The Sixth Day Rated M

[Mari]

Warning: Contains mature sexual content, implied suggestive drugging and mind control

Amari didn’t sleep well. After she had followed Advencia out the room the day prior she was lead to a makeshift training ground and without warning was attacked. Advencia’s ‘training’ wasn’t so much teaching Amari how to use a knife, but ‘teaching’ her how to block the blade… with various parts of her body. Amari wasn’t given a blade, or a chance against the psychotic woman.

Amari had been brutally and repeatedly slashed and torn at by Advencia’s precise onslaught, the only thing the redheaded woman had learnt was that the blonde temptress was not to be messed with. She was skilled, if not mastered the art of the small blade.

“Urgh…” Amari rolled onto her side and winced. Her torso was bandaged, blood still seeping through the wraps. She had wounds on her arms, across her collarbone, her left leg and right hand. Advencia had been especially brutal with that one - jamming the blade straight through before tossing Amari back into Lye’s private quarters bleeding and shaking from the shock of blood loss and pain.

How was she supposed to explain the mess of ichor and vitae that was strewn across her masters floor? His bedding? His animal skin rugs? Amari laughed bitterly to herself. He did say the smell comforted him. Her tired eyes stared at the wall before her, focusing on the faint glow of the alchemic table, parts of it had been smeared in blood in her frantic attempt to find bandages.

“He’s gonna kill me…” She muttered, and Amari wholeheartedly believed that he would.

[Lye]

A thud sounded against the chamber door followed by a clatter against the wrought iron bands which decorated it. Muffled words failed to make their way to Amari’s ears. One thing she could pick up, was the horse aggressive tone in which they punctuated themselves. The bolts of the door slid open slowly and the door flung open as Lye staggered in. Nearly collapsing to the floor, he was spared the spill by a young man with kind eyes and chiseled features.

“You mustn't press yourself!” the boy called out, brunting Lye’s weight with relative ease to his lean stature.

“Spare your lecture, Caellus,” Lye spat, glaring at him with a single eye. A bloodied bandage spared him the wrath of his right eye. Similar bandages bound the assassin’s waist, shoulder, and left fore arm. His left hand hid beneath several layers of linen and represented more of a stump than a hand.

Amari pushed herself out of the bed clearly alarmed at Lye’s current condition. “What the fuck happened?” She cried out as she limped from the bed and struggled to pull her own injured body toward his. Amari knealt down by his side, placing a hand on his chest and another wrapped up and under his shoulder. “I’ll take it from here.” She said to Caellus. Her eyes turned toward Lyes one good eye. “Master?” Her brows furrowed with an unrelenting concern she shouldn’t feel for him. “Should I try healing you? Who did this to you? Why?”

Lye let his weight slip from Caellus to the less capable Amari. His weight bogged down on her, but she managed to keep him hoisted.

“I wouldn’t,” Caellus added. “The Ai’Brone who tried is dead.”

“You can thank your spirit friend,” Lye spat, slightly bitter toward his pet.

“You know I don’t know him.” Amari muttered back. “I don’t know what the fuck an Ai’Brone is.. .” Amari said toward Caellus, “But death ain’t a hindrance to me.” She carefully pushed Lye off her so she could assess his wounds. “Where should I start?” She asked her tone switching to a cautious one as she gently grazed his bandages with her injured hand.

Lye’s good hand gripped her wrist. His one eye narrowed on her as he shook his head.

“The Ai’Brone are the most gifted healers and illusionists on Althanas,” Caellus added. “They run the Citadel in Radasandth. They’ve healed countless injuries and revived thousands from the dead.”

“Corvanik was old,” Lye snapped back. “He was bound to fall sooner or later without his brothers.”

“Still…” Caellus began.

“I’m fine,” Lye sternly spoke to Amari as he let her hand go. He gestured with a nod to her own lacerations. “Advencia?”

Amari nodded, “Her ‘training’ was just her ruthlessly attacking me, I had no weapon, don’t know what the intention was…. “ Amari trailed off as she pulled her hand away from him she glanced down at her own wound, gingerly pressing down on it with her good hand. “I think she would have killed me if she had the chance.”

“Good,” Lye replied with a pained smile. “She could have, but instead, you toughed it out.”

“Master,” Advencia called out in the doorway. “He’s here.”

Lye turned his attention toward the small succubus as she delivered the information. He nodded.

“Caellus, help her prep the Inner Sanctum. We’ll be a moment.” After his command, Caellus nodded and the two disappeared.

[Mari]

Aamari shifted away from her Master being careful not to put further weight on her injuries, now that the initial adrenaline from seeing him so brutally injured had worn off Amari was really feeling the pain of Advencia’s ‘training’. His words and cocky smile didn’t help alleviate Amari’s feelings. “Great lot o’ good that did… I can barely move. Still… “ Her eyes danced over his form, and she felt guilty for complaining - he was in a much worse state than she was.

“Who is ‘he’?” Amari asked to shift the conversation away from their injuries. “Why are we going there?” Amari was hoping for a day of rest for her injuries to settle. Hell, she’d have one of those Ai bork or whatever heal her if possible, alas, it seemed he died.

“Your last test,” Lye answered cryptically. He groaned as he shifted his weight on the bed. His hand clenched the linens on his side where Elthas buried his dagger hilt deep. The matted red beneath crawled outward and grew until Lye settled with his back pressed against the wall.

“Are...you sure you don’t want me to try to heal your wounds?” Amari asked as she watched his bandage stain with new blood. “Don’t you have Alchemic stuff to heal wounds?” Amari paused, before continuing her line of questioning. “Last test… test for what? I’m here aren’t I? I stayed didn’t I? What more could you possibly want with me?”

“My bones won’t even mend these wounds shut,” Lye began. “They’re not normal. You’d be wasting your time if you tried. You only recently discovered your gift.”

He turned toward her, sweat-dampened locks of platinum spilling over the bandages wrapped around his head.

“The prospect of you dying over and over is something better left for Aurelianus’ entertainment.” He paused a moment to watch her expression sour slightly. “But no, this test will prove to me and yourself that you’re ready. First, I need you to heal your wounds. Our guest wouldn’t want to see you in that condition.”

Amari frowned at his words, “Don’t you think I’ve tried healing my wounds? I can’t… why would a stranger…. “ Amari trailed off as her eyes narrowed. She didn’t need to finish the question. “Master. Who is the guest?”

His one good eye studied her and it felt like his steely gaze was focused not only on her, but her very soul. “You’ll see soon enough.” The assassin pointed toward the alchemy table she busied about earlier. “Grab a flask and these vials: vellum leaf, alum root, yggrda sap, and tap essence.”

Amari gingerly pushed herself off the bed and grabbed each of the ingredients, and then some - she wasn’t able to read all the labels on the vials due to in part, his handwriting and in the other, her inability to read complex words. Amari returned to the bed with the vials and a chalice and set them out on the bed next to her. “I think that’s all of them.”

Her Master gave her an incredulous look, “Can you not read?” He snapped.

Amari lowered her head, “Not really…. No - only the few things brother and Shinsou taught me

[Lye]

“We’ll need to work on that,” Lye chastised. He took the vials from the girl and began to mix them in the provided flask. He added the Yggdra Sap last, which caused the vial to emanate a soft glow.

“Here.” Lye held out the flask to Amari. “Drink.”

Amari took the flask from his hand, shooting him a look he couldn’t pick before she tipped it back and drunk the contents of the flask. “Eargh. This is horrible…” Amari muttered. Lye laughed as she dropped the chalice, it clattered loudly against the floor. The red headed woman moaned and doubled over in pain as her body was forced to heal itself, her skin suturing itself shut in seconds.

“Forgot to mention pet, it’ll hurt like hell.”


Lye pulled himself to the edge of the bed, wounds struggling to re-open despite his careful movements. As Amari recovered from the “side effects” of his crude healing elixir, he held out his good arm to aid her in getting back to her feet.

“Now, you’ll want to be in a fresh set of clothes.” Lye gestured to the wardrobe at the far end of the room. “There should be a few options to choose from in there. Pick something that would be fitting for a noble.”

His hand dropped to his side where the motion of his arm pulled at his sutures. Radiating pain which would cripple most men, escaped from his lips as a quiet groan. The splotch of read on the white linens spread slightly and transferred a crimson hue to his pale hand.

“Master….” Amari cooed toward him, but he met her with a narrowed glare.

“I’m fine.”

She turned and went through the wardrobe, finding a simple silken garment made of black material which clung tightly to her form, over it she wore ruby red furs which blended in with her crimson hair.

A knock interrupted them at the door.

“The preparations are ready,” Caellus’ muffled voice called.

“Enter, Caellus,” Lye shouted back at the door. It opened and the young man emerged. “Help me up. I don’t want him to see her hoisting me around.”

Caellus walked to the bedside and threw Lye’s arm over his shoulders. With seemingly no effort at all, he lifted the assassin to his feet. Another groan slipped past his lips as the transition worsened the growing splotch on his side.

“Thanks, Caellus,” Lye managed through a pained tone. “Let’s greet our guest. Amari, take lead. You know how to get to the Inner Sanctum.”

Caellus stood to the side so the girl could pass.

“And walk proper,” Lye added.

Amari hesitantly glanced toward her master. The suspicion on her face was clear, but she obeyed as directed. Her posture straightened, her stride lengthened, and she glided forward to the best her memory would serve. Admittedly, Lye admired her composure despite the uncertainty.

With Caellus’s aid, they made it through the master hall, past the ivory throne, and to the grand doors of the Inner Sanctum. Amari paused and looked back to the stern face of her master. He gestured her forward.

The doors groaned open as she put her weight into them. And the moment her eyes fell on the man inside, she froze. Lye and his assistant followed behind her and made sure to close and lock the doors behind them.

“Lamont,” Lye greeted. “She’s all yours, as promised.”

[Mari]

Amari felt her heart stop in her chest as her eyes landed on the visage of her smiling brother. One would assume she’d feel relief, happiness, or even hopeful but what she felt was the sheer opposite of those things.

“L-Lamont?” Her surprise turned into frustration and anger as she whipped herself around to face her Master. “What the HELL is this?” She pointed toward Lamont without looking back at him. “Do you have any IDEA the shit he’s pulled?”

The exposed portion of Lye’s face remained flat and stoic. No relay of enjoyment nor anger held in his features. Instead, he voiced one phrase to her, slow and deliberate.

“Remember what you learned here. Use it.”

“Marmar…is that any way to treat your brother? It’s been almost a decade my darling, beloved sister.” Lamont approached Amari from behind and aggressively wrapped one arm around her waist and the over around her shoulder as he pulled her back into his grasp. His breath danced upon her skin. “I. Missed. You.” He whispered as he tightened his grip.

Amari felt herself shiver, but the source was no longer a magic induced pleasure, instead it was a mix of fear and revulsion. “L-Lamont...Let me go.” Amari writhed out of his grip and took a step away from both him and her Master.

“I know what you did Lamont!” Amari hissed in anger. “Those markings, that serum...you think I’d never remember?”

Lamont blinked, “Those… you mean the good luck charms? Sister, what on earth are you talking about?” He was clearly feigning innocence.

“Don’t pull that shit with me!” Amari stepped forward, she wasn’t going to let her fear get the better of her.Her Master was right, if she were to shy away from him now that would mean Lamont won. It would mean he still held power over her. Amari stepped forward till she was inches away from her older brother, jabbing an accusatory finger into his chest. “The least you could do is tell me why the fuck you are here and why Master said ‘she’s all yours’ .”

Lamont grinned as he straightened his white shirt, “Haven’t you learnt anything? Money talks Amari. I’ve paid for your freedom.” He held his hand out to her, grasping her by the wrist and urging her away from her Master. “We are to leave via the back corridor to avoid confrontation.”

Something about the situation didn’t feel right, Amari glanced over at the assassin who remained stoic as she was slowly lead away. Why would the man fight so hard, and push her to such extremes to let her walk away? Amari turned back to stare at the back of her brothers head. He was still playing coy, pretending that he didn’t do such heinous and incestuous acts. The allure of returning home was strong, but there were too many loose ends, too many pieces that didn’t fit into place. “Lamont, stop.” Amari said firmly as she pulled her hand away, refusing to move any further.

“I’m not some commodity to be bought. If and when I choose to leave, I will. I don’t need you to help.”

Lamont turned and gave her a look Amari couldn’t quite read, “I see you’ve lost your manners these past few years. Gained some smarts.” His honeyed tone had disappeared and was replaced with one of annoyance. “Shame, seems like you’ve gotten some smarts too, not that that matters I suppose.” He said as he darted forward and pushed her to the floor, straddling her as he did. He pulled her wrists together and held them tightly with one hand. “Know why, Amari?” He asked, leaning in, “Because ever since you were born, you were nothing you are second rate. Your very existence is just a hindrance to others. I’ve been keeping an eye out for you Amari, your capture by the bandits, your stint with the Brotherhood. Now you’ve dipped your filthy whore toes into the Crimson Hand.”

Amari struggled against his grip, she knew it, she knew something wasn’t right. Lamont was showing his true colours. “Get OFF!” Amari hissed as she tried to wrench free from his grip. She arched her back and pressed her knee into his stomach to try to pry him off but he pressed more weight down on her form.

“You shouldn’t fight me, I’m offering you freedom from your wretched existence.” He pressed his lips gently to her neck, “Come home with me, you’ll live like royalty you only have to let me have you Amari.” His free hand slid up her thigh.

“Bite me!” Amari hissed, his cruel words tugged at her heart and tears formed in her eyes. “That place isn’t home anymore!” She retorted as she lifted her head to attempt to headbutt him. There was little momentum and so her struggles were futile.

“Fine.” Lamont said in a calm tone. “Your Master said I could do what I wanted with you, provided I didn’t take you out of here against your will. So I think I’ll do just that.” He pulled out a small knife and used it to cut along the front of her silken garments. Revealing her chest and stomach. “I suppose I should place my last ‘charm’ on you.” He hissed just loud enough for her to hear. “You recall the serum yes, sweet Amari? This is a more permanent solution.”


“NO! Get off me!” She managed to pry one hand free, she pushed his face away, her thumb digging into the corner of his eye but her brother was quite strong, and quickly pinned her arm back down again. Amari tilted her head upward to see the assassin still watching her. “Please! Master! Stop him, stop him!” She begged. She knew the feeling of the serum and to have the threat of that being permanent? It shook her to the core. Amari had rarely shown fear, she had been steadfast and obstinate throughout her ordeal within the Crimson Hand, even her display in front of Aurelianus was nothing compared to this. “Master, please, he’s going to-” Her eyes widened and she had to blink away tears as Lamont pressed his lips against hers. He lifted his head up and quickly shoved the material he cut away from her top into her mouth to silence her.

Lamont leaned down as if to kiss her neck to hide the ministrations and lacerations he began to draw on her exposed stomach. “Funny thing about sigils, the stronger they are - the more stipulations they have. I had to wait till you came of age, this one I have to carve into your flesh. It needs to stay etched on your form.... But you’ll be such a good doll for me, Amari, you won’t mind me carving it into you every so often….will you?” He asked as he dropped the small blade to his side, completing the mark on her body.

Amari grabbed the blade and quickly drew it across his face, she spat out the gag. “T-The hell…” She tried to fight the quickly encroaching feeling of heaviness that overtook her body. Lamont lifted himself off of her, “you bitch!” He hissed.

Amari’s movements slowed then stopped as her eyes glassed over. She dropped the knife and collapsed first to her knees, then to the floor. She fought hard against the magical effects of the sigil, but all the willpower in the world was no match for the insidious marking. She glanced over at her Master, unable to move her body, unable to talk of her own volition, salty tears fell down her cheeks as she blinked away the last of them, and with them, the last of her free will.

“Better…” Lamont cooed, wiping the blood from his cheek. “Almost had me worried there, doll.” He mused as he casually strode over to her. “Didn’t I promise you a show?” He called out to Lye without glancing up. He kneeled down by Amari, “How about it? Start pleasuring yourself.”

Amari pushed herself up off the floor and as instructed her hands wandered down to he lower regions as her fingers ducked underneath her underwear, she began to rub herself, and Lamond couldn’t help but give a triumphant grin. He ran a hand through her crimson hair and bought a ringlet to his face. “You’re mine now.”

Lamont stood, unzipping his pants. “Good doll, don’t stop, I want you to suck my dick too, lap up everything, I haven’t bathed in a few days and I need a good clean.”

[Lye]

Face flat as stone and wounded body weighing against Caellus’ shoulder, Lye’s single eye narrowed as Amari fell silent. He saw her fire instantly snuffed like a blown out candle and she rose like the haunting smoke from the wick. Lye hobbled a step forward.

“What’d you do?” he asked. He felt the air of the room change. Amari’s hand slid beneath her undergarments, but her expression listed blankly toward the far wall. Not a moan, nor word slipped past her lips. She obeyed better than any command he had ever issued.

“Lamont,” the assassin repeated. “What have you done?”

Lamont had one hand upon Amari’s head as she wrapped her lips around his girth, “I made her into exactly what she was born to be. My doll.” It was clear Lamont didn’t see Lye as a threat. “I have complete control over her.” Lamont Grinned and grit his teeth. “If you want it, I’ll give you the information for the sigil. I’ve memorised it.” He fished around in his pocket before dropping the book on the floor next to Amari. “I have her, I don’t need this anymore.”

Lye shook his head as her brother pulled her head against him. She took it without protest, not even so much as a gag.

“No, this wasn’t part of the arrangement Lamont.” He staggered forward again. The wounds of his side reddened through the bandages and a roll of blood trickled down his side. Caellus caught his weight before Lye toppled forward.

“Undo whatever you did, Lamont.” Lye demanded. “Caellus, get the book.”

“Yessir.” His retainer pulled Lye’s arm from his neck, careful not to throw the man off balance. Lye managed to stabilize himself.

“Can’t. Irreversible.” Lamont said with an amused grin, watching as Lye struggled to move.

“Bullshit.” Lye spat. Caellus bent down beside the two as he retrieved the book. Amari’s final tears glimmered from her cheeks as she slid up and down her brother’s hardened cock. He returned and handed it to his master before bearing his weight once more.

Lye opened it to several hand scribbled notes and strange symbols. Page after page filled with recipes, markings, and instructions for bizarre rituals. All of which seemed to manipulate will and themed themselves toward pleasure or pain in one form or another.

“Step away from her, Lamont. You’ve breached our contract.” Lye closed the book.

Lamont pulled away, as he did he had sprayed cum over Amari’s face, again, she didn’t react. “Breached the contract? You said I could do what I wanted, provided I didn’t unwillingly force her away from here.” He shoved himself back in his pants. “I just utilised a loop-hole.” His eyes narrowed, “Frankly, you’re insulting and threatening me. Doll, pick up that knife and kill him.”

Amari with her face still dripping in bodily fluids picked up the small dagger and without hesitation lunged at Lye.

Caellus moved to intercept the knife, but Lye’s hands wrapped around its edge. His skin parted and ichor spilled to the ground. Amari pushed her weight into it, intent to kill apparent in her actions, but not in expression. Lye grunted as he resisted her. An otherwise easy task, his wound ripped open and spatterings of blood peppered the dusty floor. Caellus grabbed Amari’s wrist and in a simple gesture, flung her several feet away.

“Enough!” Lye roared, knife in hand. “Caellus, detain him!”

Without hesitation, Ceallus moved like the wind. Lye stumbled and fell to a knee.

Lamont was thrown against the floor and struggled to move under the weight of Ceallus.The retainer planted a firm palm against Lamont’s forehead, the impact akin to hammer against anvil.

“Habare,” Caellus spoke, evoking a ward of paralysis.

Amari pushed herself up. Her body shook from the pain of impact but it didn’t impede her, she stood and ran forward back toward Lye. It was clear she was not going to stop until commanded to do so.

With no regard for self preservation, she threw herself at him and toppled the assassin to the ground. Her hand shot into his wound with crude force. His teeth clenched, stifling the guttural growl of blinding pain. His hand wrapped tightly around her neck and she continued to push deeper into the wound, hooking her fingers to purchase grip.

“C-Caellus,” Lye called. In his current state, he lacked the will to bind himself to the shadow plane. His bones would not mend and each movement ached. Elthas’ assault left the assassin in a poor state.

“Sir!” Caellus called back. He looked to Lamont and back to his master. Caellus knew breaking contact would set the cretin free, and he hesitated.

The girl’s weight pressed against Lye and the pain welled to great.

“Fuck it,” Lye spat. He let her free of his grasp and she fell forward. In a fluid motion, Lye’s khukri left its sheath at his hips and buried itself into the middle of Amari’s back. She made a gurgling sound before falling limp.

“What the fuck did you do?” Lamont spat, hearing the commotion. “Doll! Speak!” His command was met with silence, “I said speak!” More silence. Lamont caught on quick, “You killed her? YOU KILLED HER!?” He struggled, but his body didn’t move. “What the fuck is wrong with you!?”


With a grunt, Lye pried Amari’s hand from his side with a grotesque slurp. He hefted her to the side with great effort. With a groan, the assassin managed to get to his knees, and weakly to his feet. His one good hand clutched at his side which poured freely as he limped to Lamont. With a scowl, Lye spat directly into the noble’s face.

“You were dead the moment you agreed to come with me, swine,” Lye growled. “Get him to the cells.”

[Mari]

Lamont screamed obscenities at Lye as he was dragged away to the cells. Everything he had worked so hard toward had been taken from him, he finally had Amari exactly how he wanted her but she too had been taken in cold blood.

Meanwhile, Amari lay motionless on the floor as her dead body still bled out. The thick ichor mixing with her Masters. Even in her ethereal form her eyes were dazed and she sat motionless by her dead physical body.

Now that Lamont was being safely locked away Lye grit his teeth, he pulled himself toward Amari’s body, lifted up the tattered remains of her dress and wiped blood onto her sigil.

A few minutes passed until the tell-tale sign of her rebirth - a blinding white flash, which was usually accompanied by screams of pain. This time, there was silence. The light died down and Amari remained motionless on the floor, one could almost assume she were still dead if it were not for the steady rise and fall of her chest and the occasional slow blink of her glassy eyes. Her rebirth hadn’t healed the scarred sigil that her brother had carved into her. Just as he said, as long as it remained on her skin, she would be naught but his doll.

“Get up and heal what you did!” Lye spat at her but Amari remained still. “I said get up” He reached for her and lifted her up by her silken crimson hair so he could see her face to face. “Are you going to disobey an order from your Master?” Amari stared listlessly through him, her dull emerald eyes lacking the golden hue to them and any form of life.

“Shit!” He spat as he dropped her to the ground. “Where’s that fucking book?”

Lye managed his way to Lamont’s notes and thumbed through the pages with a bloody hand. Smeared page by smeared page, his eyes danced across the notes, glancing up to compare to Amari’s wound. Finally, he found it.

“That bastard,” he murmured. Lye dropped the book and replaced it with one of his blades. He shuffled to Amari, bloody trail in his wake and rolled her lifelessly to her back. Unceremoniously and as if a butcher working meat, he dug the blade beneath Lamont’s marking and flayed her skin from her body.

He peeled away her skin with far less finesse than Aurelianus.veins and flesh snapped as he broke away the last of the skin. Blood pooled on her wound. Slowly, Amari seemed to come to as though she had awoken from a deep sleep. Her lips parted and inhaled deeply.

A whimper escaped her lips followed by a choked sob as Amari felt the constricting fog lift. She could move again, she was able to feel everything. The sticky and cold sensations of her brothers cum on her face, the searing pain between her shoulderblades where her Master had killed he,r and the burning sensation of the air as it hit her exposed muscle and sinew. Her whimpers continued as Amari rolled to her side, her body shaking from the pain, tears fell freely from her face and dripped to the blood soaked floor.

“D-don’t….” Her words came as pained whisperes between sobs, “Please...never again…”

“You’re weaker than I thought,” Lye coughed, hand returning to his own oozing wound. His chest heaved and he rolled to his back on the dusty floor. “You were supposed to kill him.” Lye coughed again and spatterings of blood erupted from his lips.

Amari grimaced, his words were cruel and heartless. “How?” She asked weakly, “I- that feeling…” She struggled to push herself to her knees. The two were a sorry sight, bleeding on the floor, Amari’s eyes darted to the book that lay open beside him. Her eyes narrowed when she saw the very sigil that had imprisoned her in her own body.

Amari wiped the tears and cum from her face with her arm and dragged herself to it. “What do you know…” She muttered, glancing over at him. “Throwing me into a situation like that?”


“Haven’t you learned better? Or did you enjoy the nostalgia?” He tried to laugh, but chuckle became sputters and another mist of crimson roiled from his lips.

Amari picked up the small blood soaked dagger, the sigil was surprisingly simple. A circle within a circle, a cross and a dot in each quadrant. “What was it you taught me? An eye for an eye?”

“Cause and effect,” he corrected with a bloody grin.

Amari snorted, “Right…” Then, she ripped at his shirt, gritting her teeth and working through the tears of her own pain she began to carve the very same sigil into his own flesh. He thought it were funny, to lose control of yourself like that - her concern for his wellbeing was replaced with a frustrated anger.

She finished the sigil and turned to him, leaning over his face, her hair tickled his skin. “You forced me to experience what you have experienced, time and time again - now, you will experience what I have gone through, the utter pain and helplessness of losing everything that you are and the suffocation of a bleak darkness. All the while wondering if you can trust me or not, if I’d pull you back out, or if you’d be forever nothing more than a lifeless doll.” Amari managed a small smirk. “Cause and Effect, Master”

[Lye]

For a man that had walked the veil more than most, the feeling of inky blackness washing over him held little fear. The reprieve of darkness, the loss of feeling, the cold grip of death, all of it felt familiar to him. While the burning pain of her carving faded, Lye could only grimace. His will knotted and froze, fading to the blood magics she worked from Lamont’s book.

“Heheheh… where was this--” Lye’s exposed eye flickered and his pupils slowly dilated. “--a minute ago…?” And like dying, he was gone. His body relaxed and while his mind had left him, life still beat in his heart.

“Sit up.” Amari commanded.

Disregard for injury and bodily state, the killer rose to a seated position like the dead from the grave.

For all her talk a moment ago, it was replaced with uncertainty. She seemed to struggle with what to do now that she had him in her thrall. “Stay still.” She pressed her hands onto his gaping and bleeding wounds, the ones he expressedly forbid her to heal. She sighed, “Why are you so cold to everyone?” She mumbled, seemingly forgetting he was hers to command. “I wish you’d be honest with me just once.”

Her healing magic seeped into his wounds and despite him claiming that they wouldn’t heal, sure enough they did, slowly. Amari screamed and collapsed on top of him, her hands shook with the sheer amount of pain that wracked her body. Sweat dripped from her head and her breathing staggered as she continued out of sheer willpower, one of her hands grazed upon the sigil she had torn into his flesh, and that too healed.

The woman had passed out shortly after, her hands still flickering with a golden light. She hadn’t had the time to heal the entirety of his wounds, but she did manage to stop the bleeding, a feat even the Ai’brone couldn’t do.

The warmth of will returned to his limbs and fire burned at the brim of his eyes, wounded and not. Salty tears welled and spilled from his eyes and his teeth clenched. His chest heaved and fist clenched.

“You bitch,” he spat, just now learning of her unconscious body strewn across his lap. He weakly drew his blade raised it as if to drive its length into the center of her sigil, yet is froze in place.

“You fucking bitch,” he repeated. The haunting memories of prison boiled in his mind. A time when he once knew the bliss of ignorance and the love of another. Ripped from him and stained on his own hands, he recalled that night his wife and child were torn from this world. Framed and imprisoned for their murder, his mind recalled the helplessness within those cold iron cells. The rage that grew and birthed as days became weeks, then months festered in his mind, but he couldn’t drive the blade into Amari.

“Fuck!” He threw the blade with all the might he could muster. It clanged against the far stone wall and clattered to the dusty ground.

“Sir!” Caellus’ voice rang out. Lye smeared his sorrows across his cheeks and turned to his retainer.

“Get me up, damn it” Lye barked. Caellus quickly obliged.

“What happened? You’re not bleeding.”

“Shut up Caellus. Get us back to my quarters.”

The two men hobbled off and after a moment, Caellus returned to heft Amari over his shoulders. When he came to Lye’s quarters, he effortlessly placed her onto the large bed. Lye, somewhat shocked from his stable condition, used his teeth and good hand to bandage his midsection. With a yank and a tuck, he finished the wrap and tossed the roll to Caellus.

“Patch her up,” Lye commanded. Caellus obeyed.

“Sir,” the retainer began as he tended to Amari’s open wounds. “Why did you bring that man here?”

“That’s none of your--!” Lye began, still heated from his forced trip down memory lane. He caught himself and stilled his tongue. “She has to face her past and triumph.”

“Sir?” Caellus tore the bandage and tucked it. He looked to Amari’s exposed chest with a moment of hesitation before turning his eyes away.

“Freedom by choice,” Lye continued, shaking his head. “Not many of us get an opportunity like that. By killing her brother, she kills her past. Revenge, freedom.”

“But why?”

“For her loyalty.”


“I don’t understand,” Caellus added.

“I don’t expect you to. Now clean her up, take of those rags and get her into something decent,” Lye commanded. “And where did you put Lamont?”

“In cell four.”

“Tell Advencia to ready the Inner Sanctum. We’re going to have to prep him. Apparently, she didn’t do her job to teach the pet how to defend herself. Maybe if I’m lucky, that bastard will carve some voodoo into the demoness.”


“Yessir.”

[Mari]

Amari groaned, pushing herself off the bed she winced as her hands fell to her bandaged torso. “W-what…” She felt disorientated, last she recalled she had been with her Master, attempting to heal him. Then, there was blinding pain followed by darkness. “What happened?”

Her gaze fell to a very, very unamused and angry looking silver haired assassin. She narrowed her eyes, “Before you even start - I did exactly what you taught me, don’t get pissy at me for following in your damn footsteps.” Her lips quivered as she spoke, and she had to forcefully blink her eyes, it was clear she was still in a great deal of pain.

“Were I in better form, I’d have you by your neck,” Lye warned. “But that’s neither here nor there. You had an opportunity and took it. I would have been more pleased to see that zeal turned toward your brother…”

The assassin groaned as he righted himself. Previously unable to stand without aid, he managed to keep his balance. The twisted look on his otherwise steeled expression told Amari it was still a feat of will.

“We’re not done with today,” Lye growled. His animosity relayed clearly on his tone.

Amari glared right back, after dealing with her brother and the pain of losing all her will his anger was nothing. “What, you going to throw me into another shitty situation? Expect me to kill my brother with no weapons?” She stood and approached him, “You know I think you set me up for failure,how the hell did you expect me to defend myself unarmed?.”

She paused, glancing down at his wound, she felt proud. Triumphant, he told her it was impossible and she had proved him wrong, “You're fuckimg welcome by the way.”

“Don’t gloat with pride,” he scoffed. “You resisted me and bucked defiantly for two dozen men. Yet one spoiled noble pulled you off by the hand. Advencia should have prepared you to disarm him, but I see she spent more time enjoying herself than teaching you.”

Lye’s lip flared at her tone of voice. His state of affairs prevented him from his prefered disciplinary reaction. Instead, he swallowed his own pride and continued.

“No, we’re going back to visit your brother again. You’re getting one last chance at redemption. While you slept, I memorized that lovely little charm you so lovingly shared with me among a few others. So, I suggest you not let me down.” His eyes narrowed in preparation for her to call his bluff. Already, the shadows began to dance behind him as if to prepare to make good on his threat. Thanks to her aid, his dark powers returned.

“Good.” Amari said as she turned her back to him, stumbling slightly. “I'm not done with Lamont.” Her Master's show of power didn't put her off, if anything Amari felt an odd sense of relief seeing him back to his moody self. It pushed her to do something about her dismal situation, despite his words Amari knew he had weaknesses of his own. She knew she was now capable of things that even the strongest of others couldn't accomplish, that thought was liberating.

Amari didn't need to wait for him, she headed toward the door and let herself out with shaky hands. “You want 'zeal’ toward that boorish man of a brother?” She gave a bitter laugh, as her tone darkened. “I'd do so even without your command, fuck redemption, I want to wipe that damn smirk off his face.”

[Lye]

Lye grinned at her renewed fire. As she stormed off, he rose and hobbled after her. He toughed out the majority of the pain, but his stride still held a faint limp. He couldn’t match her pace, but caught her at the door. Before she could swing it open with all her strength, Lye placed his stub of an arm in front of her.

“I needn’t tell you this, but death is far from the worst consequence. Don’t make this quick,” he reiterated.

Amari stared at him for a few moments, he expected a snide remark but was met with silence.

Lye lowered his stump and let Amari swing the doors wide. Like before, the cavern remained largely unoccupied. In the middle of the room, Lamont was tied and gagged to an iron rack. His left eye was bruised and swollen, likely the result of Caellus who busily arranged an array of tools, weapons, and devices on a wooden table several feet in front of the captive. He broke his concentration and looked up to the two at the door.

“Everything is ready,” Caellus stated over the clang of Lamont against his restraints and aggressive mumblings.

“Caellus,” Lye called out with a gesture. The retainer hustled over to his master and helped to bear some of Lye’s weight. He carried the assassin to a wooden seat against the wall and helped him into it.

“He’s all yours, pet,” Lye stated with a groan as he sat. Lamont’s eyes widened and his thrashings intensified at the statement. Especially the mention of “pet”.

He watched as Amari approached Lamont, still in silence quirking his brow as she picked up a kukri from the table.

“Brother….” her voice didn’t hold the seething animosity she held moments before, it held a soothing tone as she dropped to her knees in front of him. She gently caressed his cheek with her free hand, her actions caused his thrashing to cease as her fingers danced over his injured eye, healing his wound. “Promise me you won’t shout, and I’ll remove the gag. Ok?” Lamont stared back, wide eyed, shocked that he had been healed by her. He gave a small nod.

“Good….” Amaro rose the kukri and carefully cut away at the binds around his head and mouth.

“Amari...how-” Amari interrupted him by placing a hand over his mouth. “Shhh, I’ll ask the questions.” It was faint, but there was a clear malicious undertone to her words. “Why do you think you have the right to own me?”

Lamont blinked and shook his head as he chuckled. “Is that what this is about? Didn’t that man just call you his pet?” Lamont jerked himself forward as he shouted. “I am supposed to own you! Not some second rate washed up -FUCK!”

He swore as Amari drew the blade across his cheek, right through his flesh, she watched silently as he bled out over himself and onto the floor. After a few seconds of him swearing she healed him and repeated her question. “Why do you think you have the right to own me?”

“B-because!” Lamont seethed, clearly unsure of what to make of her approach - first offering him kindness then pain, only to heal him again. It shook his confident persona. Lye narrowed his eyes, carefully watching her toy with the man. Lamont continued, lowering his head. “Amari...I love you - I want you to myself, I want to protect you. You can’t expect him to do those things for you.” his voice cracked, “What kindness has he even shown you? He’s incapable of it, of adoration, and of love.”

Lamont rose his head his expression unreadable as he continued to try and reason with Amari, who had her back to Lye. “I admit the sigil was too far - Amari I’m all you have in this world. Not even Shinsou loved you, he just-” Lamonts words were cut off as he gurgled, coughing up a mouthful of thick ichor.

Amari had jammed the small dagger through his stomach, her hands shook and Lye could see droplets of tears fall from her hidden face to the floor.

A wry smile crawled across the assassin’s lips. His hand clenched onto the armrest of his chair in anticipation. Yet, he held his tongue. Lye knew this opportunity was one she needed, and this catharsis would undoubtedly tip her further to his favor.