Spirits of the Earth

Trigger warnings for rape/torture

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Dragons were amazing beasts, and even after all these years, Khaiya was in awe of them. Their power; their grace; their majesty. They could decimate entire villages if they wanted to, entire cities, even, and in the past she had heard it was true they did. And perhaps some rogue beasts still did today. They were timeless and ancient and wise, creatures of muscles and magic that few could kill--and that those that tried and failed rarely survived.

And yet all it took was one large tear to their wing, the only part of them that wasn't covered in armor-like scales, to bring them to their knees.

Or rather, crashing to the ground.

Khaiya didn't know what did it; she didn't see it happen. She was distracted that morning and fatigued from a poor night's sleep, and so she'd let herself close her eyes just to relieve them of their tired burning as she leaned forward in the saddle, the gentle rise and fall of Jasper beneath her rhythmically soothing, the rush of air around her muted by the helmet she wore. It was a lovely day, sunny and calm, and she wasn't even officially on duty today. She just needed to get out and do something, and a quick flight seemed perfect for that. Stretch Jasper's wings, cure her anxiousness...

Of course, that was exactly when it happened.

Jasper let out piercing roar full of pain and anger and his body jerked, his wings working harder to support his massive weight, and Khaiya's eyes snapped open as ever muscle went taut just in an effort to hold on and stay seated. She was strapped in for safety's sake, but she was in no hurry to test just how well those straps worked!

"Jasper! What is it?" she telepathed at him, her heart hammering away in her chest. They were losing altitude, his wings unable to keep him airborne no matter how he strained, his claws pawing at the air as though that would help keep them afloat.

"My left wing," he telepathed back, and that was when Khaiya twisted in her seat to look--and saw the gaping hole that was flinging blood with every beat. "It's...unstrap yourself, Khaiya."

"What?! Are you crazy?"

"We're going to fall," Jasper continued, and she could hear his breath coming out in bursts as he struggled to keep control, and she watched in horror as he aimed them toward a large patch of forest along the mountainside. "I can try to make this gentle, but if we crash...you need to be free. You'll have a better chance if you're thrown than if I crush you when we--dammit!"

His wing buckled then, giving out from under him, and they plummeted Her stomach dropped and though she'd practiced dives with Jasper before, she thought this time she might truly vomit, right into her damned helmet, because this was not a controlled dive like those. This was a rolling, chaotic fall as the world spun around them into a blur of color, the sheer force of gravity whipping Khaiya around like a ragdoll.

And then, abruptly, Khaiya was no longer staring up at the sky but instead the trees below as Jasper rolled, the trees that were growing closer by the second.

"The strap, Khaiya!" Jasper growled, and Khaiya grabbed at it with shaking hands that didn't want to obey her commands--and yanked it free. And then she was staring at the sky again as she struggled free of the stirrups--and let go.

It was the last thing she remembered before she hit the trees.



The sky was dark when Khaiya woke up, and she was surrounded by trees.

She was also incredibly sore. Everything ached, and she knew as she laid there that she was pretty lucky to be alive. That without her armor, without her helmet, she would surely be dead. That she'd probably be dead if she hadn't let go, because there was a chance Jasper would land belly up--and a chance he'd land on his back with her beneath him and--

...Shit. Jasper.

"Jasper!" she yelled, scrambling to her hands and knees and wincing as her bruised and cut body protested. She gasped, pain shooting through her side--she'd probably broken a rib or two--and clamped a hand to the spot as she sucked in air. Shit. Shit.

There was no answer.

"Jasper!" she tried again, this time sending it out along their link, but again there was only silence.

Silence, except for the eerie sounds of the woods around her, and the distant howl of a wolf.

Either he was out of range or...

No. She did not want to think of the other possibility. She'd know if that were the case...wouldn't she?

Reaching up, Khaiya took off her helmet and mopped her sweaty brow with a gloved hand. Okay. She just had to think smart about this. Stay calm and logical.

It couldn't be that difficult to find a dragon.

"Steady... Steady, damnit!"

Gears turned, and the somewhat crudely fashioned ballista that Smed was seated on gradually turned, tracking its target through the treeline. The dragon was high up, but it was set to a slow soar. Easy to hit, once you get your targeting done right.

Smed sat on the very back of the machine, one eye ensconced in a scope while the other was blinked shut. He had ten or so more goblins with him, with two extras helping him operate the giant weapon. They'd wheeled the thing out into the Adelan heartlands to test it out, and what better way to test out a ballista than by using it in dragon hunts?

The goblins turning the wheels that spun the weapon on its axis looked up at Smed as he used his hands to direct them, almost as if he was controlling the machine itself.

"Come on. Just a little bit more... let me see that pretty face of yours one more time..."

Smed stomped down into a pedal, and the entire mechanism lurched backwards as the bolt was sent flying out with a powerful cha-TWANG.

For a few seconds, there was silence. Gratification, however, was not delayed. Smed watched the dragon's wing nearly get torn in half by the jagged, barbed bolt, and he started to watch it go down.

"I missed!" Smed growled.

"Methinks you hit it just fine, boss," blurted a goblin, watching the red dragon spiral downwards.

"I was aiming for the git riding it!" Smed said, and he wheeled about in the seat to point at the goblin.

"Nobody likes a kissass, Gerki."

Silence followed up, broken only by the dragon's periodic roars, until the beast finally contacted the ground about half a mile away from them. Even from this distance, the impact sent rattles up the weapon's frame.

The goblins all broke into a cheer, and Smed's seat spun about so he could face his gathering of "hunters". The goblins were all equipped with small, crude guns. It wasn't the guns that were special, though, it was the ammunition. Enchanted to bypass protections of the flesh, the bullets were probably something that would appear in a dragon-hunter's shop.

"Alright boys! Spread out, and get real low. We're assuming the rider survived. If you see her..."

Smed smiled.

"Aim for the legs."

Smed jumped down, landing among the goblins that were setting out towards the fallen dragon. The two goblins manning the weapon stayed behind, along with one extra goblin to aim it. The ballista was lowered to aim at ground targets, and the scope removed.

Smed always had a backup plan.

Khaiya tried several more times to call for Jasper, but was still met with silence, and with every minute that rolled by, her worry grew. But she kept it together. Panic only made for a fogged head. Instead, she took her time locating and gathering the weapons and supplies that had fallen with her and checking on their state.

Her sword had survived, protected by its scabbard. She buckled that to her hip, and checked the knives she had hidden in her vambraces and in various other spots in her armor. Still there. A few had bruised her in spots. Her bow was shot all to hell, snapped and broken, and the arrows were gods only knew where. Inconvenient, as it would make hunting a challenge, but she could make snares. Her compass was intact, worn around her neck and resting between her breasts.

The rest she couldn't find in the dark, and it wasn't absolutely vital so she didn't look deeper. With a deep breath, she started to walk, trudging through the woods. Gods. She didn't even know where Jasper had fallen in relation to her! But what else was there to do but pick a direction and set out? She would leave markers along the way so she'd know where she'd been and where she still needed to go and--

There came the sound of crunching through the bushes. A lot of it. With a start, Khaiya ducked low and slipped quietly behind an ancient tree's thick trunk, her back braced against it. She glanced cautiously around it.

She'd never been to these woods. She didn't know what kind of creatures lived here.  But Adelan woods were notorious for basilisks, and the Thunderblacks birthed dragons.

Wolves she could deal with, it was the unknown she didn't want to risk.

''What would you wish for me to do Master. Head to where the girl is, or the dragon.'' Mei asked.

The succubus had changed in the time she had spent with Smed. Her horns had increased a bit in size just like her wings. She could grow out her nails to sharp claws and dark markings were on her skin when she was in full mode. As if all of her humanity had been locked up far away. She licked her lips, her hand resting on her two swords.

''I do not know what your plans are with the woman but... if you are done and she is still alive. Can I have her?''

"We head to--"

Smed stopped dead in his tracks, and the goblins all came to a similarly halted, if much less organized halt as well. He took a few deep sniffs of the air, and grinned.

"I smell a redhead. A scared one, too. To answer your previous question, yes. She'll be all yours."

He drew Anklesnagger from his belt, the various hooks, spikes, and barbs glinting in the light filtering down from the canopy.

"Can you smell her, Mei?"

Mei licked her lips. ''Oh I smell her alright.'' Mei replied. The girl's scent was all over the place. The succubus took her whipand her eyes almost seemed to glow in the darkness. She waited for a brief moment before with a smile, she walked towards an old tree.

''Her scent is everywhere but I think thisone.'' Her steps were slow. Yes the girl had fallen off a dragon. But she would be a fool to think that she was not capable of defending herself. ''Come out little pet'' Mei hummed. She was in a good mood it seemed.

That quick glance told Khaiya everything she needed: several goblins, one with a wicked looking weapon, and a demonic looking woman with a whip. And that they were specifically looking for her? That they had seen her?

...Yeah, no.

Her hand slipped down to the pommel of her sword. She wasn't in great fighting condition, nor was she in great running condition with her ribs damaged and making it painful to breathe, but she was going to have to pick one option soon. Goblins might not be an issue on their own--she had turned several into shishkabob over her time as a rider--but as a pack? That was when it got hairy.

And when the woman called out to her--little pet--as she headed toward her tree, that decided matters. Goblins she was more familiar with, but there were too many for her to want to deal with. The demonic-looking woman? There was no telling what she was capable of.

She sucked in a breath, knowing this was going to hurt, and shoved off from the tree before they could come any closer and took off at a run.

For one, Smed was both happy and concerned that the dragon's rider was still alive. Smed, in his own little anarchistic way, despised the dragon knights. Really, he despised any form of elite fighting units. Enforcers for tyranny, is what they all were. He'd heard enough stories of dragon knights wiping out goblin settlements.

He smiled, then, knowing that if he brought her head, along with her dragon's, to the goblin tribes in Adela, his sphere of influence could only grow.

The concern, came not from her, since he was confident she could be subdued, but it came from her dragon. If the beast was still alive, it couldn't be far. Hopefully, it was either dead, or too wounded to move. Probably the former, since a live, wounded dragon would usually be roaring or otherwise cause some sort of ruckus.

"After her!" Smed yelled. "Gun towers, like we practiced!"

And so, ten goblins became five as pairs of two formed up. One goblin balancing on the shoulders of the other, free to fire as they moved, while the bottom focused purely on keeping up with Khaiya. Immediately, they started firing, with no regard for formation or organized combat. The shots weren't the most accurate, but with a decent rate of fire, one of them could get lucky.

Smed himself slowly started to catch up to her, much quicker on his feet and not as impeded by armor as his prey was.

"Mei, slow her down."

''Of course Master.'' Mei replied with a devilish smile and quickly dashed after the women. To bad the trees were in the way. But when she finally got a clear view of the woman she aimed her whip at the woman's ankle to at the least make her trip good.

If it had not been for the armor though Mei would've resorted in whipping the girl's back instead. But when she saw the leather make it's way to Khaiya's ankle she grinned.

They fucking had guns?!

Khaiya flinched when one of those bullets took a splintery chunk out of the tree she had just ducked behind, but she didn't stop. A moving target was harder to hit than a still one, and so she pushed off and took off and kept going, using the cover of the trees to shield her. Something hit her side as she bolted from one tree to the next, but she didn't stop to check if it had hit true or just glanced off her armor, and she knew from experience that if it was the former, it was all the more important not to look and to keep moving while she was still high on adrenaline.

"Jasper!" she called out again, a new sort of panic striking her. What if these things had found him? He could decimate them easily, even wounded, but if he was wounded badly enough that he wasn't responding...

Gods. What if they'd killed him?

But she'd feel it, wouldn't she? She'd know! The other riders all had tales of riders who had lost dragons, and they all claimed that those riders had felt it. Had felt that sudden emptiness and pain. "Jasper, please answer me!"

"Khaiya...?"

She could have cried with relief. The voice was weak, but it was there. "Jasper, listen to me, I'm--"

She cut off with a yelp as something wound around her ankle and pulled it out from under her. She landed with a hard grunt, turned quickly over onto her back, and saw the whip length wound around her--and the demonic woman quickly approaching. Khaiya wasted not a second. She slid a knife out from her vambrace, slashed through the whip, and then scrambled to her feet and took off.

But though she'd acted fast, that fall had definitely cost her precious time.

Smed cackled when Khaiya fell, even as she slashed the whip and kept going. Unlike Khaiya, who's path was complicated by weaving around trees, Smed was just making a straight beeline towards her.

He'd nearly got her, too, when she fell. Now, he was hot on her heels, nearly within pouncing distance.

''As if that will change anything little pet'' Mei said. The whip was shorter but certainly still effective.

A few branches had made cuts on her face and legs where her boots and short leather pants did not reach but those things would heal on their own. There was a prize here.

She managed to run beside Khaiya with a smirk. ''You are a tough one I admit. You surely broke something.'' she said before lashing the whip aiming for the woman's neck.

 They were gaining fast; Khaiya was horribly aware of that fact, aware of in just how bad of shape she was, and aware of the increasing ache in her side where the bullet had struck--and the warmth spreading there--and the ache in her ribs where she'd broken one. But she kept going, flinching and ducking when bullets whizzed by her, dodging around fallen trees and bushes that wanted to snag at her and slow her--but it was all for naught.

The demon-woman caught up to her, and Khaiya was still registering her words when the whip snapped around he neck.

She cried out, grabbing at the whip with one hand, and she slipped her knife again and started to cut desperately at it.

"Atta girl, Mei!" Smed said, as if praising some kind of hunting animal for catching its prey. Using the loss of speed caused by Khaiya having to focus on cutting the whip around her neck, Smed got in within pouncing distance, and pounce he did.

Laughing, he pushed off of the bround and propelled himself forwards, aiming for a low swipe with Anklesnagger. He aimed towards the parts of her leg armor which were mostly chain mail, since the spiked and hooks of Anklesnagger would sink right through it.

If he hit, the weapon would snag in her flesh and armor, and he'd use it to pull her down to a more manageable height.

''We should hunt like this more often. It's fun'' Mei said and before Khaiya could think of cutting the whip again she gave it a good pull before allowing the leather to loosen up so she could withdraw it. It should slow the woman down enough she figured. And hoped.

Mei could smell the blood. At some point Khaiya would not be able to run at all.

Something--many somethings--stabbed into her leg, and Khaiya let out a scream that was half unintelligible swear, half pained--and soon choked, when the demon-woman tightened the whip before loosing it. She crumpled when her leg was yanked out from under her, landing on her ass, but it wasn't just agony that twisted her expression as she caught sight of her pint-sized attacker; it was rage.

Her knife was quickly sheathed, replaced by her sword, as she aimed a swift kick at the creature with one leg--and yanked back against the weapon stabbing her with the other, flesh tearing free, though it snagged on her chainmail and got stuck no matter how she shook it.

"Back the fuck off!" she snapped, breathless, sword crossed in front of her as she scooted backwards, more than ready to slash at whatever or whoever tried to touch her next.

Smed cackled as Khaiya's armored boot clocked him right in the mouth and sent a few fangs flying, as if he found the pain to be little more than a love tap. He fell backwards as a result, and his weapon came with him, yanking out a section of Khaiya's chain mail.

Immediately, Smed was back onto his feet, looking at Khaiya as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. He gave her a broken, toothy grin, letting her see the fangs sprouting up out of his gums, good as new.

Mei wasn't the only demonic one present.

"Feisty," he said, licking up his own blood. From behind her, one of Smed's cronies aimed a shot and fired, intent on nailing her clear in the shoulder of her sword arm.

''Oh dear. Swearing. You are not scared are you?'' Mei asked. and drew her swords after rolling up the whip and putting it in its holder.

''People swear and walk backwards when they do. I would suggest to surrender but that would be to easy. Not to mention boring. The more they fight back the more fun it is.'' She slowly approached Khaiya but remained out of range. She had seen the goblni behind Khaiya and waited for him to take the shot. She smiled when he did though.

It was in that moment, when the goblin laughed about getting his face kicked in and teeth knocked out, that Khaiya realized just how deep she was. His teeth grew back. He was unfazed. That was not a normal goblin...

And then there was the woman, now with two swords out, and Khaiya's heart beat faster even as her blood leaked out. A demon and goblins and a goblin that wasn't like a goblin. Her face paled but she held her sword steady and shuffled backwards on her bottom more, then put a hand down to support herself as she prepared for the painful task of standing.

"Jasper," she sent out again, even while she was silent on the outside, not caving to the demon-woman's taunts. "I...I think I'm going to die." She was impressed at how calm it came out, but she was rushing the "words", knowing she didn't have much time. There wasn't enough time yet to feel mortal terror. "There's goblins, and a demon. If you don't hear from me again--"

Her connection was severed by the explosion of a gun and the burst of pain that ripped through her shoulder, and the scream that tore from her lips didn't sound like it belonged to her. She dropped her sword, her arm going limp, and for a moment couldn't even begin to think of pulling a knife as all thought blurred away into agony.

Khaiya's blood spattered onto Smed's face, and his smile only widened. That was a good shot! Smed made a note to reward that goblin later, in the form of a turn with the girls.

He licked one of his new teeth, pearly white contrasting with the yellow of older fangs, and he motioned towards Khaiya.

"Knock her out, Mei. Let's bag her and get out of here."

''Yes Master'' Mei said and kicked the sword away as she knelt down in front of the woman. ''Trust me. You're going to wish you were dead by falling off your dragon.'' Mei said in a soft almost tender whisper before she gave the girl a hard smack against the side of her head to knock her. Of course far from enough to cause a serious injury. But it would most likely be a bump for sure.

''Regarding the dragon. What will we do about that? I heard squares of dragon scales go for quite the sum at armormakers.''

Khaiya only had time to register that they knew about her dragon--

And by then, it hardly mattered, because the woman's fist struck her head and her eyes rolled back as she slumped bonelessly to the ground.

"We're just here to test the weapon, and the weapon worked swimmingly, although..."

Smed looked at Khaiya, at her armor, and then back at Mei. He smiled. He knew that dragon knights loved their dragons so very much, and he was feeling particularly cruel that day.

"I think the gang would enjoy a good dragon stew."

He cleared his throat, motioning to two of the goblins in their little hunting party.

"Take her back to the ballista. Tie her, gag her, blind her, and keep her unconscious. Rouse her up if you hear my horn."

The two goblins nodded, and they hoisted Khaiya up and took her away, back to the rest.

"The rest of you, we're gonna put that dragon out of its misery."

And they set off again, traveling in the direction the dragon had fallen.

''Dragon stew huh?'' Mei said with a chuckle. ''Does not sound bad.'' Mei said and looked at the tip of her whip. She would make a new one. Dragonleather sounded rather appealing right now.

Mei had not often seen a living dragon and she usually would not mess with them but now, she felt like she could take on the world.

Jasper had, indeed, fallen quite a distance from where Khaiya had ended up.

And when the Mei and the goblins eventually found the area, it would be pretty obvious--for a great swath of trees had been flattened and splintered, leaving behind an impressive clearing in the middle of the dense forest. There was blood everywhere, and gouges in the soil from claws and a massive, spiked tail, and a few scales remained embedded in the soil--

But there was no dragon.

There was, however, a bloody trail, the soil and anything that had been growing in it scraped clean as though the beast had been dragging itself, and the trees had been smashed into a narrower path as the dragon had walked straight through them. The trail continued for a while, before it went cold.

It lead to the edge of some cliffs leading further down the mountain, and then nothing.

Smed remained alert as he followed the trail, aware that dragons were as cunning as they were wise. It was slow going until they reached the cliff, and that was where Smed dropped his guard. The scene at the dragon's impact point was grisly, and this bloody trail could only indicate that the beast must have been bleeding out.

A torn wing like that was already bad enough, as wing tissue was veiny. Accounting for any injuries the beast must have sustained in the fall (At best, the dragon was crippled!), and guessing that the wing injury would only have gotten worse, Smed presumed the creature dead, by suicide of all things.

"Let's get your little toy back to camp," Smed said, and he jostled a small pouch full of dragon scales.

"These should be enough for a new whip."

With that, he turned back around, and he started to head back to the ballista.

''Yes Master. She fought back nicely. It was fun. I am glad you brought me with.'' Mei replied with a smile. She wondered though if she should fly down. The scent of blood filled her nose clearly. ''I recommend to mask Khaiya's scents. Surely people are going to look for her and I do not think we'd like tracking hounds.''

She gazed down one more time. Pity the giant lizard took this route but if Smed did not order her, he would not find it nessesary either. She followed him back. ''So tell me Master. What are your plans for Khaiya?'' She knew she had plenty.

When Khaiya came to, she woke to a world of pain.

With the adrenaline out of her system, she could feel the full effects if her injuries now: the broken rib, the bullet in her side and shoulder, her torn leg. She started to gasp out from the shock of it, but kept her mouth shut and her eyes closed and let her breath out softly through her nose. Wherever she was, it wouldn't be good; she could feel the gag set between her teeth, the bindings wrenching her arms behind her back, and when she opened her eyes...

Of course. Blindfolded. Fantastic.

But she still had her ears, and she strained to listen to the sounds around her even as she remained slumped over and lifeless, and she kept her breathing deep and even to fake sleep. Okay. So she was a captive. But now more than ever was the time to keep a clear head. And so she mentally began to do a tally of her condition and her equipment.

Condition: bad. Equipment: still there.

She was swordless, but her armor was still in place. Had they searched her? She felt at her bindings, then felt at the small button enlaid in her vambraces and pressed  a finger against one.

A blade slid out, and Khaiya's heart did a flip flop of nerves and relief. She kept it hidden between her hands and her back, still straining to listen, and then carefully maneuvered it and started to saw at the bindings even as tears burned in her eyes from the sheer pain of it as it jostled her wounded shoulder.

Smed returned to the ballista, still focused on the baggy of dragon scales. They had Khaiya away from the ballista, up against a tree and out of the way so they could disassemble it in peace. Smed's face indicated disappointment, although there was a certain bit of pep in his step.

New toys were always great!

He gave Khaiya a cursory glance, and then looked to the disassembling ballista. He blinked a few times, and he looked back.

He squinted, and he could've sworn he saw her move a bit. He looked to Mei, smiled, and put a finger on his lips.

He motioned to a goblin, and it tottered over to him. He repeated the finger on lips motion, and started to walk with it over to Khaiya.

"Gone, yeah. It's gone." Smed said, and the goblin nodded a bit. He was speaking so Khaiya could hear it.

"The dragon?"

"Yep. Chased it off a cliff."

The other goblin chuckled, and they came to a stop around ten feet away from Khaiya.

"So, when you says it's gone, boss..."

"Dead. Damn shame, too. Skull would've looked nice on my tent."

They both looked at Khaiya.

"Least we got this one," Smed said, and he picked up a stick.

"You kickin', murderer?"

He jabbed the stick right into her shoulder wound, grinning like a madman.

''Master surely hit the beast well.'' Mei purred as she stood behind him. ''Do not worry though, his wounds gave him a good and painfull death. A bit to slow. But can not always have influence on that. You though, make sure you do not die. When my Master is done with you I want to have my type of fun. Woman on woman bonding time that is. I hope you are just as exited as I am. And if not I will get you to that point my own way.''

Voices caught Khaiya's ear, and she quickly stilled and hid the blade again. Each movement was agony, but this was life or death, and she fought hard to keep her breathing deep and even. The words were muted at first by distance, but then they grew clearer as the creature approached--and Khaiya's blood turned to ice when she could finally make them out.

They were talking about Jasper.

No... she thought, her chest going tight with the first hints of grief. Chased off a cliff. Dead. Gone. No. That couldn't be...that couldn't be true. She would have felt it, right? She would know!

But she had been unconscious, too. Unconscious after the fall, and unconscious after her capture.

Maybe she hadn't felt it because she hadn't been awake.

"Jasper?" she sent out again as her fingers tightened around the knife. "JASPER! Jasper, answer me, damn you!" He'd said her name before! He'd answered before she'd been caught, so he'd still been alive then! But he had sounded weak, and if...if they'd chased him off a cliff...if he wasn't answering now...

"Jasper, please..." Dragons were more than just beasts to their riders; they were their companions, their friends. Their family. And for Khaiya, Jasper had saved her life. He'd chosen her, chosen her when she was little more than a frightened slave girl. They'd grown up together. She forced her breath out evenly through her nose even as emotion wanted to choke her, constricting her throat.

He couldn't be dead.

And then something jabbed her wounded shoulder and Khaiya let out a cry--but it wasn't one purely of physical pain.

It was one of rage.

Her blade slid through the last thread of her bindings and with the last vestiges of her strength, she ripped off her blindfold and threw the knife at Smed's chest. She didn't really care if it killed him or not. He was the one the demon called "master". He was the one the other goblins deferred to.

He was the one she wanted to hurt.

Smed could've dodged the knife, especially since Khaiya wasn't exactly catching him by surprise. But, in all honesty, it'd been a good while since the last time he'd died, and he figured a couple months was a bit of an extended stretch anyways.

Smile as big as ever, the knife went sailing right through his chest, destroying his black little heart and spurting blood onto the grass. He fell backwards, cackling, giggling until the light left his eyes.

"Let her watch, then knock her back out," Smed said.

Oh! My heart's stopped beating. Back in a jiff," he gurgled, and his body went limp. By now, everybody in his organization, including Mei, knew that Smed was a goblin who couldn't die. In fact, dying was a bit of a fetish for the deranged little creature.

Either way, he laid still for a couple seconds, before suddenly, he sat back up, eyes as sharp and alert as ever.

"Woo! Haven't had a rush like that in a while," he said, and he pulled the knife out of his chest, tossing it behind him as his chest wound sealed.

He looked to Mei.

"I mean, I've died before, but this time, I just died."

He hacked up a bit of blood, shrugged, and continued.

"Hell of a throw."

Mei giggled a bit. ''Waste of your knife. Master can not die. I was quite suprised he can't even by my... energy consuming ways. I bet his head could be chopped off and he would get up in no time.'' she said and dashed to Khaiya giving her a punch in the abdomen before grabbing the girl's wrists forcing them behind the back. ''And we were so nice to at the least let you keep your clothes on. Maybe we should strip you naked. I do warn you. The sight of female flesh makes goblins rather hungry.''

Rather then knocking the woman out though she brought the woman in front of her to face Smed and pushed her boot in her knees so Khaiya would beforced on the ground. With what was left of her whip she started to bind Khaiya's hands tightly.

''But then again. What is a lifeless playtoy.''

The blade flew true, and sank into the goblin's chest, and Khaiya felt a brief moment of victory as she pulled free her gag. If she was to die--and surely she would, for killing their leader--then at least she'd take him with her. At least there was that. It was small consolation, but it was something.

That feeling died when she saw the way he smiled. Heard the way he laughed.

Back in a jiff.

W...what?

And then he was upright. Awake, alert, and pulling the knife free, and Khaiya felt sick. Felt like she could puke when she watched his wound heal, heard him speak so casually about dying, like it was a game. Like it was funny. And no one seemed surprised about this!

Her head swam, throbbing from where she'd been hit earlier, and she was still processing what she saw when the demon punched her in the gut.

Khaiya doubled over choking and wheezing, hands clutching her belly, but a second later they were wrenched back behind her back and she let out a yell of agony as her shoulder screamed. Tears rolled down her cheeks, half from pain, half from grief, and her cries soon gave way to hiccuped sobs as she was brought to kneel before the goblin on one good leg, and one mangled one.

All while the demon spoke of...horrible things.

She turned her head away, tears dripping off her chin, fighting back her shudders. She didn't speak. She had nothing to say. What was she supposed to say, anyway? Beg for her life? Beg for a quick death? As though they would honor her requests. No, she kept quiet instead, determined to go gracefully and proudly and not give them the satisfaction of hearing her beg.

And even if she did have something to say, she didn't think she could speak past the sobs that choked her, making her whole body shake, because Jasper was dead.

"Oh, don't cry..." Smed cooed, and he crossed his arms.

He had to admit, now that he actually had a dragon knight captive, it was quite tempting to take revenge for his people, to just slash her throat and fill it with dirt. He closed his eyes, picturing goblins being skewered ruthlessly by dragon knight lances, villages being burned by dragon knight flames.

He opened them back up, and he grinned.

"You need to save your tears, keep them all nice and bottled up for later..."

he passed a claw under her chin, quickly, so he could take a droplet of her tears. He looked at it curiously, before licking it up. A shudder passed through him, and he giggled like a schoolboy.

"Because I am going to milk you dry."

He drew Anklesnagger again, and he flipped it over in his grip, so that he held it just above the sharp bits. Using the blunt end like a club, he swung and Khaiya's head again, intent on sending back into the world of the unconscious.

Mei held Khaiya where she was and looked at Smed after the blow had been dealt. ''I know the history of Dragons and Goblins since you told me. What would you prefer. Her spirit broken? Or her dead. Truth be told I will find it amusing if she joins with Rena and Selka. She could infiltrate other dragon riders that way, lure them out. To bad the survive rate is so damn low. Then again. Her fighting spirit is something nice. Rena and Selka certainly don't fight back at all and get right on the tasks given to them.'' she gently patted Khaiya's head and took a nice long breath to pick up the girl's scent.

The siege weapon was as good as dismantled. ''Lets bring her home with us. We can always decide later what to do. Unless you have a plan now.''

Despite pride and sorrow keeping her quiet, Khaiya was only human, and she wasn't fearless. She shrank back from the goblin's stroking claw, feeling sick as he tasted her tears and promised worse to come--and then brandished his wicked cudgel. The one he'd used on her before.

Please, no, she thought, so she wouldn't say it, but she could do little more than watch as it was raised, and close her eyes and clench her fists as it began to fall.

A different kind of darkness claimed her then, the black behind her eyes going darker, and she slumped into Mei's arms as, once again, blessed unconsciousness claimed her.

[Since she's out like a light, feel free to skip me 'til she wakes! 8D]

"Rena and Selka are common whores. This one's... different. Heart of a soldier, with such a strong mind. It takes a strong mind to command dragons, you know."

"I don't want her dead, not yet, but I can't exactly get to work out here, either. I don't like not knowing where that dragon is, so I'd rather we get the hell out of here, post-haste!"

Smed clapped his hands, and the goblins all assembled to move out, each carrying an equal burden of ballista parts.

Smed gave Khaiya a detailed search via pat-down, and, after much deliberation, decided to just strip her of her vambraces and stuff them into his own bag, along with any other sharp objects she happened to have.

"Gag her, blind her, plug her ears, and make sure she's all tied up," Smed instructed, and he procured a small bottle of scent masker from his belt. He originally intended to use it against the dragon, but seeing as how that avenue was exhausted, he just applied it to Khaiya instead.

"That goes the same for all of you. Hide your scents, I don't want us getting tracked."

''Of course Master'' Mei said. She blindfolded and gagged the girl. She plugged the ears as last.

True. It took a strong mind to command dragons. But Mei did not mind having a go at someone like Khaiya. At least. She could have what was left of her when Smed was done. If there was anything left.

After the scent masker was applied by everyone, it was onwards to home sweet home. The two girls were waiting. She knew. Either patiently or screwing around. Litterly. ''Just please let her keep her limbs. I like her body whole at the least if possible. Healing tonics to repair limbs are expensive.'' she said with a smile.

"Don't worry, Mei. I'm not gonna butcher her. Just... acquaint her to goblin hospitality. We can take turns!"

Smed turned his head to Mei, who had the task of carrying Khaiya. For a strong, demonic woman like her, though, it'd be a trivial task.

"With your pheromones, we're going to drive her absolutely insane! No holds barred! You see, I was playing around with the last girl, Einin, but with this one?"

Smed laughed.

"She's going to suffer, Mei. Gonna make Einin's stay look like a bed of roses."

''I'd say round up the trolls but that would maybe be a bit to much in her first week. Alright. I will make her crave for everything. To bad we do not have any of her loved ones to watch.''

She picked up Khaiya and caressed the girl's face and hair. She had not really tortured anybody before in the fashion Smed did. And regarding those types of torture Mei still had plenty to learn. The mention of Einin however somehow made Mei's heart skip a beat. The little shred of humanity left in Mei's being had a bit of compassion for the girl. She made a mental note to completely ban it out. If she could anyway. And cursed her father in her head for having conceived her from his concubine.

''Lead the way Master. Everyone else will follow.''

And lead the way he did. It was a bit of a trek to get back to the Anklehacker hideout, seeing as how they were currently in Adela. They weren't mounted, but goblins were known for their ability to make exceptional progress through woodlands, able to travel in a straight line rather than having to follow any roads.

regardless, it was still a few days trek to get back. Khaiya was left mostly unbothered throughout the duration, and she was kept unconscious throughout the entirety of the trip through the use of local herbalism, in a state almost like a temporary coma.

When she would finally regain consciousness, she'd be chained to a pole inside Smed's tent, very much like the unfortunate girl who'd been there before her. The security was a bit tighter, however. chains were around her ankles, wrists, and neck, and the way she was tied left her in a permaently kneeling position. her ankles and wrists weren't chained together, however, so she could independently move her arms within the confines or her chains.

She was still gagged, blindfolded, and ear-plugged, so although Smed and Mei were patiently waiting in the room together, waiting for her to come to with Rena and Selka at their sides, she wouldn't be able to immediately detect them.

[You can come back now, Rhi!]

[Huzzah!]

When Khaiya woke next, she only knew she was still alive by the agony she felt.

Everything hurt. Her head throbbed and she felt sick to her stomach, which felt very empty. Her sides and shoulder and leg throbbed horribly, all the more painful by the way she was forced to kneel, putting pressure on her wounds. But worse even than all that were the chains she felt around her throat, wrists, and ankles--

And the loss of any other sensory input.

Blind, deaf, and mute, unable to hear or see where she was, Khaiya's heart sank and stomach twisted with  a queasy wave of fear. Oh gods. Where was she? Was she...was she abandoned? Left somewhere to slowly die? Her heart pounded and she tugged lightly on her chained arms, whimpering in pain, and her breath came faster out her nose.

"Oh gods, Jasper, please don't leave me," she sent out frantically, even though she knew it was pointless, but that link to him was all she had--dead or alive. She tugged harder, feeling for her vambraces, but feeling only their absense.

''Whoohooo! She's awake'' Mei cheered.

It meant the fun would begin. ''Say Master... she looks a little pale and surely those wounds will fester if not already. Do we have that nasty Troll healing tonic somewhere? It smells and most likely tastes even worse but would not want her to get delirious from blood poisoning or something.''

''That stuff with the thickness of sludge?'' Selka asked who needed to receive some herself a short while back when she was 'busy'. It healed wounds and infection. Other then its finished effects, the way it worked was very unpleasant. Even painfull. As if rolling in a hill of fire ants. At least, to none trolls anyway.

"We do, there's a bottle on the table," Smed said, motioning to a small vial containing something that looked more like infected blood than anything else. It was a concentrated mix of troll flesh, healing magic, and some moderately rare herbs. It caused wound to regenerate, and purged the body of all maladies.

But it did, in fact, feel like rolling in a mound of fire ants. Especially near the wounded areas.

Smed's hope was that the cave walls, rich in iron and other heavy metals, would block the telepathic signal to her dragon. If the dragon was even in range, that is.

"Take her gag off."

It was when the gag was removed that Khaiya realized she was not alone. She jumped violently, a gasp leaving her, before she froze up completely. She still couldn't hear or see. And that worried her all the more as she shrank back against the pole she was tied to.

After she took the gag off Mei placed a kiss on the woman's lips before getting up and walking away again. After all it was just the gag, not the earplugs or blindfold. She went to the table but waited by giving the woman the contends of the vial untill Smed told her it would be the right time.

Smed raised an eyebrow at Mei's decision to give Khaiya a quick peck.

"Growing fond of her already?" he asked, grinning over at Mei.

"I think that when we're done with her, we can make her one of your handmaidens. I just know you love redheads," Smed said.

He didn't give the order for the tonic just yet. In fact, he realized that maybe administering it by mouth wasn't the best idea. Khaiya'd probably spit it out!

"Prepare the tonic in a needle, Mei. I don't want her spitting any of it out."

The kiss took Khaiya off guard, and she sucked in a breath and jerked her head away--and regretted it when that only made the nausea worse. She gagged, half from that, half from the kiss, not even knowing if it was man or woman or goblin or what--

And then promptly spat, hoping to hit someone.

''A needle it is.'' Mei said with a smile and gathered the tools. The needle would be thick though.

''And it is true master, I love redheads. Always so feisty.'' She said with a smile.
'' I would not mind another sister'' selka spoke. ''What games will we play with her now Master?'' She asked.

"Oh, the usual games, Selka," Smed said, and he stepped over to Khaiya to take out her earplugs.

"She's not going to want to play at first, but... She'll grow into it. Such a strong mind, she's got. Built like a castle, her little head is. Good thing I've got a battering ram."

And with that, he whipped off Khiaya's blindfold, letting her see just where she was. Smed's tent had remained more or less the same since that pole's last occupant, save for a couple more luxuries like a mirror and fancier seats at the table.

"Rise and shine, Murderer! How we doing this morning?"

The earplugs came out, and suddenly Khaiya could hear--could hear the familiar voice of the goblin leader. His words came out loud to her ears, having been so long deprived of sound, and it made her head ache all the more.

And then, the blindfold.

It wasn't super bright in the room, but his cheerful voice coupled with light hitting her eyes for the first time in days made her head throb and eyes burn. She groaned, squinting and at first seeing nothing but brightness before shapes began to swim into focus. She blinked several times and worked moisture back into her mouth, the corners of her mouth chafed from the gag and lips dry, and when she could finally see again, her eyes narrowed.

She coughed, taking in her surroundings with a quick look. The tent, the table and chairs, the mirror--the goblin, demon, and two other women.

And then she just glared through the agony. "Murderer," she repeated, voice dry and croaky from lack of use, and more than a little breathless from weakness and pain. She shook her head, and swallowed hard. "You killed Jasper."

"I killed a fucking beast!" Smed yelled, sudden fire in his eyes. He clenched a fist, but he relaxed himself by taking a few slow breaths.

"You knights think you're so fucking righteous. Tell me, Murderer, how many of my people have you butchered? How many goblins have you skewered? How many has your dragon crushed in its gaping fucking maw!?"

He turned away from Khaiya, looking awfully close to coming unhinged. He breathed deeply, and then started to laugh again.

"But he was such a grand beast. Jasper."

He slipped a scale from the bag on the table, and held it in his claws, letting it glimmer in the light.

"Fortunately, he left a few choice bits behind before trying to fly across that chasm. For a wise beast, he seemed awful stupid. Didn't stop roaring until his fucking innards painted the bottom of that chasm."

He gazed at the scale for a bit, before setting it down on the table.

"Do you recognize me, Murderer?"

Khaiya closed her eyes and drew in a slow, deep breath as the monster came unglued. She expected to be struck again or worse, but that would have hurt less than hearing him speak of her dragon that way. She felt lost, disconnected; when you spent so long inside another creature's mind, one as intelligent and wise--if not more--than a human, and they spent as much time in your own mind...

Their sudden silence was crushing. Empty. She felt like a piece of herself was gone.

She opened her eyes again, and though they were red and bloodshot, they were dry of tears. She was dehydrated, and besides, right now she had nothing else to give. She only felt exhausted. Almost too exhausted to care. So as before, she maintained silence, because she had no answer to give him.

The truth was, she had killed goblins, but not many. They simply weren't her branch's primary concern. When they raided a town, they dealt with the infestation, but they didn't go out of their way to track them, as they simply weren't a huge issue in these parts. Telling him that, however, would be pointless. She'd still killed them, and she doubted he'd care what the reasons were when he was one of them, and clearly just as deranged. Trying to reason with the enemy was like trying to reason with a rabid beast, and whatever he had planned for her...she doubted saying, "Oh, I only killed a couple when they were razing a town..." would change matters in a way that would benefit her.

Instead, she looked at the scale he held, and felt her chest tighten. Her breath caught as she recognized it, recognized the red with the swirls of green and black, so like the gem he was named after.

Her breath came out a shudder.

Seeing that scale made it all feel very final. Very official. She stared at it even after he set it on the table, and swallowed again past the lump that wanted to choke her as he described Jasper's death.

And she hadn't been there for him. Hadn't even gotten to say goodbye...

She shut her eyes again, and shook her head at his question.

''Don't worry.'' Mei purred. ''Things may seem meaningless now but look at it from the bright side. We, are going to become best friends. Like these two.'' she walked to Selka and Rena and wrapped an arm around each of their waists. ''If you live long enough you could become like them. They have a simple purpose but would love another sister. But of course...'' she released them again. ''The road, will be a long one.''

She released her leathery black wings, black horns and arrowpointed tail. After that, her nails. ''Much better..'' she purred. It felt restraining still to hide them all.

''As for not knowing who my Master is known by the name Smed Anklehacker. Other names he is known for are The Red. Manfeller. Manbiter...'' with every name she took a step closer. ''Do any of the names ring a bell in that overly pretty head of yours?''

Khaiya shook her head again at the question. She didn't know. None of those were familiar names. But she was Adelan and unfamiliar with the reputation he'd earned in Serendipity and besides, goblins had never been her main concern.

She was, however, concerned about the two other women the demon spoke of. The "sisters". Khaiya's eyes locked on them and she spoke through the lump in her throat, "What happened to them?" It was a near whisper as she pressed back against the pole, her breath coming faster as the demon drew closer.

For they looked...vapid to her. Not all there.

At Khaiya's question, Smed immediately wheeled around and backhanded her with the force of a fully grown human man, which was impressive for a goblin.

"I'm asking the questions around here, Murderer."

He looked at her with deadly intent for a few seconds, but then his face just sort of... Evened out.

"Murderer."

Smed crossed his arms. He tested the word a few more times, before frowning.

"Doesn't roll off the tongue too well."

He looked to Selka, and smiled.

"What do you think we should call her?"

Khaiya's head snapped to the side with the force of the blow, but she took it mostly silently--because she didn't have time to cry out. Her breath left her in a sharp hiss, and then she let her head hang down as she sucked in deep breaths and bit back a pained groan, because the shock of it, the way it made her whole body jerk and tense, made her ache all over all the more--and it made her head throb until she thought she might finally vomit, even though she had nothing in her to purge. Blood dribbled down her chin from her split lip and she licked the blood from her lips slowly, eyes closed and breathing shaky as she tried to get her nausea under control.

When she finally felt like she had gotten a hold of herself, she raised her eyes again.

And just stared at the goblin, far too calmly, though there was obvious contempt in her eyes. Contempt, and pain, and fear she was trying hard to hide, though the trembling of her body gave her away.

But she didn't speak another word. Nor did she protest when he started to muse over what to call her. That was fine by her. Let him call her any vile name under the sun, so long as it wasn't her name.

For Khaiya, though born in Essyrn, had spent half her life in Adela and was raised with Adelan superstition even longer. Her sister had been just old enough to remember their mother's old traditions and stories, which had in turn rubbed off on Khaiya, and then Khaiya had spent the rest of her life growing up in Adela. Names had power, is what she had always learned and believed. You never gave a demon your real name--and Khaiya wasn't about to give it to a goblin, either.

''Hmmm...'' Mei pondered. ''Evania maybe?'' she asked. ''A bit more luxery then Rena and Selka. If she deserves the molding process she would deserve it.'' she said with a smile.

Her gaze went to Khaiya. ''As for these girls. Selka over there and Rena used to have other names. Patricia and Elly, if I recall properly. Normal girls, working their jobs. Using my specific demonic abilities, I used pheromones to drive their bodies completely insane and desiring so much, their minds became blanc. All that was in their little heads was serving me. In any way possible and they did. I gave them new names and they then soon forgot everything that lingered with their old name. Memories, feelings.'' she said purring. ''There were a few more girls like them but only these two survived. One, Smed even called Einin for the fun of it. We let the girls climax over and over again. To whomever that happens my strength grows as I get energy from it. Some I unfortunatly suck dry of energy and then, they die. These girls however did not. And they will not. Their bodies return to the condition they were in just after renaming them if they had enough rest and they can tap a little of my magic to make many things possible.'' an idea then struck her.

''Rena. You can handle the big guys yes?'' Mei asked. Indicating the trolls. ''Yes Mi-lady'' Rena said and licked her lips. Mei then looked at Smed. ''Why do we not give lady Khaiya here a demonstration of the life she could perhaps get?''

True. The woman had a strong spirit but all women feared the same thing deep inside.

"Khaiya's the name, then? Your powers develop quicker than expected, Mei," Smed said, and he locked his eyes back onto Khaiya.

"I think we'll keep your original name. Khaiya flows rather nicely..."

He stood there, still, twisted little gears turning in his mind. He looked to Rena, then to the flap that led to his tent.

Much too small for a troll.

"Rena, go fetch the troll of your choosing. Be sure to take Nohp with you, he... has an affinity for the beasts. Mei, help this piece of goblin-killing filth outside. We'll make this demonstration public, for the whole camp to see. To... the training square"

He looked back to Khaiya, and smiled.

"A taste of her future."

''Magic had little to do with it Master. She... mumbled a little in her sleep.'' She then made a semi desperate voice. ''Jasper it is me Khaiya please I beg of you answer me'' she said and smiled before she walked towards the woman to release her from the pole and asked Selka to help her a little

Rena went to fetch Nohp before getting one of the trolls.

''I wonder when I can do it.'' Selka said with a smile. ''Do not rush dear little Selka. After all Rena does not restore to virginity every time.''

They knew her name.

But worse even than that were the words the demon spoke, the revelation of just what had happened to those women, and the ice in Khaiya's blood grew colder. Of course Khaiya feared death, like any mortal naturally did, but she feared losing herself even more. That was a different kind of death, a death of the self, and she didn't want to die as anything but who she was, with her memories, her identity, her name.

To become truly blank, to lose all those things that made a person who they were...that was terrifying in an entirely different way.

She didn't know what the significance of the name "Einin" was, or if she was supposed to recognize it, but that mattered little as Khaiya froze up completely as that realization hit, as she processed the words the demon was speaking, and it all clicked into place. She was a succubus, wasn't she? It all made sense, the kiss, the hints at "woman on woman" bonding, the energy sucking, the death, the...mention of climaxing. Fuck. For a moment Khaiya went very still, hardly breathing, heart pounding, face gone ashen--and then came the announcement of a public "demonstration" and talk of fetching a fucking troll.

She didn't want to see this. She didn't want to see this.

She wasn't going to watch some girl get raped. Her training, her work, had prepared her for many things. Torture, rape, death. They were all possibilities if she was caught by enemy forces. She knew that, and always had known it, and knowing didn't make it easier to bear in the moment, but it at least didn't blindside her. This did. Completely. Gods, at least let her die herself...

Khaiya's head swam with rage and nausea all at once, and for a moment none of it felt real, but like some sick nightmare. The demon came and began to release her from the pole, though, and Khaiya snapped out of her daze when she felt her chains being separated from the pole.

She was not going to fucking do this.

In a desperate burst of strength, Khaiya swung her arms up and over the demon's head, screaming in pain as her shoulder exploded in agony and bled from the movement, but she bore it as she looped the chain around the woman's neck--

And pulled it tight.

''So now what.'' Mei asked for as far as she could speak. She remained calm and was used tobeing choked, beaten, cut and hurt. Instead she released some pheromines. She was curious how Khaiya responded to those but most likely had to be left wondering a little longer as Selka took a good full grip of Khaiya's hair.

''Remember, I am still here too'' Selka spoke and gave Khaiya a hard kick against the back. ''Killing her will only make things worse you know. They will then give you a fate a million times worse as they have in mind for you now. A slow agonising life.''

Smed watched the altercation take place, more than confident that the two girls had the situation under control. Even so, he drew Footcleaver, and waited.

"Let her go, Khaiya. Or the troll's going to be set on you."

Khaiya's worst mistake, she realized, was that she didn't account for Selka.

She was ready to snap the demon's neck when a rough hand in her hair and a kick to her back--right in the kidneys--made her cry out and buckle in pain. Her grip on the chains slackened and released as she curled in on herself as the pain radiated out through her body, making her choke and gag.

''Thank you.'' Mei said calmly and tightly locked the chains on Khaiya's wrists to one another and bound her a bit more to be sure it would not happen again. ''Be glad I let you keep your clothes on. You could treat me a little more friendly.''

Selka gently hugged Mei from behind with a smile and Mei gave the woman a deep kiss. Something Selka seemed to love. ''You are in for a treat later little one.'' Mei assured which made Selka seem to light up with joy.

It was then though Mei focussed on Khaiya again. ''Let's go. It will be some show to watch for sure.'' and Mei would make sure Khaiya would see it all. For the fun of it, Mei released a little bit more pheromones as she lead Khaiya out.

The Anklehacker Camp didn't change much. It was still the underground city it had been the last time anybody of note was imprisoned. Perhaps seeing that she was underground and not out in the air would be the final straw for Khaiya. A revelation of how bleak her situation truly was.

Smed rather enjoyed that, really. What is a dragon knight without the sky? Hopefully, Khaiya would die before ever seeing its blue ever again. That being said, even if they were above ground, the sheer amount of goblins was staggering. Tents existed on the ground, on the walls, and even on the ceiling.

Nohp's tent was quite a ways away from Smed's, and not to mention that the troll pens were also secluded fro the rest of the camp. In short, they had a while to wait.

So, Smed turned to speak. He noticed the subtle, sweet aroma of Mei's pheromones, and his sensitive nose picked up every single particle of it. His eyes dilated a bit, and he grew looser in stature.

"So, you're sure Rena's ready for a troll, Mei? I mean, the girl's always been eager, but I have my doubts."

Mei would have had to drag Khaiya, because she did not go willingly. She couldn't even if she wanted to. Her leg was a bloody mess, her sides were both damaged, her shoulder screamed, and her back throbbed. Each movement brought with it a wave of pain and nausea, though she stubbornly bit back her cries of pain so they came out as stifled gasps instead.

Between the sheer agony and hopelessness she felt, she hardly eacted to the pheromones. She was simply in too bad of condition to notice the subtle sweetness over the smell of her own blood, or the relaxing effect over her sheer panic.

And when they finally did get outside the tent...

That was when the panic truly struck.

They were underground.

They weren't even in the open air.

And she was being hauled out to a sick public demonstration before what seemed like thousands of monsters.

She stared up at the ceiling, where the sky should be, and her vision swam and head spun. Oh gods, no. No, no, no...

Her knees buckled and she fell, hardly aware of what they were talking about as she covered her mouth with both hands to try to hold in the sickness that overtook her--but failed, and was soon reduced to sobbing dry heaves.

''Rena handled two at the same time remarkably. Selka is less lucky but then again. Having her body restore to virginity over and over is most likely the cause of that.'' Mei replied.

Selka seemed a little saddened though but helped Mei getting Khaiya to the location. After all. The guest had a front row seat. ''Do not worry Selka. Mei can handle trolls but you can last longer.'' she assured. That was true, Rena liked the rough play but it did wore her body out quicker.

''Yes yes yes yes.'' Selka spoke teasingly to Khaiya. ''Do not worry. It will be heaven soon enough.''

"Shit, that is remarkable. The girl's got a talent for these things, can't be denied."

Sickeningly enough, the area where Khaiya was being taken resembled some sort of amphitheater. There were impressions on the ground that betrayed the positions of training targets and temporary structures, but the place was in the process of being cleared out.

The seats, which seemed to tower above the ground, were slowly fillinf up with eager goblins, gnolls, and hobgoblins of all shapes and sizes. As Smed's invisible sphere of influence grew, so did his population, and what was once a gang of goblins turned into a sort of haven for the other universally hated peoples of Le'Ranna.

Smed, Mei, Khaiya, and Selka were seated away from the general population, in a sort of private booth. The whole thing was chillingly well organized, and from the dried spats of blood visible on the grounds below, it seemed this "public space" saw much use.

"Isn't it grand?" Smed asked, turning to Khaiya. There was a seat open, in case Mei saw it fit to force Khaiya into it and tie her down.

"Don't worry about Rena, Khaiya. She's done this before. Doing this of her own will, too."

The amphitheater was huge, and was teeming with the bodies of monsters, only further solidifying this nightmare--and how futile escape seemed. A nightmare. Maybe that was what this was. It seemed the only way to explain all this, how her morning could have been so normal. Breakfast with Tiaret, a visit to the market for a new dress with that week's pay, a flight with Jasper...

How did it all change so fast? How did it go from plans to hit up the tavern that night to...to this hell? To losing Jasper, to winding up here in a den of demons? She just wanted to go back to sleep and wake up and be home again.

Instead, she was regaled with more sick conversation that didn't seem grounded in reality as she was brought to a private booth with a good view of the bloody arena. She swayed where she sat, still nauseated--both by what she was hearing, by what was to happen, and by the pain in her body--and still sucking in shuddering breaths.

And then the goblin reassured her and she snapped a look his way. Her face was pale, her hands fisted and knuckles white, but she still found it in herself to glare through the roiling panic she felt.

"My people will find me," she said, voice hoarse and breath shivery. "I've already contacted them. You're all going to burn, you sick fuck."

''Contacted huh. We are in the middle of nowhere. Underground. Dogs will not smell you neither would have picked up any of our scents. Face it. You are all alone.'' Mei whispered softly. She smiled as a troll was brought in. Truth be told she wondered if Rena would show off how she could do two or would keep things easy with one.

''I know a deal with you lady Khaiya. Watch through the whole thing and I will ease your suffering. Does that sound good to you?'' She asked. ''Not that I mind hearing you speak when you are dreaming or hallucinating but at the least we could do that.''  She refered to the troll healing she had on her obviously.

"It's a pretty fair offer," Smed said.

"She's got something on her that'll clear up all those wounds on you. It'd be a right shame if they got infected, wouldn't they?"

He spoke, although his attention was taken up by the troll being brought onto the grounds. It was a grand specimen, nearly nine feet tall and bristling with chiseled muscles. Such a beast weighed in at a ton and a half, at least.

"Making threats isn't the best, either. You've got neither piss or shit, and that's the truth."

Khaiya's eyes narrowed, and she turned her head way to look at the troll being brought in--and her stomach twisted all the more at the sight. They couldn't be serious. They couldn't be. This was sick. She swallowed hard past the tightness in her throat and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Keep it," she muttered, and tilted her head against the back of the seat. Her chest rose and fell with her pained breaths, beads of sweat shining on her brow, and despite her best efforts, her voice came out shaky. She was struggling to keep it together. Struggling to keep up the stoic facade, even though she wanted to retch again, even though she wanted to scream. She licked at her cut lip and drew another trembling breath and prayed that when she opened her eyes again, she'd be in her bed waking up from a fucked up dream.

"I don't want it. And it's no idle threat I made. It's a promise. You know nothing about us, how we communicate."

She knew she was grasping at straws, but straws and bluffs were all she had.

''Magic has it's limits you know.'' Mei said softly. She was not wrong. She just hoped that the troll would not rip Rena in two pieces or more. But even trolls knew that if they'd do that, they would not have a playtoy anymore.

Rena came up too. Still wearing the clothes of before and would most likely leave without. Selka was the one who took control over Khaiya's chains now though. Binding her on the chair and put the woman's head in a good grip. She would make sure that Khaiya could not look away and would even keep the woman's eyes open if she had to. One way or another. She would see it all.

''No need to bind her that hard. The moment she tries anything we throw her along in with Rena and then it would most likely be, the first goblin who reaches her takes her first. Andthen the next, and the next after that...'' Mei said almost as if it were a melody.

She had stopped releasing pheromones, for now anyway.

Rena stood still in front of the troll. She knew this guy in more ways then one and disrobed. ''Hello big guy.'' she said with a smile. Not even nervous. It was as if she was a whore in a brothel about to attend just another customer.

''I am ready for you again.'' Rena added and got closer.

It was not difficult to see the troll was ready too and picked up the woman with his hands, closing them around her body with a big grin on his face.

''And so the show begins.'' Mei said with a smile.

It was then the troll revealed his length and pushed it inside Rena who released a loud scream. Of course it hurt. And she would need a good break after this. But the strange thing was, that Rena also laughed.

Smed, just like the crowd watching, grew more and more interested as things got closer to beginning. Finally, when Rena disrobed and the troll picked her up, the crowd burst into cheers.

"Oh, listen to them all!"

Smed's voice held nothing but love as he hopped out of his seat and walked to the edge of their booth, leaning against the railing. His beady, evil little eyes caught every detail, every motion. Of course, the crowd wasn't that big, either. He turned around, leaning his back  on the railing as he eyed Khaiya.

"You think your threats budge me, Khaiya? Now shut up and watch, I'm starting to lose patience with you."

He turned back to the show at hand.

"Fucking Adelan whore..."

Khaiya kept her eyes clenched shut even as Selka bound her and held her head steady, her nails digging into the palms of her hands--though they were blessedly too short to cut her, or they likely would have drawn blood. Her breathing grew shorter and quicker and a visible flinch went through her when she heard Rena's scream, but she kept her eyes squeezed closed even as her own panic rose.

Because fuck, what if they did throw her down there?

Wisely, she fell quiet again save for the sounds of her panicked breaths as the cheers and other horrible sounds filled her ears, along with Mei and Smed's threats--and unlike her own threats, she knew they weren't bluffing.

"Why--gods..." She cut off, flinching again at the sounds Rena made and inhaling sharply, her breath hitching. She squeezed her eyes shut tighter, her shoulders hunching despite the pain that shot through the one. "Why are you doing this?"

Every thrust made Rena let out a scream while the troll released a satisfying grunts and on Mei's command Selka forced Khaiya's eyes open.

''We do this because we can and because the world shaped us like this. Truth be told I am a half blood succubus. No full blood. I tried fitting in with the normal humans at first but every time my other side would come up and I was casted out. Smed accepted me for who and what I was. But he too has been rejected by the world. But it are those who shape us like this, that we tend to let suffer first and the most. You as a dragon knight, killed goblins. And many other dragon knights did and do the same. Eventually people join forces to prevent annihalition. And then this happens.'' Mei replied. Releasing some more pheromones.

It was then though the second troll was revealed which formed a smile on Mei's face. Rena was surely into it today. The second troll did not wait though and pushed himself in Rena's mouth. Her cries were muffed but certainly still able to be heard.

The first troll released his hands from Rena who was now in the air due to two trolls defiling her.

Tears were on Rena's face though but Mei had no real feelings for Rena's suffering or Selka's for that matter. If they were dead she would simply get a bunch of new girls and create new ones just like them.

''All of you live pleasant lives in the light of day. Warm beds, plenty of food. But we? Your people force everyone different underground. Basicly what we do, is sweet poetic justice.''

"Couldn't have put it better myself!"

Smed walked over to Khaiya, and forcefully grabbed her chin.

"When the Adelans raze goblin villages, or gnoll villages, or hobgoblin villages, what do you think happens? Do you think we just run away with our tails between our legs? Find some other gang or tribe to join?"

He let her chin go. Now, he was snarling. It seemed Khaiya didn't even have to do anything for him to lose his patience with her.

"We have families too, you arrogant bitch, and you're going to learn what it's like to live to under a boot."

Khaiya wasn't expecting Selka to force her eyelids open, and when she did, she jerked in alarm--and, for a brief flash, she saw everything. Saw Rena impaled on the troll, and a whimper left her as she quickly rolled her eyes down toward the ground, still refusing to watch even though hearing was as bad, if not worse.

And she certainly heard the arrival of the second troll.

Fuck no.

"No, no...I...gods, no, that wasn't even my branch," Khaiya gasped out, and shook her head in an effort to dislodge Selka's fingers--

But that was when Smed grabbed her chin, and her eyes snapped to his face out of reflex. She stared back at him, eyes wide and terrified, if also filled with pain and defiance, still wincing at the sounds she heard from the arena. Her hands twitched with the want to strike him, but they were tightly chained to the chair so she could only tense and bear whatever was to come.

Which, blessedly, was only his anger.

Khaiya stared at him even after he let her go. "I was border patrol," she finally said, forcing the words out while she could. She still kept her eyes averted, still refused to watch what she was hearing. "I didn't even deal with you scum unless your people were raiding my people! We had no reason to seek you out! But now they do, because you have me, and they will turn this fucking place into an oven if you keep me."

''If they ever find you. Remember as well. Your beloved dragon is dead. In a ravine. For all they know your body lays crushed beneath his very body. Rotting. As for your line of work. Babies are killed. You think the killers care?'' Mei asked. It was true; those who were considered monsters, when slain the children even infants were not spared.

Rena's play went on and on until both trolls relieved themselves. Both after filling her up with their filth, the second troll forcing her to swallow most of it, let her fall on the soil in the fluids she had been unable to take in. Mei released some more pheromoes even though now they would have not that much effect on Khaiya. Even a little was enough for her.

''Mi-lady... if you keep releasing those I want to have a turn too...'' Selka pouted.

''Not with trolls.'' Mei said to Selka who simply agreed.

Scum.

What a nice little word! Khaiya had some serious sacks if she thought she could call Smed that to his face. He smiled, although murder glinted in his little eyes.

"Scum?"

Instantly, he was upon her, pouncing so forcefully that it knocked the seat over onto its back, where Khaiya would land on her own hands. He balled his hands into fists, and he just started swinging. He socked her face, her neck, her head, even stomped on her chest a couple of times.

"Nobody's coming for you!" he yelled in between hits.

"You'd be lucky to get a horse into these caves, much less a fucking dragon! You arrogant--"

A kick.

"--fucking pig whore! You think you can fuck with me? Huh?! Call me scum? CALL ME SCUM?!"

He grasped her hair and brought her head crashing down against the ground.

"Call me that one more fucking time, and I'm putting you in the oven you... you FUCK!"

With one final kick to her wounded shoulder, he stepped off of her. He didn't even care if she'd fallen unconscious during his assault, as long as the point was given.

...Apparently, she'd hit a nerve.

Which had sort of been the point, even though she knew she'd pay for it.

And pay she did.

Khaiya was hardly aware of the finale, because she was too busy getting her face bashed in. Smed pounced, the chair tipped backwards and smashed her hands between it and the ground, and her world exploded into agony even before he started swinging, the shock of the fall jolting her body and making every injury scream. Or maybe that was her screaming as his fists flew and struck home, hitting places that were already battered and torn, the crunch of cartilage joining the sound of fists against flesh as her nose broke and blood filled her mouth. Her leather armor protected her from the worst of the chest stomps, at least, but not enough that it didn't still drive the air from her lungs and radiate to her ribs and wounded side, and though she squirmed and bucked and struggled, it did little.

For a terrifying moment, she didn't think he would stop.

She cried out as her head slammed against the ground, a choked sound as she coughed on the blood in her mouth, and by the time he finished up with that final kick to her ruined shoulder, she was sobbing. If she'd thought everything hurt before, she was wrong. Her head spun and the world with it, but she didn't pass out --which would have been a blessing at this point. Instead, she could do little more than lay where he left her, spitting blood to the side as it dribbled from her nose and lips and drawing in ragged, sobbing breaths. She tried to curl in on herself, but couldn't move, her legs still draped over the chair and bound arms still trapped beneath it.

The first round of show was over although the trolls seemed ready for another round which they took after Rena had cought her breath. ''Do you wish for me to tend to her wounds and clean her in a more secluded area Master? Before her wounds are going to fester'' Mei asked as she put the chair back the way it belonged with Khaiya on it.

Rena released screams again as the trolls had her way with her

The woman would suffer more when her wounds would be healed until they were mended.

Smed turned his back to Khaiya, returning his attentions to the spectacle happening before them. It seemed the trolls were ready to go one more time, and the crowd was eating it up!

"Get her out of my sight. Get her fixed up and have your little 'woman-on-woman' bonding. I have matters to attend to. Take Selka with you, she can... help."

And with that, Smed was quiet.

[Gonna hop out for a bit, let you ladies have some one-on-one!]

Khaiya sagged in her chair when it was righted, her head bowed forward as blood dripped onto her thighs from her still dribbling nose. She sucked in another raw breath and stared at Smed and Mei through blurred vision, then spat another mouthful of blood onto the ground.

At this point, she wouldn't even protest being taken elsewhere. Anywhere was better than this fucking amphitheater and the horrible sounds of cheers and screams and other things.

''Yes Master'' Selka and Mei said and released Khaiya from the chair before taking her along.

The cave had a flowing pool of water and Mei and the other girls used a small section only for themselves to wash up after their bodies had been used. ''Selka. Could you perhaps get some clothes for the our new friend here?'' Mei asked after reaching the place.

The girl nodded and when gone Mei turned to Khaiya. ''You should not anger Smed like that.'' she spoke. Her voice seemed different though. Almost caring. Her touch seemed different too. Tenderly and soft although Mei was ready to go after Khaiya if she would dare to make a run for it or attempt to attack her again.

Gently Mei after letting Khaiya sit started to undo the woman from her leather armor.

Khaiya made it to that pool in a daze, only half aware of how she got there--for it was difficult to focus on much beyond her own agony. It hurt even to sit as she was guided to take a seat at the pool's edge, and it took all her remaining energy just to stay upright and not simply flop backwards into the water.

She didn't dare look back at the water. She didn't want to catch her reflection, for if she looked anything like she felt, she knew it'd be a nightmare.

And truth be told, she looked a wreck, ashen and haggard and bloody all over with dark circles under her eyes. She blinked blearily at Mei through swollen eyes as she spoke, and it took a couple seconds for her to register her words.

She managed a rough laugh she quickly regretted, for it soon set her to wheezing as pain shot through her sides.

"Like it matters," she muttered thickly. She knew she shouldn't anger him. Of course she shouldn't. But it didn't matter either way. He'd promised her horrors. Whether she angered him or not, they would still torment her as they pleased--her only choice here was whether she rolled over and bared her belly, or whether she snarled and bared her teeth.

She'd never been the rolling over sort.

And then the woman started to pull off her armor, and Khaiya jerked away. "Don't."

''Stop struggling already.'' she said before leaning in closer. ''After all. I am your only shot getting out of here in once piece. Half succubus remember. Despite faint and especially around Smed very far away, I do have a shred of humanity in me. Tell anyone and we are most likely both dead. Clear? Not even my girls know this.'' she unbuckled the first piece of armor and put it aside.

''We should get you clean and your wounds mended before they infect more. You tend to spill secrets in your current state when you sleep since you force yourself in a fake reality. It is how I found out your name after all.''

...Wait. What?

Khaiya froze at that, and let her begin to remove her armor, even though she still didn't want her to--even though she knew Mei had to if she was to be treated. Beneath it she wore simple clothing, just a tunic and breeches, both quite filthy by now from sweat and blood.

Her eyes narrowed at the woman's words. "Why would you tell me that?"

''Who knows. My human part cares. My other part well. Cares a bit less. I will not be able to leave this place but that does not mean that counts for you. It will not be easy mind you. If even anyone knows about this part of me... I'm dead or Smed will make sure it is gone. For now, let me tend to you alright? The water should numb the pain a bit. The stuff I have that heals you though... will feel as if you are rolling in a hill of fireants. But it is the best I can do regarding that. But know this. Smed, will not kill you. You either leave alive, or dead, or turn into the same thing as Rena and Selka.''

She removed more of the armor as she spoke and started with the clothes she wore beneath it.

''Despite I know you have zero reason to trust me.''

"I...I would rather die than become like them," Khaiya said quietly, flashing briefly back to the scene she had barely witnessed--but it had been more than enough and was now seared into her mind. She clenched her eyes shut and shivered, tensing all the more as she felt Mei begin to remove the rest of her clothing.

Her stomach twisted, and she drew in more quick, shallow breaths and instinctively moved to cover herself, even though she still wore smallclothes and a chest wrap beneath, though her chains made it difficult for her to move. Her heart beat faster. She already felt deeply vulnerable here, but to be stripped of her clothing, too? It made it all the more uncomfortable.

"If you're...if you're actually telling the truth, just..." She cracked her puffy eyes open. "Just promise that you'll kill me before it comes to that."

''My human side can promise that. For the other side I... am afraid I can not promise anything.'' After Khaiya was stripped of her clothing Mei did the same. ''My demon will also hurt you and I apolagise in advance for that. And what happened before. Smed has... a really powerful demon inside of him that my other hald is very much attracted to. The current me... is weak. And truth be told I wiash that there was magic that could seperate us.'' she cupped her hands and filled it with the cool water which ahd released gently on Khaiya's shoulder.

She saw the bruises and Mei closed her eyes for a moment. ''I'm truely... sorry...'' wether her words meant anything or not she was not sure. And continuesly she made sure nobody had approached them. But with Rena being taken and Selka gathering clothes, they would have a bit of alone time now. Also would anyone show she would smell them.

Truth be told, Khaiya couldn't tell if Mei was fucking with her or not. It sounded like a load of bullshit, and yet...well, shit, at this point, it wasn't like believing her could hurt. If she was being honest, she might have an ally here, however unlikely. If she was just being cruel and manipulative...honestly, so what? Khaiya was already fucked, and already trusted no one. It wasn't like it would be a big shocker.

If she trusted her and was wrong, she lost nothing, because she'd already lost everything. But if she trusted her and was right...maybe...maybe she had a shot here. She literally had nothing else to lose.

Khaiya let out a pained hiss when the cool water hit her wounded shoulder, her body jerking in response. She bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut again to keep from making a sound, and let her breath out slowly through her mouth, since her nose was clogged with clotting blood.

"Then you're...ah...you're a prisoner here, as well?" she asked, and hunched forward a little to shield herself as best she could, wincing in pain.

''My human side, yes.'' Mei spoke calmly. ''Demon me, loves it here. Sucubbus feed on the energy people temporarily release during certain... actions. And goblins, well. I do not think I need to say it out loud.'' again she as carefully as possible put some of the cold water on the shoulder. The cold would numb the pain to a certain degree.

''But if you make it out... perhaps this can be torched. You will need to strengthen up however. If it is realised you are gone they will go after you. There will only be one chance. Maybe you can make it to Serendipity. To Einin. She basicly somehow managed to reach out to my humanity.'' she took some liquid olive oil soap and a washcloth. The second she made wet and wringed out placing it on Khaiya's face. Compared with before she was suprisingly gentle with the way she handled Khaiya. Tenderly and caring despite her actions would still hurt the woman in front of her.

''Unlike me, you had training. Got any plans?'' she asked. ''considering doing this without raising suspicion that is. Smed will expect certain actions from me after all.''

Einin. That was the second time now that Khaiya had heard that name mentioned here, and she found herself curious; why would Smed have named one of his...girls...after her? Unless she had been a prisoner here, too, at one point?

But before she could ask, she flinched again as more water was poured onto her shoulder, though the coolness felt less shocking now and more soothing, and then Mei was washing her face. She closed her eyes and let her, wincing and gritting her teeth against the pain, for though Mei was surprisingly tender, her face was battered and bruised and sore, and even a gentle touch hurt.

"I don't know," she said quietly. "I...haven't had a chance to look around. I don't know the first thing about this place, and there's...there's creatures everywhere." Her throat tightened with the wave of panic those words brought on, the reminder of just how hopeless this seemed. She might be a fighter to the end, but it was difficult to feel anything other than defeated.

Her eyes burned, and she realized they stung with the beginnings of tears. A wave of shame went through her and she blinked her eyes shut again to hold them back. "If...if you told me where to go, I swear I would tell no one," she said. "You needn't get involved. And if I get caught, it's...well...it's my head, then. I wouldn't out you."

''Let's just try to get you safe alright?.'' Mei said softly. ''Cry if you want to. I will not blame you for it. Even I did.'' She could just simply smell it. ''Would... my human side get stronger although I doubt it... we can flee together. I will most likely not live long after that though... but... this place... what I am doing... I do not want to hurt people. But between this moment, and escaping. You will be hurt and humiliated many, many times. And I can not support you on those moments. Cling to the fact you will get of here. Be reunited with your friends.''

she rinsed the cloth again to rid it from blood. ''To prevent being turned like Selka and Rena. You need to always remember who you are. You are mentally stronger then those girls but those pheromones, are nasty. They will let your body crave to be taken over and over again, Being driven so badly you lose who you are. As long as you manage to cling onto yourself it should be alright. Although pretending to give in is actually a better idea sometimes. Mei wont let many have you. She is... clingy to those she wants to turn. The process is a delicate one. That fact, will be your shield.''

Pheromones. Is that the strange thing she'd smelled before?

It was not comforting to be told she was in for a world of misery, but it was also nothing she didn't already know. It was comforting, however, to hear Mei speak so certainly about escape. Maybe it was a trick of some sort; maybe the sickos liked betrayal with their torture to amp up the emotional stakes. Khaiya didn't know, but right now the possibility of escape was all she had, and all that was keeping her from breaking down.

She shivered at Mei's instructions. She just had to remember who she was and...pretend.

The thought made her ill, and she sucked in a shuddering breath before she could retch. It would be better than losing herself, becoming a nothing, a blank, a mindless slave. That terrified her more than anything else, but that didn't mean this would be easy. She lifted her good shoulder and rubbed her eyes against her arm, wiping away the tears that threatened to fall.

"What did...ah...Smed and 'Mei' have planned?" she dared to ask.

''Smed... many things. Mainly torture and breaking you. The other me... wants you to join Selka and Rena. Perhaps then use you to infiltrate other dragonknights.'' Mei replied. ''The survivalrate however is really low. And... it requires to be taken over and over again. Me absorbing the energies until there is nothing of it left. If a person survives, they become like Rena and Selka. Sex is everything they know and they tap from my energies to heal.''

Khaiya bit her lip, forgetting it was battered, and drew a little blood. She quickly licked it back up.

"I...see..." she said, that queasy feeling returning tenfold.  She stared down at her knees, which shook like the rest of her, from stress, from fear, from exhaustion. "If I pretend...will Smed hurt me less?"

She looked up at Mei again and swallowed. "I can't leave if I can't even walk."

''Truth be told... the more you listen to him the less he will beat you. Alas his ways of showing submissiveness is rather... morbid I suppose if I need to pick a word. Like I said it will not be easy. And I will not make it sound better... sex will be involved. I will do what I can to keep Smed off you as much as I can. I just hope we can get you out of here before there is nothing left of you.''

She cleaned the skin on her arms with the soap but was careful around the wounds. Despite it was a soap on oil base and would sting less she just took care of Khaiya as much as she could.

''Behave in Smed's eyes and you will remain in good health physically.''

Each touch made Khaiya wince, but she bore it without a sound and let Mei work. And it was a good thing Mei did get to her when she did, for with the blood washed away from her skin, it wasn't hard to see how inflamed and puffy the skin around her wounds were, showing they were starting to grow infected.

She closed her eyes and tried to calm her racing pulse. "Just don't let he or the others touch me," she finally said when she felt she could speak again.

''I will do my best. I do not know if my human side can overthrow the succubus but... she did always wanted her personal playtoy. Something she did not have to share. If it is not to much to ask though. Would... I escape with you... capture me... if there is magic that can seperate me from my demon self no matter what it will cost me... I would want to give it a try. And maybe then... I could try being normal. If there is no such magic... kill me..'' she whispered.

After finishing cleaning everything around the wounds she started to clean the wounds themselves. ''I will need to give you the healing stuff though... it will hurt but... if I release pheromones you might feel it less...''

"I promise," Khaiya agreed, and gasped when Mei began to wash her wounds, her hands balling into fists with the effort it took not to flinch away. Sweat beaded on her brow as she braced against the agony, her wounds extra tender from infection.

"I'll owe you my life, if this works--ah!" She flinched and tensed, but quickly forced herself to relax again, for tension only made it ache more.

"No pheromones, though," she said when Mei suggested it. "The pain, ah...it lets me know I'm still here."

''Understood.'' Mei replied. She cleaned everything throughouly despitek nowing it would hurt. But it would be essential to remove as much as possible. She apolagised a couple of times.

''I can inject it... or let you drink it...'' she said eventually but then picked up Selka's scent. 'Fuck' she thought to herself.

''Lady Mei, I brought clothes for her to wear.'' she said once she had arrived. Carrying a bundle of what seemed to be between slave and whore clothes. ''Master had this prepared for her. Has she behaved?'' she asked.

Mei nodded. ''Master got her well. I think he gave her a small concussion even.'' she said with a smile.

''Serves her right for getting him angry.'' Selka pouted. ''Hopefully she will just accept her fate soon and join us.'' she nearly purred.

''With him so angry Selka, perhaps you should cheer him up a little. I'd do it myself but... I will be a bit busy.'' Mei suggested to which Selka shook her head.

''Master ordered me to help you. We should give him a good time together in front of her when he gets back.'' she said with a smile and joined in the water after disrobing.

If Khaiya wanted to choose in which way the mixture would be administered, now was the time to say it.

Khaiya had just opened her mouth to answer Mei when...fuck, indeed. Selka returned, and she slammed her mouth shut and bowed her head. She just had to pretend. Just pretend to be broken. And when the time came...pretend to have succumbed. The thought made her ill, made her heart race and chest squeeze with panic, but if it was the choice between life or death--and not even that, but life, death, or becoming nothing--then she would do it without blinking. And if it was only Mei...

She would consent to that, at least. If she had to fuck the woman to survive, so be it. She could bear it, for Mei, at least, was her ally here and that made it...a little less horrifying, in some twisted way. Not by much; the thought still made her want to retch, still made her eyes burn, for it wasn't a choice at all if the choice was that or dying.

Gods, baring herself to those she wanted to be intimate with was a thing she struggled with in the first place, so this? Shit...

The chains rattled as she folded her arms over her chest as best as she could, wincing in pain as her shoulder moved. She was quiet as Selka and Mei conversed, eyes lowered as the woman sank into the water Khaiya had yet to join in (for she was still seated on the edge), and when the conversation lulled, she looked back up to Mei and cleared her throat.

"Lady Mei," she said, as though she hadn't heard every word they'd spoken, as though she wasn't horrified by it. "The medicine, I...I'll take it by injection." Just to get it over with. Just to ensure she didn't spit it out.

And if it turned out it wasn't medicine at all, but something darker, it changed her current situation very little. It may have been a pessimistic outlook, but Khaiya preferred not to get her hopes too high.

Less surprises that way.

Selka clapped enthousiasticly. ''She calls you Lady already?'' she wanted to move over but Mei gave her a firm back off glare. ''I just cleaned her wounds. Hug her another time Selka.'' Mei spoke in a voice that was to be suspected from Smed's private concubine.

''Yes Mi-lady.'' Selka spoke softly and started to clean herself.

Mei focussed on Khaiya again. ''Stay here.'' she said. Well. More like ordered and retrieved the prepared injection from her clothes along with a leather belt which she first cleaned.

''Bite on this'' she said to Khaiya as she gave the woman the belt. The needle was thick and the sludgy mixture that was to be administered certainly did not look to pleasant. Mei had already decided not to tell what was actually in it.

She made eyecontact with Khaiya and gave a quick nod before pushing the needle in the woman's leg and pushed the liquid in. It went slower then she wanted to but there was little else to be done.

When Khaiya saw what the mixture looked like, she realized she'd made a wise choice. Her gag reflex was rather strong as it was, so there was definitely no way she would have been able to choke that down!

It looked like festering blood.

Her stomach churned at the sight and she made a soft gagging sound as she just thought about it, but swallowed it down. She could handle blood and gore. That was fine. But this was something different altogether.

Still she took the belt and bit down on it, drew a deep, calming breath, and braced herself. She'd been warned, after all. She'd been told this would be excruciating. But she'd already been through hell, so what was a little more?

The needle went in, and Khaiya's brows knit in momentary pain, her breath coming in sharply, and then there was the uncomfortable sensation of something thick getting pushed into her muscle. She grit her teeth and bore down harder on the belt, indenting the leather--

And then came the pain.

It was like rolling in a hill of fire ants, the fiery pain that started first at the injection site and then spread out like wildfire, covering her skin until she could feel it even in her eyes. She screamed, an unintelligible curse, and convulsed with agony, toppling sideways off the edge of the pool and onto the ground as her skin, her very insides, felt like burning and soon she couldn't even breathe as it stole her breath away. She writhed where she fell, muscles taut, spine arched, and jaw clenched as she screamed around the belt and thought, maybe this was it. Maybe this right here was how she'd go.

Because it felt like her insides were melting.

Mei looked at Khaiya for a moment. For as long as the potion was working, there was nothing she could basicly do. It was then she felt Selka's hands on her shoulders. ''Mistress, I will give you a good scrubbing. I am sure Master Smed likes you clean.'' she said and started to massage Mei's skin.

When Selka was done cleaning all of Mei's body, Mei returned the woman the favor and by the time she finished most of Khaiya's wounds were healed. Bruises had faded. Only the stuff could not heal bones.

Mei sent Selka away to arrange food and they would meet in Smed's tent again. When Selka was gone Mei sat down beside Khaiya. ''It is almost over.'' she whispered and fetched Khaiya's new garment. She would not throw away the armor though. At some points Khaiya would have to prove 'loyalty' to make everyone believe she was a broken shell.

It felt like it would never end, but like all things, it eventually did.

Just like that, it was over, and Khaiya was left laying where she'd fallen, panting for breath, covered in a layer of sweat, and still a little twitchy. If she had been exhausted before, she was twice that now, yet in the sudden absence of agony, she also...

Felt pretty damned good.

A slow glance at her shoulder when she'd gotten her wits about her showed the wound was gone, replaced by smooth new tissue, and when she bent her knee to look at her leg, the same was true there, too. She touched her sides, and felt only tenderness where she'd broken a rib, yet even that, too, felt leagues better than before. Perhaps it hadn't been a bad break, but more of a fracture.

"Gods," she finally breathed, and let herself flop back again, for the moment not caring--and outright forgetting--that she was naked. "That was horrible."

''Lets hope you will need need it again. Come. Lets wash off the sweat and get you in some clean clothes. I will clean your old set and put it somewhere safe.'' she held out her hand for Khaiya to take to get her on her feet. At the least, if she wanted to.

Khaiya was healed, but she was still shaky enough that the extra hand was appreciated--and besides, she figured she should accept the help, anyway, as a show of good faith. It didn't seem a good idea to reject the only ally she had here.

Grasping Mei's hand, she hauled herself up the rest of the way and wobbled for a moment where she stood before she got her bearings. The chains still weighed her down, making movement awkward, but she gathered them up in her arms and stepped into the pool.

Sinking down into it to rinse off the sweat, she looked up at Mei. "Thank you," she said, keeping her voice low just in case. "For doing what you are. I know it's a huge risk for you, and...I promise if I get out of here alive, I'll bring you with me."

''The demon Mei is to precious for Smed to be killed but... it is possible to kill my humanity. Which will at some point happen if the demon continues doing what she does. I would like to come with you. But, if bringing me along will be riskful for you, you must leave me behind.'' Mei said and moved herself behind Khaiya. ''Will you allow me to wash your hair? If not I will understand obviously. But it perhaps would be a good thing if you know the difference between my touch and that of... the other me.''

"I don't leave people behind," Khaiya said firmly. "Not in my line of work."

She dunked beneath the water briefly to wet her hair, and slicked it back when she resurfaced. The water felt wonderful, now that she was healed enough to enjoy it--though enjoy wasn't quite the right word. It was impossible to enjoy anything under duress. But she also knew this might be the last peaceful moment for a long time. The calm before the nightmare. She wanted to draw it out, to stay in this pool as long as she could. Whatever it took not to head back to Smed's tent.

She looked over her shoulder at Mei, and nodded. "You can wash it, yes," she said. She was perfectly capable of doing it herself, but Mei did have a point.

She folded her arms over her belly, shoulders hunched, and took a deep breath. "What will happen after this?"

''It will be expected I tie you to that pole again and I will do so. I wll not tie you very tight. But would you misbehave it most likely will be made a lot less comfortable. I will resort in doing most of those actions myself. I will hurt you. You know that.'' Mei took some other oil based soap which actually smelled really nice of sandalwood, roses and almond. A scent very misplaced in a place like this. ''It sometimes may even see I will be on the edge of betraying you regarding things I will say to Smed.''

She put some on her hands and gently massaged it in Khaiya's hair. The touch was gentle and caring. A lot different then how she acted on their first moments. ''But is this the touch of someone who would betray you?'' she whispered.

An electric tingle went down Khaiya's spine as Mei massaged her scalp, her gentle touch and sweet-smelling soap so out of place in this barbaric hell. And sick as it felt, Khaiya actually closed her eyes and let herself relax for a moment, just a little. After enduring so much brutality, the tender contact was almost welcome, a sharp contrast to the agony she'd felt thus far.

And like any human, she craved affection and kindness, especially in the wake of so much pain.

"No, it's not," Khaiya said--though she was truthfully thinking that yes, yes it could be. Mei could be playing her. But Khaiya hoped she wasn't, though her own paranoia told her to expect no less. She wouldn't say it out loud, though; she would just allow herself to be pleasantly surprised if this whole thing didn't go tits up and Mei was true to her word.

She tilted her head back a little, sighing. "Mei...where are we?" she asked after a pause. "Or rather...where is this?" And she cracked her eyes open so she could peer back at the woman. "Are we somewhere in the Thunderblacks, still?"

''We are not in the mountains or Adela to begin with. Weare in a cave deep in the Serenian forests. There is nothing for a long way around.'' Mei admitted and rinsed the foam from Khaiya's head making sure nothing got in the womans eyes. ''We will figure something out.''

"Serendipity!" Khaiya exclaimed in a whispered hiss, and felt her heart sink all the more. That was...a long way from home. A long way from dragons.

But at least that gave her a better mental map.

She brought a hand to her face and rubbed at her eyes. "This will...certainly push to the limit every skill I've learned."

''I am sorry to admit that with other then lovemaking and being a servant my skills are not so much. I can swordfight decently but unlike the demon me I do not like handling a whip to much.'' Not to mention she would get one made from Jaspers scales they got.

Mei got out of the water and dried herself before putting her clothes on. If I ever lose my demon side I will at least put on something decent.'' She said and looked at Khaiya with a smile. '' we can do this. Now though we should ge before Selka comes.''

Reluctantly, Khaiya rose from the pool and took up the towel Mei had used, drying herself off with some difficulty, given the chains. She took her time, took some deep breaths, and tried to mentally brace herself for the hell to come. There would be no use dawdling, though; take too long, and the others would fetch them, and she had to fake subservience now. Just for now.

And when she was out, she would personally ensure this whole cave burned in dragonfire.

Mei with it, if she crossed her.

When she was done, she looked like herself, if more exhausted and haggard. Like she hadn't been beaten or hurt. Gods. She stood there awkwardly, covering herself with her arms, and cleared her throat. "Ah...clothes?"

''I will help you with that'' Mei said after looking what Selka had brought. It was made of a thick rough kind of fabric but warm at the least. But when rubbed to much on the skin it could cause burns or blisters. Not just that it was revealing. Mei was not suprised. Smed or at least the demon seemed to like a woman's flesh.''

The clothing existed out of a skirt which was long ad the back but very short at the front and a low cut long sleeved top.

''I just hope he will be contend with me fully claiming you...'' that was something she was concerned about at this moment. Then again as said before, her demon self already had been asking if she could have a girl just fully for herself. Not to share at all not even with him or the girls. If it wasn't for her demonside being so strong and dominant when Smed was near she could have a tried a convincing lie. But perhaps the truth regarding wanting to claim Khaiya was the best option. She would be away from Smed and with their time together when they were alone they could think things through.

''Let's go.'' she gave Khaiya a comforting smile although she was fearful herself. At the least Rena though would not be doing much esle the rest of the following days.

 The clothing was uncomfortable, in every way Khaiya could imagine. Revealing and scratchy all at once, she had to fight the urge to keep adjusting it, pulling it down more here and pulling it up more there. Worse yet was the realization of what she was doing--and what she would have to do. Again came that sick, roiling feeling of panic in her gut, and she sucked in a shallow, shuddering breath as she struggled to get her bearings and keep her composure.

She didn't want to do this. What if she couldn't do this? No, no, she couldn't lose her nerve. If she did, she'd die. She was a dragon knight. She could do this. She could do this.

She just had to pretend.

"If...if it comes down to it," she started quietly as she followed beside Mei, "I will consent to, ah...to sleeping with you." She scratched beneath the collar around her neck and fought to keep her voice calm. "Just please keep the others off me. I'll do what it takes, I just.."

She trailed off and shook her head, looking away. It wasn't like she had a choice in matters, and she couldn't quite bring herself to say the words, to say she was afraid of being raped. But who wasn't? She could take a punch. She could take a beating. Her training had taught her how to deal with pain. What training could prepare a person for this, though?

''I will try to keep everyone else you. But I can not promise it. I must not raise suspicion either. Smed would expect of me to use pheromones to drive you completely insane. Just remember who you are and you should alright. Molding includes giving a person a whole new name. Lettign the person keep his or her own will let the process take a lot longer. Smed wanted you to keep yours so maybe I can use that. Regarding sleeping together it will come to that. Wether we are alone or watched.''

And he could most likely want to have a go at her once to set another example.

She lead Khaiya by the chains thistime however and a firm expression on her face to Smed's tent. Mei knew she would end up sleeping together with Khaiya and show her a world of the side of sex she maybe did not even know. And they would be watched. From close by and maybe every angle. But maybe when they were not watched she was able to turn all the negative things into something positive. Just, maybe.

Inside the tent Selka was waiting on Smed's bed.

By the time they stepped inside the tent, Khaiya felt lightheaded. From fear, from lack of nourishment, from the sheer unreality of this entire situation. It still didn't feel fully real sometimes, and now was one of those moments where it felt like it was maybe just some long, horrible nightmare and why the fuck wasn't she waking up yet?

She gave a glance toward Selka, then looked away and swallowed hard. Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck.

She closed her eyes, focused on her breathing, and prayed that she would at least come out of this whole. That she would still be Khaiya when this was over.

They were in Smed's tent for about ten minutes, as it seemed the little warlord had gotten himself tangled up in business. However, when he did show up, he seemed to be in much better temperament. Khaiya was looking, well... whole, and the scents of oil and shampoo were quickly caught.

"Ladies," he said with a grin. On his belt, he had a few jars with a thick, pink gas in it. Early efforts to gather, bottle, and concentrate Mei's pheromones. Although they weren't quite ready to be weaponized, it was never a bad time for prototyping!

Under one of his arms, he also had a rectangular box.

"I got you a surprise, Mei!"

He hopped up onto a seat, and offered the box to Mei. Inside, was her whip, repaired and tipped with Jasper's scales.

''Oh splendid. I thought it would be done sooner.'' Mei said with a happy smile. '' Master is to kind. I feel naked without a whip'' her voice sounded different from before. More vile. She took the whip from the box and hit the ground next to Khaiya with it. Close enough to see but to far away for the woman to grab it.

She had tied Khaiya to the pole earlier and had silently warned Khaiya that around Smed her demon would most likely take over again. She had not tightened Khaiya as tight as before but surely was far from comfortable.

''Master, Khaiya here was so timid'' Selka purred. ''I would like to play with her but Mistress said to wait to see what your plans were. Mistress said she wanted the dragonless knught to gersekf though... if you permitted it.'' Selka pouted slightly.

Mei looked at the vials. ''What is your plan with those master?'' She asked. It was enough surely to get a small township into one large orgy if released

The whip cracked the ground near her feet, and Khaiya jumped and sucked in a sharp breath. She knew this would happen. Mei had warned her. But aside from her flinch, she kept her eyes down on the ground where she knelt and bowed her head, her eyes closing again as she steadied her breathing. Slow, meditative breaths, though it was difficult with the way her heart pounded against her chest, threatening to explode.

Still, her hands shook where she rested them in her lap, and she silently prayed for her own sanity as she listened to them speak. Jasper wasn't answering, still, despite her occasional attempts--he was dead, she knew, but gods she was hoping beyond foolish hope that maybe he wasn't.

All she had left here was Mei. And not even Mei might be able to help her here.

"Well, I figured some early testing couldn't hurt," Smed said, and he took a vial off of his belt. He played with it in his fingers as he approached Khaiya. He took a few deep sniffs, and smiled.

"Shampoo?"

He got close, uncomfortably so, and he played with a lock of Khaiya's hair.

"And you cleaned her so nicely..."

''But of course. Lady Khaiya was most kind, Even called me lady. So I rewarded her.'' Mei replied calmly and put the whip in the holster on her hip. ''Her wounds have healed nicely too. I have grand plans for thisone though. So indeed if it would be alright with you, I'd like her all for myself if I may selfishly say so, Master.'' Mei said and licked her lips before laughing.

"Lady Mei is very kind," Khaiya said quietly, swallowing down the bile that wanted to rise up in her throat as Smed played with her hair. "So very kind to such a lowly wretch as this one."

And then she swallowed her pride and smiled, as brightly and genuinely as she could, as she raised her eyes to Mei and gazed at her adoringly. "This one has never felt more beautiful."

Thank the fucking gods above Khaiya wasn't coming into this completely new to this. As much as it hurt, as much as it terrified her, she had practice. It wasn't a thing she liked to talk about, and it wasn't a thing most of the dragon riders even knew about her. Her past as a slave, born and raised in servitude, was a thing of the past, a thing she had always hoped to keep dead and buried. But here she dredged it all up and tapped into the habits she had learned in the past to survive.

And she hoped it would help her here, too, though she was sickened at how easily it came back to her, even after so many years.

Smed just stared at Khaiya, for a good, long minute. She was calling him scum not even three hours ago, but now she was this docile?

"No fucking way," Smed growled, and he snatched Khaiya's chin and turned her head so he could look at her. She could act like she was brainwashed as much as she wanted, but her body, her scent, betrayed her. He grinned, showing her his teeth, and he shoved her face away from him.

"She's a slippery bitch, Mei. She got the drop on you once, and she'll definitely try to again. I think I'm going to hang onto her, at lease until she's properly broken in."

He walked away, and opened a closet full of torture implements.

"So, are we nice and docile, Khaiya?"

Mei pondered for a moment before looking at Smed and made her way towards him.

''Master. She may be harder to crack but I need your trust. If you break her like a normal person she wont be usefull. I had a great idea.'' she whispered in his ear.

''If we destroy her the normal way, it wont work. My idea was, make sure she becomes dependant on me. And then, crush it. Then, use her to lure other dragon knights here one, by one luring them into traps and then take out each and every one of them. Why destroy one if you can take them all?'' she spoke soft so Khaiya did not hear a word of what she said.

''But if you want to beat the shit out of her... do not damage her body to much please.'' she then got on her feet.

Shiiiiit. Khaiya felt her heart sink, for he knew--but she also knew she couldn't fight back. Not how she was. Threats and curses wouldn't help her here--but it was also clear that faking subservience was too insincere to buy. She needed to find a happy medium between unbroken and broken.

And she needed to find it fast, as she caught sight of those many nightmarish implements. Her throat tightened and her chest ached, making it suddenly hard to breathe as panic started to creep in, but she pushed through it and watched him pleadingly.

"Please, Smed," she said, voice still low and quiet. "I...I'm done. You've won, and I give up. I knew it was over when I saw this cave, when you told me...when you told me Jasper...I just didn't want to believe it, but...I always knew, I could...I could feel it..."

She sucked in a breath, the hiccup in her voice genuine. "I've nowhere to go. I've no way to leave. And you're right. I was hoping you weren't, but you're right--I'm alone, and no one is listening, and..." The tears weren't difficult to shed, with thoughts of Jasper filling her mind, and thoughts of the home she might not ever see again. She scrubbed her eyes against her arm.

"I surrender."

Smed laughed, and he picked out his personal whip, a fiendish looking cat-o-nine-tails. He looked at her, and a rush seemed to pass through him. His pupils dilated just a bit, indicating the anticipation of what was to come.

"Selka, you wanted to get to know Khaiya? Now's your chance."

He gave the whip a few test lashes, and smiled.

"Saying you surrender don't mean shit to me. I'm gonna enjoy hurting you."

Selka walked forward. ''What do you wish me to do Master.'' Selka said with a smile. ''Can I make her beg? How dare she giving up so easily. Not to mention to adress you by your name. Everybody here knows the only proper way to adress him is by the word Master or Master Smed.'' she licked her lips.

''You have a point. Maybe she needs to learn better.'' Mei added. ''Let's see what those pheromones will do with her shall we? Or do you have a specific order of things for her now Master.''

A cat o' nine tails?

He had to be fucking kidding her. Khaiya's blood froze, her skin going ashen as she shrank back against the pole she was bound to. And of course Mei was no help here--but Mei had said this would happen, said she'd be hurt, said the demon in her would take over and make her sadistic. She'd even said that keeping Khaiya to herself might not work. It made none of this no less horrific, but it did give Khaiya something to cling to--the hope that this agony would pass.

She just had to endure it.

She stared at Smed, flinching again when he cracked the whip, and swallowed hard. "M-Master Smed, please...please don't..." she whimpered, even though she wanted to scream at him, curse him. Meekness wasn't her natural response to fear, but here she was utterly trapped, and fighting would be worse. And  in any case, the fear was definitely genuine. "You...you would undo Lady Mei's hard work, getting me clean."

"Undo?"

Smed laughed, and pulled the tendrils of the whip taut.

"I don't give a fuck about any of that. There's only one way to train a bitch like you, Khaiya, and that's through force. Although, now that I think about it..."

Smed slowly stepped towards her. There was a certain sick pep to his step, like he was thoroughly enjoying this.

"I think Khaiha don't roll off the tongue too nicely, either. Selka, why don't you come up with a new name for our little redheaded whore?"

While Selka did that, Smed turned to Mei.

"First, we're gonna see how she responds without the pheromones. Then, we let her heal, give her a nice, concentrated whiff, and then repeat."

''So my idea I mentioned regarding using her to get to other dragon knights is a no go? To bad. I thought it was a good plan.'' Mei said with a smile.

Selka cheered and walked to Khaiya giving the woman a hug. Well hug, she did restrain Khaiya a bit more to prevent the woman from fighting back. ''We are going to be best sisters for sure. If Lady Mei wants to share you anyway'' she said with a smile and pondered. Shaiya is to alike... I like Kiara.'' she looked at Mei with almost a pleading expression.

''Kiara it is.'' Mei said and looked at Smed. ''Go ahead with your fun. Can not rename a person without pheromones now can I.'' she said and licked her lips.

A plan to "get to the other dragon riders"? Khaiya snapped a look at Mei, but was quickly distracted by the "hug" Selka gave her. Which felt like less of a hug, and more of an attempt to squeeze the life from her and restrain her.

Khaiya endured it in silence, gritting her teeth and tensing though she did not try to shake Selka off. Mei had warned her to "behave", that it would be worse if she didn't--though she was having a difficult time seeing how it could possibly be worse, when Smed just seemed interested in hurting her for the sake of hurting her. But fighting back was pointless now, and fighting back, showing defiance, could only make the abuse last longer.

She had to convince him she'd really given up.

And in doing so, she had to reach down even deeper into herself and call upon every reserve of willpower she had.

Just go somewhere else, she told herself as she closed her eyes against the tears and tried to slow her rapid breathing. Be anywhere but here. It'll pass.

Another deep breath.

One way or another, it'll pass.

"Well, I never said that," Smed said, and he shrugged.

"It doesn't sound like a bad plan, but before we think about setting that up, we need to make sure Kiara here's nice and obedient."

He motioned to Selka.

"Go ahead and get started with her, Selka. Do whatever take your fancy."

Selka giggled aand observed Khaiya a little before checking the bindings. She had to make sure the woman could not fight her off after all.

After securing the woman's arms and legs she started to shift Khaiya's clothing to expose the woman's chest and intimate spot. ''Don't resist. You will enjoy it more. Lets play a game. If you climax, you lose and I will have to punish you.'''  she said with another giggle and started to work on Khaiya's breasts first.

((OoC: Depending on what and how far you want to go Rhi we can either fade to black or go on. We do may need to upgrade the thread as mature though))

Of course, "going somewhere else" was easier said than done.

Khaiya closed her eyes as she felt Selka expose her, and her breath caught in sobbing hiccups when the woman began to touch her. She shrank back, but there was nowhere to go, and all she could do was squeeze her eyes shut tighter and try to block it out, try to think of other things, other things that weren't her hands sliding over her like slime, touching places she had a hard time letting even lovers touch, hurting her with every caress even though she was causing her no pain.

Her body responded on its own, shivering from a touch, her nipples growing hard, her sex growing wet, but there was nothing behind the response. Khaiya felt nothing but an empty, heart-wrenching violation, a sickening horror that grew in her belly. There was no pleasure in it--and that part of her wasn't difficult to shut off, because it was difficult for her to turn on. She had a hard enough time letting go with people she wanted to be with, and a difficult enough time reaching climax even when she was enjoying it.

This just hardly felt real, even though she could hear herself, hear her whimpers of, "No, no...please, no..."

"Oh, what happened to all that Adelan pride, Kiara? Not so lippy anymore, now that you know your place..."

Smed took a few steps over to her, and took a deep draft of the air. He grinned. His eyes floated over Khaiya's body, taking in both what was still covered and what was exposed.

"Fuck, she's a pretty one. I can see why you wanted her for yourself, Mei. You will, but first, she's gonna be mine for a bit."

He extended a clawed finger towards Khaiya's navel, and circled it, leaving a white line where his sharp claw threatened to pierce her skin.

"All mine..."

''Ahw... I thought I could play with my future sister first...'' Selka pouted giving Khaiya a lick in the neck. ''She tastes sweet... I wonder if you do down there too.'' rather then finding out later she brought her face to Khaiya's sex and gave it one lick which made her purr. Her hands though did not leave the woman's breasts yet.

''Your body seems to enjoy it though. Hard nipples... and getting wet. Secretly you must be a whore like me for sure. You just don't know it yet. Do not worry Kiara. You are in good hands.'' she said before she started to lick more.

Silent tears were rolling down Khaiya's cheeks by the time Smed touched her, and she sucked in her belly and flinched away from his claw. This was a nightmare. All of this was a nightmare that didn't want to end, and horror soon blended with shame and humiliation to have this violation so...public. It was bad enough for it to happen at all, but with so many eyes, so many hands on her, it was all the worse, if there was such a thing.

She felt Selka move between her legs and let out a shaky whimper when she licked her, though not from pleasure. Maybe her body felt something, but Khaiya couldn't tell. She felt disconnected. Separate. Dizzy with terror. Her breath came fast and her pulse pounded in her throat and she leaned back against the pole she was tied against and sucked back her sobs and her threats, all the words she wanted to scream at these monsters but couldn't because--

Because she was supposed to pretend.

Pretend.

Mei's words came back to her then.

She might not be able to escape this. But she might be able to use it, in some small way. She just had to survive this. She just had to get through this and still be Khaiya...

"...A-ah...!" It came out a surprised gasp, and Khaiya spread her knees wider where she knelt, her hips giving a small jerk, hesitant as though resisting but failing. She squirmed a little and curled her hands into fists, the chains pulling taut. Another small jolt, another little wiggle of her hips, and she gasped and shook her head as though fighting it. "N...no...ah!"

Smed watched her keenly, savoring every twitch, ever movement. Although, something was sour about Khaiya's wiggles, and Smed quickly caught onto it.

Ruthlessly, he brought his cat o' nine tails up and across Khaiya's stomach.

"I've seen countless women in your position. Hell, I've raped half of 'em myself. What you're doing? It's not convincing me, Kiara!"

Smed looked back to Mei.

"Give me the pheromones."

''Yes Master.'' Mei said and took one of the bottles. How they managed to do this still actually suprised her and she gave the bottle to Smed.

''If that was fake then I wonder how her real voice sounds like.'' Selka spoke. Twirling her tongue around Khaiya's clit before she actually gave it a bite. Far from enough to make it bleed but she just wanted it to hurt. She then got on her feet and walked to a trunk. ''To bad the strap-on broke but there are other ways to have fun right?''

There were various kinds of whips but Smed had that part covered. Selka took the pouches of magic stones that were charged with various magics; Cold, heat and electricity. But also took two of the specially cockshaped metal sticks. And certainly not the smallest.

''Careful not to make her melt Selka.'' Mei purred with delight.

Khaiya yelped when she was struck and tried to curl in on herself to soothe the pain, but couldn't, and was instead left there panting and sucking in trembling breaths and sniffling hard to keep her nose from running. Her entire belly stung even after it was over--burned, more like--and she finally tore her eyes open to look at Smed in horror.

Of course she knew he'd done this to others. But it was quite another thing to hear someone openly brag about it. It was a kind of evil she'd never faced...

And the pheromones. Fuck, fuck. Fresh, sharp fear gripped her and she yelped and jerked again when Selka bit her, and watched helplessly as she gathered up...things. Paling, she snapped a desperate look at Mei, though she knew she'd be no help here, and for a moment she blanked out, went still and tense as a cornered hare as for a moment, it all became too much to bear. She just wanted to curl up into a ball and sob and beg in terror, anything to escape this hell, and the words were on her lips, pointless as she knew they were, when she swallowed them back stubbornly.

They would do nothing. If she was to speak, she had to use different words.

C'mon, Khaiya. Keep your head. Gods, she couldn't lose herself...

"The pheromones. Of course," she said quietly, speaking past the lump in her throat. "You have a fucking succubus, a pleasure slave, and a claim that you've done this to countless people, and yet you're so insecure that you need a crutch with me?"

Smed paused for a few seconds, standing still as Khaiya's words registered. A glint ran through his eyes, the very same glint that preceded his brutal assault that sent Khaiya away from the ampitheater a bloody, beaten mess.

Then, he started laughing.

"She... she think--PFFTHAAHAHAHAH"

He doubled over, still laughing hysterically. After a few moments, he regained himself, laughter quickly dying back down.

"Oh... Oh Gods... this bitch is funny. I don't need the pheromones. Really, I don't. But it's not that I need them with you."

He took a vial in his little claws, twirling it diabolically.

"I just want to use it on you. Isn't that enough for it to be justified?"

He smiled.

"I know your angle, Kiara. Maybe one of these days I'll cut out that wagging tongue of yours."

''Lets see how the oheromones affect her shall we?'' Mei said as she knelt down behind Khaiya.

She took both of the womans brrasts in her hands and played with them. ''She is going to beg. If one vial is not enough we get another. Maybe the goblin who shot her deserves a go at her if we are done.

Selka took two of the hot stones and placed them on Khaiya's nipples.''they will not burn. Dont worry.'' She purred. Mei took hold of them though giving Selka the option to touch Khaiya's inner thighs with her fingers.

''If you want something, beg for it Kiara.'' Mei whispered in the woman's ear.

"That you need to justify it to me speaks of your insecurity," Khaiya shot back before she could help it, but she knew full well he might beat her for it. And she didn't care at this point. What action could she take here that wasn't without consequence? Even inaction and passivity carried its own dire consequences.

She was kept from saying more, however, when Mei joined in, and Khaiya's heart beat all the harder at the vile things she suggested, her stomach dropping and twisting. There wasn't much room for Mei behind Khaiya, as Khaiya's back was to the pole, but she certainly got close enough it hardly mattered, and Khaiya once again clenched her eyes shut and balled her hands into fists as she tried to regain her composure. But it was difficult when she was being touched like that; not because it felt good, but because it felt violating, her skin crawling under her touch as she squirmed lightly not from enjoyment, but sheer discomfort, her dark skin burning a deeper shade from mortification and fear.

Then came the stones, which made her gasp and twitch backwards in an effort to get away, and Mei's words in her ear...

It was hard to think, hard to breathe, and Khaiya knew she was all she had here and that she was only grasping at every brittle bundle of straws she could get at. But she grasped at another then as she twisted a little and smashed her lips against Mei's, hard and desperate and deep, before she kissed at her jaw. "I want you, Lady Mei..."

She dragged her lips slowly to her ear, and her words dropped to barely a whisper as she held back a choked sob. "Please don't let him, Mei...please keep him off me."

And then she gave her ear a light nip. It was a long shot, and it felt sick, trying to pick her own rapist like that, but she was running out of options--even though she wasn't sure this Mei would even hear her, or care.

"Shut the fuck up!"

Before Mei could answer Khaiya's request, Smed surged forwards and kicked Khaiya square in the stomach, where his whip had lashed her. He took a step back, cocked the whip up, and he brought it down across her body, from her collarbone down to her abdomen.

"You don't get to make requests, you... You bitch!"

Again, he whipped her, this time across her thighs.

"Next time you open your fucking mouth, I'm gonna cut your goddamn tongue out. Just you goddamn try me."

He took the vial up, and started to loosen the cap.

"Open her mouth, Mei."

''It is Master's wish.'' Mei said calmly and forced Khaiya's mouth open after taking off the magic stones a little. She did need her hands after all. ''Master does not like being talked back to. Right now he is nothing but generous. Imagine how he will be if he forgets to be nice. The more you talk back the less you will have me.''

Khaiya was still reeling from the blows, coughing and gagging from being kicked and sobbing openly now as her body felt on fire where she'd been struck, the whip having opened up bleeding cuts now.

And so it was a very simple matter for Mei to get her mouth open, for she had been entirely unprepared.

Still Khaiya struggled, the chains pulling taut as she weakly fought to close her mouth and jerk her head away, but it was a pointless effort. Still her eyes sought Mei's, silently pleading.

Smed stepped up to Khaiya, and popped the top off the vial. Immediately, the roiling pink gas inside started to fume out. Smed pinched Khaiya's nose shut, and held the vial's top a few inches into Khaiya's mouth.

"Breathe it in."

His voice was devoid of the usual sadistic chipperness that he went about with. For Khaiya, murder was now a distinct possibility.

With her nose pinched shut and the vial held in her mouth, there was really nothing else Khaiya could do. She held her breath, for she feared death far less than losing her identity, and if he grew angry with her defiance and snapped her neck, so be it. At least she'd die herself.

But she was also only human and could only hold her breath for so long--and less than usual, with pain making her want to gasp.

And gasp she did when the burning in her lungs became too much, when her body betrayed her--and she sucked in a lungful of the gas in the process.

"'Atta girl..."

It was a small vial, but the contents more than made up for the small dose size. With only a few releases of her pheromones, Mei was able to send an entire tavern full of people into a sex frenzy. While the vial didn't necessarily hold as much as that, these pheromones were concentrated, and mixed in with a few... special ingredients.

In short, Mei's pheromones had been weaponized, and as the gas surged into Khaiya's system, it wouldn't be long before its effects took hold.

The gas promoted lust, lust on levels that even the most depraved sexual addicts would find tiresome. It had an aphrodisiacal effect as well. Every touch, no matter how slight, was like kissing the sun itself. Nerve endings would stop distinguishing between pleasure and pain. Khaiya's willpower would be tested as the first waves of mind-bending desire came pouring over her.

''You see? Struggling makes things unnesesary hard for all of us most bostly for you.'' Mei whispered in Khaiya's ear.

She could smell the effects it had on the woman. And visable effects were there too. Reddened cheeks, fuller lips, the way she started to breathe.

''Just take it in. This feeling you have, will only get worse and will not leave your body until you've had a good, very good fuck.''

She had just finished talking when Rena entered the tent. She looked exhaused but was clean. Well. Cleanish, Mei and most likely Smed as well could still smell the trollcum that was inside of her body still. Her belly even seemed fuller.

It was overwhelming.

Tingling heat flooded Khaiya's body in a rush, from her head to her fingers and toes, and she gasped and cried out at the shock of the sensation--and all that quickly followed. The way she was suddenly hyper-aware of her own partial nudity--something she had been aware of before, of course, but which had taken a backseat to the terror she felt--the way the very air felt on her flesh when Mei breathed into her ear, making her shiver and goosebumps rush along her arms, the way the shackles felt on her skin, deliciously smooth and cold...

But worse yet was the ache deep within her, the craving. Khaiya gasped again, her breathing quicker, her skin flushed, and she squirmed in her chains. She whimpered, shifting her hips restlessly as though that would create the friction her body craved and finding herself desperately wishing that she could touch herself to relieve that aching need--and her hooded eyes snapped fully open again in horror.

Oh gods, oh gods, oh fuck no...

Khaiya. You're Khaiya. It's not you. It's...it's the shit they...

But thinking was suddenly very difficult; it was hard to think past the new kind of discomfort filling her, a different kind than before, a deep, primal one, and her head started to spin as the gas took effect and she found herself thinking about the last time she'd fucked--and her breath turned ragged at the memory even as her mind still struggled with the present, still struggled with the horror she felt, still struggled with the gut-twisting reality of what was happening to her.

"F...fuck you..." she managed to gasp out, but it came out as more of a moan.

''Fuck you...'' Is that an invitation?'' Selka asked as she took the biggest of the cockshaped metal sticks and warmed it with her hands and made it wet with her tongue. ''I lack a real cock so let me make use of his then.'' she positioned herself in such a way that she could keep Khaiya's legs apart and let the tip of the toy touch Khaiya's folds a little playfully until she decided to push it in.

Mei no longer having to keep Khaiya's mouth open released her grip on the woman's face. ''I can smell it. Your inner whore. Your sex is wet... nipples hard. Your body wants all the cock there is to offer in these caves.'' she purred.

''Not sure if I will allow all of them though since I do want you completely to myself. But since master says I need to wait then I will.'' She turned Khaiya's  head and gave the woman an intimate kiss

The metal cock touched her sex, and Khaiya gasped and shifted her hips restlessly, wanting nothing more than to bear down onto it and feel it sliding deep inside her--but she could do little more than just rub against the tip of it as Selka teased her. She whimpered, breath shuddering on a sob, torn between pleasure and distress, her body craving what her mind wanted to reject, because gods she didn't want this, she didn't want any of this, she didn't want to be here and she just wanted this to be a horrible nightmare, to wake up...

Yet even as she thought that, she kissed Mei back hungrily and squirmed in her chains. "Oh gods, please..." she begged, shuddering and rocking her hips, tears sliding down her cheeks from need and terror both even as her head swam. It was too much, the desire threatening to overwhelm her and her hips moved more desperately, trying so hard to slide even a little of that metal toy inside her.

It was horrible. It was maddening. Wanting this but not wanting it at all, hating every second but feeling like if she didn't get it, she'd go insane. She sobbed, squirming all the more, and tried to bite back her desperate moans, bit her cheek because she knew if she opened her mouth, she'd be begging them to do all the things to her that she didn't want them to do.

''You want it that bad? Maybe I should get the larger ones too.'' Selka purred as she pushed it a little further before taking it almost out. Teasing Khaiya's sex. She wanted to hear the girl beg. Both to make it stop and to let her give more. After pushing it back and forth very slightly, she then all of a sudden pushed it the whole way in and kept moving it

Mei broke the kiss and made kisses towards Khaiya's ear. ''All you need to do, is think of me and let your thoughts go of which you have no control over. You were after all sort of concentual with what would do.'' she said softly. Wether it was the so called human Mei speaking or the demon was impossible to say.

''Selka. Give me the buzzing ones please.'' Mei said after turning away from Khaiya's neck. Selka nodded and pulled the metal cock out before giving Mei the stones that hummed with very weak electricity.

Mei wettened her fingers before rubbing Khaiya's nipples. ''Do not worry Kiara. You will like it.'' she then placed the buzzing stones on Khaiya's nipples before kissing Khaiya again.

Selka once more started to push the metal cock in Khaiya's wet flesh

Rena approached as well. ''To bad we broke the strap-ons but these metal replacements are the best'' she purred and looked at Smed. ''Would Master like to let Selka and Mei do the work and watch with me? Of course I could give you some attention too.''

Smed had already moved himself into a seat. He watched the events in front of him with a singular, sadistic glee. Finally, Kiara was squirming in earnest, and the mere sight of her sopping wet pussy, paired with her half-terrified expression, heavy moans, and flowing tears, was enough to have Smed hardening up in his pants.

He looked to Rena, listened to her offer, and sneered. He looked back over to Kiara, Mei, and Selka.

"I want you to warm her up for me, Mei. You've got until two climaxes, and then it's my turn with her," he said, and he patted his lap. He looked to Rena.

"I don't think I've felt your lips 'round my shaft today, Rena. Why don't you fix that."

Khaiya's sobbing moans turned to screams when Selka began to thrust the metal cock inside her, every nerve lighting up with pleasure like she'd never felt before. It was almost too much to bear, the thing almost too big for her to take, and the thing was unnaturally and uncomfortably stiff, hard, and unyielding in a way real flesh wasn't, yet whatever pain she would have otherwise been feeling got translated to pleasure from the gas. Her hips moved of their own accord as she rose on her knees as much as she could and plunged back down, riding it as well as she could--

And then came Mei's voice in her ear.

Khaiya's throat tightened, her eyes squeezing shut as though that could help block out the nightmare reality around her, and for a moment her voice choked with tears and cries despite the dizzy assault of pleasure. She'd been stupid then. Stupid and desperate when she'd talked to Mei, desperately hoping that maybe if she consented to being with her, it would feel less like a violation. Less like rape. As though it even worked that way. It had been some small attempt at controlling her situation, to make it less terrifying, less dehumanizing--and it hadn't worked, wasn't working now, and she had begged for Mei's protection in that small, stupid way and it had utterly failed.

And now there was no escape. She couldn't even let herself drift, let her thoughts go and just...become nothing. She had to fight to stay present because if she didn't, she truly would become nothing.

Her lips melted against Mei's despite her thoughts as she hungrily kissed her back, her moans and cries muffled against her, her body shuddering and writhing helplessly as she was fucked, as the tingling electricity sent spasms of pleasure through her--and then, suddenly, she went tense and taut and let out a sobbing scream as she trembled uncontrollably in a way she rarely had before.

Rena happily followed her orders and soon was taking Smed's cock deep in her mouth.

When Khaiya came a frist time,Selka giggled. ''That was fast. Liked it more then you thought I'm sure.'' she said. ''But I did tell you, punishment would come if you would climax.''
She got on her feet but let the metal cock inside of Khaiya. Repositioning the woman even causing Mei to move and help her.

To make it perhaps even worse the once human girl was smiling and humming as she placed Khaiya on all fours and took the second metal cock out. Making it wet with her tongue and some of Khaiya's juices before placing it against the woman's rear. ''You know what I will do right?'' Selka purred as she slowly pushed it in, whilest very slowly pulling the other one out.

Smed's hand found its place at the top of Rena's head as he watched the dragon knight's plight. She was strong, yes, and she might even survive this session with her individuality intact. But would she survive the next one, or the one after that?

Still, even at the thought of having such a sweet tart at his disposal, another came creeping in. The beginnings of a plan, to be exact.

"Careful, Selka. You make her come too quick, and it'll be my turn."

He laughed.

"Take your time with her."

Khaiya fought. She fought as much as she could in her weak, trembling state, as Selka and Mei both unchained and moved her, and chained her again, but her struggles were for naught. She found herself on her hands and knees and a thrill went through her, her body aching for more even as she felt sick, felt like she could vomit if she had anything in her to throw up. She shifted against the chains, trying in vain to rise back up, sobs or terror and shame choking in her throat, but she was trapped.

And soon, she felt a second metal cock at her ass--and let out a strangled cry as it pushed inside her, even while the first slid into her sex.

She hated it. And she loved it. All at once, the two feelings roiled inside her, the pain and humiliation fighting against the artificial pleasures of the flesh. She had never liked anal, ever. She had given it a try with a very persuasive partner, and had found she didn't like it, and had never done it since. She hated it now, hated how it felt, and yet her drugged body loved it and she could hear herself crying out, moaning and screaming even as she clenched her eyes shut, trapping the tears there, and willed it to end. Willed it to be over.

Willed herself to die.

She couldn't do this. Fuck, she couldn't do this. She wanted to die even as she heard her voice cry out for more, a voice that surely couldn't have belonged to her, and she sobbed as her head swam and her nerves sang. She couldn't do this. This couldn't be happening to her. This couldn't be her life. She couldn't do this.

After pushing the other toy in and the first out Selka simply put it aside but before her fingers reached  between the dragonrider's legs Mei beat her to it with her mouth. Remarkably though as the Succubus' tongue started to lick, it was gentle and certainly felt more natural then the toy that had been there just barely a minute ago.

It was now though Selka took hold of a simple three tailed whip and used it on Khaiya's back. Surely she did not hit as hard as Smed did. ''I want to hear you more'' Selka purred. Using the whip with one hand and moved the toy in her ass back and forth.

Rena just kept working with Smed and no matter how much she had already swallowed, if she got Smed to cum in her mouth she would be happy. That was the way how she was created. To follow Smed and Mei's orders to the letter.

Smed continued to watch, and then he pushed Rena's mouth all the way down, so she'd choke on him.

"Mei, why don't you release some more pheromones? Kiara's got this conflicted look in her eye. Can't tell if she's crying, or crying, you get me?" he said.

He watched for a bit more, until he remembered Rena, and he let her come up for breath.

"You're one horny bitch, Rena. Two trolls not enough to satisfy you?"

Kiara?

No, no, I'm Khaiya...Khaiya, she told herself desperately, right before all thought was ripped from her head as the whip struck her and Mei's mouth found her. The whip should hurt; reason and logic told her as much, but instead her body translated it as pleasure, making her arch and cry out with each blow. It was hard to breathe; with Mei's tongue on her, a metal cock in her ass, and the whip at her back, it was difficult to draw in breath with each cry torn from her throat. She started to feel dizzy in a new way that had little to do with the pheromones and much to do with hyperventilation as she panted and screamed and fought desperately to hold onto who she was and survive this--even as she wanted it to just end, even if that meant dying.

Maybe I'll pass out. It was more than just hope, it was a prayer, and soon she felt like she was floating, like she was somehow in the moment but also disconnected, like it was happening to someone else and she was just the audience to her own torture. She'd felt that way before, but she didn't fight it this time, her expression going dazed even as her body went through the motions, even as her cries turned to shallow gasps, even as her eyes began to roll and body started to go slack as her heart beat too fast from pleasure and terror and sweat streamed down her skin--

And then she was crying out again, strangled and breathless, as another fierce release took her--right before her body went limp against the chains.

((Sorry I thought I had posted this... appearantly not Oo -headdesks-  ))

''The only thing that can satisfy me Master... is you and lady Mei.'' Rena spoke after a bit of a cough of having had Smed's cock so far in her mouth for so long. ''Be it you fucking my mouth or other filthy unworthy holes... nothing tastes better then you and mistress.'' she deepthroated him and sucking his cock. Juices leaking from her cunt and moans of delight left her.

Mei licked her lips and released more pheromones as ordered. Although Khaiya had her second release already and actually would now belong to Smed for a bit, she tilted up Khaiya's face to look the woman in the eye. ''I bet you never came like that before did you Kiara. After all you do not exist yet for that long.'' she whispered as she released the bindings on Khaiya's neck.

''A bit unfair don't you think? Let your inner desires decide your actions. You getting all this fun and treatment is a little unfair don't you think? So Kiara...'' she released more and more pheromones. Enough to make Selka even climax herself. ''Lick me, and suck me... till I scream.'' she released one wristbind too. ''I know you want nothing more then cock right now. Preferably in all of your holes. But let me feel the hungry you and I shall promise you heaven.''

Mei figured that if Khaiya was busy with her, Smed could still fuck her, and hard. And if Smed wanted to fuck her mouth then she could always please the dragonrider's other holes.

Unfortunately for Mei, Khaiya had actually passed out. The only response the succubus got from Khaiya was a soft groan, her body limp and lifeless and flopping when she moved it, her head lolling.

''Ahw to late.'' Selka purred.

''Kiara will wake up soon enough. my pheromones, especially the modified ones wull not stop working until she has had a male cock inside of her.'' Mei released Khaita's other arm from its bindings too.''she still feels hot and if she is dreaming she will have things she desires for right now. Physically anyway. Lets see how much she will touch herself when awoken shall we? If Khaiya has not yet become Kiara back then. Now. Selka.''

The succubus did not even have to finish her order as the human girl made her way to Mei and started doing what thevsuccubus had ordered Khaiya to do

"Such a shame, that is," Smed said, looking down at Khaiya's limp body. She looked like a corpse, almost. Part of him kind of hoped she was a corpse.

"We'll wait, then. We've got time. Actually..."

Smed looked down to Rena.

"Rena, why don't you get a few of the boys in here? I feel like sharing today."

''How many Master?'' Rena asked. She had hoped Smed would peak in her mouth though but since he ordered her to do this she doubt he would resume with her when she got back.

''What shall I say? First two to get at the tent will get some good fucks?'' she asked. ''Or does Master wish for more to join the party. Kiara would have a nice sight though when she wakes.''

"I want you to go out and pick out three goblins and a gnoll. Gnolls are those half-hyena looking creatures. We've got plenty hanging about."

He stroked his cock, sighing.

"Pick out some nice men, and I'll reward you with my cock in your ass, maybe even my cum."

''Yes master, right away'' Rena said and got on her feet.

It did not take her long to find some 'nice' men. For goblin standards anyway. The goblins being a few more high ranking and hardworking then the others, Rena concluding these nicer, harder working ones perhaps deserved a treat. One of the two being the one who had knocked Khaiya out when they captured the woman.

''I hope you agree with my choices Master.'' Rena said after she had returned.

Mei and Selka had stopped in the meantime though and rather then the post, Mei had chained Khaiya to the bed with the legs spreaded wide for when she would wake.

[I'm gonna leave these three goblins and the gnoll under your control, Sil]

Smed recognized one of the goblins as the one who landed that great shot on Khaiya, and he gave him a nod. The gnoll was particularly nasty looking, so Smed hoped that such a beast would satisfy his craving for suffering.

"You picked well, Rena. Come claim your reward."

He looked at the men.

"You boys get ready, once she wakes up, it's show time."

((okidokie. You can control their actions too though ;) or both of us with each of our turns.))

Rena moved towards Smed with a happy smile to claim the reward. And since Rena earned it after displaying to Khaiya in what kind of thing she could turn into and let herself being fucked by not one but two trolls, Mei and Selka did not complain and instead offered to prepare the other beings.

Mei taking two of the goblins while Selka got to the remaining goblin and the gnoll. Selka being fucked in her ass by the gnoll while pulling and sucking the goblin's cock while Mei got her pussy and mouth fucked.

Her pheromones filled the air of the tent and Khaiya certainly breathed in her very share of it. It made her curious what kind of whore it would turn the proud dragonrider into. Surely Khaiya would deny liking it but once she would get a taste of cock, she would only want more and more until the effects of the adjusted pheromones wore off

[Alright, We could do that. I'm gonna leave it to you, mostly, but if there's something I want them to do, or if it's something complicated, I'll write up their actions in my post.]

Smed watched Rena approached , and grinned, motioning to his cock. It'd been a while since he had her ass, so he was looking forwards to being reminded of the feeling.

Suddenly, he chuckled.

"Kiara's gonna wake to quite the show."

''A show I would not want to miss for sure.'' Mei spoke for a moment pulling the lucky goblin before her.

Selka moaned hard though as the goblin who fucked her ass was rather hard in his actions and made deep scratchmarks all over her asscheeks. The other fucking her mouth deep and hard.

As for those who had Mei, they at first, until they sniffed up enough pheromones seemed a little more held back. Maybe instinct? After all. Mei would take energy of them away the moment they would release their cum. But after mere seconds of feeling her move they fucked her has hard and rough as they could. It was not often Smed shared his playtoys, and those who got picked were lucky and always came out very satisfied.

Rena sat down on Smed's lap though his cock entering her ass making her moan with a good loud yes and started to move up and down to please her Master

Smed weighed Rena down with his arms, making sure his cock went as deep into her as it could. His claws dug into her thighs as he bucked upwards.

"Ride it."

Rena rode him as good as she could. Saying she deserved the pain his claws gave for not being 'good enough'. The rest of her words were almost like eternal bliss; that feeling Smed inside of her felt so good. And that with everything she could do wanted to please Smed. Her master, or basicly said, her God.

When Khaiya came to again, it was to the sounds of moans and the rhythmic slapping of flesh. At first, her groggy, exhausted mind didn't comprehend it--for her "sleep" had been black and dreamless--but a second later, she understood, and she clenched her eyes shut tighter even as she felt them start to burn.

She had prayed it was a nightmare. Prayed this wasn't real.

But now she was waking up and nothing had changed. How long had she even been out?

Not long enough for it to be over. But long enough for her to be moved. She was on her back now, stretched out onto something softer than the ground, and a pang of fear shot through her when she twitched her hands and feet and found she was still chained.

Just now chained spread-eagled to a fucking bed.

And though fear made her chest and throat tighten until it was hard to breathe, with it came a powerful stirring of arousal as those moans filled her ears and the smell of sex hit her nose, along with those pheromones, and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from making a noise, to keep pretending to be asleep, even as heat pooled between her legs and made her want to squirm. Fuck...FUCK...

Smed's little ears twitched, and he looked over to Khaiya. Even a normal goblin was twitchy, paranoid, and always on the lookout. Smed? Smed could hear a rabbit stirring from across a room.

"Our guest's awake," Smed said, and just as he was about to say anything else, he came inside Rena, filling her ass with his seed.He loosened up a bit, almost noodling out beneath Rena.

"So, why don't you boys move onto the main attraction?" Smed said, and motioned to Khaiya. He was addressing the three goblins and the gnoll brought in by Rena.

"I'd join in, but I don't rape on the first date."

Oh gods, he knew. He knew she was awake. And Khaiya's eyes snapped open in terror when the little monster, Smed, mentioned "you boys"--and saw that there were others here now, other goblins and a strange beast she'd never before seen.

She let out a sobbing cry and jerked against her bindings, hips bucking as she strained for freedom even as her body screamed and burned with heat and arousal--even as her bucking was half to escape, and half out of a desperate sort of need, a vain attempt at stimulating herself since she couldn't touch herself bound like this. She writhed, shaking her head, breath coming out in stuttering gasps.

"No, no, please," she whimpered, tears spiking her eyelashes together. "Oh gods, Jasper! Jasper, help me!"

Her head was grabbed by the gnoll, and her yelling for Jasper was cut off by her jaw being gripped open and the gnoll's pungent cock slid into her mouth.

The goblins all clambered onto the bed. Their hands were all over her, cocks rubbing agains ther womanhood, abdomen, and breasts.

Khaiya gagged, throat convulsing and stomach roiling as she choked and dry-heaved. And yet even while every bit of her recoiled in horror and revulsion, her nerves sang with pleasure as those goblins touched her, and she found herself straining for more, rolling her hips against the stroke of their cocks, silently begging for one to sink inside her--and gods she was hot, practically dripping with need, her nipples erect and skin flushed.

She hated it.

She loved it.

Her head spun, dizzy, and she struggled in her bonds, yanking with her arms and legs until her skin rubbed bloody.

It was madness.

Gods help her, she didn't want to die like this. She couldn't spend her final moments like this, the sex toy of monsters, even though death would at least end this--but something deep down inside her wouldn't let her give up, wouldn't accept it, and in a wild moment of panic and defiance she suddenly realized she wasn't completely helpless.

The gnoll had its cock deep in her mouth.

And she bit down onto it.

As hard as she could.

The gnoll's grip on her jaw was strong, so when she bit down, she didn't get as far as she desired. She managed to put enough pressure to make the gnoll yip with pain, and it pulled out, wheeling back to throw a hook strong enough to give her a black eye and a bruised cheekbone.

Clawed finger dug into her scalp and her head was pulled up.

"Now now, let's not get feisty," Smed said, snarling at her. His pants were off as well.

"Get bitey, and I'll start biting your fingers off," Smed growled.

Khaiya was reeling, sparks white in her vision as her face swam with pain and her ears rang with it. For a moment she didn't register Smed's words, only able to focus on the throbbing ache in her face and eye--but then she glared at him through the tears streaming down her face and spat at him.

"I don't care!" she yelled, and squirmed all the more, hiccuping on a sob as her mind and body warred with each other. She was hoarse with panic, her throat tight, her body one tortuous ache of pain and pleasure and need and fear. "Y-you're just going to kill me anyway!"

"Oh, that's where you're wrong," Smed said.

"You, my little Sparrow, are going to live out a nice, long life," he said, grinning like a toddler. He'd given the last girl a catchy bird name, why not do the same of Khaiya?

In fact, the whole naming idea brought another one in.

Still, he didn't forget that her dragon was still out there. The fact that he didn't have a body to go with it concerned even him.

"When you three are done fucking her, bring her to Narzbag's tent," Smed said, and he started to walk out.

"You know the drill, boys. Don't trust her, even if she's moaning. If she bites, make sure she learns her lesson."

The gnoll smiled, and he moved over between her legs. Tied to the bed as she was, she was really in no position to fight any of this.

Somewhere during it all, Khaiya blacked out.

It was too much. There was a sickening pleasure in it all, the pleasure induced by those pheromones, but there was also pain, so much pain mixing in with it, and terror. It was too much for her to handle--and her mind and body tried to protect itself the only way it could.

By shutting down completely.

She didn't know how long it continued after she passed out. It hardly mattered. But she came to again to the sensations of being jarred and carried and dragged, and through hazy, black-rimmed vision she saw she was being hauled into a new tent. She didn't fight it. She didn't have the energy, her head lolling, eyes rolling as she flickered in and out of consciousness, and whole body throbbing and aching, inside and out.

Indeed, it was a good thing she repressed the memory, because they'd used her like a piece of meat. She had bites, scratches, hickeys, and bruises, and her whole body (especially her lower regions and face areas) was spattered and smeared with seed. No place on her body had gone undefiled.

While her own mind had saved her from the original experience, the nightmares were going to be much more vivid.

As she was dragged into the resident warlock's tent she'd be able to barely make out Smed and another voice, chattering away in goblin. The tent itself was messy and filled with all kinds of trinkets, totems, and talismans.

She was taken to the room that Smed was in, and just dropped on the ground. Smed was at a small table with Narzbag, a small(er) goblin in a ratty purple robe. They spared her a glance before they continued to talk.

''You know I want her alive right?'' Mei asked who entered the same tent. She was just back from having cleaned herself from the same amount of sex as Khaiya had. Or more. ''When can I claim her as mine? I miss having a toy...'' she pouted but smiled. Kneeling down in front of Khaiya and lifted up the woman's face.

''Seems like the pheromones are finally out of your system though.''

Mei lifted her chin, and Khaiya snapped back to herself in a panic and jerked away from her touch, as far as her bindings would let her. She was trembling badly, her teeth chattering, but none of it was from cold. She curled in on herself, arms hugging her middle, and stared at Mei with unfocused eyes--but the look in them was clear. Terror, and betrayal.

Mei hadn't been able to help her at all. Except to help in her torture.

Oh, she remembered plenty. She remembered everything, up to the point where she finally blacked out. She remembered far too much. And the pain in her body, the ache, the welts and scratches on her flesh, the bruises and blood on her thighs and other things...she didn't need to remember to know.

She didn't say anything. What was there to say? Her tongue felt like lead and her chest felt too tight. She didn't even have the energy to cry.

This was hopeless.

"She looks a bit damaged there," Smed finally said, speaking up in common.

"Learned your lesson, Sparrow?"

He cackled like a child, hopping down from the table. He stood over hear, grinning impishly.

"Narzbag 'ere's got a gift for you!"

Narzbag slid off of his seat, grabbing a cast iron collar set with gems and crude inscriptions and slapped it around her neck. It was a collar to block magic, both incoming and outgoing. Also, the pure iron collar would agitate any serenian blood she had, if any.

''Ahw... unfair... he had enough goes at her...'' Mei pouted. ''She was supposed to be sort of my gift right?'' Mei sighed. ''You know that when he is done with her I can scrape her entrails of the floor and stuff them back in her gut. Come on Master, I never asked for anything...'' she purred.

Smed looked at Mei a bit oddly.

"What're you on about? Narzbag ain't even had a turn with her," Smed said, cocking his head and motioning to Narzbag.

"His gift's the collar. Pretty nice one too, if I say so meself. Gonna get me a nice chain to put at the end of it."

He stooped down by Khaiya.

"I think the boys broke my little Sparrow in just right, yeah? Not a cranny left unsoiled."

He licked his lips, smiling down at Khaiya with his dagger-like fangs.

"You can 'ave her till tomorrow, Mei," Smed said, and then he looked up to Selka and Rhena, who were always at Mei's side.

"You girls can have your fun with her as well. I want her nice and warmed up for tomorrow. Been a while since we did anything fun with a prisoner."

A collar. Khaiya sat there hollowly as she was fitted with the thing, though she was fortunate enough to lack Serenian blood. Collared now like an animal. No, she wouldn't live out the rest of her life like this. She wouldn't.

Jasper hadn't answered. No one knew where she was. Mei couldn't be trusted.

Her only way out now was death. Gods, she was terrified of dying, but she was even more afraid of this. She just had to find a way to do it. The chains could work. Perhaps she could strangle herself. Her nails, maybe, she thought as she glanced down at her hands. She could gnaw them until they were sharp enough, rip out the veins in her wrists. Bite off her tongue...

Those thoughts ran through her head like a calming chant, all the various ways she could die. It reminded her there was, indeed, a way out of this.

A very final way.

''Just till tomorrow?'' Mei purred. ''You promised though I could have her for my own as a handmaiden since the other three girls were more bent to be fond of you.'' she sighed before looking at Khaiya. ''Of course, if you wish to have another go at her I can not exactly decline either. As for Narzbag. I thought he had a go at her already. Then again so many had I lost count. I apolagise, Master.'' She knelt down beside Khaiya. ''How about a bath. I could use a back scrub.'' she smiled like how an innocent child would.

''We can help too.'' Selka said with some hope. Rena nodded already eying Khaiya like a hungry vulture.

"Narzbag's got no interest in humans," Smed said, and he shrugged, as if he couldn't understand the notion.

"Yes, why don't all three of you give her a nice bath? I'll need her all prim and proper for tomorrow."

Khaiya's head jerked up at the mention of "tomorrow", but she didn't dare ask what he had planned even as her palms started to sweat.

No. No need to worry.

She wouldn't be here tomorrow.