Gaia's Champion Ch. 22

"I don't think Amy was hurt," Daelina remarked, after looking Amy over.

"What do you mean?"

"If she had been hurt like Jason was, then there would be a mark of some sort on her body. Ema and I looked, and we've found no real wounds on her, at all. It's really odd and concerning," Daelina replied, scratching her head.

"Where do you think that bitch got to?" Xaera asked, growling angrily.

"I don't know where she is, but as long as it's far away from here, I'm good with it!" Eva replied.

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Felicitae stood in the shadows of the trees, surveying the damage done by the Gaians. They weren't messing around, as they had burned away everything in their path, scorching even the earth itself. She reached out with her magic, trying to call the fallen children and animals. Few answered her call and limped their way towards her, eventually reaching the Dark Nymph.

She looked over what remained of her pets and children and wailed in anger. She had enough to have considered them a small army, but now, they were but a fraction of what they were! Felicitae then put her mind to calling the fallen up from the ground, thinking that their bodies would have been left alone.

She could feel the resonance of those responding to her call, but the Nymph was further dismayed. Less than half of what remained answered her and rose from where they fell to come to her. Felicitae left the safety of the trees for a moment and went looking for what remained of her servants. What she found was that many of them had been burned down to ash, with nothing left of them.

Her eyes bulged in disbelief as she saw the spirits of her servants rise from the ashes, no longer tethered to their corporeal forms. She watched as they wandered around, no longer bound to her will, wondering where they were supposed to go. The Nymph was now angry beyond belief, as many of her faithful servants had been stolen from her! Much of her hard work had all been for nothing!

She then thought she might turn this around, if she could reverse the Gaian's work. Felicitae gathered what Dark Magic she could and poured it into the freshly burned soil. She thought that if she could corrupt their work, then it would give her the time she needed to restock her ranks.

The Dark Nymph worked every drop of magic she could muster into corrupting the soil itself, but the magic wouldn't take hold. She tried once again, thinking that she could find some purchase on the earth, but nothing happened. The Dark Magic just slid away, like oil upon water.

Felicitae's anger then blossomed into outright hatred, as her magic wasn't doing what she hoped it would. The path that was burned into the soil was so complete and enriched with Gaia's magic, that there was nothing she could corrupt. She roared in hatred as she turned around and stalked back towards the grove. Her pets and children followed along, knowing well enough to leave the Nymph be.

They traveled along, heading back to the grove, and Felicitae noticed a mild discomfort. Looking down, she saw that the armor that the Dark Heart had given her had cracked. She growled upon seeing this, thinking that she had been compromised. But then, she remembered what had happened to Shaman that tried to attack her. How she flew away from her when she tried to hit that spot and the Dark Nymph smiled.

The Dark Heart's gift must have been much more complete than she thought. To have a second layer of protection, which kept her from being hurt by a Gaian? The gifts of the Darkness were great indeed! With this gift, she thought that if her defenses were enhanced, then maybe her powers were as well.

Focusing her magic, she called out to all beasts who would answer her call. Felicitae could feel the magic reaching out to all the creatures that were pure beast and demanded they come to her. Many of them responded, acknowledging that they would come to her side.

She had never had this level of power before! Control over living beings was something entirely new to her! She knew that all living things had an inner darkness that could be used to twist them into servitude. Being able to actively do so, though, was something that had always been beyond her reach!

With this new power and the dozens of new servants on their way, Felicitae formulated a plan. One which would see the Gaians not only defeated, but corrupted and serving her! Her laughter carried out through the forest as the plan to annihilate these pesky Gaians formed.

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The group of Gaians were now inside the old house, wondering what their next move was going to be. Jason had recovered enough to where he was awake, but he was still weak. Amy was still knocked out, and no one had any answers about what had happened to her. Not even the fairy women could supply any answers about this.

"You've never seen anything like this before? You're sure?" Eva questioned.

"Eva, like I've told you the last dozen times, this is something entirely new. Though I have dealt with my fair share of Dark magic, I've never seen a defense like that," Phalmina informed her.

"Why isn't our magic waking her up then?" Eva fretted.

"I don't think it's Dark Magic keeping her under," Jason mumbled.

"What's that, Jay?" Sheena questioned.

"I said, I don't think it's Dark magic that's keeping her under. I believe that it's something else," he supplied.

"Why do you think that?" Darren questioned.

"Mina's done some magical detection, right? Has she found anything malicious?" Jason queried.

"No, she hasn't," Eva replied.

"Then it might not have been Dark Magic that affected her. Maybe... it's something else," Jason suggested.

"What else could it be?" Darren wondered.

"I honestly don't know, but if it's not hurting her, then maybe it's doing something else," Jason replied, straining slightly.

"OK, Jay, that's enough. I know you want to get back on your feet, but I won't see you push yourself too hard. Close your eyes and get some rest now," Sheena ordered.

"Yes... ma'am," Jason smirked before he closed his eyes.

His breathing deepened, and he soon fell asleep. Sheena had been so very grateful that Phalmina had helped her get Jason back here. One of the other things that Felicitae had done when she hit Jason was to drain him of whatever energy he had to stay awake. A tired enemy was one who wouldn't fight back, which was a hallmark of Dark magical attacks. She was also glad that his wound had almost fully healed, and in the morning, he would be as good as new.

"I think Jason might be onto something with that line of thought," Xaera stated, catching everyone's attention.

"What makes you think so?" Emalia queried.

"Reading this book here. It's mainly a journal of sorts, from a wielder of Dark Magic," Xaera stated.

"A journal of a Dark sorcerer?!?" Phalmina peeped.

"Yes. I stumbled onto this passage here when I was looking up Dark Magic and ways to circumvent it. I think Amy might be affected by Gaian magic!" Xaera replied.

"How is that possible??" Eva queried, her mood picking up slightly.

"I'm reading here that this sorcerer used Dark Magic to corrupt many to his will. He had an innumerable number of thralls at his command. But there were limitations on just how much he had or could corrupt them," Xaera went on.

"What are you talking about?" Sheena questioned.

"What I'm saying is that not every creature can be fully corrupted. There are some who have the resilience to resist Dark magic and still hold on to who and what they were," Xaera went on, reading from the book.

"So, you think that there might be something left of Felicitae, as she was?" Darren scoffed.

"Hey! Don't forget, we thought you were a lost cause, mister! Until we noted that flicker of light within your soul," Eva snapped.

"OK, I'll shut up!" Darren replied with a sheepish laugh, putting his hands up in surrender.

"You ever heard about anything like this before ladies?" Xaera asked, looking for ideas or opinions.

"We all fought in the war against the Xkarites, yet we've never heard of or seen anything like this before!" Emalia admitted.

"Sounds like we're all in unfamiliar territory then," Darren murmured.

"Well, if nothing else, we can at least say that Amy's in good health for now. She is breathing fine and her color is OK. I sense no malevolent magics on her, so I think she'll be all right," Xaera stated.

"Why won't she wake up?" Eva questioned, worried for her daughter's safety.

"Maybe there's something she needs to do or see, before she wakes?" Darren suggested.

"If only I could see inside Amy's mind and know what she's going through right now," Eva lamented.

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Amy's eyes opened, and she blinked against the blackish gray light, groaning as she sat up. She stretched her mouth open and took a breath, almost gagging at the taste of the air. It was a sickly sweet taste, like that of rotten fruit and vegetables, but far more pungent. She spit the taste out of her mouth and moaned as she could smell it too. Grunting in disgust, Amy got to her feet, taking in the surrounding landscape.

She saw what appeared to be a small plain in which clumps of forest were growing. Unlike the verdant and vibrant environment she was expecting, the whole area around her was gray, black and rotten. That which was not rotten was dusty and barren, much like badlands were. Amy looked about, wondering where in Gaia's name she was, before she remembered.

"The attack, when I charged Felicitae... I must have been hit with her foul magic!" Amy seethed, thinking she was trapped here, in another dreamscape.

The more she thought about it, the more this place looked like somewhere that she would die. Banishing the grim thought, Amy gazed around, searching for some sort of clue about how to get out of here. Out of the corner of her eye, Amy spotted what appeared to be a warm glow emanating from the largest clump of trees. Thinking it an odd thing in a place that was black and white, she figured there was nothing for it and headed in that direction.

Amy approached the trees and was a little frightened by them. Though she shouldn't have been, the forested area was dark and foreboding. It was almost as though she was walking into something from one of her nightmares. Amy half expected someone or something to leap out of the murk to attack her, but no attack came. She released the breath she had been holding and entered the darkness before her.

The pathway was dank and gloomy, offering little in the way of light. As Amy traveled the path, the way was becoming increasingly brighter, due to whatever waited in the center of the forest. She took heart in it, hoping that was her way out of this dreamscape, and picked up the pace. Amy rounded a bend in the path and was greeted by an odd and interesting sight.

In the center of the forest was a large, translucent dome that gave off colorful light. It illuminated the area surrounding it and brought some semblance of life to the otherwise gloomy forest. Amy approached it tentatively, staying on her guard, as it could be a trap. She touched the dome, and it rippled, almost like water did, but the effect was momentary. Amy tried again and pushed on the dome, thinking she could move it.

Instead of moving, the dome rippled again, and her hand passed through. It almost felt as though she was passing through some sort of gateway and on instinct, Amy walked into it. If it was a gateway, maybe it was the way out and anywhere was better than the forest, as far as she was concerned. It took a few moments to pass through, but Amy finally walked past the dome and into something she did not expect.

In the dome, it wasn't dead, dying or gloomy, but instead, vibrant, joyful and full of life! The inside of it was green and growing, much like a grove in full bloom! All around her were signs of life and most surprisingly, there were Nymphs! There were so many there, Amy was having trouble telling them apart! Instead of looking dark and evil, as Felicitae had, these Nymphs were green, healthy and youthful!

The thing that surprised Amy the most was what they were doing! Every Nymph there was nude or in various stages of undress, with everything hanging out on full display. Some were just lying there, enjoying the ambiance, while others were in various states of copulation. It was a literal Bacchanalian orgy, which Amy had only heard or read about, but never experienced!

"Ah! We have a new guest! Welcome, Shaman, to the celebration of the summer solstice!" a male voice called out to her. Craning her head, Amy turned and saw a rather handsome male Nymph approaching her with a wide smile on his face. He was well muscled and impressive and was sporting an equally impressive cock! It swung between his legs like a nightstick and Amy had a hard time keeping her eyes from it!

"Do not be ashamed, young one! It is natural to be curious about others, especially if they are well endowed," the Nymph chuckled. "Please, take your time to wander about. You are free to watch or join as you see fit."

"Um.... Thank you!" Amy replied, blushing fiercely as she walked past the man. With so much going on around her, it was almost overwhelming! Taking a deep breath, she wandered around, taking a few moments at each scene, before moving on. She saw many various couplings of every gender, and some had more than two or even three! Amy had to keep fanning herself to keep from feeling too faint.

She kept meandering around, hoping to find something that could lead her out of the dreamscape. Though Amy had to admit that she was getting more than a little turned on by being here, even if it was a dream. As she walked by a young Nymph just finishing the throes of her orgasm, Amy did a double take, as she recognized the Nymph.

It was Felicitae, but instead of the blackened and putrid armor, she wore clothing made of vines and leaves. Or, at least she had been wearing them, as they lay in a puddle of clothing nearby. Her skin was a pale gold, and her head was crowned with vibrant green hair. She was lithe, muscular and beautiful, a stark contrast to the abomination she was now.

The men who had pleasured her had also finished, as their seed leaked from her holes. They lie there, catching their breath, before standing up and leaving her there. In a few moments, they were hard again, their cocks sticking out, ready for more. Felicitae writhed as she enjoyed the sensations of her peak, smiling as she lay there.

"Welcome, Amy," the Nymph told her as she turned her head to the young Shaman.

"You... you recognize me?" Amy stuttered.

"Of course! I am attached to you now and because I have done so, I know what is going on in your mind," the Nymph stated.

"You know what it's like out there?" Amy questioned.

"I do."

"Why is it like that? What happened to you?" she wondered, taking in the Nymph's nude form.

"That is a story I could tell, but I sense a level of urgency about you," Felicitae replied.

"Yeah, you could say that. When I hit you, I think I was knocked out. I saw the flare of green energy from the cracks in your armor and thought to hit you there," Amy told her.

"Yes, I remember. When you struck me, or tried to, you were hit with the remaining energies that radiate from my soul. What we are in right now, is a Soul Fragment, a piece of who I am... or was," Felicitae stated.

"So, how did I wind up here?"

"When you were hit with Soul Fragment, the feedback of it disconnected your mind from your body," the Nymph told her.

"Hold on, what?!?" Amy asked, her voice rising a few octaves.

"It's probably a temporary thing. Can you feel your body and what's going on to it?" the Nymph questioned.

"I... can. It's weird, almost like... I'm dreaming of what's going on?" Amy replied, her face scrunching up in confusion.

"The link between your mind right now and your body is still intact then. If what you feel is like a dream, then the connection is probably dormant," Felicitae filled in.

"You know an awful lot about how things are supposed to work in the mind of a living being," Amy stated, crossing her arms beneath her breasts.

"When you are prisoner inside your own body for as long as I have been, you tend to figure things out," the Nymph informed her.

"Wait, you're a prisoner? How?" Amy questioned.

"The Dark Heart. When the grove was first corrupted, I fought against the Dark magic that sought to overtake it and me. No matter how hard I fought, it fought back harder, as its hold on the grove was strong. I did what I could to save the others, while I still could. In the end, though, the Darkness had its way with me, and I eventually became its willing servant," Felicitae replied, her voice full of regret.

"So, you hurting me and my friends? Corrupting those children? You did all of that willingly?" Amy seethed.

"Not directly, no. I know everything that I've done, both good and evil, and I have suffered for it. So much death and destruction was done, but as hard as I tried, I couldn't stop it," she lamented.

"Maybe you can stop it," Amy suggested gently.

"How?"

"By helping me get out of here. Speaking of which, how do I get out of here?" Amy wondered.

"That will require my aid. When you hit me, the Soul Fragment sought release from the corrupted body it inhabits and latched onto you. I am one of the few pieces of me that isn't fully corrupted yet. Because your mind was dragged down here, into this fragment, I need to be the one to open the way for you," Felicitae explained.

"Then do it! Please!" Amy begged.

"I cannot. Not as I am now. Most of the fragment that latched onto you was corrupted. The area outside of this little piece? That is much larger than what is here and holds sway over whether anyone here, leaves. In order to make a gateway for you to return to your waking mind, we must share an empathetic bond to break through the encroaching darkness. It is the only way that is powerful enough to break through," she said.

"An empathetic bond? What..." Amy started before she caught the lust filled look from the Nymph.

"Must I elaborate?" Felicitae smirked.

"Um... no, you don't have to. But... isn't there another way?" Amy questioned.

"Normally, there would be, but this fragment won't last long. Already, the magical defenses of your mind and body are closing in around this fragment. They will destroy it and everything here, because it doesn't belong here, and you with it," the Nymph replied.

"Wait, I would be destroyed, with you?!?" Amy yelped.

"I don't know. I believe you would survive, but that would require you breaking out of the blackened landscape and past the aggressive magic surrounding it. It would be a gamble though, one which I am not certain would work," Felicitae informed her.

"But us, bumping uglies, would do it?" Amy queried.

"Bumping uglies? That's an odd term! In answer to your question, yes. With the empathetic bond we would share, it would grant you enough power to punch through and re-establish a strong link with your conscious mind. I'm afraid that down here, cut off from the rest of you, your power isn't as strong as it should be," Felicitae apologized.

"You know, I honestly should have a tough time with this. You tried to kill my friends, and you knocked my ass out, to be dragged down here!" Amy fumed. Felicitae looked away from the angry Shaman and felt ashamed of what had happened. Though she had no control over it, technically, she was still at fault.

"But... staring at you... like this... after what those two guys did to you... you do look, kind of... hot..." Amy admitted.

"So... you do... find me... attractive?" Felicitae smiled.

"Well, yeah! I mean, I am dating a woman back up in the real world, so I find women quite..." Amy said, before she was interrupted by Felicitae's lips on hers. The Nymph had gotten to her feet and crossed the distance between them without Amy noticing. She would have asked how she did that, but the warm feeling that coursed through her overtook her mind and she let herself get lost in the kiss.