A mysterious ruin and a familiar face.

They pushed through the foliage and found their way blocked by a massive fallen pine tree, easily nine feet in diameter. The two warriors climbed it with ease, and helped Hanna up to the top. There below them they could see that the tree was one of many that had been felled to create a ring around a large clearing. In the center of the clearing was a series of standing stones, all carved with strange symbols.

"Hanna, can you read those?" Josk asked.

"I'd need to get closer," the witch said.

The trio climbed down the other side of the log. They approached the nearest stone. It was about four feet high and two feet wide, but there were larger stones closer to the center. Some were over seven feet tall.

"What does it say?" Ria asked.

"It's Elven," came a voice from behind the larger stones. Karn stepped out from behind one of them, brushing his fingers down the side of the rune-covered rock.

"Karn!" Ria shouted. "How did you get here so fast?"

"I wasn't hunting," he shrugged. "You three were taking your time."

"Hanna, what's wrong?" Josk asked. Ria looked over to the smaller girl and saw the nervous expression on her face.

"These symbols..." she said, "This place... it's... it's..."

"A sacrifice pit," Karn said. He touched a hand to a rune and the symbol beneath his palm flared with green light. Ria felt a rush of air from beneath her, and found that her feet were rooted to the spot. Vines wrapped around her boots, coiling up around her calves.

"I can't move!" Josk shouted.

"Me neither," Ria said, twisting her legs. "Hanna?"

"Same," she replied. "Hang on, I can handle this." The young witch started to mutter a chant under her breath.

"So can I," Ria said. She notched an arrow and leveled it at Karn's chest. The sorcerer waved a hand and the bow flew from Ria's grasp, clattering to the ground by Karn's feet. It was immediately joined by Josk's axes.

"Elf sacrifices aren't the same as ours," Karn said. "The sacrificed wouldn't be killed. That would be a waste. Elves value life. No, they don't take offerings to their Fay gods here to be killed. They take them here to be fucked."

"Karn," Ria said, "if you touch me, I'll kill you."

Karn smiled. "I won't touch you until you beg me for it," he said. "Just like in your dream."

"No!" Ria shouted. "Never!"

Karn touched another rune on the smaller stone in front of them. A surge of pleasure wracked Ria's body. She cried out in surprise, a hoarse, ragged moan. She would have fallen over if not for the plants wrapped around her legs.

"Karn!" Josk yelled. "I will rip your head off!"

"Shut up, Josk," Karn sneered. "You don't have power here." He drew a pattern in the air with his fingers and a series of vines reached in from the nearby foliage to wrap Josk's arms and mouth, holding him tight. He touched the rune again and Ria's body exploded in pleasure a second time. She felt her whole body quiver as her abdomen tightened. When Karn touched the rune a third time, Ria screamed as an orgasm washed over her.