[Chaos Echo]

It's always so easy to write Praeli...

Chapter 33

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“What? Why do you want to see her?”


“The fuck’s it matter to you? Maybe I want to taunt her, like ‘haha, I kicked your ass’.”


The Knight Praeli was talking to sighed. “That’s… less sporting than I’d imagined you to be.”


“Oh darn.” Praeli responded, caring little about her opinion. “So, you gonna take me to her, or…?”


“Very well. I’ll need a moment to clear it…”


Praeli watched as the Knight walked off to go secure whatever clearance she’d need, or whatever the hell she was doing. She especially looked at her armor as the other woman left. The armor was stupid as hell. What was it for, anyway? Did it really stop magic, or even bullets? She raised an arm up and popped her shoulder, and then pulled that glove tighter, since she’d noticed it slightly loose.


More time went by, and Praeli passed it by doing various things, including noticing that the paint was peeling on one section of the wall. So she went and pulled it off, dropping it on the floor. Then, in her boredom, she poked the flake with her foot a few times.


“C’mon, what the fuck? Seriously?” Praeli complained.


“Calm down, I’m back. I was gone only twenty minutes, Praeli.” The Knight said, returning.


“Twenty minutes? Shit, could you walk slower?”


“It’s a big building.”


“Whatever. So…?”


“Yes, we’re good to go. Follow me.”


Praeli followed her then, through the complex. The Knight’s Castle, base of their operations. It was a huge structure, though most was underground anyway. She was here to visit someone she hadn’t seen in a long time: Jade; a sorceress who, about seven years ago now, thought that the lives of magic-users were the only lives that mattered, and that everyone else should be removed. She was the first major threat Praeli had ever taken down, and she’d gotten her locked up in here, a sentence Praeli believed was entirely fitting for her. But she was here on a mission, and needed to see her again, regardless of what it took.


“So where is she, then?”


“We keep her separate from the others. There’s a number of those who’re more dangerous than most, and we need to keep them separate.”


“How’s that gonna help shit? She’s a damn sorceress; that shouldn’t make a difference.”


“Praeli, we Knights, though not very long established, have been an organization for twenty five years now. We know what we’re doing.”


“Clearly not well enough to stop her yourselves.”


“Jade was an isolated incident. You got to her when she first started becoming active, so you stopped her before much harm was done. How were we to know about it?”


“That’s fair. I guess.” She followed the Knight down yet another hallway, when a thought struck her.


“Hey. What’s your name?”


“My name? I’m Dame Christine.”


“Alright then, Christine-”


“Dame Christine, please.”


“Fuck you. Alright then, Christine.” She paused a moment to see if she would react, but she did not. “Where exactly are you keeping her? The fucking moon?”


“I already told you, we keep her in her own place. We’re almost there.”


The two women rounded a corner, and went down a flight of stairs. At the bottom was a large, metal door, locked tightly. Christine took a small card, and held it up to a scanner. It made a small beep to acknowledge that it worked, and the door let out a small hiss, and opened. Inside was but another hallway, with only a few defining features. At the far end stood a large machine that was making a low humming noise. And alongside a wall was a cell, guarded by two Knights, both male and both with handguns. And in the cell, she assumed…


“Wait!” called one of the guards. Both of them took a moment to verify who the newcomers were. “Dame Christine, of course, but… why is she here?”


“I don’t know. She won’t tell me.” Christine replied. Praeli ignored both and kept moving, over to the front of the cell. And within it, she saw the woman she was searching for.


Jade had gotten a bit thin from her time in there, and her usually beautiful, dark blue hair was brown and messy, and in the midst of graying with age. She also had only a simple, dirtied dress, a far cry from the impressive golden thing she normally wore. But now, she looked up at the woman who was here to see her.


“You,” She simply said, after a long time looking at her, her brown eyes filled with a tired hatred. “You’re that teenager who stopped me, years ago. But you’re no longer a teenager now…”


“Funny how that works with age. Dumbass.”


“What business could you possibly have with one like me?”


“Alright, well… first, I’m curious. HOW are they keeping you locked up in here?”


“Because it’s their job?” Jade replied, with a hint of sarcasm.


“No. No, dumbass. Fuck. I mean, physically, how are they keeping you in here? Because these guys? The Jade I fought would wipe the floor with them.” If the Knights in the room took offense to that statement, they hid it well.


“That machine, over there.” She lifted an arm and pointed to it. “It constantly drains my magic.”


“Ah. That would explain it. And it would explain why you look so terrible. Seriously, you look fucking terrible.”


A bit of Jade’s face twitched on hearing that. It seemed, to Praeli’s amusement, she was one of those women who greatly valued appearance.


“Funny how seven years imprisoned would take its toll on appearance.”


“No, seriously. Those wrinkles on your face, look at them. It’s creepy.” Praeli said, just trying to get her mad. “And your tits are tiny.”


“Enough out of you!” She yelled, before clutching her throat. “Ow, that hurt…”


“Wow. You’re just fucking pathetic now, aren’t you? It’s actually pretty funny.”


Jade glared at her. “Why are you here? Have you come only to mock me?”


“Not only to mock you, no. I’m actually here for a reason.” Praeli turned her head toward the nearer Knight guarding Jade. “Hey, could I get a bit of privacy with her?”


“I’m afraid I can’t allow that, no.”


“What? Why the fuck not?”


“Because she is an intelligent and dangerous individual. We don’t know what she’ll pull.”


“…did you just underhandedly insult my intelligence?” Praeli asked.


Jade laughed. “While I thank you for the compliment, sir, I don’t believe there’s much I can do in my current state. Aside from attempt to seduce you once more, but that has yet to pan out.”


“But no, seriously,” Praeli cut in. “I’d like a moment with her.”


“And seriously, Praeli, though you’ve done much good for everyone with what you’ve done, I’m afraid we can’t skirt the rules for you. She’s too dangerous to be left unguarded.”


“Too dangerous? Too damn dangerous? You KNOW what I’ve done, right? Fuck-nothing’s too dangerous for me!”


“Rules are rules. We can’t-”


“You know what? Fuck you. Shut up.” She did a powerful jab right into his throat, silencing him forever. The other three in the room just stared in shock for a moment, while Praeli looked down at him, expressionless.


“Praeli-!” Christine got out, finally, and the one she addressed immediately bent down and grabbed the radio that the fallen Knight had on his belt. She then threw it with perfect accuracy at the other man’s, piercing it as he reached for it. Instead, then, the Knight whipped out his gun, pointing it at her.


“Praeli! What the hell have you done?”


“What’s it look like I’ve done? I killed the fucker, because he wasn’t being very cooperative.”


“Why would you do that?”


“Are you serious? I just fucking told you.” She paused for a moment, Christine just gaping.


“How could you-?”


“So, are you going to let me speak with her now?”


“Praeli, you’ve entirely lost your mind. I’ve no choice. I am going to have to incapacitate you, and failing that, kill you.”


“Kill me? Really? And just how do you intend to do that?”


The Knight let his gun answer the question, and fired a shot at her legs. Praeli moved with inhuman speed, avoiding the bullet, and rushed him, grabbing his face with one hand, and his gun arm with the other.


“So that’s how it is, huh? You’re gonna go non-lethal? I guess I can return that favor.” She ripped the gun from him, and threw it to the ground, where it managed to not go off. Then she delivered a powerful kick into his kneecap, shattering it, and threw him into the wall, where by a perfect coincidence, his other leg impacted first, surely breaking that one too. He didn’t move for a bit, so Praeli assumed he’d been knocked unconscious by it. Or dead. It didn’t matter, really.


Jade just stared. “This is different than the one I remember fighting.”


“People change.” Praeli noted, as she bent to retrieve the firearm, and ram it through the floor, barrel-first. “So, that just leaves you, then,” she said, turning to Christine.


“Praeli…” She said a second time. “How could you…”


“Broken fucking record, that’s what you are. Too bad I had to learn your name. It’s always easier when I don’t.” she said, placing her hands on Christine’s head. The moment before she realized what Praeli was about to do, it happened, and she fell too. Then Praeli finally turned her attention toward Jade again.


“That took more effort than I’d’ve liked.” She said, with casualness that betrayed the fact that she’d just killed two, possibly three people.


“You’ve got quite a need to speak to me then, haven’t you?” Jade said, surveying the carnage.


“No shit. So…” Praeli grabbed two of the bars, and pulled, breaking them with little exertion.


“And it seems you’ve gotten quite a bit stronger since last time.”


“No. Shit. Fuck, I don’t remember you being this stupid.” She set the bars aside, and motioned Jade to come out. “You just saw what I did, so don’t try anything.”


“Now why would I do that? You’ve given me no reason to. You only ruined my life.”


“Well, now I’m here to offer to fix it.”


Jade eyed her suspiciously. “Fix it? You come in here, killing wastes of people, and wishing to fix my life? Is this my lucky day or something?”


“Sure, why the fuck not. Regardless, I was sent here by someone I hold loyalties to, and I’m supposed to bring you back to her. She could very much use you.”


“Use me?” Jade laughed. “No one uses me.” “I don’t mean like that, dumbass. I mean, your services. You can provide something she needs.”


“Non-contact magic?” Jade offered.


“Hahaha, fuck you. She needs someone with your leading skills.”


“You’re telling me YOU can’t lead, with your so eloquent speech and charming mannerisms?”


“Don’t snark at me, bitch. Are you in, or not?”


“Before either of us does anything, you should probably address that fellow over there, now shouldn’t you?”


Jade pointed to the guard who’d been unconscious, and who was now removing the radio from Christine’s body.


“Knights! Anyone! Come to Jade’s cell, quickly! Praeli has gone mad, and has kill-” Praeli crushed the radio beneath her foot, but the parts of the message that mattered had already gotten through.


“You little shit. I was going to let you live, but apparently now I can’t.” She went over to the magic-draining machine, and, lighting a hand up with some of her own, she tore into it. Jade braced herself for the inevitable blast from the machine, given how stupid an idea that was, but it didn’t come. It seemed what she did had shut it down rather safely.


“How did you do that? It doesn’t discriminate who it drains. You should’ve been caught too!” Jade said, amazed.


“None of your damn business.” Was the response. Praeli came back over to where the Knight lay, and grabbed him by his face a second time. “Jade, how well can you fight?”


“Not at all. I don’t have any magic on me right now.”


“Well, let’s fix that then, shall we?” Praeli squeezed his face, her hand glowing a purplish-black. The man writhed in her grasp, but he was unable to make a sound. Within a minute, he’d gone limp, and Praeli dropped him to the floor. “Now,” she said, “here you go.”


She thrust her hand into Jade’s chest, knocking the woman over. As it contacted her, Praeli’s hand emitted a bright light, and the energy she’d drained from the Knight surged into the woman.


“You good to go now?” Praeli asked. Jade didn’t respond, but instead looked at her own hands.


“It’s been so long,” she said, after a pause, “since I’ve had the feeling of magic within me…” She did not stand up, but rose herself with her power. Then, she ran her hands over herself. “But a power as beautiful as this should have a form to match it, don’t you think?”


She closed her eyes and ran her hands through her hair, while they became a deep blue. That very some color spread out from the point of contact, permeating her hair, transforming it into a dark shade. As it did, it all straightened, and then became slightly wavy. Then her hands lay on her face a moment, and when they were removed, so were the (rather exaggerated by Praeli) wrinkles. As a final touch, she traced a path around her lips, giving them a bit more color and volume. Jade then turned to Praeli.


“How do I look?” she asked.


“Fucking fantastic. Could you hurry up? They can’t be long to get here now.”


“Now, Praeli, my beautification cannot be rushed.”


Jade held her arms straight out, them having been aglow the entire time, and closed her eyes. Her entire body became more youthful in appearance, dropping probably a good two decades, along with color reentering her form. She reopened her eyes, now a bright, clear teal, and smiled. “Much better. It’s been too long since I’ve been like this, as well.”


The woman then placed a hand over her chest. “These things won’t do at all.” She said, with an almost disappointed tone. Her other hand joined the first, and both became pink. Before long, and with perfect timing, she separated her fingers in the middle on both hands, and her newly hard nipples poked out between them. A small bit filled beneath her hand, but then she had a realization.


“Oh! I can’t go out in these peasant clothes!” She said, noting her current attire.


“You fucking serious? C’mon!” Praeli said, completely oblivious to, or ignoring, Jade’s very slowly swelling breasts.


“Be patient, Heroine. What does it matter if more blood needs to be spilled? Very few of these people are of worth.” She slid her hand over her upper chest, taking whatever cloth she touched away, and it further flowed away and down toward her breasts, coming to a stop partially down them. She pulled it out for a moment, to check the progress of the other spell. Her breasts were approximately softball-sized at the moment, so it wasn’t quite as snug as she was used to, but that would change soon enough.


Jade grabbed one wrist and slid her hand down to just above her elbow, and after a slight delay, a light purple substance following and coating her forearm. She did the same with the other as well. She rapped her knuckles against one, and it made a satisfying metallic noise. Praeli tapped her foot impatiently.


“Come on, you slow bitch! Someone has to have heard that message.”


“Don’t! Rush me!” Jade snapped, annoyed. “If we must kill all of them on the way out, so be it.” She began tracing a path around her neck, golden strands coming into existence following her fingers.


“How the fuck do you intend to pull that off? Do you really think you’re strong enough to fight your way out of here?”


Jade laughed, finishing her necklace by materializing a large ruby to hang from it. “The Jade you fought was a Jade seven years past, do not forget.” She swiped her hands down her dress, and, just like her hair, a color spread from the points of contact, this time a bright gold, the dirt burning away as well. Once it reached her knees, the dress below sheared and fell to the floor.


“I have been seven long years in here, seven long years to practice.”


“You said your magic was drained, though.”


“And I used the opportunity to push my limits. Every day I strained against it, and every day my ability grew. Until one day, when I should become free. In honesty, I’d hoped to simply overwhelm it, but this works better. Still, my magic pool is now immense. I shall likely not need to lift an actual finger ever again.”


“Yes you do. You need hands to do magic, dumbass.”


Jade ignored her. There was only one thing yet to finish. Once again, she peered down her body at her chest, which wasn’t much bigger than last she’d checked.


“Seems I overestimated how much I put into this. Let’s try again…” She again placed her hands over her breasts, both a soft pink, and watched. Her nipples again perked up, this time less noticeably, as she’d thickened the material of the dress when she’d changed it. A small smile grew on her face as she felt the small bit of the pleasurable effects of the spell that she’d allowed through. The mounds once again picked up their growth, and once again were slow about it. Jade didn’t really care, though. She wasn’t attempting to be the world’s bustiest woman or anything.


She reached down and patted her rear as well. “This has been sorely missing, too…” She said, before setting the spell to action there. At this point, Praeli had given up on pushing her, and just looked at the woman’s butt with mild interest.


“And what’s wrong with that?”


“Please, heroine.” Jade’s small rear started a bit, becoming more rounded. “I need to be a lovely, feminine leader for the people I intend to lead. And a lovely, feminine leader has lovely, feminine curves, doesn’t she?” She emphasized her point by holding her breasts from beneath. They were now approximately DD sized, if she remembered her measurements, which meant she still had to let them go a tiny bit further.


Jade touched her bottom again, pleased with how it was turning out. It was nice and round again, and her dress was pulled pleasantly to it, very slightly taut around its shape, which just barely showed through the cloth, and she called that one off then. Her hands traveled back up to her chest, giving her bosoms a light squeeze. They were large, yes, and her dress was pleasingly snug around them. The ruby on her necklace rested in the very top of her cleavage, and she sighed happily.

“Finally, I’m back.” The two women heard the hiss of the door opening, and Jade’s expression turned from one pleased and calm to one excited for violence. “And not a moment too soon!” She said, and both women rushed the exit.




Several hours later, Praeli stared at the television, stunned. She set down the tub of ice cream she’d been eating out of, and readjusted the phone.


“Um, Gramma? I think I’m gonna need to talk to you sometime later. I gotta go tell that farmer to look after the house, and then I need to lay low for a while here. I just heard on the news that I’m wanted for mass murder.”