"Am I going mad, or are gingerbread men roaming the forest a common phenomenon in this world?" the Traveller asked, his tone hovering between disbelief and exasperation.
"That is definitely not normal," Lucian replied, his voice equally baffled.
"And what about the very ugly, shriveled witch dressed in pink, decorated with candies, and riding a flying pink candy cane—is that normal?"
Lucian took a beat, then answered, "That's even less normal."
"Well, I think we should run," the Traveller muttered, already sprinting, the Ghoul Sword drawn and ready.
From behind, an evil cackle echoed through the trees. The witch, perched on her garish candy cane mount, brandished a wand that—despite the absurdity of the situation—looked oddly delicious. Every hair on the Traveller's neck stood on end, his instincts flaring as he ducked just in time. A beam of sickly-sweet magic whizzed past, barely missing his head.
He glanced over his shoulder. "Damn it, I need a mount. Why is everything faster than me?"
The witch, cackling maniacally, flew circles above him, her candy cane twisting and looping through the air with disorienting speed.
"Get ready, Lucian," the Traveller growled, his grip tightening on the Ghoul Sword.
As the Traveller turned to face the witch, prepared to launch an attack, she raised her hand and tossed something into the air. A bag opened, and hundreds of candies spilled out, raining down on the ground. But these weren't just any candies.
The candies sprang to life, forming an army. Tiny gingerbread foot soldiers, complete with spears, marched in formation. Hard candy knights, mounted on gummy animals, assembled at the front lines. Massive caramel-chocolate fudge cannons rolled into position with a sugary menace. The witch, satisfied with her confectionary battalion, retreated to a safer distance and began hurling more beams of magic from her wand, laughing all the while.
The Traveller stared at the candy army for a moment, unsure if he should be concerned or laugh. "Seriously? Candy soldiers?"
The Traveller, his instincts sharpening. "Alright, just in case. Flesh to steel, just in case."
Just as he prepared to strike, the caramel-chocolate fudge cannons roared to life, launching sticky, molten balls of caramel at him. He dodged the first few, thanks to the supernatural reflexes granted by the Ghoul Sword, but the sheer number of projectiles—combined with the witch's relentless magical beams—soon overwhelmed him.
The first caramel ball struck his leg, not doing any damage but sticking fast to his boot. The Traveller cursed under his breath, cutting through a wave of gingerbread soldiers. Another sticky blast hit his arm, slowing him down. As he sliced through a squad of candy knights, more candy soldiers swarmed him, spears jabbing from every angle.
"This is ridiculous!" he shouted, slashing at the advancing candy horde. His movements became slower, weighed down by the increasingly sticky caramel. The candy soldiers were relentless, their sugary weapons biting into him, and every dodge brought him closer to the witch's beams.
Another magical ray hit him square in the chest. Instead of pain, the Traveller felt an overwhelming sense of drowsiness wash over him. His limbs grew heavy, and his vision blurred.
"Lucian... this is not good... I'm..."
More rays struck him, one after another, each adding to the sleepiness that dulled his reflexes. He activated his Flesh to Steel magic, turning his skin to metal just in time to deflect a direct hit from one of the cannons, but it didn't help. The magic wasn't designed to harm his body—it was designed to put him to sleep.
The Traveller stumbled, slashing weakly at the candy knights, but they overwhelmed him. Another beam hit him, then another. His eyes fluttered shut, the Ghoul Sword slipping from his grip as he sank to his knees.
"Lucian... remind me to get me a... mount... so we can run..." he mumbled, before darkness swallowed him whole.
The last thing they felt before everything went black was the cackling of the witch, echoing through the air as her candy army closed in.
....
When the Traveller came to, the first thing he noticed was the overwhelming scent of sugar in the air. He blinked, trying to clear the haze from his mind. His body ached, his limbs stiff, and as he shifted, he realized he was inside a cell—only this cell had bars made of candy, glistening in the dim light.
In the adjacent cell, a young, chubby boy sat on the floor, sobbing quietly. The Traveller took in the scene around him: they were inside what could only be described as a house made entirely of confectionery. The walls were gingerbread, the windows framed with candy canes, and even the floor had a glossy, chocolate sheen. Everything he had been carrying was gone. He was left in nothing but his shirt and pants.
"I should've listened to my mother," the boy whimpered between sobs. "I shouldn't have followed those sweets into the forest."
The Traveller sighed, rubbing his temples. This was not how he expected things to go. He glanced around, trying to get a sense of their predicament.
What should we do? Lucian's voice echoed in his mind, his usual calm starting to fray.
At least we haven't been killed yet, the Traveller telepathically replied. That's a good sign. Given that, I wager she's keeping us alive for a ritual.
She's going to eat us! Lucian jumped.
The Traveller raised an eyebrow. I don't think that really fits the whole 'sugary-sweet' aesthetics of the place. A witch with candy magic? Eating people doesn't seem on-brand.
Then what's she going to do? Lucian asked, the nervousness in his voice growing.
Why don't we just ask her?
As if on cue, the door to the house creaked open, and the witch—dressed in a ridiculous pink gown covered in candy decorations—waltzed inside, carrying a basket brimming with ingredients. She hummed to herself, an unsettling, shrill tune that made the Traveller's skin crawl.
"Madam, if I may be so bold, might I inquire as to what it is you seek from us?" the Traveller said in gentleman's manner as if not all fazed by the situation. Doesn't hurt to be polite, He said to Lucian
The witch glanced over, her shriveled face twisting into a grin. "To make candy, of course," she said in a sickly sweet tone.
The Traveller stared at her, seemly interest. "Candy?"
"Yes, candy," the witch said, turning to a nearby mirror. Her reflection elicited a shriek of disgust from her. Her face was sunken and wrinkled, her skin blackened and brittle. "You see this?" she howled, gesturing to her reflection. "I used to be beautiful! I will have my appearance back."
She turned back to the Traveller, her eyes gleaming with twisted excitement. "And you—especially you with your Ezekiel bloodline. Life magic flows through your veins, doesn't it? Perfect. You'll make the candy of youth and beauty."
The Traveller's mind connected the dot, and he sent a telepathic message to Lucian. Okay, maybe you were right. She's not going to eat us directly — but she is going to turn us into candy. Then we'll be eaten.
Can we try the 'surrender and reveal our magic' method? Maybe she'll spare us if we tell her about it, Lucian suggested, his voice cracking with desperation.
The Traveller scoffed, his mental tone panicked. I was joking when I said that before! We can't actually do that. If anyone other than the two of us knows about this magic, it'll stop working—that's part of the price of the magic.
So, we're going to get turned into candy and die! Lucian's panic reached a fever pitch.
Glad you've reached that conclusion, the Traveller shot back.
Lucian's hysteria was palpable through their link. After defeating Aron, escaping Darkglades, and fighting a Fell, this is how it ends? We're going to die as candy?!
The Traveller gave a sardonic smile. A sweet end, I must say.
Lucian's panic tipped over, and he started rocking back and forth in their telepathic link, unable to cope with the absurdity of it all. The Traveller could feel the waves of hysteria rolling off him.
Don't—don't lose it just yet! the Traveller said, trying to sound confident despite the rising panic in his own voice. It hasn't come to that. We still have a chance to turn this around.
How? Lucian wailed. We're locked in candy cells without the Ghoul sword! And you werent able to win even with it.
I'm the protagonist, okay? the Traveller sent, a little too louder. I wouldnt just die in the second chapter of the book! I haven't even made it out of the beginner village yet! We're not getting turned into candy!
Lucian, still rocking, whispered in his mind, You sure? Because that witch looks really excited about the candy idea...
How about you make yourself useful go use the detection skill to figure out her magic so that we get a plan going?