Chapter 136: Did Someone Say Portals?

“You didn’t tell me that the fucking General was going to show up at my shop!” Wendyl screeched.

The Inlon was a mess, covered in some sparkly dust and smears of grease, plus a few patches that looked like burns. Her pink hair was everywhere, and she looked exhausted.

“How were we supposed to know?” Ann asked, flabbergasted. “I didn’t even think she was in the city!”

“Guess she is now,” Kat said. “And Polaris is the one who delivered the lens, aye?”

“YES!” Wendyl shouted, waving her small arms wildly. “Unless you know some other massive Thrundol who looks like she could crush me with her pinkie finger. Or, you know, goes around introducing herself as Polaris.”

“Why did Afric send her, though,” Bren pondered. “Unless.”

Ann’s eyes went wide. She met Kat’s similar expression, then Bren’s. The three of them burst out laughing.

“What? What’s so funny?” Rosalyn complained.

“Holy shit, she got a boyfriend!” Ann gasped.

“Grumpy arse finally found someone? After all these years?”

“He is far less… sturdy than I expected her eventual partner to be,” Bren chuckled.

“Right? I thought she’d find ‘erself a big ol’ military type. Not some scholar.”

“Complete nerd.”

“The feck is a nerd?” Kat asked Ann.

“Smart person who’s got nothing else going on I guess? Likes to revel in smart stuff and show it off.”

“Guess that is close,” Bren nodded.

“You, Bren, are the definition of a nerd,” Ann laughed.

“What? I have plenty of other things happening in my life,” Bren shot back.

“Books,” Lucia said, flatly. “Plenty books.”

“She’s got you there,” Rosalyn giggled.

“I have pursuits,” Bren grumbled.

“Yes, yes, ye get all the girls,” Kat teased. “Come on. Just a joke, sourpuss. So, the enchantin’ went well?”

“Sure did!” Wendyl said. “Been up for days working on this mess. Not literally before you say anything with that stupid look of worry, Wolf. I’ve slept. May not have bathed. I probably reek.”

“You do,” Lucia confirmed, wrinkling her hooked nose.

“Well, sorry. Anytits, I’ve got all of your shit set up. Take a look!”

Wendyl spread their garments out before the group. Ann’s was the easiest to see. Gems had been set into several of the slots designed for enchantments, glowing faintly under the protective covers protecting the stones. It added a strange dissonance to her colour scheme, and she grimaced at it. It reminded her of a christmas tree. Not a fan.

“Could I get those, um, hidden? The colours really clash,” she asked.

“Oh, you’re one of those,” Wendyl sighed. “Fine. Fashion is fashion, and I saw this coming. Prepared at least. Here, take this and paint the gems. They’ll keep working and you can have your dark and broody setup. Now, big thing, here’s the helmet and the mask.”

Ann took the helm and placed it on her head, getting her hair all in place. It felt just as it usually did, snug and secure.

“Now just reach up to the front and pull down,” Wendyl instructed.

Ann did so, and she felt metal come free in her grip, sliding down effortlessly. The sheet expanded until it was the usual snarling wolf she was used to. “Oh, that’s really nice,” Ann said, voice muffled by the mask.

“Knew it. You can swipe it back up, and it’ll collapse again. One of my better works. Now, for Ears, you’ve got your stat boosts. They’re set inside the armour, so you don’t get to complain like Wolf.”

Kat took her time inspecting her gear. Happy with the changes, she put it down on the counter and nodded. “Got me some greaves that should be ready soon that I’ll need worked on.”

“Same as always, send them to me and I’ll make ‘em shine. Literally, if you want. Alright, Rosalyn, yours is interesting. Zabel really outdid herself with this. Instead of faceted gems, I was able to use powdered versions woven into strands. She set up a whole network in this getup to distribute enchantments without modifying the design you like so much. Keep that tailor close. She knows what she’s about. Also kinda hot in a weird spidery way.”

“I think she’s taken,” Rosalyn said absently as she inspected her robes. Ann could tell she was fond of them, even if she didn’t say so. The way she washed and cared for the vestments told of a deep emotional connection. Gently, the druid poked around the garment, then threw it over her head. After a moment to adjust around her prodigious bust, she sighed happily. “Yeah, this’ll do. I don’t even feel the wire or whatever Zabel used to put the conduits in! So cool!”

“Stingy spider wouldn’t spill the beans on it to me either. Trust me, I tried to get the information, but she kept going on about trade secret this, rules that, my partner, all of this other stuff. All that crap to say you’ll be good if you tell her anything. So, let’s get this all on you five, see how it works.”

Ann grabbed her corset, pulling it on first. As the leather settled against her skin, she felt a mild jolt, not quite a shock, but definite feedback. Her body felt… different. Maybe a bit lighter? She danced on her paws, shifting back and forth. Coordination seemed to be marginally better, and her movements faster. “So that’s what an enchantment does?”

“Only when it’s on you,” Wendyl reminded as she observed the rest intently. “Some people hate it when they have to take their gear off. Get used to having both.”

Ann’s mind wandered to a roleplaying game she used to have fun with. “Wait, about that. Does it have to be a gem and in armour?”

Wendyl gave her a pointy-toothed grin. “Caught on to that already? Nope. Enchantments can get weird. Most of the time it’s just gotta be touching you in some way, and have the markings properly arranged.”

“So, tattoos?”

“Definitely a possibility,” Wendyl nodded. “If you’re brave enough, that is. It hurts more than a normal one, and if things go bad, they go really bad.”

Ann thought about that for a second as she fiddled with her helmet, snapping the visor in and out of the crown. She was getting all sorts of ways to change her body. Could she use some of that to mess with enchantments in the future? Tattoos seemed like a bad idea, and she didn’t know how they’d interact with her skin, but gemstones in her? That might work. She’d always thought body modification was kind of neat, but hadn’t had the money or the pain tolerance to try any of it beyond getting her ears pierced.

“And you slip the gem in here,” Wendyl directed Rosalyn, opening an interior pouch in her robes.

Rosalyn did as instructed, and her garments flashed white, then returned to their normal state. “Oooh, that’s tingly!”

“Tingly is good,” Wendyl nodded. “Should die down. Is it?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok, no feedback loops, then. Sometimes a problem with woven enchantments since pieces can touch in unintended spots. Yeah, appreciating this Zebal’s work a lot more. How’s that scope looking, Tusks?”

“Good. Works well,” Lucia nodded, hefting Fillianore and peering down the scope now attached to the weapon. “Big modification. Appreciate detachability.”

“You looked like that thing was a child. Had a feeling,” Wendyl laughed. “Boots and bracers good? Feeling all stable?”

“Yes,” Lucia nodded.

“Dope. Alright, humie looks happy, how’s the fit, Ears?”

“Fits just like normal. Nice boost tae me stats. I like ‘em,” Kat said, adjusting her armour.

“Don’t want to paint the gems?”

“Nah. I like a bit of colour in my gear. Ma’s got the same problem Ann does, though. She makes sure all her gemwork is hidden. Picky bitch.”

“One of these days I’ll get fashion through your skull,” Ann said.

“Good luck. It’s even harder wit’ this shite,” Kat chuckled.

“Kat, you really do need a helmet at some point,” Bren pointed out. “You just got leg armour. Even a basic piece would work.”

“I want tae find the right one, and I haven’t,” Kat said. “Just, it’s gotta work wit’ me ears an’ me braids. It’s a hard choice.”

“Never mind, I guess we found what fashion she does care for,” Ann said.

“I gotta be comfortable while bein’ protected. Shite’s important.”

“Well, how’s your mom handle all that?” Wendyl asked.

“Enchantments,” Kat said. “She’s got some tae let her ears breathe. More tae compress ‘er hair. That’s all secondary tae actually defensive enchantments, though.”

“Yeah, that’s stretching what a medium quality piece could handle,” Wendyl nodded. “Don’t want to overload the material and make it weaker. You find high-quality steel or bultrite and I’ll see what I can figure out there. Maybe even just have the tips of your ears and hair just gone while the helmet is on.”

“That sounds like portals,” Bren said.

“Yup! Speaking of, that part is also done. Here you all are.” Wendyl held out a ring and a leather bag. The ring was silvery with two gems in it, and six spikes spaced evenly around the outside surface. The bag looked ordinary at first, but when Wendyl pulled it open, Ann could see the matching silver ring with two gems on the inner surface.

“That ring is going to be put where you want things to come out. Get it in place, then click in the gemstone on the right and the spikes will secure it. The bag has two gemstones. One for the passive enchantment that allows it to modify its size as the bag opens and shuts, and another that activates the portal. Green gem is the one that does the portal activation. Click that gem to activate, pull it back out until it clicks to deactivate. Go ahead and give it a try.”

Ann took the pair of enchanted items. The ring was heavy, and she almost dropped it as she took it.

“Careful,” Wendyl hissed. “That’s a cobalt alloy. Had to get it special made. Highly resistant to heat, but don’t take your chances beating it up.”

Ann handed the ring over to Rosalyn, who took it and inspected the device.

Ann focused, growing out a lock of her hair longer than normal, then snipped it with her claws. Opening the bag, she clicked in the green gem, and a black void covered the mouth of the sack. She turned it this way and that, but angles changed nothing.

“It’s safe. Hells, you could stick your hand through if you wanted,” Wendyl shrugged, pulling up a high stool and climbing up to watch.

“Yeah, not gonna test it like that,” Ann chuckled nervously.

“Or other things,” Wendyl continued over her.

Ann felt her cheeks redden as she blushed. Wendyl had read her like a book. She’d ask about that later. For now, she put the lock of hair into the inky blackness.

“Wooaaaah,” Rosalyn gasped.

Ann looked over to watch the Druid take hold of the other end of the hair and pull. Ann felt the pull on her end, and let go. Instantly, Rosalyn was holding the clump of grey hair a few feet away.

“That’s awesome!” Ann said. A real life portal! She looked down and inspected the bag again. With the enchantment active, she pulled the drawstring, and it shrunk without issue. Widening the leather had the same effect.

“Built that one to be sturdier since it’ll be on the road with you.”

“I will go attach that in a furnace,” Bren offered, taking the metal ring from Rosalyn. “Better be me than Katlyn trying to sneak around to do it.”

“I could.”

“Kat, you are not as small anymore,” Bren said.

“Soooo, also have a couple other things for you all. Hope you like them,” Wendyl grinned. Ann had a bad feeling about that grin.

“First off, easy fire starter! You don’t have someone with fire spells from what I know, so this’ll be nice for those cold nights in the woods!” Wendyl held out a small rectangle with a red gem at the top to Lucia. “You’re going to notice something about my work. I like having things to fiddle with and the tactile feel of pressing a switch. See that rectangle on the side there? The raised one. Yeah, that’s it. Push it in.”

Lucia did so and almost dropped it as flame jetted out the top.

“Shit, sorry!” Wendyl cried, taking the erupting box from Lucia. “The gem controls the intensity. Forgot I was stress testing it. Twist the little nubbin here and it’ll calm down.” Wendyl twisted the gem, and the flames died down to a reasonable flame for a lighter.

“How long?” Lucia asked.

“You’ve got a few hours on a good charge. Put the gem next to the campfire after you light it, and that’ll recharge it.”

“Useful,” Lucia nodded, then pocketed the device.

“Next up, a modification of the sound crawlers, name pending, that I gave you all.”

Wendyl hopped down from her stool and grabbed seven curled up automatons. “Alright, same deal as the sound ones, you put them in place and activate them with the gem. They’ll adjust to the best nearby spot and activate. These, instead of dampening sound, are alarms. You all camp out in the wilderness, and knowing if something’s coming will be good, so these will go haywire if anything passes nearby. They’re all linked up so they can cover a perimeter. Not a huge one, mind. You’d need either more of them, or much bigger gems to power the things for a wide range. I don’t want to weigh you down too much, so this is what I settled on.”

“Holy shite, that’ll be great. It’ll make watches that much easier,” Kat said. “What’s the sound they make?”

“Well, they charge based on sound you all make in the day to day, so it’ll pick whatever’s loudest from the last day and use that. I made sure it’s loud enough you won’t mistake it for anything else. That, and it repeats.”

Kat activated the sensor, and it immediately went off.

OH FUCK ANN FUCK ME WITH YOUR STUPID COCK! The machine began to scream on repeat with Wendyl’s voice.

“NO!” Wendyl jumped, grabbing the device and deactivating it.

OH FUCK ANNNN FUUUUUCKKK Mmmmeeeeeerrrrrrrr the device wound down in a distorted version of the enchanter’s voice.

The room was silent as everyone stared at Wendyl.

“I was, um, working out some tension,” Wendyl explained sheepishly. “Sorry you two had to hear that.” The woman’s cheeks, neck and large floppy ears were an incredibly dark green as she blushed furiously.

“You do this to everyone you meet,” Bren glared at Ann.

“Not my fault I’m good at fucking.”

“I think it decidedly is. Orenous just gave you a little help. You do not get to use her as an excuse for everything.”

“Wait, did you just agree that I’m good at fucking?”

“I… well… Gods save me,” Bren groaned.

Ann cackled, doubling over as she laughed at the healer’s flustered expression.

“Sorry, sorry,” she wheezed. “It was too good to pass up.”

“I will survive,” Bren said stiffly.

“So, um, last part was something that we might want just the girls for? Then I want to talk to you and Lucia, Bren. I want to get a good look at the magic from the Life Debt. See if I can figure anything out on that front.”

“We will wait here,” Bren sighed. “Go be… whatever it is you are.”

Wendyl thanked him nervously and led the three lovers upstairs.

“Gonna try fer a quickie?” Kat teased.

“Don’t tempt me,” Rosalyn said.

“I wasn’t talking tae ye.”

“Yeah, but those moans got me all bothered, and I would totally be down,” Rosalyn huffed.

“IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!” Wendyl cried in anguish.

“Awww,” Ann scooped up the Inlon and kissed her. “Miss me that bad?”

“Put me down! I’ve got something for, um, those reasons, too.”

Ann’s eyes went wide. “Please tell me you’re thinking what I’m thinking.”

“Put me down and I’ll fucking show you!” Wendyl humphed as she was set on the floor. She walked over to her dresser and pulled out a smaller box. Two rings of a golden metal, set with various gems and carvings, were nestled on a velvet cushion. “So, uh, this what you were thinking?”

“Damn close!” Ann laughed. “Portals?”

“Portals,” Wendyl confirmed.

“Portals?” Kat asked.

“Kat. Come on. Use that horny brain of yours,” Ann goaded excitedly.

“Ooooh,” Rosalyn gasped.

“I, er, wait. Ye said these were safe?” Kat asked.

“Yup,” Wendyl grinned in response.

“Like, can put me hand through?”

“Think… lower,” Wendyl nudged.

“Oh. OH! Holy Hells, Ann, that’s what ye were thinkin’? How did ye know how tae do this, Wendyl?”

“My naughtier clients loved this sort of pervy shit, soooo I figured you three would love it too.”

“I absolutely do,” Ann laughed, admiring the rings.

“They resize to whatever they’re put on, too, so no worries about fitting. I kinda spent most of this month’s stipend on this project, and I was really excited about maybe getting to use them at some point?”

Rosalyn stepped up behind the unsuspecting Inlon and wrapped her arms over the enchanter’s shoulders. “Is that why the alarm was frenzied moans? Thinking about Ann fucking your brains out with that?”

“I… um… maybe?” Wendyl stammered, caught off guard.

“That’s cute,” Rosalyn giggled. “Cause I’m right there with you. Wait, so if that’s on you, you can just pop your cock out of your sheath and it won’t show? And we can hold it?”

“Nah, just slap that sucker above your cooter and it'll stick."

“Shame we don’t get tae feel what havin’ one’s like,” Kat said, inspecting the rings herself.

“Well, that's the thing. You will now. I couldn't help myself and figured that out over a lot of... experimentation. Problem is, you're both gonna feel it,” Wendyl shrugged. “Definitely something I want to fix, but a limit. I’ll experiment next time. Connecting nerves is always such a bitch, though.”

“I’m sure you’ll figure it out,” Ann said. “Thank you for all of this. It’s really special.”

“Aye. We made a good investment in ye.”

“Quit with the mushy talk or you’re gonna have me drooling at your feet,” Wendyl grumbled. “Let’s just go back to the other two. I have some deific magic to inspect.”