"Demons! Demons are here!" the priest screamed so loudly that his voice echoed off the nearby unusual plants, shaking the humid air. His beard trembled as if trying to detach from his chin, and droplets of saliva flew from his twitching mouth in all directions, creating a strange sense of panic literally spreading through space. His hands, clutching at nothing, shook as if he had just witnessed an apocalyptic vision.

  Across from him stood Rick and Mia—no longer just newlyweds, but creatures infused with a different essence, as if the very nature of their love had been reborn into something demonic. Rick looked at Mia, and an odd, almost hypnotic feeling overcame him. She had changed, but there was something indescribably beautiful in this transformation. Her skin had taken on a rich dark purple shade, as if woven from midnight shadows, but this didn't make her frightening—on the contrary, it accentuated her refined features, adding mystery and allure. Her curly blonde hair had darkened, filled with a silvery glow, as if it held the cold radiance of the moon. It fell onto her shoulders in soft waves, and each curl seemed to beckon, promising something forbidden yet enchanting.

  Her horns were perfection—thin, elegantly curved, resembling an exquisite ornament that emphasized her now otherworldly, yet incredibly seductive beauty. When her emerald eyes met his gaze, Rick felt something new stirring within them. A dark gleam ran through their depths, but it didn't eclipse that special spark that had always made her unique. Only now, this spark belonged not to a human, but to something greater, more dangerous... and more powerful. Yet despite this, he recognized her unmistakably. This was still Mia, his beloved, and even a demonic appearance couldn't change that.

  Mia, looking at Rick, momentarily forgot about everything else. He had always seemed to her the embodiment of strength and charisma, but now... now he had become something truly magnificent. His skin had darkened, taking on a rich purple hue, and his sharp facial features had become more pronounced, acquiring a predatory attractiveness. High cheekbones, penetrating gaze, a slight smirk on his lips—all this made him not only intimidating but almost irresistibly seductive.

  Massive horns now grew from his head, slightly curved backward, with sharp tips, as if designed to inspire both awe and desire to approach. And his body... It had always been strong, but now it seemed that each muscle had gained additional definition, emphasizing his demonic nature. The clothing that once symbolized the celebration of their love hung on him in tatters, scorched and torn in places where new features of their appearance had emerged. His chest, partially exposed, looked as if darkness itself had molded it, giving it perfect form.

  Yet, despite these changes, Rick recognized her, and Mia recognized him. Their faces, even infused with a new essence, still remained the same. Now they had become even more alluring, mesmerizing, as if nature itself had decided to make them the embodiment of temptation that was impossible to resist. But in their eyes, there was more than just this—there was understanding. The realization that they were no longer who they had been before. But this didn't frighten them. Because they were still together.

  Their attire, once a symbol of purity and joy, now looked like pitiful remnants, torn where horns had broken through, and mutilated by the appearance of tails. The edges of the fabric showed signs of scorching, as if the transformation process had burned away everything from before, leaving no way back. And yet, their facial expressions remained the same. In Rick's smirk, one could discern the same self-confidence, and in Mia's gentle expression, there flickered the same joy that had been in her gaze just recently when she pronounced her vow of love.

  However, neither of them could rejoice now. Rick glanced at the priest, who continued to back away, afraid that at any moment these demonic creatures might grab him.

  "Father Gregory, please," Rick raised his hands, trying to speak calmly, though his deep, slightly altered voice sounded almost threatening. "It's me. Rick. We just got married. It's still us. Just... something happened." He looked at Mia, who, noticing how her tail had caught the hem of her dress and left another ragged line, irritably tried to press it against her side. The tail, however, proved stubborn, writhing as if it had a will of its own, only worsening the tear in the fabric.

  The priest, continuing to back away, let out a short, almost hysterical laugh. "Us? Married?" He crossed himself with a trembling hand. "You are spawns of hell! Demonic creatures! I should have realized when you put on those rings!"

  "Oh great, now I'm a creature too," muttered Rick, rolling his eyes. He took a cautious step forward, but this only made the situation worse. The priest stumbled over a root, flailed his arms awkwardly, and fell to the ground, raising clouds of dust.

  "This is all some kind of mistake!" added Mia, also trying to intervene. Her voice, melodious and soft, she hoped would calm the priest. "We don't want to harm you! We don't even understand what happened!"

  But the priest had already risen, this time not raising his eyes to the demonic couple. He mumbled something, clearly addressing the heavens, but his voice trembled with fear, "Evil creatures! Spawns of darkness! You won't deceive me with your words!"

  He turned and bolted away, stumbling, falling, and rising again, as if the earth was deliberately trying to hold him back so he would hear them once more. But his footsteps grew more distant until he finally disappeared behind the dense forest undergrowth, leaving behind the fading rustle of leaves and the echo of prayers addressed to any deity that might hear him.

  Rick slowly exhaled and shook his head, looking at the spot where the terrified man had just vanished.

  "Well, that went even worse than I expected," he muttered, turning to his friends. His horned head tilted slightly to the side, as if studying their reaction. "James? Emily? Maybe you two won't run away headlong?"

  James, standing next to Emily, impassively observed his friends in their new appearance and the empty space where the priest had been moments ago. His face expressed an almost philosophical calmness, as if what was happening didn't concern him at all, but was just another oddity in a series of events that he had come to accept as inevitable.

  A slender, dark-haired man of average height, James looked like someone who had found his inner peace and wasn't going to lose it. His slightly tousled hair, instead of betraying anxiety, added a touch of casual ease, and the light suit of a best man, sitting a bit loosely, looked like an expression of comfortable modesty. He stood motionless, without fuss or nervous gestures, only occasionally calmly shifting his gaze between Rick, Mia, and the forest.

  "Well, this is... unusual," he drawled, tilting his head slightly as if analyzing what had happened. "But I think it can't get worse. Or can it? In any case, what about the rings the priest mentioned? If I'm not mistaken, it was after you put them on that we ended up here." His voice sounded even, almost lazy, as if he were asking out of politeness rather than genuine interest.

  Rick and Mia, as if by an invisible signal, simultaneously looked at their fingers. Their wedding rings, once classic symbols of love, had now become something completely different, as if the transformation had affected not only their bodies but also these precious ornaments. The metal had taken on a rich purple hue, perfectly blending with the new color of their skin, and a mysterious pattern had emerged on its surface. Fine lines, resembling a network of cracks, intersected, forming a complex design that looked like skillful engraving.

  In the center of each ring, tiny crystals of three colors brightly shimmered: red, black, and white. They were arranged in a strict order, as if forming some kind of runes. The red stones pulsed with a soft light, like reflections of living flame or blood in a loving heart, the black ones looked deep and light-absorbing, and the white ones sparkled as if reflecting the weak light of two moons above their heads.

  Mia carefully ran her finger over her ring, as if checking whether it was still the same ornament. To the touch, it felt more like smooth, cool bone, without any gaps between the metal and the skin, as if nature had decided that the ring should become an extension of her finger.

  Rick, frowning, tried to move his ring, tilting it from side to side with a familiar gesture. But the ring remained immobile, as if it had grown into the very phalanx. He clenched and unclenched his fingers, hoping to feel even the slightest discomfort, but nothing of the sort happened. The ring had become part of his being, had attached so organically that even attempting to move it felt as pointless as if he were trying to tear off a piece of his own flesh.

  "They seem to have become extensions of us," Rick said thoughtfully, examining his ring with new attention.

  Mia slowly ran her fingers over the ring, enjoying its new texture, and quietly sighed. Her gaze lingered on the ornament, then rose to Rick. In her eyes, there was no longer any anxiety—only a warm, barely noticeable satisfaction.

  "You know," she smiled softly, pressing her hand to her chest. "Maybe this isn't so bad. The rings were a symbol of our love. Now they're forever with us, not as ornaments, but as part of ourselves. Something eternal."

  Rick looked at her, slightly raising an eyebrow. Her words knocked him out of his usual cynical mood, but he found nothing in them that could be disputed. He just quietly sighed, feeling the tension gradually leaving his shoulders.

  "Well, there's logic in that," he replied with a slight smirk, lowering his hand and again carefully examining the ring. "After all, the purpose of a ring is to always remind. Now it certainly will never be lost."

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  Mia nodded, her smile growing a bit wider. She looked almost happy, as if she had found comfort and new confirmation of their bond in this strange transformation.

  Rick fell silent for a moment, watching her. There was indeed some truth in her words. Maybe they were no longer who they had been before, but their connection remained unchanged, even if it had taken such an unusual form.

  Meanwhile, beside James stood Emily, shifting from foot to foot, a petite blue-eyed blonde whose fragility was further emphasized by her confused expression. Light locks fell on her shoulders, and the light bridesmaid's dress, once accentuating her refined figure, now only intensified her appearance of vulnerability. She held James's hand tightly, as if it were her only connection to reality. Her gaze darted around the strange landscape, the new appearances of her friends, and the torn fabric of their wedding attire. Her open mouth and nervous quivering of her lips indicated that she was trying to say something, but the words were stuck in her throat, suppressed by fear and incomprehension of what was happening.

  Rick felt an incredible power flowing through his veins—unlike anything he had ever experienced before. As if in one moment he had taken not one, but a dozen doses of pre-workout, and now his body simply demanded a release of this energy. He clenched his fists, feeling as if his muscles were filling with invincible strength, ready to tear, throw, break—even move mountains.

  He turned to Mia, a confident, almost boyish smile touching his lips. Before she could say anything, Rick easily grabbed her by the waist and, without exerting any effort, tossed her into the air.

  "Rick!" Mia gasped in surprise, soaring upward more easily than she could have ever imagined. She didn't even immediately realize what had just happened, and then burst into pealing laughter, feeling how the air pleasantly enveloped her body. She didn't even have to try to maintain balance—the movement came out so naturally that she involuntarily wondered if her body had always been able to be so... obedient?

  "What's gotten into you?" she asked, hovering for a moment in the air before Rick carefully caught her and set her back on the ground.

  He grinned, shaking his head. "I feel so strong, like I could move mountains," he admitted, flexing his fingers and observing how a new, unknown energy played in his veins.

  Mia, smiling, shook her head. "You won't believe it, but I do too..." She thoughtfully looked at her hands, and then, as if testing her guess, easily twirled on the spot. Her body obeyed the movement with perfect grace, her feet softly and precisely pushed off from the ground, and the pirouette came out so light and natural as if she had been a professional dancer all her life.

  She stopped, blinking in amazement. "Wow..." she exhaled, looking at Rick with admiration. "This is... incredible."

  "You bet," he grinned, extending his hand to her. "Seems like we've become not just stronger. We've become better."

  Finished with self-admiration, Mia looked around, her gaze repeatedly lingering on the bizarre forms filling the surrounding space. "What an unusual place... I wonder where we've ended up?" she voiced a rather rhetorical question, changing the subject and shifting the focus of attention from their appearance to the surroundings, which also raised many questions.

  Around them stretched a strange forest that resembled a fantastic dream more than a real landscape. Instead of familiar crowns, the trees were topped with massive dome-shaped caps, like giant mushrooms. Their wide, spreading branches had grown together, forming a dense canopy that cast bizarre shadows on the ground. The foliage, resembling velvety plates, shimmered with soft shades of blue, purple, and gold, emitting a faint glow. The trunks of these mushroom-trees were covered with a network of small pores, from which occasionally escaped light clouds of sparkling vapor, filling the air with a sweet, slightly tart aroma.

  Underfoot stretched dense carpets of grass, but each "blade" was of a strange shape: wide flat leaves, shimmering green and silver, stuck out in different directions like a porcupine's armor. Between these leaves pushed semi-transparent, fragile-looking sprouts resembling glowing threads, which faintly flickered with each step, as if reacting to touch from movement.

  On the sides rose bushes, but they looked like an interlacing of crystals—their "branches" were sharp, sparkling, as if made of green quartz. Long vines stretched down from the bushes, covered with shimmering spots that shimmered when someone came closer, creating the illusion that they were alive and observing those present.

  In the gray sky hung two celestial bodies resembling moons. They were so close to each other that they seemed ready to intersect, and their soft light created double shadows from everything around. This double halo added even more unreality to the surrounding landscape.

  The company of two demons and two humans stood amid all this wonder, looking around. James was thoughtfully examining the glowing bushes with genuine interest. Emily looked around in confusion, holding his hand. Her blue eyes were wide open, glistening in the twilight as if she had just realized this wasn't a dream.

  Rick's gaze stopped on the nearest giant mushroom, and he involuntarily reached out his hand to check if it was as soft to the touch as it seemed.

  "Don't touch!" Mia suddenly reacted, sharply pulling his arm. "What if it's poisonous?"

  Rick obediently withdrew his hand. "You're right. But if the trees here are like this, I'm afraid to even imagine what the animals are like."

  As if in response to his words, there was a rustle underfoot. Rick froze, looking down. Something reddish flashed between the grass and the glowing threads of vegetation. A moment later, several creatures appeared in the clearing, seeming to move directly towards them.

  "What on earth are..." he began, but the words got stuck in his throat. Before them appeared small furry creatures resembling squirrels. But these "squirrels" looked a bit different: they were twice the size of their Earth counterparts, each had two fluffy tails which they held raised like banners, and their huge black eyes, shining with brilliance, stared directly at the travelers, unblinking.

  The company carefully observed the unusual animals when suddenly Mia unexpectedly hid behind Rick's broad back and, raising her voice almost to a hysterical scream, said, "God, this is some kind of nightmare! Why are there these terrible squirrels here? Get this nastiness away from me!"

  Rick, slightly frowning, looked at his beloved with understanding, while James stood up in defense of the fluffy creatures, "Mia, what's wrong with you? This is a unique species of squirrels! Look how cute and friendly they are."

  Even Emily, who had previously looked very anxious and withdrawn, relaxed, watching the reddish animals with affection. The squirrels did indeed look unusual, their two fluffy tails elegantly writhing, and their huge black eyes curiously glistening, studying the two-legged strangers.

  Meanwhile, the squirrels behaved cautiously. They kept at a small distance, as if assessing the strangers. Their movements were quick and smooth, as if they were thinking through each step.

  James, wanting to confirm his words, crouched down and extended his hand to one of the squirrels to pet it. This proved to be a mistake.

  The animal with unexpected agility lunged at him, latching onto his hand with sharp teeth. James flinched from pain and instinctively jerked his hand, trying to get rid of the treacherous attacker. The squirrel held on tightly, its tails spinning in the air like whirlwinds.

  Emily screamed, but gathering her courage, grabbed the squirrel by one of its tails and, with obvious disgust, threw it aside.

  James, recoiling, examined his hand. Shallow teeth marks remained on the skin, which quickly began to be covered with thin lines of blood. The man, still in shock, looked at those around him, and his breathing faltered, as if he was trying to comprehend what had happened.

  Emily, gasping, hugged her boyfriend around the shoulders, simultaneously stroking his arm near the wound and slightly scolding, "I told you that your unbridled love for animals would backfire someday."

  Her voice carried a mixture of care and mild irritation. But James, still examining his bitten hand, only nodded, not finding the strength to respond.

  Meanwhile, the squirrel thrown by Emily didn't disappear without a trace. Its reddish fur flashed among the thickets, and a few moments later, a whole delegation of fluffy avengers emerged from the bushes. Their number was impressive—no less than a dozen, if not more. All of them carried strange, rather large nuts with hard, shiny shells in their tiny paws, resembling miniature kernels.

  "Looks like they have artillery," Rick noted, squinting and taking a step back.

  The squirrels, as if on cue, began their attack. The nuts whistled through the air, rapidly approaching the humans. The company had to react instantly.

  Rick, despite his impressive size and new demonic essence, nimbly dodged, covering Mia, who squealed from time to time, "Are they crazy?! These squirrels are really trying to kill us!"

  Mia pressed against Rick, trying to hide behind her husband's broad back, but a sudden rustle behind made her turn around. One of the squirrels, skillfully moving through the grass, had unnoticeably circled the clearing and now stood right behind her. Seeing the animal at arm's length, Mia let out a scream that could have made even the bravest creatures flinch.

  She jumped up, waving her arms as if trying to exorcise a demon, and her tail reflexively struck the air, adding even more movement to the chaos. Rick, turning at the noise, shook his head, as if amazed by the absurdity of what was happening. Without wasting time, he easily kicked the approaching squirrel, sending it back into the bushes.

  "Rick!" exclaimed James, who had managed to notice this moment. His face reflected reproachful disappointment. "Why did you do that? It's a living creature! It..."

  But he didn't manage to finish the phrase. One of the nuts, launched with the accuracy of a professional sniper, hit him right in the forehead. James grabbed his head, rubbing the reddening spot of impact, and fell silent, apparently realizing that the squirrels didn't particularly need his protection.

  Emily meanwhile was forced to constantly dodge. Perhaps the fluffy aggressors decided that she was the main enemy, since she was the first to physically throw aside one of their brethren. Nuts whistled literally millimeters from her head, and some even touched her hair, forcing the blonde to demonstrate miracles of agility and reaction.

  "They're chasing me! This is personal, I'm sure!" she exclaimed, jumping over a log and taking cover behind the trunk of a mushroom-like tree, which looked sturdy enough to withstand the onslaught. Well duh, those were just squirrels throwing nuts.

  The attack continued, but soon the squirrels probably got tired or ran out of ammunition. Gradually, the ranks of the fluffy avengers thinned, and finally, the remaining ones disappeared into the thickets. The clearing once again plunged into relative calm.

  The company breathed heavily, putting themselves in order. Mia sat down on the ground, holding her torn dress with her hands, while Rick stood nearby, looking around as if checking whether the squirrels would return.

  "What... what was that?!" Emily finally asked, peering out from behind the tree and brushing off a few leaves.

  James, still rubbing his forehead, responded hoarsely, "Seems like we were just nearly defeated by an army of squirrels..."

  But this was just a temporary respite. Preparation for round two.