A mosquito the size of a small bird hummed hungrily up to Sera's shoulder. With a cry of disgust, the silver-haired human smashed the monstrous insect against a nearby treetrunk with the flat of her blade. "I hate this cursed mud hole," she grumbled to no one in particular. As if to prove a point, Sera wiped at a spot of mud that had gotten onto her leather armor. Her clothing was certainly hot in the tropical environment, but it was at least practical: Leather breeches and iron-shod boots, a dark, snugly-fitting leather jerkin and gauntlets, and a few pieces of armor to shore up her shoulders and chest.
"Oh, you can't truly mean that," one of the two elves who served as Sera's traveling companions replied. "It's only been a week."
Sera crossed her arms and turned away. "A week in a mud hole."
The 'mud hole' in question was the Tearfall Jungle, a massive, steaming rainforest teeming with frightening beasts and ruins just waiting to be plundered. The latter of those reasons was what had brought the trio of explorers into the jungle's leafy embrace in the first place.
The elf woman settled closer to her companion. "Are you upset because you were bitten last night?" She was the taller of Sera's two companions, although still slightly shorter than the human. Her shoulder-length hair was as green as the massive leaves around them. A tight leather leotard of sorts, along with black stockings and a navy loincloth (for modesty, she would always insist) did little to cover her impressively curved body.
"Mosquitoes shouldn't be this large," Sera said.
"Oh, that wasn't a mosquito last night. The creature which bit you then was a very rare breed of snake. I know because I caught it to show you."
"I came here to explore the Naga ruins, not get bitten by their less-popular cousins."
The elf nodded excitedly. "And we're almost at the old palace! Isn't that right, Ralune?"
The other elf, who until now had remained silent, nodded. "That's right. According to the map, we should have another day's travel before we reach the Palace of the Scaled Queen." Looking every bit Razael's older sister, Ralune nonetheless had very different tastes in fashion. Where the younger sister liked to wear as little as she could get away with (for stealth, she insisted whenever asked), Ralune was slightly more modest in her attire. Her royal blue hair reached down past her hips in a tight braid, her slender elven face framed by soft bangs and rectangular spectacles. She wore white boots and a matching robe to mark herself as a magical scholar. Miraculously, there wasn't a spot of mud anywhere to be seen on her despite their long, dirty trek. There had been other casualties, though; her robe was left hanging open, her body underneath covered with a strip of cloth across her breasts and a long loincloth across her waist.
Sera allowed herself a smile. As unhappy as she had been acting since last night, she hadn't lost the excitement she had felt when the two elven sisters had asked her to join them on their quest. Razael, the younger of the two, had insisted she would be able to provide all the protection they needed, but Ralune had suggested another bodyguard could never hurt. In truth, Sera suspected Ralune had wanted her along because she didn't trust Razael to stay focused enough on the task at hand to act as a dedicated bodyguard.
"So do you know what sorts of defenses we can expect at the palace, Ralune?" Sera asked.
The older of the two elves consulted the field guide she had brought along with her before answering. "If I had to guess, there won't be anything major left intake. The Scaled Queen's Palace has been abandoned for close to two thousand years now. Buildings left for that long in as harsh an environment as this tend to erode quickly."
"Got it. Think there will be magical defenses still in place?"
"There could be. The Naga civilization that existed on this part of Greenshade wasn't known for warding magic, but since this was an important building, they could have hired someone from outside the empire."
"But Ralune can take care of those in a snap," Razael said.
Ralune nodded silently and returned her attention to the map.
The rest of the day went about as smoothly as a trek through the overgrown floor of the Tearfall Jungle could. Sera continued to swat away mosquitoes with her sword, not daring touch the beasts with her bare hands. Every so often, she would hear the call of some unseen beast off in the distance. While nothing other than insects and birds ever came into view, Sera knew from the tales other explorers brought back from expeditions to this part of the world that there was far worse to be encountered. Aside from the occasional glade, the jungle floor was almost as dark as night. Layer upon layer of leafy canopy stretched up overhead, some of the trees reaching up beyond the point of even the tallest towers of the kingdom. It was the kind of darkness predators could thrive in, and Sera was on alert for that very reason.
She quickly found herself walking alone with Ralune, as Razael insisted she needed to go ahead, "to scout out any ambushes." Sera had tried to tell the impulsive elf she would serve the group better by staying in sight, but before she had even finished speaking, Razael had vanished among the massive ferns and ancient tree trunks. Sera sighed and shook her head but ultimately let the issue go. She had worked with the sisters before and this was typical behavior for Razael. If anything important came up, she would reappear.
Around sundown, Razael dropped silently out of the branches of a nearby tree. "I think I found the palace," she announced excitedly. "About a hundred paces to the north, there's a small pond. I found a massive ruined building just past that."
Ralune muttered a short incantation. The air in front of her seemed to fold in on itself before expanding back outward, a glowing green orb of light having materialized at the center of the arcane convergence. The unnatural illumination cast eerie shadows across the three explorer's faces. The older elf pulled out a pocket watch and flipped open the lid. "That's strange, we should still have at least twelve more hours of walking before we reach the palace."
"Are you sure you found the right ruins?" Sera asked.
"Positive. How many ruined palaces could there be in this part of the jungle?"
Ralune's face started to twitch into a small. "Maybe... Maybe this part of the land soaked up a great amount of arcane power at the height of the empire's influence. That could explain the mismatched time and distance." The elven mage produced a pair of devices that looked like dowsing rods and started to scan the immediate area. "Hmm, I'm not detecting much magic here. Perhaps the effect is localized and we've already crossed out of its influence..."
While Ralune continued to pace around and mutter excitedly to herself, Sera confronted Razael. "Did you look inside the building?"
"Only a peek. There was a giant serpent statue and some designs on the floor. Aside from that, it was what you'd expect in a ruin. Pillars and crumbling stone and whatnot."
"And no beasts we'd rather not run into?" Sera knew she had been brought along primarily to deal with any beasts, but she still would rather explore without needing to risk her life.
"Well, I can't say what you would and wouldn't want to run into, but I didn't see anything at all. Aside from the bits I already told you about."
Sera stared off into the ever-shifting darkness surrounding their little oasis of light. While she didn't think Razael was lying, she also wasn't completely sure she was accurate. After all, Razael was self-taught in the ways of the ninja, and sometimes it seemed to the human that she had spent more of her time learning how to look imposing than to scout out a location properly. Weighing even more heavily on her mind, though, was how quickly they had reached the palace. She was certain Ralune's calculations had been correct, so how was it they had arrived so quickly?
"Alright, we'll go take a look at this palace," Sera said after a long moment of silently mulling over her options. "Razael, you can lead us back there, right?"
The elf nodded enthusiastically.
"Good. Ralune, stay close to me, and put out your light. It might attract curious predators."
The orb of light disappeared with a muted sigh and Sera took Ralune and Razael by the hand. It was a standard procedure, one they had done dozens of times while searching for treasures in musty caves and ancient crypts. Still, she couldn't help but notice how smooth the elves' hands were as she entwined her fingers with theirs. The thought was gone almost as soon as it had popped into the forefront of her mind, though, and soon the three were slinking away through the undergrowth.
The pond Razael had spoken of was big enough to cause a small break in the canopy overhead. Flowered vines hung thickly from the branches arching over the calm water's surface, filling the air with a sweet, peaceful scent not unlike jasmine. The full moon overhead cast a faint glimmer across the pond, but beyond that small ray of silvery light, the jungle was as black as a tomb.
Sera squeezed the two sisters' hands, signaling for them to proceed with caution. Even if there weren't any dangerous creatures lurking ahead, falling into the water would prove its own problem.
Hand in hand, the three shuffled along the shoreline. Stagnant water sloshed into Sera's boots with the first few steps. "Go farther back," she hissed. "We're going to be knee-deep in this pond if you keep leading like that Razael."
"Sorry," the elf replied sheepishly. "I forgot you two couldn't run across the water."
"Can you run across the water?" Sera asked skeptically.
From behind, Ralune said, "I might be able to manage something if you gave me enough time to prepare a spell."
"It's well-known ninja are so fast, they can pass treacherous ground without breaking stride, even water."
"Then why do I hear the sound of a lying elf wading ahead of me?" Sera asked.
Muttering indignantly, Razael led the group out of the water. They stuck to dry land after that.
The pond wasn't too big, and soon the three had skirted around the edge. Dark shapes loomed out of the night all around them, standing like mute giants guarding their ancestral home. A swarm of bats took to the air somewhere ahead, their tiny shrieks falling flat against tree trunks.
"Hold on, you two," Sera said. She released Ralune – she didn't trust Razael enough to let go of her – and placed a hand on one of the shapes nearby. Beneath the layer of thick, soft moss, she could feel stone. The ridges and grooves felt carved. "I think this is the right place," she announced.
"Are you sure?" Ralune asked.
"Of course she's sure!" Razael replied before Sera had a chance to. "Come on, that treasure's been waiting long enough as it is."
The magical light sprang back into existence beside the group as the younger of the two elf sisters hurried ahead and left her companions to catch up. Sera was thankful for the illumination; although it might give away their position, the human was confident enough there weren't any dangers nearby at this point. Besides, now that she could see, she could make out the ruins with more than just touch.
While she couldn't say for sure the ruins were the former Scaled Queen's Palace as Razael insisted, they were impressive. Massive flagstones peeked up out of the layers of fallen leaves and dirt in a straight avenue lined with the stumps of columns. Beyond that, at the edge of the light, two massive serpent statues reared up and glowered at the approaching adventurers. The flowering vines from earlier coiled up the mossy surface like smaller snakes.
"The main entrance is too full of rubble to get in," Razael explained. Once they had reached the first set of pillars, she had slowed down so the others could catch up. "I found another way inside, though. You two are okay with a little climbing, right?"
Sera and Ralune both nodded.
Razael grinned broadly. "Good! Follow me, then. The secret entrance isn't far from here."
The elf led her companions between the wall of the main building and a fallen pillar, then disappeared into a narrow crack.
While Ralune peered into the dark crevice, Sera called in after Razael, "Are you sure this is safe? The crack looks a little tight."
"I'm bigger than you, and I fit just fine."
"That's not what I meant," Sera said. In a huff, she sidled through the narrow space. Although the stone dug slightly against her rear as she made her way through, the wall wasn't thick and she never felt in danger of getting stuck. Ralune followed behind shortly after and with her came the magical light.
"I thought you said this led inside," Sera said with a frown. The wall had been a simple garden wall, not part of a building as she had assumed.
"Well, I said you'd need to climb to get into the palace itself, didn't I?" Razael pointed to a wall covered in a thick layer of vines. Unlike with the last wall, this one looked like it would lead to an actual building.
Sera tugged on the plants. They were sturdy enough, but she still had her doubts. "Those vines will hold all three of us, right?"
"We aren't all going to be climbing at once." Razael swung her way up the wall with the ease of one of the small monkeys native to the Tearfall Jungle. "See, it's easy."
The human stretched her arms out and cracked her knuckles. She wasn't about to look like a coward in front of the others. She took a vine in each hand and hoisted herself up the wall, using the tough plants as ropes and bracing her feet against the rough stone underneath.
Eventually, the wall ended at a narrow ledge. Razael was there waiting for Sera and bent down to offer her a hand up. Ralune followed shortly after, and once everyone was standing atop the ledge, the younger of the two elf sisters beckoned for the others to follow. "There's a window a short way this way. We can climb into the throne room from there."
"Are you certain this is the throne room you've found?"
Razael threw her hands up in exasperation. "What's with all the questioning tonight? Do you not trust me anymore, Sera?"
The human turned her gaze to the drop mere inches away from her feet. Now was definitely not the time to bring up what was weighing so heavily on her mind. Instead, she said, "It's nothing important. Lead the way."
Razael shrugged and returned to picking a safe path for her companions to follow.
Perhaps a dozen more paces brought the three to a small, rectangular window gaping in the ancient wall. Its once-straight edges had long since grown irregular with erosion and a faint white light pulsed from somewhere far beyond.
"This is the place." Razael smiled, pleased with her scouting ability. "The window opens on a balcony. From there, it's a simple walk down the stairs to the main hall."
Ralune pushed her way to the front of the group, nearly knocking Sera off the ledge in her eagerness to get closer to the source of light. "I'm sensing strong magic coming from within this chamber," she said excitedly. Without waiting, she clambered through the window and disappeared. "This is incredible!" her voice echoed.
Razael hopped inside and joined her sister. "See, I told you it would be worthwhile!"
Not wanting to be left behind, Sera stepped through the window as well. The interior was still dark, but not nearly as dark as the night-shrouded jungle beyond the walls. Miraculously, this chamber had remained more or less intact. It had been built in a circle, its domed roof disappearing amid the shadows gathered overhead. The walls were covered in carvings of the mysterious Nagas; some lifting their hands in prayer, others coiling around one another like snakes in a pit. Even though they were nothing more than ancient depictions, Sera couldn't help but blush at the overt lust being portrayed.
The far side of the chamber was dominated by a massive sculpture of a Naga woman rearing back on her powerful tail. The woman depicted in the statue was clad in a flowing garment that covered only what was absolutely necessary, leaving little to the imagination. Sera's blush deepened somewhat as she took the massive sight in. She must be the Scaled Queen, she thought. In front of her was a round depression in the floor. In the center of the depression was a small hole emitting a constant stream of silver vapors, the source of the light she had seen from outside.
Ralune had already found the stairs leading to the main floor and was hurrying down as quickly as she could, her legs gliding easily in and out of the cuts in her robes. "To think the Nagas had the skill to produce such a powerful channeling ring... Incredible!"
"Come on, Sera. We can't let her beat us down there." Razael nodded in Ralune's direction.
"I don't know. She's the expert on magic."
The younger elf didn't heed Sera's uncertainty. Grabbing her by the arm, she nearly dragged her to the second flight of stairs and ran down them two at a time.
"You're last again as usual," Razael said with a triumphant laugh. Even when she touched the floor, she didn't stop running or let go of Sera's arm despite the human's protests. The two barreled across the mosaic surrounding the arcane smoke. Sera tried to dig her heels in and bring them to a stop, but the floor was too smooth to offer any traction.
"We shouldn't touch that!" Sera exclaimed, throwing all her weight away from Razael. For a moment, she managed to catch the elf by surprise and the two started to tumble away from the glowing mist. The human's heart lifted in relief. She would avoid an accident this time, after all.
The relief only lasted a moment. The smooth floor was also sloped inward and their tumbling shifted direction. Sera landed squarely in the mist with a loud grunt as the wind was knocked from her. Razael, being lighter on her feet, managed to get away, but not before the mist had caressed across her limbs as well.
"You two should get out of there," Ralune called from the safety of the staircase. "I haven't determined what this magic does yet. It might not be safe."
The younger sister smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Ralune. I got a little too carried away again."
Sera rose to her hands and knees. "I'll say. You really need to- Razael, what's happening to you?" The human's eyes widened in shock as she witnessed the beginnings of a strange transformation coming over her companion. The same silvery glow that had been emitting from the mist was now covering Razael's legs.
"What do you mean?" Razael asked. Then, noticing her legs, said, "Oh, that. That's certainly strange."
"What does it feel like?" Ralune asked. She had produced a strange crystalline apparatus from somewhere within her robes and was pointing it at various points around the room.
"...Itchy," Razael answered after a moment of thought. She tried to stand, but fell back onto the floor, her legs splayed out behind her. "My legs feel like they're soft clay," she said, reaching behind her to scratch her calves. When she took her hand away, shimmering green scales had appeared where there had once been skin. She gasped at the sight, her eyes widening in surprise.
"What kind of magic is this?" Sera asked, whirling toward Ralune. Her hands curled into fists at her side. She was capable of fighting off almost any threat, but magic was the one thing she was powerless to help her companion against.
Ralune scurried closer and stared intently into her crystal. "Transmutation magic," she announced. "Very potent transmutation magic, at that."
"Can you stop it?"
"Maybe..." Before Ralune could say any more, the air was split by a loud groaning. Sera looked down at herself to see her legs were noticeably larger than normal. The fabric of her leather trousers was stretched taut. Her feet slid out of her boots and, with a strangely numb sensation, her entire lower half expanded to nearly twice its normal size. Her pants held on for a moment, but soon were torn away by the magical growth. Her bare flesh was intermingled with scales the color of obsidian, and more were appearing with each passing second.
"Ralune, stop this," she said. Even as she spoke, the rest of her body started growing to catch up to her legs. Her jerkin turned to tatters as her soft breasts spilled out. At the same time, a strange tingling ran up her legs and, when she turned to look at them, they had started to merge. The human moaned lowly, her mind unable to keep up with her body.
"It would be dangerous to interfere at this point," Ralune said, backing away to the safety of an alcove. "We should allow the magic to work its way through your system, then form our next plan."
Meanwhile, a similar change was coming over Razael. The younger elf's legs lengthened rapidly, first stretching the fabric of her stockings, then breaking free of the garment entirely. Her ample breasts snapped the straps covering the top half of her leather leotard, then spilled out as they, too, started to grow.
"O-Oh... this feels... kind of strange..." Razael groaned as her legs became one long, sinuous tail.
By the time the transformation stopped, Sera towered over the other two. Ralune looked to be small enough to easily fit between her breasts now, and even though Razael had changed as well, the elf was only slightly more than half the height of the human. Even more starting than the change to her size, however, was the change to her apparent species. Where once she had two sturdy legs, she now had a long, scaled tail.
"R-Ralune?" Sera called. Her body was left tingling all over from the drastic change, but the feeling was far from unpleasant. She had to constantly remind herself that being a naga was not a good thing, but even so, a part of her heart was already in love with her new shape. Sera did her best to keep that part of herself far away from the rest.
"You.. You've become Nagas," Ralune stammered, overcome with excitement at the unexpected development. "This is incredible! I had no idea such a thing was even possible!"
"Yes, and how do you change us back?" Sera insisted.
Ralune wasn't listening anymore. She hurried to Sera's side and began feeling the scales covering her lower half. "Incredible, just incredible," she muttered to herself.
While Sera was being inspected by the elven mage, Razael had busied herself with learning to move in her new body. After a few uncertain lurches and tumbles, she was gliding around the chamber as effortlessly as a natural-born snake. "Come now, Sera. I think you could get used to this body if you gave yourself a chance."
"I'd rather not, thank you," the human replied.
"But this is such a great opportunity to research," Ralune insisted. "I don't think a real naga has been seen for over five hundred years, so you two are the next best thing."
"Study Razael then, not me. She seems to be fine staying like this as long as necessary."
"It's true," Razael chimed in.
"But... But you're so big," Ralune said.
Sera frowned slightly. The elf might have been tiny compared to her now, but that didn't mean she couldn't notice what part of her Ralune was staring at. Making a displeased hissing sound, she covered her breasts up with both arms.
"S-Sorry, that was a reflexive action..." the elven mage said, her face turning slightly red. "I-I was simply... studying..."
Sera reared up indignantly. "I'll give you something to study!" Before she could carry out her threat, however, Razael waved for her attention.
"I hear something," she said. "Something's coming up from deeper in the ruins."
"Can you tell what the source is?" Ralune asked.
Razael pressed a pointed ear to the ground and furrowed her brow in concentration. "It's something big sliding along the floor. I think it's a living thing, since it's headed straight for us."
Sera started to slither back and forth in an effort to find a way out. The window she had slipped through was too small to fit even a single hand through now, and the main entrance was blocked with fallen stones.
"That's it!" Razael exclaimed, shooting upright in excitement.
"What's it?" Sera asked.
"The sound I hear is just like your slithering. Another naga's coming our way."
"That can't be right," Ralune said, pulling out a notebook. "The nagas have all died out in these parts... haven't they?"
In answer, a massive stone block rolled away from wall behind the serpent statue. A naga as big as Sera slithered out, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she did. Her upper body was clad in a green garment that cupped her impressive cleavage and covered her arms in a sort of sleeve. A belt of pale stone sat above her wide hips which gave way to a multitude of small, brown scales covering her lower half. "What's all the noise?" she mumbled in an accent so thick it was almost indecipherable.
All three explorers froze.
The naga stretched and let loose a mighty yawn before looking at the three. When she laid eyes on them, her face immediately brightened and she shot forward far faster than Sera thought someone so big could move.
Sera braced herself for a fight, but found herself instead being wrapped in the most thorough hug she had ever experienced. The naga wrapped her serpentine tail around Sera's waist as her arms held her by the shoulders. "Another naga! I'm so happy to at last be with my people once more. Oh, and you brought friends, I see."
Razael wriggled her way into the hug as well, an easy feat considering her smaller size compared to the two giantesses. "I hate to disappoint you, but we aren't normally nagas. Some sort of magic transformed us."
"Of course, that is the Great Fountain," the naga explained. "The high priestess built our temple around it an age ago so our people would not perish from the land. I was left here as a guard, to be awakened when one bathed in the Fountain's glow."
"I see," Ralune said. Carefully, she climbed up Sera's tail so she could get closer to the naga. "How did you accomplish something like that?"
"After the temple was built, the priestesses sealed me in a chamber deep below the earth. The chamber was filled with powerful enchantments, and I slept soundly."
"A magically-induced stasis," Ralune muttered, scribbling furiously in her notebook. "I had no idea the nagas were so advanced."
The naga nodded smugly. "My people are very skilled in the art of enchantment."
"And to think I get to meet a living member of your empire!" Ralune squealed delightedly, drawing a sigh from Sera. "Razael, can you believe our luck?"
"Not at all," Razael replied, grinning. "And it's all thanks to Sera, isn't that right?"
"Oh, I realize I have not given my name," the naga said. "I am known as Tal'Saia. And you are... Sera?" The name sounded foreign on the naga's tongue, but not unpleasant.
"That's right. And the elf is Ralune."
"I must say, Sera, you must be something special. Most who bathe in the light of the Fountain grow to your friend Razael's size. Only a select few ever grow as big as you have become."
Sera looked down to where her enlarged breasts were squishing comfortably against Tal'Saia's and blushed deeply. "W-Why does everyone keep talking about that?" she demanded.
Tal'Saia regarded her curiously while Razael fell to the floor laughing. Even Ralune chuckled at the silver-haired human's discomfort.
"I was speaking of your height, not the size of your breasts," the naga said with a smirk. "Although I do not mean to discount those, either. Truly, you are an impressive figure in both ways." The compliment only drew more mirth from Razael.
"How long does this change last, exactly?" Sera asked.
Tal'Saia released Sera from her hug, but only reluctantly. "You do not wish to remain as you are?" The naga's face had fallen into a look of hurt dejection.
"Oh, I didn't mean it like that. I was just wondering if... if this is... permanent."
"It certainly should be. The high priestess believed it to be so, at any rate."
Sera sighed. Razael would be able to adapt, she was sure, and Ralune hadn't changed at all. But for her, going back to her old life would be next to impossible. Even ignoring the fact she had a serpent's tail for legs now, she was too big to fit inside any of the buildings.
Sensing her dismay, Tal'Saia said, "Worry not, Sera. I know we only just met, but I can tell you have a noble heart. I vow to aid you in whatever way I can."
"We could always use a fourth member of our expedition team," Ralune mused.
"Especially one so big," Razael agreed. "I'll bet you could scare off a dragon, even."
"Not a dragon," Tal'Saia said with a laugh. "But if you wish for me to join you, I will gladly accept. You and Sera both will have much work ahead of you if you are to grow fully accustomed to your glorious new bodies."
Every eye was on Sera now. "Very well," she said at last. "But I have one question. Have you really been asleep this whole time?"
"Indeed I have," the naga replied. "Why do you ask?"
"How did you eat if you were asleep?"
Ralune opened her mouth to explain, but Tal'Saia beat her to it. "The enchanted sleep frees us of such needs."
The rest of the night passed by before Sera realized it. Dawn brought little in the way of light to the jungle, but the sounds beyond the palace walls changed with the rising of the sun. With Tal'Saia's help, the four managed to clear the entrance and slither out into the main courtyard.
"I still can't believe we made it here so quickly," Ralune commented from her perch on Sera's shoulder. "I could have sworn the Palace of the Scaled Queen was a day farther along."
"Palace of the Scaled Queen?" Tal'Saia asked. "No, this is the Temple of Fertility, as Sera can attest." The naga poked Sera's expansive chest and giggled.
"Ah, that makes so much more sense," Ralune said, nodding. "I suppose that means we should head out for the true palace, then. There are treasures to be had."
"If it's treasure you seek, you should instead search the desert to the north," Tal'Saia said. "There are ruins beneath those sands that were old even when I was a hatchling. Besides, I much prefer the desert to the forest. There's far too much... water here." The naga shuddered.
Razael thrust out her finger dramatically. "To the desert it is, then! Follow me, girls. Riches await us!"
"Razael, that's south," Sera said. "Maybe we should let Tal'Saia lead the way this time."
"You're no fun, Sera, you know?"
In response, Sera knocked Razael lightly on the back of the head. "Stop acting like an excitable child."
As the group of explorers departed the ruined temple grounds, Sera risked a glance in Tal'Saia's direction. Perhaps they had found a treasure on their expedition, after all.
