★Memorable Author: [El_Roy_1999] Hell on Earth - An Experiment

[El_Roy_1999]

Lucy threw up. She was bleeding profusely, every wound hurting as hell. Her clothes were torn, her skin was bruised and swelling. The places were she had been hurt took a golden and black colour. She stumbled out and saw the remaining warriors flee. She wiped a piece of vomit from her chin and relaxed.
She walked out, found Theresa's head and saw the villagers dispose of the remaining gunmen. Then, she sat down and breathed deeply. Only after a while did she recover. The villagers had assembled around her, bringing one of them, apparently a doctor, with them. The demon ordered them to bring a stretcher and had her brought to his surgery.
He sent everybody out and tended to her wounds, extracting the bullets and disinfecting the many bruises and cuts. The doctor was a tall and thin creature, with a beak-like snout and black tufts of hair. He looked vaguely vulture-like. When he was done, he said as he washed his hands:
"Well, you'll make it. Thank you for helping us. It isn't usual for humans to be this accommodating in their taste of friends."
She looked at him with fear in her eyes. He continued:
"Yes. Of course. I know you are human. It isn't difficult to see: Demons lay eggs. You probably won't." He smiled, if that was at all possible: "But don't worry. I won't tell a thing. It doesn't matter whether a cat is black or white as long as it catches mice. It is better to judge people by their acts."
"Thank you. I'm sorry for deceiving everyone, but it was the first time in a long time I was welcome and treated as an equal."
"I understand. That's fine by me. Also, you do have some demon in you. Several, actually."
She gasped.
"That's okay. After all, you are the Liberator, aren't you? Your reputation precedes you. You have killed two of the demon lords and people expect you to rid them of the other two eventually."
"That was the plan."
"Then it's perfect. You should be back in shape in a few days."
"Thank you."
"Also, I extracted these from your breasts." He held up two broken bags. "They were a give-away of your human origin too. I'll destroy them since they're broken anyway."
"Good. Thank you for all your help. However, I'd like to rest for now."
"Fine..."
Before he could finish, she had already fallen asleep.

[El_Roy_1999]

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[El_Roy_1999]

When she had recovered, Lucy took up the duties she had been given by the villagers. She went on patrol, broke up fights between demons and humans and took care of maintaining the piece. Normally, disagreements could be ended by merely looming over the participants, but sometimes, rougher measures were necessary.
Her hosts provided her with a fitting and robust wardrobe that withstood the dirt and the wear and tear of her duties. Lucy also set up a gym for herself, returning to a regular training schedule after the exhaustion of permanent combat in the last weeks. She found her training sessions to be very enjoyable, even calming to her still troubled mind. She spent hours pondering her situation. She was a human among demons, but a demon to the humans. Somehow, she thought she had to chose a side, but she couldn't. Living with the demons, she realised that they just had their own simple lives and that the marauding hordes of monstrous warriors were of no concern to them. Instead, they farmed, they worked, they raised their children.
What irritated her even more was that the demons began to see her as a kind of patron saint. It became customary for the demon females to bring their offspring to her to have them blessed. Even though she tried to refuse them, they insisted, eventually even bringing small gifts which she donated to the village common fund.

Still, life at the demon village was a good one. Although she trained with unheard of intensity, Lucy became accustomed to the good life. She put on a little weight, let her hair grow out and went to the demons' celebrations. She wouldn't dance or sing with them, but she enjoyed the companionship, the discussions, the socialising. One evening, she even managed to drink too much, becoming intimate with one of the less bestial demons. She was quite sure that nothing had happened, but she awoke well-rested and relaxed.

[El_Roy_1999]

As always, the good things seldom last.
There had been rumours at first. The regulars at the bar muttered under their breath. Occasionally, demons would venture into the close-by human settlement, ambling about and looking for trouble. If trouble was found, fights would break out, the humans would gather their able men and try to expulse the assailants. A few days later, a posse of human warriors would turn up and open fire on the demons' temple. Every time, Lucy was a little too late. The demons trusted her to some extent, but they wouldn't involve her in the petty disputes.
When Lucy asked them what the trouble was, the demons would change subjects, get up or have some other important thing to do. In the same way, paying a visit to the slowly growing human compound yielded little to nothing. When she arrived, the guards at the gate readied their weapons and challenged her:
"Halt, demon! What do you want?"
Lucy had come without weapons. She lifted her four hands and replied:
"I want to talk to your leader."
"What about?"
"About security. We've had trouble. I want to make it stop."
"Okay. We'll ask."

A few minutes later, Lucy sat on a chair wincing under her weight. Her interlocutor was a rather pudgy woman in bright red robes with black details. She wore the traditional face-paint of her tribe and smoked a hookah. Lucy said:
"Peace upon this house. My name is Lucretia. I came to talk to you about the events of the last weeks."
"My name is Rania. You are welcome, demon. We humans appreciate the fact that you tried to resolve the disputes we had with your people." Her voice sounded a tad insincere.
Lucy asked:
"Do you have any idea why the demons come here looking for trouble?"
"Besides the fact that they have invaded our world? No idea."
"Of course. Still, things had calmed down. Now, they put everybody's lives in jeopardy. When I ask them, they tell me nothing."
"Nothing? Fascinating. Ah, yes, you are the half-blood, aren't you? The other demons don't trust you and rightly so. After all, you are here."
"Half-blood?" Lucy smirked. "You could say that. However, I still need to stop this. What do the demons say?"
The woman smiled grimly and said:
"Not much. They say we take their children. We do not. They still go around, looking for traces."
"Their children? I understand."
"Also, we are willing to accept that these filthy beasts, no offense, live here, but we do not want them near our homes. Is that clear? Be aware that peace is fragile."
"I see. I will look into it."
"Do that. Good bye."
"Good bye."

[El_Roy_1999]

That evening, Lucy went to the tavern, waited until everybody was there and then raised her voice:
"Okay. Everybody, listen up! Today, I went to the human elder and talked to her. She told me that some of you have gone to their compound looking for lost children. The humans don't feel responsible for this and want to be left alone. If you want, I can go and look for the people you are missing. You can trust me on this, I won't rest until this is resolved. If you do, please find me and tell me what happened. I'm at my home if you want to talk to me. Got it? Fine!"
Lucy left.

A few minutes later, somebody knocked at the door. She got up and opened the door. Outside stood a group of seven demons and looked quite nervous. She let them in and asked them to tell her about the situation. The demons' stories were all quite similar. They had had children a few months ago. All of them told the same story. They came home and found them gone. There was no trace, no signs of who had taken them. After a while, the story was that humans had taken them. So they went and took a look at the human settlement, finding out what they could. So far, no proof had turned up, but most of the humans had reacted with hostility and if you are looking for trouble, you'll find it.

Lucy considered the facts and said:
"So far, there's no way to be sure that the people from the settlement did it, isn't it?"
The guests mumbled their approval.
"I guess this means that we can't be sure of that and that we shouldn't put our fragile peace in jeopardy."
Once again, approval.
"The best way to resolve this, is to keep calm and I'll handle the situation. In this way, we'll be able to do our best to recover your children without putting our lives and homes at risk. Is that okay with you?"
The demons nodded skeptically. They agreed, then they left.

When they were gone, Lucy turned to Theresa and said:
"We'll have to find the children quick, otherwise there's going to be a massacre."

[El_Roy_1999]

Lucy asked Theresa to set up a perimeter. Using various ancient pieces of video equipment they scavenged from the nearby ruins, they created a system of cameras, microphones and other detecting devices which they finally relayed to a central hub in Lucy's home. Lucy connected Theresa's head to it and waited. After a few seconds of eye-flickering, Theresa was on-line. She looked at her mistress and said:
"I see everything."
"Excellent. Time to set up the bait."
Lucy went over to the tavern and walked over to the innkeeper's wife. The shorter woman stared at her in fear. They went to the back room without a word. Inside, Lucy said:
"We need your help. If you don't help us, there's going to be another war."
"I know. What can I do?"
"We need a bait to catch the child-thief."
The goat-woman put her hand to her mouth and said:
"No. Please. You can't mean that!"
Lucy looked at her severely.
"I know it is hard, but you are the only one I can trust. If you don't help us, no one will. Besides, I will be there, watching. Everything will be fine."
"I'm sorry. But if you had children, you wouldn't put them at risk either, would you?"
Lucy turned away.
"What I'm asking you is help in making this world safe again. There is a risk, of course, but you must be aware that the risk is just as great that it will happen anyway! After all, do you think you can prevent the thief to attack you. None of the others were able to hold him off!"
The goat-faced woman hesitated. Finally, she said:
"You're right. And in this way, I can be certain you will watch over him."
"Thank you. Trust me, I will keep him safe!"
"I hope it for your sake."

[El_Roy_1999]

That night, Lucy set up her watch. The goat-woman was to leave her child alone at home, walk around visibly in the township and make it clear to all potential kidnappers that her kid was there for the taking. As she walked through the streets and alleys of the town, Lucy could see her friend's terrified expression under a mask of outer calmness.
The ex-warrior nun waited in the darkness, her slave's severed head resting beside her. Theresa monitored the town permanently, waiting for the kidnapper to strike. Minutes turned into hours. The demon-woman was anxious as she feigned happiness with her friends. Then, something stirred outside her home. Lucy was instantly attentive.

A shadowy figure approached the building, climbed in through a window and emerged seconds later with the sleeping child. Lucy waited for her to walk away. She followed her quarry from the rooftops, skipping over the narrow streets to keep her around. Theresa switched from cable node to cable node, always keeping an electronic eye out on the kidnapper. They followed her through the maze of buildings until she reached the human compound.

Moving along the wall, she finally found a hidden entrance and slid inside. Lucy cursed under her breath. It had happened too fast for her to react. She had no choice but to follow her quarry. With a quick movement, she descended from the roof and sprinted across the opening, evading any sentries that might be on guard. The entrance proved to be very tight and she barely managed to squeeze in. Inside, it was dark and musty. She continued along the wall, now inside the fortresses' defenses.

[El_Roy_1999]

Lucy crept on, careful not to draw any attention to her. However, she must have been seen since she suddenly found herself face to face with a steel portcullis that had just descended. Above, she heard a voice, clearly human:
"So this is what you mean when you wish to maintain peace?"
The human elder was grinning down at her through an opening on top of her. Behind her, another grid crashed down, sealing her in. Lucy replied:
"The thief. You need to find him. He went in just before me!"
"Ah yes, of course. The mysterious kidnapper. You demons are a weird bunch. Always good at fighting when you're strong and making excuses and lying when the tables are turned. There was no one. There will be no one. You're going to die."
"You're making a mistake!"
"I made a mistake when I even spoke to you. Pour down the beasties."
Behind her, two militiaman carried a large basket. They tipped it and removed the cover. Lucy could hear the screams and growls of the rat-hyenas inside.

As the beasts fell down, their anger turned into blood-curling frenzy. Their twin maws gnashing, they dropped down on Lucy. The warrior-woman tried to grab one of the beasts' throats, but found herself stuck in the crowded trap she had fallen in. Instead, the beast bit her hand. Lucy gritted her teeth, grabbed it with her lower right and sank her fingers into the beast's skull as the others tore at her flesh. She managed to suppress the searing pain and broke open the creature's head. She took out Theresa's head and said:
"Find the thief while I take care of this."
With these words, she jammed the dangling cables into one of the creature's brains. It jerked madly as Theresa took over. The beast gnashed it's teeth, then bit into its other head, ensuring Theresa's control. Finally, it squeezed through the grid's spaces and ran.

Now, Lucy had time to take care of the rabid pests assaulting her.

[El_Roy_1999]

She stretched her arms, grabbed two opposite bars and pulled herself up in a cross-like pose. Using her lower pair of arms, she twisted the beasts necks and quickly ended their assault. Lowering herself back down, she took a deep breath. She could hear the humans scramble for their weapons. Shouts could be heard: "Kill the demons!" "They've attacked us!" "Revenge!"
She had fallen into a trap in every possible way. The humans would now descend on the demon settlement and both would annihilate each other. She had to catch the one responsible as quickly as possible. She tore out the grid that held her prisoner and escaped into the human compound. She was aware that she was bleeding and sore, that the humans would be able to follow her trail easily, but she hoped that she would be able to distract them long enough to find some time.
She looked for Theresa. The head was nowhere to be found. Then, she saw something lying in the street. It was the rat-hyena's other head. It gazed eerily to the sewage dump. Lucy followed what she took as a sign, the human guards following her. Behind her, the screams were getting louder. She reached the lake of sewage and suddenly saw something glitter. Squinting, she saw Theresa's head on one of the makeshift barges floating on the morass.
Her chasers readied their guns and prepared to fire. She hesitated for a second, then dove down into the cloggy mess. With a few powerful strokes, she moved her powerful body through the sludge, her eyes streaming from the stink. The guards fired at her, but missed their mark.

She swam on, finally reaching the boat she was looking for. At the shore, the guards clambered aboard a boat and began rowing over the refuse. Lucy pulled herself on the drifting barge and took Theresa's head. She was reeking with the smell of feces and garbage. Theresa, in her globe, ignored the stench. Instead, she said:
"The kidnapper is on one of the larger barges. The one that's drifting downriver."
Lucy looked around and suddenly saw the ship she was looking for. It was much larger than the others, a merchant's vessel that had drifted up the almost dried up riverbed that led from the settlement. She spat out something that had found its way into her mouth with disgust and said:
"I need a way to keep them occupied while I find the child."
Theresa blinked and said:
"No problem. Move me over there to the boat controls."

[El_Roy_1999]

Lucy swam away to the riverboat, occasionally hearing the guards' screams as the boat's dredger bucket controlled by Theresa's head came down on the pursuing barge, sinking it. The guards struggled to stay afloat. Others at the shore climbed into boats and drove to the rescue. The distraction was a success.

As she approached her target, she found the water to become slightly clearer. The riverbed was just deep enough to provide a channel for the ship. By the time she reached it, the worst filth had washed away. She threaded water for a while, then jumped up and pulled herself aboard. Only then did she realise that she was naked and unarmed. Also, she was still bleeding slightly, leaving a trail of golden blood behind her. Hearing someone approach, she hid in a pathway on the ship.
The whole ship was quite large and had two storeys built on top of it. It was also well-guarded, the demons on watch armed to the teeth. They carried modern rifles as well as serious armour. Clearly, this ship was more than expected. Lucy evaded the guards as quickly as she could and snuck inside. As she entered the ship itself, she was astonished by the luxury. The floor was carpeted in deep red, the walls were painted in ivory. Golden ornaments hung from the walls. She stepped through the exquisite corridors, her body reeking of putrefaction, her wounds dripping. Suddenly, a door was flung open and a pair of masked demons entered, locked in lustful embrace. They only cared for each other, the larger one, his head hung with massive bull's horns, sinking his forked tongue into the mouth of his snout-faced partner. Lucy retreated, then tried one of the doors. Finding it unlocked, she stepped inside.

The room was a private boudoir, covered in velvet and featuring a large divan. She quickly checked that it was abandoned, locked the door and tended to her wounds. She washed herself as fast as she could, then masked the stench with some heavy fragrance. She put on a heavy, blood red robe and a rather excessive headpiece made of three intertwined tiaras and took a ceremonial dagger she found, hiding it in the folds of the suit. Then, she headed back out.
Following the tunes in the air, she soon discovered the main hall. It was a large chamber, once again excessive in its luxury. Several tables were set up, a group of naked human slaves played strangely dissonant music on their bizarre instruments. The demons were enjoying some kind of card game. At the smaller tables, the stakes appeared to be low and the games meant to be enjoyed. The larger table, however, hosted  a much more concentrated crowd.
In the centre of the attention sat a single demon, clearly a lord of his kind. He wore a regal, purple robe that covered most of his body, including a high collar that hid the lower part of his face. Out of his head grew the roots of some blackened nightmare tree, eternally creaking in an unfeelable wind. On this chaotic mass of living wood, a single crown was perched, hanging lopsided from one of the roots. The rest of the ebon tangle was decorated with eyeballs pierced and hung on reddish strings. Occasionally, the eyeballs turned as if animated by some spirit and looked about. The demon's face was just as gnarled as the roots that grew out of it. On his lips rested a long cigarette holder.
His many-fingered hands flickered over the table as he drew another card, laid it down and announced to the crowd.
"The hanging man. It seems that you, my dear countess, have lost."
The addressed demon-woman, a masked creature with a large tress of horns winding down her back gasped.
"Oh no! But, but, I had... I had..."
"Indeed, you had. But not anymore. Do not worry, your son will make a good servant. I will look after him. After all, I have his mother's eyes."
He laughed insanely, the crowd joining in merrily as the woman was led from the table by two large gentledemons in armour. He added:
"Prepare them quick. I wish to wear them for tomorrow's reception. They'll be the clou."

[El_Roy_1999]

He looked around and noticed Lucy, standing there. He motioned and said:
"Ah, a newcomer. Do you have time for a little game among friends?"
Lucy stared at him. In the background, the musicians increased their volume to drawn out the demon-woman's screams. He made a sign with his eight-fingered hand:
"Come closer. I won't bite."
She stepped closer. The many suspended eyes turned to her.
"I see. You are the demon-killer." The other guests gasped. "Haven't you heard, my dear friends. This is Lucretia, the demon-killer who became a demon herself. She was the law in the settlement over there." He made a tentative gesture. Lucy sat down and said:
"I am the law of the village."
"What village?" He burst out laughing. "If I'm correct, your precious wards should be massacring each other by now. And the best is, when they're done, I will release their children to bury their parents, starting the cycle anew. You will see, it always works, without fail."
Lucy laid both hands on the table and said:
"Release them now or I will kill you."
"I don't think so. You'd be dead before you even got up. I am no fool. I'm a monster, granted, but then, who isn't nowadays?" The hangers-on laughed courteously. "However, I much enjoy the occasional game, as you may have realised." He took a drag at his cigarette and continued: "I challenge you: defeat me at this game and I will release the children, no harm done. Fail, and I will present my next beloved with a beautiful garb made of your skin." The crowd applauded their host's excellent taste. "So, are you willing to take the risk? Be quick, the clock is running."

[El_Roy_1999]

The demon-lord smiled wickedly and nodded to the croupier. The naked creature took the cards, shuffled them and let his master cut them. Then, he quickly distributed the cards. Lucy stared at them in open confusion. Her opponent maintained his smile and arranged his cards with his long, spindly fingers.
"You seem surprised. Are you unfamiliar with this game? That's bad, because I don't think you have time to learn it now."
Lucy looked at the cards, wondering at what they meant. There were numbers and symbols alright, as well as odd drawings of demons.
"I'm waiting, my dear. Do something."
She hesitated. Somewhere, in the background, she could hear the noise of Theresa's battle die down. Time was running out.

All of a sudden, she felt a slight caress on her side. Clearly, one of the onlookers had touched her. She wanted to teach him a lesson, but then she realised that the person was forming a symbol on her skin. She looked at the cards and recognised it. Maybe this unexpected help would be what she needed. She took the card and placed it on the table. Her opponent seemed impressed.
"An interesting opening. Fine."
He played his own card. The croupier nodded, giving the spectators a sign that Lucy's decision had been correct. He looked at her. Once again, the mysterious helper suggested another card to be played. Lucy acted accordingly and once again, was victorious.
Without much understanding, she played the game, trusting her assistant to lead her through the alien game. She could see that her opponent's expression became ever grimmer. She allowed herself to smile sheepishly. Soon, the game was nearing its end.

"Lucretia, you must be a natural. I have rarely seen someone play with such exquisite skill, especially since you had slight difficulties in the beginning, hadn't you?"
She just smiled and said:
"I'm just getting the hang of it. Maybe it isn't your day."
"Well, my dear, I guess it is time. Time to raise the stakes."
He made a sign to the croupier. The spectators looked at each other, mumbling hushed words of confusion and admiration. Clearly, this last action had dramatically upped the ante. She could hear one of the demons tell its companions that this action made the move decisive. Her next play would be the final one. She waited for her hidden helper. Nothing. The crowd grew uneasy. Apparently, he or she was hesitating, the situation had to be complicated.
Then, when she had almost given up hope, she felt the touch once again. The sign was given, she took the card and prepared to lay it down. However, in this second, she saw a faint glint of emotion in the perfect pokerface of her opponent. Using her lower arm, she laid it gently on the caressing finger. Wood.

With a twist of the wrist, she tore her enemy's finger, making his eyes swell, but causing no further reaction.
She grinned, looked at the cards and chose one at random.

[El_Roy_1999]

The card came down. Her enemy's eyes widened. The crowd fell absolutely silent. She turned around, looking into the disembodied eyes of her precursor that a valet held on a silver platter. She could just see the faint expression of guilt. The demon-lord had watched her hand all the time.
"I win."
"But..."
"I win." She closed her fist tighter, breaking of pieces of bark from her host's fingers. He yelped. The croupier nodded.
"Perfect then. The children. Now."
The fiend just clenched his teeth and replied:
"You are a woman of many surprises. You can have the children, but I have a proposition: How about you join me? You are a demon after all."
She rolled her eyes.
"Do not waste my time, I have a fight to prevent." She rose, pulling up his mangled fingers. "Honour your pact or die."

He grinned mischievously.
"Honour. You humans have such a weird perception of reality. Do you believe I care about this bizarre hamlet of yours? Let's be straight: There will be no piece between us until one wipes the other out, and guess who this is going to be."
She crushed his fingers, stretched her arm and grabbed one of his forearms.
"Stop toying with me or I will tear off your arm and beat you to death with it."
He turned to his audience.
"A threat. Do you hear it? A human dares threaten me! Me! Don't you know who I am? I am Aesma Deva, the Master of Wrath and Hatred, the despot and beguiler. I am not your run-of-the-mill devil. Whatever. You have just signed your own death warrant!"

[El_Roy_1999]

Of course, there should be no peace between them. Pieces may come in eventually, but for now, peace will have to be enough.

[El_Roy_1999]

With these words, he rose, throwing off his wooden garb. Underneath the oaken skin, a brightly shining second body appeared. Aesma Deva revealed his true form. His skin was shining brightly from within, his face gentle and beautiful, the elegance of his visage driving tears into the eyes of the onlookers. He smiled gently, his voice a melodious song of imminent death:
"Lucretia. You have come all this way to die, and now you will."
Suddenly, four enormous pearly-white wings sprouted from his back, illuminating the room in golden light. The demons recoiled, screamed, scrambled for the door. He flicked his tongue over his sensuous lips and drew a sword from a scabbard a hooded servant gave him. Breathing over the blade, he let it burst into flame and attacked.

With a sudden flêche, he struck across the table. Lucy bent over backwards, the sword passing through her cleavage. She landed on her four hands and rolled back, leaving her clothes lying on the ground. She twisted around, stood back up, grabbed a pike from the hands of a stunned guard and threw it at the angelic assailant. With a simple flick of his wrist, he split the weapon's shaft, making it burst into flame. It burnt to a crisp within seconds. He laughed shrilly.
Lucy ran through the ensuing chaos, evaded the screaming demons who tried to get out and scrambled for a sword. When she finally found one, the demon was on her. His sword flashed with furious speed, driving her across the room. Behind her, the musicians, who were forced to continue playing, being bound to their places, tried to wriggle free. She slashed her sword over their bonds, evading another one of his strikes by a hair. He laughed and shouted:
"Even now, as your doom is upon you, do you try to free your people? You are mad!"
With a gesture, he ordered the freed slaves to attack her. Lucy stared in horror as their insane faces approached.
"You are mad, and you are naive. Do you believe that I would leave creatures next to me who are not completely mine?"
Lucy looked around her and jumped straight up. Her massive body flew over the descending servants. She hooked her legs in the lamp above her, flexed her abdominals and swung on, crossing over to the next lamp with lightning quickness.
As she had expected, her opponent took some time to turn due to the amount of room he needed to move, so she was behind him. She grabbed a candlestick-holder and rammed it into his back. However, just as the improvised weapon was about to connect, something insane happened. With a rippling motion, the demon inverted himself, his face and arms twisting through his back. He grinned like a maniac and parried the melting weapon and howled with laughter:
"Your cheap parlour tricks are to no avail!"

[El_Roy_1999]

The demon roared and charged. His sword flashed. Lucy tried to fend it off with her blade, but the assault was relentless. She was driven back, to the door, outside. Behind her, the noise of Theresa's battle had died down. The attack on the demon town was imminent. Or so it seemed. She dodged, stepped aside and moved out on the lower deck of the ship. Then, she heard the voice of the soldiers behind her say:
"Give up. Put your hands up."
Aesma Deva stepped through the door grinning:
"Gotcha."
Lucy slowly lifted her hands. The fight was over. The demon stepped over and said:
"You will make a fine addition to my menagerie. I'll cut up your vocal chords so all you'll be able to do is to scream. Then, I'm going to cut your mind until you're nothing more than a filthy animal, but I'll leave your mind alive so you can still understand what is happening to you. You'll love it!"
She stared at him in open hostility, her mind racing, looking for a solution to her predicament. Maybe the best would be to just attack him and hope to be killed by him. Maybe wound him or even kill him. At least hurt his pride.
"I know what you're thinking, but your death is not an option. Trust me, I have excellent doctors. They may not be as creative as Asturath's but they will be able make you last."
For a second, she considered begging him for a swift death, but she gritted her teeth and awaited her end.