Alex and Fufi pulled the ticking clockwork carriage up to the ritual site near the edge of the forest. "Fufi, this is going to be the first ritual I've ever seen."

  Fufi shook her break. "No, this will be the second one. The first one was when we contracted to become a magical girl."

  "I guess that counts as well. At the time I was more focused on the fact that I was naked in front of a bunch of strangers." Alex pondered aloud.

  Fufi ughed. "It's not like you have anything to hide. Look at me for example. I've worn no clothing my whole life."

  "But still it was embarrassing. At least you have feathers." Alex agreed and turned his attention back to the ritual circle in front of them.

  Ki approached the carriage and ran a hand through her leaf-green hair. "Hello Alex, Fufi, how are you doing?"

  "Good Ki, how is the ritual coming along?" Alex asked back.

  "It is almost finished, just a few more steps now and then we'll get ready. The wind is blowing into the valley so when the mist starts coming out of the forest dew should form all around the town ruin up to the river." Ki walked closer.

  "Oh good, I bet this will be interesting. So the dew will make pnts grow I guess?" Fufi observed the ritual circle below from her perch atop the carriage.

  "Yes, all around the town up to the river." Ki agreed with Fufi's observations.

  "What happens after that?" Alex asked.

  "The trees will grow and expand the forest's domain. Then we can just walk in and greet them." Ki grinned evilly.

  Alex frowned. "That sounds pretty simple. What about the stone ax tribe? They might attack."

  "There might be a fight but it shouldn't be anything serious. Why are you looking to prove yourself?" Ki gave Alex a mischievous look.

  “I guess I just don't want things to end up like st time." Alex frowned back at her, not wanting to fight.

  "Alex, a magical girl stands for justice. You can't let barbarians intimidate you." Fufi chided.

  Alex's confidence was shaken after being captured, fleeing, and proving ineffective against Sakura. He sighed and turned back to watching the ritual circle being prepared, saying to Fufi, "But what if I can't do it?"

  Ki stated confidently, "I'll save you if you get into trouble. Only the foolish battle junkies won't recognize the obvious."

  "If you say so." Alex pulled his eyes from the circle back to her and gave a wan smile.

  Mist drifted in from the surrounding forest, obscuring the completed circle and its central moonstone. Nymphs' chanting in an unfamiliar sylvan tongue filled the air as dew materialized on the mist-shrouded ground. Pnts sprouted, their growth slow but perceptible, and a wave of verdant life followed the mist's outward flow from the forest's edge.

  "This should take a couple of hours to get to the ruins and the stone ax camp." Ki expined.

  Alex made use of the wait time by retrieving the grill from a carriage panel, filling it with charcoal, and grilling vegetables for the hungry nymphs.

  Several hours passed, and the town ruins were surrounded by trees up to the riverbank. Before departing, Alex gathered the three dolls from the carriage and changed into the magical girl outfit while inside, believing the cuteness buff might be beneficial if trouble arose.

  The sun had set, and darkness enveloped the woods. The nymphs congregated around the town ruins, where a rge bonfire had been lit next to the fountain. Numerous barbarians were chopping vegetation and adding it to the bonfire, their forms illuminated by the firelight in a chilling manner.

  Nearby, the fountain stood close to the bonfire, and the partially restored adventurer's guild was visible in the distance. Water flowed from the guild's doorways and downhill into the sewer grate near the fountain.

  Ki's shout captured the warband's attention. "Listen up!" she decred, "Your chief has chosen to repay our kindness with treachery. His actions have angered the spirits of the forest. We are here to recim what was stolen."

  The warband members turned to face her as she spoke. Their leader's face twisted in rage, and he shouted in response, "We will not be defeated by mere women!" His followers joined him, yelling insults.

  "Now now, everyone settle down." Alex told them from across the bonfire, not near loud enough to be heard.

  The warband, unimpressed by the girly voice, disregarded Alex.

  Ki and her sister nymphs began their chant, pointing at the shouting men. Vines erupted from the ground, ensnaring the men's arms and legs.

  Although some men were able to evade the initial wave of vines, the pnts sprouted from all directions, making it impossible to avoid capture.

  Several barbarians, struggling helplessly against the vines, began to yell in fear. "The forest spirits have returned to exact justice on those that have wronged them!" one screamed, thrashing about in his vine bonds.

  "The chief has doomed us all!" another mented.

  The others soon joined in, feeling sorry for their own fate.

  Alex stepped in front of the group and addressed them, "We are not here for vengeance! We are here for justice!"

  Everyone turned to him and stopped struggling, listening intently.

  He took a breath and continued, "I simply wanted to create a safe haven for my friends. We had finally begun to rebuild the adventurers guild, and then you came and stole from us. We were bound and cast out. You are no better than bandits. Return what you have stolen."

  The warband leader and his men were stunned that a girl was standing in front of them telling them off. Fear and anger showed on their faces.

  The leader spit in Alex's general direction and tried to shout a threat but only managed a raspy whisper. "Fine, point taken. Chief stone ax may have ordered us to defend here but even if he is the strongest I don't want to die a stupid death because our greedy leader didn't know when he had gambled and lost."

  "I think we should leave these brutes here to cool off for a while." Ki stated with a gnce to the men.

  The trio, Fufi, Alex, and Ki, made their way to the flooded adventurer's guild. The city was overrun by rapid pnt growth, causing extensive damage. Thankfully, the guild building, despite cking a roof, remained intact.

  As they entered, they were taken aback by the sight of a mermaid in the waist-deep water. She had the lower half of a fish and wore a seashell top. "Um, hello? Why is there a mermaid here?" Alex inquired, bewildered.

  The mermaid scrunched up her face. "I'm not a mermaid. My name is Ingrid. As for why I'm here I got told to run the dungeon after none of the men wanted to equip an item that turned them into a mermaid. I was gathering loot then all hell broke loose. The warband told me to hurry up and finish then they would help carry it back to camp." She expined quickly.

  Ingrid's eyes widened when she saw their outfits. "I like your clothing. It's really cute! Are you the spirits that the shamans were talking about?"

  Alex blushed at this sudden compliment.

  Ki answered, "I'm a nymph so yes. This is Alex. We came to take back what the stone ax tribe has stolen."

  Ingrid took her top off and her legs appeared again.

  Alex gasped and hid his eyes with his hands.

  "What's the big deal? We are all girls here." Ingred said then pulled a simple linen dress over her head.

  "How are you so calm?" Alex managed to ask.

  "We were warned not to anger the spirits, and I didn't want this job either," Ingrid said casually. "The tribesman who found the mermaid loot didn't want to wear it because he thought it was too shameful. I couldn't go against a stronger warrior, but now that someone more powerful than the chief is here, his orders don't matter as much. Since you defeated the warband guarding this pce, the dungeon is yours by right of conquest."

  "More of this right of conquest." Alex compined to the now-human Ingrid.

  "I think what Alex is trying to say is that conquest is not just." Fufi expined to the tribe woman.

  "Justice is when the weak get punished for offending the strong is it not?" Ingrid seemed confused.

  "How can anyone believe that?" Alex looked back and forth, seeking an answer from anyone.

  Ki decided to answer. "It didn't used to be that way. Father always makes sure to instill into us the importance of noblesse oblige."

  "So instead of might makes right, because someone is born into a good family it is their duty to treat their lessers well?" Alex's tone dripped with sarcasm.

  "Yes, it is shameful that the chief dishonors himself by not being here to defend his people." Ki voiced her disdain for the stone ax leader.

  Alex was unsure how to proceed now. "I don't want anyone to die over this." He finally said, letting everyone know his feelings on this matter.

  "That is good because my main goal is to not die for an offense our leader committed." Ingrid expined, slightly sarcastically.

  "Should we just leave her? Is that safe?" Alex looked to the others.

  Ki nodded. "I think that is fine if she or anyone else wants to cause trouble we can string them up like the warband outside."

  Ingid raised her hands in a gesture of surrender, a sheepish expression on her face.

  The group departed from the adventurer's guild, leaving the passive woman behind, and made their way towards the riverside camp. The path they traversed was fnked by forests on both sides, a stark contrast to the mostly barren nd that had been magically transformed into a lush woodnd seemingly overnight. The trees, though still young, already towered almost as high as a person. Upon reaching their destination, the group discovered only remnants of the camp. The carriages had vanished, leaving behind the elderly and young children.

  "We surrender!" An old woman excimed when she saw the group approaching.

  "Surrender accepted, but where is that chief and the things he stole?" Ki asked.

  "He and the warriors took the horses and wagons and left" She answered.

  Ki closed her eyes and focused.

  "Hmm, it looks like they are crossing the dam." The Nymph opened her eyes after a short pause.

  "Why were you all left behind?" Alex wondered.

  "Because they only had room for the strongest. They didn't want to be slowed down by the elderly or young." The abandonment in the woman's voice was painful to listen to.

  Everyone in the camp has a simir look of resignation on their faces.

  "What a jerk. I don't see why anyone follows him." Alex groaned.

  "Likely because the chief is the highest level combat csser." Fufi unhelpfully expined.

  Alex facepalmed.

  "This is the edge of the forest's domain. I can't cross the river." Ki seemed a bit disappointed.

  "Does that mean they are going to get away?" Alex asked.

  "They might." Ki said with a frown.

  "Can you fly ahead and see what is going on Fufi?" Alex asked the fmingo.

  Fufi nodded. "Be careful Alex. Don't leave Ki."

  She flew off towards the dam.

  A smaller bird flew down and started chirping into Ki's ear.

  "What? Some kind of river monster in the water?" Ki looked at the bird in surprise.

  "Huh? What's going on?" Alex asked the nymph.

  "Apparently some kind of strange creature is shooting at the wagons from under water while they are trying to cross the dam." Ki had doubt in her voice.

  "Should I go? What if Fufi is in trouble? I don't want her to get skewered by a river monster." Alex worried.

  "Hmm, I'm not sure but if you do head there make sure you don't walk. Keep dancing the whole way." Ki advised. “Best to keep those dolls going.”

  melchi