CYOA Wednesday 2025 #12 [Beyond the Woods 12]

This fantasy CYOA story continues today. Synopsis below:

When Derek, Jade, and Clara go camping, they stumble upon a portal to another dimension filled with strange creatures and sexy seductresses.

The “mermaids” attack. Clara is entranced and dragged into the lake. It’s up to Aethera to come to the rescue. Now what? You decide.

https://www.patreon.com/posts/124743749

Read the twelfth segment below:

12 – Under Attack

The “mermaid” lunged forward, its tendrils whipping through the air like ethereal lashes. Despite wanting anything but a fight, Derek and Jade readied themselves. Aethera stepped forward, her hands glowing with a pulsating light, as if summoning a defense from the very air around them.

Clara, still disoriented, felt the creature’s gaze pull at her once more. Her heart raced as she tried to resist, but the allure was irresistible. She swayed, her feet inching towards the water’s edge, the surface of the lake glimmering ominously in the dim light.

“Clara, no!” Derek shouted, reaching for her arm, but she shook him off, her eyes fixed on the alien creature.

The water rippled as the creature’s tendrils snaked towards her, their feathery tips brushing against her legs. The touch was cold, sending a shiver up her spine, but she felt no fear, only an unnatural calm. The world around her faded, replaced by the endless depths of the creature’s eyes.

Aethera’s voice cut through the spell. “Clara, resist! Do not let it take you!”

But it was too late. The creature’s tendrils coiled around Clara’s waist, their grip surprisingly strong. She gasped as they pulled her forward, the icy water lapping at her knees, then her thighs. The shock of the cold broke through her trance, and she struggled, but the tendrils held tight.

“Let her go!” Derek roared, charging towards the water, but Aethera stopped him.

“You cannot defeat them in the water,” she declared. “After all, you’re only human.”

Jade hesitated, her eyes darting between Clara and the advancing creatures. “We have to do something!” she exclaimed, but before she could act, another creature emerged from the depths, its tendrils reaching out like ghostly fingers.

The forest erupted into chaos. The crystals began to hum, their facets reflecting the turmoil in flashes of sapphire and amethyst. The ground trembled as the creatures moved, their forms undulating in ways that defied logic. The air filled with the sharp, brittle sound of crystals shattering as the creatures’ movements disrupted the delicate balance of the forest.

Clara’s struggles grew weaker as the creature dragged her deeper into the lake. The water closed over her head, its clarity revealing the shadowy forms of more creatures gathering below. She felt a pressure in her ears, and her lungs burned, but she couldn’t scream. The creatures’ ethereal forms surrounded her, their tendrils weaving around her like a living cage.

Above, Derek and Jade fought off the creatures that had ventured onto land, their movements frantic and desperate. Aethera stood at the water’s edge, her hands glowing with an intense light as she tried to create a barrier between the group and the lake. The creatures’ tendrils snapped at her, but she held firm, her form shimmering with a light that seemed almost divine.

But as the water closed over Clara’s face, she realized she was alone, trapped in a world where the rules of the surface no longer applied. The creatures’ tendrils tightened around her, and she was pulled deeper into the dark heart of the lake. The last thing she saw was the faint glow of Aethera’s light above, growing dimmer with each passing moment.

And then, there was nothing but the cold, dark embrace of the unknown.

“CLARA!” Jade screamed.

“Go deeper inside the tunnels. Hurry!” Aethera commanded. “I’ll rescue her.”

“How?” Derek asked.

“With a bit of the old magic, of course. Now, go!”

Derek and Jade complied, running as fast as they could to safety. Aethera’s form began to ripple, her body undulating as she called upon the ancient power that coursed through her veins. Her limbs elongated, her skin glistening with a pearlescent sheen that seemed to shift between hues of moonlight and shadow. Her hair flowed like liquid silver, merging with the water as she waded into the lake. With a graceful dive, she submerged herself, her body transitioning into a form that mirrored the creatures she now pursued. Yet, there was a difference—a radiant aura that surrounded her, a testament to her power and purpose.

The water enveloped her, and she plunged into the depths, the weight of the liquid world pressing against her. Bioluminescent flora could be seen everywhere, casting an ethereal glow that illuminated the dark expanse. Strange rock formations rose like sentinels, their surfaces covered in glowing, otherworldly moss. Schools of fish darted past her, their scales catching the faint light and scattering it in shimmering bursts.

Aethera’s senses sharpened as she descended, her transformed body allowing her to navigate with ease. She could feel the vibrations of the creature ahead, their tendrils disturbing the water in a rhythm that was both familiar and alien. The pursuit was on, and she pressed forward with a determination that matched the urgency of the situation.

As she swam deeper, the creatures became more numerous, their forms weaving through the water like living shadows. Aethera dodged and weaved, her movements fluid and calculated. She could see Clara ahead, held captive by the “mermaid”, her form dimly visible through the veil of water. The creature’s tendrils coiled around her, holding her in place with an unyielding grip.

Aethera approached cautiously. She reached out with her mind, connecting with the creature in a way that transcended language. The creature’s thoughts were a maze of primal instincts and ancient wisdom, a blend that was both fascinating and formidable. She wove a spell of illusion, creating a distraction that would give her the opening she needed.

The creature’s grip loosened as it sensed the deception, its tendrils relaxing just enough for Aethera to act. With a swift motion, she reached out and pulled Clara free, holding her close as she prepared to ascend. The creature’s awareness returned quickly, and it attacked, its tendrils snapping wildly in pursuit.

Aethera turned to face her. She raised a hand, and the water around her seemed to solidify, creating a barrier that repelled the creature’s attack. The force of the motion sent her and Clara upward, their ascent swift and powerful. The enemy gave chase, their forms blurring as they pursued their escaping prey.

Breaking through the surface, Aethera and Clara emerged with a gasp, the cool night air hitting them like a slap. The shapeshifter quickly transformed back, her body shifting from its aquatic form to her humanoid shape with fluid ease. She pulled Clara to solid ground and carried her into the tunnels, where Derek and Jade waited anxiously, their relief clear as they saw their friend safe.

“Are you alright?” Derek asked as he helped Clara to her feet.

Clara nodded, still catching her breath. “I think so,” she replied, her eyes wide with the memory of the encounter. “I don’t understand how I didn’t drown, though. Did they do something to me?”

“Yes. The creature fed you oxygen to keep you conscious. You were tastier that way,” Aethera replied.

“Tastier? Do you mean…?”

“Yes. Try not to think about it. It’s over for now, but you need to be more careful next time. This isn’t your world. There’s danger in every corner.”

Jade turned to Aethera, her expression filled with gratitude. “Thank you,” she said.

Aethera smiled back. “We must move,” she said, her tone urgent. “The creatures will not give up after wat happened. We need to get to the lower levels as soon as possible.”

Derek nodded and caressed Clara’s hair. “Can you walk?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’m good.”

“She’s soaking wet. Can’t we warm up a bit before we go?”

“We’ll be safer away from the lake. We can find a place to rest and set up camp then,” Aethera replied.

“She’s right…” Clara agreed. “Don’t worry about me. This is nothing.”

“Let’s go,” he said, leading the way as they ventured deeper into the unknown, the mysteries and dangers of the Undercroft waiting for them.

To decide what happens next, head over to my Patreon (you can join for free), and vote on the poll there until next Sunday. 

If you’re new to these CYOA stories, here are the basic rules:

1) You can only choose one option;

2) If there’s a tie at the end of the poll, and the competing options can be combined somehow, I’ll do that. If not, I get the deciding vote to keep the tale going.

3) The process continues every Wednesday until the story runs its natural course.

Have fun.