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You wrench the longsword free from the defeated foe, the cultist slipping lifelessly to the floor, mid-fireball. Despite the crew of enemies, you'd barely suffered a scratch during the fight, your shield being a nearly impenetrable defense, and your enchanted weapons taking them out with ease. Even the few attacks to strike you barely broke the skin, your years of adventuring and combat training making you nigh-unstoppable in a fight.
Of course your companion, Yvonne, helped you with defensive enchantments and magical support from behind. Despite her powerful magic, there's a reason she stands behind you in battle.
"A little gruesome, don't you think...?"
The spellcaster winces, looking at the aftermath of the fight.
You turn to her and reply, explaining there was no other choice. The cultist were mad, oath-bound to protect their deity. They'd been given ample chance to surrender, and they'd refused. They would not have relented, even in the face of certain death.
The alleged 'goddess' of these woods... She'd driven them to madness. Beyond the barrier, within Her woods, nobody had ever left the same. Many never left at all. Some alleged that She was a powerful demon, some alleged She was a dragon, many told legends that She ate dragons... and these cultists regard Her as simply a God. Or at least they did, before they vanquished themselves trying to stop you.
You'd toppled wicked kingdoms. You'd fought dragons. You'd saved nations from villainy and aggressors. You'd fought long and hard to become the most fearsome warrior in all the land. A legendary hero. If anyone could end the terror of this mysterious entity lurking in the woods, it would be you.
"I think I'm ready if you are. Should I use the scroll of greater protection before you head inside? Or after?"
The mage wields her staff in one hand, and her spellbook in the other. You explain that she should save it until we see the beast, to get a closer look at what you both are dealing with.
You step forward, towards the ruins of a stone wall, eroded after centuries of use. Things feel normal, things feel quiet.
You take another step, careful to look around, careful to try to sense danger nearby.
You step over a toppled section of wall, one of many to choose from. You still hear nothing. You still feel nothing.
You step again, your armored boots imprinting against the forest floor.
You step again...
You're here. You can tell. The border is invisible, but unmistakable, especially for someone who'd faced foes like this before. Yvonne follows in-toe, feeling the same shiver up her spine. The way the silence had changed tone, the way the air feels more still, the way the worries at the back of your mind seem to amplify.
She quietly nods to you, as the both of you continue forward.
Unlike the path it took to get here, there are no barriers in your way. No traps, no fences with guarded gates, no cultists... just grass and bushes.
You travel between the trees, following a barely-visible path deeper into the woods. The air feels colder, the shadows feel darker, but still no sign of this beast.
"Something is nearby. We're being watched, I know it."
Yvonne whispers, keeping a close eye on the path behind you.
Your sword feels slick in it's sheath, ready to strike at whatever jumps out at you.
...
"Hello?"
An unfamiliar voice speaks out from the brush nearby, a few trees away to your left. Yvonne is quick to keep herself behind you, as you face the stranger standing in the woods, demanding she identify herself.
"Well... I live here. I'm one of many who do. Who are you?"
You hesitate for a moment. You know from the fey not to give your name, you know not to undersell yourself, and you know not to be too secretive with strangers on their land... So, you list your titles. The warrior of one city, the savior of another. The honorary protector of your home village.
The mysterious woman looks you up and down. She has long, dark hair, and green eyes that practically glow in the night.
"...And why are you here?"
Yvonne is the one to answer, this time.
"We've... we've come to confront the mighty beast who roams these lands. To challenge them, and to put a stop to their wickedness."
"No, not you." The stranger idly waves her hand, dismissing the mage. She looks into your eyes, from a comfortable distance. "I want to know why you are here, mighty hero."
You consider how to answer. If this is the beast you're talking to, you don't want to tell it outright that you're here to earn the title of 'god-killer,' among the surrounding townsfolk. Then again, if you aren't open with your intentions, who will tell your story? Before opening your mouth, the stranger interrupts...
"And what, exactly, makes you think you're up for such a task?"
Ah. So this is the creature of legend who resides here. She had read your mind, She heard your sentence before you'd finished composing it in your head. And now She knows your exact intentions.
You don't unsheathe your sword just yet, instead nodding to Yvonne, who has the protection scroll ready to cast. You feel your muscles bolster with newfound sturdiness, as the spell takes effect. You take a step forward, towards the powerful stranger, ready to face Her here and now if you have to. You no longer bother with words, now that you know She's quietly reading your mind.
"Oh no, no, you stay there."
You defy Her words, lifting your foot to take another step forward... only to have it fall directly next to your planted foot. An incredible weight comes from nowhere, weighing down your boots and pinning you in a standing position on the forest floor. Legs close together, entirely unbalanced.
You turn to Yvonne, motioning to your legs and instructing her to try and free you from whatever hex is keeping them planted. You hadn't even felt the hum of magic go past you, you didn't feel any strain on your mind, or your psyche. Simply an impossible weight, forcing you to stand.
"I know your type, mighty hero. I know what you're here for, and what you'll do if I turn you around and send you on your way. You'll conquer more, you'll 'train harder', you'll find a bigger group of fools to help you on your errand. No matter how many times I turn you around, you won't listen. You'll only cause more harm."
The stranger steps forward, a sad look on Her face, but an unmistakable smirk to go along with it. She wouldn't do this if it wasn't best for the mortal world outside her woods... but that doesn't mean she won't enjoy the experience. She takes another step forward, coming further and further into the light.
You hear Yvonne utter a powerful antimagic spell on your legs. Then an intense counterspell. Then a healing spell, to cure possible paralysis. Then another remedy... Then another...
You can hear the panic in her voice, as she rapidly runs out of options, each spell taking a notable amount of time to cast, all while the stranger slowly steps forward towards the two of you.
"It... It's not magic, it's not an illusion, it's not a trap, it's not a psychic effect... I... What is...?"
"Quiet, Yvonne."
The mage suddenly stands up straight, stunned into silence, distracted from the process of freeing you.
Even with such a terrible stance, you draw your sword confidently. You can stand with the strength of a stone statue easily, you can definitely fight with a compromised lower-body like this. You'll be a god-killer who did it standing up straight.
The mysterious figure takes another step forward. Her footsteps seem to shake the ground, unnaturally. The trees rustle with Her breath. Her words seem to surround you without echoing.
"This is between you and me. Your little shoulder-angel back there doesn't believe in this cause, the same way you do. She merely admires you, and trusts you with her life. She follows you into battle. She'd know to run away and never return."
Yvonne opens her mouth to speak... but not even a breath comes out. She'd been told to be quiet, after all.
"She'll run without a second thought. I just need to show her why she should run."
The stranger raises her hand, as if grasping at something light in the air.
You suddenly feel your back straighten, and your hands wrench themselves open. Your sword, legendary as it is, is merely a piece of metal when not being wielded. It clatters against the stones on the ground, along with your shield. You're left without your weapons, and unable to move. She'd grabbed you with (seemingly) all the effort it would take to hold a feather.
Yvonne steps backwards, her lip quivering. She'd studied magic all her life, she'd faced foes with you that could topple continents... but something is different here. This is beyond her. Beyond you.
"Kneel, hero."
You feel your pride slowly get stabbed to death, as your legs do precisely what they're told. You lower your knee to the floor, and face down along with it, towards Her.
Yvonne almost follows along with you, despite the order being for you, not for her. She stumbles backwards for a moment, watching as the greater-protection enchantment is ignored with ease. You grimace, trying to will her back into the fight, trying to reassure her that this fiend is no match for the two of you... but Yvonne can see what's in front of her. She knows to run.
You can't turn your head to see her flee, and she's too cowardly to say anything to you. All you hear is hurried footsteps as she sprints up the path once again, to leave this wicked place.
"You, on the other hand. You've gone mad."
The woman takes another few steps forward, within reach of you, if you could move.
"The victories, the adventure, the celebrations... they've frayed your fragile little ego. You're frenzied. You would never back down from a fight against a foe, even if it meant certain death. Or worse."
You recognize this moment. You get the strange feeling like you've heard that exact line, in that exact cadence, with that exact voice before. Like you'd heard it in a dream, and you'd forgotten that moment until now.
You struggle and squirm against the invisible force, but nothing relents. Held in place with what feels like ten thousand hands, all grasping you and immobilizing you on your knee.
"Your life, your reality... it's more like a suggestion, for me. A vague sentiment, that I can change when I like. I could change you into a woman, and you wouldn't even know."
That last sentence confuses you. That would be a redundant change, of course, you already are a woman. You'd faced your fair share of patriarchy and sexism throughout your journeys, you'd upset entire countries with the notion that such a powerful warrior could be a woman, you'd been an inspiration to young girls across the lands... Of course you're a woman. You always have been. Right?
"Stand."
You stand. You must.
"You, great hero, will be gone when you leave this place. Any semblance of your original self will fight back, will try to get revenge regardless of what I do to you. So I'm going to reinvent you."
You try to shake your head, you try to resist her psychic powers... but there's nothing to resist. You don't feel any mental strain, any magical effects... you simply hear Her. You simply listen to what She says.
"You're not a legend. You're not a hero. You're not even a warrior."
The goddess reaches up, brushing a finger gently against your chin. It feels somehow like the entire forest could rest on her fingertip...
"You're a nobody. You're a peasant, quietly obsessed with the notion of the unknowable power of someone like Me. That's why you came out here, you were just curious if the stories were true. Now you know, the reality is worse than what they say."
You think back, you try to hold onto your previous self. You need to remember, you're a nobody. You're as notable as any random passerby, merely an underpayed worker trying to keep her head down in a dangerous world. You're just a regular girl, you have a life, you have hobbies, you have friends. You need to hold onto that. You know who you are. You're you.
"That's right. Now run along. Before long, you'll remember all this as a mere story."
You finally feel your legs unfreeze, and take the opportunity to do what you've been trying to do this whole time. You turn and run as fast as you can, not daring to look back. You came here out of curiosity, went in way over your head, and you're lucky She was so merciful to you.
"Good girl."
You hear the voice in the distance, as you sprint past over the barrier once again. The scene outside the fence is gruesome, someone brutalized these hooded figures... who could do such a thing? Who thought they had a chance against Her?
You slowly make your way home, vowing never to return, knowing She could've turned your life inside-out if She wanted. She could've erased everything you've ever been, turn you into a mindless slave, or a crazed warrior of some kind. Thank goodness she didn't.