"This place smells awful." Madeleine used her long, forked tongue to capture odor molecules in the air, allowing her to perceive the surrounding scents more efficiently. However, what she detected caused her face to crinkle.
The smells of fear, pain, and death. Not only did the ruined building in front of her look creepy, but it smelled creepy too, making her serpentine lower body twitch nervously.
Despite being particularly special among her people, she wasn't a fighter. She didn't like adventure or mayhem, which is why she had decided to be an actress. Yet here she was, standing in front of an abandoned factory.
They were supposed to gather information, but could they do so without confrontation? It was impossible to go in and out quietly. Madeleine could feel it in her scales.
Something in there would make them fight. They had tipped off a policewoman and even the Tower about their actions for a reason. The lamia looked down, towering over the pair of girls who had come with her to this place.
Élodie wore her police uniform, with her warhammer resting on her shoulder. She didn't seem to mind its weight. The blonde looked quite fresh. The exhaustion of the previous day left no mark on her face. However, her expression was serious as she viewed the location in front of her.
The atmosphere she perceived was very different from that of the cottage yesterday. If the cottage was a rotten pit full of corruption, then the factory in front of her was a butcher's shop.
Goosebumps rose on her arms, and although she seemed relaxed, her muscles were tense and her hands clenched the handle of her weapon, ready to strike at any moment.
Séraphine had to restrain the urge to open her Special Vision. There was something odd about that feeling, as if she had an itch she wanted to scratch, though she knew it was unnecessary.
Something was trying to influence her! Realizing this, the witch strengthened her resolve and will before channeling the Aether. She was about to cast a spell when her urge suddenly disappeared.
'Something has undoubtedly noticed our presence,' Séraphine concluded, wrinkling her face in displeasure because this was the worst-case scenario she had foreseen.
She just wanted to approach the situation normally, perhaps without twists and turns, like a common detective. But deep down, she wasn't bothered by this outcome because, in a way, it accommodated what she wanted:
Satisfy her curiosity, go on adventures, and find answers. While it was possible that the cult was not directly related to the Inferos from her past, cults always attracted attention.
What did these people want? With the little she knew, Séraphine couldn't tell if there was a specific pattern. It was as if they were testing or feeling their way. Or perhaps they just wanted to cause chaos for some ulterior motive or to bring trouble into the world.
Although she had been involved in a cult and had survived unscathed, she had an aversion to them. This matter, coupled with the substantial funds provided by Madeleine, prompted Séraphine to take action, though she also took it personally, albeit privately.
"Shall we go in?" asked Séraphine, breaking the awkward silence that had settled on the trio from the moment they approached.
"Yes, we should go in," replied Élodie, sighing and relaxing her muscles slightly because it wasn't optimal to be so tense without seeing any enemies.
"The faster we get in, the faster we can leave and get it over with," Madeleine muttered, annoyed. She had already made up her mind.
Since she was already here, why not go all in? She was under threat, and someone suffered because of her inaction. She didn't want this to happen again. There was a gleam of resolution in her snake-like pupils.
The three women walked the path to the ruins of the abandoned factory and noticed a disturbing lack of sound. It was as if this place were an isolated part of the world.
They came to a steel door whose paint was mottled and faded, revealing the rusted metal underneath. Large chains hung limply, and Séraphine quickly noticed that they had been cut.
Élodie touched the door and pushed it forward, opening it. However, they could not see inside because a strange darkness covered everything. Suddenly, a cold wind blew, making the three women shiver.
"No need for a special camera. The spiritual corruption here is terrible," the policewoman said, casually clicking her tongue. However, she was somewhat frightened by this situation.
Even in the military, places like this were approached with caution. Unlike yesterday's house, this place seemed more inert: extremely silent and still, which gave her a strange feeling of incongruity.
It was as if the whole place was wrong, as if it should have more life and activity. Séraphine and Madeleine had felt this way too, so they stepped back, trying to decipher the situation in front of them.
"This is different from yesterday. Here, the world has leaked; the reality inside has been replaced." After watching the scene for a few moments, the detective blurted out.
"Shit... should we just leave?" Élodie asked in a low voice, but Séraphine shook her head.
"We must destroy the anchor holding this fragment of the Spirit World in our reality. Otherwise, it could spread. Though it seems contained... I don't trust anything to do with cultists." Séraphine's answer determined the course of their actions, however risky they may be.
Élodie took the first step, holding her hammer with both hands in a posture that allowed her to react quickly in case of emergencies. She was followed by the witch, who pulled her revolver from her hat. She was certain the enchanted bullets she had purchased that morning would serve her well.
Madeleine brought up the rear. Her hands had subtly transformed into deadly claws, and her long fingernails had grown even longer with deadly edges. The women were enveloped in darkness, but unexpectedly, they did not lose their vision.
Rather, it seemed as if they had crossed some sort of boundary or threshold and arrived in a place completely different from what they had expected. They saw the dusty, rusty ruins of an abandoned textile factory interior, which appeared to be a cave.
The stone walls were moistened by a strange black liquid that seemed to breathe. Huge mushrooms emitted an uncomfortable reddish light. Above all, the surrounding sounds were strange, similar to unintelligible distant murmurs.
The temperature had dropped so much that mist appeared when they breathed. The stage in front of them was unbelievably huge, far exceeding what this place should be.
The ceiling was covered with crystals that emitted an eerie purple light. The air felt rarefied. Surprisingly, this place seemed quite alive. There was grass, and even some creatures frolicked, yet this was no idyllic earthly paradise.
It was a fragment of the Spirit World, complete with all that entailed. The three had stopped on guard against the creature grazing in front of them. It had red fur, four legs, and a deer-like appearance. However, on its forehead was a huge golden eye focused directly on Séraphine.
Its antlers were unlike anything they had expected; they were two arm-like limbs with monstrous claws that picked up grass from the ground and brought it straight into its fang-filled mouth.
"What is that thing? It doesn't look like a normal deer," whispered Élodie, not knowing what she was facing. Séraphine didn't know either, but she knew why it existed.
"It's an animal corrupted by the uncontrolled Spiritual Energy in this place," the brunette replied, making the police officer squint and bend her body.
"It was probably attracted by some force in this place. Ever since we entered, I've felt strange. Something has been guiding me to a certain spot," added Madeleine, alerting her companions.
"You too?" asked the blonde seriously, making Séraphine glance at her.
"Strengthen your will. The whispers we hear are not normal." Although the witch was not very explicit, her stern tone indicated the seriousness of the matter.
As if fed up with the women's dialogue, the deer raised its head completely and looked at the women with its three eyes, always focusing on Séraphine. Something about her attracted it, making an insane desire grow within it.
It wanted to eat to satisfy the growing urge, so it acted on this new instinct and growled, opening its mouth full of deformed fangs. It ran toward the witch with its arms on its head stretched forward, wanting to capture her and tear her apart.
Élodie looked at Séraphine for a moment before lunging toward the deer. She swung her warhammer with all her might, and the head of her weapon smashed the side of the corrupted creature. It flew several meters through the air.
"This thing is too weak," the blonde said, watching the animal try to get up. She wouldn't let it, though, raising her hammer high and dropping it heavily on its head, crushing it completely.
"Yes... But you've attracted the attention of the others here," Séraphine said, pointing off in the distance to what appeared to be rabbits.
Ignoring their tumor-filled bodies that oozed black blood, their lack of fur, and their bulging red eyes that glared in anger, they could be rabbits. These animals were just a sign of the corrupting power of this place where the Spirit World had eroded reality.
"Life has been twisted in horrible ways in this place." Madeleine stuck out her tongue to take in the scents of this place. However, she wrinkled her nose at the 'bad taste' of the air and decided not to do that again.
What she had just perceived was so disgusting that she didn't want to taste it again. Although the environment in this so-called cavern was lit, the light was dim. There was a strange lack of illumination, but Madeleine had her racial advantages.
She could see well in the dark, so she was the first to adapt to these conditions and see more than her companions.
Hidden enemies approached them. Bats with scales and unnatural spikes covered their bodies. These creatures, mutated by Spiritual Energy, hung on the walls and slurped the oozing liquid, although their eyes looked greedily and avidly at the women.
There were also insects, snakes, and foxes. Even Madeleine could see a fairy hiding behind a rock. Despite the environment's effect on the creatures that spent much time inside, this tiny being did not seem affected. This attracted the attention of the lamia.
"There's a fairy here. Should we help her?" the snake woman asked. Both Élodie and Séraphine turned their gazes to her.
"We have to help her! Poor thing. She must have run away from people who wanted to catch her..." The blonde felt sad when she said that. She loved fairies and had played with them as a child. She disliked the way current society treated these entities.
"If you pay me more, I have no problem lending a hand to the fairy," Séraphine said with a small smile. In this awful environment, at least there was something good: an extra profit and a fairy, one of the beings that caught her attention the most.
She didn't see helping a fairy as problematic, although they had to get rid of the incoming enemies first. Instead of attacking the rabbits or land animals first, one of the bats swooped directly toward the witch.
Séraphine was prepared for this, though, and aimed her gun. Without hesitation, she pulled the trigger of the revolver. The bullet left a red trail in its wake. Upon impact with the corrupted bat, there was an explosion that reduced it to a pile of charred flesh.
This astonished Élodie, who moved closer to Séraphine, examining the weapon with interest. She never expected Séraphine to initiate combat with an enchanted bullet!
That kind of explosion could only be achieved with special ammunition. Having noticed the Aether that the scene gave off, she confirmed that Séraphine had wasted an expensive enchanted bullet.
"What a waste!" the policewoman said, clicking her tongue. She watched as the remaining bats seemed afraid, constantly flapping against the wall but not pouncing like their predecessor.
The same went for the other creatures, which retained some of their instincts as normal animals. They turned away or hid but continued to watch the trio of women, waiting.
"That was a good shot." Madeleine gave a thumbs-up in appreciation. It was an exceptional shot, after all.
As a Lamia, normal firearms were fragile for her, yet she was fascinated by them. From her experience as an amateur markswoman, she knew that Séraphine's stance and movements were quite smooth when shooting.
"Thank you. We can now move forward in relative peace, but they'll probably attack again soon. We'll have to be on guard," Séraphine said, twirling the revolver in her hand before resuming her journey toward the fairy.
Although she was interested in her strange surroundings, she knew she had to focus on what was most important. She kept her urge to collect samples of the glowing mushrooms to herself.
Not only did she have to look for evidence in this place, but she also had to resolve the erosion of the Spirit World in the area. She had some questions in mind, too. Was this caused by humans? Were the culprits cultists who did it on purpose, or was it an accident?
Perhaps because the world itself wanted her to have the sample, one of the mushrooms, a grayish color with red spots on its body, trembled. Then, two white appendages emerged on either side of its body and differentiated into what appeared to be beefy arms.
The mushroom sat up on its small legs. Although it had no face, it tilted its 'head' toward the women, making them feel as if they were being watched. Then, they heard a neutral voice coming from the mushroom.
"You guys... Are you new here? I haven't seen you before." Even though it didn't have a mouth, the mushroom's voice spread throughout the area. Séraphine narrowed her eyes, and without a second thought, she decided to take a risk.
"Yeah, we're not used to this place. Can you guide us?" the witch asked. It seemed that her words had sparked something because she heard a faint laugh coming from the mushroom.
"Okay~! Call me Nisca. Nice to meet you," the mushroom said as it walked toward the bat corpse that the witch had shot earlier.
Everything about this creature seemed tender: its awkward movements and its neutral voice, which seemed to have a hint of childish innocence. But this impression ended when they saw its actions.
Whitish whips emerged from its foot, seeming to have a slimy consistency. These appendages enveloped the burnt bat, and a strange sucking sound was heard, sending shivers down the women's spines.
It was a terrifying scene because they could see in great detail how the fungus was digesting the corpse at an accelerated rate, leaving no trace that it had ever been there.
Even the fairy, hiding behind a rock, avoided looking any longer, shrinking timidly as if she wanted to become invisible. The hair on Élodie's body stood on end, and her danger perception sent her constant warning signals.
She was facing deadly danger! Worse yet, the mushroom seemed to stir as it hummed, as if its previous actions were as simple as breathing, nothing serious.
Séraphine didn't know what creature she was facing. This wasn't unusual; after all, the Spirit World was huge and extremely varied. The inability to explore it normally was one of the limiting factors in learning about the things that occur or live in that realm.
Exploring the Spirit World is one of humanity's most basic desires, not just for people with extraordinary abilities, because of the diverse opportunities, riches, and resources found there.
However, Spiritual Energy usually reacts badly with matter, corrupting, distorting, and mutating it. This is why it is technically impossible to send humans or other intelligent creatures from the real world to the Spirit World.
As far as Séraphine knew, only consciousness could go to the Spirit World. Many preparations were required to avoid contamination, but this allowed one to learn more about the realm.
Knowledge of the Spirit World has come to the real world through what these people have explored or what spirits have told humans. Much remains unknown about its geography, fauna, flora, and how it works exactly.
The witch had no idea what kind of creature the talking, moving mushroom was, so she watched it closely, etching its appearance firmly in her mind.
She would write about it and publish it! As a witch, how could Séraphine not be interested in the spiritual being before her? Of course, she was completely alert, not letting her curiosity get the better of her.
Madeleine wrinkled her face slightly and twisted her serpentine body, which would have been several steps for humans, because she didn't want to be near the fungus.
"Okay! I've already eaten. Do you want me to take you to the boys?" the mushroom asked. It turned its body and walked toward the girls with its short legs.
"Yes, thank you..." Séraphine replied before feeling something on her leg. She looked down and watched the previously hidden fairy tug at her pants. The fairy lifted her head and looked at Séraphine with teary eyes.
The fairy had cropped pink hair that looked as if it had been nibbled, and her eyes were a deep blue that now looked glassy from the tears she was shedding.
She wore a ragged purple dress, and she looked like a 20-year-old woman who had been shrunken to 10 centimeters tall. She had transparent wings on her back that emitted multicolored reflections depending on the viewing angle.
The fairies were intelligent and similar to humans in many ways, except for their small size. However, they had been reduced to a terrible situation at present.
"Can you help me? I don't feel very good in this place!" the fairy said in a somewhat timid tone. However, her voice was quite mature for her size.
This special situation astonished the three women because, in general, these beings were unable to speak, except for one exception: The Queen Fairies, who could harness the Aether and employ special abilities.
After nodding in response, Séraphine bent down and presented her hand to the creature, who hesitated for a few seconds before placing her small feet in the witch's palm.
With a gentle movement, Séraphine brought the fairy to her shoulder, where she sat comfortably. After wiping her dress with a few brief gestures, the little woman smiled complacently.
"Are you going to eat it?" the mushroom, who had come very close to Séraphine, asked.
"It's not food; it's a friend," the witch replied. She noticed that the mushroom was only ten feet away, too close, but forced herself to appear normal. Even though this being couldn't see, it was clear that it could perceive the world somehow.
"Well..." The talking mushroom looked at Élodie and Madeleine, who remained tense in its presence. Only Séraphine behaved normally around it, so it felt comfortable with her.
Previous 'friends' were always apprehensive around it! Seeing that someone wasn't afraid of it made it happy, so it began to guide them toward their destination, taking small jumps even if it meant falling face-first to the ground.
To the others, it didn't appear to have its face on the ground; the four women only saw it as clumsy, constantly falling, and slowing down the journey. However, they didn't complain.
The mere presence of this mushroom terrified the surrounding creatures, preventing them from approaching and attacking. This increased the level of danger it represented in their minds.
How powerful or terrible did this mushroom have to be to live in an area eroded by the Spirit World? Having seen what it was capable of, they did not doubt that it was a major threat to this place.
"He's rather silly to come from such a dangerous place and have terrifying capabilities," the Fairy whispered, knowing the walking mushroom could not hear her.
"Shh! What if it hears you?" Élodie moved closer to Séraphine's man to get a better look at the fairy, who intrigued her.
Only once in her childhood had she met a fairy who could speak. She had struck up a friendship with that fairy, which is why she had a favorable impression of these precious creatures.
But when she remembered that period of her childhood, her mind could not help but recall a painful moment, wrinkling her face. She shook her head to leave those memories behind.
"I can do that because I don't want it to hear me," the fairy said smugly. Being on Séraphine's shoulder seemed to have calmed the fairy down enough for her to regain her confidence and show her true personality.
"Is that one of your special abilities?" asked Madeleine, causing the fairy to puff out her chest, expecting praise.
If this creature were human-sized, that movement would have attracted attention, but her diminutive stature made her look tender. So, without thinking, Élodie stroked the fairy's head.
"Don't ruin Sasha's hairstyle!" the little woman growled, puffing out her cheeks. She used her small hands to push away the policewoman's, but the size difference was enormous.
"You have a pretty name," Séraphine praised. She had to listen closely to the whole affair, which was uncomfortable for her hearing, so she picked up Sasha and placed her on top of her hat.
"What a rude witch! How can you lay your hands on a queen like me?" the little pink-haired woman began to mutter. But now, no one paid her the attention she wanted, all because the mushroom had taken them to a different place.
The group came to what appeared to be an artificial structure: a huge stone archway with carvings etched into it. However, except for a few images, nothing could be made out. The words were unintelligible, yet both Séraphine and Sasha found these characters familiar.
The pictograms were quite revealing because you didn't have to be an expert to understand that the drawing of a tall humanoid with long ears referred to an extinct intelligent species that had once dominated this world.
The Elves. Before mankind or any other intelligent species arose, the elves dominated the world. They built huge cities and reached technological and mysterious milestones that surpass anything known today.
What was an apparent elven ruin doing in an area eroded by the Spirit World? They didn't know, but Séraphine pulled out her pocket camera. She annoyed Sasha a bit in the process, but the pictures she took were important to the witch.
Anything related to the elves was valuable! Now, only ruins and meager remnants of this species remain. Given what little was known about the extinction of these beings, could Séraphine discover something through this stone archway?
The mere thought excited the witch deeply. She didn't expect to discover the exact reason for their extinction, but learning about their history or culture would certainly be valuable for anyone on the magical path.
After all, this could lead to new spells! With a lascivious smile, Séraphine photographed all the images and words on the large structure. Her green eyes narrowed from the immense pleasure she experienced.
For a witch like her, discovering new things was as satisfying as an orgasm! That, and making a lot of money. Her actions attracted the attention of her companions from the beginning, prompting them to comment.
"It's not like I've known her all my life. I met her yesterday. But it's the first time I've seen her like this," whispered Élodie to Madeleine. The two women kept their distance from Séraphine as she took pictures.
Even the talking mushroom stopped walking, and from the way its head was twisted, it seemed to have questions about the situation.
"I do know her, though. Most of the time, it was at sophisticated parties held by high-status people in Blume. She usually has a cold, bitchy façade," the lamia replied with a slight pout, remembering things that happened the first time she met Séraphine.
"You're not the only one who thinks she's a bitch. But she's kind of nice once you get to know her. It seems she's found something she likes. Mages and witches are like that, aren't they?" The policewoman pointed out the strange stone bow they had found.
Although she did not recognize the images in the stone, her trained senses told her that there was power in this place. Aside from her curiosity about the images that seemed to depict the daily lives of the elves, her attention was focused on the witch.
Seeing Séraphine, who looked like a little girl, constantly taking pictures of the stone archway gave the blonde a strange feeling. She didn't know what it was, but she subtly touched her lips with her index finger, remembering the dance and kiss she had enjoyed with the witch yesterday.
She was still wondering why the brunette had unleashed a spell while they were kissing. The atmosphere of that moment, however, simply made her let herself go. After all, she wanted to experience her first kiss.
Because she was drafted into the Shattercrown army at age 14, she had missed out on normal experiences, such as falling in love.
Although she received the standard education during her service, certain topics were not addressed, such as the doubts that were answered for her yesterday or the simple matter of romantic relationships.
It also didn't help that she came from the relatively simple northern island of Shattercrown, where kissing never crossed her mind. Not that she was interested when her female comrades 'experimented' with each other.
That's why her first kiss with Séraphine last night was so significant! Even though she acted as if it were trivial, she hadn't stopped thinking about it since that moment, and even now, she couldn't stop thinking about it.
However, she had excellent control over her body; she was a powerful warrior, after all, so she managed to avoid blushing or trembling. But seeing Séraphine enjoy something she loved made her lose control.
Élodie's face turned slightly red, and Madeleine raised an eyebrow because she could see the temperature rising in the policewoman's body. After seeing where the blonde was looking, Madeleine understood.
A mischievous smile tugged at the Lamia's lips as she sensed something interesting. Of course, though, she hadn't forgotten the place they were in or the situation they were in, so her smile disappeared as her body moved toward Séraphine.
"Hey, are you done? I don't think it's a good idea to spend too much time here," Madeleine said, indicating to Séraphine, who paused for a moment before pressing the camera shutter.
After the flash, the witch sighed and nodded. She knew they had to hurry, but finding a stone arch like this was not simple or common. The excitement distracted her from her goal.
Luckily, it wasn't a waste. Séraphine felt that, by studying the images, she might learn something. Even without doing so, she felt that she understood the place they were in better, so this pause was not a waste for her.
"Well, I think I understand a little of what's going on here, but it will depend on our friend's guidance." As Séraphine stowed the camera in her hat, she pointed to the fungus that had led them there. It was crouched on the ground, digging in the dirt.
"But I doubt you understand Elvish texts!" Sasha, the fairy, flew onto the shoulder of Élodie, who had approached her two companions.
For some reason, she felt quite comfortable around the blonde woman. Without hesitation, Sasha sat on her shoulder. When the other two women looked at her with intrigue, Sasha stuck out her tongue.
"I felt a familiarity with those ugly strokes! We fairies can translate any language. Take this as payment for your help!" the small figure declared, patting her chest. This caused Séraphine to move close to Élodie, but her attention was on Sasha.
"It seems we need to introduce ourselves properly. I am Séraphine Rohan, a witch." Despite her closeness with Élodie, Séraphine ignored the blonde's flushed face and presented Sasha with her index finger in a greeting gesture.
"This queen already introduced herself. At least you have manners," the fairy said, raising her chin arrogantly. Her tiny hand touched Séraphine's finger in response to her greeting.
"Well, let's finish following the strange mushroom. You can talk about elvish texts later," Madeleine said, making the group resume their journey with the spiritual creature as their guide.
𑄝𑄝𑄝𑄝𑄝𑄝𑄝
The group walked along a path of cracked, grass-covered gray stone. Corrupted creatures watched the women as they hid. During their walk, Séraphine glanced at Élodie and noticed that her cheeks were no longer red. She seemed to be chatting quietly with Sasha.
However, Séraphine was still wondering why the blonde had blushed. Had the atmosphere of the Spirit World shard affected her in any way? Séraphine hoped not. Corruption was tedious to deal with.
She would ask her about it later and use her special vision to investigate. If she found anything, she would ask Sophia for help. Of course, this would be after they left, because things had changed.
Several minutes into their walk, the group reached a huge set of stone steps. They had to stop because the scene unfolding before them was horrible, to say the least.
There were still humanoid figures standing on the steps. They looked like women, but they were anything but normal. Their skin bulged with tumors and was stained with a thick black liquid. Bone spurs covered their bodies.
Madeleine's eyes widened and her body trembled, not with fear but with rage. She clenched her fists so hard that she dug her long, sharp nails into her palms, staining the floor with her blood.
She could see her; she could smell her, too. Norma was one of those figures! Worst of all, she couldn't hear the heartbeats of any of the women, even when she pushed her hearing to the limit.
"Francisca thought they had gotten rid of the women by throwing them into the sea, but they brought them here! Who created these abominations?" cried Séraphine, upset by what she saw.
The witch was angry. Though she knew better than to heed the strange impulse to activate her vision, the brunette's eyes emitted a greenish glow. She needed answers.
"By Mother Light..." Élodie tightened her grip on the handle of her warhammer, and Aether shimmered through her body, coating her skin.
It was her duty to allow these women to rest in peace, especially since they had all turned and were staring at the group with their empty, dark eyes. One of the abominations screamed before taking a step.
They all took a step in unison, wanting to get closer to the sources of life that had broken into their domain without permission. They needed no special skills to sense their desire for fresh meat and to devour it until there was nothing left.
They were no longer women; they were, as Séraphine called them, Abominations.