Diamond Petal

Prologue: Angela Michadymos

Angela had never been in a more dreary, lifeless room. Not even empty ones. The metal walls devoid of any soul, with not even a window present. Everything served to draw attention to the miscellaneous scientific implements at the individual workstations, and all of them were sterile. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if the place weren't so dark -- though she had the feeling that was on purpose. But in a science lab such as this, she couldn't figure out for the life of her, why there would be any instruments of torture, like the needles and hammers on the metal table next to her.

By this point, she'd been smacked and stabbed several times, and became intimately familiar with what happens to trespassers at the imperial laboratory. Clearly, their approach to science was a bit different than she was used to. And at the center of it all was the head researcher.

"Look at you," Comes the chilling voice of a sadistic captor. A woman who delights in breaking the will of all those who oppose her. She is the head researcher for the empire's laboratories, her name is Avare Demoora, and she currently stands in front of the chained form of her latest captive: A mage known as Angela Michadymos, dangling by her wrists from a chain attached to the ceiling, and clad in rags much less put-together than when she arrived. "Angela, Angela, Angela. Miss Meeee-kahhhhh-deeeeee-mos..." She continues, stretching out every syllable of Angela's last name. Angela's never thought her own name sounded worse than right now. "You are truly quite the specimen." Demoora plays with her captive, cupping Angela's cheek. "The spitting image of our great leader, with almost as much magical potential. Beautiful. Young. Supple. The mistress would welcome you with open arms, and yet, your gaze is wasted on that idiotic woman. That traitor you call a traveling companion! Don't tell me you've fallen in love with her."

Angela slowly lifts her head, with the pain from the multiple wounds her captor inflicted not stopping her. "She's no idiot. And you can tell your mistress that she wasted what she had with her." A smack rings out, as Avare retaliates with physical aggression against her defiant prisoner. Refusing to cry out in pain, no matter how excruciating the slap to her wounds may be, Angela regains her composure. She realigns her head and continues. "Lastly... if anyone here is an idiot, it's you."

"Excuse me!?"

BOOM!

From up above the two women, the chains holding Angela in place explode with seemingly no stimulant! But Demoora knows better. She quickly turns tail, and runs, activating a radio in her ear, and shouting "THE SUBJECT IS LOOSE! I NEED BACKUP, NOW!!" Just a few feet away, there's a secure room, where she can hide from her captive-turned-attacker! She jumps inside, and hits a button to the left of the entrance, slamming the door shut, and setting off alarms, as metal shutters come down all around the room, sealing both herself and Angela in.

"STAY BACK! ANY SECOND NOW, GUARDS WILL BE HERE -- ARMED AND WILLING TO GUN YOU DOWN!"

"What; so I'm just supposed to let you keep up all your experiments on me? No. I've had more than enough of that." The doors beep, and open for the security guards, clad in tactical armor, and armed with assault rifles, surrounding Angela.

"GET ON THE GROUND AND SURRENDER, NOW!!"

"I'll admit," She says, completely ignoring the warning. " You got me good with your ambush earlier. Guess that's what I get for snooping around enemy territory. Yep. Lev and I both used up all the magic energy we had, just trying to survive against wave after wave of your onslaught."

"I SAID SURRENDER!"

"But here's the thing about used-up energy: It comes back, if you give it time." she raises her left arm, still wrapped in chains, and ignites a fire in her hand. "And the thing about ambushes is that the person you're attacking has to regain themselves in the middle of a fight. I admit: As I am right now, there's no way I could beat your leader, Busaria. In fact, I dare say I would be killed before I could blink. But I'm more than enough to take you on. Wanna try again when you don't have the element of surprise?"

"THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING!"

Demoora shouts, "SURRENDER, YOU BOORISH DEMON!!"

"Demon?" Angela repeats, "Oh, no, no, no... I'm not a demon... I'm the one who vanquishes the demons praying on the innocent. The simple daughter of a baker and a janitor who saved up every penny to send me to college. The manifestation of your evil deeds creeping back on all of you: My name is Angela Michadymos! And I will exact karmic vengeance upon you! Now..." She takes a wide stance, chains jingling as her hands hang down. "If you think you're ready... THEN STEP RIGHT UP!!"