their misdeeds. The ninja had tracked them from the towns on the coast to the valley.
The ninja's two targets had cut a swathe of mischief heading north. Kidnappings, burglaries, and all-around misues of their gifts had given Cynthia a strong trail to follow. However, she couldn't count on her two foes being conveniently close - the two had apparently gone their separate ways after an ill-advised attempt to abduct a noble.
Cynthia would need to do a bit of exploring before she could take them down. A wide river cleaved the valley in two. Small island and outcroppings poked into the air like jagged teeth. The western bank was thick with forest marshy fens. The terrain was unpleasant and unknown; rumors of strange swamp-dwellers kept it secluded. Cyn knew that she would need to go to any lengths to find her targets, even if that meant trudging through a chilly swamp. The eastern shore was clear and possessed the occasional solitary farm or herd. Farther to the northeast, the long lake broke into rivers. There lay the town of Dalaston with its bustling market.
[[Survey the fens]]
[[Investigate the town]]
The town of Dalaston had a peculiar reputation. Cynthia remembered seeing it on maps and never giving it much attention. It was a relatively dense town built along the banks of the river and lake. There was little in the way of unique imports or exports. By all numerical metrics, it was utterly forgettable.
<a href="http://imgur.com/ZG0mJas"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/ZG0mJash.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
As Cynthia entered the town, her opinion changed rapidly. Whether or not her rivals were her, this town was leaving an indelible mark. The normal townsfolk were often flanked by odd visitors and curious travelers. Men and women in foriegn garb that had no business being in this secluded region patrolled the streets.
Among the strangest were women clad in black and white, wearing clerical robes and long gloves. Many of their faces were obscured with veils and wooden masks.
The points of interest generally had large crowds. The marketplace was rumored to attract a wide variety of visitors - maybe someone had seen Cynthia's targets? "The Ribcage" was apparently the go-to tavern of choice. The most recent addition to the skyline was the Alabaster Church. And of course, there were the long and winding passageways - places that Fantom or Zanthie might be hiding.
[[Visit the market|Marketplace]]
[[Visit "The Ribcage," the local tavern|The Ribcage, the tavern]]
[[Explore The Alabaster Church|Alabaster, the church]]
[[Wander the streets|Just walk around randomly]]
Cynthia was nothing if not graceful. She took pride in her physical form and agility. That, combined with a few ninja tricks, gave her enough agility to avoid the swampy waters altogether. Besides, she had just cleaned her white outfit , and wanted it pristine when she returned to the Unseen School!
One leap, then another, then another... she hopped along the trees and exposed logs. She was silent and swift - important if she was going to find either of her targets.
The fen itself seemed to teem with magic - a natural ley line. Cynthia was sure that with a little time, she could tap into the swamp's power, and use it to track down her two former classmates.
However, they might be within the fen itself. Rumors of strange stilt-houses and curious inhabitants had piqued her interest. Was Fantom or Zanthie the sort to take refuge in a wet forest?
[[Channel magic|Search for magic]]
[[Scour the fens|Try the stiltwalkers]]
There were a few tricks and tools for 'catching' magic. Some were ancient - reading bones or symbols in tea.
Some were a little unconvential.
Cynthia lept to a particularly thick branch. Glancing around - making absolutely certain nobody would interrupt her - she took in a deept breath and let out a long sigh.
She could //see// her voice in the air, caught by the invisible line of magic within the fens. She let out another sigh, more pronoucned this time. The first cloud disappeared, replaced by the second.
After reaching into her bag, she let out one final sigh. It was of the utmost importance to be quiet as a mouse; a single sound would disappate the carefully-constructed ritual.
Of course, Cyn packed for any occasion. She closed her mouth and felt the padded leather of a massive panel-gag wind around her lower face. It obscured her mouth and chin, and kept her quite silent. A few clicks told her it was locked in place. She was silenced save a few quiet jumbles of gagged speech.
[[Complete the ritual|Follow it]]
<a href="http://imgur.com/j2BE2dz"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/j2BE2dz.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
Any man who chose to live within the fen was odd. A village of them was far stranger.
Cynthia had stumbled across a small village of the swamp-dwelling men. Some walked on long stilts. Others resided in huts raised above the murky water. A few passed by on stilts, heading deeper into the swamp. She took the time to get a look at one of these swampies.
A large, dark green cloak covered his entire body save hands and face. A mixture of sewn patterns and exposure to the elements had mottled and discolored the cloak in places; no doubt he'd be perfectly camouflaged if he were in the forest! His identity was further obscured by long leather gloves and a bird-like plague mask. Its short beak ended in two small nostrils, and its side was painted yellow.
The heroine peeked into one of their huts, and glimpsed the garments they wore beneath their cloaks; simple clothes and numerous utility pouches and belts, filled with dangerous chemicals and noisome liquids. No doubt anyone with the gall to assault them would be in for a real surprise if they could get to their 'tools.'
She hadn't yet been spotted, and knew little of them - only that they had a penchant for cruel tricks on trespassers.
[[Sneak up on the stiltwalkers]]
[[Introduce youreslf|The direct approach, charisma]]
[[Intimidate them into assisting you|Intimidation]]
She lept from tree to tree to roof and railing. Her jumps were measured and her landings were soft. Cynthia took pride in her toned form and acrobatic ability.
The ninja wasn't quite as proud of her interaction skills. She landed on the wooden roof of one of the village houses and poked her head down. Beneath her, she saw one of the stiltwalkers; a woman a fear years older than Cyn, judging by the complaints audible through her mask. The villager was busy coiling rope around spools for shipment, and didn't seem to be enjoying the menial labor one bit.
[[Capture the villager|Capture him]]
[[Intimidate the villager for information|Intimidate him]]
Cyn dropped to the center of the village, and proudly strutted over to the tallest and most regal-looking individual. Relatively regal, of course- he, like the rest of them, seemed to be anonymous past their cloak and mask, but this one was at least taller!
She felt their stares across her back.
[[Switch to intimidation|Intimidate him]]
[[Try and bluff]]
No need for a lie; Cynthia stood her ground. She put her hands on her hips and presented the most aggressive expression her soft face could muster.
"I'm looking for two women - one named Zanthie, purple hair, loud laugh, and the other one named Fantom - white skin. Can't miss her. I *know* one of the two has been through this village, and you swamp folk are going to tell me where they went."
She heard a voice, muffled by the plague mask, behind her. She turned her head and saw two more villagrs had silded closer and closer to her while she had attempted to intimidate the elder.
"And if we don't tell you?"
Cynthia adopted a fighting stance. Six stiltwalkers now surrounded her - some, walking along the muck on their stilts while others stood on the wooden planks of the village. They looked ready to strike.
[[Fight defensively|Use speed]]
[[Fight aggressively|Use force]]
The villager took off her mask to rub her temples. Still, she never saw it coming.
In a flash, Cyn had grabbed her. A moment later, she'd been dragged higher into the trees. Another moment after that, Cyn's hand pressed against the poor villager's mouth, silencing her as she coiled the poor victim's arms and legs against a branch of a tall tree! Cyn and her captive were high in the air, secluded away from the village by a thick layer of foliage.
"I'm... I'm really sorry! I don't want to cause you any harm, but I've heard some nasty things about your kind, and..."
The stiltwalker woman didn't look amused. "So you grab me, drag me to the trees and tie me up? Good first impression there."
The heroine sighed. "Not my best plan, I'll admit, but listen - I'm looking for someone. Tell me what you know and I'll let you go."
A few minutes of coaxing later, and the stiltwalker told all. Fantom had been through a few weeks earlier, buying textiles and recruiting followers. She'd been kicked out of her previous conquest and was planning to take over the nearby town, starting by insinuating herself as a priestess of a new religion.
Cynthia was true to her word... though the moment she released the villager, the entire swampie village seemed to come alive with outrage at the intruder. It seeemd prudent to leave.
[[Exit the swamp|Victory Fens]]
Interrogation wasn't her strong-suit, but she gave it a shot nonetheless.
It didn't seem to take. The villager was more exasperated than intimidated. However, she was compliant enough. After a few moments of Cynthia's nonspecific threats, the villager spoke up.
"Listen. You briefly said you were looking for someone named... Zanthie? Sure, I can tell you where she is. Totally. Just as long as it gets you out of my hair. That, or I can take you to the village elder."
[[Visit the elder|walktoelder]]
[[Pursue the lead|Waste Time]]
"My name is Zanthie, and I'm looking for my old associate, Fantom."
Cynthia spun a tale of betrayal and woe and love, and how she longed to find her old classmate, punctuating her statements with haughty laughter and overblown motions with her arms.
"...and the moment I find her, I'm going to make her //mine!// Anyway, uh... have you seen which way she went?
After an unnervling long silence, the village elder spoke. This 'Fantom' had been seeing heading deeper into the swamp.
[[After her!|Waste Time]]
Cyn was quick and nubile - the fastest member of her class back at the Unseen School. No kunoichi could hope to outrun the lightning-quick Cynthia Heart!
They started coming at her - some with fists, others with clubs. She easily darted and dodged between them. She had to thin the herd somehow or they'd eventually get her.
[[Concentrate on one]]
[[Spread the pain among the group|spread the pain]]
Aggressive fighting was sometimes the right choice, but it was clear right away that against a crowd like this, it was the wrong one.
Cyn was able to knock one or two out easily, winding up and landing punishing blows. But she wasn't taking out a single opponent - she was in a whole village of them. Bells rang and shouting increased, even as she knocked one from her stilts or kicked another unconscious.
It wasn't long before they piled onto her, dragging her down, and eventually - despite her best efforts - capturing poor Cynthia.
Less than an hour later, Cynthia knew her journey was over. She was tied to a massive tree at the center of the village and quick thoroughly secured. Her arms and legs were wrapped in thick hemp rope, first individually, then together, then against the tree. Dozens of villagers now circled her, tying her tighter and tighter. It was enough to make her tremble... and *then* then chanting started.
The elder walked forward and forced her mouth open. He poured a strange green potion into her open mouth. Sputtering and struggling, Cynthia couldn't help but swallow some. The chanting grew louder, and she found her mind growing cloudy. The last thing she felt was a thick wad of cotton between her lips and the tightening of a gag over her mouth before she fell asleep.
[[Game Over|Gameoverswamp]]
(font:"Open Sans")[##GAME OVER]
<a href="http://imgur.com/8Pfjy84"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/8Pfjy84.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
#Cynthia never returned to the /Unseen School/, doomed to life as a prisoner forever more of her one-time friends.
[[The End]]
She dodged and weaved between the strikes and swings of her assailants, staying just one step ahead of them. One in particular felt her ire, and she focused all her energy on knocking this one out first.
After a few blows to the head and a kick to the chest, he fell over in pain. A few stiltwalkers fled, but two still remained.
"Ready to talk yet?"
The two apparently still needed convincing. Each dug into his cloak, revealed a glowing green vial of liquid, and threw it at the wooden platform. The glass shattered, and a thick and noisome green gas seemed to escape from the broken vial.
One of them fled into the mist, while the other adopted a defensive stance with his wooden club.
[[Chase into the mist|Fight through the mist]]
[[Subdue the last one|Take out the other two]]
[[Enough! Flee the village|flee]]
For years, she had trained for this - and her training paid off. Each strike flowed into the next. Cynthia moved between and above her attackers like water through a creek; bending and swaying but always moving.
None of the townsfolk had time to coordinate an attack or come up with a trick. In a few moments, they all lie on the ground, groaning in pain. The ostentatious hut of the village elder was undefended.
[[Leader's Hut]]
It was several hours of searching the area mentioned by the stiltwalker before Cynthia realized she'd been had.
Of //course// they would send her on a wild goose chase. Of //course// the spiteful little swampies would tell her to literally get lost in a the woods. It had taken her keen perception to avoid falling prey to the various plants and predators that seemed to make the swamp their home.
After a frustrating and cold night in the fens, Cyn quickly left the way she came. She had no desire to spend another moment in this stinking swamp.
[[Exit the fens]]
The long walk gave Cyn time to reflect on her quarry.
"Cruel" never seemed to fit Fantom. Diabolical and 'evil' in a sense, but never arbitrary or cruel. Cyn had never considered the white-skinned witch to be anything worse than an egomaniac. She had a certain penchant for panel-gags (preferring the thickness and restraint of a harness and thick panel when deployed on a mission) and a peculiar obsession with tight leather... but these were merely quirks of character, not damning traits.
Still, if she was using her powers to hurt others, she needed to be brought to justice. Perhaps, once Fan was brought back to the Unseen School, she could be retrained and re-educated to use her powers for good. Perhaps.
[[Investigate the town]]
Cyn rushed into the billowing smoke. It was only a few seconds later she realized why the townsfolk always wore those plague masks. Despite her best efforts, she quickly fell unconscious as the gas overtook her.
Less than an hour later, Cynthia knew her journey was over. She was tied to a massive tree at the center of the village and quick thoroughly secured. Her arms and legs were wrapped in thick hemp rope, first individually, then together, then against the tree. Dozens of villagers now circled her, tying her tighter and tighter. It was enough to make her tremble... and *then* then chanting started.
The elder walked forward and forced her mouth open. He poured a strange green potion into her open mouth as she sputtered and struggled. The chanting grew louder, and she found her mind growing cloudy. The last thing she felt was a thick wad of cotton between her lips and the tightening of a gag over her mouth before she fell asleep.
[[Game Over|Gameoverswamp]]
The final villager looked ready.
"You come to our town, you assault our people... you're going to regret coming here. We're going to make sure you never leave."
He raises his club and charged Cynthia. She grinned, planted her feet... and at the last second, stepped aside. The clumsy assailant kept charging right past her, off the side of the wooden platform and into the waist-high waters.
"Enough!"
The gas began to disappate. Standing within it, three more stiltwalkers stood. One in a red robe, presumably the elder from earlier, flanked by two more.
"You're quite motivated, little miss. I predict you won't stop until you get what you've come for."
"That's quite correct."
"Then the best way to be rid of you seems to be giving you what you want. Zanthie? The sorceress? She and Fantom came here a few weeks ago. Fantom purchased slaves, while Cynthia purchased some of our alchemical goods."
The elder bowed his head. She wondered what he looked like behind the mask.
"The two of them left promptly after, and vowed never to return to our 'rancid fens.' Fantom bragged that she would settle in the town, while the purple-haired one demanded a tower of her own. She needed privacy to work out the kinks in her latest creation."
Cynthia exchanged apologies with those she'd so soundly beaten. It was best not to make more enemies.
[[A success|Victory Fens]]
It wasn't a glamorous exit, but it was a successful one.
Cynthia fled the forest, leaving the strange villagers and their tricks behind. She might not have gotten much info, but she knew where Zanthie and Cynthia were *not* hiding. After a rotten night of travel and some brief sleep, she returned to the valley.
[[Exit the fens]]
The village elder didn't have time to grab his mask when Cynthia entered the room. She noted his deep, sunken eyes and jaundiced yellow face. Perhaps this was why his people wore masks.
It wasn't difficult to extract information on her quarry after the display outside. He buckled immediately.
"The two of them left promptly after, and vowed never to return to our 'rancid wetlands.' Fantom bragged that she would settle in the town, while the purple-haired one demanded a tower of her own. She needed privacy to work out the kinks in her latest creation."
"Anything else?"
"It was several weeks ago. I can scarcely remember what I ate for lunch. All I can tell you is that Fantom is *everwyhere* in that town. Watch your back if you decide to chase after her."
Cynthia quickly and quietly left the village.
[[Sucess!|Victory Fens]]
Cyn gave herself a mental pat on the back. It was a throughly successful visit... even if the folks hadn't been terribly cooperative.
As a parting gift, she'd managed to 'acquire' a vial of that green liquid - one of those odd alchemical gas grenades she'd seen the stiltwalkers possessing.
(set: $grenade to true)
[[Exit the fens|Exit the fens]]
The marketplace was a simple, open space within the town's courtyard. This didn't seem like the sort of place that either of her foes would frequent; the goods available were simple, common, and //functional.// Fantom was nothing if not ostentatious. Grains and woodcraft and artisan pottery were all fine, but didn't quite match the esoteric tastes of the Unseen School.
Except, of course, one particular corner of the marketplace. Here, no foul livestock or foodstuffs were for sale. Here was a place that catered to very specific interests. Cynthia blushed.
Revealing costumes, probes and prods, and toys that certianly weren't aimed at children littered the stands and rugs of the merchants clustered in the corner.
Aside from the items of merriment, there were more unfortunate items for sale - slaves. Cynthia sighed, staring a white-haired woman trapped in a pillory.
She was kneeling on a rug, and placed in a pillory to keep her at waist height. Save for her black underwear, she was nude. Several implements of 'torture' lay near her; feathers for her feet, a paddle for her rear, and a crop for - well, anywhere.
Her hands and head were trapped within the pillory, but it didn't stop her from resisting and writhing every few moments. She was constantly testing her bonds, trying to loosen them, and occasionally shooting an angry glare at any passers-by. Spiky white hair flicked on occasion as she tried to break from the thick leather bonds that kept her so helpless.
"Interested?" the owner said. "Ms. Shard here used to be a real big criminal 'round this time, until the new church showed up! Now the church is trying to sell her off, and get her as far away from town as possible!"
Cynthia shook her head, blocking it from her mind as she browsed the other wares. She had money for just one item.
[[Purchase the master-crafted leather hood]]
[[Buy a nun's habit|Buy nun outfit]]
The thick smell of frankincense. The sounds of a woman plucking at a sitar. Decorations on the wall made of animal bones. White clay cups and wooden furniture. "The Ribcage" certainly had the look of a bleached carcass.
It felt a bit more homely, though. A few individuals loiter inside. Cynthia listened in as they gleefully discussed mundane mercantilism and grimaced when they discussed their sordid trade in slaves.
Fantom, it seems, was known in the town for facilitating the trade in kidnapped captives. Apparently, she'd been to this very bar, and drank from these very cups! When tipsy, she'd brag about her 'lethic' spells; given a little time to prepare, she could counter any physical attack. Merely touching her would be enough to throw the attacker into a mindless stupor or sleep. Privately, Cynthia wondered how much was truth, and how much was hyperbole. Hopefully, she wouldn't need to find out.
The bartender was an older man; a widow's peak, white hair to his neck, and a clean-shaven face that seemed to accentuate a scowl.
Four others in the room congregated at tables or alone. Women and men both with short hair or shaved heads. Some sported wicked tattoos along their neckline and face. They were universally dressed in the leathers of hunters or travelers.
[[Intimidate - Ask about Fantom directly|Be direct - aggressively inquire about Fantom]]
[[Persuasion - Ask about Fantom discreetly|Be charming - subtly inquire about Fantom]]
[[Get a drink]]
[[Sit and listen]]
The church lived up to its name. White stone and alabaster-white ceramics made up the walls, the pews, and the plinths. It became rapidly clear to Cynthia that this place had ulterior services.
<a href="http://imgur.com/WexJcFU"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/WexJcFUl.jpg?1" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
Maybe it was the provocative statues; maybe it was the walls lined with tawdry 'art.' Perhaps it was the clientele... or the entirely sensual way that the acolytes and clergy here were conducting themselves. "Services," it seemed, were held at the requests of whomever could pay for them.
Cynthia quickly found herself blushing... especially after one of the clergywomen offered her a position as a low-ranking member of their order.
"I'm fine, thank you!" Cynthia stammered. She was trying to spot a point of ingress... Fantom's secrets were surely centered in this corrupt institution. She was being very carefully monitored.
"That is a shame, ma'am."
[[Sneak off|Try to sneak off and hide until nighttime]]
[[Visit the tavern|The Ribcage, the tavern]]
[[Visit the marketplace|Marketplace]]
The town wasn't large - and it wasn't difficult for Cynthia to get the sense that she was being followed.
Dalaston seemed to be a small hub of trade, and all these Alabater Nuns were fairly conspicuous, and clearly intimidated the locals. The shuttering of doors and occasional gasps of the crowd indicated that a few of the nuns were following her just out of eyesight.
(set: $fantomalerted to true)
[[Confront the nuns]]
[[Lose them in the marketplace]]
[[Create a distraction|Use your gold coins to distract them with beggars, Assassin's Creed style]]
The outfits were certainly less //modest// than Cyn was expecting.
It reminded Cynthia of a nun's habit, but the proportions are off. Rather than large and unshapely, it was form-fitting. Rather than covering the body, slits in very specific locales provided for a wide glimpse of the wearer's cleavage and thighs.
The headpiece, normally a demure coif, consisted of a white veil that covered the mouth and nose.
And that was to say nothing of the way it was secured - with tantilizing black leather straps.
(if: $grenade is true)[[[Throw the gas grenade!|Nun Captured from Fight, but grab their costume!]]]
[[Take them out!|Nuns spill the beans]]
[[Surrender to the nuns?]]
[[Talk to them]]
Cynthia ducked into the marketplace, and quickly disappeared into a maze of stalls. Her pursuers quickly became lost themselves.
The [[Marketplace]]
A few gold pieces flew high into the air. By the time they clinked against the ground, Cynthia was long gone. Townsfolk crowded the streets - even a few of the acolytes were distracted. Cynthia chuckled from a rooftop.
"You fools," rasped one, "You're breaking character!"
"Such //attitude//," said another. "We lost her - so what? Fantom's still hanging out in her private little room at the tavern. We've got plenty of time to find one little ninja."
Cynthia crept away as they bickered. From the sounds of it, security at their little church was light - most of their order was searching for a certain ninja that matched her description...
[[Visit the tavnern|The Ribcage, the tavern]]
[[Explore the marketplace|Marketplace]]
[[Sneak into the Church]]
With knowledge of the church gained from her recent captives, Cynthia was able to enter the church with ease. She slipped past the few remaining nuns and disappeared into the rafters. There, she hid for a few minutes until any possible witnesses filtered away.
As they left, they shut the door behind them and began to chant. It seemed that they were empowering magical security - an arcane trap to nab any unwelcome guests while they were gone.
//"Free our minds,
Arouse our souls,
Near to our hearts
Teach us our roles
Occlude our bodies..."//
She couldn't make out the last phrase over the low hum coming from the glowing runes on the floor. One wrong step, and Cynthia- well, she wasn't sure what would happen...
No doubt the passphrase would be the same to deactivate or activate their magical security. Cynthia took a deep breath and began to recite the words, hoping she would be right.
"Free our minds, Arouse our souls, Near to our hearts, Teach us our roles, Occlude our bodies...
[[...In your teachings we enroll!|Nunpuzzlefailure]]
[[...Free us from rigamarole!|Nunpuzzlefailure]]
[[...Your soul as black as coal!|Nunpuzzlefailure]]
[[...Make us whole!|Nunpuzzlesuccess]]
[[...Thy teachings enshrined on scrolls!|Nunpuzzlefailure]]
A bunch of thieves dressed as clergy, or a trained shinobi? Some ladies in ludicrous get-ups, or the prime student of the Unseen School?
The fight was hardly fair.
Later in the afternoon, both of the two acolytes were prisoners. Cynthia had found a shack and helped herself to two chairs inside. She was also treating herself to a view of a job well-done.
Each had been stripped down to their underwear and positioned in the simple dining chairs. The two wrongdoers were back-to-back and bound at the wrists... for starters. Cynthia had made certain they wouldn't escape, making sure to lash them to the chair quite stringently! Bindings at their ankles and knees, a half-dozen loops around their nude bellies - and in just in case they got some vague idea of escape, each had been blindfolded to minimize communication.
Also - as if she didn't already know - the captive clergy insisited that Fantom was a //narcissist.// She had paintings of her commissioned and rituals recited in her name.
Cynthia took a seat in the lap of one of her prisoners.
"Let's talk about Fantom. I'm an old friend."
The cowardly curs spilled the beans on their 'dear leader' with only the mildest of motivations. Her job finished, Cynthia gave her two cooperative captives a pat on the head and stuffed their mouths before gagging them.
It would seem that Fantom was alerted to Cyntha's presence and was hoping - possibly even //expecting// her to submit to the pale-skinned princess! Of course, if she didn't, she apparently had some sort of trap in place - an arcane concoction developed in her fake church. Fantom, it seemed, was busy engaging in lurid and lascivious behavior in her hideout beneath the tavern.
"Judging by the condition of the house, the owner will be back any minute. I wonder what she or he will do upon finding you two here?" Cynthia chuckled at the thought.
"Mmmphh! Nngnrrrgh!"
"Oh, you're giving me your outfits? Thanks! You two really were great. I hope we can work together soon!"
Cynthia donned her new disguise and shut the door quietly as she returned to the streets.
Now disguised, Cynthia decided to visit...
[[the tavern|Tavern when in disguise]]
[[the church|Church when in disguise]]
Cynthia was able to defeat them with ease - sending each of them, in turn, running away in a huff - leaving their slowest member to Cynthia's care!
This, of course, meant that Cynthia showed her every hospitality. She was grabbed and dragged to an alleyway, and tied up. It was all quick, quiet, and quite intimidating.
Her outfit was ripped and ruined, now kept in place by snug ropes.
"Do you feel like discussing your boss?"
It would seem that Fantom was alerted to Cyntha's presence and was hoping - possibly even //expecting// her to submit to the pale-skinned princess! Of course, if she didn't, she apparently had some sort of trap in place - an arcane concoction developed in her fake church. As for Fantom's location, the little acolyte didn't know - she had several hideouts across the city, but she wasn't at the tavern.
Also - as if she didn't already know - the captive clergy insisited that Fantom was a //narcissist.// She had paintings of her commissioned and rituals recited in her name.
Cynthia was so pleased with her captive's cooperation she almost let her go... almost.
[[Ribcage Secret Basement]]
[[Alabaster, the church]]
[[Sneak into the Church]] `
Of //course// Fantom would hide beneath a tavern. It was a veritable den of vice - the walls contained barrels and bound beauties.
A dozen or so revelers were here, enjoying themselves at the expense of their captives. Some were wearing exotic outfits - maids and princesses and stranger things still (why did that one seem to have bit and bridle?) while others simply wriggled around as playthings for Fantom and her assorted crew. It made Cynthia's blood boil.
One captive bowed politely. Her lips were sealed with a strip of cloth, but she seemed genuinely pleased to be here. A number of them did, in fact... Cynthia wasn't sure if it was arcane magic or Fantom's charm. For a brief moment, she doubted herself. Was this really as awful as it seemed? Perhaps the tales and impressions of endless slaves were exaggerated just a bit.
Fantom had a tendency to do that.
[[Fantom noticed Cynthia's arrival.|Fantomfight]]
`
It wasn't hard to slip away - the inattentive 'nuns' didn't seem very interested in her. Obviously, she didn't match their usual clientele. She found a secluded crawlspace and disappeared.
A few hours later, the chuch grew quiet. It seemed that the "clergy" were all leaving as part of a seach party to find some pesky ninja in town. The last thing she heard was their chant as they exited.
//"Free our minds,
Arouse our souls,
Near to our hearts
Teach us our roles
Occlude our bodies..."//
She couldn't make out the last phrase in the chant.
Emerging from her hiding gave her a fright as she saw nearly every inch covered in arcane runes. It seems that while the residents were gone, their church was no less vulnerable.
//That chant,// she mused. //Fantom would never trust something complex to her followers.//
No doubt the passphrase would be the same to deactivate or activate their magical security. Cynthia took a deep breath and began to recite the words, hoping she would be right.
"Free our minds, Arouse our souls, Near to our hearts, Teach us our roles, Occlude our bodies...
[[...Tie us to poles!|Nunpuzzlefailure]]
[[...Go for a stroll!|Nunpuzzlefailure]]
[[...In your teachings we enroll!|Nunpuzzlefailure]]
[[...Free us from rigamarole!|Nunpuzzlefailure]]
[[...Make us whole!|Nunpuzzlesuccess]]
[[...Your soul as black as coal!|Nunpuzzlefailure]]
[[...Thy teachings enshrined on scrolls!|Nunpuzzlefailure]]
The moment Cynthia's foot grazed the glowing rune, she knew she had made a mistake. It was a half-second later that she was paralyzed, and a few seconds before the magical alarm started to blare.
It was a few minutes later that the guards came. They moved with gloating purpose; taking their sweet time in walking over to the magically-paralyzed ninja. Despite her stiff and sprawled pose, they were still able to scoop her up. Resistance wasn't futile - it was impossible. She could barely breathe, much less resist the strong hands of a half-dozen acolytes.
It was a few hours later that they had finished binding her. It was important to make an example of intruders! First, they had her hooded; her hair pulled back and entire faced covered in supple leather. They quickly laced it in place before sealing her in with a metal padlock. They laughed, and she hoped they'd remember which key they were using. Her arms and legs were spread into a massive 'X', and locked onto a wooden frame. It was the most vulnerable she had felt in a long time, and the straps they locked didn't help. Each strap and buckle was locked in place - all along her limbs and one around her belly. She bucked, but only felt the strain of leather on her exposed, creamy skin.
It was a few days she felt cool air against her exposed body. The clergy had decided that Cynthia would become a permanent fixture of their new church; a symbol of devotion that would hang at the very top of their bell tower. Alone and helpless, she couldn't do more than more than moan and mewl. Her grunts echoed down the bell tower, gracing the chapel and Alabaster Church with the sounds of her begging sounds.
It was a few weeks before Fantom noticed that it was Cynthia - her old rival - hanging in her tower.
It would be a very long time before she had a chance at freedom, and by then, she didn't want it.
[[Game Over]]
The humming stopped, and the glowing runes faded away. Cynthia breathed a sigh of relief.
With the church empty, she was able to explore at her liesure. It wasn't long before she found a site of interest - the bedroom of the White Witch herself, Fantom!
A massive, four-poster bed with veiled curtains... a workbench filled with alchemical tools... a manakin for dressing... a small circle for casting spells - this was Fantom's room all right. The entire room seemed to be a testament to her vanity. A painting on the wall showed Fantom seated on a throne and wearing a crown. Another showed her being carried by a procession of-
"Mmmrgh!"
Cynthia nearly yelped with surprise when the manakin grunted.
//It// was in fact a //she.// Some poor thing was kept down here, dehumanized and desensitized to her heavy bondage. A fully-enclosed leather catsuit ran from her neck to her extremities; a metal body-cage kept her in one stock-still pose. Her hands disappeared into an armbinder, laced and locked behind her back. She drooled slightly into a wide ball-gag.
"Are you all right?" she said, removing the red ball from her lips.
"Ohhh... Miss Fantom, is that you?"
Cynthia patted the captive's cheek.
"No, I'm - my name is Cynthia. Are you hurt? Can you walk?"
The captive's eyes seemed glazed-over.
"Where would I go?"
"Where- why, anywhere you want! Quickly, I need to find the key for all your locks..."
"Why would I want to go anywhere else?"
Cynthia raised an eyebrow.
"I'd rather stay here, thank you," she said blankly. Cynthia sighed.
"I know not what spell that woman has you under, but rest assured - I'll break it."
"She will break you. She rears back and spreads her arms wide like an eagle. She waits for you to strike, letting the energy build," the hypnotized captive muttered. "But you will strike, and in that moment you will be hers."
Cynthia rifled through Fantom's papers as the captive trailed off. Notes on her retreat - a secret hideout beneath "The Ribcage" - confirmed Fantom's location. She was doubtless enjoying herself at the expense of a number of poor victims!
She left the room. Hopefully she wouldn't end up like that one...
[[Confront Fantom|Ribcage Secret Basement]]
The outfit was white and black and a strange sacrelige.
It reminded Cynthia of a nun's habit, but the proportions are off. Rather than large and unshapely, it was form-fitting. Rather than covering the body, slits in very specific locales provided for a wide glimpse of the wearer's cleavage and thighs.
The headpiece, normally a demure coif, consisted of a white veil that covered the mouth and nose.
And that was to say nothing of the way it was secured - with tantilizing black leather straps.
Cynthia swallowed and handed over a few silver coins. The merchant eyed her, noting the heroine blushing, but said nothing more.
The shinobi quickly left the marketplace. A few had started to stare. Perhaps she'd spent more time looking at these outfits and toys than she realized.
[[Leave the marketplace|NunsOnTheStreet]]
The church lived up to its name. White stone and alabaster-white ceramics made up the walls, the pews, and the plinths. It became rapidly clear to Cynthia that this place had ulterior services.
Maybe it was the provocative artwork... or maybe it was the fact that the 'worshippers' seemed intent on carnal desire over any sort of penance.
She spent a few moments wandering the structure, entering areas and passing through dimly-lit rectories. Although she didn't find Fantom herself, she found Fantom's bedroom - the next best thing.
A massive, four-poster bed with veiled curtains... a workbench filled with alchemical tools... a manakin for dressing... a small circle for casting spells - this was Fantom's room all right. The entire room seemed to be a testament to her vanity. A painting on the wall showed Fantom seated on a throne and wearing a crown. Another showed her being carried by a procession of-
"Mmmrgh!"
Cynthia nearly yelped with surprise when the manakin grunted.
//It// was in fact a //she.// Some poor thing was kept down here, dehumanized and desensitized to her heavy bondage. A fully-enclosed leather catsuit ran from her neck to her extremities; a metal body-cage kept her in one stock-still pose. Her hands disappeared into an armbinder, laced and locked behind her back. She drooled slightly into a wide ball-gag.
"Are you all right?" she said, removing the red ball from her lips.
"Ohhh... Miss Fantom, is that you?"
Cynthia patted the captive's cheek.
"No, I'm - my name is Cynthia. Are you hurt? Can you walk?"
The captive's eyes seemed glazed-over.
"Where would I go?"
"Where- why, anywhere you want! Quickly, I need to find the key for all your locks..."
"Why would I want to go anywhere else?"
Cynthia raised an eyebrow.
"I'd rather stay here, thank you," she said blankly. Cynthia sighed.
"I know not what spell that woman has you under, but rest assured - I'll break it."
"She will break you. She rears back and spreads her arms wide like an eagle. She waits for you to strike, letting the energy build," the hypnotized captive muttered. "But you will strike, and in that moment you will be hers."
Cynthia rifled through Fantom's papers as the captive trailed off. Notes on her retreat - a secret hideout beneath "The Ribcage" - confirmed Fantom's location. She was doubtless enjoying herself at the expense of a number of poor victims!
She left the room. Hopefully she wouldn't end up like that one...
[[Confront Fantom|Ribcage Secret Basement]]
The thick smell of frankincense. The sounds of a woman plucking at a sitar. Decorations on the wall made of animal bones. White clay cups and wooden furniture. "The Ribcage" certainly had the look of a bleached carcass.
It felt a bit more homely, though. A few individuals loiter inside. Cynthia listened in as they gleefully discussed mundane mercantilism and grimaced when they discussed their sordid trade in slaves.
Fantom, it seems, was known in the town for facilitating the trade in kidnapped captives. Apparently, she'd been to this very bar, and drank from these very cups! When tipsy, she'd brag about her 'lethic' spells; given a little time to prepare, she could counter any physical attack. Merely touching her would be enough to throw the attacker into a mindless stupor or sleep. Privately, Cynthia wondered how much was truth, and how much was hyperbole. Hopefully, she wouldn't need to find out.
The bartender was an older man; a widow's peak, white hair to his neck, and a clean-shaven face that seemed to accentuate a scowl.
Four others in the room congregated at tables or alone. Women and men both with short hair or shaved heads. Some sported wicked tattoos along their neckline and face. They were universally dressed in the leathers of hunters or travelers.
Everyone in the tavern stopped as Cynthia strode in slinky white-and-black.
The bartender calmly passed her a clay cup containing a bright red and aromatic liquor.
[["Where is Fantom?|Ask where Fantom isf]]
[["Thank you for the drink."|Nunsuccess]]
Cynthia loudly placed an elbow on the bar. The bartender's grimace relaxed.
"I'm looking for a woman."
"Would a man do?" The bartender retorted. A few other patrons chuckled.
"No. A woman. My height. Busty. Pale white skin. Calls herself Fantom."
He sighed. "I've heard of her. She's been here a few times."
Cynthia leaned forward.
"And when she left, where did she go?"
The kunoichi stared at the bartender. He was flicking his eyes left and right; shifting from staring at //her// to somthing right behind her.
She ducked, and a chair soared past her and hit the bartender, knocking the white-haired man to the ground.
[[Brawl!|Ribcagefight]]
[[Surrender|Tavernprison]]
"So," said Cynthia. "I'm looking for someone."
She tried her best to play up her innocent nature. She batted her lashes and shifted in her seat.
"This is a rather private establishment," the keeper grunted. "Mostly regulars."
"Well, then you can definitely help me out, because I do believe she is a regular!"
He chewed his lip for a moment. "Do you have a name? A description?"
"Ah... she's a special sort."
"I've no patience for games, girl."
Cynthia huffed and leaned onto the bar. She whispered at the tender in as low and sultry a voice as she could muster.
"Oh, fine. Her name is Fantom, and we're old, old friends. I've a little gift for her."
He blinked several times.
"Oh? What kind of gift?"
(if: $hood is true)[
[[A mastercrafted hood with her favorite gag".|TavernQuizRight]]]
[["Gemstones of the finest cuts."|Tavernquizfail]]
[["A captive, recently put on the market by the church."|Tavernquizfail]]
[["A tome filled with magical spells to enthrall her enemies."|Tavernquizfail]]
[["Myself - Cynthia Heart, ready to serve her."|TavernQuizRight]]
[["Myself - the sorceress Zanthie, hoping to meet with my fellow evildoer."|TavernQuizRight]]
Cynthia did her best to fit in, resulting in her gulping down a bitter-tasting ale.
Perhaps some expression on her face had given away her displeasure at the drink, as she felt the glares and stares of the other barroom patrons.
They had noticed something about her. She just wasn't sure what.
[[Be direct - aggressively inquire about Fantom]]
[[Be charming - subtly inquire about Fantom]]
[[Exit the bar|Just walk about randomly]]
//One test...// Cynthia muttered to herself.
//Just one test I could never pass.// The only one that mattered now.
The heroine had never once managed to pass escape training. She thought it silly at the time; how often was she going to be tied up? How frequently would she be kept with ropes and locks and restraints? The odds seemed quiet slim, so she had neglected the training, failed the test, and simply ignored the teachers' admonitions to re-take it. She now cursed her arrogance, because she was quite thoroughly, strictly bound.
Her arms were secured at the wrist at the small of her back. The jingling of chains and the snug metal against her wrists told her that she was securely cuffed. Her biceps were tucked against her chest, and secured as such with tough hemp rope. It kept her compacted, harnessing her arms to her body and providing a 'frame' for her breasts.
Manipulating anything was out of the question, but so was running away. Shapely thighs and gentle curves certainly turned heads, but she wasn't enough of a brute to break through the rope that bound her legs. Careful loops around her ankles and knees were lashed together, with another loop around her thighs.
To top it all off, they had taken her jacket.
She'd felt hands all over their body. As she tossed and turned, recovering from her drugged sleep, it was clear that her captors had enjoyed inspecting the goods. Pokes and prods at her cheeks mixed with evil pinches at her chest. Only as she came to did they stop, but she was sure they'd be back.
After all, someone would have to come for the others.
[[Who else?]]
She tripped and stumbled and finally, barely managed to make her way to the row of keys. Cynthia turned around, felt at the keys, and grabbed the one she had calculated was correct!
The ruffian returned with Cyn still fiddling at her cuffs. She grinned. Cynthia had lost. The last thing she saw was her new hood - labeled '28' in bold - before it was slid over her head. It was laced tightly and locked in place with a heavy metal collar.
<a href="http://imgur.com/WmEcioi"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/WmEcioih.jpg" title="Art by Karyu" /></a>
[[So close with that puzzle...]]
Cynthia was surrounded, in an enclosed space, and with nowhere to run. This was, of course, her preferred form of fighting. There was nothing quite like a tavern-brawl.
She relished the chance to get //acrobatic.// Dodging blows, knocking stools through the air, quietly bringing a fist onto the exposed crainium of a confused brawler... she was quick and quiet, and within under a minute, the entire crew - the bartender included - was moaning on the ground or unconscious.
The sitar-player hadn't stopped the entire time. In fact, she had engaged in a movement - her strums and melody just loud enough to cover up the occasional crash of wood or flesh.
She stared at Cynthia and removed part of her cloak, exposing a leather collar around her neck. Cynthia smiled back. "You're free now. You should probably leave before they wake."
Her smile was returned warmly. The former prisoner pointed out a secret passage on the wall before vacating the Ribcage.
[[Into the secret passage|Ribcage Secret Basement]]
"Oh, *Cynthia!*" Fantom exclaimed. "I'm so very pleased you could make it here!"
Cynthia planted her legs firmly. She showed no hint of fear as Fantom stood up and confronted her.
"Fantom! Surrender now. You know why I'm here, and you know I'm the better fighter."
"Surrender?" Fantom let out a long, haughty and high-pitched laugh. "You've walked right into my den of debachery and you want //me// to surrender?"
"That's right!" Cynthia spat back. "You don't want to make a fool of yourself in front of all your - who are these people, your friends? Your followers? Your slaves? Call it now, and you can leave with your dignity intact. Resist..."
Fantom took a step forward. "Resist and you'll... hurt me? Beat me up?"
Cynthia adopted a fighing stance.
"Whatever could you do to me, Cynthia?" Fantom put one hand on her hip. "Strip me down and bind me? Lock my hands in cuffs and mitts and throw away the key? Tease my most sensitive spots with hot wax? Stimulate me with lurid tales? Or maybe you'll just cast a spell on me and lock me up in some oubliette?"
Their eyes met.
(if: $blessed is 1)[[[Use your saved magic!|Hypnotize Fantom]]]
(if: $fantomalerted is true)[[[Ambush!|Ambushed by Fantom]]](else:)[
[[Talk to Fantom]]
[[Fight Fantom immediately]]
[[Submit yourself to her|Submit to Fantom's Charm]]]
"So, this is how it ends?" Cynthia said sadly.
"Ends? Oh no! This is just the beginning!" Fantom cackled. "I'm already trying to figure out what I'm going go do to you."
Fantom spread her arms wide, like a soaring eagle or - or an icon of power!
"Now... should I encase you in a cell //beneath// my room? That way you'll be able to hear me whenever I have a guest - or your little mewls can soothe me to sleep. Or maybe I should have you //in// my room - I bet you'd be a great cuddle-toy."
(if: $grenade is true)[Cynthia also remembered she still had that alchemical stun grenade. All she needed was a moment to prepare it...]
[[Submit!|Submit to Fantom's Charm]]
[[Fight Fantom immediately]]
[[Stall|Stall talking to Fantom]]
Cynthia took a single step forward. It was all that she had time for before Fantom's spell hit her.
"Oh, my dear old friend," Fantom cooed.
"I'm... nnrrrgh! I'm..." Cynthia stammered. It felt like she was walking into a tornado; it was like there was an intense gust of wind was pressing down and back on her. It took all her energy not to submit and fall to her feet. Her knees buckled and she reflexively put one hand in front of her face to deflect the blast.
"What was that?" Fantom said. Her face already had a wide grin, and it was growing wider. The sorceress seemed to have prepared a spell to specifically affect Cynthia the moment she entered the harem.
Fantom stepped forward, mimicking Cynthia. "You... you weren't my friend? Oh, please! You and I were school chums. We got along famously! Causing trouble, pranking the other students - heck, we practically ran that school!"
Cynthia jumped out of the way as Fantom unleashed another spell.
"You can never be my classmate in the same way... but maybe you could be my toy!" Her voice boomed; the magical energy in the room seemed to be approaching climax.
[[Strike now!|Use the environment against her]]
[[Prepare to counter-attack!|Use speed against Fantom]]
Cynthia realized she was on the other side of the room. It had hit her with so much force, such an intense impact...
Her head spun as she tried to get up. She'd been blown across the room, landing in a pile of pillows. Slaves scattered and Fantom's clique parted ways.
"Cynthia Heart, you look surprised!"
The ninja tried to get up, but her whole body felt slowed. She could barely resist the spell...
"I had that prepared hours ago. The second my servants saw you, I knew I had to have you! I knew that you were coming, and I've been eager to have you groveling at my feet..."
The heroine felt her body growing weaker - her will breaking. If she kept this up, she was going to //break//. She needed to submit, to drop to the floor and beg for forgiveness.
She looked up and saw Fantom slowly walking forward.
[[Submit|Submit to Fantom's Charm]]
[[Struggle|Struggle against Fantom]]
Cynthia wasn't entirely sure what to do with her. It seemed //highly// unlikely that she'd be able to transport her all the way back to their village - no doubt she'd take //every// chance to escape. Not to mention that Zanthie was still out there.
She did what any kunoichi would do in her place - she made sure her former friend would be adequately punished for her crimes. Clearly, she was a capable infiltrator, and that meant that Fantom would be able to pick any lock or cut any rope tha tbound her hands... unless they were properly mittened. Each of her shapeley hands went into the thick, padded mitts, both of which were box-tied around her back. They slid easily over Fantom's gloves, and were quickly laced in place. A thick metal padlock sealed them behind her, with two more padlocks keeping her biceps strapped to her torso. It was a nice package. Cynthia took a brief moment to marvel at the wonders of modern restraint.
A similar set of cuffs went around her calves; thick and extremely wide, they were locked individually, then together. The lacing was taut, and it was almost tedious to lace them all together. Still, proper measures had to be observed when transporting a would-be conquerer.
Some few taut coils of rope had been a temporary solution, but now they completed the package. Fantom could - and definitely would - still buck, wriggle, and writhe, but her limbs were secure and her magic sealed.
[[What do we do with her?|What to do with Fantom?]]
Cynthia struck home. She dodged one blast of air, then another; she slid beneath a table as its contents flew into the air, and finally came face-to-face with her rival. She was clearly in the middle of casting a spell... or at least, she wanted to look that way.
A high kick stopped Cynthia dead in her tracks as Fantom's stun-spell left her cloudy.
Cynthia had never had a taste for magic. Yes, she had begun to study mystical stone-shaping techniques and arcane rituals, but she had always come back to more physical applications - magic was simply not in her blood. She regretted that now.
"Magic, dear Cynthia, is a means to an end. It makes it //so// much easier for me to tie you up. We don't have to scuffle for twenty minutes before giving in - this way, we get to keep your nice coat intact!"
[[Intact for what...?|Beaten by Fantom's Force]]
(font: "Open Sans")[Much, much later...]
The walls were lined with a dozen trophies.
In perfect stasis, trapped within a diverse assortment of magical bindings, Fantom's trophies occasionally cooed and wriggled in their bindings. They hung from body-cages, they squirmed on racks, they gently swayed in the afternoon candlelight.
They hadn't aged a day, and neither had Fantom. If anything, Fantom was more youthful - more virile than before.
There was one trophy missing, though - an infamous one, the first one, one that was known for fishnets and a white outfit. The slot on the wall plainly read CYNTHIA. Someone had borrowed her.
Far from the endless chants of Fantom's growing acolytes, hidden away in a most secluded and private bedchamber, Fantom gently set down her favorite plaything.
"All this time later, and I still can't keep my hands off of you. You must tell me, Cynthia dearest - //how do you do it?//"
Cynthia moaned as Fantom gently ran her hands over her curves. There was yet much to learn.
<a href="http://imgur.com/JgGPj0U"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/JgGPj0Ul.jpg" title="It's not so bad, is it, Cynthia?" /></a>
[[Game Over]]
Fantom's face went from overjoyed to frustrated. Her spell fizzled - a ruined climax - as Cynthia waited to strike.
A shockwave sent small objects flying through the room. Fantom panted, her magic expended.
The smoke quickly cleared, and Cynthia stepped forward. Fantom's eyes widened.
[[Subdue Fantom|Subdue Fantom]]
[["Any last words?"]]
(if: $hood is 'true')[[[Use the hood, quickly!|Use the hood]]]
"Fantom... please. You know we weren't trained for this!"
"Trained for what, Cyn?"
Cynthia scratched her head. "For... for this! You're being mean! You're abusing your powers! We're supposed to do good and fight evil!"
Fantom sighed. "You're calling me mean?"
She felt her spiky hair going static with energy. Fantom was preparing something big.
"I'll show you //mean//."
(if: $grenade is true)[[[Throw it!|throwatfantom!]]]
[[Ambushed by Fantom]]
Cynthia summoned every ounce of strength - it took all her resolve to avoid falling and collapsing into a slumbering stupor. Visions of pleasure, quiet, and endless sybaritic submission flooded her head.
Fantom knelt down to Cynthia - the white witch standing tall, the poor kunoichi on her hands and knees from the magic.
"Look at you... I'm stooped on your level now! Just like the old days rooming together - except now I'm on top. Any last words, classmate?"
[[Submit to Fantom's Charm]]
(if: $hood is true)[[[Use the hood]]]!
Cynthia drew on the power gathered earlier. Fantom, already drained and exerted from a particularly //raucous// night of debauchery, was no match. The good-hearted Cynthia couldn't bear to permanently wound her former friend - settling instead for a powerful stunbolt.
Though it only stunnder Fantom, it was more than enough to knock her unconscious - leaving Cynthia to determine her fate.
[[She is no more.|Defeated Fantom]]
It was very convenient that Fantom had filled her harem with all manner of restraints. It was a quick fix bind her. She almost seemed compliant - almost. Beaten but defiant, she struggled until she was well and truly trapped.
[[Fantom is no more.|Defeated Fantom]]
<a href="http://imgur.com/yiRDh2l"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/yiRDh2ll.jpg" title="She's knocked out..." /></a>
Order was quickly returned to the town of Dalaston. The slaves were released, and Fantom's gang quickly deserted town once they learned their dear leader was now devastatingly detained. The Ribcage itself was emptied out, the spells in the Alabaster Church broken, and the false clergy deposed.
Cynthia set her sights on her last target - Zanthie.
To do so meant leaving Fantom... somewhere. Perhaps she could return later to retriever her, but she needed to be //kept// somewhere. Magically preserved within her hood, Cynthia only needed to decide in whose loving care she'd be left in.]]
[[Sell Fantom in the market]]
[[Turn Fantom over to her captives]]
[[Store Fantom away!]]
<a href="http://imgur.com/ARK44ff"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/ARK44ffl.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
Fantom took some minor solace in the knowledge that she was worth a high price indeed. Hung like a prize fish and easy prey for any hoping for a quick grope, the sorceress would soon become the most prized of all prize trophies in a nearby castle.
(set: $fantomfate to "market")
[[That takes care of that. ]]
<a href="http://imgur.com/ARK44ff"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/ARK44ffl.jpg" title="Poor Fantom..." /></a>
She couldn't argue with their methods - even if they were a bit barbaric! Cynthia allowed the former captives of Fantom's little scheme to do anything they wanted with her. That meant keeping her alive and well as a living symbol to any who would dare try and steal their sovereignity. Hoisted high and hung by her ankles, Fantom would turn into a 'flag' for freed slaves - albeit one occasionally lowered to half mast for certain interactive ceremonies.
(set: $fantomfate to "turnedover")
[[That takes care of that. ]]
Cynthia completed the ritual. She removed the gag and gasped.
She absorbed some of the residual energy and breathed deep. Within her mind's eye, she could see her breath floating through the air. A thin ribbon of aether, flickering as though at the edge of her vision, drew her deeper into the swamp.
After a few minutes of following her incantation incarnation, she caught up to it. The ritual was complete. //Cynthia felt empowered by the magic.// She knew in her mind's eye that Fantom was hiding within the town; she was filled with images of the pale-skinned Fantom in some subterranean space, surrounded by revelers and captives.
Meanwhile, Zanthie was strutting left and right through a lofty tower. She seemed to be dictating some spell to an inanimate pile of metal and wood.
The vision ended. Cynthia knew where to go, and she felt that she would get the drop on them if needbe.
(set: $blessed to 1)
[[Leave the swamp|Exit the fens]]
A thick, padded leather hood caught Cynthia's eye. It was dark brown leather and carefully treated. She coild smell the oil as she held it.
It was smooth and flexible, but the purpose was obvious. The laces in the back would quickly seal the wearer inside, and without some carefuly manual dexterity they'd be thoroughly trapped.
Tiny loops on the sides made way for the thick panel-gag and the heavy blindfold. Both seemed to be metal padded around leather; clearly designed to block even magical foresight, much less ordinary human senses.
She held it, and felt a certain tingle. It was a fetish in the truest sense; an object that held no inherent value until used and worn. She imagined - briefly - what it would be like to wear it, to be trapped - to have her mouth packed and lips sealed and sight and sound blocked by luscious leather.
She threw some coins at the merchant, who returned a grin. Cynthia justified her purchase with the knowledge that it would keep Fantom or Zanthie from casting more spells, if she could only hood them.
The shinobi quickly left the marketplace. A few had started to stare. Perhaps she'd spent more time looking at these outfits and toys than she realized.a
(set: $hood to true)
[[Alabaster, the church]]
[[Just walk around randomly]]
[[The Ribcage, the tavern]]
''Greetings, Sister.''
Cynthia stepped out of the marketplace and felt a chill down her spine. Who had....
A trio of robed figures were walking past her. Each of them kept their hands in a prayer position. She noticed one of them seemed to have her wrists bound.
All three wore the same costume she had just purchased. Long gloves, form-fitting robes and silvery veils indicated they were members of the the Church.
Before she could inquire further, they were on their way.
Cyn stared at her purchase. This could be quite handy. She eyed a private spot to don her garments.
[[Visit the Alabaster Church|Church when in disguise]]
[[Visit the local taver|Tavern when in disguise]]
Cynthia quietly left the bar behind. Perhaps she'd return when heads had cooled.
[[Onward}|Just walk around randomly]]
Cynthia's answer seemed sufficient.
Everyone in the room seemed to tense up.
A woman with a half-shaved head of bizarre pink hair tapped her shoulder.
"Of course. C'mon down, miss. I'm sure Fantom is waiting for you."
The ruffian discreetly escorted Cynthia to a blank wall. "Just walk on through. It's just an illusion."
Cynthia bowed and stepped forward, walking directly into a solid wall. She rubbed her head in confusion, but quickly found her hands grabbed and forced behind her back.
"Nice try, but wrong answer," said the ruffian. "Sweet dreams."
Something foul was shoved before her, and Cynthia quickly succumbed to sleep.
[[Later...|Tavernprison]]
The crowd quieted slightly. Only the strumming of the entertainer's fingers on the sitar filled the reticent room.
One woman with her hair partially shaved (and outrageously pink) called towards Cynthia.
"Here. Follow." She motioned towards the wall with her head.
"Obviously," said the gruff woman, "you //do// know Fantom. C'mere."
Cynthia put her fingers on the wall, tracing and looking for a secret door. The woman giggled. "Don't think about it. Just walk."
The ninja held her breath, and stepped forward. She was through the wall.
[[Down the stairs|Ribcage Secret Basement]]
The question seemed to meet with derision, skepticism... even confusion by the guests in the Ribcage.
"I said," Cynthia repeated, using as low and sultry a voice she could muster, "where is Fantom?"
"Ma'am?" the bartender raised an eyebrow.
"Fantom. You're not stupid. The great and glorious leader. The black-and-white beauty who has the gall to give us these ridiculous outfits!"
He squinted his eyes.
"So you're a member of the Alabaster Church."
"That's right," she said, growing cross.
"And you of course obey Fantom, the leader of your little cult?"
"Once again, correct. Loyally and truly."
The keeper's eyes flicked left and right.
"So you're saying that you're a loyal member who would automatically be granted an audience, but you come to a tavern and ask where she is?"
Cynthia began to regret her question just someone grabbed her from behind. A rag pressed against her nose and she quickly fell asleep.
[[Later...|Tavernprison]]
She sipped the drink and smiled wryly.
The barkeep sighed, and the small crowd relaxed. A woman with a half-shaved head of bizarre pink hair tapped her shoulder.
"Of course. C'mon down, miss. I'm sure Fantom is waiting for you."
The ruffian discreetly escorted Cynthia to a blank wall. "Just walk on through. It's just an illusion."
[[Downwards...|Ribcage Secret Basement]]
In the dim light, Cynthia could make out six other humans in this little dungeon. Diverse slaves with varying skin and shape were lined up like prizes against the wall. Each of the six women seemed to be far more heavily bound that Cynthia - leather straps, metal padlocks, and most notably, massive leather hoods that would put the most devoted of jailers to shame. They seemed to sway, groan, and gently squirm - sometimes falling over one another, but rarely straying far from the wall. After all, each of them seemed to be collared, with said collar leashed to iron rings on the floor.
Communicating was probably not an option, either; Cynthia chewed a bit-gag between her lips, while the six other girls were so generously hooded that they probably couldn't hear much aside from their own grunts.
A door opened and she squiinted, unprepared for the sudden burst of light.
The jailer - the same ruffian with the half-shaved head - entered and grabbed the first girl, far on the left.
"Good evening, number one!" The hooded slave grunted some inaudible retort.
"That's right, I'm glad your excited! We found a buyer for you! You're going to make a certain baroness very, very happy..."
"Mmmggh!" Cynthia jerked at her own bonds. She was helpless to intervene!
"Oh? Hold on just a moment, number 1, looks like your new coworker is complaining!" The jailer shot Cynthia an evil glare. "Fantom's gonna have loads of fun with you! We'll get you a new, permanent hood and some nice cuffs once she gets back. Until then... sit tight!"
In the light, Cynthia could see a set of keys on the wall, each individually numbered. The jailer grabbed one, unlocked the girl's collar, and escorted her out.
Already, Cynthia's mind was racing. If she could find the key to her own cuffs, the ropes binding her would be a minor hurdle at best. Of course, she only had a few moments before the jailer returned with some new restraints guaranteed to prevent escape.
She stared at the five remaining captives, all lined up on the wall. Each of them had something written on their hoods.
The first woman on the far left had a hood labeled '3.'
The second girl's hood was labeled '6.'
The third girl's hood was lableed '10.'
The fourth had a '15'.
The fifth had a hood labled '21'.
Cynthia herself realized she was next - the last position in line on the far right.
She had just a few moments to grab the right key.
[[22|Tavernprisonfailure]]
[[30|Tavernprisonfailure]]
[[42|Tavernprisonfailure]]
[[6|Tavernprisonfailure]]
[[28|Escapetavernprison]]
[[7|Tavernprisonfailure]]
[[Forget about the keys]]
She tripped and stumbled and finally, barely managed to make her way to the row of keys. Cynthia turned around, felt at the keys, and grabbed the one she had calculated was correct!
In no time at all, Cynthia had removed her cuffs and had extricated herself from her restraints.
When the jailer returned, grinning and bearing a heavy hood labeled '28,' Cynthia was able to surprise her. A few seconds later, the prison was home to another hooded slave.
Cynthia resolved to return for the captives - but first, she had to deal with Fantom.
She crept through the basement of the tavern, tracing the walls and listening closely for the sound of merrymaking. She soon heard Fantom's voice.
[[Deal with Fantom|Fantomfight]]
A strange thought crossed Cynthia's mind. What if she //surrendered// to the nuns?
[[Perhaps Fantom will be merciful?]]
[[That's a ridiculous idea. Fight them.|Nuns spill the beans]]
The nuns were //not// merciful.
A few hours later, Cynthia was bound, gagged, and helpless in some sort of secret basement beneath the local tavern.
Hooded and hobbled, she found her lips pried open with a plug-gag. Capped with a drain-stopper, it made her feel more like an animal than a heroic ninja. She imagined she looked like an animal; gagged and drooling when the plug was out, but moaning and servile when it was in.
It didn't help that she couldn't see herself. The thick hood saw to that.
She stewed for hours before finally being brought before Fantom. She heard every word of the villain's gloating speech, felt every touch as the ebony-haired sorceress helped herself to her latest slave.
"Oh //Cynthia,//" Fantom said. "I just can't keep my hands off of you! Really, I would never have left the Unseen School if it meant getting access to you!"
"Mmmphh!"
"Hush, hush," she soothed. "All is well. You're my little toy. It's a good life, you know; I'll make sure to play with you quite a bit. Not so much that I'll wear you out, of course... and if you do get worn out..."
Cynthia felt Fantom's hands on her breasts!
"You'll make a great pillow."
"Mmmngh! Nnnngh!"
"What's that? You're tired after all this? Well, why didn't you say so? Guards, take her to my bed and restrain her tightly. I want her to get used to being a living, squirming body-pillow. Pleasant dreams... Cynthia."
[[Game Over]]
(font: "Open Sans")[Thank you for playing. I hope you enjoyed the story!
Make sure to visit (link: "my page")[(goto-url: "http://phantomdotexe.deviantart.com/")] to let me know what you thought, or visit (link: "Karyu's page")[(goto-url: "http://k-a-r-y-u.deviantart.com/")] to thank him for all the inspiration and support.]
''Cynthia.''
The bright and cheery heroine had lost all energy. She slumped forwards. It was no coincidence that she was on her knees, hands at her side, and prostrate before Fantom. It was no surprise, at least, to Fantom.
There was some part of Cynthia that knew she had succumbed, some part of her that knew it was over - but that part was quashed by a growing affection for her new pale mistress.
''You are mine.''
Cynthia nodded, and all went black.
Fantom took her sweet time - no reason not to. When decorating a house, you make sure it's right the first time - it's going to stay that way for quite some time. The same went for poor Cynthia.
[[Cynthia was beaten...]]
Cynthia raised her head. For a brief moment, her eyes and Fantom's eyes met.
"Yeah... enjoy!"
Cynthia used a burst of strength and hit Fantom squarely in the chest. Her spell was disrupted for just long enough for Cynthia to leap onto the deviant dominatrix.
Fantom fell to the ground, and Cynthia followed through, pinning her down. With each knee on Fantom's arms, she couldn't cast a single spell - she could only yell uselessly.
"You'll never live this down, Cynt-"
Cynthia gloated as she slipped the hood over Fantom's head. Its laces automatically collapsed, sealing the sorceress in place. She grabbed for a dagger, but Cynthia easily kicked it away. Now blind and disarmed, Fantom was easy prey for Cynthia's own spells - a quick chant and an arcane mark and the hood now block out all magic.
[[Fantom lies helpless.|Defeated Fantom]]
"Um... I'm sorry?"
Fantom gave the most pleasant, demure, and apologetic smile she could muster.
[[Subdue Fantom]]
The tiny green vial flew through the air. Fantom saw it far too late. In a few seconds, noxious green fumes filled the harem... and Fantom, along with her most royal retainers, lie unconscious.
Cynthia sighed. It was almost anticlimactic - but it was better this way. She'd be able to bind and move her without her old friend's wry wit to cut her, or guilt her - and without Fantom's infamous magics to try and release her.
[[Fantom was defeated.|Defeated Fantom]]
//"Grrmmphh..."//
"What was that, dear Cynthia?"
//"Hmmphh..."//
"Sorry, I didn't quite make that out, but I can guess. You're probably wondering what's happening? Well, I'll be blunt - ''you'' now belong to ''me''. My voice in your pretty little head is just one part of my spell.
You see, I don't just want to defeat an enemy - I want something useful. Practical gifts are always great. That's why I'm mounting you. Don't be silly, not quite like that - not today. I'm having you mounted on my wall in the Alabaster Church.
Tug on your restraints all you want. It'll reduce some stress, and help you burn off some of that pesky energy. Actually, it'll do more than that. You're a living magical battery; all that pent-up emotion and arousal you've been hiding is absolutely //invigoriating.// I've set up the Church to feed off a living source - a source like you, dear!
That does mean you won't be going out much. I figured you wouldn't mind if I locked up your ankles and knees and thighs and so on. I mean, I have all these metal bands and unbreakable straps, it seems a shame not to use them all. I personally - oh, well, you can't see yourself, but I assure you, you're a stunning sight! All packed up nicely as though you're about to be shipped out! You look like a workhorse with all that tack and barding.
But you've got it better than a horse! A few weeks... months... well, an indefinite time on the wall as my living trophy, and then maybe we'll try and satiate some frustration with some private discussion of arcane theory.
You know what's strangest of all? //You// came to //me//. It's almost like you wanted to be beaten, Cynthia. Well, you got your wish."
[[Some time later...|Beaten by Fantom's Force]]
Cynthia spent the rest of the evening relaxing. Sometimes, it was good to enjoy a little hero worship.
With all of Fantom's minions gone or imprisoned, the Ribcage looked pretty appealing - and for that matter, so did the Alabaster Church. But there were other spots, too - the locals had offered Cyn their homes as a thank-you. Not to mention that with a few extra gold coins in her pouch, she could probably afford a nice night at a real inn.
[[Stay at an inn]]
[[Stay at the Ribcage]]
[[Stay at the Alabaster Church]]
<a href="http://imgur.com/ARK44ff"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/ARK44ffl.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
Far from a dignified prison, Fantom was doomed to a quiet cellar. True, it would be easy for Cynthia to retrieve Fantom whenever she returned from fighting Zanthie... but of course, that relied on Cynthia managing to defeat Zanthie.
Fantom would spend many nights entranced in her inescapable bondage.
(set: $fantomfate to "stored")
[[That takes care of that. ]]
Cynthia tried her best to talk to them, but they immediately began chanting.
//"Isn't this saying her name?"// whispered one.
//"She won't understand,// said another.
Cynthia scratched her head.
"A pleasure to meet you all. Any chance you could help me? I'm new to the town, and..."
//"
Arouse our souls,
Near to our hearts
Teach us our roles//"... the nuns began singing and chanting, and quickly filtered away from Cynthia. She wondered what they had said about names.
[[Alabaster, the church]]
[[The Ribcage, the tavern]]
[[Marketplace]]
The gentle strumming of the sitar filled up most of what passes for 'conversation.' The bartender began scrubbing down a mysterious stain that covered one corner of the Ribcage with water, stopping on occasion to help himself to liberal portions of his own cheap ale.
A few ruffians in the corner stood out - and it wasn't just their vibrant hair colors. Cynthia narrowed her eyes - the tattoos on their arms, the close-cropped hair, and brightly dyed hair were all indicated that these folks were bad news.
Occasional vibrations coming from the floor indicated that there was most definitely a basement, and most definitely something happneing. Of course, the crowd in the corner probably knew that too.
[[Intimidate - Ask about Fantom directly|Be direct - aggressively inquire about Fantom]]
[[Persuasion - Ask about Fantom discreetly|Be charming - subtly inquire about Fantom]]
[[Get a drink]]
[[Exit the bar|Just walk about randomly]]
(font:"Open Sans")[##GAME OVER]
(font:"Open Sans")[Cynthia never returned to the //Unseen School//. For many years to come, visitors to the fens would report seeing a strange, magically sleeping woman bound up against the tree... but no hero could free her.]
<img src="http://i.imgur.com/58Nm3Vvh.jpg" /></a>
[[The End]]
Cynthia looked around. She was a prisoner. In fact, she was more than just a prisoner - she was a defeated wreck. She had been captured before, but that was different.
Here she was - sitting in a cell filled with captives, watching them moan... it was the most base of base punishments. Even if she did escape, would she be able to track down Fantom? Would the school take her back?
After all that had happened... was escaping really worth it?
[[Of course! The keys, quickly!]]
[[It's time to give up.]]
Her hesitation hadn't helped! Only time to grab one...
[[22|Tavernprisonfailure]]
[[30|Tavernprisonfailure]]
[[42|Tavernprisonfailure]]
[[6|Tavernprisonfailure]]
[[28|Escapetavernprison]]
[[7|Tavernprisonfailure]]
Cynthia squirmed a bit, testing her restraints. The sound of squeaking leather and straining rope filled her ears and mixed with the serenade from the other captives.
//Maybe,// she thought, //I should accept my fate.// She was so tired - tired of fighting evil and running across the countryside and getting into trouble. Today, she was giving in - today, she was accepting her lot in life.
//It's best, really - I've failed and dishonored my school.// She relaxed, slumping against the wall in rumination. Cynthia shut her eyes. //And... besdies. This feels so very ''wonderful.''//
When the jailer opened the door, there was one woman that stood out - none other than Cynthia, who was calmly slumped against the floor of the dungeon. She wasn't panicking, yet she wasn't meditating - this was something different.
"What's wrong with you, girl?" the ruffian spat. She knelt down and removed Cynthia's gag. "What trick do you have planned?"
[["No trick."]]
"What was that?" The jailer raised one eyebrow.
Cynthia sighed and lowered her head.
"I said, there's no trick. I deserve this."
The jailer looked her up and down. She was a pretty little thing, athletic and slim... and definitely no ninja she'd ever heard of.
"Uh-huh." The jailer tilted her head to one side. She was totally befuddled by this impudent little kunoichi.
"Actually... could you..." Cynthia blushed slightly.
"Whaddya want? Some candy? Maybe a nice pillow for you to sleep on?"
"Could you put the gag back on? Oh, and tighten it please - maybe stuff my mouth a bit. I... I need it, you see. I would prefer it, at least, so if you wouldn't mind..."
"Mind?" The jailer slapped her knee and cackled like a witch. "You're joking. You want me to gag you again? This some magical spell?"
Cynthia blushed again, shutting her eyes. "Well... no spell. And if you could, could you maybe restraint me a little more? I was thinking some heavy cuffs around my ankles. Oh, and - and maybe upgrading my wrist restraints? I had the idea to encase them in some metal ball-mitts, to make absolutely sure I won't be able to remove them. I'm sorry - I won't, but you know. And you could probably hang me from somewhere or sack me up. I'll take up less space, that way."
The jailer spent a few second processing all this.
[[And so...]]
(font: 'Open Sans')[Some time later...]
They had expanded the basement. It had to accomodate more captives, after all. They came and went, spending a few minutes or a few hours in storage before being moved around.
But there was one special captive. One girl that stayed here, almost meditating; swinging from her ankles like a lantern, the nameless and wordless ninja in white. The jailer had never told Fantom about her decoration, and certainly never planned to.
<a href="http://imgur.com/Gym5iAk"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/Gym5iAkh.jpg" title="Cynthia's ending..." /></a>
[[Game Over->gameoverjailer]]
(font:"Open Sans")[##GAME OVER]
(font:"Open Sans")It was a good thing that Cynthia was enjoying herself. The jailer would laugh and laugh, but none of that mattered - in her own way, she found peace. But the jailer would make sure nobody ever found her.
[[The End]]
Cynthia raised her head. For a brief moment, her eyes and Fantom's eyes met.
"Yeah... enjoy!"
Cynthia used a burst of strength and hit Fantom squarely in the chest. Her spell was disrupted for just long enough for Cynthia to leap onto the deviant dominatrix.
Fantom fell to the ground, and Cynthia followed through, pinning her down. With each knee on Fantom's arms, she couldn't cast a single spell - she could only yell uselessly.
"You'll never live this down, Cynt-"
Cynthia gloated as she slipped the hood over Fantom's head. Its laces automatically collapsed, sealing the sorceress in place. She grabbed for a dagger, but Cynthia easily kicked it away. Now blind and disarmed, Fantom was easy prey for Cynthia's own spells - a quick chant and an arcane mark and the hood now block out all magic.
[[Fantom lies helpless.|Defeated Fantom]]
On the way to the Elder's hut, Cynthia noticed something - the villager was slowly and carefully reaching towards his belt.
She had a moment to catch him... but to do so would quite likely ruin the chances of a peaceful resolution with the elder.
[[Stop him]]
[[Continue on]]
Cynthia put one hand on his. He turned to her, and though she couldn't quite see his face, she assumed he was similing innocently - it was what his tone suggested, after all.
"Just going for a drink, ma'am. I'll wait. You seem jumpy."
They finished marching towards the [[Leader's Hut]]
She walked forward, staring at the ground around her. It didn't seem like a very sanitary place to live; the cold water and the fens seemed to be an endless expanse of evergreen trees and wet ground. Some folks just preferred the seclusion, though.
She looked up and noticed that her escort was gone. She turned around just in time to feel a hand on her mouth and the piney scent of some alchemical mixture in her throat.
Less than an hour later, Cynthia knew her journey was over. She was tied to a massive tree at the center of the village and quick thoroughly secured. Her arms and legs were wrapped in thick hemp rope, first individually, then together, then against the tree. Dozens of villagers now circled her, tying her tighter and tighter. It was enough to make her tremble... and *then* then chanting started.
The elder walked forward and forced her mouth open. He poured a strange green potion into her open mouth as she sputtered and struggled. The chanting grew louder, and she found her mind growing cloudy. The last thing she felt was a thick wad of cotton between her lips and the tightening of a gag over her mouth before she fell asleep.
[[Game Over|Gameoverswamp]]
Double-click this passage to edit it.
Thank you for playing!
I hope you enjoyed this story, and hopefully more will be coming.
Make sure to leave a comment and tell the world what you thought of this short adventure.
Make sure to visit (link: "my page")[(goto-url: "http://phantomdotexe.deviantart.com/")] to let me know what you thought, or visit (link: "Karyu's page")[(goto-url: "http://k-a-r-y-u.deviantart.com/")] to thank him for all the inspiration and support.]
The inn was *exactly* as pleasant as the heroine had hoped. The sheets were clean, the beds comfortable, and the music from below was kept to a dull roar.
[[The next morning...]]
It was a bit odd to stay at the Ribcage. She had, only hours before, dethroned Fantom, after all - but it's not every day that Cynthia was allowed to sleep in a luxurious pleasure-basement.
(if:$fantomfate is "turnedover")[Fantom was there, of course. She had taken a break from struggling. Cynthia wondered what was going through the villain's mind. Regret? Sympathy? Perhaps, Cynthia mused, she was hoping for this - ready to give up her life of crime and come back to the light. Cynthia sighed. It was a nice dream.]
A few former captives still lingered here, chuckling and enjoying the contents of Fantom's larder. Cynthia enjoyed a few sips of her former friend's brandy and fell asleep on a bed of pillows.
[[The next morning...]]
The church wasn't the most comfortable place to sleep, but it was secure. Cynthia had learned to disable the magical traps put in place by Fantom's acolytes. The chat they had recited was some acronym of Fantom's name. It seemed painfully obvious in retrospect, for a self-absorbed sorceress to use their own nomenclature as a password.
The glass windows and arches weren't terribly homely, though. She might be secure, but every movement she made seemed to echo through the chambers. Fantom's quarters were slightly nicer, but Cynthia couldn't quite figure out how to turn off the magical lights that hovered through the room.
(if: $hood is true)[Cyn tossed and turned for a few minutes. Eventually, she stood up and went through her possessions - perhaps she had a sleeping pill or.. of course! She grabbed her hood. Secure in her magically-warded room, she slipped it over her head. It drowned out the light and sound, and soon the ninja drifted into a pleasant sleep. She was too bashful to admit it, but wearing a nice hood of any type was quite nice. There was something appealing about being silenced and isolated.]
Finally, she understood why Fantom had spent so much time on these elaborate quarters. Perhaps one day, she'd have something like it.
[[The next morning...]]
It was time to leave. She already felt the jealous looks of some of the townsfolk as she packed waved them goodbye and exited the town.
//Do not let yourself become accustomed to the world's pleasures,// the elders had warned. //People will fear you, as they fear any that could lay them low.//
[[Best to leave now.]]
The occasional small stall and hut dotted the outskirts of the town. Homes spilled out past the walls; some abandoned, others new. The valley had an odd sense of timelessness. Cynthia wondered - if she returned in a decade, would it change? Aside from the lack of Fantom, would it be much at all different?
Time passed. The road continued on until it reached another small hamlet. Cynthia traded a few coins of her reward for some trail rations and fresh fruit.
She took her time at the side of the road, sitting on a crate and crunching on a juicy green apple. She had just finished the tart treat when she heard a voice. It was gruff, familiar, and had a city-dweller accent.
[["Who goes there?"|talktojaina]]
[[Adopt a fighting stance|aggressivetojaina]]
[[Get walking|ignorejaina]]
Someone dashed from behind a tree. A few of the villagers in the hamlet stared, but then went about their business.
She had a half-shaved head and quilted jerkin. It was the pink-haired ruffian from the tavern!
"'ello. Recognize me, do ya? It's me. The jailer."
Cynthia nodded.
"Well, guess what? Jaina the Jailer is out of a job. I had a pretty nice gig until //you// came along and ruined it. Ran Fantom out of town and got me mobbed with her!"
The ninja shrugged, and one side of her mouth grew into a grin.
"Fantom's still in town."
Jaina tilted her head.
"Anyway, Cynthia, I demand recompense for your costing me my livelihood and doing away with my mistress."
[[Apologize|apologize-talktojaina]]
[[Rub it in|taunt-talktojaina]]
[[Discuss further|Discuss-talktojaina]]
"Hey! Hey, it's me! Jaina! The jailer!"
The pink-haired ruffian was running up towards Cynthia.
"What's wrong, Jaina? Nobody for you to kick around? Or are you maybe looking for someone to pull your hair like Fantom did?"
Cynthia almost felt bad, but sometimes it was good to deliver harsh words to jerks like Jaina!
Maybe she should deliver more than words...
[[Maybe some fists of fury!|FightJaina-Firstmeeting]]
[[Maybe just some biting remarks!|taunt-talktojaina]]
[[Maybe just deliver an apology?|apologize-talktojaina]]
"Hey! Hey, it's me! Jaina! The jailer!"
The pink-haired ruffian was running up towards Cynthia.
"You! Your fault it is that I'm out of a job! Getting Fantom captured!"
Cynthia did not respond, and walked out of the village. She wasn't sure what to do. She weighed her options.
[[Maybe I should apologize after all...|apologize-talktojaina]]
[[Ugh, this girl? I'll give her something to think about...|taunt-talktojaina]]
[[What does she want, now?|Discuss-talktojaina]]
[[I'm going to ignore her and keep going. She'll get bored. |TravelwithoutJaina]]
"What's a jailer without a job?"
Cynthia laughed. "Is this a riddle?"
Jaina's brow furrowed and she flicked her hair.
"Yeah! I'm out a job. I was a pretty respected member of Fantom's crew, you know. And now? Now I'm a bum without a home. I didn't even have the chance to grab my posessions when the mob came. If I hadn't gotten out of there I'd be wriggling in some dungeon or being sold as a slave."
//Wow, that sounds awful.// Cynthia bit her tongue.
"Listen, do me a solid, Cynthia. Just a quick little solid. One last jailing."
"And what do you mean by that?"
"Listen, up ahead there's another little hamlet. Zanthie controls that one - she's got her thumb on the town's alderman. You come with me and let me turn you in."
"Excuse me?" Cynthia turned her head sideways.
"You know, I take you in - there's a bounty on your head, you know. Zanthie heard about Fantom and she's putting some money up for anyone who wants to try to take you in alive and squirming. So you let me take you in, I get paid, then I let you go. What do you say?"
Cynthia scratched her neck. "I'm not sure that's a good idea."
Jaina clasped her hands together as though pleading. "//Come on//, just once and you're done. Hell, I'll help you get through Zanthie's fort - I assume that's your plan. I know all about it - the secret passage up to her shrine, I know about the capture-runes on the golems... I've got family to feed! Sisters and brothers and such!"
Cynthia wasn't quite sure how to respond.
[[Well... if you really need to tie me up to turn me in, that's okay. I guess I owe you.|Surrendertojaina]]
[[Tell you what - let's go to Zanthie's shrine. If we succeed, I let you turn me in. Just because I'll have Zanthie captured doesn't mean the bounty is invalidated.|TravelwithJaina]]
[[Something's fishy, Jaina...|InterrogateJaina]]
"Jaina, you might think yourself as a hotshot, but you're nothing. You're a harlot who worked for a horrible ham-fisted villainess, and now you're without a job. You deserve every ill twist life affords you, Jaina."
Cynthia laughed. Jaina ran at her. She had been goaded into action!
[[Give her the pleasure of a good hit|BeatenbyJaina]]
[[Strike first!|DeafeatJaina firstmeeting]]
[[Step aside and calm her down|calmdownwithJaina]]
Jaina spent a few minutes bragging about how she was a tough fighter, and how she was a dirty fighter, and how she was very useful if Cynthia wished for her services. She was the ultimate fighter at surprises - she could take a surprise attack and dish one out with the skill of a master monk.
She indicated that Zanthie's base was an old temple built on top of the 'short mountain.' The only way up was a winding stairway which was filled with traps and ended in a fight against Zanthie's wooden golems- creatures covered in magical runes. Touching such a rune would instantly render the attacker helpless.
Eventually, the conversation turned to simpler things - like money. Zanthie had money, and she had apparently put out a sizeable bounty on Cynthia! Anyone who could bring her in alive would recieve a substantial reward. Jaina's simple plan was to heavily restrain Cynthia, bring her to a small village, collect the reward, and then help her escape. It'd give the ruffian a substantial sum, which she characteristically promised to spend wisely.
(set: $suspectjaina to true)
"Cynthia," said Jaina, "Do you like being tied up?"
[[This looks bad - a surprise attack on Jaina!|Surprisejaian]]
[["Yes, I do.]]
[[No, I don't]]
[["Let's talk more about Zanthie."|AskaboutZanthie]]
[["You're getting at your plan to have me bound and bountied, are you??"|Surrendertojaina]]
"All... all right, let's try this out."
Jaina's eyebrows raised.
"You mean... the bounty plan?"
"Yes," Cynthia said. She quivered, just a tiny bit.
She quivered because she saw Jaina show off her backpack, and inside were items of restraint. She quivered because Cynthia was thinking to herself what it would be like to be so tightly restrained. She quivered at the thought of being helpless; at the knowledge that her fate was in another's hands. At the idea of having hands on her hapless body as she was escorted to an escape-proof room of steel bars and...
The absent-minded kunoichi looked down. Jaina had already gotten to work! Cyn held her hands in front of her in surprise. Both fists were encased in leather-lined steel mitts - they looked more like a torture device than anything else, though her hands were comfortably bound and kept as fists.
The jailer slid her hands behind her back with practiced precision. An identical pair went around her ankles; they were tall, going over a sizeable portion of her shins. Cyn trembled a bit as they covered her socks and locked in place.
Jaina was quite rough with the bindings! "Are you sure this is all necessary? Wouldn't a pair of cuffs be enough?"
The response was, first and foremost, more restriction. She soon found herself wearing a pair of leather bands that went from the back of her knees and looped aroudn the front. It had the side effect of forcing her to bend her knees slightly, keeping her further off-balance!
"It's procedure, trust me. No good bounty hunter, man-catcher, or jailer is satisfied with some rusty chains." Jaina was enjoying herself... and deep inside, Cynthia was enjoying it as well.
Thick hemp ropes circled the top of her thighs, packing her legs together. Her arms, trapped behind her back, were secured by another series of ropes that forced her shoulders back and her chest out. A final strap across the top of her chest just served to make her feel more like a product - a piece of meat from a shop - than a prisoner. The leather collar and attached leash was a particularly conspicuous addition.
"Jaina, is the leash normally part of-"
"Yes," Jaina said. She wasn't smiling. "Yes, it's very important. It's also important that all prisoners are gagged. You could use magic."
"Oh!" Cynthia smiled. "Well, if you insist, and since you'll be removi-"
She didn't have the chance to finish her setence.
[[The walk]]
Cynthia and Jaina both adopted fighting stances. It was a quick encounter - Cynthia knew that Jaina was no threat.
She had no weapon - Cynthia reciprocated. Unarmed, they both balled their hands into fists.
"You //jerk.//" Jaina spat into the dirt. "You're gonna be my last bounty. I'm gonna bring you into town, they're gonna pay me, and I'm gonna be on my way. It'll serve you right for costing me my job - for costing me my whole life! Fantom did so much for me, and you //ruined// it!"
[[Stop her jabbering with a speedy kick|DeafeatJaina firstmeeting]]
[[Maybe she needs this...|Surrendertojaina]]
Traveling overland was quiet and contemplative. She trundled overland, with a fairly good idea of Zanthie's location but not a precise one. When nightfall came, she had to sustain herself on crunchy trail rations and dried fruit. It was nutritious, though hardly satisfying.
[[Dream]]
Jaina fell to the ground. She cluched at her stomach - the wind had been knocked out of her.
"I give up! I'll - I'll do whatever you want! I'll take you to Zanthie's fort! I'll show you the secret way in! Whatever!"
[[You'll take me there.|angryjaian]]
[[No, I think you'll wait for me here. I'll make sure you'll stay put, too.]]
<a href="http://i.imgur.com/Iwse7uc.jpg"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/Iwse7uc.jpg" /></a>
When Cynthia awoke, Jaina was grinning from ear to ear.
Cynthia was bound and gagged in some of the most stringent bindings she'd yet seen.
While unconscious, Jaina had taken the time to lock numerous belts across her body. These straps were all too familiar to the kinky kunoichi; snug and biting and compressing her skin, they hugged her like a spider's web.
If the straps weren't enough, the buckles were agents of restricting artifice, locked up tight and with no obvious way of releasing them!
And of course, there was the gibbet. Cynthia was hanging inside a body-cage that hugged her form and features. She could swing to the left and right, but the brass-tinted cage was snug against her body. Individually-forged metal links cradled her curves and gave her the barest minimum of wiggle room.
She dangled at the center of a small hamlet's square. She was like a prisoner being punished for all to see.
She was strutting with that grin; the guiltless grin of a gutless gangster. One foot in front of the other. She practically //sashayed// , her leather creaking slightly.
"Oh //Cynthia!"// She had a singsong voice.
Jaina explained, in no uncertain terms, that she had made off a reasonable sum of Fantom's treasury, and that this particular hamlet had been under Fantom's control for quite some time.
Now, Jaina explained, Cynthia would become the first of many acquisitions. Soon, Jaina hoped to rebuild Fantom's operation without any of the frivolous trappings - no need for a false religion or large harem. Just a jail and plenty of captives!
The heroine shook her head to the left and right. //No!// She moaned and grunted and tried to do anything she could to resist. Jaina would have none of it.
Jain gently pushed on Cythia's gibbet, and the ninja rocked back and forth like a tree branch. It was sweet to see her like this; she was blushing. Jaina knew it and Cynthia now understood [[how much she really wanted to be bound.]]
Traveling overland with Jaina was more pleasant than Cynthia had thought. They spent the rest of the day walking over relatively open ground. Her pink-haired guide seemed to know the region relatively well, and they were able to skip more than one dense thicket in favor or more traversable terrain.
(if:$suspectjaina is true)[Cynthia still kept a watchful eye on her temporary companion. She had suspicions, but she hoped she wouldn't need to act on them! When it was clear that Jaina was asleep, only then did Cynthia allow herself a short rest.]
The early morning saw Jaina even bring a tiny amount of game for breakfast in the form of a hunted rabbit.
(if:$suspectjaina is true)[Only after she took a bite did Cynthia dig in. It wasn't bad - better than her trail rations. One could only enjoy //so much// jerky and dried fruit before craving a change in diet.]
The noonday sun peeked through the clouds as the two finally reached their destination - [[Zanthie's hideout.|Bottom of Mountain with Jaina]]
Cynthia went back and forth with the pink-haired criminal for several minutes. Every time, she claimed to be innocent of all charges and earnestly interested in traveling with her - or attempting the aforementioned caper.
And each time, Cynthia began to suspect more and more that Jaina was not at all interested in Cynthia's well-being. When she mentioned the series of floor-traps, or Zanthie's habit of testing her visitors with //unpoisoned// tea... well, it was all a bit fishy.
[["Tell me a bit more about Zanthie. What's she like nowadays?"|AskaboutZanthie]]
[["Let's try this caper. You say I surrender and you turn me in for a bounty...?|Surrendertojaina]]
[["Let's get going. Every minute we spend here is a point in Zanthie's favor."|TravelwithJaina]]
Cynthia managed to calm Jaina down with discussions of their mutual 'relatioship' with Fantom. Deftly, she maneuvered the conversation towards Cynthia's other former classmate.
[["Let's talk about Zanthie."|AskaboutZanthie]]
She just said she was a dirty fighter - and one that specialized in sneak attacks!
Cythia was bested by Jaina in a matter of moments.
[[Somehow beaten by Jaina...|BeatenbyJaina]]
"Zanthie's quite the little character. Purple hair and a bit meaner than Fantom, y'know. She likes to taunt more than Fantom does. See, Fantom would spend hours teasing - physically teasing - her captives. They'd enjoy a very thorough molestation and by the time it was over, they'd be cooing and practically begging for more. Some magic, I think - or maybe just her personality.
Zanthie? She's a practical sort. Okay, maybe not practical, but she's gonna waste less time. You won't see some gigantic palace dedicated to a fake religion. Nope, she's got a few things.
She's got those golems - don't hit 'em in the front! - and she's got quite the location. See, she's built above some old catacombs; her little shrine's new, but the old cairn isn't. You gotta be careful - you never go the same direction twice, it's so twisty-turny. Not to worry, I'll guide you through."
Cynthia stopped. She wasn't sure if she liked the sound of that.
"You said you'll guide //us// through?"
"Exactly!" Jaina grinned. "Us two together are gonna check it out. It's gonna be great! Gonna dodge the traps and the magic mirrors and get to the top of her-"
"What was that?"
Jaina continued, heedless of Cynthia's comment. "-shrine and we're gonna do whatever you want to her, us two! But first, I think it'd really help me out if we could work on that little plan I mentioned. You know, I tie you up, give you the keys, turn you in - something to give us some traveling money. Just in case we need it later."
[["You're not coming with. I'm leaving."|Jainawhines]]
[["Right. Us. Together. Let's go.|TravelwithJaina]]
[["Let's try this plan of yours.|Surrendertojaina]]
"Interesting. I thought so. Now, where were we?"
Jaina grinned. She'd remember. She was already imagining ways to use this against Cynthia. Or was she? Maybe Cynthia was just imagining it. Or maybe she was fantasizing about it.
"Ah, we were..."
[[Discussing Zanthie further|AskaboutZanthie]]
[[I was leaving this nameless little town|TravelwithJaina]]
"Ain't that a shame." Jaina smiled. Cynthia knew her lie had fallen flat. Jaina chuckled. She'd remember.
[[Anyway, about Zanthie...|AskaboutZanthie]]
Jaina spent quite some time whining. Cynthia tried to turn it out, walking down the path and ignoring her. Surely, she'd eventually get bored and wander off.
[[Travel with Jaina|TravelwithJaina]]
[[Travel without Jaina|TravelwithoutJaina]]
The panel-gag was thick, padded, and tight against her skin. It seemed to be made out of some sort of riveted metal. The way that Jaina traced her finger over its smooth surface indicated that it was indeed finely crafted, and possibly to help deter any ideas that a magic-user might have.
A few minutes later, she was being marched to the next small village. Each step had the sound of chains moving. Each step was, for reasons Cynthia could never explain or admit to, quite arousing; each step was part of the faked finality of being condemned to jail!
"There's no chance for escape, girlie!" said Jaina cruelly as they approached town. Jaina had been kind enough to carry Cynthia for some distance, but now put her down and forced her to hop the rest of the way. She felt humiliated, helpless, and was starting to experience highly inappropriate responses.
A few gawked. Most stared. The locals hadn't seen a sexy and slender ninja come through town, and they certainly hadn't seen one that was heavily bound! Especially not one in thick metal and leather restraints, gagged and blushing slightly beneath it.
"Maybe," she thought to herself, "I deserve this. I've spent so long running, so long hiding - I've hurt people and broken laws. It was going to come back to bite me eventually. Maybe it's for the best that all that adventuring ends now."
[[To Jail]]
<a href="http://imgur.com/4ATZZyW"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/4ATZZyWl.jpg" title="It's not all bad..." /></a>
The heroine quickly managed her way free from the jail, just as her former friend was coming back to consciousness.
"My - come back here! She's getting away! My bounty is getting away!"
Cynthia darted out of the vilalge and into the treeline With a few moments ahead of Jaina, she was able to blend in with the forest, and a few seconds was all it took to leap to a high branch - despite the impediments! Jaina rushed further into the forest, never thinking to look up.
A few minutes of frustration later, Cynthia was free of her restraints. She threw the rope to the ground in a pile. She was angry - angry at Jaina, who was so clearly about to sell her out , and angry that she wans't allowed to enjoy the thick resriction. Ah, well - such is life. She also had empathy for the jailer. It's difficult to change; if kidnapping and slavery is all you know, how can you do anything else?
[[Travel without Jaina|TravelwithoutJaina]]
(font:"Open Sans")[##GAME OVER]
<a href="http://imgur.com/8Pfjy84"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/8Pfjy84.jpg" /></a>
#Thanks to Jaina, she found a new career as a fixture of the local prison...
[[The End]]
For good measure, her gag was replaced with a pathetic plug-gag as well. Capped with a drain-stopper, it made her feel more like an animal than a heroic ninja. She imagined she looked like an animal; gagged and drooling when the plug was out, but moaning and servile when it was in.
It didn't help that she couldn't see herself. The thick hood saw to that.
She stewed for hours before finally being brought before Fantom. She heard every word of the villain's gloating speech, felt every touch as the ebony-haired sorceress helped herself to her latest slave.
"Oh //Cynthia,//" Fantom said. "I just can't keep my hands off of you! Really, I would never have left the Unseen School if it meant getting access to you!"
"Mmmphh!"
"Hush, hush," she soothed. "All is well. You're my little toy. It's a good life, you know; I'll make sure to play with you quite a bit. Not so much that I'll wear you out, of course... and if you do get worn out..."
Cynthia felt Fantom's hands on her breasts!
"You'll make a great pillow."
"Mmmngh! Nnnngh!"
"What's that? You're tired after all this? Well, why didn't you say so? Guards, take her to my bed and restrain her tightly. I want her to get used to being a living, squirming body-pillow. Pleasant dreams... Cynthia."
[[Game Over]]
Overland travel grew easier as the path they traveled sloped slowly towards a low canyon. Around noon, the two stopped to rest. Zanthie's fortress was visible from the edge, with aged marble columns looking like old bones. The shrine was the only structure visible from where they stood, and it only made it more intimidating. Zanthie was the type who wanted to lead and command. She'd brook no rival, and the lonely shrine served to reinforce it.
<a href="http://imgur.com/iKokuEs"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/iKokuEsl.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
Nearby was a bubbling pool. "Spring water," said Jaina. She greedily sipped from the fresh and clear water. The pool was large eough to relax in, and shimmered with the color of the sky. It looked quite appealing.
"You ask me, we ought to relax here. It's a long climb down, then a longer climb up. It'll be your last chance to relax, unless you fancy spending the rest of your days relaxing as a prisoner in Zanthie's dungeon." Cynthia shuddered.
[[Press on|Ignore Jaina and press on]]
[[Nap here|Rest for the night]]
[[Bathe in the water]]
After just a few minutes of sitting, the two were back on their way. The last leg of her journey!
[[Almost there!|Force ahead to the dungeon]]
"Okay, Cyn. Here's what we got. See that lil' door at the bottom of the canyon?"
Cynthia squinted. There did seem to be an entrance at the base of the cliff.
"That's an ol' catacomb. Real ancient. Older than us, older than anyone we know. Older, I think , than the lil' shrine that Zanthie's squatting in. That's our ticket in.
See, there's a path to her little summer home, but it's patrolled by golems and I'll just bet it's full of magic traps. Fantom mentioned that she could get in, but - well, we're not Fantom."
The heroine's mind drifted briefly to the thought of that pale-skinned offender. Hopefully, she was quite well despite the intensely strict punishment Cyn had meted out.
"Anyway, it's pretty simple. We go into the catacombs, then follow the path. You go left, right, up, left, down, left, up, down, up, left, right, and up. Easy, right?"
"Did you memorize that?"
"Yep! Easy going. You ready?"
Cynthia arched an eyebrow.
(if:$suspectjaina is true)["Oh, and I can tell you're skeptical. Listen, if you get totally lost, just head down. That'll get you back to the bottom of the catacomb, and you can try again. I mean, I won't be there, but what's the worst that can happen?"]
[["Let's go."|Let's go the secret way]]
[["I'd rather be taking the main path."|Suggest other path]]
Cynthia dragged the bandit to her feet.
"You are going to take me to Zanthie's hideout, and you're going to get me in the door."
Jaina nodded. "And we can talk about reparations later."
Cynthia sighed. The two turned to go. Jaina would yammer on about needing a job and Cynthia's crimes against her, but Cyn had none of it.
[[Onward|TravelwithJaina]]
It wasn't too hard to restrain Jaina - she was hardly fighting. It was almost hard figuring out how to do it.
Cynthia decided the best thing for a bandit would be to put her in the stocks. She dragged the gasping and beaten pink-hair vagabond to the local stocks and clasped her in.
Her head and hands were vulnerable, and so was the rest of her body! It was humiliating, and if Cynthia was being honest with herself, a little titillating.
Jaina's angry curses were swiftly ended by a handerchief (or two!) in her mouth and another around her lips.
"The villagers will know what to do with you. Maybe on the way back from my victory, I'll take you along with me to the Unseen School."
(set:$jainaleft to true)
Jaina grunted angrily. Cynthia turned to leaave.
[[Onward!|TravelwithoutJaina]]
For the first few days, Cynthia was noisy. Then, she started to grow quiet. Jaina would bring bandits into her little hideout and deck them out as members of the local town watch. It was quite the setup.
And every time, she'd mewl and coo and buck and try her best to break free. Jaina loved it. It was her inspiration. Seeing Cynthia in a cell was one thing, but being able to do with her as she pleased? It was all the benefits of being a highly unethical jailer without petty responsibilities.
Jaina would let her out at times, but she'd never stray far. Once in a great while, Cynthia would be taken to the center of the tiny hamlet and put in stocks - free to be teased by anyone who visited. And other time, Jaina would show Cynthia the little oubliette, a small area where she would be bricked-up if she ever began to bore Jaina - a place where Cynthia could be preserved and encased forever.
But until then, Cynthia would be Jaina's favorite little inmate. Soon, many more squirming captives would join in her fate.
<a href="http://i.imgur.com/7et9wT0.jpg"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/7et9wT0.jpg" /></a>
[[GAME OVER|Game Over-jainabounty]]
Overland travel grew easier as the path she traveled sloped slowly towards a low canyon. Around noon, the ninja stopped to rest. Zanthie's fortress was visible from the edge, with aged marble columns looking like old bones. The shrine was the only structure visible from where they stood, and it only made it more intimidating. Zanthie was the type who wanted to lead and command. She'd brook no rival, and the lonely shrine served to reinforce it.
<a href="http://imgur.com/iKokuEs"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/iKokuEsl.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
Nearby was a bubbling pool. "Spring water," said Cynthia to nobody in particular. She sipped from the fresh and clear liquid. The pool was large eough to relax in, and shimmered with the color of the sky. It looked quite appealing.
[[Press on]]
[[Rest]]
[[Bathe]]
She didn't have time to waste with such things. Not when she was so close...
[[Onward!|Cyn is tired from not resting]]
(set:$tired to true)
Cynthia was alone; no companion or familiar was around to guide her. Taking a nap was probably not in her best interest, but she figured she could spend a few moments relaxing regardless.
She leaned back against a tree, and closed her eyes. She got rest, though not sleep; she had to stay alert for any possible danger. A splashing sound in the pool eventually jolted her back to full wakefulness. She would've loved to spend all day relaxing, but she knew it was [[time to face Zanthie.|Dungeon complex solo]]
Cynthia very bashfully undressed. She was alone, but the last thing she wanted was for someone to see her in the nude.
The water was pleasant. Cool, yes, but refreshing against her skin. Dirt and exhaustion drifted away from her as she sat in the shallow pool.
Looking at her reflection, she noticed a few oddities. She wasn't smiling, but her reflection in the pool had a wide grin. Its hair was parted differnetly. And it held a rope in its hands.
Something pulled her into the pool. Or pulled her //out//? She couldn't tell. In the course of a split-second, she was dragged below the surface of the pool but was then above it once again. She was hauled out, dripping and confused. She didn't fight back - how could she, when she was looking at herself?
Clad in the same white outfit, the same fishnets, bearing the same curves and same sweet smile - it was her in essentially every way. Her doppleganger was busy winding coils of rope around Cynthia's wrists. Her wrists?
"Who are you?" said Cynthia, trying to wriggle free. Her double pushed her down. Every movement was mirrored perfectly; every struggle and buck seemed to already be known by the mirror-Cynthia.
"I'm you," said the //other// Cynthia.
"No, I'm me!" said the first.
"No... not quite. I'm me, but now, I'm //you//."
Cynthia arched a brow as the double leaned over her. The sensation of feeling one's own curves, to find her body-double's chest and thin waistline pressing against her was thoroughly unusual! It was distracting, and that was
[[enough to cause her end.|While resting double emerges! grabs.]]
Cynthia finally felt herself pushed to the ground. The double was binding her tighter and tighter with each moment! Now she was winding rope around her knees and further restraining her wrists.
Her double pushed one foot onto her back, bearing the same earnest smile that Cynthia had so often wore. The pool! The mirrored pool! She was some sort of mystical reverse; a woman who had her abilities and looks but seemed to lack the moral fiber not to abuse them.
"Release me! Release... us?"
The double shrugged. "No, I don't think I see that happening. The odds that both of us are here at the same time is miniscule. This little pool is a portal between two worlds, and there's no way that I'm going to let this opportunity go to waste."
"Opportunity? You're only hurting yourself!"
Mirror-Cynthia laughed. "You're right! I'm my own worst enemy! Grabbing my own double and pulling her through a mystic mirror... and now I'm going to take her place. Yup, it's self-destruction all right."
She peered through to the other side - to Cyn's side.
"Oooh! Cynthia, you left your - erm, you left MY clothes there! Well I always wanted a second outfit. This will save so much time!"
A thick ball-gag passed between her lips as the mirror-Cyn locked her victim in a strict hogtie.
"I wonder what you were up to over there? No need to tell me through that gag, I'll find out soon enough."
Mirror-Cynthia pulled something from a pocket. It was a familiar-looking leather hood, crafted of fine materials and inlaid with deafening runes. "I bought this in a town recently, but I hadn't had the chance to use it. I've wantd to see how it fits on me." Cynthia bucked and jerked her head, but it was no use. Darkness overtook her, and her double stole her face and sealed off her identity.
[[Game Over]]
Cynthia dreamt of fighting herself. She was her own worst enemy.
"My vanity? My pride? My sloth? Or literally me?"
"Yes."
When she awoke, the dream quickly faded from her mind, as dreams are wont to do. It was frustrating to lose what might have been prophetic, but within an hour she didn't even remember having it.
[[The pool]]
Still, as she approached Zanthie's shrine, she was growing tired. It was going to be a long trek.
[[Dungeon complex solo]]
Cynthia took a knee and rested. Zanthie's little hideout was in sight.
<a href="http://imgur.com/iKokuEs"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/iKokuEsm.jpg" title="Zanthie's fortress" /></a>
It was an ancient temple to some forgotten cult. It loomed over a small canyon; the only man-made structure within sight. Perhaps it was Zanthie's way of establishing dominion over the minds of any visitor - walk through these hills and you're guaranteed to see a monument to her vanity.
She knew it was built atop a series of old catacombs, though she didn't like her odds of navigating through them. An opening at the base of the canyon would presumably be her point of entry to the dusty tombs.
The obvious route was of course to simply stay on the path, but that had its own issues - namely, the fact that Zanthie would doubtless see her coming from what was literally a mile away.
Slow winds gave her plenty of time to think. Sometimes, traveling alone had its benefits. She meditate for a moment on the situation in front of her; she noticed a final possibility for ingress in the form of the cliffs. She might be able to scale them and circumvent the main path and catacombs both - though it would put her right into the heart of Zanthie's little temple, and the cliffs looked rather treacherous.
After a few minutes more of rumination, she decided to...
[[Climb the cliffs|Climb cliffs solo]]
[[Take the main path|Take main path solo]]
[[Traverse the catacombs|Attempt the catacombs solo]]
Nothing to do but try and scale the cliffs, Cynthia mused. It was the only way to make it there. The main path would be monitored, and the catacombs were a deathtrap.
She started making her way up the cliffs. She found herself climbing as though she were back in training.
Halfway to the top, her kunoichi senses started tingling. She looked down - already a mistake - and saw something at the bottom of the canyon...
At the entrance to the catacombs, three larger-than-life figures were waiting, and silently staring up at her! Cynthia mused that they must have been clay golems - beings animated by Zanthie's strange magic.
One of them began trying to climb up the wall as well, and Cynthia felt a bead of sweat forming on her forehead.
[[Climb fast!|Climbfast]]
[[Climb carefully!|Climbcareful]]
Compared to rough and tumble bars and scrubland she'd been in the past few days, the gardens were a pleasant change of pace.
Manicured shrubs and squares of grass seemed to stretch out of several acres. Cynthia strode confidently forward...
And then froze in her place. There was someone in front of her. No, not in front - //above// her. A huge, twenty-foot-tall projection of a purple-haired profligate, a magical mischief-maker, and a criminal classmate - the sorcess **Zanthie**!
<a href="http://imgur.com/Uz9JhXo"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/Uz9JhXol.jpg" title="There she is." /></a>
(set:$rigged to true)
"Welcome, Cynthia! You think I don't know who approaches my hideaway?"
Cynthia braced herself. "Why not drop the tricks? We can solve this the way we did back at the Unseen School!"
"What, with quizzes? Or maybe board games? Or a fight? No thanks to all three. This is my home, and my rules!"
Cynthia gritted her teeth. She had been spotted.
"But please, I'll explain more in person... if you get that far. Come on in, Cynthia - just try not to step on the grass..." The magical image faded away.
Cynthia took a quick peek at the [[gardens]] that separated her from her goal - the stairs to the second floor.
<a href="http://imgur.com/DefVLF9"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/DefVLF9m.jpg" title="It's spooky." /></a>
The catacombs were warm; the rocks practically radiated heat. Small holes in the walls and ceiling seemed to capture sun from some faraway source, bringing it down to the hallowed tombs.
Now, all she had to do was make it through. Easy, right? She just hoped she remembered the right way...
First, she had to go...
[[Left, right, up, left, down, left, up, down...]]
[[Left, right, down, down, left, up, right...]]
[[Up, up, up, down left...]]
[[Left, left, right, down, up, left, up, down...]]
The heroine used all her might and climbed as fast as she could, leaving the golems below her in the dust.
(If:$tired is true)[Cynthia almost didn't make it - she felt her heart beating as she nearly slipped and fell hundreds of feet. She was tired and getting more tired. She knew that by the time she reached the top she'd be out of energy.]
She was nearly at the top of the ridge and about to reach the palace itself. One more leap, and she could rest her aching muscles. She didn't know if she could make it, but she [[had to try...|Maybe you will..]]
Cynthia did what she could to climb carefully. The golem wasn't very fast, and she figured it would make more sense to make it to the top in one piece.
It seemed that her caution might have been misplaced, however. As she neared the top of the wall, only a few seconds more from the ledge, she saw the grim visage of a golem staring at her from above!
Stay put, go down, or try to zoom up... none looked like appealing options.
[[Zoom up!]]
[[Stay put!]]
[[Go down!]]
Cynthia felt like she had rolled well in a game of chance. She popped over the top, and was now looking at the interior of the temple; a wide, open room filled with marble pillars and signs of Zanthie's habitation.
<a href="http://imgur.com/WexJcFU"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/WexJcFU.jpg?1" title="Looks roomy enough." /></a>
She also saw two massive golems. [[They saw her as well.|Golemfight]]
She threw herself upwards, jumping up into the air and launching herself past the golem!
Cynthia grinned as she hit the ground, tumbling once to disperse the force of her fall. When she opened her eyes, she saw that she was surrounded by two stoic-looking golems...
[[Fight them!|Golemfight]]
Strangely, the golem up top seemed to give up. Unable to climb down after her, it left - presumably to get reinforcements.
Looking down, she saw the lower golem closing in on her...
[[Go down!]]
[[Push to the top!|Golemfighthard]]
Cynthia hoped that she might be able to make her way past them; she dropped a few feet at a time, hoping to avoid them and perhaps go back up. Maybe she'd make it to the path?
However, there was no such luck. She moved left, and the construct parroted her. She moved right and they did the same. After a few minutes, she was exhausted and they were not - and one of them managed to grab her ankle. She swung helpless in the air. Wriggling free would mean certain death from falling, and it was far too strong to possibly fight.
[[This was bad...|Grabbed at the bottom]]
Cynthia gritted her teeth and adopted a fighting stance. She tried to remember how she should best face these animated enemies.
Both of them stepped forward. It was egregiously loud - each massive stone step sending loud shudders throughout the temple.
<a href="http://imgur.com/X0x4gWq"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/X0x4gWqm.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
Strange runes began to glow, and the golems sped up...
[[Go for glowing light]]
[[Try to kick it in the "neck"]]
[[Try to kick it in the center of mass]]
Cynthia gritted her teeth and adopted a fighting stance. She tried to remember how she should best face these animated enemies.
Both of them stepped forward. It was egregiously loud - each massive stone step sending loud shudders throughout the temple.
Four titanic creatures surrounded her at the cardinal directions. As they stepped forward, the kunoichi began to contemplate - would she have been better off being a cobbler, or maybe a barmaid?
[[She dodged a stone fist, and doubts disappeared. |Fight golems hard!]]
<a href="http://imgur.com/X0x4gWq"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/X0x4gWqm.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
It was time to take chances; she was very literally *between a rock and a hard place.* It was far from her first choice, but she let go. Her best hope was to fall a bit and grab a ledge //below// the golem, leaving them both high and dry. Then she could simply run up the canyon wall, and...
Her plan didn't get that far, and neither did the ninja. She let go, but the golem reacted with violence. A massive stone fist grabbed her by the ankle as she dropped, and swung her once agasint the stone wall. Lightning reflexes allowed her to blunt the blow, but it was still jarring. Cynthia's ears were ringing and she was dizzy from the sudden drop, the sudden stop, and the physical force of being so slammed!
Like a child that was done with a toy, the golem dropped her. Cynthia righted herself, ready to land on her feet - but found her landing to be far softer. The heroine fell into a white net, outstretched by a few of Zanthe's arcane servants. A few second more, and she was tightly wound in it, arms pinned so tight that she had no chance of reaching any of her equipment. She struggled as hard as she could, but within a few minutes, the dizzying struggle was becoming futile. She [[passed out from exhaustion.|Caught by golems]]
(if:$tired is true)[She tried her best to fight them but she was just too exhausted. Maybe she had pulled a muscle during the climb, or maybe she should've taken a rest earlier - but either way, this was just too much. Cynthia couldn't keep up, and within a few minutes, the golems had her totally outlfanked. She sank to a knee as one of them pummeled her across the room. She hit the wall hard and fell unconscious.]
(if:$blessed is 1)[Things were bad - she was tired and surrounded. She had one final trick up her sleeve, though - some residual magics from the swamp! She called on the last reserves of her power, and focused on the magical binding that carefully animated them. A few words of power, some earnest prayer, and //a lot of hope//, and Cynthia shut her eyes tight - and when she opened them, her assailants were as still as statues. Heck, considering the were sculpted rock, they literally //were// statues. One of them crumbled to the earth.[[She was victorious.|beatgolemhard]]]
(else:)[Cynthia wasn't sure if she could do it, but she drew upon reserves of power she didn't know she had! Perhaps that rest had given her a little extra pep, or perhaps she was just motivated - she had come so far, she didn't want to lose now! Cynthia started to bear down on her three attackers, knocking one of them against a pillar. It hit the 'rune of binding' and the golem collapsed to dust. She fought the other two hard, driving them nearer to the ledge of the canyon, hopefully to knock them off and into the ravine below! She wasn't sure if she could keep this up... perhaps it would be best to [[retreat to the main entrance|escapetogardens]]? It was that, or bear down, and try to [[beat these beasts!|beatgolemhard]]]
Cynthia was successful. It had all happened so fast, but after a few seconds, the only sound was the wind against the pillars and the sound of crumbling gravel. She had overcome another challenge!
[[A quick look around...|Golembeat]]
The main entrance looked like a good chance. Maybe there was another way around, or another stairway...
Cynthia made a tactical retreat, sprinting out of the temple like a bat from a cave, and taking shelter behind a shrub. It semed that she was in the midst of some [[gardens]] in front of the temple.
Cynthia delivered a quick hit to the golem's joints, sending it stumbling back. This gave her just enough oomph and speed to run at it once more, this time kicking her way up - using its rocky form as a climbing wall - until she managed to deliver a tremendous strike to the golem's forehead rune.
There was a flash of light. Cynthia tried to move, but realized with quick horror that she was trapped in place! She was quite literally suspended in midair, the same acrobatic pose that she used to deliver what should've been the killing blow.
She shivered slightly - //very// slightly, given how little 'wiggle room' her frozen form possessed. The ninja was beginning to think about counter-spells and methods of resistance when the golem grabbed her and threw her against the wall.
[[Much later...|Caught by golems]]
The joints made sense, and Cyn gave a magically-enhanced strike against it stone neck. She retracted her fist with a small but growing bruise.
"Ouch," she said to herself. The golem didn't speak back, but it did lurch closer to her.
"Uhhh...."
Perhaps attacking something in a 'weak point' wasn't a great idea when the whole creature was one massive of magical stone.
The golem strode nearer to a set of stairs. She could kick it now and hopefully send it backwards, or go for that glowing rune in its forehead.
[[Go for glowing light]]
[[Try to kick it in the center of mass]]
With a precise strike, Cynthia knocked the golem off-balance. //The bigger they are, the harder they fall!//
She allowed herself a few seconds for a vigorous vicotry pose as the golem stumbled backwards, crashing down a series of steps and finally rolling into its companion. The two of them were so top-heavy that Cynthia was able to replicate the effort, sending them bowling backwards again! The smooth marble floors probably weren't the best choice for flat-fooded creatures of rock.
With a loud 'crash,' the kunoichi gave a final kick to the front golem, sending the both of them tumbling backwards and off the ledge. They tumbled into a balcony and finally off the side, careening down into the canyon.
[[To the next floor!|Golembeat]]
Cynthia only spent a few more seconds examining the room; it seemed that this had once been a massive, open-air temple, but someone - be it Zanthie or another - had added floors of stone and wood. She spotted a stone stair and proceeded to the next floor.
[[Onward!|firstfloor]]
Jaina threw up her hands. "I spend all this time walking with you so we can use this damned secret tunnel, and now you want to go on that stupid main path?"
Cynthia tried to explain herself, but Jaina was having none of it.
"All I want to do is plunder that purple-haired pansy's hideout. I was doing //you// a favor by letting you come with. I'll go it alone if I have to! Fantom was always a better boss than you."
Jaina stormed into the catacombs.
[[Go in after her|Okay fine let's go in]]
[[See you later, Jaina...|I'm staying out here.]]
"That's the spirit!" said Jaina.
The [[Catacombs]] were dak and warm. There seemed to be light radiating from holes in the walls.`
Cynthia drew in a deep breath, and stepped into the darkly-lit [[Catacombs]] . There were old markings on the wall, indicating that this area must have once been used as a burial site."
She sat for a few minutes, trying to think about what would be best. Eventually, she hard a loud thud and the sound of stone sliding on stone coming from the catacobms. She got the feeling that Jaina wouldn't be accompanying her further.
(set:$jainamummy to true)
There were still options. She could try to scale the cliffs - an idea that hadn't occured to her while she was with her companion. She could also go back and take the main path.
[[Climb the cliff face|Climb cliffs solo]]
[[Return to the main entrance|Take main path solo]]
[[Try the catacombs|Attempt the catacombs solo]]
The two were able to make their way throughout the catacombs without much difficulty. Occasionally, they would stop and go down a level, but most of the time they werer able to make steady progress. After half an hour of frightful trapsing through the catacombs, the air became fresher and the light brighter... and suddenly, the two reached a dead end.
Cynthia stopped. Jaina looked surprised.
The bandit was muttering to herself in a frustrated tizzy. It wasn't difficult to overhear her.
"//She told me that this was it... she said that this would be a trap for that stupid ninja...//"
"Who was //she//?" asked the heroine pointedly.
Jaina grimaced and took a fighting stance. "It was supposed to be your end, you big-breasted buffoon. Zanthie offered me twice her normal reward if I could get you lost down here. But... but I think that I got the path wrong."
"[[You betrayed me!]]" shouted Cynthia.
(if:$suspectjaina is true)[She expected this for some time, and she was ready.]
The first - and last - voice that Cynthia heard upon wakefulness was a familiar voice - honeyed and haughty, the sort of voice that seemed to ooze self-aggrandizing satisfaction.
"Oh //hello// Cynthia. I've just woken you from your slumber for a bit. No, no, no, don't try and move. I, like Fantom, get to monologue, you know."
Cynthia couldn't seem to feel much of anything. It was as though she were a ghost, or a disembodied spirit!
"You know, //Cyn//, you're a smart girl. You always did the best on tests out of the three of us. That was, hm, //probably// because you studied the most. But anyway, you probably have questions, and you're probably smart enough to answer them yourself. Like, for example, what's going on?"
Her mind coalesced into a few possibilities, but none of them were pleasant.
"What are your guesses? Oh, wait, silly me - you can't talk. That's because you're all snugly bound. Trust me, you really do look endearing. And you're going to have to trust me, because I have no intention of letting you see for yourself. You see, you're in a magical slumber, Cynthia. That's how I intend to keep you //forever.//
While you were so lazily sleeping, I took great pleasure in finding appropriate binds. Some of your favorites and mine both; a nice hood, steel bindings, thick cuffs, and endless straps. All of them are carefully locked up, sewn shut, and sealed in place. I am afraid I might have misplaced some of the keys... but it's not going to bother me too much. Right now, you're in the bowels of my catacombs, hanging in a little oubliette. It's cozy, believe me!
So, why bother? Well, you're a plucky little thing, and you're just bursting with magical energy. There's no way that I could let all that magic go to waste. You're going to spend the rest of your days as a magical mana battery. All that excess magic you're emitting is mine. You're not wasting precious energy on things lke charms or magic or moving, you see. Once in a while, I might reel you up out of there. It's hard to keep my hands off you, lil' Cynthia- but that's a ways away. Besides, with you down there, and Fantom out of the way, I'm going to be very busy conquering the neighboring towns."
Cynthia wasn't sure what to say. She wasn't sure if she //could// say anything.
"Once in a while, I might let you astrally project from down there. Maybe I'll need a haunted damsel in distress to scare other prisoners, or maybe I'll just want someone to taunt with stories of my conquests. But for now, Cynthia... //sleep.//
Cynthia managed to glimpse the sight of a heavily-bound creature that, with some horror, she realized was //herself//. Zanthie's spell ended, and she drifted off into a dreamy slumber.
<a href="http://imgur.com/OZpf7eS"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/OZpf7eSl.jpg" title="I'll never be out of mana again!" /></a>
[[Game Over]]
There was a loud zap, followed by the gentle woosh of the wind.
A few hours later, Zanthie herself came by her garden. She took a look at the four statues; the three she had crafted, and the fourth, now standing in the center.
"Agh, Cynthia, Cynthia... you really couldn't solve a simple puzzle? Tsk, tsk. Oh, well, there's no use leaving you like this. As much as I'd like to leave you here as a statue, I'd at least rather have you properly dressed."
Zanthie tilted her head, placing her hands on her hips. It was a good likeness indeed!
"Tell you what - stay right here, I'm going to go get a de-petrification spell ready... and plenty of sturdy restraints for when it's complete! Don't go anywhere!
The only voice echoing through her hideout was Zanthie's abrasive laugh.
[[Game Over]]
Cynthia took a moment to survey the room.
It was attractive; the walls covered in decorations and floor in expensive-looking carpets. Mirrors lined one wall, and paintings another. Luxurious chairs and endtables made it look like the ideal space to take tea - or to taunt captives. Literature and letters lined the bookshelves against the wal opposite the mirrors. The final wall contained a spiral staircase going up.
(if:$tired is true)[A decanter of refreshing water on a small endtable tempted Cynthia. She took a quick sip and felt profoundly rejeuvenated.]
Zanthie's purple-haired visage appeard in a mirror.
"Intruder! Is that you, Cynthia? Hurry upstairs, and quickly! I'd hate for something to happen to you!"
Cynthia stared at it for a moment. The mirror seemed to be a one-way affair. Zanthie couldn't hear her.
"Cynthia, why even bother? We're all just going to do this again. I'm going to escape, and the Unseen School will send you to track me down. Or perhaps some other young student will go rogue. Will you bring him or her back as well?"
[[Investigate the room|Fancy stuff]]
[[Head up the staircase|Directly to floor 2]]
[[Browse the bookshelf|Read some literature]]
Cynthia peered at the garden. It looked like it surrounded the entire structure. It wasn't that interesting; manicured hedges and pleasant grass. The most fascinating thing was a magically moving broom, animated by magic to sweep away dust or swat at vermin.
However, Cynthia noticed a few familiar looking statues on one side of the hideout - and just past them, what looked like an open balcony with a door ajar! This could be her way in! Tragically, it was far too high, with a dangerous-looking metal fence surrounding it. There was what looked like a trapdoor, but smooth stone kept her from climbing to it.
But the statues... well, Cynthia didn't need a mysterious voice to explain it to her.
They were stone represenations of Fantom, Zanthie, and Cynthia herself, arranged in a triangle. Each of them had a distinct pose; Cynthia in a fighting stance, Fantom sitting cross-legged, and Zanthie laughing with her hands on her hips. At the center was another stone disc.
A small plaque next to the disc had a curious note.
//Three students, but only one could tell the truth. The other two merely had to stand in her shadow, lying and spreading falsehood.
Cynthia said that Zanthie was a cheater.
Zanthie argued that Fantom was a liar.
Fantom explained that Zanthie was dishonest.//
It wasn't a difficult puzzle. Cynthia stepped onto the disc and mimicked the pose of...
[[The Cynthia statue|gardenfail]]
[[The Zanthie statue|gardensuccess]]
[[The Fantom statue|gardenfail]]
She took some time to catch her breath. It was good to finally be out of the catacombs.
A wide view of the scrubland and canyon made Cynthia feel somehow profoundly small. Perhaps Zanthie somehow enjoyed being the only 'important' thing in this wide-open space.
[[Inside!|Floor2]]
There was a handwritten note from a local in Dalaston.
//Zanthie,
The bounty for Cynthia has been posted. We have doubled it. We do not want someone like her - some kinky kunoichi - causing a ruckus ever again! Good riddance, I say. Heck, we should string her up and have her be a lesson to anyone who comes into our town and starts fights!//
Exotic perfumes and stolen pieces of silver lined the other tables. Zanthie clearly has wealth to spare. Why does she always want more?
[[Upward!|Floor2]]
No rest for the wicked! Cynthia took a quick look to make sure the room was safe, then trundled upstairs.
[[Floor2]]
There's something written here.
//The Old World is a land of contrasting regions, from the lush grassy plains of Lendleland to the unscalable peaks of the Cloudcap Mountains in Mauristatia. Its people live mostly from the land, but it has many larger settlements as well, for it escaped the cataclysmic wars that have kept the other two continents from attaining true civilization. Some of the kingdoms of the Old World have not reached their full development, but just about all of them are more sophisticated and civilized than anywhere in Allansia or Khul.//
Interesting, but not terribly insightful. The books seem to mostly be history and magic.
The most recent item appears to be a map, with a number of locations listed. They seem to be listed as 'lairs.' Perhaps Zanthie was gearing up for an adventure of her own?
[[Upstairs|Floor2]]
The hideout couldn't be that big. Cynthia surmised that this must be the top floor.
To her surprise, no Zanthie greeted her; no annoying laugh, no perfume, no curves, no ambush of magic - only a few statues and a crystal ball on a plinth.
(if:$jainamummy is true)[There was, however, a large stone sarcophagus here! Propped against the wall and filled with loud 'mewls' and moans, Cynthia instantly surmised that the mummiform inside was her bandit buddy Jaina. She took a quick look, peeking inside the lid, and found - as she expected - a mummy in linen bandages with a little frock of pink hair sticking out. She was mewling, moaning, and trying her best to escape the skintight wrappings that held her in place. Cynthia shook her head and closed the lid. Magical runes glowed, indicating that the wrapped and entombed Jaina was magically preserved.]
(if:$betrayed is true)[A raven sat on a windowsill with a small letter tied to its ankle. Cynthia took it and gave it a quick read;
//Zanthie,
I couldn't bring her in! Cynthia escaped. But with a bounty on her head that high, I'm sure someone else will find her. Good luck!
-Jaina//
]
(if:$jainamirror is true)[Cynthia took a look at the wall. This one, like the one below, had several mirrors and polished surfaces. One of them seemed to have a familiar-looking bounty hunter. Jaina was being pulled along by the mirror version of Cynthia to parts unknown.]
(if:$jainaleft is true)[It looked like Zanthie had been taking notes with her crystal ball.
//Fantom defeated? Left bound and gagged, can't find. Send mercenaries to retrieve her once Cynthia is dealt with.
Jaina captured by Cynthia. Looks like some slavers found her. Ironic, really.
Cynthia's getting close. Better get the portal prepared...//]
She could see strange letters and runes swirling about the magical sphere.
"Z... C... B... N.... V.... X.... "
The letters were random, seemingly out of order.
She placed her hands on the ball, trying to see deeper. It seemed as though the crystal reacted to her fingertips. She took them back, looking at where her fingers had been; arcane symbols formed where she'd left them.
That was it - it was something with her fingertips. Perhaps she just needed to press one single finger to the ball... but which one? Each of her digits seemed to create a different letter. After a few moments of thinking, she knew which letter was missing.
[[L|fail]]
[[M|portal]]
[[O|fail]]
[[P|fail]]
[[T|fail]]
[[X|fail]]
Cynthia quickly settled down for a nap. She removed her jacket and carefully folded it up to be used as a pillow. The heat of the sun made her groggy and she quickly found herself drifting off to sleep.
When she awoke, the sun was low. Her hair felt wet and her head ached slightly; the numbness that comes from an unexpected spell of sleep and a surprise return to wakefulness. She pressed a hand at her temple and rubbed it. But it wasn't //her// hand. It was her hand.
She looked up, and to her endless surprise saw herself. Clad in the same white outfit, the same fishnets, bearing the same curves and same sweet smile - it was her in essentially every way. Her doppleganger was cradling Cynthia's head in her lap. Or was it //her// lap? It was so very confusing.
"Who are you?" said Cynthia, trying to sit up. Her double pushed her back down. The only assymetry was her hair - it seemed to be parted the other way.
"I'm you," said the //other// Cynthia.
"No, I'm me!" said the first.
"No... not quite. I'm me, but now, I'm //you//."
Cynthia arched a brow as the double leaned over her. The sensation of feeling one's own curves, to find her body-double's chest and thin waistline pressing against her was thoroughly unusual! It was distracting, and that was enough to [[doom the kinky kunoichi.]]
Her double stood up. Cynthia tried to do the same, but found it impossible. Looking down at her body, she saw the sand and stone of the cliffside pool rearranging around her! The rocks morphed and became one, coagulating into rings that fit around her ankles and long bands that went around her wrists. They pressed against the stone and sealed together.
Cynthia yelped with panic. This as surely her double's doing! Another series of stones morphed around her waist, gluing her to the ground. Her double stood, bearing the same earnest smile that Cynthia had so often wore. The pool! The mirrored pool! She was some sort of mystical reverse; a woman who had her abilities and looks but seemed to lack the moral fiber not to abuse them.
"Release me! Release... us?"
The double shrugged. "No, I don't think I see that happening. The odds that both of us are here at the same time is miniscule. This little pool is a portal between two worlds, and there's no way that I'm going to let this opportunity go to waste."
"Opportunity? You're only hurting yourself!"
Mirror-Cynthia laughed. "You're right! I'm my own worst enemy! Grabbing my own double and pulling her through a mystic mirror... and now I'm going to take her place. Yup, it's self-destruction all right."
She peered through to the other side - to Cyn's side.
"Looks like you're traveling with someone? Fear not, I'll take good care of her. For now, though..."
Mirror-Cynthia pulled something from a pocket. It was a familiar-looking leather hood, crafted of fine materials and inlaid with deafening runes. "I bought this in a town recently, but I hadn't had the chance to use it. I've wantd to see how it fits on me." Cynthia bucked and jerked her head, but it was no use. Darkness overtook her, and her double stole her face and sealed off her identity.
[[Game Over]]
Cynthia very bashfully undressed. The mere chance that Jaina might see her in the nude was somehow threatening; not the least because she was a bandit, and probably had few qualms about doing dastardly things to a vulnerable maiden taking a quick bath!
The water was pleasant. Cool, yes, but refreshing against her skin. Dirt and exhaustion drifted away from her as she sat in the shallow pool.
She was not entirely surprised when Jaina approached her. She was still fully clothed. The bandit rested a hand on her scabbard, standing at the edge of the pool.
"Hail, Jaina. Care to join me for a dip?"
Jaina had a scowl on her face. It was a bit unsettling. She might mean her ill.
What was more unsettling was Jaina's //reflection.// It did not match the original. While the Jaina in front of her stood with a stoic, intimidating stance, the one in the reflection was grinning. The mirrored Jaina put a finger to her lips as though she was saying "sshhh," and winked at Cynthia. Then, the reflection began coiling up a bundle of rope...
[["Jaina, what's that?"]]
[[Say nothing]]
Jaina tilted her head. She looked down and caught her reflection. In an instant, the mirrored-Jaina adopted a different pose and expression. She became one with the 'real' pink-haired miscreant, mimicking her moves as a reflection normally would.
The distraction gave Cynthia the moment she needed to hop from the pool and grab at her clothes. In the span of a few moments, she was (mostly) dry, clothed, and ready for action.
"...did - did you see anything strange in the pool, Cynthia?" said Jaina incredulously.
Cyn shrugged. She wasn't sure. Maybe it was just her imagination.
[[Force ahead to the dungeon]]
Jaina drew her dagger a few inches from its scabbard. Not enough to wield it, but enough to send a message.
"I was just going to ask about Zanthie and you."
"Oh?" Cynthia's eyes flitted between the mirrored pool and the very real threat in front of her.
"Yes. I was curious - would Zanthie want you alive? Think she'd pay at all for you strung up and wriggling? How much you think you're worth? Purely hypothetical."
Jaina took a single step around the pool, but no more. A rope lasso seemed to shoot like an arrow from within the reflective spring! It wound around Jaina's waist and with a single tug, dragged her deep into the pool.
Cynthia stared. She wasn't //in// the pool. She was in the reflection.
In the span of a few seconds, a tussle ensued and the reflection-Jaina won out. A thick ball-gag and strict hogtie made the bandit look like a turkey ready to be served. The mirror-Jaina, the one that had done the serving, gave Cynthia a thumbs-up.
(set:$jainamirror to true)
[[Leave immediately|Dungeon complex solo]]
[[Return the gesture and vacate the premises|Dungeon complex solo]]
"All... all right, let's try this out."
Jaina's eyebrows raised.
"You mean... the bounty plan?"
"Yes," Cynthia said. She quivered, just a tiny bit.
She quivered because she saw Jaina show off her backpack, and inside were items of restraint. She quivered because Cynthia was thinking to herself what it would be like to be so tightly restrained. She quivered at the thought of being helpless; at the knowledge that her fate was in another's hands. At the idea of having hands on her hapless body as she was escorted to an escape-proof room of steel bars and...
The absent-minded kunoichi looked down. Jaina had already gotten to work! Cyn held her hands in front of her in surprise. Both fists were encased in leather-lined steel mitts - they looked more like a torture device than anything else, though her hands were comfortably bound and kept as fists.
The jailer slid her hands behind her back with practiced precision. An identical pair went around her ankles; they were tall, going over a sizeable portion of her shins. Cyn trembled a bit as they covered her socks and locked in place.
The chain continued- she wrapped it twice around Cynthia's slender waist, trailing it down between her legs. A matching pair of cuffs went over her ankles, and soon enough she was shackled by wrists and ankles both. And deep inside, she was already loving it.
An extra chain locked the wrist and ankle cuffs... and one more went up to the final item, a leather leash.
"Jaina, is the leash normally part of-"
"Yes," Jaina said. She wasn't smiling. "Yes, it's very important. It's also important that all prisoners are gagged. You could use magic."
"Oh!" Cynthia smiled. "Well, if you insist, and since you'll be removi-"
She didn't have the chance to finish her setence.
[[The walk]]
Jaina was grinning from ear to ear. Cynthia, ever empathetic and kind, grinned in turn. It was good to see her new friend happy!
Jaina quickly dispelled any illusions about friendship. She was strutting with that grin; the guiltless grin of a gutless gangster. One foot in front of the other. She practically //sashayed// , her leather creaking slightly.
The pink-haired horror put one hand on her ninja acquisition and walked the heavily hobbled captive inside.
Local constabularies were never impressive affairs; this one was nondescript and similar to countless other guard stations. The one thing that stood out was Cynthia and her captor. She was led inside and brought to a cell. The door remained open as Jaina nudged her side, removing the gag.
"Well, Cynthia, you ready for the next step of the plan?"
Cyn nodded expectantly. "Yes. Untie me and let's get out of here! I was thinking maybe I'd fake taking you hostage?"
"Shame, that's a decent plan. Nope, my priorities have shifted. I guess I don't get the money for another few days, which means that I have to leave you here."
"Leave me!?" Cynthia raised her voice.
"That's right. I have to leave you in jail. Don't worry, you'll grow to like the four walls very soon."
Infuriated and flustered, Cynthia protested - but such was the way of prisoners. Her screams of innocence and pleas for help echoed through the old stone, but fell on deaf ears.
Maybe they'll find some exotic way to restrain you. Maybe they'll make you a punching bag for the guards. Maybe they'll just brick you up with the other prisoners too dangerous to let go. It's all out of my hands. Sorry, Cyn, but the gold's too good to pass up. And besides, you just look like the type who'd do well in jail!"
[[Make a break for it!]]
[[Accept that this is a just fate...]]
(set: $betrayed to true)
Cynthia ran for her life! The restraints were obviously a problem at first, but she was able to deliver a strong kick to Jaina's torso, knocking her to the ground. Jaina moaned, half-consciously trying to call for help.
Luckily, she was ungagged, and used her brief spell of freedom to grab the keys from Jaian's belt. She undid her metal cuffs and began running even before she had wriggled free of all the leather and rope that bound her so tightly.
[[Run!|running from jaina]]
Rumors began the very next day. An adventurer had been captured. Her name was Cynthia; she was apparently rather notable in the nearby town of Dalaston.
There were no instructions for her release, nor for her transport. The bounty, signed by a noblewoman named Zanthie, simply said to hold her until she was retrieved.
<a href="http://imgur.com/Gym5iAk"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/Gym5iAkl.jpg" title=I deserve this... /></a>
Zanthie had plans to come for her.
And so, Cynthia became a fixture of the dungeon. After a day of sitting in her cell, the locals decided on better uses for her. She'd hang in the front of the jail, reminding others what could happen should they break the law. She'd be trapped in the belfry of the town church to ward of spirits. She'd be hung by her ankles in a dark basement.
Visitors quickly became as common a sight as Cynthia - coming to gawk or discuss her. Some said they'd buy her; others claimed to want to rescue her.
It didn't much matter. Cyn was happy, though she couldn't explain it. Both because she lacked the words and she was always kept silent with a wide variety of gags. Thick bit-gags, tight hoods, various plugs and prods all kept her pliable and silent. She grew to like, even love her situation. There was something inherently satisfying about being bound, gagged, and without a care in the world.
[[Game Over-jainabounty]]
Cynthia had suspected something like this, and she was ready. Her senses were sharp and focused, even after the monotonous trudging through the cave. She grabbed Jaina by the wrists and pulled them behind her own back.
"How much was she planning on paying you? Were you planning on ambushing from when we first met?" she shouted.
<a href="http://imgur.com/DefVLF9"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/DefVLF9m.jpg" title="It's spooky." /></a>
Jaina kicked Cyn in the stomach, knocking the wind from the woman. She darted away.
//"Actually,"// Jaina said with a cruel tone, "I was planning on ambushing you from the moment you stepped into the bar. I do //not like// you, Cynthia."
Cyn rushed at her again, this time knocking her backwards. The ne'er-do-well flew backwards and into an old sandstone wall. Rocks crumbled, and the wall disintegrated.
The heroine marched forwards, rope in hand into the next chamber, eager to get her vengeance.
She only had time to see Jaina for a split-second. Bandages and long coils of rope seemed to be coming alive and grabbing her!
"No! No, grab //her//! Grab Cynthia! Damn you, let me-"
Within a few moments more, Jaina was a mass of living rope. She was covered and coated and wrapped. The ropes retracted, and Jaina disappeared into a trapdoor.
(set:$jainamummy to true)
However, the way was clear. Sun spilled from an opening in the ceiling, and some rubble provided a clear way out of the catacombs and into [[Zanthie's hideout|secondfloor]].
She was on the right track.
Ancient markings in a wooden pillar made it appear that there was a gravesite here. Cyn shuddered, hoping she wouldn't join them in their eternal rest!
Now, she needed to go...
[[Left, right, right, and up.]]
[[Down, up, left, right, and up.]]
[[Left, left, left, left, and up.]]
[[Right, up, left, right, and up.]]
[[Up, left, right, and up.]]
The whole area was getting extremely dusty. Cynthia wasn't sure if she was on the right track - but the sun-holes were getting brighter. Surely she was at least getting higher?
She just needed to go...
[[Left, right, right, and up.|mummy]]
[[Down, up, left, right, and up.|mummy]]
[[Left, left, left, left, and down|mummy]]
[[Right, up, left, right, and left.|mummy]]
[[Down a bunch, then maybe... maybe right?|mummy]]
The whole area was getting extremely dusty. Cynthia wasn't sure if she was on the right track - but the sun-holes were getting brighter. Surely she was at least getting higher?
She just needed to go...
[[Left, right, right, and up.|mummy]]
[[Down, up, left, right, and up.|mummy]]
[[Left, left, left, left, and down|mummy]]
[[Right, up, left, right, and left.|mummy]]
[[Down a bunch, then maybe... maybe right?|mummy]]
The whole area was getting extremely dusty. Cynthia wasn't sure if she was on the right track - but the sun-holes were getting brighter. Surely she was at least getting higher?
She just needed to go...
[[Left, right, right, and up.|mummy]]
[[Down, up, left, right, and up.|mummy]]
[[Left, left, left, left, and down|mummy]]
[[Right, up, left, right, and left.|mummy]]
[[Forward a bunch, maybe... maybe right?|mummy]]
The area was getting very dusty indeed. Cynthia sneezed, and it echoed throughout the chamber. More old dirt and dust [[flew into the air|mummy]] as she stumbled into a dead end.
The area was getting very dusty indeed. Cynthia sneezed, and it echoed throughout the chamber. More old dirt and dust [[flew into the air|mummy]] as she stumbled into a dead end.
The area was getting very dusty indeed. Cynthia sneezed, and it echoed throughout the chamber. More old dirt and dust [[flew into the air|mummy]] as she stumbled into a dead end.
The area was getting very dusty indeed. Cynthia sneezed, and it echoed throughout the chamber. More old dirt and dust [[flew into the air|mummy]] as she stumbled into a dead end.
It was hard, but it was worth it. Cynthia breathed in fresh air as she ascended up and out of the catacombs.
[[What a view!|secondfloor]]
Dust flew //everywhere//. She waved her hands to try and clear it, coughing slightly. It was rather unpleasant.
She knelt down slightly and looked at the sooty layer on the floor. Was it desert sand? Musty dust from mites? Dirt from the ceiling? She wasn't sure, but it was fine and powdery. It seemed to reflect light rather well; it was a bit dizzying. Perhaps the sun-holes were covered in the stuff?
Small dribbles of the sand seemed to be coming like a liquid from the sun-holes. The heroine tilted her head and examined one. Was that normal?
Something grabbed at her wrist. To her surprise, something grabbed at her other wrist. She only had enough time to see long ropes extending from the sun-holes before they went dark, plunging the entire room into darkness.
She couldn't feel what was happening, but a part of her knew that her journey was over. Long ropes and bandages extended around her body, wrapping her roughly.
Another layer of bandages started coiling around her body. She fell to the ground in a tangle of magical bindings.
Cynthia could swear that she heard Zanthie cackling as sand began to pour into the room.
[[Game Over]]
if you go close up, then FAILRUE.
Sacrifice! She's going to drain her energy away. I might get too greedy...
DUEL
If you go close, failure! Same as if you gave in.
Kissing. Touching. Head between tits.
Look who I've got - Fantom! Jaina brought her here. Jaina is hypnotized with a magical gag and a rune of binding in her forehead!
The really hot one.
The trap-door opened, and the stone disc raised! A moment later, Cynthia was hopping from the statues to the balcony, and another moment after that, she was finally inside - and on an upper floor!
[[Onward!|firstfloor]]
It was an unusual feeling; like squeezing through a log that was a thousand miles wide. It was strange, but far stranger was the place she found herself. She was far from the tiny temple; she now stood in a massive room with a tall, domed ceiling.
The majority of the room was lit in blue-green light emitting from the central feature - a massive, spinning orrery. It moved slowly, presumably tracking the movement of the planets and the heavenly bodies. It was quite a sight - Cynthia hadn't seen anything so grand since her time at the Unseen School!
There was one entity that stood out. A preeningm purple-haired profligate, a magical mischief-maker, and a criminal classmate - the sorcess **Zanthie**!
<a href="http://imgur.com/9tx1LdJ"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/9tx1LdJl.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
She stood atop a platform on the orrery - above the central star - and regarded the newcomer with a smirk.
"Took you long enough."
Cynthia had assumed the slight stinging in her wrists was just a side-effect of the magical teleportation. She looked around, and, much to her horror, discovered that she was already bound. The magic of the portal seemed to have brought her through with some [[extra accoutrements]].
(if:$rigged is true)[The globe glowed with energy, hummed... and Cynthia felt herself teleported through time and space! [[But where to?]]]
(else:)[Cynthia felt herself thrown through time and space.
It was an unusual feeling; like squeezing through a log that was a thousand miles wide. It was strange, but far stranger was the place she found herself. She was far from the tiny temple; she now stood in a massive room with a tall, domed ceiling.
The majority of the room was lit in blue-green light emitting from the central feature - a massive, spinning orrery. It moved slowly, presumably tracking the movement of the planets and the heavenly bodies. It was quite a sight - Cynthia hadn't seen anything so grand since her time at the Unseen School!
There was one entity that stood out. A preeningm purple-haired profligate, a magical mischief-maker, and a criminal classmate - the sorcess **Zanthie**!
<a href="http://imgur.com/9tx1LdJ"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/9tx1LdJl.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>
She stood atop a platform on the orrery - above the central star - and regarded the newcomer with a smirk.
"Took you long enough."
Her quest was [[nearly over.]]]
Cynthia was flung through time and space. Shortly after, she landed back on solid ground - well, [[sort of|fail]].
It felt like //years// since they last spoke face-to-face. Even so, there was a certain sense of familiarity between the two. Cynthia knew it, and presumably so did Zanthie. Their postures changed; despite the circumstances, Cynthia realized she was more relaxed than normal. Zanthie's strong legs were less tense, and she leaned against the ledge of the walkway.
Zanthie spoke first. She had a sonorous voice, though its pitch fluctuated and she was just loud enough to be //slightly// grating. "I've been busy with my orrery. Careful observation of the celestial spheres and magical ley lines can be very taxing. I'm glad that you're here, Cynthia - I can blow off some steam capturing you!"
She put her hands at her sides and extended them. She clicked her heels together and began to levitate slightly. Magical energy enveloped her feet. She was a sorceress, no doubt about it; blasting away her foes at distance was always her strong suit.
Cynthia felt a lump in her throat. It was familiar, but it wasn't friendly. "//Zanthie,// you're full of hot air!"
"Hmph." The magician's brow furrowed. "So, you did make it here. I did what I could to try and catch you, but it wasn't enough. I just didn't have enough time to prepare; I would have preferred a full castle of traps and puzzles."
The heroine was getting impatient. "You're always wanting more, Zan. What would satisfy you?"
[["Actually, I'm glad you asked."]]
"One thing would satisfy me - //you//."
"Me?"
"Yes, //you//. I might have slacked off in school, but I've been buckling down! I now possess a method by which I can leech of the mana of a living being. The individual is *thorougly* restrained and enclosed. Spells keep him or her sustained in a magical sleep. All the while I, **Zanthie**, absorb every lovely iota of that precious vitae! And, since the victim isn't going around casting spells or talking or really doing anything but wriggling, that means all the more magic for me!"
Cynthia shook her head. "You're not that much different from Fantom. You both use living people for your own sick ends."
Zanthie shrugged as she hovered through the air. "Fantom is a fool. She just wanted to indulge in lust. I've got //big// plans. Every captured kunoichi and magic-wielder is more power. I hope to fill up my catacombs with leashed ladies like yourself!" She launched into a long, haughty cackle.
Still floating in the air, Cynthia had her own proposition.
[["Any chance you'll give up?"]]
[["What's so funny?"]]
[[Strike her while she laughs!]]
"No chance that you'll turn yourself in?"
The whooping, sonorant //Kya-hah-hah-hah!// died down to a chuckle, then to a frown.
"You're serious, aren't you? You really think I might give up the fight and come with you."
Cynthia nodded. She was earnest, honest, and didn't want to hurt her classmate. "I'll take you and Fantom both back to the Unseen School. I'll give them the evidence and explain what happened. I'm sure they'll give you a merciful judgement."
Her clement pleadings were cut off by a blast of energy emanating from Zanthie's fist. She began to summon arcane power; pink wisps of magic began to flow from her body.
[[Looks like it's coming to a fight...]]
"What's so funny?" Cynthia asked.
Zanthie didn't seem to notice the question. The villainous laugh was its own joke and punchline.
The whooping, sonorant //Kya-hah-hah-hah!// died down to a chuckle. The mage's hands began to glow with energy.
[[Looks like it's coming to a fight...]]
Cynthia did her best to go in for a strike.
Zanthie, despite all her bluster, was still a competent wielder of the magical arts. She snapped her fingers, and several bolts of lightning struck the metallic orbs and arms of the orrery.
//Curses//, Cynthia thought. It seemed that Zanthie was a bit more prepared than she had hoped.
Purple lightning started to arc about. Zanthie was powering up. To lunge at her now would be a fool's errand - but maybe a fool's errand was what was necessary!
It was that, take cover beneath the orrery. It wasn't perfect, but it was better than standing out in the open like this.
"You can't hide! Might as well get on your knees and beg!"
[[Cynthia threw caution to the wind!]]
[[Cynthia tried to formulate a strategy...]]
Cynthia dashed forward, dodging a few bolts of energy. In fact, it was more than a few - it was practically a thunderstorm! Zanthie was covering the ground with these pink bolts of energy.
"Just stop moving for a change! It won't hurt for long!"
[[Cynthia tried to formulate a strategy...]]
Her rival stopped hovering, taking place squarely on the central star of the orrery.
Cynthia had a moment to think - though Zanthie was thinking as well!
The risky choice was to dash upwards. It'd leave her vulnerable, as she'd need to duck and weave through all the various globes and armatures and models to get to Zanthie.
A safer choice would be to keep her distance. She could stay back, hoping that Zanthie would spend her energy on the metal armatures, missing instead of hitting the ninja. Depending on what sort of magic she was using - Cynthia wasn't entirely sure - she might even hit the metal and shock herself!
[[Go close]]
[[Fight at a distance]]
Cynthia knew how to fight. She knew how to jump. And she knew that Zanthie was a fantastic ranged fighter!
Magical bolts coursed through the air, impacting on the globes. Models of planets and moons shattered when bolts of fire, blasts of ice, and arcs of lightning flew at them - but Cynthia dodged each in turn, clambering up to the top of the orrery!
Zanthie gasped - Cynthia was right [[on top of her!]]
Cynthia ducked past another bolt of energy.
"You won't take me that easy, Zanthie!"
"Actually... I will! Bwah-hah hah hah hah!"
//What was she going on about?// Cynthia ducked beneath a metal armature. It provided ample cover; she was able to keep up with it for a half-minute more. Ice, fire, lightning, magical missiles - all of them whizzed past her. Zanthie was growing tired!
...but it was all part of her plan. Cynthia realized too late that all those spells had been setting up the finishing blow. She tripped on a patch of iced-over ground, sliding into what she could only describe as a cage - a region so saturated with magic that it practically shocked her unconscious.
Zanthie was preparing another spell - one which surrounded her in magenta mist, and was raising her [[into the air...|closer to the sorceress.]]
Cynthia had come through the portal intact, but she seemed to have been teleported into a pair of cuffs! Thick steel bonds with leather belts, secured together by an extremely thick chain... it wasn't ideal. She wasn't too terribly bound besides that - presumably, teleporting her and magically attaching the cuffs during the process was hard enough.
Her hands were above her head, chained to a post that made her extend to her tip-toes!
Zanthie spoke first. She had a sonorous voice, though its pitch fluctuated and she was just loud enough to be //slightly// grating. "I've been busy with my orrery. Careful observation of the celestial spheres and magical ley lines can be very taxing. I'm glad that you're here, Cynthia - I can blow off some steam! I've already got you bound. Just a minute or so, and you'll take on a role as my newest battery."
She put her hands at her sides and extended them. She clicked her heels together and began to levitate slightly. Magical energy enveloped her feet. She was a sorceress, no doubt about it; blasting away her foes at distance was always her strong suit.
Cynthia felt a lump in her throat. It was familiar, but it wasn't friendly. "//Zanthie,// you're full of hot air!"
"Hmph." The magician's brow furrowed. "So, you did make it here. I did what I could to try and catch you, but it wasn't enough. I just didn't have enough time to prepare; I would have preferred a full castle of traps and puzzles."
The heroine was getting impatient. "You're always wanting more, Zan. What would satisfy you?
Zanthie laughed loud and long.
[["Bwah hah hah... trying to stall the inevitable?]]
Actually, she //was// trying to stall. It was clear that these cuffs were relatively brittle. A bit longer, and she could break the chain! She just needed to stall...
"[[Of course not! I'm trying to figure out what your plan is, that's all - the better to beat you with!|fail1]]"
"[[Well... I suppose so. I want to figure out what my former classmate has been up to.|win1]]
[[I was just hoping to hear what sort of magic you're about to use. You were always the smart one!|win1]]
"Hmmm...."
Zanthie stopped for a moment. Magical energy seemed to disappate.
"Oh! Look at that! Time's up. And no more stalling from you, young lady."
Pink energy struck Cynthia, and she felt her body growing light. The cuffs seemed fall off of her, but she hardly noticed or cared. The ninja was floating up - up, into the air, and [[closer to the sorceress.]]
"Well... all right," Zanthie said. "If you must know, the plan doesn't really **need** you. You're just a slab of meat, nowhere nearly as pretty as myself. But it does start with you."
Cynthia tugged at che chains. "Me?"
"Yes, //you//. I might have slacked off in school, but I've been buckling down! I now possess a method by which I can leech of the mana of a living being. The individual is *thorougly* restrained and enclosed. Spells keep him or her sustained in a magical sleep. All the while I, **Zanthie**, absorb every lovely iota of that precious vitae! And, since the victim isn't going around casting spells or talking or really doing anything but wriggling, that means all the more magic for me!"
Cynthia shook her head. "You're not that much different from Fantom. You both use living people for your own sick ends."
Zanthie shrugged as she hovered through the air. "Fantom is a fool. She just wanted to indulge in lust. I've got //big// plans. Every captured kunoichi and magic-wielder is more power. I hope to fill up my catacombs with leashed ladies like yourself!" She launched into a long, haughty cackle.
[["You'll probably have more slaves than Fantom, but you'll never be as popular as her.|fail2]]
[["You'll never win, Zanthie! You can capture me - and you definitely will - but you can't defeat every adventurer. There will be more!|win2]]
[["I guess you're right. Fantom didn't spend enough time on her lair. She was nowhere as smart as you when it came to beautifying a hidden fortress.|win2]]
As she floated higher, the magic that had stunned her disappated, but only by a tiny modicum. She regained her mental faculties, but she knew that it wasn't going to be enough - not when Zanthie had control of her body.
Cyn was weak and growing weaker; her strength being drained away. A few minutes more, and she'd be under the spell of Zan entirely.
She felt her rival's energies encircling her - almost as if looking for an opening in her defense, waiting for her spirit to falter. She squinted, trying to get a read on the magenta energy, but it was hard to even think of a way to counter such an attack. Even in the Unseen SSchool, Zanthie was the sorceress; she had talent, talent which always outmatched the heroine's own studying.
She floated higher, until she was at eye level with her former friend.
"Cynthia! Make your next move! Or... are you giving up already?"
The kinky kunoichi felt her hands tugged behind her, closing at the small of her back and her ankles kept together by some unseen force. That voice - that voice and that stare! She had used the oldest trick in the book to break her concentration.
//I... I have to break free!// Thoughts raced through Cyn's head - but she could tell her foe was doing the same. She was dragged closer and closer, until she was just an arm's length away! With a flash of flowing purple hair, she grabbed at her opponent - one hand covering Cynthia's mouth in a tight grip, the other on the back of her head.
Suddenly, a rush of energy flowed through her body. This was it - Zanthie's powers were coursing through her female form! Her will to resist was being rapidly depleted.
The witch floated with her rival from the top of the orrery back to the walkway on which she first started. Cyn lay down against the walkway, with her rival's hand still firmly on her mouth.
Zanthie might have been the best magic-wielder, but Cynthia was the best fighter - and she knew that she had just enough strength to try to break free. And yet - she [[couldn't help but feel the allure of her predicament.]]
"Nice try," said Zanthie with a malign grin, "But you're just stalling."
The cuffs disappeared - but it wasn't Cynthia's doing. Zanthie was levitating Cynthia up off the post and closer towards her! She wriggled, but she continued to float [[closer to the sorceress.]]
"You're right! You're so right." Zanthie smiled, her ego temporarily assuaged.
She was about to launch into a rant about how she kept so mind-bendingly beautiful when Cynthia struck! With a final tug, the brittle cuffs fell to pieces. She wipped the bangles from her wrists and stomped her feet - the fight wasn't over yet!
Zanthie barely had time to switch spells. Cynthia was already [[on top of her!]]
She was being beaten. She was having her will to resist broken down. She was kept gagged with a soft, forceful hand - a slave to her aggressor's advances. Some deep part of her mind (or was it Zanthie's magic?) spoke to her.
//Why not let Zanthie win? The bad guy will win someday. I could sleep and forget all this. She's right, in a way - this could happen again and we'd be right here once more. I could spend the rest of my life chasing after evildoers and being chased back. Is that really any better than being the prized possession of her rival?//
That will to resist was still there... but wouldn't it just be so //thrilling// to lose? And to lose in such an epic way, to taste such **profound** defeat...
[[No, I need to break free!]]
[[Maybe it would be... for the best...|giveintozan]]
[[Yes... forget my mission. Let Zanthie win.|letwin]]
Cynthia shook her head, resistance growing once again. Zanthie seemed to notice.
"Having second thoughts?"
The heroine pretended to return to sleep. Just as her foe leaned back for one final villainous laugh, she turned the tables! One hand grabbed her hair while the other delivered a powerful blow. Zanthie flew backwards and Cynthia managed to get to her feet. It was time to [[finish this!]]
Cynthia could feel her energy slipping away from her. She moved her legs and arms around weakly in her arcane bonds.
They were starting to get heavy. Any longer and she would be past the point of no return - with no ability to ever attempt getting loose again.
//Why did this feel so good?// She was racking her clouded mind for an explanation of why she felt so stimulated.
The heroine looked at Zanthie and a weak moan of enjoyment escaped her pursed lips. It felt increadible to be beaten in this way - a perfect drama, a fitting end for a heroine.
Thoughts suddenly came back to her. She had to win! She had a mission!
//Snap out of it! You can't let this happen!//
[[Of course! I must get free now!]]
[[No... no, this is the end. Struggling is pointless.|letwin]]
Cynthia's whole body started to go limp. Soon, she was well beyond any the point where she could offer any resistance.
Zanthie could tell her rival was fading and tightened her grip. With her hand over her mouth, she continued to thrash for a few seconds more, but the fire had gone. She was lowered completely to the floor.
<a href="http://imgur.com/ZDskqDv"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/ZDskqDvl.jpg" title="The lights were out." /></a>
As the seconds went by Cynthia's whole body started to glow in Zanthie's energy. The heroine coulld feel it touching her body; phantom hands on her curves, invisible fingers stroking her limbs. The feeling was incredible - and neatly covered up Zanthie stealing her strength away, sucking her resistance away like a sponge!
Zanthie didn't let up. , not letting go of her the white heroine for a moment. All Cynthia could do was look onwards as the world seemed to grow dim.
Finally! The witch knew that she had won and started to laugh at how easy her opponent was to take down. After all this time - **this** was Cynthia's best? She was pathetic! It was almost like she had given up on purpose.
[[She knew the truth...]]
Cynthia shook her head. Zanthie seemed to notice.
"Having second thoughts?"
The heroine pretended to return to sleep. Just as her foe leaned back for one final villainous laugh, she turned the tables! One hand grabbed her hair while the other delivered a powerful blow. Zanthie flew backwards and Cynthia managed to get to her feet. It was time to [[finish this!]]
"Wait! What? No, no, no! Cynthia, give it up, you'll never beat me! You think you can pull these small-time antics and-"
Cynthia tackled Zanthie off the platform. The two fell down from the orrery, crashing through the canvas model of a planet and its mood. Zanthie moaned in pain. Pink magic disappated, and the orrery began to collapse.
"Zanthie, you're small-time!"
She moaned for a moment and tilted back her head. Cynthia [[had won.]]
"Wait! What? No, no, no! Cynthia, give it up, you'll never beat me! You think you can pull these small-time antics and-"
Cynthia tackled Zanthie off the platform. The two fell down from the orrery, crashing through the canvas model of a planet and its mood. Zanthie moaned in pain. Pink magic disappated, and the orrery began to collapse.
"Zanthie, you're small-time!"
She moaned for a moment and tilted back her head. Cynthia [[had won.]]
The walk back to Dalaston was quicker than the journey there. This was in no small part thanks to Zanthie's golems.
The arcane constructs were easy to subvert, now that Zanthie had been neutralized. Two massive, lumbering stone figures carried along the spoils of an adventure well-fought; books, papers, artifacts, silver, gold, crystal, and more. One lugged it all in two massive chests, with the noble heroine Cynthia riding atop its shoulders.
Another hauled more fragile packages along; silks and linens in one hand, and the other held a squirming, moaning, groaning, fitful package.
Victory was [[sweet.]]
Cynthia returned to Dalaston with sizeable wealth in goods, and far more in captives!
Jaina and Zanthie were bound together and hauled along like another piece of treasure. Each of them were kept in place by ropes, and while they would occasionally struggle, Cynthia knew it was in vain. She had, after all, taken great pains to bind them; a way of paying them back for the misfortunes they had visited upon her. They were resigned to their fate as the golems - with Cynthia atop - plodded into town.
She spread some of the wealth around freely; throwing silver coins to the townsfolk and letting them jeer at the two captives. But really, the celebrations could only begin once she made it back to the Unseen School with her captives. Speaking of which, there was one more to acquire. Cynthia returned to Fantom's prison of residence. The golem now carried three buxom, bound belles. It was satisfying. Perhaps this was how villains felt.
As she reveled in the center of town, Cynthia stretched. She wanted this moment to last forever. Victorious and recieving the aplomb of grateful townsfolk - as well as getting to see her quarry squirm for mercy!
What was a hero to do?
[[Stay the night]]
[[Set out immediately]]
Cynthia was exhausted. After an evening of celebrations at the Ribcage, she settled into a tavern room. Her three captives snored soundly.
Well, two did, at least. The third - Jaina - was far from defeated. The other three might have some camaraderie, but Jaina? She had no desire to let her journey end there.
In the early hours of the morning, Jaina stole away - removing her bonds slowly, but removing them nonetheless.
She fled to the nearest guard-post, with the bounty- the very bounty that Zanthie had offered - in her hand.
"Excuse me. I'd like to cash in a bounty for an individual named Cynthia. Oh, and I've got two others I'm sure you'd be very interested in [[locking up...]]
Cynthia was quite tired. Seting out would be a satisfactory coda to her journey, but it would certainly be nice to stay one more day.
[[Stay the night]]
[[Leave town]]
Cynthia left town after turning Jaina in to the local authorities.
A few nights later, she was well on her way to the Unseen School. With her friends in tow and loot aplenty, this was practically a camping trip! Albeit one where two of the campers spent most of their time grimacing at the third campter.
"Oh please, ladies. Just make the most of it! I'll speak on your behalf when we get home."
"Mmmmf."
"Nnnggh."
"That's the spirit."
She grinned. It would be a chilly night. Luckily, she had two conquests to keep her warm!
[[Game Over|endingnottied]]
There was really no chance. Not when the three of them slept. Not when two of them were already bound and prepared for transport.
Cynthia had seen tight spots before; this adventure had been full of them! But dozens of armed guards were simply too much for her to bear.
Guards and villagers poured into the room, grabbing all three of them before she had a chance to react. Shouts and jeers echoed through the tavern.
It was becoming clear that maybe, //just maybe// she had ruffled some feathers. Coming into town with dangerous, wanted criminals; destroying the church, disrupting the (apparently quite lucrative) slaved trade, and making a nuisance over herself... she had apparently made quite the enemy of the local establishment.
Of course, they were no fan of Zanthie or Fantom, either. No, all three would suffer [[the same fate.]]
There was no trial; only a local constable spending a few seconds explaining that Cynthia would serve as an example to others!
All three were led, quicking and squirming, to the center of town. There, the locals had assembled some exquisite equipment from Fantom's stockpile.
The trio was stripped of the simple ropes that tied them. Fantom and Zanthie thought about esacpe, but dozens of sword-points made them reconsider.
First was their arms. Knowing full well that they all had some degree of escape training, the townsfolk made sure they would never have the chance to pick their locks or wriggle free. The ninjas' arms were encased in metal mitts; their hands were balled up (clutching a wad of leather) and enclosed. The mitts themselves were locked by a massive metal chain, leaving their hands bound in a boxtie near the small of their backs.
Cynthia wasn't sure if she really deserved this, but she was quite certain she wasn't getting out! Not without help, and help wasn't coming. She was treated to a leather harness; a web of straps that chad a wide corset around her stomach, primarily to serve as an anchor point for her wrists. Long vertical straps ran down from her waist to her ankles, kept together with individual loops around her legs.
For Fantom, some of this was too familiar. Rough hands on her milky white skin... if only it had been a different setting. Nothing she could do now. Her legs were forced together, with straps at her calves, above and below her knees, and again at her ankles. Each strap had its own tiny lock. She got the feeling that the locals weren't keeping track of the keys.
With their legs and arms secured, the townsfolk moved on to the upper body. They were in agreement - two layers of straps above and below their breasts would allow for maximum humiliation as well as keep them secured. It was so done, leaving all three helpess but to wriggle.
One removed Cynthia's gag. Her puppy-dog eyes and pleading words [[weren't enough.]]
Zanthie dreaded being gagged. Without her words, she couldn't laugh evilly. And more importantly, she wouldn't be able to cast a single spell!
...which was, of course, exactly the purpose of the gag. All three felt a plug shoved between their lips, packed in place with a leather-lined metal panel gag.
Over the gag, all three suffered the same leather hoods that Fantom had once so prized. Their faces simply disappeared. They were, after all, less than criminals. They were a statement - a statement to keep out of the town's business, and to keep ninjas away!
The three, now heavily hooded, hobbled, and restrained, were given a few more minutes to struggle. They wriggled and writhed, rubbing against each other and the stone of the town square. When they had tired themselves out, their final fates awaited.
Each of them was placed in a biting bodycage; gilded gold that carefully hugged their forms. The metal bands were tight, and it left them barely enough room to squirm. The last piece to be locked in place were extra bands of metal around their heads.
The three were hung in a triangular formation in the town square. Occasionally, wind or mischevious onlookers would push one of them, causing the captured kunoichi within to brush against the curves or metal of another. It would always evoke laughter from the townsfolk - though the captives, forevermore doomed to be living warnings for the town, were less amused.
<a href="http://imgur.com/ZFiC9Kg"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/ZFiC9Kgl.jpg" title="The canon ending!" /></a>
[[The End]]
Cynthia returned to the Unseen School. Her two compatriots recieved particularly harsh sentences - though they had no plan to suffer their punishments! Already they formulated ways to escape their bonds.
That was another story for another day. For now, Cynthia needed to relax. She ran a warm bath. It was a well-deserved reward.
[[The End]]
Caution was sometimes an unnecessary burden. In this case, Cynthia threw prudency to the wind and charged directly at Zanthie.
It was exactly as foolish as Zanthie had hoped. A single, massively powerful attack hit Cynthia from multiple directions at once. The ninja didn't stand a chance.
Then, the orrery went silent. Zanthie grinned; she ran a finger throug her purple hair and floated down to the floor.
"Four... three.. two..."
On the count of one, Cynthia reappeared - albeit in a different state then when she had left!
The teleportation spell had sent her to the deepest, darkest recesses of the catacombs; to a dark place where strange magics took vicious vengeance on intruders.
Poor Cynthia had been completely wrapped from head to toe in bandages. Zanthie mounted Cynthia, sitting on her stomach and laughing. She took a certain sadistic joy in imagining what it must have been like. Teleported to the middle of a pitch-black space, totally helpless; only able to feel as bandages began to wrap your every limb, over and over and over, and then tugged together so tightly...
The teleportation spell had also brought her back once she was sufficiently wrapped. Well, perhaps MORE than 'sufficiently.' Cynthia was totally enclosed! Not an inch of her skin was showing, though Zanthie did enjoy seeing her feminine curves through the linen. It was so //tight//, so blissfully tight. She could scarcely squirm beneath it all, and it was growing tighter. Zanthie wiggled her fingers and Cynthia groaned as the wrappings constricted further than either had thought possible.
"You're mine, Cynthia. I quite like you like this."
Cynthia tried to moan back, but she could barely make a peep. From head to toe, across her neck and torso and breasts and thighs, she was nothing but a thickly-wrapped mummy.
"You're like a blank canvas. I can do //anything// I want with you."
Cynthia didn't hear Zanthie's words, but she soon heard her evil laugh. She had won.
---
Cynthia's muscles felt hollow, with scarcely a drop of energy to fight back. She was a doll to be played with; an artifact to be stored and used.
Zanthie thought to herself of where to place her first. She was practically drooling with excitement. There were so many options!
Hung far below in a tomb, swinging in the catacombs?
Perhaps sealed away in a dungeon to lure in adventurers.
Maybe she'd spend some time in her own room as a plaything.
For all Zanthie cared, she could be scrunched up and locked in a barrel. Cynthia was just another conquest.
The victorious woman rolled the defeated heroine onto her stomach, and delivered a playful smack to her curvy, exposed rear. "**It was all useless! You never really had a chance, did you, toy!?"**
A few days later, Zanthie had completed her plan. With Cynthia under her total control, she acquired Fantom and, with the villainess conveniently bound, proceeded to do the same to her. Two helpless and hopeless ninjas, now all hers to do with as she pleased - and all thanks to Cynthia.
[[Game Over]]
She knew the truth. She had wanted this from the start and as the world started to go dark she felt her body and mind sink away, into a dream. Her eyes closed to never open again.
Zanthie's powers finished by ensnaring more binds around Cynthia's knee's, thighs and her arms and chest, pinning her limbs tight. She summoned leather strips and metal bands to lock around her neck, sealing in place with masterful precision. She finally released the grip on her sleeping visage when it was clear that her quarry would offer no meaningful resistance.
"Sleep tight, Cynthia." Zanthie leaned in close and planted an ironic kiss on her classmate's lips. It was a fitting 'good-night' as she enveloped her peaceful face in magical hood; solid construction and heavy lacing sealed together beneath a collar to keep her alive, asleep, and ensnared to her will. Zanthie didn't need to see Cynthia's pretty face to know it was her. Besides, she quite liked the look of a former foe all hooded up.
Cynthia's muscles felt hollow, with scarcely a drop of energy to fight back. She was a doll to be played with; an artifact to be stored and used.
Zanthie thought to herself of where to place her first. She was practically drooling with excitement. There were so many options!
Hung far below in a tomb, swinging in the catacombs?
Perhaps sealed away in a dungeon to lure in adventurers.
Maybe she'd spend some time in her own room as a plaything.
For all Zanthie cared, she could be scrunched up and locked in a barrel. Cynthia was just another conquest.
The victorious woman rolled the defeated heroine onto her stomach, and delivered a playful smack to her curvy, exposed rear. "**It was all useless! You never really had a chance, did you, toy!?"**
A few days later, Zanthie had completed her plan. With Cynthia under her total control, she acquired Fantom and, with the villainess conveniently bound, proceeded to do the same to her. Two helpless and hopeless ninjas, now all hers to do with as she pleased - and all thanks to Cynthia.
Zanthie really couldn't help but laugh. It was a stunning victory that really was one for the ages. With these two enslaved to her will, she'd soon turn to others. Perhaps the Unseen School would be a good source of more captives?
Cynthia neither heard nor cared. She was lost in a dreamy slumber. Zanthie was already making preparations as Zanthie began to rant about her future plans.
<a href="http://imgur.com/hlEWjrO"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/hlEWjrOl.jpg" title="The end!" /></a>
[[Game Over]]