They had only jogged a couple of hours before they were a distance from the manor. Maim bounded forward with the gold she carried, featherweight to ease a heavy debt. She would appreciate help carrying the hefty haul, but Lulen trailed behind. Lulen’s mind was burdened with the events from earlier which Maim knew to be the case, as she recalled telling Lulen that some underlings would foot the price of opposing her. The silence between them was enough for any creature in the woods to hear, and Maim wanted to speak to Lulen about it but waited on it. Lulen could speak her mind when she was ready, and for now, Maim could think. What could she say to Lulen when she asks for an explanation, for an answer to her acts? She didn’t really want to talk about it, let alone focus on it but she’d have to answer eventually. Thoughts swirled and brought her mind into a twirl as the moments earlier in the evening began to rear themselves, to gnaw on her when she should only be happy. She wanted those thoughts gone, and slowly they returned to the dark recesses of her mind, aside now for her be joyous. Now basked in the joy of her spoil, she took in the scenic dark of the forest. The crackle and crunching of the underbrush beneath her boots was music to her ears, even when it stopped as they neared the forest edge before breaking to a large grassy plain. The dim moonlight illuminated the waist-high grass before them, stretching as far as the eye could see. The grass blades whipped and danced as the wind swam through the field heralding a cold dew for the coming morning. Maim stood before the field as if she were flaunting her slim yet stocky frame before it as proof of her capability. Her olive dark skin blended with the soft evening hue as she looked for a site to set a campfire that would break the beauty of the evening.
Maim turned to her companion with a smile. “Hey, Lulen, let’s stop here to rest. We’ve walked enough for tonight.”
“Alright,” Lulen uttered as she held her forearm before moving to set her traveling pack down, darting her eyes away from Maim’s gaze.
After wandering for a few minutes in the underbrush around them, Maim found enough twigs to start a fire. Dropping the twigs into a small pile, Maim reached into her belt bag for her fire starter. With a *Clink* and *Clank* of metal, a spark ignited the dry pile with a *Boosh* *Crackle*, illuminating the two. Lulen’s porcelain pale skin shimmered in the light as Maim sat cross-legged, now organizing her bag. Belongings set, Maim ran a hand through her curly hair to pull loose strands back. She was ready to relax, before Lulen spoke.
“With that book, certainly you could deal with people better,” Lulen said as she sat close to the fire with her legs tucked close, embraced by her arms.
“Lulen. This is about those guards in the manor I popped, isn’t it?” Maim said, leaning forward as she looked at her elfen companion.
“So you know my grievances, then...” Lulen looked up to make eye contact with Maim while parsing her short hair away from her eyes.
“I understand them. It’s not like you to enjoy what must seem like needless violence, but it’s reversible.”
“Tell me then Maim, if it’s reversible, will they really be fine?”
Silence lingered between the two. Maim took a moment to think of a response before Lulen continued on.
“To you, it must be okay. It’s not your problem once you leave.” darting her eyes away from Maim, a frown coming over her. “But I know they aren’t going to be as lucky as us. Reconstituting themselves is impossible without help. We both know restoration mages are hard to come by and their services aren’t cheap either.”
Quickly interjecting, Maim pointed out, “See, it’s not hopeless! Those folk will be fine. Their count just needs to be a good master and fix them up.”
An exasperated sigh left Lulen’s lips, frustrated, she rubbed her forehead. “That’s the issue. I don’t think that count knows how this magic works, and I doubt he’s the kind to spend money on his servants.”
Maim never thought it serious if people couldn’t be fixed, it was no different to people growing too old. Looking at Lulen, it was clear the thought had eaten away at her. Maim didn’t know what else to do or say but make a promise; “Well, I guess that makes sense,” exhaling sharply, head hung low, she continued, “Since it bothers you that much, I won’t pop anyone if I can avoid it.”
Lulen looked up at Maim, wide-eyed. “Do you really mean it? You promise you won’t do it at all?”
Looking back at Lulen, Maim smiled, “I won’t purposely pop anyone. I’ll keep it to emergency cases of course.” Slowly rubbing her eyes stifling a yawn she added, “Now let’s get some rest. We still have a ways to go before we reach a port city.”
Lulen smiled at her companion for even such a promise was plenty, coming from Maim of all people. Huddled under her bedroll’s blanket she cherished the fire’s warmth and Maim’s assurance. The light tunic and pants she wore were another reminder of Maim’s care toward her and aid to ease her worry, now content she drifted asleep.
From afar the dwindling fire was enough to illuminate the sleeping women for two pairs of spying eyes. Count Rosemare looked to the armored woman beside him, nodding a silent confirmation. The woman stood, bowing to her master before leaving the perch the two had been laying upon. The count held his sight on the camp, disciplined patience practiced as he held his rage for the woman who left his dear wife little more than confetti. His muscles eased as his mind reminded him that he always got what he wanted.
Clunking of armor plates hushed distant murmurs as the count’s guard captain reached the whispered voices. A bandit band of five women sat looking up at her waiting for orders. The Captain commanded the bandits to make their move on the camp before them. The women smiled before getting up to move, eager to receive an excellent price for such a simple task. Two sleeping women just needed to be tied up and cashed in. What could possibly go wrong?
The bandits made final checks before tiptoeing elegantly to the darkened camp. Daggers pulled, rope at the ready; a clean grabbing was in sight for these fiends. The two approaching Lulen stood over her before squatting down to tie her. Lulen awoke, being moved about by the bandits winding rope about her. The bandit seeing Lulen awaken wrestled her into silence before the elf had a chance to scream.With the reach she had, Lulen tried biting down on the woman’s hand, only to miss and get a shocked yip from the bandit. The scene lacked the grace of a muffled act and woke Maim to a ruckus. The three women approaching Maim grimaced as they scowled, seeing Maim scramble from her bedroll. With the fire’s dying embers, Maim fumbled under grand shadows cast onto the trees before making contact with her bag, reaching in to grab her spellbook.
Maim cracked her book open as the bandit closest to her made a step forward. The woman lunged at Maim swinging a dagger, forcing Maim to recite the first spell in her book. Arm flung out to the bandit, Maim’s words rolled off her tongue before she sidestepped the bandit’s strike. A gust of wind enveloped the bandit before she tripped from her failed swing and bounced off her now enlarged stomach. The force launched her at the nearest tree with a loud *THUD* followed by a *HURGK* from the befuddled bandit.
Maim turned to see the other two bandits focusing on their comrade, who’d now slumped upside down with her belly wobbling from the impact. Their startled gazing gave Maim another chance to strike. Raising her hand once again, Maim's arm jolted. The casting left another bandit hit with a growth case worse than the first. A larger breeze flowed around the woman and drew her attention to a soft *fsssss*. Dumbstruck, the woman’s eyes darted for the source, only to notice her midsection growing up and outwards. Her belly pressed and raised her loose shirt with it tightening as the swelling spread to her back and sides. From puffy love handles to a merged, bloated midsection, she was round from stomach to back, like a muffin filling with air. A *Fsssssss* grew along with her as the cheap leather belt around her skirt pressed to her girth, holding back the inflation from going too far below her waist, leaving it to rise up. Her relatively modest bosom ballooned out, reaching melon proportions ready to compete with her belly’s size. Her arms grew into stiff, overblown limbs that stuck out, hardly a bend left in them. They began to bulge as the bandit’s upper body had become fully round and ready to grow wider than she was tall. But before she could become wider, her belt snapped, a *PLINK* hailing her abdomen’s freedom. With this release, her lengthy skirt began to falter, sliding down until it stuck to her blimped thighs that had been growing under the cover of loose cloth. They began to catch up with the rest of her body shifting to match her wide roundness, but they’d ballooned enough to touch, a puffiness that spread down to her ankles. The bandit had lost any chance to flee as her legs bulged like her arms, combining with her spherical form, leaving bulbous indents where her hands and feet fought the sinking of her limbs. Her skirt had torn to shreds, leaving only panties that offered minimal privacy. At the same time, her shirt only covered her overblown breasts and the indent around her head. The enveloping wind had gone and the bandit began a slow rise shifting forward for Maim to see the flustered woman attempt to deflate. Her pursed, succulent lips squeaked to release the air to no avail, leaving her cheeks slightly puffed. The woman was no more than an overblown airbag floating to the canopy above to be caught by the trees. Faint moaning escaped the bandit’s lips as she tried to speak, an “mph, mmph!” the only result. Her sunken hands paddled and grasped as she tried to swim her floating body back down to the ground after her calls for assistance were ignored.
Ready to pounce, Maim leaned forward, stepping to the third bandit with a grin, “Hey, you look like you’re missing out. Let me help you fit in.”
The third bandit dropped her dagger before she made to turn and flee, but she had no such luck. Maim cast a different spell, moving a strong gust that would knock her to the floor face first before the wind faded. Dazed, the woman attempted to stand. She planted her hands beside her before trying to rest on her knees finding that she couldn’t. A look to her rear gave the answer. Her posterior had been bloated beyond compare, jiggling at the slightest motion to either side. Her thighs had also been engorged, taking up space and keeping her legs from properly bending to a seated rest. She was left to wobble on the ground while Maim let out a chuckle and strode forward to deal with Lulen’s captors. They had managed to tie down the elf, and now they turned to face Maim. They faced the same shock as the other bandits with the sight before them. A woman with fattened thighs, another with a puffed gut, and one blimp floating above them. They broke that gaze back onto Maim and steeled themselves for a fight, hands clenched on their knives. To their misfortune, Lulen dealt not with vocal incantations like Maim but rather with hand semantics. One woman turned to eye Lulen and ensure they only faced one foe. To their surprise, Lulen weaved her wrists circularly with fingers weaving runes. Before the bandit could act, vines shot out from the ground, wrapping around the two bandits, leaving them trapped.
Maim stood over Lulen as she cut the knots binding the elf. Both knew what to do without a word. They fled the scene leaving the bandits to float, bloat, and writhe under the fading light of the campfire. The bandits would be left trapped in the dark, a predicament of their own making. They broke for the treeline, dashing for the field across from the forest, and traveled as fast and far as they could from their first camp. With shaky certainty, they tossed their bedrolls beside each other and lay ready to rest. With one last look at each other, exchanging a smile and a laugh, they shut their eyes, determined to sleep this time.
Meanwhile, an angered Captain could only observe the group of fools beat by two sleeping magic users. She fumed at the foolish trust she left with good-for-nothing bandits with no martial skill. It was clear that if the job was to be done, she alone had to capture the two. Looking for their trail she found enough displaced underbrush and soon flattened grass that would lead her straight to the duo.
With a heave, Maim was lifted onto the cart’s bed beside Lulen. It hadn’t been easy to stay quiet when approaching the two, but it was managed with the captain removing her clunky armor. Extra insurance came with the sleeping powder she brought to keep the thieves asleep while they rode back to the count. The Captain slumped on the seat as her subordinate coached the horses forward, staying the urge to sleep with the sound of the horses trotting. It wouldn’t be long before the two guards arrived at a cabin near the base of the hill the count’s manor stood on.
The Captain waved her brawny arm to her subordinate, “Bring the count here. I’ll keep an eye on these two.”
The guard nodded, “Of course Miss Estmond” before turning from his semi-conscious Captain, and rode to the manor as instructed. “He knows I’m fine with just Tanya.”, The Captain said before stepping from the cart and beginning the arduous process of moving the women into the cabin. She moved to the back with a sluggish step and looked upon her human cargo, hand to her temple before rubbing away the sleep and adjusting her ponytail.
“I should’ve asked for help before sending him off,” she thought as she tossed one of the women over her shoulder.
Maim slowly opened her eyes, adjusting to the candle lit interior of the wooden cabin. It certainly wasn’t the field she dozed off in with Lulen. The thought of Lulen immediately broke her drowsy mood as she spun from side to side, her head a swivel as she looked for Lulen. Spotting the elf in a corner opposite her, Maim was relieved before hyper-fixating on one of the doors leading out of the interior. It looked to be another smaller room in the cabin, likely a bedroom. There was a poisonous silence alluring assurance to mask the dread of being caught awake by whoever had taken them. Maim was not anxious to be caught unprepared again.
Fidgeting her hands and wrist, she found that her bindings were fastened well, certainly not done by any amateur. “Damn it!” Maim straightened herself on her knees, ready to prowl the room in search of something to free herself. Atop the only table in the room was her travel bag mixed with an assortment of belongings, a mix of her own, Lulen’s, and whoever lived here. The glint from a small dagger under the faint torchlight caught her eye. Reaching for it, Maim could feel the blade’s dulling edge. It would have to do for now. Turning around to grab it with her hands tied behind her, she fumbled for a moment before firmly grasping it. She began the slow cut of what felt like rope, inching closer to loosening it enough to undo. As she worked, a faint footfall paused Maim as soft footsteps began to approach from the other room followed by a quiet yawn. Looking to the door, clenching the dagger while gently rubbing the binding to once again judge its strength. The slow *kreeeeen* of the door ushered a figure into the room to confront Maim.
It was a towering woman, who bent forward under the door before entering the room. Six foot three, maybe six foot five; it didn’t really make a difference to Maim who hunched under this woman. The woman’s disheveled auburn hair covered sparkling emerald eyes that had yet to focus on Maim. With each yawn and stretch of her arms, the woman revealed her bulky form to be well-toned muscles. Her loose uniform tunic, marked with the family crest of the Count, cliffed off her breast while her cozy leggings hugged her form.
“Of course, just my luck.” A sigh left her lips realizing she’d been caught once more by the count’s lackeys.
Tanya turned in Maim’s direction, strengthening her posture as she too became aware of the situation and shook off her grogginess. A moment of brief calm existed as the two exchanged stares, Tanya shifting her stance to attack, anticipating Maim’s swiftness. Maim had paused her hands, unsure if she would need to toss the dagger, if that would do anything at all. What was seconds felt like minutes of tension that broke as Tanya charged Maim who in turn slumped and ducked under the behemoth and resumed her cutting. It was a back and forth of cat and mouse before Maim could break her binding while bounding around the cabin from Tanya's bedroom back into the main room in a tiring loop. With free hands, Maim rushed to the table with Tanya right behind her. Quickly sifting for her spellbook, she made a grab for it before grabbing the table and yanking it on its side. She was quick enough to cause Tanya to slam into the table and tumble onto the floor with a resounding *Thuuompf*. Lulen arose in a startled frenzy, flailing about as she awoke to the commotion. Not yet aware of what was occurring Lulen could only cry out for her friend, “Maim! Where are you!? What’s going on!?” The elf curled up as she tried to sit in the corner, trying to make sense of where she ended up.
“Lulen! Stay there, I've got this under control!” Maim’s footing was certain and ready to strike. Now with her spellbook open she flipped to her spells scanning for a perfect immobilizer.
Lulen looked on in disbelief as Tanya rose back onto her feet, revealing her gargantuan size compared to the two. Worry-filled, Lulen quivered as she watched Tanya regain posture and begin approaching Maim. Maim continued searching through her book glancing at Tanya as she swung a heavy fist. Her knuckles grazed Maim’s scalp as she avoided the main brunt and dove behind Tanya towards Lulen. Crouched now, Miam looked down on the page and with trained vocal recitation with quick, but elegant hand gesturing, a breeze formed and slithered through the room to Tanya. Torrenting to her, the breeze conjoined into a sharp point before forcefully bashing into Tanya’s midsection as a miniscule puncture while flowing air rushed quickly into her before abruptly ending.
“Ugghh... You wretch, that stung!” Tanya growled as she staggered back a couple steps, a hand now resting on the small impact point.
“That’s gonna be the least of your problems.” Maim now stood with an ear-to-ear grin as she eyed up the Captain.
A punchable grin was one of several reasons for another set of jabs to be thrown at Maim as her opponent dashed towards her. Maim dodged to the rear of the Captain forcing her to turn and smack again and again as Maim toyed with her. Tanya was oblivious to what was happening to her, but it would rear itself as a reminder of what Maim was capable of and her magical abilities. A good hit to the chest threw Maim off to stumble back to Lulen where she started. A cathartic release for Tanya, but she had lost time. Maim ran circles around the woman who would find that she too had a circumference of her own. Tanya chuckled, “Are you tired now?” A step taken forward cleared her elation as she realized her arms swung and made contact with her sides. She was wider now, bulging out of her uniform. Tanya was fit, towering over the duo, but she hadn’t been wide. Her downward stare gave sight to a turgid stomach and sides. Prodding revealed a firm feeling of fullness that wouldn’t subside and she found the rest of her body slowly swelling. Her loose tunic rose as her roundness took its power to cover her fully.
The bloating woman bellowed as she charged headfirst, cocking back a right hook aimed for Maim’s nose. “You bitch! I’ll get you for this!”
“Good luck with that, big girl.” Maim dashed low to the ground taking the bulky Captain’s charge head-on. Maim thrust herself into the Captain’s bulbous belly, sending the two flying from each other as Maim bounced off the Captain’s rotund gut. The swollen lady reeled from the bash, falling onto her back as she lost her footing. Just as she landed, a sudden *fwoomph* erupted from her back before her growth accelerated as if in retaliation to the sudden clash. Her body bloated greater than before, now rounder as her limbs could hardly bend. Tanya attempted to bend her limbs in an effort to stand, but she found her effort futile. Her arms failed to bend as her puffed biceps clashed with her swollen forearms and her fingers wriggled about trying to reach anything. Her legs merged with her inflated body, her thighs wide bulbous mounds with bloated calves shuffling with her feet kicking about trying to touch the ground. With her arms and legs now swollen stiff, growing with her body as it began to match the room’s width and crept up to the roof, “Damn… mph-” was all she sputtered before her head sank into her body, cheeks now puffed and her lips puckered, kissing her swollen mass. She could only stare at the wall behind her and the small window well above her head as a resounding *fwoomph* once again reached her ears before another surge smushed her against the wall.
“How is she getting so big?!” Lulen asked, staring at the growing woman, adding, “She’ll bring the cabin down on us!”
“Don’t worry she’ll just be stuck in here and won’t pop. I promise.” Maim said as she cut Lulen loose from her bindings.
Looking at the Captain, the duo saw her body bulge between pillars as it expanded. She was thoroughly wedged, a peach and rose colored barrier in the cabin. Her garments tore while her leggings stretched to their limits, anchored to her feet that barely stuck out of her form, keeping her underside covered. It was a thin margin for her decency as a blimp stuck in her own home.
“Lulen, grab your pack—hurry!” Maim ushered Lulen to the table where their gear lay and began to retrieve their belongings.
“Wait Maim, what about her? Are we—” Lulen tried to speak before Maim tossed the stolen wealth to her.
“Stuff it into your pack, it’s your turn to carry it. Now Come on Lulen, let’s get out of here before she traps us with her!” Maim said, grabbing Lulen by the wrist and dashing to the door.
“She’s not going to pop is she?!” Lulen said, looking at Maim and then at the Captain. Lulen leaned back to pull Maim to a stop until her question received an answer.
“No, she won’t pop, I promise.” Maim looked back, now getting Lulen to follow more willingly.
The door slammed behind them as they exited the cabin, now on a well-worn dirt road. Looking around for a quick escape, they spotted a trio of horses riding down towards them. Before they could flee they stood face to face with the count and two guards. Feet planted firmly, Maim was ready to fight once more as Lulen held onto her.
However, before either side could act, vines crackled through the ground behind the count’s horse, Yanked off into the air he kicked and swung around above the others. The startled horses sprang from the road to flee the vines, tossing their riders as they scattered. Maim followed using sleeping powder she snatched from the Captain’s table. A couple of dashes tossed on the guards would give enough time to flee uncontested. Making their moves the two caught a horse and mounted it.
“You damn thieves! I won’t stop until—” The count began before being cut off.
“Shut it already. How about you put your folks back together!” Maim shouted up at the man raising a fist to him, “Surely someone of your means can find healing mages!”
“She’s right! Go do something that’ll fix this!” Lulen chimed in, wanting to add her piece as she firmly wrapped herself onto Maim.
With their final words the two rode from the cabin and the count. Lulen hugged Maim firmly as she pondered Maim’s efforts to change how she treated foes. It was a wonderful thought for her as she laid her head on Maim’s back tightening her embrace.