Emily, Naked in Thessolan

[Talfulano]

I don't usually like fiction nudity stories, but this story is exciting and was the most complete one I've ever read. I can't wait for the sequel

[FinchAgent]

Emily and the Reflection

The next few days passed in a mix of merry-making and magical training. Aria was delighted to see the statues of Castle Elid again, her companions for so many centuries, and spent many hours in joyful conversation with them. She told the statues of her adventures with Emily, and they told her of all that had happened since the two had departed the castle—the rescue of their drowned brethren, and the long trek to Paja Abbey.

For their part, the monks were welcoming, and incredibly curious. Living statues, as Emily had come to appreciate, were not much more common in Thessolan than back on Earth. And each one was different from the next—marble, granite, sandstone, bronze, all materials were represented. Many, like Jivaro, possessed exaggerated features and proportions seldom seen in flesh-and-blood humans—this had been a side-effect of petrification.

"Did you look much different as a human?" Talyndra asked Aria.

Aria put a thoughtful hand to her chin. "I think I was slightly taller."

Emily's eyes widened at this—she had known few woman as tall as Aria even in her statue form.

"You will soon be able to verify this claim, Emily," Aria said gently, noticing Emily's expression.

That just made Emily feel worse, but she smiled bravely. The way Aria could speak with such complete trust and confidence in her made her wonder what she had done to deserve it. Moreover, it made her think of how she might unwittingly betray that trust and confidence. Could she really restore all of these statues to human form?

The day soon came for Emily and Talyndra to leave for Gla Abbey. Emily had quickly mastered teleportation, but had proven quite unable to manifest clothing again, the way she'd inadvertently done in front of the monks, after her first teleportation. About the best she'd managed to do in that regard was get good at very quickly teleporting behind cover.

She'd asked the monks if there was an fabric which might resist the Stoneshell's flame, and they'd suggested some possibilities, but everything she'd tested thus far had been destroyed just as thoroughly as the outfit she'd first teleported in. In the end, she resigned herself to appearing naked in the fireplace of Gla Abbey. At least Talyndra would be in the same boat. Anyway, shouldn't she be used to arriving in strange places without any clothes on by now? It appeared to be prophesied...

Emily didn't think it was possible to get used to such a thing. But she would do it for Aria. And to get back home.

"Shimmerwood is a place of illusions," Althea warned her one night over dinner, the fire casting ominous shadows over her wizened features. "It takes a strong mind to resist its influence. Many have been lost to the forest's spell."

"How can I resist it?" asked Emily.

"Know yourself."

To Emily's chagrin, no further or more practical advice was forthcoming. But such was her resolve that when the appointed day arrived, she stood in the courtyard of Paja Abbey, arms wrapped around Talyndra, ready to disappear. She had on a simple peasant's dress made from single piece of fabric, which no one would miss much when it was burned up, and was barefoot.

Talyndra wore her leaf dress. "It's getting a bit stale, so this is good timing," she said to Emily, doing her best to act nonchalant. "I'm just upset I can't bring my swords."

Monks and statues gathered around to watch the disappearance, though they would see little more than an ascending column of flame. The real show was going to take place on the other side.

Emily cast her gaze over the crowd, meeting Dorian's eyes. He smiled and saluted, mouthing a wish for good luck. She smiled back, and then passed her gaze to Aria, who wore a small, reserved smile that nonetheless signaled total confidence in her student and friend.

"Give my regards to Abbess Loren," said Althea, who was standing next to Aria. The two had found a lot to talk about with each other. "She'll tell you all you need to know about finding the Shard of True Reflection."

"Thank you," said Emily.

"We'll see you back in a few days' time," Althea continued. "The Stoneshell fire will be kept well-stoked for your return."

"Please have a cloaks for us as well! And a much smaller audience!"

"Boo!" shouted Jivaro.

Emily giggled, despite herself. "Goodbye, everyone!" she said.

"See ya later!" shouted Talyndra.

Emily and Talyndra looked each other in the eye and decided it was time. Emily took a deep breath in, and then, in a calm, clear voice, said the words, "Gla Abbey."

Her world was consumed by fire, and then darkness.

Every previous teleportation had felt instantaneous, but this time Emily was conscious of the moments between her departure and arrival. Her body was spinning in all directions, with nothing but around her. She clung tight to Talyndra, and felt as the sensation of leaves was replaced with that of flesh. Ethereal winds whipped at her own exposed skin.

Then the spinning stopped, and Emily felt warm stone beneath her feet. Darkness was replaced by walls of weathered stone, animated by dancing shadows. A roaring fire warmed the skin of Emily's back. The smell of damp earth filled her nostrils, and a cloying sweetness tickled the back of her throat.

Emily swayed, releasing her grip on Talyndra and fighting back a wave of nausea. Talyndra let out a low groan, her hand flying to her mouth.

"Ugh," she muttered. "That was worse than usual."

"It must be... the distance," Emily wheezed, bent over and staring at the cracked stone floor, overgrown with moss. "Is this... Gla Abbey?"

Once sufficiently recovered, Emily and Talyndra surveyed the chamber. The walls, floor and ceiling were cobbled together from rough-hewn rocks, many of which had fallen down and were lying in piles. Green moss grew in every crevice. The room's single feature was the hearth behind them, burning with Stoneshell fire. A narrow opening across from them showed dense foliage.

Talyndra stepped closer to the opening and scanned the area outside. "This must be Shimmerwood. I didn't realize the abbey was actually inside the forest."

"Perhaps the mages here are wood elves, like you," Emily suggested.

Talyndra shook her head. "This is no wood elf forest. The magical energy here feels twisted, wrong somehow. It's giving me a headache, and we've barely been here five minutes."

Despite the warmth of the fire, a chill spread through Emily's bones. The sight of Talyndra's bare butt as she peered into the forest reminded her of her own nudity, and she wrapped her arms across her body.

Talyndra glanced back at Emily. "I'd better get us something to wear. There's a tree just outside with nice big leaves that'll make excellent outfits."

"Thank you," said Emily, "I knew you were the right person to bring along!"

"Just try not to burn this outfit up, okay. Not every tree has suitable leaves, especially in a strange forest like this one."

"Hey!" But before Emily could finish her retort, Talyndra had slipped through the chamber's entrance, disappearing into the shimmering, mist-wreathed forest beyond.

Left alone in the strange, silent chamber, Emily shivered. The fire crackled merrily in the hearth, but it did little to dispel her growing unease. Cautiously, and with her hands firmly covering herself, she took a few steps towards the entrance and peered out.



The forest was impossibly dense, with barely any clear ground between the entrance to her ruin and the thicket of trees. A rolling mist suffused the place, further hurting visibility. Though Talyndra could be no more than a few yards from the entrance, Emily could not see her.

The air was thick with honeyed-green mist, and what little sunlight permeated the trees had a sickly green tinge. The whole place was suffused with a smell that made Emily feel light-headed. A cloying sweetness, so strong that she could taste it, but not quite like anything she'd ever smelled before.

A scream, sharp and sudden, sliced through the stillness of the forest. Emily's heart leaped into her throat. "Talyndra!" she whispered, blood pounding in her ears.

Fear overriding apprehension, Emily scrambled through the narrow opening, her bare feet sinking into the soft, mossy earth. The cloying sweetness of the mist intensified, making her head spin. "Talyndra!" she called again, panic cracking her voice.

The mist swirled around her, obscuring her vision, making the trees seem to shift and sway like ghostly figures. Then, through the swirling green, she saw a splash of vibrant color. As she drew closer, the scene that unfolded before her was not what she had expected. Not a scene of danger or struggle, but... a tea party.

A group of the most peculiar creatures Emily had ever encountered were gathered around a low, moss-covered table, sipping tea from delicate porcelain cups. There was a plump, pink dwarf woman in a frilly dress with a wide-brimmed hat perched jauntily on its head, its tiny arms gesticulating wildly as she recounted a story. A sleek, black snake with emerald eyes coiled gracefully around a teapot, its forked tongue flicking out occasionally to sample the steaming brew. A small bipedal creature, that looked like a cross between a man and a bird, covered in feathers and wearing a vest made of leaves, crouched near a plate of miniature cakes, dipping its long beak into the frosting.

They all looked up as Emily approached, their expressions ranging from mild curiosity to outright delight.

"Welcome, welcome!" chirped the bird-man, his voice surprisingly deep and resonant. "We were just about to pour another cup. Do join us!"

Emily stared at them, her mouth agape. She had been prepared to face monstrous beasts, cunning traps, perhaps even the wrath of the forest itself. But a tea party? It was so utterly unexpected, so incongruous with the eerie atmosphere of the Shimmerwood, that for a moment, she was speechless.

The pink lady, noticing her hesitation, gestured towards an empty seat at the table. "Don't be shy, dear," it said, its voice warm and inviting. "There's plenty of tea to go around."

Now that her panic had subsided, Emily was once again keenly aware of her nudity, and clung to her body. She managed a weak smile. "I, uh... thank you," she stammered, her gaze darting between the strange creatures and her own bare form. The situation was beyond awkward, yet there was something oddly disarming about their cheerful hospitality.

She cautiously approached the table, her cheeks burning. The black snake poured her a cup of steaming tea, its emerald eyes twinkling with amusement. "Milk or sugar?" it hissed, its voice surprisingly gentle.

"Just... just tea is fine," Emily mumbled, taking the offered cup with trembling hands, still not quite believing what was happening to her. She sat down on the low-slung branch of a nearby tree, squeezing her thighs together.

As she sipped the tea, a blend of fragrant herbs and sweet berries, she couldn't help but feel a sense of surreal amusement creeping in. Here she was, naked and stranded in a magical forest, having tea with a snake, a dwarf and a bird-person. This was not quite how she had envisioned her quest for the Shard of True Reflection unfolding. And where was Talyndra?

The tea went down smooth and made Emily feel better. Her eyes darted between the dwarf lady's dress and the bird-man's leafy vest. Even the snake, she now noticed, was wearing a red bowtie just under his diamond-shaped head. Gathering her courage, she cleared her throat. "Excuse me," she began, voice trembling slightly. "This tea is quite lovely, thank you. But, um, as I guess you can see, I'm feeling a little, uh, underdessed for this occasion. Would anyone happen to have a spare cloak or something?"

The three party-goers exchanged glances. Then, eyes lighting up, the pink lady tottered over to a nearby bush, plucked a handful of brightly colored flowers, and wove them into a delicate crown. Smiling, she walked over to Emily and bade her to lower her head. Emily did so, and the lady placed the crown gently on Emily's head.

"There you go, dear," she said. "That's much better! Would you like some more tea?"

Emily managed a weak smile, feeling more self-conscious than ever. "It's... lovely," she said, "But I'm still, uh... I mean, I don't want to be a bother... but..."

"Oh of course!" the lady exclaimed, slapping her forehead. "How silly of me! I forgot the most important part! Charles, hold still, would you?" With this, the lady leaned over to her side and deftly plucked a handful of feathers from the birdman's head.

The bird-man shrieked in pain, his cry something between a human scream and a bird call, so loud and shrill that Emily physically winced at it.

"Oh, quit fussing," said the pink lady. "We must show our guest the proper hospitality."

The pink lady deftly wove the feathers into Emily's flower crown before stepping back to admire her handiwork. "Beautiful," she said. "You're quite ready for the tea party now, love."

Emily could only smile weakly. Clearly, these people were insane.

The snake poured her a fresh cup of tea, and the pink lady whispered something in the ear of the bird-man, who nodded gravely, looking in Emily's direction. Perhaps... perhaps they thought she was the insane one? After all, she was the one wandering around a strange forest in the nude. Even the snake wore a bowtie.



Just then, Talyndra emerged from the swirling mist, a broad smile on her face. She wore a simple dress made of leaves and cradled a similar one in her arms. "Emily!" she announced, her voice ringing with satisfaction. "I've got you covered—literally!"

Emily could see her smile faltered as she took in the scene. There she was, adorned with a flower crown and a smattering of feathers, sat awkwardly on a tree branch, surrounded by the strange tea party guests. The pink dwarf, the feathered bird-man, and the bowtie-wearing snake all turned to Talyndra, their expressions shifting from cheerful welcome to something colder, more guarded. The air in the clearing crackled with tension, the lighthearted atmosphere of the tea party instantly evaporating.

"Talyndra?" Emily said, relief flooding through her. "Where were you? I heard you scream—I thought something terrible had happened!" She felt suddenly guilty for getting so wrapped up in this strange tea party that she had not kept looking for Talyndra.

Talyndra's gaze flickered to Emily, then back to the peculiar trio. "Scream?" she asked. "Wasn't me. I was busy gathering our garments." She held Emily's leaf dress aloft, then eyed the group suspiciously. "Who are these... people?"

Emily shot her a bewildered glance that said, "I don't know either."

The pink dwarf lady sniffed disdainfully. "A little green hussy, dressed in rags, barged into our private party, unannounced, and starts interrogating us? Now I've seen everything!" she said, turning her sharp gaze on Talyndra. "It is I who should be asking who you are! Or perhaps who you think you are!"

The bird-man bobbed his head in agreement, letting out a series of sharp chirps and clicks. The snake remained silent, its emerald eyes fixed on Talyndra, its forked tongue constantly flicking in and out, tasting the air.

Emily, sensing the escalating tension, scrambled to her feet, and placed herself between the pink dwarf and Talyndra. "Talyndra is my friend," she said. She reached out for the leaf outfit Talyndra had brought, savouring the feeling of the leaves. "Thank you, Talyndra," she said. "This is perfect. I'll just put it on and then we can be on our way."

The pink dwarf lady let out a gasp of horror and slapped Emily's hands away with surprising force. "Good heavens, child!" she exclaimed. "You can't possibly wear that! It's... it's utterly dreadful! The craftsmanship is appalling, the material is substandard, and the overall design is simply barbaric!"

Talyndra bristled, her hand instinctively moving towards her hip, though she had not brought her twin swords. "Barbaric?" she growled, her eyes narrowing. "These are perfectly fresh leaves, sewn in a classic wood elf pattern!"

"I'm sure they are," the dwarf lady replied, contempt dripping from her every word. "And while such a thing may be appropriate for a dirty tree-swinger such as yourself, they are an insult to our Lady Emily of Shimmerwood."

"Maybe you're confusing me with someone else," said Emily, desperate to cover herself with the outfit that was right in front of her.

The pink lady chuckled. "Your name is Emily, is it not?"

Emily's expression betrayed the truth of the woman's statement, though she did not recall introducing herself to these people. The sickly scent that pervaded everything in this forest was starting to make her light-headed. She just wanted to put on some clothes, find the Shard of True Reflection and get out of here. Why did getting dressed always have to turn into such a major ordeal for her?

"Really, it's fine," she insisted to the pink lady, taking the leaf dress from Talyndra. "It'll do for now."

"Nonsense!" the pink lady declared, her voice ringing with authority. "We insist on providing you with an outfit worthy of your status." She gestured towards Emily with a flourish. "Charles, fetch my spectacles!" she said to the bird-man. "And Seraph," she addressed the snake, "be a dear and help our guest prepare for her fitting."

The snake moved with lightning speed, abandoning the teapot and springing towards her. Its yellow eyes gleamed with a strange intensity, and before Emily could react, the snake had coiled itself around her body, its smooth scales squeezing gently against her skin. She gasped, her body tensing involuntarily as the snake constricted its coils, pinning her arms to her sides. There was a crash, and realized she had dropped her teacup.



"Don't worry, dear," the pink dwarf lady said, her voice saccharine. "Seraph won't hurt you. He's a darling, really."

"Burn it!" Talyndra shouted, her hand again hovering over the absent hilt of her twin swords. "Use your fire, Emily!"

The pink dwarf lady, however, shook her head, her expression grim. "I wouldn't advise that, dear," she said, her voice laced with warning. "Seraph's wouldn't hurt a fly, not consciously, but he does have extraordinary reflexes. Survival instinct and all that. His venom is quite potent and very fast-acting. We wouldn't want to risk an unfortunate accident, would we?"

Emily looked into the snake's yellow eyes and felt the end of its tongue against her forehead. Its embrace tightened slightly. While she could summon her fire almost instantly, engulf herself and teleport back to the ruin, she may still not be fast enough to avoid a bite. She glanced at Talyndra, whose expression mirrored her own apprehension.

"Tell your pet to release her," Talyndra said coldly.

The pink lady tittered with amusement. "Seraph is no one's pet. He is my dear friend, and a kindred soul in matters of taste. I dare say his fashion sense is more exacting than even my own. He is merely protecting our dear friend Emily from the indignity of those rags."

"Indignity!" Talyndra fumed. "You've been forcing her to stand her around here naked!"

"Any lady of taste would sooner bare it all than deign to adorn herself with that disaster!"

"It's perfectly adequate," Talyndra growled, holding the leaf dress out in front of her. It was quite similar to her own, a short sleeveless dress made of broad leaves.

The dwarf lady raised an eyebrow. "Adequate? My dear, 'adequate' simply isn't in our vocabulary. Especially not for the Stoneshell Bearer." She snatched the leaf dress from Talyndra's grasp and turned it this way and that. "The stitching is haphazard, the leaves are uneven, and the overall design is just uninspired."

"It's a dress made of leaves!" Talyndra protested. "We're on a mission here, not attending a debuntante ball!"

"A lady should always look her best," the dwarf lady said. "But perhaps we can still work with this. It'll be a challenge, but Maisy Hillflower never shrinks from a challenge. We'll start with the material. Those leaves are far too coarse." She turned to Charles, the bird-man, who handed her a pair of horn-rimmed spectacles. "Thank you, dear. Now, please fetch us some silk leaves from the whispering willows by the stream. And some dew-kissed petals from the moon orchids. We need something with a bit more shimmer."

The bird-man bowed and scurried off into the mist.

"Now, the design," the dwarf lady, Maisy Hillflower, continued, turning her attention back to the leaf dress. "It lacks... flow. Movement. Drama." She closed her eyes for a moment. "We'll need to incorporate some cascading vines, perhaps some iridescent moss, and definitely some strategically placed gemstones. Yes, I suppose we might be able to salvage this after all."

She handed the dress back to Talyndra. "Here," she said. "Unweave this, and then we can decide what to keep. Some of these leaves may be acceptable as a base, but I think we will discard most of them."

Talyndra glared at the dwarf, her hands clenched into fists. But, looking at Emily's pleading expression and the snake that was still tasting her forehead, she took the dress and began to carefully unravel the woven leaves, her movements stiff with suppressed anger, the green tendrils of her magic bright and jagged.

Emily, still trapped in the snake's coils, could only watch in frustrated silence, her cheeks burning with a mixture of embarrassment and indignation. She felt like a prize pig being prepared for a show. All the while, the sweetly nauseating scent of the mist intensified, and the snake's scales began to feel clammy from her own sweat.

Maisy Hillflower, perched on a moss-covered rock like a tiny, pink queen, directed Talyndra's every move with a relentless stream of criticism and instructions. "No, no, no! Not like that! You're pulling too hard! Do you want to tear the leaves? Honestly, I've seen goblins with more finesse!"

Talyndra gritted her teeth, her fingers moving with increasing speed and precision as she unraveled the leaf dress. The vibrant green tendrils of her magic sparked and crackled around her hands.

"And the stitching!" Maisy continued, peering through her spectacles. "It's atrocious! Utterly barbaric! Are you using thorns? Thorns! Have you no sense of decency? We'll be using moonbeam silk, spun by the dreamweavers themselves. It's finer than a spider's web and twice as strong."

After Maisy had rejected Talyndra's third design concept, Emily tried to interject. "I appreciate the gesture, truly," she said, her voice strained. "But we are in a little bit of a hurry here."

Maisy Hillflower waved a dismissive hand. "Nonsense, dear! There is always time to look one's best!"

The snake, Seraph, tightened its coils slightly, perhaps in agreement with Maisy's assessment. Emily could feel its cool scales pressing against her skin, the pressure almost comforting despite the awkwardness of the situation.

Just then, Charles, the bird-man, returned, his arms laden with shimmering leaves, iridescent moss, and colorful flowers. He laid his bounty before Maisy, who examined each item with a critical eye.

"Excellent, Charles!" she exclaimed, her voice ringing with approval. "These silk leaves are exquisite! And the moon orchids... divine! Now, let's see what magic we can weave with these." She turned back to Talyndra, her eyes gleaming with a manic energy. "Right, you! Pay attention! I'm going to show you how a real artist shapes nature's bounty."

For what felt like hours, Emily watched, trapped in the snake's embrace, as Maisy Hillflower directed Talyndra in the creation of a new dress. The dwarf's tiny hands moved with astonishing speed and precision, weaving the silk leaves, iridescent moss, and glittering gemstones into a garment that seemed to shimmer and shift with the light. Unlike Talyndra, Maisy did not use magic, but weaved and sewed like a mundane dressmaker.

Talyndra, her initial resentment gradually giving way to a grudging admiration, followed Maisy's instructions, her own magic softening and blending with the dwarf's meticulous craftsmanship. Occasionally, a flash of green would erupt from her hands, a spark of her own creative spirit asserting itself, only to be quickly subdued by Maisy's sharp reprimand. "Not there! That's too much! Ugh, I despair for wood elf kind!"

As the dress neared completion, Emily couldn't deny its beauty. Maisy had transformed Talyndra's rough and ready creation into a garment of great beauty. And unlike the work of the last seamstress she'd encountered, this dress had no conspicuously missing sections. She found herself eager to try it on, and not merely to regain some scrap of modesty. Clothing had become utilitarian during her time in Thessolan, but this dress awakened long-dormant feelings that were perhaps more appropriate for a department store changing booth than the middle of an enchanted forest. After all she'd been through, Emily decided not to begrudge herself the girlish excitement of trying on a pretty dress.

Finally, Maisy gave Talyndra a curt nod and took the dress from her, holding it up to the light. She gave a small sigh of satisfaction and cast a meaningful glance at Seraph.

Emily let out a breath as the snake uncoiled himself from her body, finally allowing her tensed muscles to relax. Seraph slithered back to the teatable and used his tail to pour a fresh cup of tea, which he lapped at with his darting forked tongue. Relieved and a little bit excited, Emily took the dress from Maisy and carefully stepped into it. She'd been expecting an outfit made of leaves to irritate her skin, but this one was so finely woven it felt as smooth as the softest silk.

"Stand up straight!" Maisy instructed. "Let's see the dress properly!"

Emily did as she was instructed, pulling her shoulders back and stretching into her neck. She'd become unaccustomed to this sort of proud posture, to intentionally making herself the center of attention. At Maisy's command, she flounced the dress playfully and spun around for her audience.



"Magnificent," Maisy said finally. Then, turning to Talyndra, she added, "Perhaps you have the makings of a competent dress-maker after all."

Talyndra merely rolled her eyes, but Emily could see a flicker of pride in her expression. She'd never admit it, but this strange pink elf lady had drawn the best out of her.

"Now that you're suitably attired," Maisy said, gesturing towards the forest with a sweep of her tiny hand, "you may proceed with your quest. The Shard of True Reflection lies deep within the heart of the Shimmerwood. Be warned, the path is fraught with illusions and deception. Only those who can see past the surface, who can discern the true reflection from its counterfeits will find what they seek."

"How did you know we were looking for the Shard?" Talyndra asked, eyes narrow with suspicion.

"A lady has her intuition," Maisy replied, winking.

Talyndra groaned. "That's hardly an answer."

Maisy waved a hand dismissively. "The denizens of Shimmerwood know all there is to know about Emily Stoneshell Bearer and her wood elf companion Talyndra Moss-Whisper. How else could we have helped them construct the perfect outfit?"

Talyndra's eyes widened. "How did you know my name?"

But before Maisy could answer, the proceedings were interrupted by a loud rustling from the trees behind them. Everyone turned to see a figure emerge from the mist. It was a woman, with long, flowing hair. She was very visibly a woman, as her body was adorned only by an ornate mask that hid her face.

Emily and Talyndra exchanged bewildered glances. There was something eerily familiar about the figure's features, her gait and posture.

Maisy let out a squeal of delight and clapped her tiny hands together. "Lady Emily!" she exclaimed, rushing forward to embrace the newcomer around the legs. "You're here! We were beginning to think you'd forgotten all about our little tea party!"



The figure returned the hug, patting Maisy affectionately on the back. Then she looked straight at Emily and, in a slow, deliberate movement, reached up and removed the mask.

Emily gasped. Staring back at her was a face identical to her own, a perfect copy, down to the smallest freckle. The only difference was the figure's expression, a cruel smile that Emily had never seen in a mirror.

"I would never miss a Hillflower tea-party," said the strange woman who looked just like Emily, addressing Maisy while keeping her eyes fixed on Emily's. "You always host the most delightful get-togethers." Her voice, like her face, was indistinguishable from the real thing.

Maisy blushed as she stepped back from the hug. "Oh, stop, Lady Emily, you're too kind."

Emily, stunned and bewildered, could only stammer, "But... but... I'm Emily! Who are you?"

The other Emily took a step towards her, her stride long, head held up, and chest puffed out. "You do look familiar, I'll grant," she said, her nose almost touching Emily's. "But the true Emily bears the Stoneshell."

Emily blinked in confusion, then sighed with relief. "Y-yes, yes, she does," she said, placing a hand to her chest. Her fingers brushed smooth skin and the blood in her veins ran cold.

The other Emily took a step back, the skip in her stride making the pendant of her necklace bounce up and then down again. The pendant was gray and shaped like a seashell. Somehow, the other Emily had taken the Stoneshell without Emily's notice.

"Give that back!" Emily yelled. She focused her attention on the pendant, willing it towards her like she had so many times in the past. But this time, she felt that something was holding it in place—a magical force equal and opposite to her own. It remained firmly in place.

The other Emily's grin widened, displaying her teeth menacingly. "But it's all I've got to wear," she said in a mocking tone, absently twirling a finger around the necklace's chain. "Surely you of all people would understand that." Mockingly, she motioned towards covering herself with her arms, as Emily had so often found herself doing.

Emily blushed. Though she was now fully dressed, the absence of the Stoneshell's familiar weight on her chest made her feel vulnerable in a way that even actual nudity no longer could.

"For shame!" cried Maisy. "Lady Emily, please forgive me for indulging this impostor!" She scowled at Emily. "I was cruelly duped by this shapeshift, fooled into I wasting my energy and talents on dressing her while my true lady wandered through Shimmerwood, her fair skin exposed to the elements! It's simply too awful!"

"I won't hold it against you," said the naked Emily, pacing slowly and producing flickers of flame about her fingertips. "Appearances can be deceiving, and Shimmerwood is full of illusions."

"Yeah, like you!" Talyndra shouted, putting her head down and charging the naked Emily.

The naked Emily raised an eyebrow, turned her head, and blew a stream of fire at the base of a tree at the edge of the clearing. As the grass below the tree caught fire, she lobbed a fireball from her palm at Emily. Finally, with a small wink, she turned her fire on herself and promptly burst into a column of flame.

The fireball was too fast and too close to dodge. It exploded in Emily's face, but did not harm her. Instead, she found herself instantly transported to the other side of the clearing, dizzy and disoriented, head pounding. She scrambled to keep her footing, but failed and fell back with a thud. She felt a gentle warmth against her buttocks while smoke rose in front of her eyes.

At the same time, just ahead of her, Talyndra collided head-first with a tree. Emily winced, only partially from her own pain and surprise.

The other Emily stood by the table in the middle of the clearing, pouring herself a cup of tea. The Stoneshell pendant around her neck was now joined by an elaborate dress made of flowers and leaves—the very same one that had adorned Emily only seconds earlier.

"Restrain them," said the other Emily, her tone bored and disdainful.

The bird-man and snake were only too happy to comply.

By the time Emily came to her senses, she found herself strung up between two trees, both arms and legs securely tied with thick lengths of rope, suspending her in a starfish position over the tea party. Talyndra was similarly positioned on two adjacent trees, and the snake sat coiled beneath her, nibbling on the leaves of her skirt.

Hazy and still only half-conscious, Emily slowly pieced together what had happened. This other Emily seemed to have even greater power and control over the Stoneshell than she did. She'd set a fire, and then used a second fireball to teleport Emily to its location. Even more amazingly, she'd then teleported herself into Emily's previous position, right inside of her leaf dress.

This meant, of course, that Emily now hung starfished over the tea-party completely naked and unable to cover herself. And Talyndra would meet the same fate once the snake finished his meal.

Suspended between the trees, Emily felt the weight of every gaze upon her, each one like a physical touch against her bare skin. The sweet, intoxicating aroma of Shimmerwood made her head spin. Her ankle itched strangely, around the Bronzeband.



The other Emily had taken a seat with her cup of tea. She now leaned back, her eyes roaming over Emily's exposed form with disdain. "I think I wore it better," she said. "But perhaps we should let our other guests decide."

At the other Emily's words, a human figure emerged from the mist. Someone Emily recognized.

Emily's jaw dropped. How could it be?

Standing before her, dressed in tight, low-rise jeans and a glittery purple tanktop, was none other than Sabrina Miller. Sabrina, her highschool tormentor. She was an adult now, but had the same straight blonde hair and haughty expression. Hands planted on her hips, she met Emily's gaze and sneered.

Even after all this time, just the sight of Sabrina was enough to make Emily feel like that awkward, bookish teenager all over again. That she was spread out naked in front of her tormentor made the feeling ten times worse. She tried to pull her arms and legs in to conceal herself, but was swiftly reminded of the ropes holding them firmly in place.

"Well, well, well," Sabrina said, her cutting tone seemingly summoned from Emily's worst memories, her eyes sparkling with malice. "Emily Corlett, in all her glory. I see you've lost some of that baby fat."

It was definitely her. But how? How could Sabrina be here, in Thessolan?

Sabrina reached out a manicured index finger and traced the line of Emily's jaw, her touch lingering with an uncomfortable intimacy, and making its way down her neck. Emily shivered involuntarily as the finger brushed her collarbone and continued down.

"Jumpy little Emily," Sabrina taunted. "She finally got her head out of all those books and started living. But really, Em, this is a little much. You don't need to go to these sorts of lengths to get a bit of action."

Emily let out a squeal as Sabrina squeezed her breast, a little too roughly.

"Or maybe you do." Sabrina shrugged. "Heaven knows what was in those books of yours that made you such a freak."

Tears welled in Emily's eyes, prompting a satisfied smirk from Sabrina. Then there was a rustling in the leaves just beyond the clearing, and Emily heard another familiar voice. "Emily? Woah, what—what's going on here?!"

Sabrina stepped aside to reveal a tall, well-built man with short blond hair and piercing blue eyes. It was Michael, the boy Emily had spent two years of her highschool career obsessing over, doodling in her notebooks, watching from afar, and never being able to speak to. She cast her eyes down, unable to maintain eye contact as he gasped at the sight of her body.

After a moment of shock, he seemed to come to his senses and rushed to her side. "Who did this to you?!" he shouted.

Sabrina chuckled. "She did it herself, Mike," she said. "All for you."

"What?" Michael's tone wavered between disgust and intrigue.

"Our bookish little Emily is all grown up," said Sabrina, placing a hand on Michael's chest. "And she's making sure everyone knows it."

Michael cast a sidelong glance at Emily, appraising her dispassionately. "I'm flattered," he said. "And also kind of impressed. But... I've always been more into blondes."

Sabrina stepped forward into his embrace, and his eyes turned to her. He seemed to entirely forget the naked girl beside him as he and Sabrina shared a long and intimate kiss. Their passion rose as they pushed themselves into each other, squirming and groping, and their skin began to glow with bright green light.

Emily's eye widened.

"Spirits!" shouted Talyndra, whose leaf dress had now been consumed up to her sternum.

The other Emily, who had been watching the scene dispassionately from her seat at the tea table, strode forward now, her skin glowing the same faint green. Standing almost in between Michael and Sabrina, she cleared her throat loudly.

The lovers separated, Michael taking a few steps back before looking at the other Emily with a dazed expression. "Emily? But... weren't you just...?" He glanced back at the trees, and then at the other Emily. "How are there two of you?"

"There's only one, really," said the other Emily, placing a hand on his chest. "Only one you need to pay attention to, anyway."

Behind her, Sabrina made a disgusted expression. "Come on Mike, let's get out of here. Two Emily Corletts is two too many."

But Michael's attention was completely fixed on the other Emily, to the exclusion of everyone around him. She smiled sweetly before reaching forward and planting a light kiss on his lips. "Do you still prefer blondes?" she purred.

"You're... beautiful," he stammered, his normally smooth demeanor completely lost.

"Michael!" Sabrina shouted, visibly furious, and Emily had to admit to herself that she was enjoying how angry her double was making her enemy.

The other Emily placed one hand on Michael's cheek, and reached her other arm behind her back. Keeping her eyes locked with Michael's, she summoned a fireball in her hand and flicked it at Sabrina.

Sabrina cried out as the flame struck her, but her screams were cut short as her whole body exploded in a bright flash of green light, leaving only a crumpled pair of jeans in the spot where she had stood.

The other Emily then took Michael's hand and led him away. He took no notice of what had happened to Sabrina. For her part, Emily's double glanced back over her shoulder and winked at Emily before disappearing into the forest.

Emily exchanged a quizzical glance with Talyndra, who by now had approximately three leaves left on her entire body. The snake had disappeared.

As Michael and the other Emily departed from view, other figures emerged from behind the trees. Some were human, dressed in modern clothing, and others were green-skinned wood elves, dressed in leaves. Male and female alike gasped and shouted at the sight of Emily and Talyndra strung up in their trees. They all appeared to be glowing with a faint green light.

Rather than rushing to the aid of the obviously distressed women, the figures whispered and giggled to each other, casting disdainful looks at the trees. A wood elf whispered something in Maisy's ear, and a human figure exchanged a disapproving glance with the bird-man.

A few of the humans stepped closer to where Emily hung. She recognised Ms. Katsuragi, her highschool mathematics teacher, whose face was contorted in disgust. "I expected so much better of you, Emily," she said, somehow managing to peer down her spectacles at a girl hanging slightly above her. "What a waste of a good mind."

"I didn't—aiie!" Emily's protestations were cut short by sudden flash of pain across her buttocks. Fighting tears, she looked down to see the loathsome grin of Dudley Newsom, a former classmate in Katsuragi's class. He had grown a scraggly goatee since she'd last seen him, but his expression was unmistakeable.

Katsuragi shook her head. "I suppose you've decided that's all you're good for now, putting yourself on display like this. Why use your brain when you can far more easily use your body? Feminism weeps for women like you. Give her another one, Dudley."

"Right away, ma'am," said Dudley, obeying an authority figure for the first time in his life and pulling his arm back. "But, wait, what's the stuff on her leg?"

The second blow never came. The itchy feeling on Emily's ankle had slowly been spreading up her calf, but she had been only dimly aware of it due to the many other more powerful feelings occupying her consciousness. It now became the only thing she felt, a tingle, then a numbness, then a powerful shaking. It spread up her left leg and overtook her entire body.

A thick black sludge exploded before her, blotting out the whole world in its immensity. The people—spirits?—before her screamed in agony but were quickly silenced. Everything around Emily became dark and obscured, but she felt a great comfort and warmth.

Then the darkness erupted with orange and purple spots, which formed into intricate patterns. Emily watched, dazzled by the shifting lines and colors, feeling a sense of wonder and then one of calm. Millions of tiny hairs gently tickled her all over, making her squirm with pleasure. She was safe, warm and protected.

The nightmoss had kept its promise to remain with her and protect her always.

After a long sleep full of wonderful but indescribable dreams, dreams that evaporated from her mind as soon as they ended, leaving only a residue of joy, Emily awoke. She rubbed her eyes and stretched her limbs, nuzzling against a soft bed of black moss. Smiling serenely, she lifted herself to a seated position, feeling the most well-rested she had in ages.

She was still in Shimmerwood, could still smell its cloying sweetness, but the spirits and the tea party denizens were gone, and so were the ropes that had bound her arms and legs. Night had fallen, and the moonlight shone through the trees, illuminating a path that sloped upwards ahead of her.

Beside her low moss bed lay a torn pair of jeans. Sabrina's, right where they had fallen. Emily looked around cautiously, but could see no sign of the crowd of taunting people, the strange tea-party denizens, or her doppelganger. She didn't see Talyndra either. It all felt like a dream.

A stab of panic jolted through Emily's body as she felt the absence of the Stoneshell's weight against her chest. This confirmed that it had not been a dream. Her doppelganger was still out there, wearing her necklace! And her flower dress!

Emily picked up the tattered and slightly burned jeans—more evidence of her recent ordeal—and squeezed herself into them. She was grateful for the coverage, but realized that she would just as soon trade it for the Stoneshell.

After yanking both jean leg over her heels, Emily's hand brushed over the Bronzeband around her ankle. The nightmoss—nightmoss from the cave where she'd foiled the old goblin's ritual—had been hiding beneath it this whole time. She now realized the source of the fuzzy leotard that had appeared in Paja Abbey—it had had the same soft bristles as the nightmoss that had just... saved her? She still wasn't sure what had happened.

"Hey nightmoss," she whispered, feeling slightly crazy. "Um, thanks for that. Do you think you could, uh, make me a top? And maybe some boots?"

There was no response. Emily felt nothing against her ankle but the smooth metal of the Bronzeband, and her chest and feet remained unadorned. "Guess it doesn't work like that, huh?"

Sighing, she stood up from the moss bed and shimmied her jeans up so that she could fasten the button. Sabrina preferred a low waistline, which made this an almost impossible task across Emily's wider hips.

Her efforts were disrupted when a familiar voice called out from the shadows. "Emily? Is that you?"

Relief washed over Emily as Talyndra emerged from the trees, her face etched with worry. Her skin was flecked with mud and a long scratch marred her cheek. She was covered only by a few scant leaves from her mostly devoured dress.

"Talyndra!" Emily cried, rushing towards her friend. "What happened? Where did everyone go?"

"They all vanished," Talyndra said, grimacing. "After you... after that black stuff exploded everywhere, the whole party was thrown into disarray, with everyone screaming at each other. I'd managed to trick that stupid snake into chewing my bonds, and with everyone distracted I was able to wiggle free. I was down and ready to fight, but I'd only thrown two punches before everyone just disappeared. Humans, elves, even the dwarf lady and her weird friends."

"You said yourself that they were spirits," Emily replied.

Talyndra nodded sagely. "Yes. There's powerful magic in this place. Some of those elves... they couldn't have been here. One of them, Fenhir, died three years ago."

"The humans who tormented me were from my world," Emily added.

"That explains their get-up," Talyndra said, casting a repulsed gaze at Emily's jeans. "Those look really uncomfortable."

"Of course you would think so," Emily replied, chuckling softly. Though she did have to admit to herself that the jeans were awfully tight around her hips, now that she'd finally managed to get the button done.

Talyndra's gaze traveled upwards. "I see you're still missing the Stoneshell. We're going to have to get it back."

Emily's thoughts briefly drifted to the statues at Paja Abbey, who would now all be frozen, just as Aria had been during those times when Emily had been separated from her necklace. She nodded to Talyndra.

Talyndra closed her eyes and whispered a few words in a language Emily didn't recognize, the sounds soft and melodic, like the rustling of leaves in the wind. A faint green light emanated from her hands, swirling and coalescing into a miniature, three-dimensional map of the forest, complete with shimmering trees, winding paths, and a small lake. Suspended above the lake, glowing with a silver light, was a tiny replica of the Stoneshell.

Emily focused on the tiny symbol and attempted to summon it, just as she had done on board the pirate ship. But this time, something stopped her. She felt the same resistance that she had felt when trying to summon the Stoneshell away from her double. "It's still with her," Emily said. "I can't move it."

"Then we'll have to go to it. Lead the way."

Emily and Talyndra were represented on the map by two pulsing green dots. Talyndra held the map out in front of them as they walked through the misty, moonlit forest. Though the air was still thick with the sickly sweet smell of Shimmerwood, and though the trees still crowded around them, their branches reaching out like claws, Emily and Talyndra's newfound sense of purpose and direction made the place feel somehow less oppressive.

"Is she a spirit too?" Emily asked as they walked. "My double, I mean."

"She must be," Talyndra said. "There's only one Emily Stoneshell Bearer."

"That's a relief."

Talyndra raised an eyebrow. "She's a powerful spirit, for sure. And she can use the Stoneshell just as you do."

"Better, even," Emily muttered. "How is that even possible? Lady Elara's a powerful mage, and she wasn't able to do anything with it."

Talyndra shrugged. "Shimmerwood is a strange place."

As they approached the lake, the silver glow of the Stoneshell on the miniature map intensified, pulsing like a beating heart. Emily's own heart pounded in her chest. Her confrontation with the other Emily, the powerful and malevolent spirit who wielded her own magic better than she did, was fast approaching.

When they were almost upon the water, Talyndra killed the map, fearing that its glow would give away their position. Just before the lake came into view, they stepped off the dirt path and into the trees, so as to maintain cover. Leaves and branches tickled their skin as they crept towards the lake.

Finally, peering through the thick cover of leaves, they saw it. The silvery surface of the lake shimmered in the moonlight, its stillness broken only by the gentle lapping of waves against the shore. Suspended above the water, bathed in an ethereal glow, Emily's doppelganger floated, her legs crossed beneath her and her arms up. Her eyes were closed, her expression serene, lost in deep meditation. She still wore the leaf dress and the Stoneshell glowed orange below her neck.

"She's dead to the world," Talyndra said. "Approach quietly."

Emily gave a firm nod and slowly, carefully crept forward between the trees. The double took no notice of her. Talyndra kept watch, giving Emily a reassuring smile every time she glanced back. Emily reached the lake, suppressing a gasp as she stepped into the cold water. As she moved further in, Emily felt the unfamiliar sensation of soaked denim against her legs. The water was smooth and still, disrupted only by Emily's slow progress, which it marked with rippling waves. Her double remained focused on her meditation.

Each step was deliberate, the lakebed soft and slick beneath her bare feet, the water rising almost to her hips as she came within spitting distance of her double.

The air around them with faint energy, a hum that vibrated against Emily's skin, raising the fine hairs on her arms. She paused just ahead of her double, close enough to see the rise and fall of her chest, to hear her shallow breath. The other Emily hung in the air so that her head was slightly higher than Emily's own.

Emily could feel the Stoneshell's presence now, a warmth that called out her, a pulse that seemed in time with her own heartbeat. With a start, she realized that she couldn't see it anymore—the pendant no longer rested on her double's chest. Behind the leaves of the girl's bodice, something glowed orange.

She knew what had to be done.

Hands trembling, heart resolute, Emily reached out and touched the leaves of the dress's neckline. Her double's breath caught, and she froze, adrenaline spiking in her veins. A tense moment passed before her double's breathing resumed, eyes still closed, and Emily allowed herself a tiny sigh of relief. She gripped the leaves of the bodice tightly, mentally preparing herself for what came next. Casting a backward glance at Talyndra, who had now waded into the lake behind her, Emily communicated her plan without words.

Talyndra grinned devilishly, and soon green tendrils of wood elf magic joined Emily's hands. Slowly and carefully, Emily pulled the leaves away as their bonds were weakened by Talyndra's magic.

The outer leaves came apart with a soft, wet rustle, revealing more beneath—tighter, more intricate weaves consisting of smaller leaves that hugged her double's form. The leaves were smooth and slightly sticky, leaving a faint residue on Emily's fingertips, the scent of crushed foliage mingling with the lake's metallic tang. As she removed more of the leaves, Talyndra's magic grew stronger, and they worked faster together. Talyndra's magic masked any tearing sounds that might awaken the other Emily, and so the only sound of their work was the almost imperceptible plop of leaves dropping onto the surface of the lake.

The double remained oblivious, her meditation unbroken, as the front of her dress came fully open, revealing her breasts. Emily's fingers brushed against the double's skin—cool and smooth, a mirror of her own—and she felt a jolt of unease at the intimacy of the act. It felt as much like undressing herself as it felt like undressing another.

Emily pulled away more leaves, exposing the double's ribs, but the orange glow seemed to fall lower and lower the more she unpicked.

The water lapped higher now, soaking Emily up to her waist, the cold seeping into her bones as she pressed on. She tore at the midsection of the dress, revealing her own stomach on another body, the leaves falling away to drift on the lake's surface like tiny boats. Her hands worked faster and faster, moving below the double's navel and towards her hips.

Working on the leaves of the skirt, Emily's fingers at last grazed a familiar silver chain. Excitement growing, she tore at the skirt, forcing the dress fully apart.

The necklace, now visible, circled her double's waist like a belt, the orange-glowing Stoneshell pendant hanging in front of her smooth and hairless but otherwise very familiar crotch. Emily's fingers brushed the surface of the pendant and felt its warmth instantly fill her whole body.

Talyndra's magic slowed the descent of what remained of the double's dress as it fell from her back and into the water, leaving her unadorned but for the Stoneshell. Talyndra appeared to suppress a grimace at the destruction of her hard work before giving Emily a reassuring nod. Somehow, the double had remained completely oblivious as they'd stripped her. But they still had to retrieve the Stoneshell.

"Quickly," Talyndra mouthed.

Emily sucked in her resolve and reached her arms around her double's waist, almost hugging her hips as she groped for the necklace's clasp. She shivered as her fingers touched the skin of her double's back, trying to unhook the Stoneshell as lightly and delicately as she could, feeling her double's shallow breath against the top of her head all the while.

The clasp came undone, and Emily held the two parts of the chain firmly between the thumb and fingers of each hand.

It was then that the double's eyes opened.

[FinchAgent]

Emily gasped. With the Stoneshell in her grasp once more, fire blasted inadvertantly from her hands and arms, but dissipated against her doppleganger's skin like mere smoke.

Talyndra gave a startled yelp and stumbled backwards, tripping and landing in the water with a loud splash.

The other Emily smiled serenely and bent her head to kiss Emily's forehead. Ice spiked in Emily's veins at the touch of her lips, and she staggered back, away from their impromptu embrace, one end of the Stoneshell necklace still firmly clasped in her right hand.

Memories flooded her conscious mind, as if unlocked by the double's kiss. She found herself thinking of Stuart and of Caelum, allies she had been unable to help—had abandoned to their fates. "Well done, Emily," her double said in a mocking tone. "You've looked out for yourself, no matter what. Screw those people who helped you!"

Emily's heart thudded in her chest, the icy kiss from her double lingering on her forehead like a brand, chilling her despite the warmth of the Stoneshell pulsing in her hand. The voices of Stuart and Caelum seemed to echo in her ears, blaming her for their terrible fates. She stumbled backward through the lake, the water surging at her hips, its cold grip tightening around her. The silver surface rippled violently now.

More memories came to her unbidden. She thought of her confrontation with Victus and the horrified look in his eyes as she'd destroyed his stone table. Her double scowled at her. "You've gotten the Stoneshell back every time, no matter what! Victus, Elara, who cares about their decades of magical experience? Of course a twenty-one year old girl from Earth knows better!"

The other Emily sat proud and defiant in the air. Her body, now free of the leafy dress, glowed a faint green, seemingly the mark of a forest spirit. Blue veins were visible beneath her pale, goosebumped skin.



The Stoneshell's chain dangled from Emily's right hand, its pendant swinging gently, its orange light casting flickering reflections across the lake's surface.

"You're the rightful bearer, aren't you?" Emily's double continued. "That entitles you to do whatever you want! Even strip a girl while she's sleeping!"

Talyndra, soaked and scrambling to her feet, wiped water from her eyes and hissed, "Emily, move!"

But Emily stood frozen to the spot, her gaze fixed on her double. The other Emily's eyes seemed to bore into her very soul. She felt the Stoneshell pendant tugging away from her.

"Powerful magic is dangerous in the wrong hands," said the other Emily. "You're messing with forces you don't understand."

Panic surged at the thought of letting the double retake her necklace, and Emily gripped it tighter, lifting it to her neck and clipping it behind her as quickly as her shivering hands could manage. Then she summoned two massive fireballs and each hand and threw them at her double.

Like before, the fire burst into harmless smoke on contact, her double merely chuckling while maintaining fierce eye contact with Emily. "You should let me take over," she said. "Surely you've already seen how much I am at this."

Emily stepped back, weighed down by the heavy fabric of her thoroughly soaked jeans.

Her double, still maintaining the same posture, glided towards her across the air, never breaking eye contact. "If I'd been there, Caelum would be a free merman. I could have won that duel fully clothed. And I would never have entangled myself with nightmoss."

With a loud pop, something small and metallic shot up in front of Emily's eyes, like a bullet. The other Emily's eyes widened as it raced towards her, hitting her right between the eyes. She cried out and lost her composure before dropping into the lake with a loud splash.

Emily glanced down, noting a strange sense of relief, as if she'd just released a breath she'd been holding. The projectile had been the top button of her too-tight jeans.

Emily also saw her double, plunged below the surface, her features marred by the water's churning. From this angle, it seemed as though Emily was looking at her own reflection on the lake surface.

A strange sound, like glass shattering in reverse, welled up in Emily's ears.

Emily's double's eyes and mouth were wide open, as if she was screaming. Emily's blood ran cold as she saw the Stoneshell appear around her double's neck.

She raised a hand to attack, and saw her double do the same. Fire burning around her fist, and she punched down with all her might. Her double punched up.

Fire would of course be instantly extinguished by water, but Emily's fist did not reach the water. Instead, she felt a smooth, transparent barrier, like... glass. Like a mirror.

The glass crunched against Emily's knuckles, sending a spiderwave of cracks along its surface. Her fire dissipated, and she locked eyes with her double for a moment before the mirror disintegrated.

Suddenly, she was alone. Her knuckles throbbed, dripping blood from the shattered glass. She opened her fingers, revealing a single triangular shard of glass in her palm. A partial reflection of her face stared out at her.

"I see you've found the Shard of True Reflection!" cried a voice from behind Emily's back.

Startled, she turned to see a smiling old woman standing on the riverbank. Next to her stood a wet and shivering Talyndra.

"This is Abbess Loren, Emily!" Talyndra yelled. "Gla Abbey is right behind these trees!"

Emily looked back at the glass shard in her palm. So this was the Shard of True Reflection. It just looked like a piece of broken glass to her. But at least this meant that her strange and confusing time in Shimmerwood was close to an end. Taking one last mystified glance, she slipped the shard into the pocket of her jeans and walked back to shore.

"You're bleeding!" said Talyndra, taking Emily's hand in her own. With a glow of green magic, she sealed the small cuts on Emily's knuckles.

"You must be very cold," said the Abbess, taking in Emily's bare torso and soaked jeans with a grandmotherly scrutiny that made Emily blush.

"Come, you can warm up in my office," she said, turning and leading Emily and Talyndra away from the lake.

Behind a line of trees lay a squat straw hut, which Abbess Loren proclaimed, with no little fanfare, to be Gla Abbey. "Welcome, weary travelers!"

Talyndra cast a confused glance at Emily. "It doesn't much like an abbey..." she whispered.

"Few things in Shimmerwood look like what they are!" proclaimed Abbess Loren, chuckling madly. She beckoned them into the hut, which had an entrance so small that even Talyndra had to duck to get through it.

But if Talyndra had been surprised by the abbey's outside appearance, she was even more taken aback by what it looked like on the inside. For beyond the tiny entrance, a cavernous room unfolded before them, its walls lined with bookshelves that groaned under the weight of leather-bound tomes. Golden candelabras flickered with warm light, casting dancing shadows across plush purple couches and ornate tables carved with swirling runes. The air smelled of aged parchment, beeswax, and a faint, floral undertone that reminded Emily of the forest's cloying sweetness, now softened into something comforting.

While Talyndra and Emily marveled at the room's opulent and impossible proportions, Loren retrieved a pair of thick woolen blankets from an oak cabinet. Both took the blankets and wrapped them gratefully around their shivering bodies.

Talyndra continued to marvel at the room around her, her blanket slipping slightly as she turned in a slow circle. "H-how is this possible?" she stammered, as Loren indicated a purple couch for them to sit on.

Loren laughed. "Everything in Shimmerwood is as real as you want it to be. Or as real as you don't want it to be, sometimes."

"That would explain some things," Emily said, thinking back over everything that had happened in this strange place. "I think."

"I'm sorry I couldn't meet you as soon as you arrived," said Loren. "Althea did send me a premonition about your visit, but I couldn't recall the exact time she said you'd arrive. The forest's influence, no doubt. Nevertheless, you seem to have been successful in your endeavors."

"Only just," Emily said. "That spirit was far more powerful than me."

Loren quirked an eyebrow. "If you really believed that, you never would have beaten her. But come, let's see that shard."

Emily fished the triangular piece of glass from her pocket, its edges rough against her fingertips, and handed it to Loren. The Abbess took it reverently, turning it over in her hands, the orange light from the candelabras catching its surface and throwing fractured reflections across the room.

"The Shard of True Reflection," Loren murmured. "I always knew it was out there, just waiting for the right person to find it. You seem to have been the right person, Emily Stoneshell Bearer, and not just for this. Let us now see our true reflections!"

Clapping her hands together with glee, Loren skipped to a table a few feet away, her movements disconcertingly spry for one of such advanced age. Then, taking the glass shard between both her hands, she pulled.

Emily's jaw dropped as the shard stretched out to the size of a full-length mirror, expanding between Loren's hands as though it were made of putty rather than glass. Once Loren was happy that she'd made it large enough, she propped it up against the edge of the table and took a few steps back.

The three women observed their true reflections.

Loren's was largely unchanged. She stood up slightly taller than her hunched, wizen figure, and her large, intelligent eyes were larger and seemed to sparkle even more than in real life. "Hmm, about what I expected," Loren commented.

Talyndra's reflection was muscle-bound and heavily scarred with a cocky grin, dressed in a sleek green leaf outfit. She brandished her beloved and much-missed twin swords. "Hark!" Talyndra cried. "A true warrior!"

Emily's reflection was, as her double had been, completely naked, but for the Stoneshell. She wore a serene expression, and held the real Emily's gaze with total equanimity, even as the real Emily felt a blush rise to her cheeks. Her reflection's hair hung behind her in a thick braid, and her skin was criss-crossed by faint blue lines.

After about a minute, Loren nodded curtly and pressed the top of the shard down so that it once again shrank to a size that could fit in a hand or pocket. She handed it back to Emily.

"What does... what does a true reflection mean?" Emily asked, turning the shard over in her palm.

"That's up to each of us to decide." Loren winked. "Yours is beautiful, Emily."

Talyndra nodded her agreement.

"Now, let us dress for dinner," Loren said, indicating a couple of screens for Emily and Talyndra to change behind, each with a sparkling array of fabric and leaf dresses. "I am very interested in news from Paja Abbey."

Emily followed Talyndra to the screens. Both selected complementary dresses of deep green leaves woven with golden threads. Emily's felt smooth against her skin as she slipped it on, comfortably hugging her form. They joined Loren in a dining room that seemed to perch atop an impossible tower, its windows offering a breathtaking view of Shimmerwood's moonlit canopy. The meal was lavish—roasted fruits, spiced breads, and a rich stew served by courteous monks eager to hear their tales.

But as the evening wore on, Emily’s mind drifted back to her double's taunts—Stuart, Caelum, Victus, the nightmoss. Even as she laughed with Talyndra and answered Loren’s questions, a cloud lingered over her mind. Later, in a well-appointed guest room—a cozy nook with a feather bed piled high with quilts—she undressed, peeling off the leaf dress and setting it aside. Before going to bed, she slid the Bronzeband from her ankle, its metal warm to the touch, and examined the skin beneath, half-expecting to see the dark tendrils of nightmoss she had felt earlier. But both her skin and the band's inner surface were unblemished, though the band seemed to possess a new, subtle heat. This was evidence enough of the nightmoss's continued presence.

She traced the band's contours, remembering how the nightmoss had clothed her, shielded her, saved her. If her double was right about one thing, it was that she hadn't fully understood it. Yet. That warmth, that connection, hinted at untapped power. If she could master it, it might rival the Stoneshell itself.

Emily slipped the Bronzeband back onto her ankle and climbed into bed, pulling the blankets over her. As she drifted toward sleep, she resolved to ask Abbess Loren about nightmoss in the morning.

[student]

I am in awe of "Emily, Naket in Thessolan."

[cradulich]

Thanks for continuing the story

[Horn-eman000]

Don't you get it, Emily? You're supposed to be naked, lol.