Story Reward - The Paladin and the Witch

One of the Tier 4 patron story request rewards! I hope you all enjoy it <3

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This was the place. Lady Elwyn was sure of it.

She had followed the directions of the townsfolk; turn east once you see the ruined chapel, you will come to a river, follow it north until you come upon a stone bridge, cross it and when the path forks, take the path that looks blocked by a fallen tree - soon you will find the  the witch's manor.

The structure sat lonely, seemingly overgrown and out of use but Elwyn knew better. She could sense the illusion magic in the air, obscuring what was true. With a deep breath, she unsheathed her sword and readied her shield. The paladin had been charged with slaying 'Morelia, the Witch of the Briar' by the Queen herself, for it was said the failing crops that plagued the kingdom was the handiwork of this witch. The paladin approached the manor as quietly as her armor would allow, the chainmail and metal plates sounding with each step - the white and gold surcoat did nothing to cushion the clamour.

Finally she stood before the double doors of the old manor, overgrown with foliage and stained with dirt, mould and age. She reached forward with her shield arm and forced the door open, creaking as it did so. Elwyn caught sight of her reflection in a worn door knocker, her brunette locks tied back into a high ponytail, her refined features a mask of determination as she pushed past the threshold.

Before her was an entrance hall that was just as dilapidated as the exterior, or so it seemed, the illusion magic felt even stronger here. Elwyn decided enough was enough, and held her shield aloft - a resplendent light burned on its surface, before a flash of silver spread across the room, cleansing the area of its lies.

Just as Elwyn had suspected, the interior was not some ancient, forgotten structure - what stood before her now as an opulent hall, a staircase rose from the center and terminated in two double doors of oak. Flickering torches sat in ornate sconces, the floor was polished, the paladin’s reflection realized perfectly.

Yet all that she could hear was the crackling of the flames. Elywn lost her patience. “Morelia! Witch of the Briar - the time has come to answer for your foul deeds!” The proud knight shouted, her voice echoing in the hall. “I am Lady Elwyn, Paladin of Galteria, and I have been charged by Queen Anika to bring you to justice!”

Silence was the only answer the woman received.

She was about to declare her presence once more, but the creaking of wood cut her off. The sound of heavy doors rolling open filled the hall, as the threshold at the top of the stairs revealed a figure striding through.

“Such a nosy, noisy guest…” A delicate voice echoed, not loud, but commanding nonetheless.

Elwyn could see her now. She had expected a foul hag, and yet before her was a woman who looked no older than thirty summers. A faded, short sleeved blouse spilled over a worn and weathered corset, whilst a skirt of deep green fell to the floor, leather boots peeking out from beneath - altogether unremarkable in her garb. Yet far more striking was the woman’s hair, locks of bright green cascaded loosely past her shoulders.

Could this be Morelia? It had to be… Elwyn tried to sense any further illusions, but none were apparent. This changed nothing - she had a duty after all.

“Surrender unto me, Morelia, and face the Queen’s justice - or resist, and face a paladin of Galteria.”

The green-haired woman didn’t move from her position on the stairs. “Aren’t you a stalwart warrior, such a brave little girl.”

Elwyn narrowed her gaze. This woman looked no older than her. “Silence. What is your choice?”

Morelia sighed. “You paladins are never any fun, and I’ve no intention of leaving my home. So, I choose the latter."

Silence hung for just a moment as the two appraised each other.

Then, it begun. Elwyn assumed a fighting stance and rushed the stairs, but Morelia knew she had the advantage of distance. Her hands flicked up in a swirl of motion and a red light leapt from her hands, and was flung towards the warrior.

This wasn’t Elwyn’s first combat, and instinctively she brought up her shield, the magic crashed against the steel and when the light faded, the knight stood entirely unharmed.

Morelia’s lips pursed at that - she had heard tales of the enchanted arms and armor of the paladins of Galteria, but this was the first time she had faced one in single combat.

Elywn was at the stairs, about to ascend, and the witch knew she was less likely to emerge victorious in close quarters. An incantation left her lips and shards of red energy hovered above her, like a sea of crimson stars. With a flick of her wrists, the magic surged towards Elwyn like bullets.

In response the knight crouched low and raised her shield, moving towards her target despite the onslaught. Morelia watched in anger as the spell seemed to have little to no effect, it barely scraped the shield and even when it found purchase on the woman’s armor, there was little more than a blemish. The witch winced at the sight, but did notice a few cuts and scrapes where the magic had found a fraction of exposed flesh.

The knight was nearly within striking distance though, and in response, the witch conjured one of her emergency spells. She vanished in a blur of mist just as Elwyn was about to strike, and reappeared at the base of the stairs.

Elwyn had lost sight of her for a moment, and that moment was all Morelia would need.

She took in the sight of the paladin. Formidable indeed… but only as formidable as the arms and armor she wore…

Reaching into the depths of her knowledge, she considered a less than conventional solution. She would only have second before Elwyn turned around, and while she had her back to her, the witch spied a patch of skin on the back of her neck that was unprotected.

Moving quickly, the green-haired woman lifted her finger and a violet ray blasted across the room, finding its mark.

Elwyn turned around and glowered in anger, seemingly unaffected. “Your magics are useless against me, witch.”

Morelia grinned. “Useless against that enchanted shield and armor of yours perhaps. Although I have a question…”

Elwyn wouldn’t be distracted, and began moving down the stairs.

“Are you useless without them?”

Elwyn was about to offer a response when she felt her sword waver in her hand, just as her shield seemed to slump in her grip. It slowed her descent as she realized her trusty armaments seemed… heavier… She winched, strengthened her resolve and kept moving…

“Oh! Deary me…” Came the witch’s voice, coated in feigned shock.

Elwyn’s shock was entirely sincere however, as she lifted her boot and felt it slip and slide on her foot, she clumsily tried to regain her balance but was forced to grab onto the railing of the stairs. Her sword and shield were even heavier now! And as she held onto surface, she felt the wood rising against her body!

“What… what sorcery is this…?!” Elwyn said, grunting as she went to reassume her stance but gasped as one of her boots slipped from her foot and begin tumbling down the stairs.

“Oh, its an old spell really…” Morelia said, her tone and attitude entirely shifted, as she felt reassured of her victory.

The witch watched as the knight began to shrink into her armor, the surcoat now collapsing on the stairs, the fingers of her gloves flopping comically, the breastplate sinking further down her torso.

Elwyn’s face was a contorted mass of strain as she tried to hold her weapons in any meaningful way but soon her strength was not enough and the shield slipped from her forearm and crashed on the stairs. She gasped as the railing was above her head, she was little taller than a child now!

Morelia cackled at the sight, the brave knight looked little more than a girl playing dress up! “Oh no, sweetie, you’re still shrinking. I didn’t think you’d get this small…”

Both of Elwyn’s boots had fallen down the stairs now, and she tried to hold her sword in two hands, but the weapon tilted away from her as she clenched it, eventually slipping from her grip, her gloves falling from her hands with it.

“No!” The knight cried, sounding far less intimidating now. To punctuate her growing humiliation, the tie that clasped her hair in a high ponytail fell from her head, and curly brown locks collapsed around Elwyn’s face, framing her frightened face, lending her a more youthful appearance.

Morelia grinned broadly at the sight. “By the gods, you are so much cuter like this!”

Elwyn could feel her smallclothes loosening on her frame beneath her armor, her chainmail jingled around her feet and her breastplate was near to swallowing her! “Cursed witch! Undo this right now!”

Her only response was the laughter of Morelia, as the knight realized she was slipping smaller and smaller…

Elwyn felt utterly trapped, and she instinctively tried to step away, back up the stairs but found turning in this impossibly ill-fitting armor was near to impossible, yet she was determined to try - and immediately punished for it. She could barely lift her leg high enough past the folds of her chainmail and surcoat, and tumbled backwards clumsily. Rolling down the stairs, clanging as she went, shrinking still.

Morelia took a single step back as the knight rolled down and landed at her feet. The brunette had entirely vanished inside the pile of armor and fabric now. She knelt down and pushed the breastplate aside, and revealed a shifting pile of clothing, with panicked sounds coming from beneath it. The witch threw back the material and revealed the stark naked Elwyn, utterly tiny now - but the spell seemed to have finished.

“My, my. You’re about the perfect doll for one of Queen Anika’s daughters now.”

Elywn looked up at the witch, now beyond towering, an expression of satisfaction on her face - Morelia had won. The brunette covered her nakedness, her eyes darting around for any kind of escape. “S-shut up!”

Morelia cocked her head. “You’re seeming far less eloquent, sweetie. I hope you can work on your communication skills on the journey back to Galteria.”

Elwyn felt the coldness of the manor assault her bare skin. “W-what are you talking about?”

The witch reached down, and in an instant had her entire hand around Elwyn’s body, lifting her effortlessly off the ground. A shriek burst from the knight’s lips, sounding far more girlish. “I imagine the Queen is waiting on your report. Shall we pay her a visit?” Morelia taunted.

The witch pressed the struggling woman, tight to her chest and ascended the stairs towards the depths of her home, leaving the proud trappings of Lady Elwyn in a crumpled pile on the ground. Morelia was tired of Queen Anika’s constant attempts on her life - and it was time the witch did something about it.