Twin Spear; Twin Sword

XIV

Barovia

Four weeks prior

"Do you know where you are?" A deep voice asked. Rich and slow, it dripped with a lethal calmness that was more frightening than fury. His accent reeked of the gypsies he ruled over, drawn out with a sort of deliberation.

"Be not afraid, young one. I've no plans to kill you." He added gently, faintly drifting in the air behind her. "Not yet, nor, even soon."

A young sun elf ripped against her constraints, grunting in effort but to no avail. "Let me go, Strahd, or I'll have your head on a stake." she spat, looking around at the dark, damp, stone chamber she was shackled in. Her yellow-blonde hair was soaked in sticky sweat, clinging to her face. What was left of her tattered leather armor hung from her frame pathetically, spent beyond repair.

"You see," he continued, ignoring her, "you and your kind possess traits that make a.. transmutation of my type.. less potent. It is my plan to use you as a priceless experiment, in the hope that your sacrifice may be one step closer to freeing myself and my brethren of this curse- and then to be free of the Dark Powers from which I am slave to."

"Don't you touch me, you sick fuck. It'll be the last thing you'll ever do."

"I must admit, your reputation precedes you, young Synika. Such an efficient hunter of.. what you call monsters. A skilled tracker, and an expert of weaknesses. I am most certain your talents will be missed in your line of work."

Synika tore harder at her restraints, fruitlessly yanking against the leather holding her to the chair. "I'll kill you." she vowed, glaring over her shoulder at the well dressed man, who, to anyone else, may have even appeared wealthy and courteous.

"So many years have I waited for my servants to fetch me members of your kind and those of other species, all to no end. Werewolves can be so foolish, more so on an empty stomach. Though I suppose I do not have to bore an expert of the.. unholy.. with such factoids." Strahd murmured, chatting with a quiet confidence, as though on the brink of a breakthrough.

Synika shook her head, heaving her breaths in and out. "You know damn well the only cure for you heartless creeps is a stake to the chest. You're wasting your time."

"And yet.. after all that waiting, a sun elf in perfect health simply.. delivers herself to me. Though I wish we could have avoided all the bloodshed leading up to our lovely meeting, it is of no importance." Strahd continued, ignoring her warning. "My work starts tonight, young Synika. It is my honor to have you as my guest."

He seemed to gracefully appear at her side, peering down his nose at her dirt-smeared body.

"I promise it will only hurt a little." Strahd whispered, his body drifting closer to hers. In a flash, his eyes flickered violet, and fangs sprouted from his gaping maw. As the glittering incisors clamped down on her flesh, Synika's scream filled the chamber, and then all fell silent.