Ten Little Heroes - Part 2 (Patreon)

 (Contains minionization)

Nine little heroes, past the front gate…

“Tread carefully,” said the Paladin, stepping with no small degree of trepidation into the open hall. It was a lavish room, filled with finery and glitz, gold glittering in patterns in the floor and diamonds sparkling from the chandelier.

“Ohh, now this is my kind of scene!” The Sorceress whistled, twirling around to drink in the view, her long red skirt flowing out as she spun. “Our target has good taste! I wonder if we can keep this stuff after we defeat her…”

“Are you sure you want it?” The Rogue sniffed, glaring at all the expensive looking decorations on display. “I bet it’s all cursed. Right Seer?”

The robed woman was still shaking her crystal orb. “Hm? Oh. Yes. Very, very cursed. Hell, there’s so many Midas curses in here I’m surprised the walls haven’t turned gold.” She bounced her crystal on the floor and frowned at it. “Still hazy. Don’t even ask about the chandeliers.”

“Hmph.” The Barbarian stomped forward, intent on crossing the floor towards the stairs on the other side. “We’re here to fight, not loot. The faster we deal with the Witch, the better. Is there anything that will stop us heading up?”

“Nothing magical…” The Mage answered, with the Seer nodding at her side.

“And I don’t detect any traps,” followed the Rogue. “Other than the obvious ones, that is.”

The Barbarian paused. “The obvious ones?”

The Rogue blinked. “Oh, don’t step on the carpets. Yeah, never step on the carpets.”

The Barbarian, who had just been about to put her foot down on a rug, grunted and swiveled to walk along the tiles instead.

“Yeah. Okay, you should be-“

“Hold!” The Ranger raised a hand, the other resting on her wolf companion’s collar. “Aleph says we are not alone. Defend yourselves, friends!”

With the warning given, the heroes didn’t hesitate. In an instant swords were drawn, spells prepared, and axes brandished. It wasn’t a moment too soon, either, as not a second later did a horde of foes pour fourth from every door and passage.

“Where did all of these come from?” The Barbarian hollered, her axe smashing through a squad of flame throwing imps.

“Oh, uh.” The Seer ducked under an arrow and concentrated. “The Dungeons below, apparently. There’s quite a lot of them down there. Apparently our target offers good dental!”

“You can get that much mid-battle, but when I ask you for lotto numbers at the pub-!”

“Now is not the time to argue!” Paladin yelled. A swipe of her blazing sword cut through a menacing shadow demon. “These creatures are hardly a threat on their own, but in such a concentration they are swiftly becoming a problem! If we are not careful we’ll soon be overwhelmed!”

“Fear not, friends!” The Cleric’s words were bold as her holy magic shone over the field, healing wounds and warding off attacks. “Though the forces of darkness seem great, with the light on our side we shall prevail! And I notice that none of our new friends have arrived from above!”

It was true. Indeed, the monsters seemed to be avoiding the stairs entirely. Could it be…?

“They must feat the Witch’s traps up above! Quickly, sisters, we must advance – they’ll not follow us into certain doom!” The Paladin’s order was decisive.

“Are you-Eep!” The Rogue rolled under a flock of winged gremlins. “Are you sure about that?”

“It’s our best option!” The Mage called, summoning a handful of flame. “I’ll clear us a path – go!”

The was a blast of yellow fire, scattering the enemy forces around the room as she unleashed an orb of flame – and then scooted through the gap, holding her pointy hat to her head tightly with her free hand.

“Move, Sisters! I’ll hold them back!” The Cleric’s voice rose above the din, walls of light shooting up around the room, forcing the enemy minions to retreat away from the party.

“Rogue, Seer, lead the way, guide us through the traps!” The Paladin’s glowing blade served as a beacon for the party.

“On it!” The Rogue called, scurrying up the stairs and pulling the Seer along by her hem, desiring her protection both in sight and as a shield.

“Hurry! My flames can only do so much before I risk burning down the tower and trapping us within!” The Mage stood at the top of the stairs, waving her compatriots on.

“Come, Aleph. We will seek our foe’s blood at a more opportune time,” the Ranger said, soothing her companion as she pulled it away from the battle.

Then there was a great cry from the enemy horde, and the pack parted, allowing for a tall, green skinned figure in a black helm to stride out onto the battlefield.

“Is that an Orc Warlord?” The Paladin gasped, her eyes wide.

“No way!” The Mage was equally shocked. “Those things are way higher level than the rest of these minions!”

“I’ll take care of him!” The Barbarian snarled, only to be pushed back by a wave of light.

“No!” The Cleric declared, holding her staff aloft. “We don’t have time. The light will make short work of him. Feel the wrath of my ultimate holy spell – Armageddon!”

Bright light gathered at the end of her staff, and then shot forward, preparing to unleash mass devastation upon the enemy ranks. But the dark marching figure was ready for her. In one swift motion he had unhooked a massive great sword from his back, and thrust it towards her – green fire burning down it’s blade and casting off to meet her spell in the air.

There was a heavy thunderclap. Light and fire dueled, shadows and lightening snapping across the room.

“Cleric!” The Paladin began to run back to her friend’s side, but found a strong hand clamped around her arm holding her back.

“Don’t,” said Assassin, her voice cold. “It’s already too late.”

The divine knight scowled, but even as she looked back she saw that the enemy horde had broken past their magical blockades and surrounded her friend – and knew that her stone-hearted companion was right.

“I can’t reach her!” The Mage cried, confirming the Paladin’s dear. The Cleric was on her own – how the conclusion was decided was up to her alone. All they could do was watch from afar.

Yet they still almost missed it. Already, the contest was over. The light shattered, and the green energy flowed back along it’s path to the holy caster.

“Wha- Impossible! The light could never-“ The Cleric managed to cry, before cutting off with a scream.

“Cleric!” The Paladin shouted in horror.

But it wasn’t over. The flames didn’t burn the divine caster, her flesh still protected by the gods she served. Her clothes, sadly, were another matter. Her robes turned to ash under the green onslaught, bursting into a cloud of cinders along with the rest of her raiment, leaving her nude and unprotected. She was swiftly pulled into the air, blonde hair spreading out behind her like a curtain, arms and legs restrained out around her by magically forming chains.

The dark forces surrounded her, howling and cackling with glee. Humiliated, but not broken, she struggled to defy her bindings and reached for her holy staff, laying just out of reach on the floor below her.

But then the warlord stepped up before her, his foot coming down on the staff so hard that it splintered, and raised a glowing hand. She had just enough time to gasp before his fingers clamped down around her head, dark, evil energy channeling through them directly into her skull.

Her limbs shuddered once, and then went still, her jaw dropping open and slack.

Green runes flared into life, settling around the Cleric’s covered head like a crown. Then more appeared around her wrists, ankles and waist, and green fire began to spread across her limp body. Slowly, and then with increasing speed, the changes began.

Her lithe frame, soft and gentle from a lifetime of prayer, hardened. Muscles began to swell in her arms and legs, replacing dainty slimness, while her belly firmed and her breasts plumped. Her skin absorbed the sickly green color of the flames even as they began to go out, and the teeth in her open mouth became jagged fangs. Finally, her sweet blonde hair became a savage black, and the warlord released his grip, allowing the spell to drop her to the floor.

She landed on her rear with a grunt, and looked up. Her face had changed as well, hidden under the orc’s grip. The sweet serenity of a holy woman was gone – her lips were pulled back in a near permanent scowl, her teeth elongated into savage tusks. But the biggest change was in her eyes, which glowed with green light, and burned with rage – or lust, as she gazed up at the warlord.

“Master,” she purred, her voice deep and guttural.

Among the heroes, those still watching felt their hearts sink.

The warlord simply grunted, and then picked the new orc up and slung her over his shoulder, carrying her off the battlefield. The former cleric, for her part, just wiggled and ground herself against him, quite content with her new position in life.

The Paladin watched until the two had vanished through the door to the dungeons. Then, with a deep breath, she turned back to the journey ahead. “Once we have beaten the Witch, and broken her power, we will return and free her. Until then… Fight on in Cleric’s name.”

The gathered team nodded. But even as they steeled themselves for the fight ahead, a black cloud hung over the party. The team had lost their light – and feared losing more before they were done.

And so the heroes moved on, climbing the stairs to up above – while down below, the minion army’s new orc war priestess enjoyed her initiation…

One fell to a minion, then there were eight…