Warning: This story involves scenes of oral vore and graphic digestion. If this is not your thing then stop reading now. You have been warned!

Disclaimer: I do not own Puzzles & Dragons. Puzzles & Dragons is property of GungHo Online Entertainment, Inc.

The Price of Pride

The journey through the Elysium region was a perilous one. Covered mostly in swamp and marsh, the area was dangerous for any outsiders attempting to pass through, but proved to be exceptionally deadly to creatures of the light. She was one such creature, a Carbuknuckle born and raised in the Quartz Caves of the Shangri-La region. Like most other Carbuknuckles, her fighting skills were second to none, but she bore an air of overconfidence and recklessness about her, one the lead her to challenge ever stronger opponents. Fearing that one day her pride would get the best of her, her teacher instructed her to seek out the Mirrorpool atop the dormant volcano in the Nirai Kanai region. There she would be able meditate and reflect on her flaws, hopefully helping her to overcome her brash nature.

And that's what lead her here. The mountain range between Shangri-La and Nirai Kanai was near impossible to traverse by foot and traveling through the swamplands of Elysium was the quickest way around the mountains. Sure the area was dangerous, but she wasn't worried. Creatures of darkness were just as susceptible to the light as the light was to them, and she was certain that she could outfight any creature she came across.

And so, with her head held high, she made her way into the poisonous marsh. The first thing she noticed was the putrid stench that permeated the air. It made her nose scrunch in disgust, and she covered her muzzle with her arm to avoid being overpowered by the ghastly scent. The second thing she noticed was how soft the ground was. Even simply walking proved to be a challenge here. With each step, her feet sank into the unstable soil, covering her pristine claws in filth and muck. Maybe this would be more difficult than she thought. If a foe were to attack her now, her mobility would be severely impeded. That didn't stop her though, her pride wouldn't let her quit this early into her journey. She was still confident that she would be more than powerful enough to defeat any who challenged her.

Fortunately it didn't seem like many creatures were keen to take her on. Many of the low level monsters ran at the sight of her, while a few watched her with curiosity as she passed. She was probably an odd sight to them, with her bright golden fur and shining crystals standing out like a sore thumb against the murky darkness of the swamp. That suited her just fine. She didn't take any joy from defeating weak opponents.

After about an hour of travel, she was deep within the fetid marsh. The land all looked the same here, and she was beginning to worry that she may actually be lost. On top of that, the creatures were beginning to look more dangerous and were becoming more brave. But still, none of them had yet dared to approach her. She kept her senses on high alert just in case; Her eyes constantly looking around, watching every shift within the shadows; Her long ears listening to every rustled leaf and snapped twig. If danger was coming, she would be ready.

"You're a long way from home, aren't you?" a voice startled her.

She immediately turned towards the source of the voice, assuming a fighting stance. Sitting a fair distance away from her, was a creature that looked like a cross between a frog and a slug. Three pairs of arms lined his front, the top pair were crossed, but the other pairs couldn't reach around the tremendous girth of his belly. A pair of stubby feet were further back, with the creature's long tail behind them. His underside was a light yellow, while the rest of him was violet with dark purple spots. The monster easily dwarfed her in size, and she wondered how she could have missed something so obvious.

"What do you want?" she asked the menacing looking creature.

"Oh, I was just admiring how lovely your fur looks." the creature replied with a sharp toothy grin "We don't get many visitors from Shangri-La in these parts, so it's not often that I get a chance to appreciate such radiant beauty."

"Cut the crap! What are you really after?!" she demanded, sensing the creature had malicious intentions.

"Oh, a feisty one. I like that in a meal." the creature replied, licking his lips with his frog-like tongue.

A small part of her mind told her that she should probably run, but her pride wouldn't allow it. She wouldn't back down from any opponent, no matter how intimidating they may look. "Just try it you overgrown tadpole!" she challenged him.

"If you insist." the creature responded, rearing his head back.

He brought his head forward, launching his tongue forward with tremendous force. The Carbuknuckle was nearly caught off guard. By Shangri-La that thing was long! She narrowly managed to duck to the side just in time to avoid being struck by the appendage, which slammed into a tree behind her with enough force to splinter the trunk. She took the opportunity to advance towards the beast, hoping to end the fight in just a few swift blows. What she didn't except though, was when the tongue suddenly swung sideways, slamming into her side and sending her skidding across the mucky surface of the marsh. She quickly recovered and saw the tongue moving agilely through the air around the creature. So the tongue was prehensile and flexible. That explained how this thing remained so well fed despite his lack of mobility.

The tongue shot at her again, but she dodged it before attempting to close the distance again. This time she kept an eye on the tongue, watching it as it attempted to circle around her. She jumped into the air as the appendage tried to coil around her, but the soft ground reduced her jump's power and tongue snared her ankle. The creature slammed her into the ground before proceeding to lift and slam her again, slathering her fur in muck and grime. Finally he used the tongue to throw her into a nearby tree, causing her to cry out as her back slammed painfully into it before she landed in a heap on the ground.

She looked up at the monster with disdain. He just grinned back; He seemed to be enjoying himself. She wouldn't be taken down so easily, there was still plenty of fight left in her. She wouldn't lose to the likes of him! Shakily she managed to get back to her feet, ready for another round. Once more she made a beeline for the creature. The beast brought his tongue in for another attack, but this time the Carbuknuckle deflected the attack with her fist before launching into the air. This was it! She was prepared to bring her fist down on the monster's smug face. But as she approached, the monster unleashed a large disgusting belch, expelling a cloud of purple noxious gas right into her face. She fell just short of the monster, hacking and wheezing as her lungs were filled with the putrid expulsion. Once again the tongue smacked her across the face, sending her down into the mud.

She lied there for a couple of moments, trying to catch her breath. She was so close, if she could just get up... She tried to lift herself out of the mud, but something was wrong. She felt much weaker, like all the strength she had left was suddenly sapped from her body. Her arms trembled as she tried to lift herself before giving out, and she collapsed back to the ground.

"What the hell?" she uttered weakly.

"It's all over, my scrumptious beauty." the creature answered "That cloud you just inhaled was full of lethal poison. You'll be dead within a few hours."

The Carbuknuckle's eyes grew wide. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was still young, death had always felt so distant to her. But now she was being told that she only had a few hours to live. All of her arrogance and pride melted away, leaving only fear and sorrow.

"B-But no... I can't..." she babbled as tears filled her eyes, the stark reality of her situation sinking in.

"Don't worry, I consider myself to be a merciful predator. I won't make you suffer through the slow effects of the poison." he assured her, before coiling his tongue around her body and lifting her into the air.

"What are you doing?" she asked between heavy breaths.

"Your death will be much quicker within the confines my stomach." he replied, being careful not to bite his tongue.

That was his definition of mercy?! Was this some kind of sick joke?! She tried to struggle within the grasp of his tongue, but couldn't manage anything more than pitiful squirms.

"Mmmmm, yes. You taste delectable, my darling." the creature murred.

He made sure to savor her flavor, running the tip of his tongue over every inch of her body. Her fur was a mess, but he could still taste her sweet supple flesh under the muck and grime of the swamp. The Carbuknuckle squirmed in disgust as her body was slathered in the creature's putrid saliva, but she was too weak to resist the invasive appendage.

"Oh yes, you're going to make such a nice little layer of fat on my belly." The creature continued to taunt her.

She truly was a beautiful creature, he couldn't wait to make her a part of him. The monster opened his mouth wide, revealing his enormous gullet. The Carbuknuckle was given a clear view of it all, from the salivating mouth, to the rippling throat. She tried to cry out as she was pulled into the gigantic maw, but it was swiftly cut off as the creature slammed his jaws shut. If she thought the tongue was disgusting, the mouth was even more so. His breath stank more than the swamp outside, if that was even possible, and saliva oozed from every corner of the maw, further soaking her coat.

The tongue uncoiled her body, but continued to play with her for a bit, lapping at her helpless form, and pushing her around the foul chamber so he could soak up the last of her flavor. Finally the teasing the stopped, and the Carbuknuckle was granted a momentary reprieve. It was short lived though as she felt the tongue slither around her ankles, and pull her back toward the monster's throat. She tried feebly to claw into the flesh of the mouth to halt her descent into the gullet, but she lacked the strength to penetrate the surface.

She was powerless in his grasp, and soon felt her feet being enveloped by powerful throat muscles. With a powerful gulp, she was pulled in up to her knees. The next one brought her in to her thighs. She squirmed weakly, trying to wriggle her way back out of the throat, but the effort was futile. The esophagus was too strong for her in her weakened state. Another gulp, and her midsection was pulled in, forcing her bushy tail up against her back. The next swallow brought her in to her neck, shoving her arms up above her head. This was the last she would see of the outside world. Even if it was just the inside of the beast's mouth, it was infinitely better than what lied ahead of her. Silently she cursed the monster, hoping that he'd choke himself on her sharp crystals. With one final gulp her head was sucked into the throat, her arms and long ears trailing behind her.

Powerful muscles rippled across her body as they worked to move her towards the stomach. The gurgles and groans of the creature's inner body filled her ears as she slid down the esophagus. Never in her wildest dreams had she thought she would go out like this. She thought perhaps that one day she would fall in combat to a worthy opponent, and die an honorable death. But this... to be reduced to mere food for some gluttonous beast... there was no glory or honor in this. Her only legacy would be a layer of pudge lining this creature's waistline. Tears filled her eyes again as she mourned her wretched fate.

Her trip to the stomach didn't take too long, as she soon felt her feet slip into the monster's digestive chamber. The rest of her body was soon to follow, sliding through the tight sphincter with ease. With a loud drawn out slurp, her arms were deposited in the stomach as the entrance closed behind her. The stench of acid hung heavily in the air, and it burned her lungs to breathe. Her shining crystals cast a soft glow, allowing her to see the purple churning walls of the creature's gut. They glistened and gleamed with the digestive juices they were excreting. It was like something straight out of a nightmare.

She wanted nothing more than to get up and drive the sharp crystals on her knuckles through the creatures chest, but she no longer had the strength to move. Not that it would have mattered, even if by some miracle she managed to escape this hellish pit, she would still succumb to the lethal toxin coursing through her system. She was doomed, plain and simple.

The stomach rumbled around her, becoming more active now that it had a meal to digest. Caustic juices oozed from the stomach walls, soaking into her fur and pooling around her body. She felt the sting of acid on her skin as the digestive fluid began the agonizingly slow process of breaking down her flesh. A burning sensation spread across her body as more and more acid seeped into her fur. She whimpered pitifully as the pain steadily grew, driving all other feeling from her body.

The stomach grumbled again, and the walls suddenly contracted around her, crushing her body and grinding the acids into her flesh. She cried out as her entire body felt like it was being rubbed with sand paper. After a few moments the walls relented, leaving her trembling from shock and horror. Large patches of her coat had been torn from her body, her once beautiful fur now melting in a pool of caustic fluids. She couldn't believe this was happening. She looked down at her chest, seeing her raw and exposed flesh staring back at her. A fresh stream of tears poured from her eyes as she was forced to accept the harsh reality around her.

The pain never ceased, and only grew more stronger with time. It was the very definition of hell. The walls closed in around her again, drawing another cry of anguish as they churned around her sensitive body. White hot flashes of pain surged through her as weakened flesh was torn from her body. The walls retreated again, leaving her body in a bloody mangled heap. Her head lulled to the side, and she could see exposed patches of muscle along her arm. She tried to move her arm, and could see the various tendons twitch and spasm at her request. It was a horrifying sight that made her feel sick to her stomach.

The pain was unbearable. With every breath she took, a fresh wave of agony wracked her mind. She prayed for it to end; Begged for Arkvelza to take her. The only answer she got was another wave of crushing stomach walls, the relentless muscles shredding her body and her sanity. As the wall receded, all that remained was a gasping trembling husk of pain. The assault had torn open her chest cavity, allowing acid and chyme to flood her body. Her body slowly twitched to a halt as her vital organs were reduced to soup, finally bringing an end to the unfortunate Carbuknuckle's life.

A few hours later, the monster sat leisurely rubbing his belly, satisfied with his meal. His stomach had finished digesting its sizable contents. There was only one thing left to do. With another tremendous belch, he spat out a pile of bones and crystals. They were all that remained of the once proud warrior. A gruesome reminder of the price of her pride.