Somewhere in the ocean there was a traders ship.

  It was painted a faded red color, with green sails with yellow company logo of a snake riding a horse.

  "I don't think it has the same effect." Samantha said, straddling a tiny fairy by the waist with two fingers- who stood at the very front of the ship on the railing with her arms spread out. "Hurry take the picture! Before my hair is ruined!"

  Samantha sighed, and a crow flew up in front of them for a moment.

  "There, it's in the palantir. Strangest thing, I had to use my backup one. The other is missing.", "How do I look!?" she asked excitedly, fluttering up to Samantha.

  In the palantir, a extravagantly dressed elderly woman with vibrant red hair stood pinching a small woman by the waist with an uneven nervous smile.

  "Take it again!"

  "Claire, stop acting like a child. This isn't a vacation. I told you, I need you to use your fae powers to track Theo."

  Claire turned around with a sour expression.

  "Why are you telling me things twice? It's like you're delivering exposition in some book.", she pouted.

  "I'm just reminding you. This isn't the titanic or some luxury cruise, it's a trade vessel. And you said that you sensed Theo went out onto the water, and it seems like he's heading towards our objective. Honestly, I never expected him to take initiative like that."

  Claire was ignoring Samantha with her hands pressed up against the palantir which floated near by in black smoke. "I look so cute. We should market these things. People would pay. I would pay. I'll create an 'onlyfairies'. Nothing perverted, mind you. I'm a lady."

  "It'll be awhile until we can make something like that profitable, and hopefully by then we're no longer trapped here."

  At that, Claire took on a sullen expression.

  "What?" Samantha asked.

  Claire fluttered up and landed on her shoulder, sitting down. "It's just- sometimes I forget I was ever trapped here. I'd wake up in the morning, and not even think twice about being 6 inches tall. Is it supposed to be like that? It's barely been a month- if that!"

  "People adapt. It's good that you can swing with the punches, it's why we survived and the others haven't."

  "We don't know they're dead yet." Claire stood up suddenly and flew off towards the rest of the ship- swerving past the working sailors and merchants. Dead players was always a touchy topic with her.

  Samantha supposed that was true, but what other reason was there for the respawn system to be broken? Were the 'gods', the jacked up Ai's just holding the players in limbo? That'd be cruel.

  There was the land of the dead, but who knows what that place means. They haven't been able to send someone to the deadlands, it's just so far. Only a being like Claire could make the journey in a reasonable time.

  And who knows what they'd find?

  There were rumors of this fancy city where the buildings are tall and metal, with flying machines and the like. That'd be worth discovering for their guild at least if nothing else.

  After this island trip, she'd likely send Claire there as she had planned. She said she wanted to find her friends, after all.

  "My lady, how are you? Do you have everything you need?" a fanciful dressed man asked- he had light skin and blonde hair. Young enough to be her grandson.

  "No, I'm quite alright, thank you."

  He nodded and went to walk away but stopped- "Lady, erm, you wouldn't happen to know how much longer until we reach our destination?"

  "Soon. No later than tomorrow."

  The man smiled, and nodded again before leaving. No doubt relieved that their business would soon be concluded. The crews talked, and thanks to her familiars she heard much of what was said. They believed her to be a witch, a dastardly evil thing which tempts mortals with promises of their upmost desires only to corrupt them to sate their twisted pleasures.

  Just because it was true, doesn't mean it hurt any less. She was a good witch! Making faustian bargains was something she did as a prank, she wouldn't go so far as to actually curse someone. For that long.

  She plucked a tiny bag from her hip and reached into it- she jostled a collection of bones in her palm.

  A ghostly voice emerged to answer her summons- the burning questions in her minds eye.

  [The changelings location is obscured by the fates, only a god could truly see what awaits.]

  There it is again. Her fortune ability was trying to get her to multi-class into warlock. Now that she was a high leveled witch- upper fifties or so- the opportunity kept presenting itself. But the gods that consort with witches, are known as betrayer gods. Evil, essentially.

  She'd have to go to the island herself to see if Theo is okay. And whoever else is on that island better hope that he's okay as well.

  ---

  As their first day at the new camp drew to a close, Cass and Vaz went to see what they could hunt or forage. They were so capable when it came to that.

  Theo was beginning to feel like a burden himself, the only job he was proficient at was keeping watch. Sitting around essentially.

  He'd talk with Sora again, come clean about everything. He was just so angry about how she tried to manipulate him. Ever since he's come to the game world, something about his boyish innocence caused women to act differently towards him. He's still struggling to adapt.

  It's strange. The things women find attractive in men. You'd think it'd be all muscles and deep voices, but no. There's more to it, Theo supposed. If you acted kindly, spoke softly and were considerate- there was another way women treated men like these. In the real world, he was fairly tall and strong. Naturally.

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  Here, his body fit his personality. And the way people treated him has changed.

  It's not their fault. It's what he looked like, and acted.

  He should be more assertive. Last night was a huge step for him. He stopped her advances dead in their tracks. Whenever a women thinks she can flirt with him to get their way- he'd just say 'no thank you!'.

  That's what he'd say.

  "Theo? Could we talk?" Sora asked, stepping in front of him while he was deep in thought. "Uh, sure. I was just thinking the same thing."

  She sat down across from him. The furnace was 'lit', spreading warmth about the camp.

  "I wanted to apologize, again for last night.", Theo raised his hands defensively; "No- I overreacted-", "-Still, I was rude.", "You were being friendly.", "We both know what I was being and it was... Manipulative. I'm sorry. I've been come on to by guys a lot, and I thought- well I have this weird idea about men now I guess."

  "I get it. It's all confusing. I know lots of men would probably say 'Sex? Yes please.', but some of us need an emotional connection first." Theo realized what he was saying and smirked; "Listen to me defend you. Ha... Alright, I accept your apology. But you're right to be curious. Just no more flirting to get something from people, it's probably not a good thing to do."

  "What about flirting for the sake of flirting? It's not always to get something from someone, I just do it for fun.", "Do you do it with the intention of being with the other person?"

  Sora considered this for a moment. "Not most of the time...", "See! That's not okay! That's leading people on!", she leaned backed awkwardly; "I think we're going to have to agree to disagree on that one. It's not a big deal Theo. It's not like its my intent to hurt their feelings-"

  "Sorral! Theo!" a voice came calling out from the jungle. Vaz pushed through the bush, "It's Cass!"

  Theo and Sora jumped up- Sora grabbed the shotgun and tossed it to Theo and then pulled out a device that Theo had not seen yet. The complex shape had a pressure gauge on it and various tanks.

  "That idiot better be okay, I told her to be careful!", "We were! It's just that these plants suddenly started freaking out and attacking us!", "Tell me everything." Sorral said as they followed Vaz.

  Sora and Vaz attached light gems to their sides- which helped them navigate the dense jungle. Vaz told them that they didn't get far before they found this strange tree, there was a sword impaled into it with various runes and magics.

  Clearly enchanted and worth a lot- so they took it. And once they did- everything around came to alive and started lashing out at them- including the tree itself. Cass and Vaz were separated and she told him to go get help.

  They heard the sounds of fighting in the distance as they ran. "I guess goblins aren't the only threat on this island. I wanted to try this new one out anyways..." Sora adjusted the nozzle on her device and a hissing sound started.

  The moonlight peaked through the canopy at points and so Theo saw a blur of movement ahead- a bouncing body. Cass hit the ground numerous times as she tumbled away from whatever had struck her.

  "Cassandra!" Sora shouted running after her. Vaz and Theo stopped and turned towards the attacker.

  A thing crawled across the ground. It was a mess of roots and branches. Flowers and venus fly traps. It had thick trunks for arms, and walked on numerous roots like spider legs. It made insect-like chittering sounds. "M-y queen..." it called out in a pained voice.

  It was dark, but thanks to Theos vision he could tell it was not the only enemy here.

  "Watch out! There's little ones around too!" he called out. "I know! Fuckers got me earlier..." Vaz said, looking to his calve which Theo just now realized was bloodied.

  "G-get off! I'm fine! Let me at this bastard!" Cass said, tossing Sora to the side and flipping out the large switch blade in a flurry of movement. She charged.

  "Keep the little ones off me!" she moved quickly and nimbly. She leapt up impossibly- high up into the air at the large mass of roots and plants. She slashed the the monster, ducking it's many appendages that lashed out at her. Her reflexes were superhuman.

  "I need to get that sword." Vaz said. He pointed at a glimmering off-blue blade behind the creatures. A few of the smaller ones were trying to grab at it but were being repelled somehow.

  "I'll help!" Sora said pushing between them and pulling the trigger on her new weapon- and the jungle lit up in yellow light as flames erupted from the nozzle. It blanketed the area around them- the forest, it was lush and didn't want to catch fire. But the creatures seemed much more flammable. As they immolated Theo could hear their shrieks of pain and fear.

  "Gods!" Vaz flinched and covered his face. "It's alright! It has a heat shield!"

  Cass was swinging around slashing chunks off the massive form, which roared furiously and made his own marks on her. But Cass was much tougher than she looked. It was a battle of attrition, so Theo had to make the difference.

  Theo looked left and right, as she was dousing the tiny flowery forms ahead of them that skittered about. He heard the skittering feet near him- and he turned without thinking and fired.

  'BOOM!' the jungle in a 45 degree cone next to him shook fiercely as dozens of pieces of shrapnel fired from the gun. Little high pitched squeaks were heard as tiny plant monsters exploded into a wet pile.

  Cass landed again after being flung nearby- into a small clearing. Numerous tiny forms the size of dogs emerged from beneath the foliage- grabbing at her and biting with splintered teeth. She moved her boot out of the way just in time as a pair of jaws clamped down- she kicked it and twirled her switchblade, one of the handles crashed down on its head and the blade came down right behind it scissoring it off.

  She rolled backwards as she twirled the blade the other way- it doubled as a mace and a blade as she held a tiny ring at the bottom it swirled about like a knife experts trick. Bashing and cutting 360 degrees around her.

  Theo was almost hypnotized by the movements when he heard more things moving about to his side. He squinted his eyes and loaded another shell before blasting it to oblivion.

  "Big tree coming!" Sora said- she was blasting it with the flame thrower but it walked on through the fire and flames unaffected. "This things tough!" she called out frantically.

  Vaz jumped on the side of it and began stabbing it furiously with his spear. It was too distracted by the flames to stop him. He twirled the fishmans spear around like a glaive cutting a singular flower from the things shoulder area. At that- it reacted. It swatted him off and groaned like a falling tree, clutching where the flower had been as if it's jugular had been cut.

  He landed near the sword and picked it up in one hand. "Got it!"

  Theo loaded another shell and slid up to the hulking tree behemoth- and fired point blank. Bark exploded out like shrapnel and cut his cheeks- but he loaded another shell and fired again. This time hitting soft wood. Something was pulsing inside- he could just barely see it in the exposed bits of wood.

  "Watch out idiot!" Cass kicked him in the stomach and he went flying. His eyes were tearing when he coughed and stood. "What the hell!?" he asked, seeing Cass standing where he was cutting into the undergrowth.

  "Stay in the back where you belong! I got this one!" she twirled the blade around and all three of the compartments fit together into a single solid piece. She held it above her head and braced just as a thick pair of arms sledgehammered down at her. She crumpled to her knees under the force of the blow.

  "Cass!" Vaz shouted and tossed the sword right at her. "You idiot are you're going to-" Theo began to say but was surprised to see Cass catch it without looking. His jaw dropped.

  As the thing raised it's arms for another blow as Cass shifted- with one hand she twirled the ring of her switch blade and as it extended a clicking sound was heard and it extended further- the two thick wooden handles swiveled from each other like a chain with the blade at the end- it reached out and cut the things leg. Which caused it to fall to a knee, staggering it.

  It was now looming over her, about to punch her into the soil. But she reached up with her other hand and stabbed. The enchanted light blue blade impaled into the soft bit of wood Theo had revealed using his shotgun.

  She twisted the blade, and the entire thing shuddered. She ripped it out and black-red blood splattered the ferns around. Then it began to untangle and fall soundlessly.

  But the forest around them screeched, as numerous little plant monsters followed suit. Falling over limp.

  They all breathed hoarsely. Theo felt at the wetness on his face, and his hand came back bloodied.

  Cass stomped up to him, sheathing her switchblade to her side. "Idiot! Where did you learn to fight? Backliners stay in the back, and frontliners stay in the front! You would've died if I didn't save your green ass!" she shouted down at him waving a finger.

  "Easy Cass, it was the heat of battle- but it's over now." Vaz began to say but she whirled on him. "And you're no better! If that sword wasn't here, you'd be all but useless!", Vaz leaned back in shock at her words.

  She turned towards the tree; "Why am I always the only one who knows what to do when the time comes?" she put a hand to her face. "Surrounded by weaklings too afraid to do anything right the first time."

  Sora hugged her, "It's over Cass. We won." she nuzzled her face into her chest.

  Cass let out a sigh, and hugged her back.

  "Sora."

  "Yeah?" she asked, hugging her tightly.

  "I don't feel so good.", Sora leaned away from the hug and looked at her.

  Cass staggered, then fell limply into her arms. "Cass!?" she carried her to the ground as she fell, slapping her paling face.

  "Check her body! Is she bleeding!?" Vaz asked rushing to their side.

  "I don't see any blood-" she patted her along her body. Eventually she turned her over and lifted her hair out of the way- there was a flower pressed to the nap of her neck.

  Sora immediately pinched it and pulled it off- and a black entwined root followed it. Emerging from a tiny hole in her neck, along her spine. "What is it? Is it poison?"

  "I don't know." Sora said, breathlessly.

  She turned to Theo; "I don't know!"