Geral and the girls were chasing a borghest, a kind of magical squirrel that could shoot nuts and pebbles at them. The problem was that in their evolved form, these beasts could easily kill a normal human with their projectiles, so they had to be eliminated from the town's area.

This one was particularly fast and nimble and had already avoided Noviel's arrows for a third time. It couldn't care less about Geral's taunts. All Geral could achieve was to make it throw the nuts and pebbles at him. Awa was not able to come close enough to be able to target it with a spell. It somehow knew to keep its distance from her.

“Damn! Where is it?” - Geral yelled angrily.

“It ran this way!” - said Noviel, running around the corner of a house - “It ran this street up!”

She stopped and looked around.

“Where did it disappear?”

She looked behind and realized she was not in the same place. She had passed through a portal, and the borghest was behind her. She turned and just as she wanted to shoot at the borghest a running Geral materialized suddenly in front of her. It was too fast for him to be able to stop, and they collided, with Geral's shoulder hitting her in the face; she was thrown down with Geral falling on top of her, her knee hitting him hard between his legs.

Noviel yelled, trying to push him away: “Ouch, you idiot!”

Geral groaned, not able to move due to the pain, his nose planted between her breasts:

“Umpfuhui!” - was all he could muster.

She realized he was in pain.

“Geral? Are you OK?” - she wondered, trying to look at his face. She pulled gently on his hair to lift his head.

“Uhuh!” - he said, staying cramped over her, resting on his shoulder now, holding his precious parts in his right hand, still pinning her down.

As she moved her legs, she understood.

“Oh, dear.”

Blood started to drop from her nose, but Noviel started to laugh.

“I did not expect to be the first casualty in the fight with a squirrel, but it stroke you even harder!”

“Ouch, please don't laugh, you are hitting me again...”

They both started to laugh, and Geral rolled to the side, freeing her.

“That was not a squirrel but a borghest!” - Geral tried to protest.

He wanted to stand up but only managed to do it halfway. He looked at her, still spread on her back.

“Maybe it would be better for you to stay like this until your nose stops bleeding.”

Noviel nodded. He looked around:

“Where the hell are we?”

“Either the fucking borghest-squirrel could open a portal, or there was one naturally open. I think we are still in town. Am I still bleeding?” - she asked as she tried to stand.

He nodded, looking at her. Please stay like this for the next couple of hours! - he thought.

“Yes, you should lie longer. I'm sorry; I didn't mean to hit you!”

“Me neither. OK, if you say, I'll stay like this...” - Noviel answered with a glint in her eyes.

He watched her beautiful face. Was she trying to flirt with him?

“What's that?” - Noviel wondered, pointing at a small black patch that was moving their way.

“Oh fuck! Wolshi!”

He tried to hit it with the sword, but the wolshi avoided the hit coming closer to end up stomped by Noviel. Even on her back, she had managed to stomp it.

She sat and tried to clean her boot.

“Heh, got it! I hate these beasts!” - she said and suddenly froze.

The whole street in front of them was not dark as it seemed; it was covered with a dark, living, moving mass that had suddenly become aware of them. Myriads of small wolshi.

“Oh fuck!” - said Geral, realizing they were in an impasse. The only way out was over that dark street.

He grabbed her hand as she reached out and instinctively pulled her up. They looked at each other.

The borghest had climbed the wall, but what could they do? The dark mass started moving towards them.

*

Awa turned the corner and looked around.

“Geral? Noviel?”

She suddenly felt alone. She felt in her heart through their connection that they were not there. She looked around, scared.

“Geral?” - she spoke louder, but there was no answer. She knew there could be none. She still yelled louder, not believing it:

“Geral!! Noviel!!”

Nothing. Just some beasts barked not far away, making her hair stand. A ningo-dog. No. Several ningo-dogs.

“Geral?” - she now whispered, afraid.

*

Anabella felt a sting in her heart. She stopped eating and tried to concentrate on her feeling. Almost instantly, she felt another pang of fear, then another one. Her eyes went round, and her hair stood on her head.

“My children! Geral!” - she said, trying to stand, but her feet were weak.

She wondered what could be happening.

She rested with a hand on the table, forcing her body to stand, and her eyes fell on the saucer she had just eaten from. Was there something with the mushrooms?

It was as if the saucer would wobble in front of her eyes.

“Sarah? Sarah?”

The slave came hurriedly.

“Sarah, help me to my room. There was something with … with...”

She was finding it difficult to speak, to concentrate. Sarah pushed her gently back. She wanted to fight it but could not. She raised her eyes. Sarah smiled. A smug smile that confused her:

“Yes, I know, dear." - Sarah said, pushing her down with one finger - "Don't worry, it goes fast and does not hurt. This is how these mushrooms work, first, paralysis, then... death.”

Anabella slipped slowly back on the chair. She had no power in her feet or hands. She could not keep her mouth closed, saliva dripping on her chin.

“Why?” - whispered Anabella

Sarah cleaned her face with a malevolent smile.

“Oh, silly you. You are not good enough for him. I'll take your place, as simple as that and I will be finally free.”