The Hero Became a Succubus, and the Only Way to Level is to… What?!

It took hours before they found an inn. None of them understood the Faerealm written language. Only a handful of words made any sense, and they made a lot of guesswork over it. Fortunately, they shared the same speaking language despite being from different realms entirely.

Despite receiving odd looks from every person they met or passed, the party managed to find a normal enough fae to give them directions. They arrived at a three-story building on the corner of a busy block. A mostly empty lobby awaited them within. It was just a chamber with two stairs presumably leading up to the rooms. Before them was a walled-off reception area with five evenly spaced out holes.

The only other person here was some gremlin race. He dropped currency onto the counter. A tentacle sprung out from the hole to collect the coins, exchanging them for a key covered in slime. The gremlin picked it up and went upstairs.

"Hello? We want a room!" Edina peered into the hole.

"A room is five minted moon shards a night. Per person," a monotonous voice announced from the other side.

"Crap. We don't have any." Kanae cursed under her breath.

"We're not sleeping outside," Arenade said. "I need my beauty sleep, which demands a comfy pillow, a bedsheet, and a not-so-firm mattress."

"Would these suffice?" Sighing, she pulled out a handful of coins from her world.

A slimy tentacle emerged and seemed to glance over copper, silver, and gold coins as if it had eyes.

"Is this a joke? I have no need for common metals. If you can't pay. Move along." The tentacle made shooing motions at them.

At this rate, Arenade was going to throw a fit. But they just didn't have any currency from this world! That posed a big problem if they ever came across an ingredient for Fairy Rot in a shop. They could go out and try to earn some money…

Exhaustion gripped them with a vise though. They would have better luck searching after a good night's rest.

"Is there something we can offer instead of money? Maybe… a little relief for your tentacles?" Kanae leaned her breasts onto the counter.

"Relief, you say?" the creature behind the hole asked, his voice oozing with interest.

"Well, this is clearly a job for someone with big titties." Edina spun around and walked off to find a seat. "I'll be over—"

"Actually, I like them small!" he exclaimed.

"Eh?" The squirreling gasped.

"Whew. I thought I was going to get molested." Arenade wiped the sweat from her brows.

Before anyone had a chance to say anything else, the wall split in two. There was only darkness within, and they couldn't really make out what sort of beast or creature it was. A dozen tentacles flew out, grabbed Edina, and slowly reeled her in.

"Wait a minute, I'm not used to this! Shouldn't it be you or Arenade? I like sex, but I don't know about this one!" Edina stammered 

Kanae said nothing and continued saluting the squirreling until the wall closed shut with her in it. A lot of squelching and moaning erupted from the other side.

"AHHHH! I'M GETTING SLIMED UP! HELP! IT'S— oohh… ahhh… Oh, fuck!" Her panic gradually grew less intense, and it seemed like she was beginning to enjoy it.

"Here you are." Another tentacle, much more slimy than before, dropped a key onto the counter. "I'll be keeping her for a while longer."

"Thank goodness it wasn't me this time…" Arenade shuddered.

As a half-succubus, it probably wasn't so bad for Edina. But Kanae clutched the key and wished she was in there instead. No sense in dwelling on it now. Kanae and Arenade headed up to their room.

They weren't afforded any luxuries. Just four simple beds and thin linen sheets. The pillow was a large cushion, probably for a couch rather than a bed. Arenade pulled her red hair tie off and changed into pajamas, a light robe that left little to the imagination from her silhouette underneath.

"Come here and brush my hair. I want to be spoiled before bed." Arenade beckoned.

Kanae picked up the brush with her tail and went to work on the long, golden locks. In the meantime, they went over the ingredient list for Fairy Rot. They had a bundle of star-leaf stalks, needle fruits, and a satyr horn in their possession. The remaining four ingredients were a faerie dragon egg, whatever a googarulodongwun was, rauncor beast bone, and lunar dew.

Neither Arenade nor Kanae knew where or how to acquire the last ones. 

"I'm getting worried we won't find the ingredients in time." Kanae sighed.

"Fairy Rot won't kill the Kh'shanti that fast, but it will eventually. We have time," Arenade assured her.

"You know, after seeing Edina get taken away by a tentacle monster like that… I'm kind of in the mood." She embraced Arenade from behind and squeezed her breasts.

The large mounds deformed in Kanae's hands. She could tell Arenade was getting turned on by her stiff nipples. The high elf didn't resist. Her breathing grew shallow. The tips of her pointed ears went red.

Taking the lack of resistance as an invitation, Kanae took it further and lowered a hand down to Arenade's crotch. It was soaking wet. She pressed two fingers inside, and they slid into her pussy effortlessly.

"Were you turned on, too? Or did those hasty tortams screwing you at the speed of light flip a switch?" Kanae whispered seductively into her wife's ear.

"Mm… as if…" Arenade sucked in a shaky breath. "This is… nnnh… your fault for… making me start to c-c-crave it… ahhh!"

Kanae pinched Arenade's nipple, and her pussy squeezed the two fingers inside her in return. They were about to get it on until someone kicked their room door open.

Edina stood under the doorframe, bare naked and covered in slime. She was carrying her staff in one hand and dragging her belongings and robes in the other. The corner of her eyes twitched with anger.

"Leave me with a tentacle monster, will ya?" Edina stormed into the room.

"Edina, wait—"

"Not the hair! Not the hair!"

The three of them ventured into Starlight first thing in the morning. As they were leaving the inn, a tentacle from the receptionist slapped Edina's ass on her way out. She jumped a whole yard into the air.

"I'm gonna slaughter that thing and raise it as a minion…" Edina grumbled.

"Okay, we're at a loss. Do we even know what a googarulodongwun is to begin with?" Kanae asked.

Arenade and Edina shrugged.

Figures. Maybe they needed a hag's help after all. There didn't appear to really be any kind of leadership in Starlight to ask either. If there were, who would offer to help a trio of folks from another realm?

They searched for the part of the morning before finding a flower boutique whose shopkeeper wasn't a hag. An endaran manned the counter, wrapping a bouquet together to place into a basket. The man lifted his gaze when the bell chimed from them entering.

"Strange customers, you are. But customers are customers nonetheless. How may I help you today?" he asked.

"We're new to Starlight. Think you can point us in the right direction to find these?" Kanae charmed the shopkeeper and handed him the list.

"Uhh… Yes, of course. Let me take a look…" After taking the list, his brows knitted together. "Oh, you will be hardpressed to find any of these in the city. Faerie dragons are a rare sighting in the wilds. Forget about catching on, finding them is hard enough. I suggest searching at the Iron Shackle Bazaar. Not for a faerie dragon egg, but for someone versed in hunting exotic beasts. Googarulodongwun is a rainbow slime residue, also found in the wilds. Wherever rainbow slime go, they leave a trail of it behind. Rauncors are wraiths whose rotted spirit have yet to leave their bones. They can normally be found in graveyards. As for lunar dew… I'm afraid I have no idea."

That was more help than they found the first day. They followed the directions given to them by the endaran shopkeeper. Iron Shackle Bazaar was just beyond a wide bridge, in a large plaza where slaves were traded left and right like everyday merchandise. Fae slaves sat huddled inside cages, or were one of many whose leashes led to a single endar master.

It reminded Kanae of Aberron, where slaves were flaunted like a symbol of wealth. Enslaved fairies beat their fists against the bars of a birdcage. A hulking fae whose knuckles dragged on the ground was chained by his wrists, ankles, and neck. This is all so…

"I-I wonder what it would be like to be sold into slavery… Do you think someone might be looking for a succubus?" Kanae panted heavily.

"Can you quit being horny for one second?" Arenade clocked her over the head with Great Retort. "Edina's gone missing!"

Not for long. Kanae was able to sense the succubi she transformed through Sisterhood. Following her internal radar, it led them to an endaran man showing Edina metal cages upon metal cages, large and small, of Faerealm creatures.

"Oh, there you guys are. I think I found someone that might be selling what we're looking for," Edina said.

"Way to go you. How did you even come across this?" Kanae asked.

"Heh. I just have that kind of talent, you know?" She grinned and shrugged.

The endaran man was paler than most of his kind. He donned ornate equipment with the motifs of rose. It was possible he was similar to an adventurer from their world, given all his gear. Maybe he turned over a new leaf to hunt fae beasts to sell.

Kanae eyed the merchandise, but nothing in the man's inventory looked remotely like a faerie dragon, let alone a dragon. Her eyes wandered to the other, much larger beasts. Many of them stared back and growled. She began to salivate in more places than just her tongue.

"What'cha looking for? Maybe I can help you," the man said.

"Which one of these big ones has a dick as thick as a greatsword and can pin me down with ease?" Kanae gulped.

"Say what now?" He eyed her suspiciously.

"Alright, you dumb slut." Arenade yanked Kanae's tail, causing her to shriek and jump back. "Faerie dragon egg. You got them or not?"

The endaran immediately lifted a finger up to his lips and hushed them. He glanced up and down the street. Kanae, Arenade, and Edina caught on right away that they might be dealing with contraband. After a few seconds of checking that the coast was clear, he pulled back the flap into his large wagon and beckoned them in.

They followed him inside the back, which was stacked from head to toe with all manner of smaller beasts. Farther in, he moved aside other cages to reveal others that were covered with a cloth. Pulling it off revealed three eggs with a shell of a shimmering rainbow palette.

"Faerie dragon egg. Real as you and I. If Starlight guards catch you, it's straight to the gallows. Price, 1000 minted moon shards each. Well?" He rubbed his grimy hands together, expecting a big payday.

"We'll take one." Kanae smiled, and charmed the endaran into gladly handing one over.

"Pleasure doing business with you!" The man shook her hand and smiled.

Kanae stuffed the egg into Arenade's satchel. Four ingredients found, three left to go.

They spent the rest of the day searching for the remaining ingredients to little success. It was getting dark again, at least as dark as Faerealm could get. Kanae was getting antsy that they might have to spend another day searching for the rest. For all they knew, the Fairy Rot could have destroyed the Kh'shanti seedling by now.

Googarulodongwun, rauncor bones, and lunar dew were an absolute mystery to them. No amount of charming answers out of Starlight's citizens yielded anything useful.

"Why don't we ask the gods of Faerealm for help?" Arenade suggested as a matter of factly and pointed to a nearby temple.

Kanae and Edina cocked their heads.

"We can do that?" Kanae asked.

"Why not?" The priest shrugged. "I am of divinity, and you're probably the closest mortal to becoming deified. They would be fools not to answer us. There's a temple over there. We can try and commune with one."

"Former," she added with a snide grin.

Pouting, Arenade pinched Kanae's ear and pulled her along. 

"Wait up! My legs are shorter than yours!" Edina picked up the pace.

They entered the outdoor temple. An overhang of flowers gently showered them with petals. Gnarled tree roots formed a sort of amphitheater wall. Watery yellow sap leaked from the trunk down to a stone basin, where visitors stepped up one by one to cup their hands in to drink from, then offer a prayer.

The three of them stood in line behind Endar and other faefolk. When it was finally their turn, Edina shuddered and backed away.

"Ughhh… I'm feeling a holy aura in there. I'm just going to wait for you guys outside." Edina slinked out of the temple.

Holy aura? 

They walked up to the basin of sap. Kanae glanced up. The form of a woman with flowers growing from her hair had been carved into the trunk, and she appeared to stand vigil over her followers.

Kanae and Arenade scooped some sap into their hands, and down the hatch it went. They shuddered at the intensely bitter flavor. Soon, a warm sensation welled up from within their bellies. They shut their eyes and pressed their hands together in prayer. Their silent voices reached out into the ether, then…

"Arenade, is that you? What in three hells are you doing in Faerealm?" an amused, playful voice asked.

They opened their eyes to an emerald-skinned woman, whose lower half was attached to the tree trunk much like the carving. Except she was real. Her eyes and sclera were a deep black. Flowers on her hair weren't blooming and were instead tiny, closed up buds.

"No time for small talk, Gaea. We're on an important mission. Since you're the dryad patron, maybe you can tell us where to find an alchemical reagent called googarulodongwun, rauncor bones, and lunar dew," Arenade said.

"Snappy for a demigoddess stripped of divinity. Why should I help you? We're not from the same department. Your companion isn't even a denizen of Faerealm. Neither of you belong here to begin with!" Gaea returned indignantly.

"I'm nearing the finish line for Deification," Kanae chimed in. "Wouldn't you like to have a deity on the material plane owe you a favor?"

"Hm. There are dryads in your plane that do not worship me. Perhaps it is about time they do. Very well. You have intrigued me. Take this and plant it beside your Kh'shanti seedling, succubus." She dropped an oval green gem into the palm of Kanae's hand.

An incredible magic power pulsed from it… almost like a beating heart. Kanae feared what this might do to the Kh'shanti seedling, but Demigoddess Gaea didn't seem evil in the slightest. Hopefully, this wouldn't cause problems by bringing something back from Faerealm.

Kanae tucked it safely into a waist pouch and thanked the dryad demigoddess.

"I've included the location of one of your reagents on your physical forms. The rest you will have to find yourself," Gaea said.

"It's more than enough. We appreciate it!" Kanae bowed.

"Nu-uh. Just one? Give us the location of the other two, you glorified rose bush!" Arenade shouted.

"You're capable enough, Arenade. Oh. Or maybe not? Wasn't your divinity rescinded by the Supreme One for leaving a security door open? Ha! You're the laughing stock of Faerealm Pantheon department! You know what? Wait right there. I must tell the others," she said and disappeared into the tree.

"GAEA! GET YOUR BARK ASS BACK HERE!" The furious elf clenched her fist, infusing it with holy magic and throwing a wide punch.

A vacuum of force sucked them away. They returned to the temple grounds. Worshipers and clergymen stared at them in shock. Kanae didn't realize what happened until she followed their gazes. Arenade's attack had destroyed Demigoddess Gaea's statue, pieces of it and the tree trunk were strewn all over the floor.

"Ah." Arenade hid her glowing first behind her back.

"Those weird-looking people destroyed a statue of Gaea!" someone from the pews shouted.

"Infidels! Capture them!" a cleric of Gaea exclaimed.

Kanae grabbed Arenade's hand and booked it. A crowd of angry religious worshipers chased them out of the temple. Edina was outside minding her business when the two of them emerged. She glanced back inside to find the furious crowd, then tucked tail and ran.

"What the fuck did you two do this time?!" Edina yelled.

"I didn't do anything! Arenade punched the statue!" Kanae glared at their priest.

"Okay, I'm sorry! Now do something about this! Edina, use your ice magic to stop them in their tracks or something!" Arenade pleaded desperately.

"No," she said.

"No?!" They turned to her in shock.

"I've already used my one allotted, self-imposed, non-necromantic spell this month. I ain't using it again. If I keep using ice magic, that makes me an ice mage! Am I dressed like an ice mage to you?" the necromancer complained.

Kanae and Arenade slapped a hand to their faces.

Ice magic… Ice magic… Kanae recalled having acquired an ice spell through Feed the Queen. It was Hailstorm!

[Hailstorm: Call forth a shower of hail to bludgeon foes in a large area with physical and cold magic damage.]

Maybe creating a blizzard in the middle of the city wasn't a good idea. Kanae scrolled down a little farther and came across Conjured Caltrops, also another spell she obtained through Feed the Queen while in Lograin.

[Conjured Caltrops: Cast magical caltrops to the ground. Deals piercing damage and slows pursuing enemies.]

Perfect!

Kanae flourished her whip and cast Conjured Caltrops. Hundreds of small spikes poured across the ground. When the chasing mob arrived, they stepped all over the caltrops and danced around while screaming in pain.

"IT'S IN MY EYE!"

"Who would do such a thing?!"

"I'm in so much pain!"

They started howling in agony and stopped chasing for fear of stepping on more. Kanae suddenly didn't feel so good about herself.

"Maybe Hailstorm would've been less cruel…" Kanae winced.

The three turned a corner and threw themselves behind a wagon to catch their breaths. No one pursued them anymore, especially with a carpet of caltrops in the way. Arenade tensed up and straightened her back. She reached into her satchel to pull something out. It wasn't the list of ingredients for Fairy Rot, but a new piece of paper that looked freshly written on.

"It's from Gaea!" Arenade gasped.

"What's it say?" Kanae asked.

"Says here that Lunar Dew is obtained from the secretions of a moon priestess. Any cleric or adherent at any Moon Temple of Rayshar qualifies as a moon priestess. Looks like we need to find ourselves a Moon Temple," she explained and rolled up the note.