Sylvanandra, the real one, the main body back in the clearing where this whole mess began, cursed and punched the dirt. Then she started screaming.

"Bullshit bullshit bullshit bullshit bullshit! How!? What is WRONG with these little shits!? They're too strong!"

"They ARE remarkably talented young men and women," Dr. Myrden chuckled. "My daughter not the least of them. But your repeated losses aren't because of that. They're because you underestimated them. And because you're more tired out from the power struggle over the man eating plant than you're letting yourself admit. I can sense the forest almost as well as you can. It's my forest after all. You've only got one duplicate left. And it's headed towards the two most powerful magical sources in the forest, would be..."

"The asshole who took our genie and the Asian guy," The elven sorceress growled. "I know! But you know what? That's fine. I'll kill them, then I'll mop up the rest of these little shits. I should have done that in the first place, why didn't I just make one...because you phrased the challenge so I'd have to, you crafty old bastard."

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"I still prefer Quack."

It had been a classic wizard's challenge. He was old and knew things. Things Sylvanandra and her boss would very much like to know. Things like...

"I still don't think you really know where to find a second genie."

"If I didn't our magical pact would have broken," Dr. Myrden pointed out. "The wording was very specific."

"Yeah yeah. Like the part about allowing no harm to come to you during the challenge, so I'd have to heal you."

"I WAS very proud of that one. You'd just about killed me. Big monster plant teeth will do that to an old man."

"And then your challenge specified splitting off duplicates."

"Look I don't know what you're complaining about. If you win, you get Jenny. If you lose, you get the location of the genie of the ring. And all it costs you is some magic power and not harming us if your duplicates are beaten.

"Yeah well you'll be a grease spot in a minute. Just wait until you see all the power I pump into this last duplicate. I'll regain the right to grind you into the dirt any second now."

She looked at Dr. Myrden out of the corner of her eye.

"And I might have a few tricks too. You're not the only one who can play with the terms of a magical contract, old man."