Plantation (Full Story):  Written by Exodus, Original Story by Exodus  

In the far eastern continent of Verdaea was a kingdom called Forastasia, a lush 
kingdom full of beautiful wildlife and nature, it was ruled fairly and had seen 
peace for many years.  
This unfortunately attracted some demons that were new to this world, thinking 
it would be easy prey to serve in their wicked schemes.  

Four Resistors were heading towards a well known forest, previously a wondrous 
woodland full of mysteries and magical power, it was now infamous due to the 
disappearances of all that wondered into it.  
Since the empire were concentrating on holding onto and sorting out things 
within the kingdoms they had conquered, the Resistors had time to deal with 
demon-related problems.  
On this party were Ross, Naga, Samia and Dagger, but as second in command, Ross 
led this party.  
The Resistors were aware that evil demons existed in their world but hadn’t 
taken on many, but for Ross, he had his own agenda, a loved one that resided in 
this kingdom that might one day become a victim.  
The four Resistors stood at the entrance to the forest, the location of certain 
twisting trees making it look naturally evil, and then they trudged onwards, 
unaware that they were being watched.  

“Iyaxxl was right.” whispered the huntress Cammy Ramirez to her selected 
partner, the newly appointed guardian of Emperor Iyaxxl, “Those Resistors aren’t 
just fighting the empire, they’re being hired to execute demons.”  
“I still don’t know why I had to come along.” grumbled Eddy, “I’m not much of a 
fighter, I’ve been defending and guarding for too long to be doing tasks like 
this.”  
Recently he’d secretly helped the Resistors escape one of Morn’s schemes, but 
only to pay an old debt, he was dedicated to the empire’s cause, remained loyal, 
and was enhancing his skills even if it meant becoming a darker person.  
“Iyaxxl wants you to improve your skills so that you’ll be a better guardian, 
that’s why I’m training you whenever I can.  Maybe it was too soon for this, so 
if you just watch my back, then I’ll dispose of the Resistors myself.”  
Cammy wasn’t soft in her training for the greater good, she respected Ed’s 
quickly growing skills, and although neither had admitted it, there was a spark 
between them.  

Cammy and Ed weren’t the only ones here, as a wisp-like demon floated above the 
Resistors silently and thought to itself:  “Intruders...  These freedom fighters 
will regret daring to enter my domain, but I’ll do what I haven’t be able to do 
with all my other victims, they possess great strength, and I can use that to 
escape this place and conquer the world...”  
It was about to dissipate when it sensed something more, and drifted towards the 
two empire warriors and took a more solid form.  
His body was mostly formed out of plant-like parts, his arms, legs and torso 
were made up of many twisted vines, his chest, waist, knees and shoulder parts 
looked like large thick leaves, but were remarkably strong, he also wore a long 
grass-like cape that draped behind him, his eyes glowed a magenta colour, he had 
two white horns on the sides of his head, and he wore purple rings with several 
spikes attached around his neck, chest, waist, wrists and ankles.  
He smiled darkly at the two, his white teeth pointing up, down, and some to the 
sides.  
“Son of a-” cursed Cammy, “The demon’s come after us!”  
She drew her two knives and leapt forward, rising her blades upwards, but the 
demon’s upper half stretched back and avoided the first strike, and swung his 
arm and claws to swat Cammy to one side, Ed had drawn two guns and started 
firing conventional bullets at the plant demon, but he stretched his body in 
many ways and directions, avoiding every shot, until Ed ran out of bullets.  
“I can sense your darkness girl, I like it.  You however are still weak, and 
useless to me.” the demon spoke, and drew a flower which he quickly threw, upon 
contact it exploded on Ed, dust from the plant causing him to cough immensely, 
the demon charged forward and threw a powerful punch, one that sent Ed crashing 
through a tree and tearing it from its standing position, Ed wiped some blood 
from his mouth and weakly reached out as Cammy was the demon’s focus, but fell 
unconscious.  
“Ed...” growled Cammy, drawing her specialty weapon, the infamous grappling hook 
device, and taking a shot, but the demon bent its body so the shot missed, and 
then cut the cord with his sharp claws and jumped onto Cammy, holding her down 
to the floor.  
“So much talent, so much darkness, yes, I think you shall be very beneficial to 
me...”  
With that he stared at Cammy and shot a magenta beam from his eyes into hers, 
stopping her struggle and making her calm down, next he produced a seed-like 
object, and forced it into Cammy’s mouth.  
Almost immediately, Cammy’s skin started to change, her hair seemed to harden 
and her clothing also became different.  
Cammy let out a scream as the transformation ripped through and changed her...  

The Resistors had wandered into the centre of the Wyld Woods, a huge wide pit 
lay ahead, but the rest of the area seemed as if someone had been living here, 
as a twisted wooden bed and small throne were located in almost random 
positions.  
“Now what fearless leader.” grumbled Dagger, who had been expecting a fight.  
“We wait until the demon comes home.” he answered.  
“I never left.” answered a creepy voice, as the demon transformed from the wisp 
into its solid form, “Did you think you could sneak up and execute me? I knew 
you were in my domain as soon as you entered and I know what your intentions and 
identities are.  Its my gift for being here, but there’s also a curse.”  
“We do not care for your life story.” threatened Samia, sword in hand.  
“You should, since you’re the ones that will set me free to do with your world 
as I like.”  
“As if we would.” growled Naga, leaping forward but being caught in the demons 
stretching arm and hand and then tossed aside.  
“How rude, I wasn’t done yet.  I am Devine, the plant demon, and I shall be your 
executor.”  
“Well I’m Ross and I’ll execute you first.” replied Ross, shooting his metal arm 
to stretch in a similar way, metal claws outstretched to claw into Devine, but 
at the same time, Devine shot both his arms forward, aimed at Dagger and Samia, 
they attempted to block, but the hands rose at the last moment and gripped their 
necks and lowered them to the floor, allowing Devine to lift the rest of his 
body up as Ross’ claws jammed into a tree and got stuck there.  
“Thank you for the boost.” he said as he passed over the two warriors, let go of 
their necks, and smacked down on Ross hard before he could retract his arm.  
The two tumbled back a small distance and Ross was forced to detach the metal 
arm or risk damage to his insides, and was at a real disadvantage by doing so.  
Devine ended up on top, and threw a punch which Ross blocked and pushed against, 
but he prepared to do the same with his other arm.  
Naga growled as she leapt onto his back and held a hunting knife to his throat, 
but he quickly stretched his right arm under his legs, and up past his back to 
grab Naga, and then pulled her under him and flung her upwards.  
“Well you’re not worth being the one, you’re at a disadvantage without your fake 
arm, you’re second best compared to me.”  
Devine threw a punch and hit Ross hard in the face and prepared to do so some 
more, but tilted and stretched his body to the left to avoid one of Dagger’s 
precise throwing knives, and then let go of Ross to move aside as Samia ran at 
him with her sword in a flurry of cuts and slashes, but none connecting with the 
demon.  
Samia leapt off the ground, spun once and brought her blade down on Devine, but 
he had transformed into mist and the sword went through him.  
“Only one of you is dark, skilful and worthy enough to become my new host body, 
I cannot leave this wretched place due to my curse, but if I leave in another 
body, I can escape and rule your world.”  
“Sing a new tune would you, this one’s already boring.” snorted Dagger.  
“It won’t be when you realise its You I want!” screamed Devine, surrounding 
Dagger in his mist and then trying to get inside him, but a flash occurred and 
Devine tumbled to the floor in solid form.  
“How can this be?!” screamed Devine, “I couldn’t possess you, and... you’ve 
destroyed my mist and possession abilities!”  
“Let’s just say my body’s occupied, and my demon doesn’t like company.” answered 
Dagger so that only Devine could hear.  
“Grrrr, I figured I wouldn’t need this, but I guess my new slave will dispose of 
you and-  Ugh!”  
Ross had used the distraction to retrieve his arm and jump on top of Devine.  
They rolled forward but on the way, Devine used his stretching arms to tangle up 
Ross and leave an arm free, which he used to throw several seeds near the other 
Resistors, which buried themselves into the ground and then several vines 
exploded and tangled up Naga, Dagger and Samia.  
Each one’s sharp weapon ended up in an awkward position, and cutting themselves 
loose would take time.  
“You’ve become more than your share of an annoyance, now I just want you all to 
die, then I’ll find a way to restore my abilities and just possess my slave in 
order to leave!”  
Devine swiftly spun around and released Ross, he slammed once on the floor, and 
then ended up rolling towards the new figure in the battle.  
“C, Cammy?” questioned Ross, though she was barely recognisable.  
She wore a crown of thorns, along with several others around her strange top and 
skirt.  
Her clothing was made of plant and tree-like parts, her hair was twisted and 
hard like branches, and her eyes glowed red but she had a strange calmness about 
her.  
Devine outstretched his hand and threw yet another seed, which produced several 
vines that twisted around each other and formed a long staff with sharp spikes 
on each end.  
“Destroy the cyborg.” ordered Devine, and Cammy shouted out as she ran forward, 
swept up the staff in her hand and used it like a pole vault to propel herself 
upwards before bringing the staff down on Ross.  
He caught one end of it and lifted Cammy over him, but she held on, landed, 
grabbed the staff with both hands, and twisted it to smack Ross in the face with 
the hardened roots of her weapon.  
“Cammy didn’t fight with a staff the last time, its not her specialty weapon...” 
noted Ross, before Cammy swept the staff across his feet and knocked him to the 
floor, “Then again...”  
Cammy screamed out again and leapt up, her weapon aimed to slam down in Ross’ 
face, but he quickly leaned back and aimed his metal arm upwards and fired it to 
stretch outwards, the hard fingers clenched into a fist.  
Cammy was hit dead on in the face and took a fall, she skidded backwards, back 
on the floor, but she recovered quickly, and hurled the staff like a javelin 
towards Ross.  
He swiftly batted it out of the way, and came at Cammy who was already getting 
up.  
He was hindered by a swift vine that wrapped around his lower legs and 
tightened, but Ross managed to stop running and not fall on his face.  
Cammy used the opportunity to charge at Ross, grab his shoulders, and flip her 
body over him, in order to retrieve her staff.  
Devine tugged the vines and forced Ross to the floor, at the same time, Cammy 
screamed out and leapt over Ross, staff in hand and ready to plunge it into 
Ross’ skull.  
Luckily, a new figure leapt in from the side and tackled Cammy, her staff 
clattered out of her reach, and he also restrained Cammy firmly.  
“You’re... Ed...” noted Ross, freeing his stronger arm and slicing across the 
vines with the sharp claws, “What’s your story in this?”  
“We... were... looking to beat you Resistors.” he admitted, “Until that demon 
attacked us and enslaved Cammy.  I don’t want to see anything bad happen to her, 
so I give you my word that if you help us free her and beat this demon, we’ll 
not fight you today.”  
“I guess we don’t have much of a choice.” sighed Ross, before charging at Devine 
and swinging a punch round that hurled him aside.  
Ross tore through the vines binding his friends and then approached Ed, who was 
holding Cammy tightly as she struggled to break free, her sights focussed on 
Ross.  
“Looks like she’s only set to do as Devine wants, I’d be angry at you for trying 
to hunt us down, but as long as you can keep that girl away from me, I’ll agree 
to your terms.”  
“It looks like Devine is the only one who can control her.” stated Naga.  
“Which means we’ll just have to make him reverse what he did.” added Dagger.  
“If we can find him that is.” grumbled Ross, “He’s vanished on us.”  
“Raaaargh!!!” he screamed, appearing from above and deliberately losing the long 
cloak on the way down, he pounced on Ross and made them roll backwards, 
dangerously close to the central chasm.  
His body held Ross down while several vines from his torso extended to catch and 
wrap up Ross’ metal arm as he feebly punched forward.  
Devine’s arms changed into several vines with thorny ends.  
“I’m going to shred you to ribbons!” he shouted maniacally, without his metal 
arm Ross was doomed.  
“Diiiie-  Urk.” spat Devine, as something slammed into his back and weakened 
him, “I got careless...  Who did that?!”  
“A parting gift from us.” spoke Dagger darkly.  
It was then that Ross yanked his arm free, punched Devine hard in the chest, and 
then threw his leg up, tossing Devine over him and down the chasm.  

Ross quickly scrambled up and peered over the edge, where Devine hung from a 
tiny vine growing out the side of the cliff.  
“Help me...” he pleaded.  
“I will.” answered Ross, “After you restore Cammy to what she was before!”  
“Never!” he spat.  
“In that case, there might be an accident with the vine!” threatened Ross, 
reaching down and holding it with one hand, his sword in the other.  
“Alright! Alright!” cried Devine, clicking his fingers and releasing a green 
swirling wind which flew up and shot into Cammy’s mouth.  

“Please Cammy...” pleaded Ed, still holding her tight, “I care for you, I don’t 
want to lose you...”  
Suddenly Cammy forced herself free, but immediately covered her face, her 
hardened skin seemed to sink away, and her hair flowed freely again, the thorns 
and vines around her clothing fell apart, and red lights burst out of Cammy’s 
eyes and faded.  
“Ed...” she coughed, “Don’t worry...  You’ll not be losing me any time soon...”  
“Cammy, you’re back...” he smiled.  

Meanwhile, Ross had helped Devine up, but as soon as he was, he reached behind 
him, pulled out the dagger in his back, and hurled it fast.  
Ross reacted and preemptively blocked with his metal arm, but it wasn’t aimed 
for him.  
He turned back to Devine as the dagger flew towards another, as Devine’s arms 
had shifted to thorny vines again and he’d leapt forward, the knife only serving 
as a distraction to Ross.  
Dagger dived towards Naga and with speed and skill, and caught the dagger inches 
from her face, “I believe this is mine.” he spoke.  
Ross was unprepared for the assault, and would surely have been slashed by some 
of the deadly weapons if not for the next occurrence.  
Just before Devine struck Ross, the twisted root staff came hurtling forward, 
its sharp end sticking out in front of it and soon penetrating Devine’s soft 
body and coming out the other side.  
“Aaargh!!!” he squealed.  
Ross glanced at Cammy, who was holding her device having just launched the 
staff.  
“The hookshot also doubles as a crossbow.” she stated.  
“Now that’s better.” smiled Ross, referring to his earlier remark about her.  
“No!” screamed Devine, falling over the edge and plummeting, “Nooooo...”  

Soon after, the Resistors and the two empire warriors left the woods together.  
“I know we had a deal, but why did you bother saving me Cammy?” questioned Ross, 
“Devine could have finished me if you hadn’t lifted a finger.”  
“Look, let’s just say I owed you one, and besides, I had to get that plantman 
back for what he did to me.” she answered, not looking at him directly.  
“You two appear to have honour.” stated Samia, “You’re nothing like your 
allies.”  
“We Are like our allies.” added Ed, “We’re loyal to the cause, so don’t go 
asking us to join your rebel group.”  
“When we next meet, we’re enemies.” stated Cammy.  
“I understand...”  

The groups exited the woods and separated, and the warriors returned to the 
empire.  
“Hey Cammy, I know better, what’s the real reason you saved Ross?”  
“I was given a mission.” she answered, “To kill those Resistors, not to let an 
outsider perform the task for me.  It’s a matter of pride, if I’m assigned to 
kill someone, then I alone must carry it out.”  
“Only you?” questioned Ed, “And what of me?”  
“You still require more training, but you’re definitely making progress.” she 
smiled.  
“As long as you’re my tutor...” he added.  

Meanwhile, a bruised, torn, and of course, impaled demon made his way back to 
the top of the chasm, and upon seeing and sensing the absence of people, he 
screamed out in frustration.  
“Enjoy your shallow victory while you can, you and your world have not seen the 
last of Devine!!!”  

End  

Back to “Wrench in the Works”
Click to read the next story:  "Volcano”
Back to “Demons and Disasters”
Back to the Library