There was no one left.

No one.

Even though the chaotic roads of Eronmar were thick with monsters and Ironbellies doing battle, surging this way and that as they slaughtered one another, Sudvana was alone.

She felt utterly numb inside. Though she was surrounded by enemies--hundreds, maybe thousands--the only thing in the universe that seemed real was the gigantic naga in front of her, it's belly contorting with the struggles of dozens of Ironbelly warriors.

Gairanda had been one of those warriors.

Snatched up suddenly and glomped down right in front of her.

The Naga didn't even seem to care about Sudvana; it was busy fighting an elemental that had been summoned by one of the city's defenders. This left Sudvana to stare at it's gurgling belly, easily as tall as she was, little bulges in it's bulk betraying the flailing limbs inside, each one being slowly dissolved by the beast.

A thought ocurred to her; something she could do. If she could kill the naga, Gairanda would be saved, as would all the others.

The thought seemed as empty and distant as the life she had left behind that day at Laurenti. She knew she wouldn't be able to save her. She had never been able to save anyone. Latella, Ishiar, Blast...they were all gone, meals for creatures without hearts.

The whole universe seemed alien to her now. Those simple days of weaving dresses and forging swords seemed like a dream. A dream that she had awakened from, only to learn that the waking world was a nightmare. The kind you expect to wake up from, weeping with relief at the sight of loved ones you had thought were gone, totally surprised at your sudden, unexplained behavior. Yet every day she awoke here, in this hell.

And now all she could do was watch as it tore itself apart.

The Naga slithered away, the cacaphony of gurgles and screams fading as it went.

Combatants ran past her, some brandishing swords, some claws, some stingers or wings. They ignored her, and she ignored them. She didn't have the strength to care. She simply stood like a statue, her limbs running cold, as did her tear-streaked face. It was all absurd anyway. There was no reason for her to fight, or to move. It wasn't going to do any good.

A pair of hands wrapped themselves around her arms and lifted her off the ground. She was dimly aware of a voice behind her: "Look at this one! It fainted standing up!"

"Watch out," another voice said. "It might be a trick. Humans love tricks."

"Let's see what tricks it can pull from inside of my bellyYYYACH!"

There was a hot breeze on her back as she dropped to the ground again, the screaming monster behind her incinerated by some unseen spell. It occurred to her that she'd never even looked to see what it was. Nor did it really matter.

She looked up at the night sky. Even the stars seemed more distant, almost darker now. As she looked around the city once more, she wondered if this was how everything always ended. Was that all there was to this world? War, loss, and death? Did things like love and friendship even mean anything?

Sudvana didn't notice the hours passing by as the final battle for Eronmar played itself out; she didn't care when a massive starcruiser roared overhead, flinging down ruby-colored bolts of destruction and mayhem upon the survivors and their fortifications. She didn't join the retreat as the Ironbellies fled to Kikagonroth and the mines. She didn't even notice when a crowd of the now-victorious monsters gathered around her, staring at this defenseless oddity.

"What's wrong with it?"

"I think it fainted."

"They don't faint standing up, stupid!"

"Then why isn't it moving?"

"I don't know. Maybe it's retarded."

The chatter continued, blurring together in Sudvana's mind. She had no reason to care what they said, or thought.

Only one voice seemed to catch her attention.

"She's given up hope."

All of the monsters went silent at this proclaimation. There was a quiet murmer among them, and in spite of herself, Sudvana slowly turned to see where this new voice had come from.

The sight she beheld was an odd one. Four humans stood there, each of them bedecked with weaponry that practically burned with magical power. One was obviously a mage, another a priestess, and two that were warriors of some kind. All four stood like towers that flanked a fifth person--one who was noteworthy because she utterly lacked the obvious aura of power that these other four exuded.

It was a little girl, barely half their height. She was a good foot shorter than Sudvana was. Her big, violet eyes seemed almost hollow, constantly seeming to stare off into oblivion even as they locked themselves on Sudvana. Her pale pink hair seemed dishevelled, sometimes curly and sometimes wavy, and she was wearing a finely crafted, pale-grey dress.

All of the monsters were staring or cowering before these five beings, and the little girl was standing in their center.

"Who are you?" Sudvana asked.

"I am Aerothi," the little girl said.

"You're the one that killed my friends," Sudvana said. She should have been outraged, consumed with hate, but she had no spirit left to hate with.

"Perhaps." Aerothi said. "If they fought me, they are likely dead."

"Why?" Sudvana said, a tear slowly escaping her eye. "Why do you do this?"

Aerothi simply stared for a moment, studying her. The silence lasted several long moments before Aerothi finally spoke. Her voice was plain and clear, her inflection almost unreadable.

"Do you wish I was dead?" she said simply.

Sudvana opened her mouth to say "Yes," but she couldn't. Her lips parted, her tongue moved, but before she could speak, her eyes filled up with tears. She buried her face in her hands and her legs buckled, dropping her to her knees. She realized that even now, she didn't really want to hurt anyone.

"I...I just want all of this to end," she said.

"Then it shall," Aerothi replied.

Sudvana looked up, only now noticing that the world had grown since she last saw it. She was sitting on a tiny cobblestone that now seemed to be the size of a boulder.

Aerothi walked forward and gently picked up her now-shrunken body. Sudvana sat in her hand, looking at the smooth, placid face that was before her.

Could this really be Aerothi? Could this almost angelic little girl be the evil sorceress who had destroyed her life, along with so many others?

Her heart began to pound. There was really only one thing that could happen now. Sudvana knew that if she died, there was a chance she would be reunited with her friends in the afterlife--but even so, she was terrified. Her death now loomed before her like a black impenetrable wall, the sight of this seemingly innocent girl's lips scaring her more than anything ever had before.

Yet the girl simply stared at her, those enormous violet eyes seeming to look into her and right past her at the same time.

A minute passed. One of the guards stepped forward in concern.

"Your majesty?" she asked.

Aerothi simply continued to stare. "Is this what they think of me?" she said plainly. "Am I a monster, a murderer, the omnidevil herself?" she asked. Sudvana couldn't tell if she was talking to herself or genuinely asking. In spite of everything, she almost found herself feeling sorry for this heartless sorceress who was about to eat her.

There was another long pause; Aerothi's guards apparently thought better of answering her questions. It ended with Aerothi looking at Sudvana once again; for the first time, her eyes seemed to focus on her.

"Don't worry, Sudvana. You'll soon be with your friends."

Sudvana was too shocked to even scream. Aerothi's mouth opened and she brought it down over Sudvana, gently picking her up between her lips. Sudvana's heart started pounding again, her mind screaming warnings to her, but she didn't want to heed them. The mouth tilted back and she felt a little tug all around her as Aerothi sucked her into her mouth. She felt the lips close around her feet.

She found herself pressed between the rigid roof of Aerothi's mouth and her slick, warm tongue. Even though she was frightened, something about feeling the warm embrace of Aerothi's mouth caused a profound sense of relief and satisfaction to wash over her. She didn't understand why, or how she could have felt this way, but somehow everything seemed to feel alright now. Though her conscious mind couldn't accept the idea of being swallowed, her soul seemed happy to see it; the wicked Aerothi now seemed like a saving angel.

Sudvana sighed and let the conflicted surge of feelings simply wash over her as she felt herself begin to slide towards the slippery gullet. She clenched her eyes shut as her torso began to tilt downward, her rump pressing into the soft palate at the top of the mouth. Warm flesh wrapped around her body as she slipped down into the throat. And down she slithered, through the darkness and warmth into the belly of her enemy and saviour.

She slipped quietly into Aerothi's stomach, her body plopping between the soft, wet folds. The air was thick and warm, the stomach bottom gooey.

No acids began to strip her flesh away, no suffocating stench, no horrific churning to break her bones. Instead, there was just a gentle rising and falling of the walls of the stomach.

So this was it. This was how it all ended.

It wasn't so bad after all.

The darkness seemed to cloud the pain in her soul; the warmth seemed to blunt the cold loneliness in her heart. It felt like she was with someone; this stranger, this sorceress.

A tear rolled down the side of her head as she laid motionless. She was going to die, but maybe she would see Latella again.

She felt a tingle begin to spread across her buttocks and shoulders. Digestion was beginning, ever so slowly. Sudvana was afraid again, just for a moment, worried about what the pain of digestion was going to be like.

Then it dawned on her. It was just pain. Physical pain didn't really matter that much. She'd been hurt before; she had cut herself, fallen down, stubbed her toes. She'd always gotten better.

A big drop of liquid hit the side of her chest, soaking her shirt with warm goop.

She began to sense the quiet breathing of the girl who's body she was in. She noticed that, in addition to the rythmic movements of the stomach wall, the stomach also rose and fell very slightly with her breathing. It was calming; almost hypnotic. Sudvana almost wanted to just lose herself in the warm darkness; to give in to it completely. She really couldn't think of a reason not to.

She rolled over onto her side, found a comfortable fold of flesh, and let go.

Within minutes she had fallen asleep.

She was half-aware of her body as it fitfully awoke now and then. She would awake to a nagging burning, but roll over and go back to sleep. She would awaken suddenly as her body was painfully squeezed between two stomach folds, but she would just ignore it and do her best to return to her slumber. Eventually, it became impossible to sleep. The sensations were too strong.

She sat up. Her skin felt like it was on fire. Her clothing had dissolved off completely. There were points of throbbing pain all over her body. Somehow, though, she still didn't seem to mind. It almost felt liberating. It almost seemed to feel good.

Her legs were half-submerged in a pool of warm, viscous liquid. It poured this way and that as the stomach shifted abruptly this way and that. It sloshed over her hips and abdomen as she too was shifted back and forth by the stomach's movements.

A sudden sense of finality came over her.

"It's time, isn't it?" she asked, but no one answered.

The roof of the stomach abruptly slid against her head, forcing her to fall sideways. It shifted again and she fell between two large folds which began squeezing and kneading her. The feelings were intense and incredible now. She was so tightly enfolded that she couldn't move, couldn't breathe, squeezed here and there and everywhere as she squirmed an inch this way or that way.

All the pain was gone now; in fact, all she felt was a profound relief. All of her suffering was washing away with the body that had contained it. it felt like there was an angel reaching towards her, ready to pull her spirit free so that she would never suffer again. She even thought she could feel a set of soft fingers wrapping around her and gently lifting her out from the hot, hungry stomach. She was glad her spirit was finally free.

Which is kind of funny, because it wasn't.

She realized this as her eyes suddenly filled with dim light and her sopping-wet, naked body was brought out into the cold air. She literally did have fingers wrapped around her, oozing with the same liquid she had just been immersed in. Had the whole angel thing just been a dream? Was she even being denied death?

She sat up, still shivering in the hand of the angel.

Yes, it was really an angel--that much was readily apparent. A pair of downy white wings led out of her back, and her face was nothing if not heavenly--glowing with love, framed by bouncy black curls.

In fact, though Sudvana couldn't quite put her finger on it...there was something about that face. Like just seeing it meant everything had gotten better.

"Sudie?" the Angel said, wiping a bit of glop off of Sudvana's head with her finger.

The angel was smiling, and looked relieved--incredibly relieved. Sudvana realized that this angel looked exactly how she herself felt at that moment.

She couldn't put her finger on why, but just then, Sudvana leapt up and gave an enormous hug to the angel--or, rather, the angel's thumb, since she was still only an inch and a half tall.

Annelique wrapped her fingers around her in return, feeling for the first time in weeks like everything was as it should be.

"You saved me!" Sudvana said.

Annelique simply placed her other hand overtop her body like a blanket, her contented smile smile lasting for a moment before she switched her gaze to Aerothi. "I suppose it's time for me to keep my end of the bargain."

Aerothi was staring dispassionately, a dribble of drool still clinging to her chin. "It is," she said quietly.

******

(One Day Earlier...)

Ishiar tried desperately to move, but couldn't. Her limbs simply wouldn't obey her. Inwardly she was screaming, half in pain, half in futile defiance. She felt herself being lifted upwards, her skin screaming in pain everywhere she was touched.

Belaphonne's fangs bit into her head. It had begun. And it was all over. The demoness was devouring her.

Within seconds, a series of wolfish, savage swallows dragged Ishiar's body into Belaphonne's throat. It contracted, shoving Ishiar's ruined body into the hot sack of her stomach. The heat of her burned skin mixed freely with the heat of the stomach acids that rapidly began filling the hot pit. She was dimly aware of the stomach walls beginning to crush her, their brutal zeal expressing the rageful vengeance of their owner.

She tried to resist, but the best she could do was make her limbs twitch impotently. She had obviously lost, and lost badly.

Her eyes slowly pinched themselves shut.

Then again, it wasn't so bad a death. She had escaped slavery, and seriously pissed off a demoness. She had kept her dignity.

Well, most of it, anyway.

She half-expected to start enjoying her own digestion, and indeed, she did, even with her horribly burned skin. How upset Belaphonne would have been, had she known that her final vengeance would be getting Ishiar off.

Nonetheless, it was kind of regrettable that she lost. She really would like to have put Belaphonne in her place.

Or, at least once in her life, she would have liked to find out what it was like to have someone else in her stomach, rather than vice-versa.

Hell, she could have done both at the same time.

Ah, well. There was no use dwelling on regrets.

Something thumped into her sternum.

She didn't know what it was, and her eyes were more or less burnt shut, so she ignored it.

Whatever it was started moving.

She raised an eyebrow. Uncomfortably. But she still couldn't open her eyes to see it.

Whatever it was shifted--she felt a leg, and an elbow, so it was definately a person. Perhaps Belaphonne had decided to take out her rage on her other slaves...?

Suddenly Ishiar felt something press against her lips. A moment later, she felt a set of fingers pry them open and dump a small amount of liquid down her throat--a very sweet, familiar tasting liquid.

Immediately, her limbs seemed to fill with energy. Her eyes popped open just in time to see her skin reverting from an Ishiar Barbecue to it's normal, supple state, and she finally got a look at who it was in the belly with her.

"Blast!?" she blurted out.

Blast simply smiled and waved. Her body was slick with digestive juice; she didn't seem to care.

"What are you doing here?"

Blast raised an eyebrow.

"If...if you're here to save me, I hope you have a plan for getting out of here."

Blast smiled and motioned for her to wait.

Right on cue, Ishiar heard a noise from outside--it sounded like the door to Belaphonne's quarters being kicked down. There was a muffled voice, very faint but still audible--and familiar.

"I believe you have something that belongs to me."

She heard Belaphonne's voice next; it was much louder.

"And what might that be, Ushan?"

"My slave."

"I bought her from you fair and square."

"Not that one."

"You mean that scrawny tramp that jumped down my throat?"

"Yes. Return her to me, please."

"I'm sorry, she asked me to swallow her, and you know I'm honor-bound not to release her once that happens."

"Then I expect another slave in restitution."

"I expect you'll leave now, Ushan," Belaphonne said. "You'll not extort me in my own home."

"I was hoping you'd say that, darling."

The stomach lurched abruptly as the two demonesses started fighting. Ishiar couldn't tell what was going on, but the stomach turned upside down several times, causing her and Blast to flip flop overtop of one another. Blast seemed to enjoy it. Actually, so did Ishiar. It ended with a loud SPLURCH, followed by Belaphonne screaming.

"Ushan, you addled twit, release me or it will be your head!"

"What's that, dinner?" came the faint reply. "You need to speak a little more clearly."

"You dare mock me!? I vow I will melt the very flesh from your bones!"

Ushan gave out a silky laugh. "Excuse me--exactly which one of us is in danger of having her flesh melted off?"

Belaphonne screamed and kicked, but as far as Ishiar could tell, it wasn't doing any good and wasn't going to anytime soon.

"So...Belaphonne swallowed you, and Ushan swallowed Belaphonne, and that was the plan," Ishiar said.

Blast nodded.

"So...how does that help us?"

Blast smiled and held up a familiar vial.

It was filled with succubus honey.

"Just lay back and enjoy the ride, all of you." Ushan said. "At least two of you will have the priviledge of living through it!"

Belaphonne struggled and kicked for all she was worth, but Ishiar just laid back.

"Hmm," she said. "Well, I guess we've got some time to killMMF--"

Blast was already on top of her, peppering her with kisses.

******

Ishiar couldn't help but marvel at the little ironies of life. Here she was, running through the exact same cave, with the exact same demoness. But this time, they were friends--Ishiar still wasn't sure why--and now the demons were moving to aid the Ironbellies, not attack them.

"It was all a misunderstanding, you see," Ushan said. "We did not realize the Ironbelly clan had gained a geas of friendship, or we never would have dreamed of attacking. On the contrary, we are normally quite cordial to such people."

"So why did you help me escape?"

"My dear, such a rude question!" Ushan continued as they ran. "After all we've shared, you still think so little of me?"

"But you're the one who sold me to the bitch in the first place!"

"Yes, well, that was...an unfortunate necessity."

"How so?"

"I wouldn't dream of burdening you with the rules of demonic etiquette, especially since you've had such an unpleasant brush with our society already..." Ushan continued, "sufficed to say, it was either that or eat you."

"But you DID eat me!"

"And that was why I had to sell you, too."

"That doesn't even come close to making sense."

The Thaegon who was running ahead (apparently her name was "Gorsmutch") abruptly stopped. Seeing this, Ushan and the others stopped as well.

"What is it?" Ushan asked.

Gorsmutch sniffed quietly at the air. "We may be too late."

"Well, there's only one way to find out!" Ishiar said, and the group resumed running.

They quickly reached the edge of the Eronmar mines, half-expecting an immediate assault by more monsters than they could count. Instead, they were confronted by a group of Ironbelly warriors who levelled a set of wicked-looking crossbows at them.

Ushan stopped like she had hit a wall and raised her hands apologetically. "Sisters, please, allow me to apologize again for our behavior earlier--"

"It's them," one of the Ironbellies called out behind her, and they lowered their crossbows. "Just remember, demon. Once this battle is over, your people and mine will have a score to settle."

Ushan frowned as they joined the group. "I hate awkward alliances," she said sadly.

"So, you didn't finish telling me the story behind all this." Ishiar said.

"Of course, how silly of me," Ushan said. "The Ironbellies have a relationship with the Kikagon court of the Blood Fane. And, as you surely already know, I am from the court of Salashas of the Flesh Fane."

"Of course I knew that," Ishiar said in an obviously sarcastic way.

"Well, our long and valued relationship with the esteemed and respected Kikagon court was incompatible with our conducting raids on a group with whom they shared a geas of friendship."

"So, you were attacking your allies' allies."

"Tragic, is it not?" Ushan said. "Don't get me wrong, you and your kind are delicious, I just regret that--"

"I'm not an Ironbelly," Ishiar said.

"Really?" Ushan asked. "Ah. You taste like one. And that is a compliment, by the way."

"Thanks," Ishiar said, in a tone that was easily as sarcastic as the last one.

Her attention was suddenly dragged away from the strange conversation as she recognized one of the Ironbellies, being carried away on a stretcher.

"Gairanda!"

Gairanda--her armor pocked with holes, her skin covered in red blotches--raised her head. "Ishiar?"

"What's going on up there?"

Gairanda let her head drop. "A slaughter."

"We've lost almost all of the city," another Ironbelly said. "Most of the survivors fled to Kikagonroth, but the road from the mines to the portal is blocked. As soon as Aerothi decides to press the attack, we're done for."

"Really, now that is impolite!" Ushan interrupted.

The Ironbelly gave her an unfavorable glance. "Unless, of course," she said gravely, "the Flesh Fane keeps to their word."

"You wound me, dear lady!" Ushan replied.

"If they're coming, then where are they?" came another voice. Trasil, the war-leader who was in charge of the remaining Ironbellies, was tromping down the tunnel towards them. Her blue adamant armor was badly dented and cut, but her movements betrayed an unquenchable zeal. The mace in her right hand looked like it had been shot out of a cannon a few times.

"I assure you, my friends," Ushan replied, "they are but a stone's throw away."

"We'd better hope it's a big stone," Trasil said. "I just got word that Aerothi herself is up there."

"I beg your pardon?" Ushan asked.

"Ay-Roth-Ee," Trasil repeated. "You know, the enemy warlord who's been waging an unprovoked war on us for the last few months?"

"Well," Ushan said. "I must admit I had grown fond of you humans. I shall miss you--"

"You said you'd fight!" Trasil snapped.

"We WILL, of course," Ushan replied, "I am merely referring to the fact that...well..."

"You think she's gonna kill us all anyway," Trasil said.

"Well, her or her army, yes," Ushan finished.

"Hey, let's keep a little optimism here," Ishiar said. "I've already been in at least two stomachs today. I'm not going to add a third."

"I realize this may not be the sort of strategy you prefer," Ushan said, "but in all honesty, perhaps a diplomatic solution would be worth considering."

"You mean surrender," Trasil said.

"Not necessarily," Ushan said. "You've fought her long and hard so far, and that counts for a great deal in the mind of a warrior. It's possible she would be happy to find a peaceful resolution to this war, provided her needs are met..."

"We don't negotiate with murderers and aggressors," Trasil said flatly.

"Suit yourself...ah, what did I tell you?"

From further off in the demon side of the cave came the sound of marching. In the distance, demonic forms could be seen--hundreds of them.

"Defensive positions!" Trasil barked to her soldiers. "Just in case."

Ushan sighed loudly.

The demons did not attack, but rather, their leader--a sultry demoness with glistening armor of gold and pink that was simultaneously imposing and rather flirty--stepped forward.

"In restitution for your dead, the third legion of the Salashas court serves you in battle. Do you accept our service?"

Trasil stepped out to meet her. Grudgingly, she nodded. "Yes, we do."

"Good," the demonic leader replied. "As such, I hope our indiscretions in this matter can be overlooked."

"We'll see," Trasil muttered. "Aerothi's cruiser is up there."

The demon warrior's expression was unwavering. "I see."

"And our forces consist of scarcely fifty warriors. Aerothi has thousands. What of yours?"

"One hundred and fifty of the finest warriors of the Flesh Fane. Who, I needn't tell you, are more than a match for any number of Aerothi's paltry beasts."

"I hope you're right," Trasil said.

There was a scream. A sentry ran down the tunnel. "They're coming!"

"How many?" Trasil demanded.

"Definately enough!" the sentry said.

Trasil clenched her teeth. "We can't form up in here. Everybody into the demon cave! You--" she gestured to the demon commander.

"Captain Eclura," the demoness said.

"Eclura, you form your girls up with mine. We're going to form a semicircle as tight around this opening as we can. We've got to make sure she can't bring her numbers to bear against ours. Once they start coming, have your spellcasters fill the cooridor with death. Understand?"

Eclura nodded curtly and began relaying orders in her native, demonic tongue.

Trasil turned to Ishiar and Blast. "This isn't your war. You can leave if you wish to."

"Not particularly," Ishiar said. Partially because pussying out wasn't her style, but also because she had no idea where she would run to.

Trasil nodded. "Find a spot in the line, then."

Ishiar and blast hurried into the large cave. Ironbelly and Demon troops alike were forming a tight circle around the entrance to the mining tunnel, doubtless planning to obliterate anything that tried to come through with sheer concentrated firepower.

Ishiar realized she still didn't have a weapon. "Anybody got a--"

A sword hilt was already being thrust at her.

"Thanks." It was a bit longer than she was used to, but it was a lot better than using her hands. They offered one to Blast, who just looked at it, seemingly confused.

Several tense minutes passed. The noise of who knows how many monsters began to build, sounding like rain at first, then thunder. At last they began to pour into view--karis, naga, harpies, and even humans. They were imposingly swift and well-equipped; even the monsters were armored in some sort of lacquered steel. A hail of arrows and spells tore into the attackers from the defensive lines, killing half of them instantly. The other half broke through and began to claw and bite at the front ranks. Eclura wasn't kidding about her warriors being skilled; they struck back with lightning speed and savage ferocity, cutting down the monsters with almost brutal precision.

Another wave poured through, scarcely a breath behind the first. The tunnel entrance was already a firestorm of magical energy--fireballs, spikes of ice, bolts of black energy and walls of flame turned the entire tunnel into a chaotic inferno. Still the monsters poured through, half of them on the brink of death, others--terrifyingly--charging as if the carnage was a mere distraction. A massive kachik leapt out of the maelstrom, it's scorpionlike limbs covered in some sort of silver-bordered black plating in addition to it's natural armor. The glistening plates turned aside the spells that were thrown at it, allowing the monster to crash into the front rank of demon warriors. It practically impaled one with it's stinger as several more leapt at it, hacking at it's limbs and torso. With a loud BANG, it cast a spell that flung the demons around it in all directions--all except for one, which it shoved into the circular maw that sat at the front of it's body. The demoness woman disappeared into the Kachik's innards as several more monsters surged forward, pressing deeper into the line.

A harpy started clawing at the Ironbelly right in front of Ishiar. She held against it, eventually beating it back and killing it, but three more took it's place. Ishiar took a swing at one of them, jumping back as a clawed foot swiped at her face in retaliation. Within moments Ishiar and everyone near her were in the thick of battle. Ishiar decided to trust her instincts; while she had never been in a battle this large, stopping to think about it would only get her killed. She lunged and kicked and dodged as best she could, but these monsters were not like the ones she had fought before in her life. Most of the monsters around her village were predictable and almost clumsy; these ones seemed trained, their movements swift and tactical. The karis swung massive polearms and blocked sword strokes with their armored legs, using them almost like shields. The Centauresses charged forward with spears and knocked enemies off balance with the sheer bulk of their rampaging bodies. The Nagas would pitch backward on their tails to avoid attacks, then fling themselves forward again, slashing their attacker with a devastating overhead swing of their weapon in the process.

The Ironbellies were no pushovers themselves--they already seemed to know the tricks the monsters were using and were meeting them blow for blow. Ishiar, on the other hand, had to step fast to keep from being knocked on her ass at every turn. Eventually she found herself sweating as her heart pounded fiercely in her chest; she knew she was in the fight of her life.

Blast, on the other hand, either didn't know what was going on or just had a very unusual fighting style. She still didn't have a weapon. Instead, she would run behind a monster, tap it on the shoulder or cover it's eyes with her hands, then jump back and dodge it's attacks while she went and got the attention of another monster, then another. Her whole strategy seemed to be to distract them or piss them off for long enough for the Ironbellies to get their shots in. Blast seemed quite good at evading attacks--her frolicking acrobatics seemed almost casual, as if she was making all of the monsters miss her on accident. She even kissed one of the nagas on the lips, coincidentally distracting her from the wounded Ironbelly she was about to devour.

Ishiar was worried--she was getting tired. The monsters were usually weakened by the time they came out of the tunnel, but they were still coming, and the spellcasters were clearly starting to wear down.

"First line, fall back!" Trasil called out. "Second line, forward!"

Exhausted Ironbellies ran back and switched places with fresh warriors. Ishiar decided to join them, running to the back and more or less gasping for breath. She wondered if she had overextended herself--her sword seemed very heavy now, and her arms and shoulders ached.

An Ironbelly alchemist ran back and forth behind the lines handing out healing potions; she offered one to Ishiar, who declined. Though exhausted, she was more or less uninjured.

Which, she realized, was kind of a miracle.

Looking at the battle in front of her, she realized it was impossible to even know who had the upper hand; though three monsters fell for every ironbelly or demon, the monsters just kept coming. Several of the monsters were fighting with visible bulges in their bellies; one advantage of the build of monsters was that it was not nearly as awkward for them to fight with a full belly. The Kachiks and Karis didn't seem affected by it at all--they didn't even slow down, despite the squirming prey that was bulging out of the lower parts of their bodies. The line was being forced outward, constantly stretching as the monsters pushed their small army back.

"Hey Blast!" Ishiar yelled.

Blast hopped, skipped and cartwheeled her way over to Ishiar, several claws and tails whipping past her as she did so. Landing on her feet a foot in front of Ishiar, Blast smiled expectantly.

"Do you have anything that can collapse that tunnel?" Ishiar asked.

Blast curled her lower lip and thought for a moment, glanced around a few times, then nodded.

"I think it might be a good idea," Ishiar said. "I'm not guessing Aerothi is going to run out of monsters anytime soon."

Blast smiled and plopped herself down on the stone floor, pulling several bottles off of her belt. She started mixing them in a quick, almost random-looking fashion, occaisionally fishing something out of a hidden pocket and dropping it in there. She would mix a red vial with a blue vial, then add a drop of something green, then shake it up, then add some sort of grey powder, then shake it once and very carefully place it on the ground, then take two other vials, add a dried piece of some twisted yellow weed to one of them and very quickly cork it, then drink the other one, then jab herself with a needle and add two drops of her blood to the first concoction which was now starting to bubble on it's own...

"What's she doing?" Trasil called out.

"I think she's making a really big bomb," Ishiar replied.

"If I had known she could do that--!" Trasil was cut short as she shoulder-rammed a centauress to break it's charge. "How long is it going to take?"

The lines were being pressed hard--the monsters had the advantage of numbers, and their rapidly shrinking army was having a difficult time maintaining control over the battle.

"I...don't know!"

"Well, protect her until she finishes!"

Ishiar realized that the monsters were getting very close to Blast, who hadn't even seemed to notice. Ishiar stepped between them and was soon locked in combat with a very strange squad of enemies. They were led by a naga who was wearing a long leather harness along it's tail, bulging with pockets that held a large number of small grey spheres. The naga was surrounded by harpies who snatched up the spheres in their claws and started dropping them on Ishiar from above. Ishiar didn't need to know what they were to know it was a good idea to dodge them. Sure enough, they exploded as they hit the ground, some of them erupting fire, others with arcing lightning.

Blast seemed to see this and immediately scampered over to the naga, rooting through her pockets as though she was oblivious to the danger. Ishiar leapt towards her just in time to swat away a harpy that was inches away from siezing her in it's claws. Blast looked over several spheres before she found one that she seemed to like, then skipped back over to where she had been mixing her potion. She pulled out a stirring rod and threw the sphere against the floor. Lightning arced out of it and surged into the rod, which she used to stir the now-glowing liquid she was mixing in a large jar.

Ishiar kicked the naga and stumbled back as one of the harpies clawed and pulled at her shoulder. She turned halfway and swatted at it with her sword. It started clawing at the weapon itself, trying to yank it out of her hands. Suddenly the naga's tail thumped into Ishiar's back and she fell forward. Her chest hit the hard floor and she wheezed as the air was knocked out of her. Her hand was, thankfully, still on her blade, but as she tried to get up a bulky Kari body plopped itself down and sat on her. She could only impotently flail her arm, unable to turn around to get in a good swing.

The Kari adjusted itself and started shifting back and forth, sliding it's warm skin against her back. Ishiar wasn't sure what kind of attack this was, but it was more uncomfortable than actually damaging--the ground was hurting her more than the kari was.

Suddenly a pair of hands shoved their way underneath her and started squeezing her breasts as the bulky body above her continued rythmically rubbing itself against her back.

"What the fuh...?" Ishiar said. Against her will, she found her skin reacting, tingling as it responded to the stimulation. Was this kari trying to have sex with her while the battle raged around them both?

"Excuse me," she said, trying to crane her head around but only managing to see the side of the Kari's leg. "What are you doing?"

The hands withdrew. She heard a spitting noise, then another, then the hands returned--and now they were slimy, massaging her breasts underneath her shirt, lubricating them with saliva.

She felt like she should probably be disgusted, or offended, or something, but she could only sigh. What a fucking week.

"I'm sure there are better things you could be doing," Ishiar said.

Surprisingly, the kari lifted itself off of her. The reprieve didn't last long, however. A pair of strong arms flipped her over onto her back, and the kari descended upon her again, this time with it's torso. It pinned her arms at the shoulder with it's frontmost legs and bent down until it's face--an exotic visage with a firey complexion--was merely inches from hers.

"You girls are all the same," it said, it's expression sultry. "You're all talk."

Ishiar snorted. "Just...indulge me here. Are you or are you not attempting to have sex with me in the middle of a battle?"

The kari raised an eyebrow. "Would you rather I eat you?"

"No, I just wanted to make sure," Ishiar said, rolling her eyes as the Kari tore open her shirt and started licking her chest. "Are you sure you're winning by that much?"

"This is how I fight, darling," the kari said.

"Sounds like your army is a lot more fun than mine," Ishiar replied as she took an anxious look around. There was battle going on only a few feet away from her in every direction. The line had fallen back but the Ironbellies were counterattacking, threatening to push right past the kari--probably planning to chop it's head off as they went past.

The kari seemed to notice this. "Oh, poo," it said. "Do you mind if we cut to the chase?"

"Uh..." Ishiar said.

"Okay, good."

The Kari shifted it's weight off of Ishiar, but rather than lifting itself off of her, it simply leaned foward and jammed it's breast into Ishiar's face. A pair of hands clasped the back of her head and pulled her into it. She felt the soft, smooth skin of the breast practically engulf her face and before she knew it, her mouth was full of Kari nipple. Ishiar's feeding reflex kicked in and she found she couldn't quite pull herself away. Something about feeling that soft breast in her mouth just siezed her. The primal urge took over and she started sucking for all she was worth.

As she felt a squirt of warm, delicious kari honey drip down her throat, a part of her was suddenly frozen in terror. Kari honey was a paralytic agent--a small dose was enough to completely immobilize someone. Yet she kept sucking desperately, drinking in as much of the liquid as she possibly could. A part of her just wanted it so badly; she didn't care if she got paralyzed. She felt a warm feeling begin to spread from her stomach as her limbs began to loosen. Her frenzied sucking became slow and rythmic, then slowly began to cease. She tried desperately to suck just a little bit more of that heavenly honey before she went, but she just couldn't.

Her entire body went limp. Her limbs felt cool, yet warm--almost as if they were cool on the inside and warm on the outside. Or maybe it was the other way around. She could still feel them, but was totally unable--or was it unwilling?--to move them.

The kari lifted her up and quickly started feeding her feet-first into the giant maw in it's midsection. "I wish it could have lasted longer, hon," it said, "but your friends are a little too persistant!"

By chance Ishiar's head flopped to the side and she saw Blast, still mixing her potion. Seeing her, Blast simply smiled and waved as the kari munched her up to her knees.

The Kari backed up as the Ironbellies started pressing their attack, quickly scarfing Ishiar down as she did so.

Ishiar felt the big, wet lips wrap around her midsection as her feet and ankles reached the warm, gooey depths of it's stomach. It was actually kind of a familiar feeling. Another quick shove and it was her shoulders that were between the cool lips, the warm gloppy feeling of the stomach now reaching all the way up to her navel. She was still utterly limp, once again marvelling at how she just didn't seem to care that much that she was being eaten. Another swallow; the soft lips were wrapped around her face. One more and she was shoved all the way in. The hot, dribbly stomach wall wrapped around her face and head, and a sour glop found it's way into her mouth.

If she had been capable of controlling her breathing, she would have sighed in sheer cynical resignation.

The stomach bounced up and down as the kari attempted to scamper away, it's lower body bulging with it's meal.

Blast looked after it and grinned. She had finished her potion. Grinning and winding up like a baseball player, she flung it at the entrance to the mines above.

There was a loud crack and a blinding flash of red light. Rather than an explosion or a rumble to follow, however, there was only silence. Monster and Ironbelly alike stopped to look.

Where the cave entrance had been only a moment before, there was now a very strange outcropping of solid iron. Jagged, uneven spikes jutted out all along it's surface, looking almost like an explosion had been frozen in time and then cast in metal. It had blocked the entire cave entrance. The limbs of a few unlucky monsters were still twitching as they stuck halfway out of it.

Blast giggled. The Ironbellies wasted no time in hacking down the monsters who were left; all, that is, except for the one that had just swallowed Ishiar, who was desperately trying to surrender.

"Wait, wait! My ladies, please!" it was stammering, it's back to the newly-formed wall as the Ironbelly and Demoness warriors advanced on it. "Listen, I'm just as much a victim of this as you are! Aerothi makes us fight! I'd never hurt a girl of my own free will, I promise!"

"Puke her up," Trasil demanded.

"B--h--if I do, do you promise not to hurt me?"

"We'll kill you more mercifully, if that's what you mean."

"Wh--n-now wait a sec!" the kari stuttered. "I--I d-don't wanna..."

"Don't wanna what?" Trasil said.

"I don't wanna die!" the kari blubbered.

"Why don't we just kill it?" one of the Ironbellies asked.

"If we attack her, we risk injuring her prey." Trasil said.

"Y-yeah!" the kari said. "But that shouldn't be the only reason! Look, I--I can, um, tell you things! Like, uh...shit, I don't know anything. Um, please?"

Trasil growled. Stomping up to the Kari, she plunged her armored arm right down it's throat up to her shoulder.

"Wh--hey, that's not cool!" the kari blubbered. "That's not cool at all!"

When Trasil pulled her arm back out, Ishiar's arm was attached to it. She violently dragged the other girl clean out of the kari's body. It was dripping with gooey, banana-yellow liquid.

"Heh heh, yeah! S-so we're even now, right?" the kari asked.

"Let's ask her," Trasil said, looking at Ishiar.

Ishiar hadn't been surprised when she felt someone's hand firmly grasp her arm and start pulling her out. She hadn't been surprised when she hit the ground, half-naked since her clothing had already been half-digested. She wasn't even surprised when someone poured an antidote down her throat, slowly returning the command of her limbs to her. What did surprise her, however, was the question that followed.

"Ishiar," Trasil said, "this kari says she'd like to apologize for eating you, and that she doesn't want us to kill her. What do you have to say about that?"

Ishiar wiped the gooey bile off of her face and looked up. The kari was smiling nervously at her, looking scared for all the world.

"...What?" Ishiar mumbled.

"Look, I only did it because Aerothi doesn't give us a choice," the kari said. "She feeds us to the giantess if we mouth off. I really don't want to hurt anybody!"

Trasil was clearly incredulous. "Really. And you'd have me believe that you're a vegetarian."

The kari stumbled on her words and shuffled uncomfortably. "Well--no, I--I do have to eat...people...it's just that, well, when I do that, it's because I need to, you know? A girl's gotta eat! But I don't go around sacking cities or anything!"

"Um...why did you try to fuck me?" Ishiar asked.

"What?" Trasil asked.

"She...she didn't attack me, she just sort of...plopped herself down on me and got to work."

"I believe in making love, not war," the kari said.

"A creature after my own heart," interrupted Ushan, who had started watching this whole peculiar spectacle. "Really, can we find no mercy in our hearts to spare this poor girl? Surely she's been through enough."

"A demon being the voice of mercy. Forgive my cynicism," Trasil replied.

"Now now, you of all people know that appearances can be decieving," Ushan continued.

"She ate one of my warriors," Trasil said.

"Eh, I didn't mind that much," Ishiar said.

Everybody stared at her. Even the kari.

"What?" Ishiar said.

"I'll leave it up to you then, Ishiar," Trasil said. "Live or die?"

"Eh, let her live. If worst comes to worst, she eats me again and you cut her in half."

"Very well. If you're going to live, beast," Trasil said, turning back to the kari, "you can make yourself useful. As Ishiar has spared your life, you will serve as her mount."

The kari frowned. "Uh, to be honest with you, I'd rather not, we monsters find that to be kind of demeaning--" a number of spears were levelled at her, "--but, under the circumstances...I think I can handle it."

"A ride is what you wanted anyway," Ishiar muttered.

"That--I suppose that's true," the kari said. "My name is Ralier, by the way. What's yours? Oh, right, it's Ishiar. Heh!" the kari chuckled nervously as she looked around. For the first time she seemed to notice the giant wall of iron that had just been produced a few moments before. "Um...nice work on this, by the way. Can't say I've ever seen a potion do that."

"Me neither," Trasil said, as every head turned to Blast.

Blast just beamed, smiling and blushing something fierce.

Suddenly something important dawned on Ishiar.

"Hey, where's Sudvana?" she asked.

Blast's expression melted from joy to...embarassment? She simply shrugged.

"Who's Sudvana?" Trasil asked.

"She's a friend of mine...she's about normal height, enchantress, wears green, kind of nerdy?"

"I haven't seen her down here," Trasil replied. "If she's alive, she would have been evacuated to Kikagonroth."

"Crap, and that's upstairs, isn't it?" Ishiar huffed.

"Now now, if she's in Kikagonroth, she's well protected." Ushan said.

"And if she isn't? If she's holed up in the city somewhere?" Ishiar replied.

"Then obviously she would be in mortal peril," Ushan said flatly.

"We've got to go up there," Ishiar said.

"Well, best of luck, darling," Ushan said. "And I mean that in only the most affectionate way."

"You'll be killed, probably instantly." Trasil said.

"Why would that be? We're not ironbellies, and we've got our very own connection to the monster army right here," Ishiar said, looking at Ralier.

Ralier, for her part, looked even more uncomfortable.

"And how do you know she won't immediately betray you?" Trasil said.

Ralier looked terrified. "Hey, I'm really not that kind of--"

"Simple," Ishiar interrupted. "We'll make a deal. Ralier, if you screw us, I'll make sure to drag you along into whatever belly I end up in--assuming I don't get the chance to slit your throat. On the other hand, if you keep your trap shut and play along, then when this is all over I'll take you out into the woods and fuck the living daylights out of you."

Blast smiled and raised her hand.

"And Blast will too," Ishiar finished.

Ralier's expression changed to one of confusion--albeit an intruiged sort of confusion.

"Um...okay!" she said nervously.

"Good," Ishiar said before she hopped on top of Ralier's back. The configuration of bones in her lower half didn't make it particularly comfortable, but it was workable. Blast hopped on behind her.

"Now, can one of you teleport us topside?"

A few of the sorceresses and demonesses raised their hands.

Trasil looked at them somberly. "You realize we won't be able to help you once you're up there."

"We know. But if worst comes to worst, I'll at least have the record for being swallowed the most times in a single day."

She nodded to one of the sorceresses. The sorceress' hands began to glow with white energy, and within seconds, there was a flash and they found themselves standing in the ruins of Eronmar.