-- Sophie's Perspective --
Sophie kneeled down next to Wren and lifted her head from the ground. "Are you okay? Wren!"
Perspiration beaded on Wren's skin, and her silver hair clung to her face. As Sophie called out to her, she stirred and her eyes fluttered open.
"Sophie..."
"Wren, you're okay!" Sophie breathed a sigh of relief. However, just as she relaxed, Wren leaned up and kissed her on the lips.
"Mwha." Wren finished the kiss with an exaggerated smooch and smiled.
"Huh?" Sophie blinked dumbly in silence. "Wh-What was that?"
"Oh, I want a kiss too!" Allie ran forward and kneeled down next to them. "Can I get some kisses as well?"
Wren shook her head. "For Sophie only."
"C'mon, give her some space..." Mira placed a hand on Allie's shoulder and pulled her away. "I'm sure she's a bit confused after waking up."
Wren stood up and dusted off the front of her skirt. She turned between each of them and shook her head. "I'm not confused at all. You three came to save me. I'm so happy."
"Wren, are you really okay?" Sophie asked.
Wren's voice sounded detached, nothing like someone who had just woken up in a dangerous dungeon. Her eyes lacked their normal light, and she stared back at them with a half-glassy gaze. However, at Sophie's question, Wren simply shook her head.
"I feel better than ever."
"I-I see..." Sophie trailed off and reflexively touched her lips. "Uhm, about that kiss-"
"Hey Wren? What's this big eye thing?" Allie asked.
A giant eyeball statue filled the hallway behind them. The stone orb was bigger than Sophie was tall, and an intricate engraving of an eyeball was carved into its front.
Wren looked at it and smiled. "You will learn in due time. For now, would you three follow me? I can show you the statue's meaning."
Mira shook her head. "You seem off, Wren."
Sophie nodded. Wren was usually stoic, so her smile felt strange... It wasn't like Sophie disliked the sight, though. If anything, she found Wren's new smile quite bewitching. However, Sophie's lips still tingled from the kiss. Elves were said to be fickle lovers, and a kiss from an Elf meant something completely different from a human kiss. Wren had explained that in great detail along their journeys, and... Sophie's ears burned the longer she thought about the subject.
"Uhm, about the kiss-"
"I'm perfectly fine, Mira," Wren continued. "Now, would you three follow me? I have something important to show you."
Mira shook her head again. "We need to find Brill and secure a way out."
"What I can show you will solve all your worries." Wren turned away from them. "I'm sure you three will love it. Please come with me."
Allie tilted her head. "The way out is back this way. We already found the stairs-"
"There is an alternate path this way." Wren continued staring off down the hall, with her back turned to them.
Mira walked over to Sophie and lowered her voice. "Do you have a spell to remove brainwashing? I think Wren is acting a bit too strange, and it's best to be safe here. If the dungeon did something to her mind..."
Sophie nodded. "Brainwashing, I see. That would certainly explain the kiss-"
"Hurry," Mira whispered under her breath.
"Oh, what are you guys whispering about?" Allie came over and joined their discussion.
"Mira thinks Wren is brainwashed, but do you really think so? I mean, there are other reasons to kiss someone-"
"Oh, she's totally brainwashed," Allie replied. "She had a 'hypnotized' status effect when I inspected her."
"Say that sooner!" Mira whispered under her breath. "Quickly, we need to do something before-"
"Oh, she's gone..." Sophie looked up to see Wren missing. She had only taken her eyes off her for a few seconds, but she had already disappeared down the hall.
Mira looked up and followed Sophie's gaze. The place where Wren once stood was now empty. "Dammit. We already lost her."
Allie smiled and shook her head. "That just means we gotta find her again. C'mon, let's go explore this section of the dungeon. I wonder if there'll be any fun traps."
"Hey, do you think the kiss was..." Sophie tried to ask her question again, but Allie had already skipped off down the hall, and Mira chased after her. "I'll worry about it later, I guess..." Sophie said to herself.
-- Mira's Perspective --
Mira led the way into the new area of the dungeon, and they eventually ran into a new type of monster.
An eyeball floated at the end of the corridor. Thin tentacles hung from the underside of its body, and they undulated slowly through the air. The rest of its body was made of the same fleshy complexion as its tentacles. Small knobbly bumps covered the back of its head, and its skin glistened wet in the torch-light.
"Be careful," Mira warned the other two. "If these are what brainwashed Wren, they must have psychic attacks."
"Let's pull back for a second and strategize," Sophie suggested.
Mira nodded and she followed Sophie back behind the bend in the path. From there, they couldn't see the eyeball, and it couldn't see them.
"So, what's the plan?" Allie asked.
"Can you use fire magic to take it out from a distance?"
"O-Oh, uhm..." Allie hesitated. "I could, but don't you want to give the dungeon a chance. Where's the fun in blasting every monster we see?"
"We're not here to have fun," Mira gave Allie a harsh stare, but it did little to dampen Allie's spirits.
"C'mon, I know you wanna find out what the eye does, right? Wouldn't it be exciting to waltz up to an unknown creature and let them have their way? I'll save you if it gets too much, so don't hold back!"
"Keep your perverted fantasies to yourself.. And why would I be the one to go?." Mira blushed and glanced back at Sophie. "Do you have any better ideas?"
Sophie nodded. "You mentioned removing brainwash effects earlier, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to. This new staff has a spell called 'cure-all' but I highly doubt it will actually cure all status effects..."
"It might still be worth trying. Can you test it out on me?" Mira asked, but Sophie shook her head.