A Cultivator's Cauldron

2. Amber Eyes

"Greetingssss, humanss. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Trader Lamon we taste you are ssstill well."

The two continue exchanging niceties whilst I examine the Queen and surroundings. The Queen of the Lamias is beautiful if in a slightly creepy way. I think it's the way her tongue flickers out to taste the air on occasion. Or perhaps the way her human half seems almost normal but just slightly off.

"Guardsmen of the Guild, we requesssted your presence to asssk for a favour. You are men of action ssso we will get straight to it. Your amber eyes sssignify that we have a common ancestor. We wisshh to take a blood ssample."

Fuck. Of course she wants something. My mind races; is there a way to get out of this? Our guild needs the magical supplies and safe passage our alliance with the Lamia provides. The fact that amber eyes were required to undertake escorting the caravan here suggests that the guild master knows something about this. I try my best to keep a poker face. I need more information... how much can I even ask before she decides to just take it. None of us even have any weapons, the sneaky bitch. If anything her preparation tells me how much she needs this.

"Queen Siscyla, that would be a request each individual would have to answer. Could I ask what the blood would be used for?"

"We do not wisshh to share that information at thisss time. But we can tell you that a cultivators oath was made to your guild that should it work out your guild would be given the results and would benefit immensely depending on the number of amber-eyed they have. You may sense the truth in our words."

I blush slightly. I was already holding onto a truthstone since we entered. I have sensed only one lie; Trader Lamon is not well. She has spoken nothing but the truth since she started speaking directly to me.

I still don't trust her... she is half-snake.

"The guild master is aware of your project?"

"Yesss."

I grit my teeth; I can see her getting more frustrated. Out of the corner of my eye one of the guards changes the grip on his weapon. It could be nothing. Either way, one last question...

"Are we allowed to render our blood inert immediately?"

Blood can't be used for much on its own. Fresh blood is still infused with spiritual power, and together they can be used for some quite nasty targeted hexes. Minor unless the amount of blood is large, but better to be safe than sorry."

"You may render you blood immediately inert, and it is very little blood we require. Your answer pleassse!"

There's one question I don't wish to ask; what will happen if we say no. If she went to all the trouble of bringing us here, it must be very important to her. Queens don't take well to being told no. So...

"I will agree, but I cannot agree for my guild mates."

"Wonderful, Trader Lamon you may leave. The rest will wish to observe, correct?"

She doesn't give them time to answer and the doors shut once Trader Lamon leaves. This isn't ominous at all! Note the sarcasm.

As the doors shut, the Lamia seem to burst into action, escorting me through another door on the side. I'm almost manhandled into the right seat. There's a selection of syringes on a desk nearby and one is inserted in neck before I can say anything. This all happens before I can work out what's happening, with none of the preparation I was expecting... it's only as I try to look at the syringe I realise quite why... it's not drawing blood, it's injecting something.

Huh.

That's bad.

My mind seems to slow as I try to work out what to do. My head turns back to the doorway just in time to catch one of my guild mates gazes.

"Not blood." My voice sounds weird and drawn out, almost as if I'm speaking in slow motion. His mouth opens in alarm and I hear the Lamia next to me whisper "Sssshhit!"

My head lulls back as the sounds of a fight start in the background. I can barely focus and everything seems so far away.

I try to activate my Qi, to use it to push my tainted blood out, but my head still whirls and before I achieve any success my uncooperative body is pushed to the floor and my arms cuffed behind me. The sudden movement and pain jerks my focus away from the detailed Qi manipulation, and black starts to overtake my vision.

I fall into unconsciousness even as adrenaline keeps me awake just long enough to hear grunts, yells and the occasional hiss of pain echoing from audience chamber.