Flameslinger grunted as he fell flat on his face, pushed himself to sit up and shake his head. His body still ached a little from the intense heat of the area before him, but wherever he landed no longer felt oppressively hot and sweltering. Rather, it was more like a gentle, pleasant kind of heat, the kind brought about by a warm day filled with gentle breeze and soft light. Just where had he landed?

Flameslinger stood up and turned his head around, but he couldn't glean any sort of location from where he stood. Everything around was a mass of white and warm colors, an endless plain with no sort of building or sentient life in sight. Well, save for the strange blob of cool color that drifted over one of the endless white hills. Flameslinger lowered his head a bit as he eyed the cool-colored mass, an odd speck in the otherwise-warm climate surrounding, but a thunk pulled him back to the area behind.

Right behind him, Ignitor and Prism Break fell out of a crimson and white streaked hole behind him, and groaned as they jumped back to their feet.

"Flameslinger, what's up with you?" Prism Break scolded as he rushed up to Flameslinger and conked Flameslinger on the head with a crystal hand. "You just completely bolted on us and acted like you didn't even hear a word I was saying!" Prism Break gritted his sharp, rocky teeth. "Are you possessed or something?"

Flameslinger took a step back and frowned. "I, I, I don't know."

"You, don't know?"

Flameslinger shook his head as he tugged on his gorget. "It's hard to explain, but, it felt like something was calling me here. I don't know why, but, I think it might be related to that vision…"

"Vision, huh?" Prism Break winced a little. "Don't tell me there's some kind of weird magic over this place or something." Prism Break frowned as he looked over Flameslinger's shoulder. "Speaking of, just where are we, anyways?"

Ignitor hummed, popped out of his armor and flitted above them while parts of his flaming body narrowed until they formed something akin to a face.

"I dost believe I have spiest a town up past that hill yonder!" Ignitor proclaimed as he swirled down and bobbed beside Flameslinger. "Perhaps we can askest the civilians?"

Wait, a town? Didn't Flameslinger see a town in that fire vision he got not moments prior? Flameslinger turned back to the strange, cool-colored mass above the hill and twisted his lips.

"A town?" Flameslinger echoed as he adjusted his bow. "I suppose that's as good a place to start as any."

Flameslinger took one last glimpse at the town as he pulled his blindfold over his eyes. He tapped his feet a few times, just to warm up a bit, and dashed across the hill at wildfire speed; all the while, the warm breeze caressed his face and tinged his cheeks with a gentle warmth. While he ran, the crackle of burning flames drew closer and closer as the ground beneath his foot seared. His whole body flooded with a bright warmth, and it was so intense that he propped down his blindfold a bit to sneak a peek.

A look to the hills ahead showed that cooler-colored blues and purples intermingled amid the warm red and oranges and whites, and they formed into the shape of buildings and gates and other objects. Yes, this definitely looked like a town! This town did ring with a familiar aura, too; perhaps this was the one he saw in his vision?

Flameslinger took a step forward…

"HALT, INTRUDERS!"

And just like that, Flameslinger was completely surrounded by blue and purple fire spirits dressed in flames shaped like firm armor! They all had scowls on their faces as they brandished spears made of crackling flames straight in Flameslinger's face, but for guards, they seemed particularly skinny and sickly. As another guard drew closer, Flameslinger just winced and pulled his blindfold back over his eyes.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Prism Break demanded as he and Ignitor bounded towards Flameslinger.

"That's what we'd like to know, you walking rock pile!" demanded another guard as they joined the group of guards. "Who are you and why did you come here?"

Prism Break and Ignitor both winced, and judging by the low rumble Prism Break made, he didn't seem particularly happy with the arrangement.

"Stand down, fellow knights! We mean thee no harm!" Ignitor exclaimed as he held up his hands. "We beeth Skylanders, and we camest here to investigatest a peculiar presence—"

"Then why'd you bring weapons, huh? Whoever you are, you're probably up to no good!"

"YEAH!" cried the other fire spirit guards as they pounded their spears against the ground and sent sparks flying everywhere.

Prism Break snarled as his crystals started to light up with a faint shriek. "We're not here to steal or burn your place down or anything!" Prism Break insisted, before his harsh tone faded into exhaustion. "Not that we, could burn anything down."

"And why should we believe you?" another fire spirit questioned as the sounds of burning metal raised in volume. "Any rando can come stumbling through the entryway and claim they're a Skylander!"

The fire spirit guards once again pounded their spears against the earth. "YEAH!"

Prism Break's low rumbles grew louder as the guards closed closer and closer in on him, Ignitor and Flameslinger, and once again his crystals shrieked like he was about ready to fire! Flameslinger turned back at Prism Break and tried to signal for him to knock it off, but froze and gulped as one of the guards snarled and raised a spear at him!

"And what's your deal, elfie?" the guard demanded as they pulled down Flameslinger's blindfold. "You've been oddly quiet since you came here!"

Flameslinger gulped as the spear came uncomfortably close to his throat, but then, the strangest thing happened. The guard's eyes went completely wide as they lowered their spear away from Flameslinger's neck!

"Wait a second, boys," said the guard as they turned back to the crowd and pointed their finger towards Flameslinger. "Take a closer look at this elf. His boots, his bow, they've got traces of fire spirit magic!"

The other guards gasped, dashed over to Flameslinger and completely closed him in! Great, the one thing he hated the most—large crowds with all eyes fixed on him. Flameslinger winced and clenched his teeth as the fire spirits fiddled with his bow and stroked his boots, but tried his best not to lash out. After all, these fire spirits seemed liable to erupt any moment! (And he thought Eruptor was bad.)

The guards gasped and sputtered in shock as they examined Flameslinger, and their chatter was apparently loud enough that it attracted the attention of the villagers inside. Several other fire spirits in all shapes and sizes, but still painted in those sickly blue shades, floated out from their houses and crowded around the entrance in sheer wonder.

"What's going on?"

"Who're these people, ma? They don't look like fire spirits!"

"I don't think they are, sweetie!"

"Visitors? We haven't had visitors in such a long time!"

"Now, now, everyone settle down!" cried an elderly, but still commanding voice. "Just what is going on in here?"

The guards all gasped and zipped away from Flameslinger, knelt down and bowed their heads as they formed a path from the Skylanders to the village entrance.

There, a skinny, tall fire spirit with a body comprised entirely of faint blue and purple flames, a beard made of long, streaky white fires, and blank white eyes that sunk into their face swept down the path. Despite the wrinkles the flames carved into their face and the skinny figure, they still carried themself with a sort of regal posture, the one that subtly demanded the attention of everyone around. Also, they seemed to have a ting of familiarity to them.

"Elder Infernus!" cried the head of the guards. "These intruders, they showed up in front of our villagers out of nowhere, and we—"

"Silence, now," Infernus said as they cast a glance back at the head guard, "I will be the judge of whether or not they are intruders."

The guard made a small groan, but reluctantly bowed their head and allowed Infernus through.

Infernus, in response, floated up to Flameslinger and tilted his head, and gently ran a hand against Flameslinger's face. Their touch wasn't scorching despite the fact that they were made of fire, but carried itself with a sort of warm nostalgia, a familiar touch that Flameslinger was sure he had felt before.

"I…" Infernus's eyes went wide as they retracted their hand from Flameslinger's face, and their voice was rife with gentle shock. "Those eyes. I know you."

Soft, shocked conversation arose from the guards as they looked among each other with wide eyes and jaws, but another glare from Infernus quickly shut them up.

"Your heat signature, I remember it." Infernus turned back to Flameslinger while their shock turned to a warm, kind look.

Flameslinger gasped as he looked over the fire spirit, and in a moment, a memory of time gone past flashed back into his mind. It was a brief, yet so formative memory; one of cries for help heard during archery practice, of his practice abandoned as he dashed away to the pond where he practiced nearby, of the sight of a pale, red hand flailing above the waters, of him wading into the pond's waters and pulling out… A fire spirit! Yes, this had to be that same spirit! They aged quite a bit since that fateful day, but Flameslinger would recognize that kind look anywhere.

"You're the elf that saved me all those years back, aren't you?"

Flameslinger smiled, knelt down and nodded. "I go by Flameslinger now. You see, I've become a Skylander in the time that's passed since that day." Flameslinger peered up at Infernus and grinned. "The gifts you gave me served me well. You have my eternal thanks."

Infernus heartily chuckled, gently lifted up Flameslinger's chin and grinned.

"I'm quite glad to hear that, Flameslinger." The wrinkles on Infernus's face grew more prominent as they beamed. "If anything, that wasn't nearly enough to thank you for saving my life!"

"Wait, saved your life?" asked the head guard as they looked back up at Infernus.

Infernus nodded, cleared their throat and took on a more serious tone as they puffed out their chest.

"This kind elf is no intruder, nor are his allies!" Infernus proclaimed in their most leaderly, commandeering voice. "Years ago, he saved me from drowning to my death! As far as I am concerned, he is a friend to our community!"

The guards clasped their lips, flew away and bowed their heads. Well, save for the head of their forces who only took off their helmet as they flew up to Flameslinger.

"My, apologies for our outburst earlier, Skylander," the guard said as they looked aside and frowned. "Things have been very tense here lately, you see."

"Ah, it's alright," Flameslinger said as he adjusted his gorget and smiled, but turned his attention back to Infernous. To think, that fire spirit he saved all that time ago was the elder of a community like this; he would have never guessed!

Prism Break, meanwhile, leaned next to Flameslinger and gently bumped Flameslinger's hand. "Seems like you're these guys' hero of the hour, Flameslinger," Prism Break whispered into Flameslinger's ear. "You handle the talking. Just try not to embarrass us."

Flameslinger frowned and looked back at Ignitor and Prism Break, but both of them only nodded towards Flameslinger in response.

"Oh, where are my manners?" Infernus exclaimed as they clasped their wrinkled hands tight. "I simply must show you around, follow me!"

So, Flameslinger, Prism Break and Ignitor all trailed into the village depths. Infernus rambled on about the community's history, and landmarks, and what places were the best to get a nice emburrito, but, Flameslinger couldn't help but feel like something was wrong.

Not in a malevolent sense, no, but everything around felt so sad and cold compared to the rest of the world around. The fire spirits were thin and ambivalated between warmth and chills, the buildings crackled and popped as if they were getting ready to collapse… Heck, a fire spirit who wheeled around a cart full of flaming veggies leaped back and screamed as their cart exploded into a pile of ashes!

"No!" The fire spirit cried as they knelt down and collected the ashes. "Not my cabburngages!"

Flameslinger's lips twisted into a frown, and Ignitor and Prism Break looked around with knitted brows and slight frowns. Surely, they felt the same kind of discontentment that Flameslinger felt.

"But, enough from me," Infernus said as they clapped their hands and turned back to Flameslinger, "so, what brings you here, Flameslinger?"

Flameslinger gasped, then shook his head and forced a smile. He was representing their party, after all, and he had to be on his best manners.

"Well, you see," Flameslinger said as he tugged on his gorget, but finally sighed, "Ww were searching for the Crucible of the Ages in a mine just above here when a gigantic cave-in occurred!"

Ignitor and Prism Break nodded in unison as if to affirm Flameslinger's story, but that didn't seem to ease Infernus any as they looked towards Flameslinger.

"The, the Crucible of the Ages, you say?"

Infernus held a bit of a worried, yet knowing tone, almost as if they knew just what Flameslinger talked about. In fact, that worried look only seemed to deepen as Flameslinger nodded.

"While we were evacuating, I felt a strange presence coming from the flames down here and followed it. It was sickly, almost, like they vcame down with some kind of awful disease and infected everything around." Flameslinger looked back up at Infernus and tried to keep that kind of distant politeness going. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about it, would you?"

Infernus frowned, held their head and heaved a sigh.

"I'll show you Skylanders myself," Infernus winced as they floated towards a gigantic, temple-like building above them. "Follow me."

Prism Break, Ignitor and Flameslinger exchanged slightly concerned glances, then gulped and followed the elder down up the temple's massive staircase. By the time they reached the top, Infernus entered a discussion with a purple-flamed spirit dressed in red and gold priestly garments made of lapping flames, and it seemed their conversation came to a close. The two of them nodded as Infernus turned back to Ignitor, Flameslinger and Prism Break and made a beckoning gesture.

The four of them walked inside, paused and gazed in awe as their feet hit not flame, but stone instead! Sure enough, the walls, the floors, the ceiling, they were all made of some kind of warm stone. The only flames present were the ones on torches that flanked each side of the temple.

Flameslinger frowned and drew away from the walls, but shuddered as a sudden chill raced down his spine. Not just because it was cold, but because it was the same kind of chill that he felt when he had that vision! A familiar burping sound echoed through the temple as ashes and embers scattered across the floors above him, and he lifted his head…

"There it is!" Flameslinger cried. "That's what I saw in my vision!"

Right before him was indeed, the flame he saw in his flame vision, and it was just as sickly as before. In fact, Flameslinger was half-certain that it got even worse! It shuddered and shook as ashes flew out from its body in every direction, and its temperature got so cold that it slightly chilled the room around.

Flameslinger couldn't help but feel a little sorry for it as it sulked and shook. He held out his hand, almost as if he offered it a stroke of comfort, but it let out a mighty cough that shook the entire ground and made everyone jump back before he could! Flameslinger shuddered as the miniature earthquake finally came to a stop, turned his gaze down to the floor and shook his head. Wait a second, there was something underneath that flame! Something round, and golden, and vaguely dishlike that rang with a strong warmth. Could it be?

"The Crucible!" Prism Break cried as he grinned and dashed forward. "Well, looks like our job is done here—"

Just before Prism Break could yank the Crucible out from under the flame, however, Infernus flew in front of him and grabbed his hands!

"No, please!" Infernus begged. "You can't take it! It's all that's keeping our Great Flame alive!"

"Hey, what's the holdup?" Prism Break snarled as he yanked back his hands. "We need that Crucible for the Core of Light! You know, the thing that's supposed to keep all of Skylands from being engulfed by evil?"

Flameslinger blinked, stepped forward and pushed back Prism Break before he could say anything uncouth.

"If you don't mind me asking," Flameslinger asked as he turned his gaze to Infernus, "what exactly is going on here?"

Infernus frowned, turned back to the fire and gently stroked it while the fire itself hiccupped out a splash of embers.

"Every fire spirit community has a Great Flame. It's what births young flames in our community and keeps the fires of it healthy and bright." Infernus explained with a somber, melancholic tone. "The great flame has a hearth that kept its fires stoked well…"

"But what happened to it?" Ignitor asked as he examined the Crucible. "For that, kind elder, art not a hearth."

Infernus sighed and shook their head while tiny embers stroked down their face.

"We know. A few months back, the hearthstones shattered completely, and without its hearth, the Great Flame started to grow ill." Infernus swept out the way of another round of ashes and embers, knelt down and examined the Crucible. Those blank, white eyes of theirs were tinged a bit blue with sorrow, and the way the wrinkles on their face deepened accentuated it. "Our village guard found the Crucible in the outskirts, and we've been using it to stoke the Great Flame's fires for now. Without a proper hearth, its condition will only worsen from here. And if it goes out completely…"

Flameslinger's mind flashed back to the village and guards he saw earlier, so sad and sickly like they were going to explode into ashes and wither away at any moment! Infernus didn't finish their sentence, but Flameslinger knew exactly what they were going to say.

"Is there any way to make a new hearth, then?"

"Indeed, doth there be a way?" Ignitor said as he grabbed his sword by its hilt. "We shan't possibly leavest you to suffer like this!"

"And we do kind of need that Crucible," Prism Break remarked as he crossed his arms and looked aside.

Infernus winced and held a clasped hand to their face. They seemed a bit hesitant to speak, but finally, they drew in a sharp breath and released.

"Legend has it that another set of hearthstones is located in the Crystal Grove, far away from the village." Infernus winced and pursed their wrinkled, flaming lips. "But, it's guarded by a fearsome monster and the journey is long and perilous…"

Prism Break, however, just let out a hearty chuckle as he laid an arm around Infernus's shoulders.

"Ha, fearsome monsters and perilous journeys, how cute," Prism Break chuckled as he raised an eyebrow at Infernus. "Listen, we're Skylanders. We fight bad guys and save the world five times before breakfast! Something like this is hardly an issue!"

"Wait, what are you saying?" Infernus asked as their eyes sparkled with a bit of hope. "Are you going to retrieve the hearthstones?"

"We'll make a deal," Flameslinger said as he held out a hand. "If we retrieve the hearthstones for you, you'll give us the Crucible. Does that sound fair?"

Infernus's soft gasp turned to a smile as they locked hands with Flameslinger and firmly shook.

"Indeed," Infernus said as they released and pulled out a flaming scroll from their… Side? They didn't exactly have pockets, but nevertheless they unfurled the scroll and presented it to Flameslinger. "This map will take you to the Crystal Grotto." Infernus laid the map in Flameslinger's open palms. "May the Ancients be with you."

Ignitor's own flames stoked and warmed as he and Prism Break examined the map alongside Flameslinger, and he let out a cry of glee as he took the map from Flameslinger's hands.

"Long voyages, fearsome foes, great treasures! Why, this is akin to the quests I embarkest on whence I was but a young knight!" Ignitor proclaimed as he held the map tight in one hand and whipped out his sword with another. "I doth believe it is time for me to SLASH AND BURN!"

And just like that, Ignitor bolted out the temple without a moment's hesitation! Flameslinger and Prism Break both smiled at each other before they bolted out the temple doors, where Ignitor already went onto a long spiel towards a crowd of fire spirits with his sword raised high. In fact, with the pose Ignitor struck and the confidence he radiated, he almost looked like those statues of famous knights that were always around villages and museums.

"And that, fair fire spirits of this humble village, is why thou shan't fret!" Ignitor proclaimed as he waved his sword in the air. "We, the Skylanders, vowest that no matter what, we will retrievest those hearthstones and restorest your precious Great Flame! Even if it taketh our entire lives to do it…"

"He really gets carried away when it comes to this stuff, huh?" Prism Break remarked as he leaned against the temple's outer walls, yelped and sprung forward from the heat.

Flameslinger chuckled as Prism Break rubbed his aching back, and turned back to Ignitor as his grin grew wider. Ignitor may have gotten caught up in his knightly grandeur, but the villagers ate it up! They all cheered and clapped and leaped in the air as Ignitor's speech came to close, and even Ignitor himself seemed much more lighthearted than usual as he walked up to Flameslinger and Prism Break, pulled out the map and rolled it out.

"Our journey startest here," Ignitor said as he pressed his armored finger against a path that laid a little to the left of the temple they stood under now. "Shall we embark, my good sirs?"

Flameslinger and Prism Break both nodded as Flameslinger pulled his blindfold over his eyes, and all three of them stormed down the temple stairs. They bolted away from the village depths, all while the fire spirits cheers of encouragement rang in their eyes.

"Good luck, Skylanders!" the fire spirits all cried as one heart and mind.

§

Chihiro panted a few seconds more before she broke into a panicked coughing fit. She gasped and covered her mouth until she felt the coughs subside, and she poked her head around the tree with one hand still over her mouth.

That monster from earlier still smashed things and stomped about in a haphazard rage and left a ton of destruction in its wake! A good chunk of the forest around was broken and razed into the ground, while the corpses of their trunks scattered around the forest floor and littered the fields with torn bark and scattered, wilted tree leaves. The monster's howls and cries of anger drowned out the flowers' song, not that there was any singing to be had as the flowers broke out into terrified choruses of shrill screams. Even the skies felt a little duller and sadder; she couldn't let this continue on!

Chihiro bit her lip, and looked down at her bracelet, and the six slots that still glowed bright. She would be done for if she used them all, so what should she do? Defensive magic is all fine and dandy, but she couldn't just keep defending and not do something!

CRASH!

Chihiro jolted up, and whipped her head around the tree she hid behind as the monster rammed its head into the trees behind it. But, that wasn't the thing that caught her attention the most by far. Rather, her gaze trailed over to the one paw it limped on still. For that matter, now that she thought about it, it lashed out all this time but it wasn't very coordinated. It just kind of, rampaged everywhere it could and lashed out at anything it considered a threat. Maybe, just maybe, it wasn't nearly as malicious as it seemed?

Chihiro frowned, summoned a magical telescope and extended it. She'd figure this out herself! She placed the telescope to her eye and fixated on the paw the monster limped on. It was a paler lavender compared to the darker purple fur of its pelt, with dark purple, squishy toe beans, just like a kitty cat! But more importantly, it had something round and silver in it! Some kind of thorn or obtrusion, maybe?

Chihiro grinned and stashed away her telescope—looks like she'd have to find that out.

"I'd better get a closer look!" Chihiro proclaimed as she stomped her feet and grinned as her boots were coated in an extra pair of magical spring boots!

Chihiro leaned down, sprung forward and bounded towards the monster! "Hey, hey!" Chihiro shouted as she sprung up and flew down. "Over here!"

The monster grunted as it turned around from ramming its head into the trees, leaned down and snarled as its fur bristled! With its fangs bared, it leaped forward and got ready to scratch her down, but froze as Chihiro grabbed its thorn-afflicted paw! For a moment, its anger released and it almost seemed kind of cute, really. The tension in its face shifted to confusion as it made a soft, curious noise that vaguely sounded like a purr, all while its eyes fixed totally on Chihiro with a kind of anticipation.

"Hmmmmm," Chihiro hummed as she tilted her head and examined the paw, released and made a sagely nod. "Yep, that thorn's definitely stuck tight!" Chihiro grinned as she lifted her hands. "Don't worry, buddy! I'll get that thorn out pronto!"

Unfortunately, the monster didn't seem nearly as keen on that idea as she was! Right as she reached her hands out and went to grab it, it yowled and swatted her back down the forest floor!

Chihiro screamed as she flew across the air, crashed down and rolled back down across the grass! She shook the tree bark splinters out of her hair and winced, while the monster looked back at her and screeched! Its fur stood on end as it bore its many fangs into a snarl, and its eyebrows tensed up so much that she could barely see its eyes. It shuddered and dug its claws into the earth. Geez, what did she do to it to make it so scared?

Chihiro frowned, turned down at her still-glowing hands and winced. She barely noticed it anymore, but her hands always glowed when she was casting spells, regardless of nature, and she did try to attack it earlier. Had it thought she was going to hurt it? Well, obviously that wasn't going to do! She'd just have to convince it that she didn't mean any harm! Chihiro jumped back up to her feet, teleported back up to the monster and forced a smile.

"Alright, buddy!" Chihiro said as she held out her hands and summoned a magical squeaky toy shaped like a bone. "You wanna play? Huh, huh?"

The monster growled and swiped down at Chihiro, who screamed as she jumped back and released the toy! Out of instinct she flung a shield in between her and the monster, released and loosened her body as the sound of rabid snarling fell over the area. The monster didn't care about her at all! Rather, its attention entirely fixed on the toy she summoned as it tore the toy's magical exterior to bits! Seems it wasn't very fond of squeaky toys.

"Alright," Chihiro whimpered as she scratched her head, "so maybe squeaky toys aren't really your favorite things in the whole wide world." Chihiro held her hands out, and with a flash of magic, she summoned a gigantic magic frisbee and tossed it towards the monster. "How about a good old-fashioned game of catch, instead?"

The monster sat down and blinked as the frisbee flew towards it, yowled and leaned back as the frisbee soared over its head! Whoops, guess it's never played a game of catch either. The monster leaned forward, pressed its chest down to the ground and snarled further, all while its eyes started to twitch.

"Oh geez."

Chihiro winced as she held her hands out and formed a shield, but yelped and threw her arms in front of her body as the monster slashed away at her barrier.

"It was an accident, I swear! I wasn't trying to hit you!" Chihiro exclaimed as she lifted her head back up at the monster and held out her arms. "Here, how about a treat?"

Chihiro held out her hands, and out from her palms leaped a magical dog treat the size of an entire house! Surely, any animal couldn't resist a nice treat, right? Well, apparently that one could. The monster snarled, smashed the treat to bits, and shot her backwards as it smacked her shield with one of its paws!

Chihiro winced as she slid back, regained her footing and summoned a gigantic bone drizzled in gravy. "How about this, then? A nice juicy bone, just for you!"

Nope, the monster just swatted that away, too! Guess she'd have to get a bit more creative from here on out.

"A giant yarn ball?"

Smacked the ball away with its head and completely unraveled it in an instant!

"A toy bird? It's got catnip in it and everything!"

No use! It just grabbed the bird, snapped it in half and spat the broken halves out like bad medicine.

"Steak?"

Well, okay it did seem to like that one! It grinned and slobbered as it gulped down the steak in one bite, and purred for a few moments before it opened its eyes and realized that Chihiro was still there! The moment it locked its eyes back on Chihiro, it snarled and leaped forwards! Chihiro gasped, and without even thinking, she tossed out her hand and shot a cloud of sleeping powder right at the monster!

While it got lost in the miasma and growled, Chihiro stepped back and turned her head down at her bracelet with its five shining lights. Wait, five? Guess those magical afflictions counted for spell slots too. The sound of growling ahead grew louder and more intense as one firm shake from the monster completely dispelled the sleeping powder clouds, and it roared as it launched back at Chihiro with teeth and claws bared! Great, she wasted a spell slot too!

Chihiro gasped and stumbled out the way, but that was hardly a deterrent to the monster! It simply stumbled a few steps forward, staggered around and charged back at her! Chihiro jumped out of the way as the monster snapped and bit at her, but finally, her mouth soured into a frown as magic bubbled around her person.

"Alright, buddy!" Chihiro shouted as the light enveloped her and the monster staggered backwards. "I tried to do things the easy way, but you left me no choice!"

Just like that, Chihiro teleported above the monster, held her hands out and shot a gigantic magical orb down from the heavens with her sights set back on that monster! As the orb screeched down onto the terrified monster, its many facets unfolded until it was no longer an orb, but rather an intricate net of magical ropes woven into a functional net! The net slammed down and latched the monster down to the ground before it could possibly react, and better yet, it was too strong to break! The monster grunted as it tried to push itself out, but its struggle was futile, for the rope hugged it tight to the earth!

The monster whimpered and panted as it laid its head on the ground, and its whimpers grew even more frantic as Chihiro reappeared in front of it. Its ears folded while its eyes shimmered with a hint of fear; if it hadn't tried to kill her earlier, Chihiro might have actually felt a bit sad for it. Okay, that was a lie, for the sight of it so sad and pathetic just tugged at her heart so badly. So, Chihiro gently rubbed its fluffy, fuzzy forehead and smiled.

"Don't worry, buddy," Chihiro whispered as she walked away and turned over its thorn-inflicted paw. "This'll be over before you know it!"

Chihiro smiled, whipped out a pair of magical tweezers and fixed them tight on the thorn! The monster made a few frantic whimpers as it tried to pull the paw out of the net, but the ropes kept bound tight and only able to barely tug away.

"One, two…" Chihiro bit her lip as she latched the tweezers down tight and yanked them back. "THREE!"

The thorn came out of the monster's paw with a firm pop. Chihiro stumbled back and fell down onto the ground, but grinned as the tweezers disappeared and left behind a silver thorn just as big as she was. Yes, she got it out!

The monster made an earsplitting yowl for a few seconds, but paused and purred as it looked back down at its noticeably thornless paw! But, that paw still had a nasty little open spot where the thorn used to be, so Chihiro walked up and summoned a magical bandage big enough to seal it away! With a snap of her fingers, the bandage peeled off its plastic cover and stuck itself right to that injury.

She snapped her fingers again, and the net that held the monster down unfolded and freed it! The monster grunted as it pushed itself off the ground, looked down and examined its bandaged paw with a hint of intrigue. It licked the paw for a moment, and tilted its head as it looked back down at Chihiro.

"No worries!" Chihiro chirped as she summoned another magical steak and offered it to the monster. "You're all better now!"

The monster knelt its head down and sniffed Chihiro, though its size was so big that one little sniff nearly blew her off her feet. For a moment it eyed the steak, but rather than take it, it just licked Chihiro's face and rolled over so that its fuzzy lavender underbelly was fully visible!

"You want belly rubs, do you?"

Chihiro giggled as she floated up and jumped on its belly, laid down and grinned as she rubbed its belly. It was so soft and fluffy that it almost felt like she hugged a giant plushie! The soft purrs that rumbled through its entire body felt so nice that Chihiro was all fuzzy inside, too.

"You know, you're a lot cuter when you're not trying to kill me," Chihiro remarked as the monster purred further. "If this wasn't just a simulation, I'd totally take you home with me!"

Chihiro couldn't help but giggle at the mental image of Hugo's face, all wide-eyed and pale-furred as she brought home a giant hyena… Cat… Dog, thingie as a pet, followed by terrified screams and prompt insistence that they were absolutely not keeping that thing, thank you very much! It almost sucked that this wasn't real, because she really, really wanted to keep it—wait.

That's right, this was just a simulation, and she was on a mission! She had to get going!

"Sorry buddy," Chihiro said as she got up to her knees and slid off the monster's belly, "but I've gotta get going! I've got a really important mission to finish!"

The monster rolled back to its legs, frowned and flopped down its ears as it looked back at Chihiro with what were surely the best puppy-dog eyes it could muster. It looked so sad that Chihiro almost wanted to stay a little longer. But, she did have an exam to take and tons of other important stuff to attend to, so she just shook her head.

"See you later!"

Chihiro raced forward, and frowned as she examined her bracelet, which was now down to four lights. Guess that net did count as an attack, didn't it? Chihiro sighed and bit her lip as the four lights shone. She'd have to be a lot more careful about attacking from here on out, wouldn't she?

Chihiro paused and spun the bracelet around a few times, but leaped in the air! Not by choice, granted. The entire world around her rumbled and shook as something stormed behind her! Chihiro gasped and whipped around as she readied a shield. Was this her next opponent? Whatever it was, it immediately dashed forward and tossed Chihiro onto its back!

Chihiro squeaked as she fell face-first on soft, fuzzy purple fur. Wait a second? Soft, purple fur, just like that monster she helped not moments earlier? Chihiro sat back up on the back, and a friendly chirrup caught her attention. She turned her attention forwards, and the monster turned back and grinned at her! Well, it grinned the best a hyena monster could.

"You really didn't want me to leave, huh?" Chihiro asked as she giggled and pat the hyena's back. "Well, that's alright! I suppose I'll just have an extra helper for this mission!"

Chihiro frowned, and gently ruffled the monster's neck fur as she pressed herself closer. "Y'know, if you're gonna stick around with me, I'd better give you a name!"

So, Chihiro drummed her fingers against the monster's lush fur, and hummed as she gently kicked her legs against its back. "How about Fluffy?" Chihiro climbed up the monster's neck and scratched it behind the ears. "You like that, right?"

The monster laughed as it raised its head, and Chihiro couldn't help but laugh along with it.

"I'll take that as a yes!"

And so, Chihiro and Fluffy laughed in perfect harmony as they ran deeper into the forest.