Chapter 54 - Drying Off

Pulling Violetta’s unconscious body through the small crawl space was difficult for Raeyn. She pulled and struggled, but then she noticed the strange smell and winced at the horrible smell that reminded her of the days when meat and onions were served in the warren, particularly on festival nights. She kept pulling Violetta by her arm through and out into a larger maintenance room where Cake was busying herself with something.

“Why don’t you help!?” She asked while still pulling with all her might, “I think Violetta just soiled herself.”

“It is not that.” Cake splashed water violently everywhere, the water pouring over the floor, “The slime had a powerful acid. Come on, we need to rinse off now.”

Jumping into an overflow tub of water, a pale gray blur of flesh was all that caught Raeyn’s eyes before the Kithe used the whole of her small form to push water out and onto the two of them. The acid on Violetta’s clothing was turning the leather and cloth to a strange dark brown and pockets were starting to burn away, but the water helped slow the progression.

“Pick her up and put her in!” Cake demanded.

Violetta was easier to lift the Huron, but as she struggled to hoist Violetta to the tub, Cake pulled her up and over into the water. As Violetta hit the water, Cake must have thought she would awaken, but that did not happen. The woman’s limbs did not move, and Cake grunted as she had to force herself to swim and hold Violetta’s head up.

“How come she fainted as we teleported? Whelps these days!” Cake strained and pushed Violetta against the back side, her head snapping backwards and over the edge, “It looks like she drowned in the tub. Heh. Come on in, Raeyn. Get that stuff off you now. I rinsed the worse off you both.”

Raeyn went around the back side of the tub and jumped in, her clothes fared better than Violetta only because she had been shielded by the flame and by how the slime’s internal organs had ruptured and spread downward into the water column. Violetta’s swimming inevitably pulled the acid and churned it around her body while she held Raeyn.

Cake splashed a little more water on her damaged robes and pack before hopping out of the water and hurrying down the corridor with a simple, “Wait here.”

The Kithe’s smaller form was misshapen compared to the proportions of Violetta and other women, pear-shaped and devoid of curves with stout fat legs and flabby arms. Kithe were humanoid, but just as goblinoids, but it did not mean they were remotely similar in appearance. If Cake’s flabby form was anything to go by, then Kithe were closer to Gobbos with the exception of their strange legs. The crows feet, wrinkles and sagging skin actually made the older woman's flesh reminiscent of other old hags; just with a red complexion.

“The water is off but stay there until we can open the way!” Cake shouted, “Go back and dry off in the other chamber. Don’t touch the statue and don’t let Cookie catch a cold. You know what to do!”

“Ah? Right! Keep us informed.” Sig called back, “Are you three safe?”

“Yes. The slime’s stomach spilled out on us, but we will be fine. Make sure they are safe and wait for our call.” Cake shouted again.

Raeyn finished washing herself off and hopped out of the tub. Her attention drifted to figuring out how to get the larger woman out of the tub next. As Cake returned to the room, she seemed to have read her mind by saying, “I’ll help you get her out now. Then could you provide a little light and heat for our clothes and packs? We need to dry off quick.”

After much struggling, Violetta was removed from the tub and laid on the center of the cold stone floor. Their three packs and all their clothes were put into a loose circle and Raeyn used her hands to create a small campfire-like light as she sat cross-legged in the middle of the circle, each palm outstretched and holding a flame like a small brazier.

“Thank you,” Cake said after roughly a half hour of warming by the fire, “You have gotten very strong. I hoped you were not converting your body’s energy for the flame, and I suspect that you have figured out that if you draw upon Belos you can break the conventional laws of the world.”

“What do you mean?” She asked.

“You really are a new priestess, or one of the worst informed ones I’ve ever known.” Cake stood and scratched at her belly, “Magic itself defies the principals of the world, and of science. It is not possible for bags of flesh and bones like us to shift between places. Is it?”

The small black haired Kithe had no shame of her body and basked in the light, her hair came down over her chest in ratty locks. Her flabby stomach distended in a pouch over her groin like a natural skirt, the strained stretch marks of her flesh making reddish purple scars. It was the sort of bloat that reminded her of Agog’s stomach. Another creature with a strange body, but this one was much easier on the eyes than those of Violetta, Lady Hilda or the other women. With a body that looked like sack of flour with arms, she did not feel the need to avert her eyes from all the awkward curves and natural bounce of Mahn. Thart and she at least stood about the same height as her, and she was not disturbed by her own appearance in the same way other women were. The one thing that bothered her were the patches of scars up and down her body, including what appeared to be an actual brand seared into her hide on her left hip. The mark was unlike anything she had seen, but she knew it read 'Demon'.

“Why are you looking at me like that, Gobbo?” Cake asked after a moment.

“Sorry.” She bowed her head almost instinctively as if she were addressing another Gobbo.

“Curiosity is fine. What is it you want to ask?”

“Are you really trusting those two males with her? Is not being disrobed going to embarrass her?” She asked, trying to dodge the question with one that would have seemed more natural. Cake's pause suggested that the Kithe knew it was just a distraction from the real question she had.

“Survival is important. The water was unusually cold and getting sick in the underground would mean that we are even more at risk from the spores and other illnesses that are unique to such spaces.” Cake was confident in that point.

“She is a female. They are males.” Raeyn explained.

“Oh,” Cake laughed for a moment, “They would never do anything like that to a woman, let alone an old Kithe. Both of them are capable warriors and are their own pair; they are used to acting as retainers to priestesses such as ourselves. The only better choices for male servants would be eunuchs, but strangely enough the divines have different things which are forgivable and unforgivable sins.”

The topic was strange and Raeyn regretted not asking the real question, but it was too late now. Sensing the awkwardness, Cake added, “Priestesses of Maelyn cannot engage in certain activities, but not all divine beings have restrictions. Belos does share much of the same issues, but he is known to be more forgiving about things. Do not worry about Cookie, she's no spring chicken.”

“Why do the divines demand chastity?” Raeyn found the difficult concepts easier to find now, but her head still hurt a little with particularly dense concepts.

“As their agents, the divines can interact and experience the world through us. Moments of intimacy resonated through our bodies, and they are unwilling observers. It is why those who engage, often willingly, but even unwillingly in certain acts will lose the blessings of their power. Though it is not all beings who require chastity. Cookie has a bunch of grandkids to go back to; her youngest is about your age. Why it is mostly those tied to Maelyn who have such ridiculous restrictions. How else are you supposed to get powerful priestesses without a good strong bloodline?”

“So…” Raeyn looked away and toward Violetta’s form, "You have children? Grandchildren?"

“Ah, yes.” Cake shifted her hips and tilted her head as she thought about it, "A right proper murder of the little ones. Not one of them following in my footsteps, but there is hope. Hmm, I wonder if the parchment is ruined from the water. We got ourselves into quite a mess, but Lady Hilda did not cheap out on us so I think we will be able to continue on.”

Raeyn and Cake looked at the packs, but it was Cake who rotated them towards the flame and checked their contents, “They are fairly waterproof by design and since we had them closed, it seems that the insides are dry. We are in luck. I would be more than a little upset if we had to turn back so early.”

Violetta came around shortly thereafter with a little confusion and sat upright to cover herself, but both women had already had plenty of opportunity to stare if either had wanted. Violetta’s initial shock gave way before she even opened her mouth to ask, “Where are the other three?”

“On the far side,” Cake said, tilting her head back, “The slime’s stomach ruptured and covered us in acid, but this overflow tub was useful. I believe it was for servicing the line, but at least the trap is shut off. Your quick thinking got Raeyn back on her feet and Raeyn in turn seemed to have fixed your arm up pretty quick.”

Violetta examined her arm, “You… you really healed it?!”

“I remembered the word you used back at the entrance of Lordstown.” Raeyn nodded.

“Sorry to have hit you, Violetta.” Cake apologized, “I had to expend a fair amount of power and draw upon Dyjun to get us to safety.”

Shaking her head and smiling at Cake, Violetta brushed it off, “You tried to help, and we are all alive. That is what is most important.”

Cake nodded and let out a little snort, “Of course it is, don’t try to butter me up. It is twenty years too early for you to think I am your equal.”

“Excuse me, Grandmother Cake. Is it about time for you to go bake some sweets?” Violetta said as seriously as she could before laughing.

“No wonder why Rayne likes you,” Cake scoffed, “You do not care what species we are; only that we are useful.”

“That is right,” Violetta stood up over the two of them, “Though I heard what you said about me. What exactly is written on those cards of yours? What exactly did Lady Hilda write for you?”

“Nothing too offensive, but it is rude to eavesdrop even if you are unconscious.” Cake tested the clothes to see if they had dried enough by the flame, “They are still a little damp, but I think we should go open the path for the others. Cookie should be waking up soon.”

As the three got dressed, and Cake expended more of her energy to give the sight to Violetta, they were ready to leave the small maintenance room that was meant to operate the trap. They had the idea of filling the trash room with water, but even if it would dilute the acid of the slime, the fact that the trash pit was active and likely had more surprises waiting was a risk that could not be taken. As if to confirm her suspicions, Cake ventured to the end of the path and looked into the murky depths where several more grayish blobs shifted against the waters. She did not need a light to know that they were more slimes which had come for the feeding, and were already in the process of devouring the remains of the one Raeyn had killed. She could not waste the last of her power teleporting them across the gap. Another way would be needed.