“Giants exist on a level adjacent to some minor deities,” Rava said with a deep breath, her expression turning amused. “And you wanted to ask, and I quote, ‘If you could have a little nibble.’” She shot a deadpan look at Vivienne, whose eyes were practically gleaming with excitement.

Vivienne raised her hands in mock defensiveness. “Actually, I said I would ask nicely! I would never forget my manners. Not even when considering a... snack.”

Rava groaned, but a grin tugged at the corner of her mouth. "A snack? Really?" She shook her head. "Well, at least you have your manners."

“Maybe I should have chased down some of those villagers while the titan turned her back,” Vivienne mused, her tone laced with wicked glee. A sharp, toothy grin—or rather, a series of grins—flickered across her shifting form. “Their fear was just so... delicious. I could have eaten it right out of the air.”

Rava gave her a sidelong look, arms crossed. “Right, because nothing screams ‘great idea’ like pissing off a giant who could smear you into the next age.”

Vivienne tilted her head, mock thoughtfulness flickering in her many eyes. Her form rippled and expanded outward, mass twisting into a six-headed serpentine horror. She reared one of the heads back in a sage nod, her voice emanating in eerie harmony. “Valid,” she said simply, then contracted back into her more amorphous shape.

Rava blinked, clearly baffled. “You’re getting way too comfortable with that whole shapeshifting thing.”

Vivienne hummed, her tone light and satisfied. “Well, practice makes perfect. Plus, it’s fun.” Her eyes flicked to Rava, narrowing with curiosity. “You know, speaking of comfort... you’re not afraid of me anymore. Not like you were, at least. I don’t feel it.”

Rava raised an eyebrow, her tone caught somewhere between exasperation and sincerity. “Should I be? You’re unsettling, sure. A nightmare creature with a sense of humour is… new territory for me.” She waved a hand vaguely at Vivienne’s still-shifting form, her expression sharpening. “But let’s be real—during the fight with the soul wraiths, I’d have been dead without you. Hell, most of what was in that ruin could’ve killed me.”

She hesitated, then turned fully toward Vivienne, her expression softening in a way that made the tension in her shoulders seem heavier. “What you did to those creatures was… terrifying. Truly. But—” Rava dragged a hand through her tangled hair and sighed deeply. “I’m sorry, alright? I was acting like an ass. You’ve been nothing but decent to me, and here I was, treating you like some kind of monster.”

Vivienne stilled for a moment, her many heads dipping in contemplation. Then, with a casual wave of her tendrils, she brushed off the apology. “It’s whatever. Pretty sure you were running on fumes—no magic, no food, no hope of escape—and your best shot was trusting a talking nightmare that, let’s be honest, has no business talking. I don’t blame you.”

Rava grimaced, her ears flicking backward as her arms crossed over her chest, a faint growl of frustration escaping her. “I hate apologies,” she muttered, more to herself than Vivienne.

Vivienne tilted one of her heads toward her, the rest weaving lazily, her maws spreading into mischievous, toothy grins. “Oh, don’t worry. I’ll treasure this rare gem for years.”

“You’re an ass,” Rava deadpanned, narrowing her eyes.

“Pretty sure you just admitted to being one first,” Vivienne shot back smoothly, her tone dripping with playful smugness.

Rava groaned, shaking her head. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t let it go to your head… heads.” She then shifted into a smirk. “Sure. Besides, you’re not half as scary as that giant was.”

Vivienne scoffed, mock offence rippling through her features. “Not as scary as the giant? Please. I’m terrifying in my own way.”

“Sure,” Rava replied, the grin tugging at her lips betraying her sarcasm. “Terrifying. Just let me know when you decide to channel that into something productive.”

Vivienne grumbled, her form briefly flickering with agitation. “You know, your sass is wasted on me. I don’t think you appreciate how unnerving I am.”

“Oh, I appreciate it,” Rava said, deadpan. “It’s just fun watching you try to prove it.”

Vivienne groaned dramatically, throwing an amorphous limb skyward. “You’re impossible.”

“Better than being edible,” Rava shot back with a wink.

Vivienne paused for a beat, then burst into overlapping laughter. “Alright, fine. Point to you.”

Rava’s grin faded, her ears flicking toward the left as her expression turned razor-sharp. Her tail stilled, and she muttered low, her voice carrying a weight of quiet authority.

“Hide. We’re not alone.”

Vivienne melted into the forest’s shadows without a word, her fluid form vanishing into the surrounding gloom. Her gleaming, shifting eyes blinked out, leaving only the faintest ripple of displaced aether to mark her presence.

Rava, standing in the small clearing, made no attempt to conceal herself. Instead, she adjusted her stance, feet planted and arms loose at her sides. She exhaled slowly, scanning the trees.

They came like wolves.

The first to step into view was a hulking man with a tangled beard and a rusted axe slung over his shoulder. He wore a patchwork of leathers, his broad chest barely contained by a threadbare shirt. His gaze flicked over Rava, and a smirk tugged at his lips.

“Well now, what’s this?” he rumbled, his voice gravelly and amused. “Little lady, out here all alone? Not a stitch of armour—or anything else, for that matter. You’re braver than most.”

He was flanking the left of a stocky woman clutching a metal banded club, on her other side a wiry man with a wicked grin and a bow slung across his back. They fanned out, their eyes glinting with cruel intent.

“You’ve got two choices,” the wiry one drawled, his gaze lingering on Rava’s bare form. “Hand over everything you’ve got, or we’ll take it. And I mean everything. I always wanted to conquer a large woman.”

The stocky leader gave a low chuckle. “Maybe we start with your dignity. How ‘bout you kneel for us, eh? Might even take you back to the camp if you behave. Let my boys have a go at ya.”

Rava tilted her head, her expression blank save for the faintest flicker of amusement in her golden eyes. She took a step forward, unfazed by the leering bandits.

“You want me to kneel?” she repeated, her voice calm but laced with dry incredulity. “Actually, I have a better idea. Drop your weapons, and you”—she pointed at the big man’s shirt—“surrender your clothes.”

The bandits burst into laughter.

The wiry man doubled over, clutching his sides. “Oh, she’s got a mouth on her! I like it. Reckon she’s lost her mind.”

The broad one stepped closer, barely eye to eye with Rava, his grin turning predatory. “You’re funny, but that’s not how this works. How about we take what we want, and you get to keep breathing? Seems fair.”

Rava’s lips curled into a sly, toothy grin, her sharp canines gleaming in the dim light. “Fair, is it? Let me offer you a warning, then.”

The big man leaned in, his breath hot and rancid. “Oh yeah? What’s the warning, sweetheart?”

Rava’s voice dropped to a low growl, her grin widening. “I unleash nightmares on anyone who pushes their luck. And trust me, you’ll wish I’d just taken your clothes.”

The stocky woman snorted, hefting her club with a smirk. “Nightmares, huh? Big talk for someone so outnumbered. There’s more of us waiting in the trees, mutt.”

Rava’s ears flicked forward, catching the faintest shift of movement in the nearby shadows. Her grin widened, her canines on full display, a predatory glint in her eyes. “Vivienne,” she called out without looking back, her tone rich with teasing menace, “how hungry are you?”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

From the shadows, Vivienne’s voice emerged, smooth and low, carrying an edge that sent shivers through the nearest bandits. “Ravenous,” she purred, the word curling like smoke through the tension. “I might even skip dessert.”

The bandits exchanged uneasy glances, their leader's grip on her club tightening as her confidence flickered. But before anyone could respond, a blood-curdling scream pierced the forest from somewhere nearby, shattering the uneasy quiet.

“What was that?” one of the bandits barked, spinning toward the sound with wide, panicked eyes.

The leader cursed, her bravado slipping. “Who’s out there?” she growled, trying to keep her crew from scattering like startled rabbits.

Rava seized the moment, taking a step back to centre herself. Her voice cut through the chaos like steel: “Ct evmjtat olfh ae tatolucaem ctol mc, cu jev tat olujat mev!” The spell flowed from her with practised ease, and a surge of strength ignited in her limbs, coiling like a spring ready to strike.

Using the distraction of the distant scream, Rava lunged forward, her fist swinging in a blur of raw power as she struck the first bandit square in the chest. The impact sent him flying back into the others with a sickening thud, knocking them off balance and scattering their formation.

The bandit leader snarled, raising her club. “Take her down! Don’t just stand there, you useless lot!”

Rava didn’t give them the chance to regroup. She closed the distance to the next bandit with terrifying speed, her enchanted strength making every movement a blur. A heavy punch crashed into the side of a woman’s face, sending her spinning into the dirt.

The remaining bandits scrambled, their bravado replaced by panic. One of the larger men, likely emboldened by his size, charged Rava with a raised axe.

Rava ducked the first swing with a fluid roll, twisting around his side. "You’re a big one," she muttered, her grin flashing even as she planted an uppercut into his gut. He staggered back, wheezing. "Mind if I borrow your outfit when this is done?"

Before he could reply—or retaliate—another scream tore through the forest, closer this time. The sound was guttural, desperate, and abruptly cut off, leaving an eerie silence in its wake.

The bandits froze, their eyes darting toward the shadows where Vivienne had vanished.

“What the hell is out there?” one of them whimpered, his weapon trembling in his hands.

“Nothing good,” Rava replied, her tone calm but edged with amusement. “But if you’d like to find out, feel free to run.”

The leader’s eyes darted between Rava and the darkness. “Stop playing games! Everyone, regroup and—”

From the shadows came the whisper of movement—too fast, too fluid to follow. A shadowy form streaked through the corner of their vision, accompanied by a wet, guttural crunch. One of the bandits at the edge of their group collapsed, clutching his throat, his wide eyes reflecting a nightmare none of them could see.

Rava tilted her head, watching the chaos unfold with a bemused expression. “I did warn you about nightmares,” she said lightly, cracking her knuckles. “Though I’d say you’re getting the express version.”

Another bandit turned to run, only to be yanked backward into the dark by something unseen. His scream ended abruptly, leaving the remaining attackers wide-eyed and frozen in place.

Vivienne’s voice echoed from the shadows, sing-song chorus. “Would you like another chance to surrender? My friend is more generous than I.”

The leader spun toward the voice, her knuckles white around the handle of her club. “Face me, monster!”

Vivienne emerged from the shadows slowly, first a single serpentine head, then another then another then another. Her body flickered like smoke in the moonlight, her heads raised up, randomly snapping at disjointed intervals. Her teeth glinted in a series of wicked, overlapping vertical grins. “As you wish,” she said, her voice a low, reverberating purr.

The leader snarled, tightening her grip on her club. "Enough of this! You think you can intimidate me, creature?"

The leader snarled, her eyes snapping from Rava to Vivienne, who was now fully out of the shadows, her form shimmering and flickering like a mirage in the night air. Vivienne’s heads snapped forward, as if testing the bandits’ resolve, each one darting toward different targets. Her eyes, glowing like molten gold, were fixed on the leader.

Vivienne’s smile widened, her form twisting, the serpentine heads hissing and snapping as she swirled around. “I don’t need to intimidate you. I simply need to make you understand something. The moment you decided to attack, you gave up your chance to walk away.”

With a flick of her heads, Vivienne shot forward with terrifying speed, and in the same instant, the remaining bandits screamed as they were torn from their feet, yanked into the shadows by unseen forces. The air vibrated with an unnatural hum, a force that seemed to emanate from deep within the earth itself.

Vivienne tilted her head, her eyes gleaming as she surveyed the leader, who now stood alone, eyes wide with panic. “You’re the last one,” she purred, her voice dripping with dark amusement. “It seems your friends aren’t very loyal. I suppose I’ll take that as a compliment. They left you for me.”

The leader, breathing heavily, stumbled back. She gripped her club tighter, her knuckles white as she tried to steady herself. “I won’t go down without a fight!”

Vivienne’s grin widened, her gaze narrowing, and the shadows around her seemed to deepen. “Please do. I’m not the one who’s going to be suffering after all.”

The leader, desperate now, swung her club at the darkness where Vivienne had been only moments before. She missed, the air cutting through with a hiss as Vivienne’s figure reappeared in front of her with an impossible speed. The bandit froze, her pulse hammering in her throat.

“Do you really think that will stop me?” Vivienne’s voice was a low, velvety purr. “You’re already marked. My shadows are hungry for you.”

The leader's breath caught in her throat as one of Vivienne's serpentine heads flicked forward with deadly speed, just barely missing her face as it snapped at the air. A sharp, eerie laugh echoed from the darkness around them.

Vivienne, her eyes glittering with amusement, leaned closer. “That was a warning. The next time, you won't be so lucky.”

The leader's eyes darted around the clearing, looking for any escape, but the shadows were closing in fast. A brief scream escaped her lips, but it was cut short as Vivienne’s form blurred, shifting and twisting, never staying in one place long enough to be targeted.

Vivienne’s laughter bubbled up again, cold and cruel. “You can’t outrun your fear,” she purred, her voice rolling like a dark lullaby. “And you will fear me, even if you have to beg for mercy.”

Her words were barely a whisper when she struck again, another head darting from the darkness and coiling around the leader’s wrist. It yanked her off her feet with terrifying ease, and her club fell from her hand, landing with a hollow thud on the forest floor.

The leader’s chest heaved in panic, but she had no time to react. Vivienne’s voices now came in a chorus, ethereal and otherworldly, filling the air. “Do you wish to fight, still? Or shall I show you what nightmares truly feel like?”

The leader’s eyes flitted around in a final, frantic search for salvation—but it was too late. Vivienne’s heads shot forward in unison, encircling the leader and drawing her into the crushing embrace of shadows. The leader let out one last scream before it was swallowed by the night, her cries fading into eerie silence.

Vivienne stood among the motionless forms of the bandits, her grin fading into a satisfied smirk. She glanced over to where Rava was finishing her own task, then looked back at the trembling figure still held in her grip.

“Consider this mercy,” she murmured, her voice low, but carrying an undeniable edge of threat.

Vivienne released her hold, letting the leader crumple to the ground, unconscious but alive, the lingering traces of fear still pulsing in the air around them.

Rava walked over, a look of quiet approval on her face. “Nice work,” she said, giving Vivienne a nod.

Vivienne smirked, tilting her head. “I didn’t kill them. Just had a snack.”

Rava glanced down at the fallen bandits, her lips curling into a small, satisfied smile. “Well, I guess I’ll leave the ‘snacking’ to you. I’ll handle the looting.”

“Don’t mind if I do,” Vivienne hummed, her voice thick with unrestrained enthusiasm.

With a flick of her heads, Vivienne’s serpentine forms slowly dissolved into her formless, shadowy self. Her presence flickered like smoke in the moonlight as she moved toward the unconscious bandits. Each body was left in a sprawled heap—perfect subjects for her experiment.

Vivienne hovered over one of the fallen, her many heads flicking with quiet excitement. Rava had mentioned before that nightmares caused bad dreams, that they fed on the fear aether left behind. Now, with so many test subjects, it was a veritable buffet awaiting her.

Her formless body swirled around the first bandit, her touch barely noticeable—more like a cold, suffocating pressure than physical contact. She could feel it—the rising pulse of fear beneath the surface of their minds, like a simmering pot ready to boil over.

Vivienne smiled, sharp and wicked. “This... is going to be delightful.”

The first bandit began to tremble. His breathing quickened and became shallow, his body jerking beneath the weight of the nightmare Vivienne wove into his mind. His eyelids flickered beneath the weight of his dreams, caught in a vision of terror only Vivienne could conjure. She felt the fear roll off him in waves—rich and intoxicating—and with a slow, almost deliberate motion, she absorbed it, savouring the power that surged through her.

As she moved from one body to the next, she noticed how fear varied from person to person, but the essence was always the same: a potent, fear-filled sweetness that fueled her hunger. It was like a fine wine, rich with tension, power, and the raw pulse of life clinging desperately to its mortal coil.

Behind her, Rava was already pulling treasures from the bandits' bags, her movements swift and efficient. Vivienne, however, took her time, each bandit a new opportunity to experiment, to drink deeper of the fear that flowed so freely from them.

With each passing minute, Vivienne's form seemed to grow more fluid, more powerful. The nightmares intensified, and she revelled in it. One final twist of her hand, and the last bandit fell limp, his body twitching as the remnants of his terror clung to the air.

Vivienne tilted her head back, basking in the aftermath. Her hunger had been sated—for now.

She turned to Rava, a wicked smile curling at the edges of her lips. “I’m feeling... much better now,” she purred, the satisfaction clear in her voice.

Rava didn't look up from her task but gave a brief nod, her lips twitching as she continued looting. “I’ll bet you are. Though, try not to overdo it. We’ve still got a long way to go.”

Vivienne gave a casual wave with her tendrils, as if it were no big deal. “I’m not overdoing it. Just... experimenting. Oh you should have seen the sights I gave that leader lady. Sublime.”

Rava didn’t respond, but the smirk on her face grew ever so slightly as she continued her work. The stillness of the forest was deafening now—only the faintest sounds of Vivienne's humming and Rava’s methodical rummaging breaking the silence.