Multiverse Allies: A Fairy Tale Trap

Also based on the Prose Challenge of the Month XXXIII: "Write your own version of Hansel and Gretel, your own twist. Make it street, make it a long poem, a short story, make it comical or horrifying. Make it yours."

https://theprose.com/challenge/13488

*This story takes place immediately after the events of "Leftover Levels Up - Part IV: A Scent of Danger - Nostrel Attacks!" Although reading the prior stories in this multiverse saga will help with context (and hey, I would love for you to read them anyway), this story mostly functions as a stand alone tale. But if you would like to check out the rest of the stories in this arc, links are available at the end of this adventure*

   Anti-Hero, Janet, and Hypnorc raced through a new set of gray corridors in their quest to reach the throne room, where Leftover was likely already dueling Hugh.

   "Janet, do you know what Hugh did to this castle? There were never this many corridors before!"

   "I'm sorry Hypnorc, I was merely a tool of Hugh's. He never let me in on any of his schemes. Please forgive me, because I don't think I can ever forgive myself."

   "It's all OK now Janet." Hypnorc replied as gently as he could with his gravelly orc voice. "You're putting your life on the line to fight alongside us, so you're all right to me."

   "We've all suffered from Hugh's tyranny, but we're going to reclaim this country, and stop him from hurting anyone else ever again." Anti-Hero added supportively. "Stick with us my friend, and we'll win this war."

   "Thanks guys." Janet beamed. "I'm honored to fight by your sides. And look, another one of those weird doors!"

   The corridor ended with another silver wooden door. The party opened the door and found themselves in a small gray room that resembled a dungeon. Straight ahead of them was another silver wooden door.

   "Well, maybe this room won't be so bad." Hypnorc mused. "Come on ladies, let's see if Hugh is beyond this one!"

   Before they could proceed, smoke began filling the room. Powerless to avoid breathing it in, Hypnorc, Janet and Anti-Hero fell unconscious to the floor. Once the smoke cleared, a small electronic chip was tossed onto the floor in the room before the door was closed. The young man that had tossed the chip laughed maniacally.

   "Yes, it worked! Those fools will now have no idea what is going on thanks to the memory tamporing smoke they took in, and they will be trapped in the simulated world I created! Once they succomb to the trap within that world, they will also die here in reality! They can't escape unless that chip is destroyed, and I won't do that! Yes Tam, you my friend are a genius! Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

*****

   When Anti-Hero, Janet and Hypnorc came to, they found themselves in a dense forest. They each stood up and looked at each other in bewilderment.

   "Anti-Hero! Hypnorc!" Janet cried out. "What are we doing in this forest? How did we get here, and what were we doing to get here?"

   "I have no idea." Hypnorc grimaced. "All I remember is that the two of you have the same powers as the helmets Hugh used to use to enhance his army's strength, helmets that also let his soldiers summon weapons by thought. Even though the two of you are in black dresses, you are both practically invincible from most attacks. I don't remember why we're here, or what we were doing to get here."

   "You remember correctly about Janet and me at least." Anti-Hero smiled. "And I remember that you are a massive, strong orc that can hypnotize others."

   "Indeed I can." Hypnorc mused. "OK, at least we know who we are. Now we need to figure out what is going on. Let's explore this forest and see if anything triggers memories of what brought us here. And if that doesn't work, let's seek out the nearest town. That could give us an idea of where we are, and how we wound up out here."

   The trio traveled through the forest, feeling like they weren't seeing anything but the same pattern of trees repeating over and over. After what felt like hours, they found a section of the forest where a small house sat. The house was made up of a foundation of chocolate candy bars. The house also sported a Graham cracker roof and a white chocolate door.

   "This house.... looks delicious!" Janet drooled as she entered a pouncing stance.

   "Janet, no matter how hungry we are, we can't eat someone else's house!" Anti-Hero scolded.

   "Yes, let's be civilized about this." Hypnorc added.

   The white chocolate door opened, and an old lady with a sweet smile walked out. 

   "Hello, are you lost? I don't see many travelers in my neck of the woods."

   "Yes ma'am, we are lost." Hypnorc replied politely. "Can you direct us to the nearest town?"

   "I can show you the way tomorrow, but why don't you come inside and have a hearty meal and a good rest. My treat!"

   "Yes, that sounds great!" Anti-Hero and Janet shouted excitedly in unison.

   "Very well, we will take you up on your kindness." Hypnorc smiled and nodded. "We are Hypnorc, Anti-Hero, and Janet by the way. It is a pleasure to meet you."

   "The pleasure is all mine. My name is Candie."

*****

   The interior of the small candy house was mind blowing, resembling a vast hotel full of amenities once the party stepped inside. Hypnorc, Janet and Anti-Hero were treated to a buffet complete with steak, mashed potatoes, pizza, burgers, shrimp, every kind of ice cream and cake imaginable, among many other delicacies. After the three ate their fill, Candie escorted them to their room on what was apparently the fifth floor, where they would stay for the night. The trio were amazed that the room held three king sized beds. Each settled into one of the beds and quickly fell asleep.

   "They may have gained a few pounds from all that food, but normally I would want to fatten them up more before eating them." Candie mused out loud. "But hunger is hunger! Oh well, the two girls have some decent muscles in their figures, and that orc's size should last me a good month. Hope you enjoyed your last meal friends, because tomorrow I'll be having you three for dinner!"

*****

   The next morning, Candie knocked on the door of the hotel room to wake up her guests. Anti-Hero answered and greeted Candie with a smile.

   "Good morning Anti-Hero, did you and your friends sleep well?"

   "Very well, thank you Candie! That was the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in."

   "Glad to hear it." Candie beamed. "I can show you to the nearest town anytime, but first I was wondering if you and your friends would like to enjoy the use of my sauna before we depart?"

   "Yes please, that sounds amazing!" Janet chimed in as she quickly woke up. "What do you say, Hypnorc?"

   "Doesn't sound like my scene, but if it makes you and Anti-Hero happy, then sure."

   "We're all in Candie, thank you again for your kindness." Anti-Hero said gratefully.

   "It is my pleasure, believe me." Candie smiled. "I will need each of you to take a shower before you come to the sauna. Wear only these towels I am leaving you. I will await you by the sauna entrance."

*****

   After individually cleaning themselves up in their room's shower (Hypnorc was amazed that the shower was even big enough to accompany his massive orc body), the trio headed downstairs in the elevator, wearing only the towels Candie had provided to them. 

   "These towels smell nice." Janet said happily. "Kind of like chocolate."

   "You humans like some weird things, but chocolate scented towels is a new one. Oh well, I still can't remember what we are doing here. Maybe this sauna will help ease my concerns."

   "Yeah, come enjoy some relaxation for once Hypnorc!" Anti-Hero laughed. "We will have enough to worry about after we sweat off some of our anxiety."

   The trio arrived at the entrance to the sauna, with a beaming Candie standing in front of it. She opened the door and revealed the spacious sauna with wood paneled walls, soft lighting, and welcoming benches. Janet and Anti-Hero gasped with excitement, and Hypnorc smiled at the joy emanating from his allies. Before they could be escorted in, a familar man appeared next to Candie and tapped her shoulder. Candie's body shrank before being turned into a worm. The man then picked up Candie's worm body and laughed.

   "Willy, when did you get here?" Anti-Hero cried out. "And why are you turning Candie into a worm? She is our friend that was kindly going to let us use her sauna!"

   "Well, at least you remember who I am, and my worm transforming powers." Willy snickered. "But no, this monster is not your friend, and this is not a sauna. This is actually an oven disguised as a sauna. Candie was going to cook you three in there and eat you up!"

   "Now I remember why I don't ever visit saunas." Hypnorc mused. "But Willy, how did you know about this plot against us?"

   "Easy, it was due to this idiot's laughing outside of the room he initially ensnared you three in." Willy replied as he held up another worm in his hand. "This is Tam, Mirk's brother. We took Mirk out earlier in Hugh's revolution.  We thought we had gotten Tam too, but he apparently survived and plotted revenge without Hugh even knowing about it. Most of your memories of our current mission were wiped out by a smoke trap Tam set for you. After that, he put you in this simulated world based loosely on the old fairy tale Hansel and Gretel. This little device here is what is responsible for this world around us." Willy explained while holding up the small electronic chip that had claimed Anti-Hero, Janet and Hypnorc.

   "This is crazy!" Janet exclaimed. "What were we doing to wind up in a crazy trap like this?"

   "We were taking back the royal castle of Prosperity from Hugh and his goons.... no offense Janet, since you have recently defected from his side to ours. Our ally Leftover from another dimension was seeking out Hugh, and you three were trying to catch up and help when Tam captured you. But I also caught up and turned him into a worm, and I told him I would only change him back into a human if he told me how to find you guys and prevent you from becoming Candie's meal. Once I destroy this chip, we will be back in the castle, and your memories will be restored. Is all of that right, Tam?"

   "Yes, of course!" The worm version of Tam shrieked. "I told you what you wanted to know, and guided you to your friends before they got cooked, now change me back at once!"

   "Yes, a promise is a promise." Willy smiled. He then flung the worm bodies of Tam and Candie into the air, then flicked both of them with each of his index fingers, knocking them into the sauna oven. Both reverted back to human form as they landed on the benches, screaming from the scorching heat they were now being cooked within. Willy closed the oven door, sealing their fates and ending their threats for good.

   "I promised I would revert him back to a human, so I kept my word." Willy smirked. "You still look confused my friends, so I am going to destroy this chip and send us back to where we belong."

*****

   True to Willy's word, the party found themselves back in the gray dungeon room upon the destruction of the electronic chip. The memories of Anti-Hero, Janet and Hypnorc were completely restored. Janet and Anti-Hero were back in their black dresses, and Hypnorc was dressed in his battle armor as well.

   "Thank you Willy, that was too close." Janet said gratefully.

   "Yes my friend, if it weren’t for you we would have been well done, instead of being able to tell you well done."

   Everyone laughed at Hypnorc's terrible joke before Anti-Hero asked what was also on Janet and Hypnorc's mind.

   "I knew you would make it Willy, but how did you get past Kirk and Serenity outside?"

   "Let's move forward and catch up to Leftover and Hugh. I'll tell you what happened on the way there."

To be continued in the forthcoming story "Leftover Levels Up - Part V."

*****

The Leftover Levels Up/Multiverse arc:

Prior stories from this plotline:

- A Non-Hypnotic Suggestion - https://theprose.com/post/475973/a-non-hypnotic-suggestion

- Leftover Levels Up - Part I: Entering The Multiverse - https://blog.reedsy.com/short-story/41d2fe/

- Leftover Levels Up - Part II: Old/New Friends & Foes - https://blog.reedsy.com/short-story/2qk4yo/

- Leftover Levels Up - Part III: Multiverse Showdown! Anti-Hero vs Janet - https://blog.reedsy.com/short-story/azurfp/

- Leftover Levels Up - Part IV: A Scent of Danger - Nostrel Attacks! - https://blog.reedsy.com/short-story/llqvl3/