The aberration squealed like a demented thing before lunging forward, its mouth petal spreading wide open.

  Its speed was respectable for something so large.

  Foodie still dodged out of the way of its main mouth with an explosive lunge and went straight for the body. She swung her burning cleaver with all her Strength and her Thematic Concept, but the aberration showed some cunning by teleporting through the shadows before impact.

  The first exchange led to no damage on either side.

  Foodie skidded to a stop while turning her head and seeing her ugly foe twist and coil in and out of the shadows draped across the ground. It was like a giant fish that could swim about on and below the surface of a body of water.

  Foodie had seen similar abilities from the corrupted before. She braced herself for the creature to strike from below or from behind her. She didn’t expect her ugly foe to surface in front of her and shoot a powerful shadow torrent from its mouth petal.

  Foodie barely reached into her pocket kitchen in time to pull out her best defense … a large frying pan. The thing was only epic quality, and the shadow torrent would’ve wrecked it if it wasn’t for Foodie’s cooking abilities.

  Specifically, the Maestro Cooking Force +2 gave the frying pan a much needed reinforcement. That way, she blocked off the torrent with the bottom of the pan and came out mostly unscathed except for her left arm feeling shaky. She also lost some ground after getting pushed back fifty feet, making quite the trench with her body.

  This aberration was strong. She scrambled out of the trench and tried to use her Identify trait. No use. The aberration had enough levels and range of power to block the scan.

  Was it more than a mere lesser aberration?

  Did all of those moon rocks advance it that much?

  Foodie tried not to drool. She really wanted to eat her corrupted kin.

  She switched out the epic frying pan for an epic rolling pin. With a legendary cleaver covered in greasy yellow flames in one hand and a large roller pin in the other, Foodie marched toward her opponent.

  Her heart thundered in her chest as a plan formed in her head.

  Predictably, the aberration sunk down into the shadows. It swam up and down the surface around Foodie, staying far enough away from striking distance. Then the aberration submerged completely and seemed to disappear.

  Foodie let out a long breath. She inhaled calmly. Her heart slowed. She listened to her Wonder stat and knew where her opponent would strike from. Only when the time felt right, she used a new technique she’d developed for herself … Quick Ignition!

  The would-be sibling, a nobody toy of Mother, rose from the shadowy depths below Foodie. Its mouth petal spread wider. Inside of its throat was a bigger shadow torrent charge, and with its surfacing, the little goblin ended up tossed into the air like what a whale predator would do to an ocean prey.

  Unlike a seal, Foodie had a divine trait and Aura Ignition. Her Aura Ignition was not as strong as the one used by Naomi the Sky Bringer, but Foodie kept trying to progress it in her way, hence her special technique Quick Stage of Aura Ignition.

  It was like Half Ignition, but for quick uses, which allowed Foodie to erupt with a miniature blue inferno blazing around her body. The aura-displacing shockwave rebounded her from her aerial toss, sending her on a rapid descent back at her would-be sibling.

  Surprised, the aberration released its powerful shadow torrent early. The squirming bodies attached to the main centipede body screamed in rage and horror together as the shadow jet of tragic magic and foul destruction met the bad end of Foodie’s roller pin.

  The roller pin won.

  The shadow jet diverted like a stream hitting an immovable boulder. Then the stream broke into dozens of fragmented lines as Foodie’s roller pin smashed the top of the mouth petal and crushed down on the head of the aberration.

  Foodie lost her Quick Ignition. Her body throbbed with some stress, but not by much. So she erupted into a blue inferno again with another Quick Ignition.

  She weaved her blue aura flames with her yellow grease flames as she slid into the aberration’s throat. Then, with one wide swing, she sent out a blue and yellow ring of flaming force.

  The head of the enormous creature flew off.

  Of course, that was not enough to kill such a creature, so Foodie milked her Quick Ignition for all its worth before it snuffed away. She dumped more grease fire out of her pocket kitchen and onto herself.

  Blue and yellow flames burst outward from Foodie’s body, spreading everywhere, streaming through every nook, cranny, and crevice.

  Roaring gouts shot forth from all the mouths and openings along the disgusting creature’s body. The twisted creatures and kobolds added to the aberration all seemed to scream in dread and delight.

  The flames cooked the flesh gestalt from the inside out, roasting it alive, giving it no chance to seek refuge in the shadows while covered in so much bright light.

  By the time it died, granting Foodie more growth that took her all the way to Level 75, her Quick Ignition ended. She felt a little more worn down, but mostly okay. She could use a little rest, but that was the last thing on her mind.

  Foodie used her abilities as the Indomitable Cook to snuff out the flames. Then she feasted!

  She ate, ate, ate, and ate some more. The meal was a decent one, but each time she ate a moon rock, the meal became more flavorful and irresistible. Foodie loved it and kept eating.

  She wished she could share this with Father and Mother, but she suspected this was something Mother wanted the goblin princess to eat. So Foodie ate, and she became stronger, much stronger.

  Then Foodie snapped awake after eating the last bone and realizing it was morning. Heavy smoke and the scent of blood wafted through the air. The haze of magic smoke and battle vapors covered the local stone forest and a few patches of crimson grass.

  Foodie turned about and saw Prince Loner leaning cooly against a fence where the kobolds kept baby boars and other living rations, such as human adventurers. The living rations were gone, the kobold having eaten them before Foodie’s arrival.

  The black skeleton and his black trench coat looked odd in the early morning hours. He also looked annoyed with Foodie.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  Foodie … felt embarrassed. She looked back where the body of the aberration had once rested. It was all gone. She’d eaten every scrap.

  She’d never eaten such an enormous meal before.

  Because of her abilities, she could eat more than her size. But a whole creature that was large enough to reach the wall ramparts of a fort town should’ve been too much.

  Still, something had taken over Foodie last night.

  The challenge from a pretender. The moon rocks in its body. The new stats and pleasurable fullness coursing through her veins.

  Foodie drooled. She wanted more.

  Prince Loner walked over and smacked the princess in the back of the head.

  “Hey!” She glowered up at him. “I’m not your annoying little sister anymore. I’m a powerful princess.”

  The black skeleton, who Foodie recognized as one of her older brothers, shrugged his trench-coat-wearing shoulders at her. He turned away quickly, the tail of his one apparel whirling behind him.

  He waved for her to follow, then he pointed to the edge of camp. The great steed, Slip the Sleipnir, was there, on the lookout for trouble.

  Paying more attention, Foodie heard clashes of powerful magic and enchanted weapons somewhere in the stone forest some mile or two from her position. She also heard the unique buzzing and popping sounds of beam shooters.

  Now she understood what was wrong. Her army had engaged in the fight to reach Ride-or-Die Village without her. They must’ve gotten going because of her overstaying in this one camp.

  “Oh, I see. I jeopardized the operation,” Foodie said. “I better hurry to the front and lead the charge.”

  She felt even more embarrassed, her cheeks flashing with heat. With a bob of her head and the lowering of her ears, she scurried up to Loner’s back and joined him to mount Slip’s back.

  Three orbital golems swooped through the air as a flying escort for the official princess and unofficial prince.

  Then Loner reached out with one bony hand extended from the sleeve of his black trench coat. A green necromantic light pulsated from his hand as Loner used his skill, Raise Helpful Skeletons +2.

  From the remaining dead kobolds, skeletons rose, removing their unneeded flesh. They become thin, ivory things that were slick with blood.

  They had the Self-Sufficient trait, which meant they could draw on aura by themselves after being raised. But they were only helpful skeletons and couldn’t advance.

  Still, having thousands of helpful skeletons that were autonomous made Foodie’s army quite large while cutting down on supply costs.

  With the newly raised skeletons acting as an extra escort unit that covered the flanks, the merry trio of a spirit steed, skeleton prince, and goblin princess went on their way.

  Foodie did a quick nuzzle into the trench coat covering her brother’s bony back.

  Father didn’t know it, but Loner was Foodie’s favorite brother from the times before the Green Hop Explorers fell to corruption. His old name was … well … that didn’t matter anymore.

  He was Loner now. And Loner was a great name for him.

  As they rode off to join the front of their army, Loner reached back and patted his little sister’s head. Gestures like that coming from him sent Foodie’s heart into a painful place, reminding her of all that she’d lost. Then she looked at her profile and saw all that she’d gained.

  Wow … I’ve gained a lot. It’s unbelievable!

  Foodie tried not to smile. She focused on the fight to come. The sounds of raging battle grew in volume. There were many dead kobolds along the trail that Slip hoofed over as they hurried past a few demolished camps.

  Someone dressed in a green cloak walked into their path. Slip trampled to a stop. Foodie tensed up.

  Her senses felt wrong when regarding the figure in the green cloak. It was as if they weren’t there even though Foodie, Loner, and Slip could clearly see the cloaked figure.

  “That weakling prince was right. This foul continent has truly fallen too far into depravity after our leaving. To what lengths will the evil Dark Lord go to make a mockery of how things should be?” the cloak figure said.

  Foodie felt annoyed at hearing the disdain in his voice.

  “I am Foodie Darkrun, the Princess Cook and Princess of Crossdeath. I will be the Princess of Ride-or-Die Village as well. Who are you to get in my way?” Foodie declared boldly.

  The cloaked figure tossed back his hood and revealed a sharp face, sharp ears, vibrant green eyes, and an arrogant frown. His next words roused Foodie’s hunger as he spoke with the utmost of disdain.

  “You green-tainted worm. I am King Rithos, Son of the Sorceress Queen, ninth in line to the throne of the Forever Green Empire! I am the Commander of the Promised Continent Slayer Scouts, and I promise to put you mongrels in your place for corrupting our empress!”

  Foodie launched forward off Slip’s back. Cleaver in hand, she chopped down on the elf king.

  A split second later, she ended up whirling through the air high above the stony trees and vine-covered towers. Her side hurt. It was hard to breathe. She didn’t know what had hit her. How had she gotten hit?

  Before she landed, she quickly realized she was not yet strong enough to fight an elf, let alone a kingly elf. She also realized the others needed her help to run.

  She hit an old tower and plowed straight through. She landed hard, forming a crater. She was still struggling to breathe.

  She got up and ran as fast as possible, ignoring her shortness of breath. She reached into her satchel and dug for two items, a scroll and an orb.

  Looking up, the tension inside of her chest tightened.

  She saw Slip getting thrashed across the forest. She saw orbital golems streak through the air after getting batted away. She saw dozens of skeletons fly in scattered parts, their skulls busted, leaving them unable to reanimate.

  Loner was pulling himself together in a small glade with cracks running across his skull.

  The elven monster was stalking toward her undead brother with a staff that hummed with powerful enchantments. Foodie’s heart clenched even more.

  No, don’t take my family from me again!

  She activated both items. She threw forth the good suppression orb. She opened up and cast the Scroll of Death Blight.

  The orb released an area-affecting pulse that cut the good alignment in half. From the scroll, a dark-green fog the size of a castle rushed out and rolled over the land.

  The grass and trees died the fastest.

  Foodie relied on her Strength, Wonder, and vitality to outlast the blight while reaching into her satchel again for another pair of scrolls.

  Someone grabbed her wrist with a painful grip. She looked up and saw the elf, his cruel and hateful eyes boring down on her. He had simmering golden magic that glimmered and rung like clattering coins.

  The death blight tried to invade his body, but to no avail. Foodie tried to use Aura Ignition, but another super fast blow to her face broke her concentration.

  “Stop fighting, you horrid mongrel. You will serve a purpose.” Despite the ringing in her ears, the elf king was loud and clear. “You will draw out the Dark Lord to our trap. Then he will finally be sealed.”

  Foodie refused to lose her freedom again. So she did the next best thing.

  “Mother, help,” she moaned.

  The elf king slapped her again. Hard. Her head rang harder.

  Then she felt yanked by the arm and whisked off her feet.

  The elf was going to run away with her. He was going to trap her and take her freedom. She was going to suffer more tragedy again.

  Foodie couldn’t bear to let that happen. With a swollen jaw, she asked once again. “Mother, Father, help.”

  The elf stopped running. Foodie jerked to a stop while still held by her captor. She looked around deliriously. She was in a different patch of the forest.

  She could faintly hear the fighting her army was conducting behind her. She should be leading them. She needed to go find Loner and Slip.

  She was scared, but she didn’t let fear cloud her judgment.

  Instead, she focused on why the elf stopped. She looked up along the trail, hoping to see her father. It wasn’t him. It was the last person she expected.

  “If you’re going to go around announcing yourself as princess this and princess that at least dress better. Take some pointers from that funny tall woman with the quirky accent and phrases. What is it that makes all the boys go crazy? Bueno, papi! Dale, dale, dale! I think it’s something like that. It sounds silly, but who can judge that woman? She’s a demigoddess of fashion and really knows how to walk in a pair of heels like no other. Maybe that’s what we should work on first. Getting you fitted for proper heels. The bare-foot action was last season’s draw, and nobody cares for sweaty maidens as much as they did in the summer,” said Ekri the Tailor.