29. Fort Lux
Abigail had to stop. Not because she couldn't keep going, but she was completely lost. The fort she was supposed to go to was nowhere in sight and neither was Calad. She couldn't even hear him anymore.
It was time to reevaluate.
She was lost. Her guide was either dead, still in combat, or he couldn't find her, and she needed to find a fort and wait for him there.
Somehow, she couldn't think of a single solution to that other than mindless wandering, and she blamed her stomach for that. It was a growling mess right now. Her lunch from earlier today gone and her body hungering for more. An assumed side effect of her increased size.
After all, a big girl did need to eat. And despite how she felt there was no denying her status as a big girl. Even now, as she blindly pushed on, she was in restrained awe of her girth. Of the way her breasts wobbled like two miniature oceans attached to her chest. The way her thighs rubbed against each other, almost like they were battling for space.
And, worst of all, was her gut. It was still a tiny thing, barely worth mentioning in comparison to the rest of her, but it's existence felt like a stain. One that marred both her and the academy that taught her to exercise whenever possible.
She wished she could ignore it.
But right now, out here all by herself, it felt like an impossible task. As if it was pulling at a string that drew her attention with every step. Every miniscule quake that rocked her body. The constant shaking. It was just as embarrassing alone as it was in front of people. Almost enough to convince her to roll up in a little ball and...
"You're going the wrong way."
Abigail stopped in her tracks. Combat training came back to her instant as she settled into a more defensive stance. Fists raised up. Eyes scanning her surroundings...
"I'm behind you." The voice came again. "And I simply informed you that you are going the wrong way."
Abigail turned around and struck, barely paying attention to what the stranger was saying.
The stranger, however, was fast. With cat like agility, he dodged her punch. Ducking out of the way and taking several steps back.
"I'm not your enemy." He said, hands raised, face straight.
She lowered hers. "Ok, then. If you're not my enemy then who are you?"
"I can't tell you that."
"Mmm, that's pretty suspicious. Especially for someone who says their not my enemy."
He lowered his hands. "just because I'm not your enemy doesn't mean I'm your friend, alright. Just wanted to warn you that you were going the wrong way."
"And which way should I be going then?"
The stranger pointed a thumb behind him. "Straight this way. Opposite of the setting sun. Can't really miss it."
"Thanks." She said, eyes still trained on the elf, paying attention to every move he made.
Until he vanished. His form going hazy before totally disappearing from sight. Leaving Abigail all alone with her thoughts once again. And as soon as he was gone they picked up where they had left off.
If only for a moment, before changing course and pondering something far more important.
Was she still being watched?
There was no way that she wasn't. That elf knew where she was going, and was way too comfortable revealing himself. She was definitely still being watched. But to what end?
Was it just surveillance? One of Sarill's contacts? Maybe a friend of Calad?
Whoever he was, he wasn't her enemy at least. Unless this was some sort of trap. And if it was it was a poorly designed one. There was no way she was just gonna go follow the directions of a stranger who couldn't give their name.
Except, she didn't really have much of a choice.
She was lost. She had no idea where to go. And A lead was better than no lead. So, not for the first time, Abigail turned around and started walking. This time paying far more attention to her surroundings as she went. Looking for any sign that she was being trailed.
And she saw none. Still, her gut told her that she wasn't alone. That she could be ambushed at any moment with no warning. It was a terrible feeling. One that kept her on her, proverbial toes, as she continued onward, opposite of the setting sun just like she had been told.
She did that for an hour. Walking without stop, slowing only occasionally when she heard something. Usually the crack of a stick snapping apart or the whistling of the wind. Two sounds that seemed to be constants in the forest. Always out of sight, but never far.
It was, honestly, kind of suspicious. As if she was being followed by something supernatural. Capable of commanding the very air, and using it's ability to mess with her. To make her doubt everything she heard. Like a child playing a prank, or an expert hunter assessing it's prey.
Either way, it was making her increasing uncomfortable. Putting her on higher and higher alert. Which had the somewhat fortunate side effect of distracting her from her own problems.
Several issues that she all but forgot about a moment later. Her attention suddenly and totally seized by the silhouette of a tower in the distance. It's form was mostly hidden behind the winding network of branches above. But she could make out enough of it to see that it was at the very least man made. Or elven. And that it was tall. Too tall to be just another leafless tree.
As she got closer the picture only became more clear. She could see the little gaps in between the stone that made up the tower. The way it stood too unnaturally straight. Leading down to thick grey walls, left unmanned for far longer than was ever intended by their maker.
It was the fort, alright and it clearly hadn't seen any visitors in a long while.
Abigail welcomed herself inside. Stepping through one of the few gaps in its walls. A tight squeeze. Almost too tight for her to actually get through. Forcing her to slide in, one breast at a time, and hope that the rest of her would follow. And after a momentary delay, she popped right in.
And she was met with exactly what she expected.
Broken down buildings. Piles of fallen stone. Bones. And worst of all, Spider webs everywhere. The icky things ran from broken building to building and were decorated with victims.
Abigail passed them up and headed straight for the centerpiece of the fort. A stone command center, that despite it's surroundings, still stood. Albeit not in perfect condition. The front door was gone, the insides wreaked of mold, and she was pretty sure it would collapse if she made too sudden a move. But all in all, it was better than staying outside.
At least in here she felt safe enough to sit down and breath a sigh of relief. As if she was taking off a weight she'd been carrying this whole time. One borne from the stress of the day.
That relief lasted less than a minute. Broken by a growl coming from somewhere nearby, inside the fort with her. It was a low sound, almost a gurgle, and threatening. Like she was getting too close to a cat that didn't want to be bothered.
Slowly, she backed out the way she came. Stopping at the hall, and taking a quick look around.
She saw it, then. Under the table, a weird almost lizard looking thing, no bigger than a dog. It's head was a massive thing, and she was pretty sure it lacked eyes. Still, she was wary. Just enough to be slow when she re-entered the room and approached it, reaching out a hand to see if it was friendly.
It wasn't.
The thing snapped at her. Head splitting into four and slamming shut. The inside of it's mouth a black abyss with a cherry red heart in the center. Maybe a tongue.
And after it shut it's jaws, all four of them, it returned to it's previous position. Glaring at her from underneath a half destroyed table.
Abigail stared right back at it, sat down, and waited. She waited for relief to come back. That sense of peace she had just a minute ago. But every time she closed her eyes, shifted, or breathed a bit too loud, her guest moved. Never by much. Only a few inches at most.
They sat there together for a while. Eyeing one another. Well, she was the only one doing the eyeing really. But either way, they didn't move.
Not until the crack of a stick outside broke her one sided staring contest.
She was already up. Turning around and exiting the building, breasts lagging behind by a few seconds, and catching up too late. They jiggled out of sync with the rest of her, throwing her balance off by the slightest bit.
It was enough to distract her. Draw her eyes for just a moment. And as she met her own vast vista of grandiose cleavage, a knife met her neck. It stopped just shy of drawing blood.
"Oh good, you made it." Calad said, seconds before pulling his knife back. "I thought you might've gotten lost."
Abigail crossed her arms, over her chest then under. "And if I had?"
"Contract over. No pay."
She swallowed the urge to tell him horrible that was. "Let's just go. I think I've had enough of this 'forest'."
"Can't." He said, and gestured for her to head back inside. "Night's about to fall."
She turned and started back in. "And that stops us, how?"
"The same way it stops the Thuln. Gale flies."