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The door was immense, ornate, and had a certain...weight to it. Not just that it looked massive, but it seemed to stand out in the world, a little more real than it's surroundings. Two draconic heads were depicted on each half of the door, facing each other, with gleaming gems set inside the eyes. One set was red, one blue.

"I honestly don't think I even need to check for traps. The door isn't trapped, or rather...the door probably _is_the trap. We're going to walk through, and have to deal with _two_dragons," Chester said, frowning as she spoke.

Karla spoke next, saying "I don't think we could take two dragons, honestly. Do you really think it will just be a fight?"

"I see no reason for them to force us to fight against such impossible odds, they'd want something more interesting. Unless we've done a poor job of being interesting contenders, and they think we need something to spice things up a little..." Vivian said.

"There's nowhere else to go, right? We can't sit out here forever..." Ciera said, glancing behind them.

Eventually, Karla sighed, and said "Might as well go inside. Everyone, be prepared for a fight. Remember, _any_loss could be bad enough to lose us the Tournament, if we're not careful. I'll open the door and step through first, everyone else follow close behind."

The chamber itself was massive, a cavernous space more natural than the hallways that led to it. Bright lights gleamed from glowing crystals embedded in the ceiling, clearly a favorite light source down here, but they were embedded in cracks and crags that obscured a great deal of the light. The effect caused much of the chamber to be shrouded in shadow, while the center was cast in inconsistent light. Beyond the central, well lit area, there was something that looked like a ritual altar, surrounded by pillars and runed structures, glowing dimly in the half-light that surrounded them.

In the darkness of the far reaches of the chamber, obscured by impossibly deep shadow, two gleaming pairs of eyes stared at everyone as they stepped into the chamber, approaching the center.

"Well, well, it appears our visitors have finally arrived, Salana," echoed one voice in the darkness.

"Yes, Eirwan, always nice to have guests. Perhaps they should share their names, though we know them already," another voice answered.

"Karla, Vivian, Chester, Ciera...perhaps they should be handing out_nametags_ at the start of the Tournament, to make introductions easier..." Karla said, pointing to each of them in turn.

"Hah! Perhaps indeed," the one called Eirwan answered, their voice loudly echoing inside the chamber. While their bodies were obscured in shadow, the placement of their gleaming eyes showed their size...clearly dragons. Powerful, old dragons.

"We should be careful not to intimidate them, Eirwan," Salana said. "Perhaps we should approach them more appropriately for a conversation. We're not here to hurt them after all, right Eirwan?"

"Indeed not, Salana, we are _kind_to our guests!" Eirwan responded, as both of their eyes disappeared from the darkness, and there was a brief silence.

Eventually, two figures approached the well lit central area. One was a woman, in mostly human shape, her eyes still a deep red, slitted and reptilian looking. There was a patch of blue scales on her cheeks, contrasting with the color of her eyes, a reminder of her draconic nature. She had dark hair, and pale skin, and wore an extravagant dress.

The other was male, wearing little more than an open chested robe. He had bright white hair, with a darker skin tone, and deep blue eyes, almost indigo. The hints of scales on his skin, mostly on his cheeks and arms, were tinted red.

"My name is Salana, wonderful to meet you," the dragoness said.

"And mine, Eirwan," the other said.

"It's, um, wonderful to meet you both. So...you're not planning on any sort of fight?" Karla asked, the rest of the group happy to let her do the talking, as a vague sense of unease washed over the party.

"Of course!" Salana answered, stepping much closer. She stood less than a foot away from Karla, looking her up and down inquisitively. Karla couldn't help but notice that her clothes deliberately showed quite a lot of her cleavage, and Karla tried not to focus on that fact...but Salana deliberately leaned forward, clearly showing off, even reaching up a hand and pulling back at her dress slightly, showing just a little more skin, just the slightest edge of a nipple...before she quickly stepped back, smirking.

"Salana, please, contain yourself! Our guests are at a disadvantage. We know each of their weaknesses, while they know nothing of us! It would be rude not to introduce ourselves more fully," Eirwan said, stepping forward slightly. "We are here as...something of a reward. The Tournament likes to _encourage_contenders to fall for the occasional trap, with the promise of a possible treasure at the end...you'll find that most of the encounters you have in the Tournament, at least the ones where you're not doing battle with another contender, have the possibility of some treasure or another."

"Our position here is to serve as an ally of sorts, to assist you on your journey," Salana continued, "In a few specific ways. First, we are here to offer a sort of...bargain. I will explain more shortly. Second, after our business is done, we can offer you some advice, and answer any questions you might have. Thirdly, we have a unique gift, one given to us by the mage in charge of the entire Tournament. We know exactly_what magics and consequences are in effect on each of you, even ones you may not be aware of yourselves...and we can provide you with information on that, should you ask. It is a rare opportunity, there have been Tournaments where some contenders go the entire time without knowing half of the effects they are under...but, of course, some things can be _dangerous to know, so the choice remains in your hands."

"So, before we continue, do you understand?" Eirwan asked, looking over the party.

Each of them looked at each other, a little stunned at the situation. There was an...uncomfortable air about the two dragons, even in human shape. Their eyes had a predatory gleam to them, and it made the entire team feel...inadequate. As though they were being watched by creatures so far above them it was incomprehensible. It was a struggle to reply normally, and not to feel as though one shouldn't be speaking at all.

"Er, yes, we understand," Karla said, realizing no one else was going to speak. Even Chester seemed wary to speak up, perhaps concerned about how she would sound with this strange aura effecting her.

"Very good!" Salana said, the approval almost palpable. Karla relaxed, noting how the others did too. They needed to be cautious around these two, whatever this aura was it was easily catching them off guard.

"Should we begin with listing the effects you are under? Or would you prefer to bargain first? You must choose one, and then the other. We are under...strict rules on how to operate. The mage that runs this Tournament keeps his..._employees_on a tight leash," Eirwan said.

"Which certainly has _nothing_to do with our actions in any previous Tournament. We are so _kind_to our toys, aren't we Eirwan?" Salana asked, grinning.

"Guests_Salana, _guests," Eirwan responded, a bit annoyed, before looking back at the group. "Well, make your choice."

Karla turned to look at her companions, and said "There's no telling whether any of this is some kind of trap, any more than anything else we've seen in the Tournament. I don't think they're lying, at least...but if we ask them about what things are effecting us, we could be in for some unintentional surprises. It seems like the smartest choice to go first, though."

"It's an incredible opportunity," Vivian responded, "Even if it means having my little...gift...from the Minotaur revealed a bit early. Knowledge is an important tool, we should definitely make use of this chance."

"Ciera? Chester?" Karla asked.

Ciera spoke up first, saying "Well, no reason not to right?"

Then Chester said "I don't trust either of them, honestly. I don't think we should listen to them at all. But, I'm outnumbered, so...I suppose the choice is already made."

Karla nodded, and turned back to Salana and Eirwan. "Alright. We want to know what effects we are under due to the Tournament."

"A good choice!" Eirwan said. "Salana, if you would do the honors..."

Salana nodded, and approached Karla first, looking her over. "You are under a few effects, the most prominent being your absolute, uncontrollable obsession with breasts. In particular, large breasts, and the effect specifically states that the harder you try and hide it, the worse the obsession gets. It also directly notes that this obsession extends even to your own breasts. You've also been physically altered into a full blooded catwoman. There's also an effect that causes your breasts to grow whenever you have an orgasm while picturing, thinking about, or otherwise fantasizing about breasts. Must be difficult, with your beautiful, busty companions, yes?" Salana finished with a smirk. Karla blushed a little, but nothing was unusual there. She had already known basically all of that.

Salana approached Ciera next, and said "Now for you, a trap in this Tournament has caused you to lactate, with the effect getting stronger if you do not milk yourself frequently enough. The effect notably does have a limit, but...well, let's just say if you reach it you'll find yourself spending most of your day being milked, or wishing you were being milked. You've also been physically altered into a cowgirl, or half-blooded cow woman, or whatever other terminology you prefer. The horns and tail are cute on you, by the way, I have a bit of a thing for horns like yours...you also are being prevented from milking yourself, by hand at least, forcing you to rely on other means to relieve your breasts of their bounty. That's all for you, the effect that causes you to share pleasure with Vivian is technically an effect on her, of course."

Ciera nodded, the information about her lactation having a limit eventually was helpful, but also not likely to actually come into play. If it got to that point, they would have to remove the effect.

Salana then stepped up to Vivian, and said "Speaking of Vivian, let's take a look...Well, you've got an effect on you that causes you to be obsessed with the idea of giving blowjobs, and in particular gives you an aesthetic preference for bull or horse shaped dicks, you have -"

"Wait, what?" Vivian interrupted, causing Salana to frown slightly in disapproval.

"I will not repeat myself, toy - er, guest. I cannot tell you when and where the effect was placed, only what the effect is. Now, before I was so _rudely_interrupted, I was about to tell you that you also have an effect that prevents you from lying. Specifically, if you attempt to deceive someone directly, it prevents you from doing so, forcing you to tell the truth instead. You also share all pleasure you feel, _physical_pleasure notably, with Ciera, and you feel her physical pleasure as well. Finally, you are helplessly addicted to cum, going into withdrawals if you go less than a day without feeding your addiction, and making you quite pliable and suggestible after you've had a dose. That's everything, for you."

Vivian blushed at the last consequence, Ciera and Karla giving her a surprised look as they listened. She didn't know about the withdrawals after a day, or the suggestibility...she wished, a little, that her companions had not heard that.

Salana smiled, and then stepped up to Chester, glancing over her, and then saying "As for you, you're under an effect that makes you always 'ready,' whether that means physically or mentally, for...well, anything sexual basically. The effect is very vaguely described, actually, which is in my opinion the most dangerous type of effect. You're also forced to repay anyone you insult, in whatever way they think is appropriate, and you are prevented from sharing this with your companions. This nicely sidesteps that problem, yes? Now that they know, you should be able to discuss it. You've also been transformed into a full blooded dog woman, or beastwoman dog, or however the humans out there are choosing to define it. This, just like Karla's, is a total transformation, with every ensuing consequence. You've also been specifically allowed to keep your dick, an afterthought I'm sure is_much_ appreciated given what we just heard about Vivian. Best of both worlds, right? Both you and Ciera should know, we are aware that there are certain...effects on your minds. Those are not because of the Tournament, though, and as such are not under our purview. We know of them, but are not permitted to discuss them. I believe that is all, right Eirwan?"

"Yes, very thorough, Salana. It's good to get the dull, mundane parts of our little duty here out of the way first. Hopefully we've given you a lot a to think about, but you'll have to think about it later. For now, our duty is not done. We have a deal to offer you. As you know, the winners of the Tournament have their changes reversed, and even those who lose are given the opportunity to purchase artifacts to remove their consequences, and sometimes losers even already possess enough artifacts to fully reverse their changes. There are even some kind souls in the Tournament who might _willingly_reverse a change after beating you, although the Judges tend to require some greater penalty or consequence be imposed in exchange. The point is, there are many ways to remove a consequence..."

"But," Salana interjected, "It is possible to...solidify_such things. Make it impossible to remove, and even quite difficult to adjust or change a consequence. It takes powerful magic, but, well...we are quite powerful. The deal is this - You tell us a number of consequences, and we will make those number of consequences_permanent. They cannot, and will not, ever_be removed. Altered, adjusted, maybe if you're very lucky at the end of the Tournament, even _weakened. But never, ever removed. In exchange, for each consequence thus made permanent, we will gift you with one artifact capable of removing a change. It's traditional to use coins, repeat contenders of the Tournament tend to think of it as a kind of currency. There are other artifacts that remove or alter consequences, but they tend to come with downsides, or other conditions that need to be met. So, one change made permanent, one change you can remove at any point in the future. Such coins even operate once the Tournament is over, I should note. We've had contenders sneak a few in to future rounds...the Judges have been known to look past such things, at least temporarily."

The entire team looked at each other, uncertain. Kara spoke up first again, saying "Well...there's a few at least that we could make permanent. Everyone, tell us what you're willing to offer up. No one will force you. I'm happy to stay as a full-blooded catwoman, it's not really very different. Ciera?"

"Well, the horns and tail aren't a problem. We can also make the change of me being unable to milk myself permanent, I don't plan to still be lactating at the end of the Tournament anyways. We can always use one of the coins to stop me from lactating, if it gets to be a real problem..."

"The 'always ready' thing doesn't seem dangerous to me. None of my other changes are things it would be safe to make permanent."

"I'll chip in with my inability to lie, I suppose. It's annoying, but...I can live with it. If we win the Tournament, anyways. If anything, it could serve to make me more trustworthy to clients, once they know I'm incapable of lying."

"Well, you hear all that, Salana and Eirwan?"

They both smirked, and Salana said "First things first, contenders. I told you to tell us a number of consequences, so give us the number, so we know how many coins we will need to give you."

"Five!" Karla responded, after a brief count.

Salana and Eirwan's smiles grew wider at this, glancing at each other with a devious expression. "Five it is, five consequences for five coins. A pity, guests. You seem to be under a bit of an illusion regarding our choice. You pick the number. _We_pick the consequences," Salana said, as the runes on the altar-like structure behind them began to glow.

Everyone stood back for a moment, uncertain about the situation, with Chester putting her hands on her daggers. She assumed the worst, and prepared to fight, thinking they had been betrayed.

"Calm yourself, Chester! You agreed to our bargain, nothing you can do now will change that. Besides, _you_don't need to worry. We're not doing anything to you. Karla, Ciera, Vivian. Step forward. We can _make_you step forward. I wouldn't tempt us," Eirwan said.

The three of them he named stepped forward cautiously, as Salana approached. She started with Karla, smiling as she placed a hand on Karla's chest, and said "This is a powerful magic. You may feel a bit of an...intense sensation."

Karla narrowed her eyes, prepared to say something, until the magic hit her like a hammer to the chest. The world spun wildly for her, her thoughts in disarray, as she felt something...change. It was difficult to comprehend the sensation, but...she didn't have much time to think about it. Salana was already in front of Ciera now, hand on her chest. Ciera seemed worried, glancing at Karla, looking for some sign it was going to be alright.

Karla nodded slightly, not really hurt so much as disoriented. This time she got to see the effects from the outside, raw magic tracing complicated patterns over Ciera's body as she stumbled backwards, falling onto one knee. It was Vivian's turn to look worried.

"I should have known nothing in the Tournament is ever this easy. I'd swear vengeance, but...something tells me I won't get the chance with you two. We're lucky to leave this encounter in one piece," Vivian said, as Salana placed a hand on her chest.

"Many don't," Salana said, as she performed the same magic on Vivian. Vivian handled it a little better, stumbling only slightly before collecting her senses.

"What...what did you make permanent? We deserve to know..." Vivian asked.

"Hmhm...perhaps you do. We are bound to answer your questions honestly, now. You've made the bargain, so you are owed a few answers. Karla will live the rest of her life in her current shape, and with her particular obsession. It is now written into the fabric of her being and mind. Ciera, too, will keep her current shape, and should probably learn to get used to milking herself properly. As for you, Vivian, well...I decided you should really _enjoy_that fantasy of yours, even once the Tournament is over. You still don't quite know what happened to cause that little obsession, do you?"

"I...have some suspicions. You said we could ask questions of you?"

"Indeed. We'll make it easy for you - each of you may ask us a single question, and we will answer it to the best of our abilities. Whichever one of us is most qualified to answer, right Eirwan?"

Eirwan nodded back at her, and said "Of course, Salana. It would not do to rob them of their prize, of course. We may well be speaking with them again before the Tournament is over. Speaking of which, here is your agreed upon payment," he finished, tossing five runed coins onto the ground, similar to the one they already possessed from the lamia.

Chester sneered at him, picking up the coins as her companions recovered. She then turned to them, and said "I'll ask my question first. How do we get the Champion's Key? It's the only way to win the Tournament without simply waiting it out or beating everyone else, right?"

"That's_two_ questions, Chester, but we'll let it slide. Salana, you should answer this one."

Salana stepped towards Chester, and said "It's an easy question to answer. The Champion's Key lies in the center of the Tournament grounds, but is impossible to access simply by walking there. There are, however, a number of places that serve as portals to the place it is held. Once you are there, there will be a final trial to take the key. Do not take that trial lightly - it will be difficult and lengthy. As for your second question, well...it is the only way to 'win,' but there are many ways to finish the Tournament in a better place than you started. Some things you find in the Tournament have real value, and you are allowed to keep what you find, unless it is something _specifically_meant for the Tournament, and nothing else. There have been those who simply hunt the Tournament grounds for treasure, dealing with a few consequences along the way, getting rid of most of the terrible ones with the resources they find. You are all now a little beyond that kind of tactic, I'm afraid. Who would like to ask the next question?"

"Where could we find such a portal," Vivian asked from behind Salana, as she helped Karla and Ciera recover.

"Eirwan, this is more your department. I'm not familiar with this years layout."

"Neither am I, Salana, unfortunately. I can say this, Vivian. The portals are generally guarded by things intended to take their victims out of the running, so to speak. Consequences that are truly debilitating. The Judges generally also like to pit one team against another to get to such portals, arranging matters so they arrive there at similar times. The truth is, the Judges control who has the opportunity and who does not. When you return to the surface...be adventurous. Fall for a few traps, seek out a few foes. It will be seen to that you are rewarded for being...entertaining," Eirwan finished with a smirk.

Vivian grumbled at the lack of a complete answer, but then glanced towards Ciera, who seemed to have her wits about her again. Ciera stood up, and said "Alright. You said you would answer any questions to the best of your ability? Well, now that you've made my life _considerably_more difficult, forever, here's what I want to know. What is, in your opinion, the best strategy for the four of us to win the Tournament?"

Salana and Eirwan looked at each other, their eyebrows raised in mutual amusement. "Well," Salana said, "That is a broad question. A smart one, too. We've seen many come and go, and we've seen the winners and the losers. Here's the truth for you, this is a game. You are playing it to entertain those that observe it. They control more than you know, more than I think you even suspect. So, the answer is simple. Be entertaining to watch. Let yourself trip and stumble, but never let yourself fall so far that there's no longer a chance of victory. Let your personalities shine! Your best chance of winning is to be interesting, is what I'm saying. And...honestly...it's more important for the Judges to like you than for you to win. You will face a number of..._employees_on your journey. Many once competed in the Tournament. It isn't a bad life, really. What I'm getting at is...never forget _why_you came to the Tournament. If you are fleeing debts, or responsibilities...if you're just ambitious, or greedy...there are many ways to achieve your goal. Not all of them require you to win, but they _all_require that you put on a good show."

Ciera nodded at this, although she seemed a little unhappy with the answer. It was Karla's turn, as she got up, glancing around the room.

"Alright. What's the easiest advantage we could get, closest to here? Treasure, artifact, hell, even a shortcut."

"Hah! A more shortsighted question, but a good one nonetheless," Salana said. "How about a shortcut? It is not without it's own troubles, of course. Beyond us lies a second set of tunnels, crossing and weaving between each other. Often, you are forced to encounter a number of dangers as you attempt to leave, sometimes wandering the twisting passageways for weeks while you do. When you leave, follow the left hand wall, until you encounter a chamber with a small but deep lake. There will be a skylight, allowing a small amount of sunlight from high above to reflect off the surface of the water. Obscure that light in some way, and a path will open up to reach the surface. It won't be easy, but I can't spoil the surprise too much. I have rules I am bound to follow. That path is the easiest one for you."

Everyone now back on their feet, they looked at Salana and Eirwan one last time, as Karla asked "Not that you're required to answer this, but...is there a safe place to rest somewhere near here?"

"Well, you could always stay in our chambers...but we have a tendency to_entertain_ our guests. If you head out the tunnel behind us, it's a short walk to a large, empty cavern. It should serve as a good place to make camp."

Karla looked back at everyone, and said "We should probably head that way as soon as we can. I'm sure we all would like to talk about things a bit."

The rest of them nodded, and began walking. Salana and Eirwan were quiet as they left, waiting a few moments after they were gone before Salana said "Well, they looked fun. I liked the kitty, she'd make a good plaything. Did you see the way she kept staring at me?"

"We have plenty of servants, pets, and playthings Salana. You'd have her wrapped around your finger in no time, I'm sure, but...I'm more interested in seeing how things play out. Perhaps next time we meet we'll make them an...offer."

The empty cavern was, in fact, a perfect place to rest. Everyone remained on their guard, of course, none of them trusted anything the dragons had said after their little deception.

Most of the group were, in one way or another, sulking. Vivian at least seemed content to deal with her permanent change, but Karla and Ciera both had difficulty coming to terms with what had just happened.

"I mean, it's not like I _didn't_like breasts before, but I wasn't some tit-obsessed freak! Now, god, every time I think about boobs, it just...ugh, I hate how much I love this!"

"At least your change isn't a chore you have to do for the rest of your life! I mean, it's not the worst thing in the world, I guess...but, every day! Every single day, from now until...forever! I have to wake up, milk myself, go about my day...milk myself again...and again...Ugh, all this is doing is reminding me I need to milk myself. At least we have our tents set up, I'm going to go take care of this. Um, Vivian, you should-"

Vivian nodded, and stepped over towards Chester, and said "Listen, I...we should probably...I mean, this is as good a time as any."

Chester sighed, and said "Yes, I suppose it is. Can't say I'm complaining, at least. Let's head into your tent, Karla, you've got things out here?"

"Oh, yes, just fine! The whole camp about to be filled with the sounds of moans and blowjobs, and here I am, keeping watch. I thought it was your job to be this ornery, Chester."

Chester smirked and said "Mad that Ciera doesn't need you anymore? Hah, maybe you should go in there and ask if you can watch."

Karla seemed to seriously consider this a moment, before Vivian said "Listen to the two of you, fighting like actual cats and dogs. Karla, after we're...done...I'll take watch. You can have some time to yourself. Whatever you do, don't_make your cup size problem any worse. We have five coins now, so we_can undo it if we need to, but I would really rather save them. We should keep at least four on hand, so that when we head for the portal, if there truly is a debilitating trap or something, we can undo whatever it does to each of us. Chester, let's go."

With that, Chester and Vivian went inside Vivian's tent, and tried (and failed) to quietly sate Vivian's addiction.

Karla was a little worried about Vivian, although she was happy to see her opening up a bit more. She was worried because Vivian was their _rock_at the moment, the one who was the most normal, and now...now she was dealing with her own problem. If she slipped, if the Tournament got to her...well, there was no use worrying about it now. Instead, she inched a little closer to Ciera's tent, listening intently to each quiet 'moo,' to the pleasured moans and sound of suction...and she could barely help herself.

It wasn't long before she was joining the rest of the team in blowing off some steam, with one hand stroking herself, despite her promise to keep watch. She kept as quiet as she could, getting closer and closer to Ciera's tent, silently, imagining what it must look like inside...and then she moved a little_too_ close, and stumbled through the open tent flaps. Ciera's eyes went wide, the pump just beginning to finish, interrupting what would have been a surprised shriek with a pleasured moan.

Karla was already pretty horny, just from thinking about what Ciera had been doing in here, and now seeing it, despite the circumstance...her hand worked faster, forgetting her situation and moaning quietly as she stared up at Ciera's expansive chest.

Ciera was too lost in the sensation of the pump working to get the last few drops of milk, her whole body shivering as she came, an echoing set of moans coming from the nearby tent of Chester and Vivian. Karla took just a second or two longer than that, her eyes wide as she stared, until orgasm hit her and she let out a few pleasured gasps.

It wasn't until she was sitting there in the warm afterglow that she realized what she had just done, as Ciera gave her a playful glare, removing the milk pump.

"You know, you could have asked, Karla."

"I...was too embarrassed to, honestly. Um, sorry, I couldn't really..."

"Karla, come here. I can see your, erm, your breasts already starting to grow a little. Let me fix your clothing before something breaks."

Karla nodded, and allowed Ciera to cast the spell. It didn't take long, the leather stretching slightly and adjusting to fit her new bust size. One orgasm didn't amount to much, but on top of her previous lapses in judgment, she had been getting close to being more than just uncomfortable.

They spoke for a little longer, Karla apologizing again, and Ciera mostly laughing at the absurdity of it all. When the team regrouped outside, Chester and Vivian looking just as bedraggled as Ciera and Karla, everyone decided to not bring attention to what had just happened. They would talk more seriously about things in the morning.

For now, they tried to relax and enjoy the evening. Ciera and Karla had adjusted to their new normal, begrudgingly, and were determined now more than ever to win the Tournament. After all, the dragons had mentioned possibly weakening the effects, right? If they could do that, well...it wouldn't be so bad.

Not that bad at all, really. And with their newfound knowledge? They were closer now, more than ever, to being victorious.