The monstrous plant-cat was lifeless on the ground, its acidic ichor pooling in the mossy chamber, a peculiar stillness descended. The glowing spores dimmed, the oppressive jungle air lightened, and the three adventurers stood victorious—but an unsettling chill ran through them. The vine-covered chamber pulsed faintly, and a peculiar wave of energy rippled outward, washing over the trio, they had all gained a level.
However, before they could react, their gear; armor, cloaks, even their boots—vanished in an instant, leaving them utterly exposed.
“What in the—?!” Lorelai yelped, instinctively crossing her arms over her chest as a deep flush spread across her cheeks. Her wide purple eyes darted from Thrax to Aeryn, and then downward in mortified realization, her gaze lingering a bit too long for her liking.
“Interesting,” Aeryn said, far calmer than the situation warranted. She tilted her head, her crimson eyes glittering with amusement as she gave Lorelai an exaggerated once-over. “Very... interesting.”
Thrax, meanwhile, stood completely unabashed, a smug grin spreading across his face as he adjusted his stance. “Well, well,” he rumbled, his molten-gold gaze sweeping over his companions. “I’d say the dungeon just got a whole lot more rewarding.”
“Thrax!” Lorelai snapped, her blush deepening as she averted her gaze. “Would you stop ogling me?!”
He chuckled, resting his hands casually on his hips. “Can’t help it, you're my lil dragon after all. Hard not to appreciate the view when it’s this... spectacular.” His gaze lingered on Lorelai, his grin widening. “Especially yours.”
“Keep talking, and I’ll make sure you lose more than just your gear,” Lorelai growled, though her voice faltered slightly as her traitorous eyes scanned his entire figure, from to his broad muscular chest, then down and back. Damn it, Lorelai. Eyes up! Focus or don't focus on that! Fuck, I don't even know anymore! she scolded herself.
Aeryn, leaning casually against a vine-covered pillar that made up the cat monster's throne, arched an eyebrow. “Thrax, you’re about as subtle as a drunken troll. Do carry on, your desperation is endlessly entertaining.”
Thrax smirked, unbothered by the jab. “Jealous, Aeryn? Fret not, there's plenty of Thrax to go around, I'll give you the attention you want.”
Aeryn rolled her eyes, her crimson gaze now fixed on Lorelai, a predatory glint in her expression. “Please. Unlike you, I know how to be charming.” She pushed off the pillar and sauntered toward Lorelai, her movements fluid and deliberate, she traced her finger from the bottom of her lower back, up her spine to her shoulder blade. “Isn’t that right, roomie?”
The light touch on her bare skin sent shiver's up her spine and goosebumps down her arm, Lorelai backed up a step flustered. Aeryn stopped just a little too close, the faintest smirk curled Aeryn’s lips as she tucked a loose strand of Lorelai’s silver hair behind her ear. “You’re holding up remarkably well for someone who’s completely exposed,” Aeryn purred, her tone dripping with amusement. “Very admirable.”
“I—I’m fine,” Lorelai stammered, her cheeks blazing. “Can we please focus on figuring out what just happened?!”
“Right,” Thrax said, his deep chuckle rumbling through the chamber as he leaned casually on his axe winking at Lorelai, “Let’s not pretend you’re not sneaking glances at both of us. I'm offended, you don't have to sneak.”
Lorelai opened her mouth to protest, but the words caught in her throat. She had looked; briefly, accidentally? I don’t have time for distractions, she thought desperately, even as her resolve wavered under the intensity of both their gazes.
“Lorelai’s far too prude for that,” Aeryn said with mock sweetness, though her smirk betrayed her sarcasm. “Unlike you, Thrax, she doesn’t think with her... impulses.”
“Jealousy’s not a good look, Aeryn,” Thrax quipped, stepping closer. He put his hands behind his head and started drawing circles with his hips, his golden eyes locked onto Lorelai’s as he added, “But Lorelai doesn't need to steal glances, she just has to ask.”
“Enough!” Lorelai shouted, cinching her eyes shut. “Both of you, knock it off! We’re in the middle of a dungeon, stark naked, and the last thing we need is... whatever this is!” She gestured wildly between them, her blush refusing to fade.
Thrax shrugged, unrepentant. “Hey, just trying to lighten the mood.”
“Lighten it somewhere else,” Lorelai muttered, though her voice lacked conviction. She cleared her throat and turned sharply away, trying not to let her gaze linger on Thrax's rippling muscles or the sinuous grace of Aeryn’s lean form. Focus on the treasure. Focus on anything but them.
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“Aw, don’t be shy,” Aeryn teased, sauntering past her with a playful wink. “It’s not like we haven’t all seen.”
Lorelai pinched the bridge of her nose, exhaling sharply. “Can we please just open the chest and hope this... situation resolves itself?”
With a satisfied smirk, Aeryn nodded. “Fine, fine. Lead the way.”
Thrax fell into step beside them, his grin still firmly in place. “You know,” he mused, “if this doesn’t fix itself, I wouldn’t mind.”
“Thrax!” Lorelai snapped, her blush deepening once again.
As they approached the treasure chest Lorelai noticed the tension between them was palpable, it didn’t help that each step seemed to emphasize just how exposed they were. The dungeon air cool against bare skin. Lorelai forced herself to focus on the chest, the sturdy oak wood reinforced with strange glowing metal bands, rather than the absurdity of their current predicament, or the infuriating smirks on her companions’ faces.
She knelt before the chest, her movements stiff with tension. Her fingers brushed over the cool surface before finding the latch and with a deep breath, she flipped it open. Inside lay a neat stack of coins, their surfaces shimmering with a faint, otherworldly light. The intricate runes etched onto them seemed to dance, “Dungeon doubloons,” Aeryn said, leaning in and plucking one from the pile, the intricate markings seemed to shift under the flickering light.
She turned it over in her fingers, a satisfied smirk curling her lips. “Well, at least we weren’t fighting that plant-cat for nothing.”
Thrax crouched down, his golden gaze inspecting the chest. “Not bad,” he said crouching beside her. His towering presence made her acutely aware of their proximity, and she fought the urge to edge away. “Enough to buy something interesting, I’d bet.”
Aeryn leaned over her shoulder, her crimson eyes gleaming with curiosity. “Assuming we find one of those vendors,” she said. “Otherwise, it’s just shiny pocket change.”
Lorelai straightened, her shoulders stiff. “Let’s divide them and head for the exit. We’ve already had enough surprises for one day.”
The coins were split evenly, but Lorelai stored all the coin and weapons inside her spatial storage for the time being, since they had a severe lack of pockets.
*************************************************************************
The gate shimmered, and the trio stepped into the academy courtyard under the afternoon sun. For a moment there was peace, but only a brief moment. The collective gasp trainees and instructors shattered it. The bustling courtyard froze as hundreds of eyes locked onto the naked adventurers. Conversations halted, the clang of training swords stilled, and even the ever-stoic Academy Headmistress paused mid-stride.
Lorelai felt her stomach drop. This is worse than the dungeon. Lorelai’s heart sank. She resisted the urge to cover herself again, standing ramrod straight and trying to salvage some semblance of dignity. Act like it’s normal, she told herself. Just act like it’s normal.
“Well,” Aeryn said lightly, her voice cutting through the stunned silence. “I believe this sets a new standard for making an entrance.”
A ripple of snickers and hushed whispers broke through the crowd. Thrax, predictably, seemed utterly unbothered. “Hope you all enjoyed the show!” he called, raising his arms theatrically and flexing. A few nervous chuckles joined the growing buzz of conversation.
The headmistress shook her head while pinching the bridge of her nose, "You three just fought the Floral Cat boss on the second floor, didn't you?"
The three looked at her and nodded in unison, "That's correct ma'am," Thrax said with uncharacteristic politeness.
"No one told you to bring extra clothes while tackling that dungeon? Why did you not at least gather information on it from the bulletin board in the cafeteria? Surely it gives you important things to look out for on each and every floor?" The headmistress chided.
"None of even knew that was a thing!" Lorelai nearly screamed, the red in her face flaring back up. The three of them quickly strode off not giving others to stare longer at them, Lorelai’s face burned as she marched forward. She ignored the stares and while trying not to trip over her own feet. “Let’s just get inside,” she muttered, her tone tight.
Thrax and Aeryn fell in step behind her, the former grinning and the latter smirking as if the entire ordeal were a joke crafted for their amusement.
***************************************************
In the quiet sanctuary of her dorm room, Lorelai finally exhaled. The indignities of the day still haunted her, but there was a small comfort in solitude. Her hands shook slightly as she activated her status screen. The glowing interface appeared before her, displaying her stats and the all-important notification:
[Level Up!]
She allowed herself a faint smile. At least something went right today. She studied her attributes carefully, replaying the battles in her mind. Two stats jumped out at her, Strength. The monstrous plant-cat had been relentless, and there were moments when she’d struggled to penetrate its bark-like fur. A point here would ensure she could hold deal greater amounts of damage with her weapon attacks and even some of her spells. She allocated the first point, the second stat that came to the fore front of her mind was agility. The dungeon’s terrain and the beast’s speed had demanded quicker reflexes and precision. Her inability to move as fluidly as she wanted, and not being able to dodge the whip-like tentacles had been a glaring weakness. The second point slid into agility, and she felt an immediate warmth spread through her limbs, a subtle but empowering sensation. Her stats adjusted and as she closed the screen she let out a breath of satisfaction. She flexed her fingers feeling the faint improvement of strength and speed.
Despite her morbid embarrassment she looked back on the day with a small smile. Beneath the teasing and embarrassment, an undeniable camaraderie remained. Naked or not, they were a team, and they would face whatever came next together.