Once the group hug was over once again, Jakon took a tally of their location, since the best offensive required a grasp of their surroundings.

And their surroundings … were, what the … green walls?!

Like fresh green vines. Lined together. Straight as a hammer handle, thick as his own head, and woven together with smaller leafy tendrils. All forming a wall that loomed so high it ran into pitch utter darkness. The rosy fragrance, it was so strong, from everywhere, it was like a thick miasma. Worse than a heavily perfumed elf girl.

(Not that he minded Sky’s lovely natural perfume but …)

The twisting clear pond was still here. Craggy tall boulders too. But around the edges of the hot steaming water were red tiles similar to layered rose petals.

Blood red rose petals.

All as large as the largest dwarf’s feet. If not a bit larger.

Sky screamed?!

A red-haired elf lady hugged Sky from behind. Hissing with vampire fangs out. And a golden crown of thorns was on her head.

“My meal arrived so early,” the red-haired elf lady said, “Perfect.”

Jakon whipped out his short sword.

Charging.

When Ivy cried out. Her katars flying off her hands.

The red-haired lady already had a spinal tail of blood curled around Ivy’s neck. Its razor tip pressed hard against her throat.

“Uh uh uh,” the red-hair lady said, “Such rude behavior in front of the Queen. You need to be punished … kill the furballs. NOW.”

But both Azura and Frostine puffed. Reverting to their card form in Jakon’s deck.

“Oh,” the red-haired queen said, “I almost forgot. Almost. Give me your deck, boy, and I’ll make your death … quick and pleasant.”

Jakon growled. “A dwarf never—”

Ivy gagged. The queen’s blood tail squeezing her throat hard.

But she still managed to speak.

“Let her … kill me,” Ivy said, “and then … kill her!”

“Never,” Jakon said, “Ivy, I … I …”

“Uh uh uh,” the red-haired queen said, “naughty kitty. That yummy scent. Half tigermite, half elf girl, and all so tasty I’d be remiss not to drink you all down. NOW DROP THAT SWORD, BOY.”

Ivy gasped, struggled against the queen’s blood tail.

“Love me? I know …” Ivy said, “but I … lost to Sky. Plutonic girlfriend nonsense … I should of … fucked you. Like she did. Right away. And …”

The queen sighed, shaking her head.

“Oh? A lover’s spat?” the queen said, “How silly. You’re enemies. Capture and rape the other. That’s how—”

The queen squeezed Sky so hard wet cracks rang out from within her.

Jakon cried out. “Sky!”

The queen simply chuckled sinister. Her hands transform into blood talons. Ripped into Sky’s sides. The pure bliss on the queen’s face …

“This elf girl dies first,” the queen said, “unless you drop that sword. I’ll leave enough blood for the girl to survive, a bit longer at least. Too bad only the tigermite girl is a virgin. Virgin blood tastes the best.”

Jakon clutched the sword harder, and harder … and gulped. Time for one last gambit.

“Ivy,” Jakon said, “as much as it’s hard to believe this, you’re my naughtiest girl of my dreams, come true.”

Ivy pouted. “Really? Now’s the time you … wait, isn’t Sky …”

Sky was in so much pain it was clear she hadn’t heard him, thankfully.

But Jakon sighed anyway, nodded, and dropped his blade.

“There,” Jakon said, “Now—”

The queen chuckled even more sinister. “Kick it over. NOW.”

Jakon did so.

The queen stomped one foot on the sword.

“Good,” the queen said, “Now die!”

But PUFF!

Behind the queen. A red cherry-scented cloud. Revealing Scarlet. Her bow drawn and loaded.

Feathering the queen in the back.

The queen screamed.

Giving Jakon an instant to react.

To charge.

Faster than any bladework.

The queen flung Ivy at him.

Hard.

But Jakon caught her. His dwarven might not to be underestimated.

Just as the queen whipped her spinal tail of blood at Scarlet.

Who dodged it. Quickly. And puffed back into Jakon’s deck.

Just as Ivy leapt out of Jakon’s grip. Lunging for Sky.

Sky flung her head back. Right into the queen’s face. Smashing their heads together.

The queen’s cry of agony. The moment Ivy needed to strike the queen. With her claws. Sending a huge splash of blood away.

And her powerful pawed feet flung Jakon’s sword back to him.

Just as the queen’s tail shot through Ivy’s gut. Up into her back. Lifting her up. While Ivy struggled. Gagged out blood.

Twitching and shuttering as if dying.

“AAAAHHHHH,” the queen said, as both her claws and tail grow even more crimson.

She was drinking the blood of both girls.

In such bliss.

Distracted bliss. Her injuries healing quickly. Too quickly.

And the moment Jakon needed to catch his blade. Dash over.

And cleave the queen from her crown down to her evil heart.

Leaving her to burn to ash.