[While on a rescue mission gone crazed, a holy warrior and a rogue fight bandits, demons, and the urge to rip each other's clothes off.]
The mission, rescuing a princess, could be going better.
Séa is an earnest paladin, honest and gullible. Tash is...
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The demon's words pooled in Tash's gut like cold tar laced with lead filings. She almost retched again. I'm alone. Somehow, he made the others go silent.
A slap sounded, followed by a toady scream. Zorexis snarled. "Shut up, I said. Are you going to listen to me, now?"
Dooch whimpered, "Yes, master! Yes, master!"
"Stay silent until I say otherwise, or you'll be less than starch for the Great Roach to consume," Zorexis said. His voice grew brighter, as if he now faced Tash. "Feeling better, Tash? If so, get up. Get up."
He thinks I'm enthralled. Gods, I hurt. Can I even get to my feet and stand?
The rogue forced her elbows back and placed bloody hands on the stone floor. Next, hands and knees, and blood dripped and dripped from the ruined lower half of her face.
"Dooch, go downstairs and make some lights." Zorexis said. "Good girl, Tash. Up you come, then follow me. I wish I had more time to dally. You're a lot prettier than the paladin. I've seen piles of intestines nicer-looking than her face."
That's it. I hate him so bad. I can stand. I can do anything, as long as I can eventually slip a knife between his ribs. Tash staggered, but made it to her feet. She dulled her eyes to a vacant stare, but tried to absorb what she could from her peripheral vision. Séa stood like a suit of armor on display. An evil reddish glow pulsed on her chest. Ghomarck slouched next to her, and a similar dull light shone through the fabric of his robe.
Zorexis brushed by her, toward the stairs that descended to the ancient torture pit. "Follow me, Ghomarck. Follow me, Séa. Follow me, Chantelle. Follow me, Tash." His tones had gone gleeful. "Oh, my, so many. Such a pity that the King's almost here."
In a stumbling, ragged line, the four descended into darkness. Once, Séa veered sharply to the right and ran herself into the side wall. Past the agony of her lacerated tongue, lips, and chin, Tash wondered if the paladin had overcome the magical compulsion for a moment. If so, it had lasted only a heartbeat.
Tash swallowed blood. It tasted like betrayal, and she fought nausea again.
All too soon, they arrived at the pit. Dooch had somehow created dim, red light among the disused implements of torture. It's so hard to think. I don't have a plan. How long should I play along?
It was already too late. Hands of leathery texture and extraordinary strength clamped on her wrists from behind. They pulled her backwards until she collided with a cold metal pole. "Bind," said Zorexis. Something dry and snakelike wrapped around her wrists and forearms. She thrashed in involuntary panic. "Do not struggle, Tash. Stay silent. Stay unmoving."
She ached to scream, or at least cuss Zorexis out, but her own coppery blood filled her mouth.
