New Mines of Pruzonia 3: Storming Through

Aeolia didn’t like their odds. The crystal serpent wasn’t something she wanted to fight in the first place. She had only fired off that original attack when it tried to stop her from speeding through the cavern, wanting to just get to the other side so she could keep looking for everyone else. That hit had lit up the whole cave, and when she could see again, both tunnels had been blocked by fallen rocks.

‘Can’t believe I fell for that,’ she chided herself. Looking back, it was so obvious that something was off about the blockade. There had been no sound of falling rocks or any sign the snake had caused it.

She shook her head. ‘Now’s not the time to focus on that. Monster ahead of us. Can’t hit it with magic or it’ll fuck with our eyes. Kiera’s magic is still being weird and I don't know if it’ll help us beyond being able to break the illusion. Without magic I really can’t damage the thing worth a damn.’

“Okay, here’s the plan,” Aeolia said to Kiera. “Since fighting that thing’s a no go, we’re going to blitz past it. I’m going to shrink you down and gun it. Think that’ll work with whatever your powers are going through?”

“I, I think so,” Kiera mumbled, her copied wings curling against her body. “I can’t turn them off, but I think I can keep them from getting in the w-way. Um, sorry for using your wings without asking.”

Aeolia kept herself from sighing. “I don’t have any issue with that, Kiera. And even if I did, you getting me out of that spell would make things square. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind if you wanted to give a try at flying later. Verida’s great company but having more company up there’s always wanted.”

Kiera flushed and her wings ruffled as they folded around her tighter. “I-I wouldn’t mind that. B-but I really don’t know how. It felt like I was just caught in the wind. Or a wave?”

“We can figure out your weirdness when we’re out of here,” Aeolia said with a soft smile, emphasising the fondness when she said ‘weirdness’. Then her expression grew serious. “Okay, let’s do this. Ready?”

Kiera nodded and Aeolia held out her hand. Kiera took it with a very brief hesitation and Aeolia worked her magic. It affected Kiera surprisingly easily, though Aeolia guessed that had to do with the fact that she was charged up with her aura. Kiera shrank down, but her wings seemed to reflexively unfurl and the now miniature Kiera was bobbing in mid air like she was treading water.

“Well, that’s new,” Aeolia said in a flat voice. “Can you fly?”

“Um, I think floating is all I-I can do,” Kiera bashfully answered, her face red. “But I t-think I can turn it off.”

To show that, Kiera began to float down before going back up to hover around face level. “Y-yeah, I can. Won’t go flying up to the ceiling.”

“Right, well, still gonna need you to hold on tightly,” Aeolia said. “I’m going to go full speed for this.”

Kiera nodded and floated closer to Aeolia, taking hold of her dress around the front of her shoulder and burying her face into the fabric. Aeolia let her unoccupied hand hover close to her just in case, and steadied her breathing. She needed to bring her A-game. There wouldn’t be a second chance to try this. Failing here meant having to try and chip it down, and she had no way of knowing if it had any other tricks to make things harder.

Aeolia bent her knees, tensed and ready to fly. Her mana flared, ready to subtly support her flight. She watched the serpent sway about, the crystal being waiting to see if she and Kiera were going to reenter the cave.

Then, without warning, Aeolia took off. She flew out of the tunnel at full speed, Kiera clinging tighter to her dress as the wind whipped past them. The serpent reacted by darting forwards, its maw opened wide, fangs gleaming in the light coming from the crystals in the walls and ceiling.

Aeolia waited until it was right on top of them before she, with a mighty flap of her wings, rocketed upwards to evade the attack. As she rose towards the ceiling, she saw the snake twist and follow after her out of the corner of her eye.

‘Just a bit higher,’ she thought as the ceiling grew closer. This would have been an easier move if she could shrink and make the final maneuver as close to the limit as possible, but she was confident she could pull it off as is. She had to be, Kiera was counting on her to get them out of this trap and everyone else was waiting for them to meet back up with them.

When Aeolia hit as high as she could risk it, she flipped around and tucked her wings so she could fall as fast as possible. The slight momentum from the flip pushed her away from the rising serpent and it kept following her ascent. Before it could twist itself back to follow her, Aeolia let her wings spread out, angling their descent so they were flying right towards the exit.

A deafening crash rang out above them and Aeolia was **** to look up, her eyes wide in horror. The serpent hadn’t stopped its rise and crashed into the ceiling with purpose and was only now moving in her direction, shattering the rocks above them as it fell back.

Aeolia quickly adjusted her flight, banking hard to her left to get out of the way of the falling debris. Unfortunately, the cave’s ceiling wasn’t just breaking apart in the path of the serpent’s head, but was cracking all over the place, sending chunks of stone plummeting down into the water below. Aeolia craned her head to keep track of the dangers falling down on them as she tried to navigate the now hazardous air. The need for evasive maneuvers slowed them down, and Aeolia’s confidence was beginning to falter.

Then, she felt Kiera’s grip on her clothing grow tighter, and the bluenette’s mana flared. Aeolia felt Kiera’s mana flow over her, like she was being dipped in still and warm water. She felt the mana extend around them like a sphere, reaching about a meter and a half around them. At the edge of this field, the rocks falling around them bent away, deflected by Kiera’s odd aura.

“Don’t know how long I can keep this up,” Kiera said in a strained voice. “Go!”

Aeolia didn’t need any more encouragement and made a beeline to the exit, flying with reckless abandon spurred on by the assurance that Kiera would protect them from the falling rocks. Even with the protection, she didn’t want to stay in the danger zone for any longer than she had to.

The serpent behind them kept shattering the roof as it twisted so it was facing them, then lunged after them, heedless of the avalanche it caused crashing down upon it. Its maw was opened wide, intent on biting down on them.

“Aeolia, faster,” Kiera pleaded, her eyes peeking over the winged woman’s shoulder and seeing the approaching snake. In time with the bluenette’s words, Aeolia felt like a tailwind was now behind her, pushing her forward with greater speed. And she used that speed to cross the final dozen or so meters, swerving a few times just to avoid larger rocks from being directly in her way.

With one final beat of her wings, Aeolia shot through the exit, her wings snapping open to slow their momentum for landing. She was still moving quickly and hit the ground hard, her talons digging into the stone floor. She hit an uneven portion of floor and flipped around, landing on her back and wings, sliding a few feet before stopping.

The slight pain in her back and feet were blocked out by the adrenaline fueled elation of having escaped the serpent and the collapsing ceiling it made. The cacophony of rocks hitting the snake and water was like music to her ears and she couldn’t help but laugh. Kiera joined her as she grew to full height, all her transformations faded after whatever she did.

Aeolia watched as Kiera's tired and flushed face was stretched into a wide smile and she wrapped her arms around Kiera’s waist.

“That was a good trick,” Aeolia breathed out. “Looks like it burned up your wings. Guess we’ll need to rain check that flight.”

“I couldn’t just let you do everything,” Kiera whispered. “And I figured I could push away the rocks. I’m not sure what that last thing was though.”

“You won’t see me complaining about the boost,” Aeolia said with a grin. “Clutch play.”

Kiera beamed down at Aeolia, then seemed to realize their positions and her blush turned from one born from exertion to one of embarrassment.

“Fuck it,” Aeolia said quietly and moved a hand to behind Kiera’s head, pulling her down into a kiss. Kiera let out a surprised squeak before relaxing into the kiss.

Aeolia pulled back after a few seconds, a cocky grin on her face. “Sorry, you looked too cute there. Couldn’t resist.”

“I-it’s okay,” Kiera stuttered out, a glazed look in her eyes.

“I think that’ll be another rain check, one I think I’ll be cashing in sooner rather than later,” Aeolia said with a wink. “We need to find Teri and everyone else. Let’s get moving.”

“Aww, that’s sweet,” Fortuna preened as the goddesses watched the intimate embrace. Verida shifted awkwardly, not liking the intrusion on their private moment. The pink haired goddess noticed her uncomfortableness and leaned over to her. “You can’t tell me you never peeked into the blueberry’s head and saw something steamy?”

Verida flushed indignantly. “If such a thing happened, I would look away!”

“Oh? Is that a bit of guilt I’m hearing?” Fortuna asked in a sing-song voice. “Peeked in some of her alone time activities, hmm? Or maybe something that had a partner or half a dozen? And stayed just a bit longer than you should have?”

Verida’s blush grew hotter. “I have done no such thing!”

“Sounds like deflection to me!” Fortuna giggled. “Come on. There’s no shame in a little voyeurism. Gaia does it all the time with Gamer boy.”

“Technically, I can do it to anyone,” Gaia casually said. “It got rather dull after the first century or so. John at least lets me gamify it and poke fun at him slash the situation.”

“So gracious of you.” Fortuna grinned before turning her attention back to Verida. “Come on, you honestly want us to believe you didn’t peek in when they were dosed with lust juice? Not a hint of erotic curiosity? Nothing?”

Verida shifted in her seat, not wanting to give Fortuna the satisfaction of answering. To her dismay, the goddess of fate took her silence as admission.

“Oh, don’t want to jill and tell, hmm?” she teased. “Value your privacy more than theirs?”

“Now you listen here!” Verida snapped.

“If you two are going to get into it, should we pause time?” Gaia asked. “Because there isn’t that much distance between Teri’s group and Aeolia and Kiera. I know you’d hate to miss what will happen to them, Verida.”

Not wanting to draw things out any longer than they had to be, Verida took a breath to calm her anger and said, “Let’s not hold things up.”

Gaia nodded then shot Fortuna a look that clearly said ‘drop it’. Fortuna sighed and said, “Alright. We’ll call it a draw. On with the show.”

Verida gave Fortuna one final glowering look before giving the screens her attention. The scene had changed, no longer on Kiera and Aeolia, but on Teri’s group, the small band of goblins looking very on edge.

Teri had no idea just what had happened to them, but she was willing to bet everything she owned that it had something to do with those phantom emotions she sensed. What that meant she had no idea. Something strong enough to just whisk them underground in a flash of pink light would be on the level of Verida, if not higher.

‘Another god or goddess poking about the Kingdom is not something that’ll go over well with the elders,’ Teri thought as she led Gryit and Lelib down the crystal lit tunnel. ‘But why just drop us down here? And why us anyway? John’s with Verida today and they’re more likely to be the target of some divine plan.’

A chill ran down Teri’s spine but she kept up her facade of calm. ‘Are we hostages? Put down here and dangled in front of John and the others? But why let us walk around freely with all our gear? Even if our captor is a divine being, why not put us in some enchanted sleep or something like that? Do whoever they are want us to fight?’

There were too many questions and she didn’t want to say her thoughts in case they agitated her companions further. Gryit was holding it together well enough, but uncertainty ate at her and was surely wearing down her composure. Lelib was showing his emotions far more openly, even if his normal reserved nature made them hard to pick out. He glanced up and down the tunnel they were walking down like his head was on a swivel, as if expecting something to be coming out of the dark at any moment.

The waiting for anything to happen was wearing on her too, but if she started showing signs of faltering, things would spiral and they could be left too distracted by fear to properly respond to anything.

Kitai stirred from her spot on Teri’s shoulders and let out a trill. Teri’s footsteps slowed.

‘That wasn’t a warning sound,’ she thought. ‘She only makes that sound when she smells someone familiar.’

Teri’s eyes snapped forward, straining all her senses, physical and magical, into picking up any sign of what Kitai detected. A moment later, at the edge of her empathic sense, she picked up two distant sources of emotion. Both were a mix of worry, anger and determination in two very different ratios, but most importantly, they were from two people she would recognize anywhere.

From around a curve in the tunnel about fifty meters ahead, Aeolia and Kiera rushed into view, their emotions both blaring happiness and relief when their eyes landed on her. Even with the dire situation, Teri couldn’t help but feel the same.

“We’re not the only ones down here?” Gryit asked when she saw the two racing towards them.

“Seems like things are fairly dire if our hosts are also caught up in this,” Lelib grumbled.

“Teri!” Kiera cried as the two groups converged, the bluenette surprising her by wrapping her in a thigh hug. Not that Teri didn’t think Kiera wasn’t affectionate, just that such a public display was a bit out of her normal comfort zone.

‘Things must be a lot worse if she’s being this touchy feely,’ Teri thought as she returned the hug. After a few seconds, Kiera’s shy nature caught up with her and she pulled back, blushing profusely.

“Glad to see you guys are okay,” Aeolia said. “We’re kind of up shit’s creek.”

“I figured something big was going on,” Teri remarked. “I’m guessing this isn’t connected to John’s powers?”

Aeolia shook her head. “We got the attention of the goddess of fate. Or at least that’s what she called herself. Sent us all down here scattered. Was talking about it like this was all some kind of game. Hijacked John’s powers to give him a quest for all this. I got stuck dealing with a giant crystal snake that fucked with my eyes until Kiera broke the spell. And unless you guys passed a turn somewhere behind you, we’ll need to deal with that.”

Teri sadly shook her head. “Been a single tunnel up until this point.”

“Fuck,” Aeolia cursed. “Not sure how we’re supposed to beat that thing then. I wasn’t making that much headway, and if it could make me think I was locked in with it, there’s no way of knowing what else it could whip up to confuse a larger group.”

Teri looked over her friends, lovers, girlfriends? and saw that, while they were putting up a strong front, they certainly looked more than a little drained.

‘If Aeolia couldn’t cut it with her glaive strikes, I don’t think there’s anything we can do,’ she worriedly thought. ‘Gryit and Lelib don’t have anything more than their weapons and there aren’t any plants down here to use my staff on. I can invoke Verida’s power to give us a boost but…’

Teri’s thoughts trailed off as she looked at her staff.

“I might have an idea,” Teri said. “But I’ll need your help to pull it off, Kiera.”