~[SOLO] The price of seeking.

[Archanex]

"Rise and shine my pet." She kicked him. Hard.

At that point, he was numb to the pain.

"You've been quiet for over a week now. No more brave words?" Miranda was studying the sorcerer when she realized something that excited her.

Her moment had arrived.

Miranda walked towards Archanex and knelt down before him. She waved her hand in front of his eyes. There was no response. Merely a blank gaze forward, he was dead inside...broken. "The technique works." She was actually surprised at how much he'd been able to resist the extreme torture. "You were a brave subject." She stood up at that point. "But like all garbage I must dispose of you now." She held the athame, in her hand the tool from an earlier torture session. It's almost a pity I have to kill you now. She thought to herself. Miranda held the athame in her hand and prepared to take the broken sorcerer's life.

"What do you think you're doing?" The voice belonged to another who had just stepped out of the shadows.

"You!" Miranda yelled toward the undead woman before them. "Why are you here!?"

The undead woman smiled at Miranda. "You cannot even follow orders." She said carefully.

Miranda gripped the blade tightly. "I did as I was told. The portal was opened, and this CREATURE emerged." Two more figures stepped out of the darkness. The situation was rapidly turning against Miranda's favour, she'd been betrayed by the undead.

"You were told to extract the key from him." The female undead said. "Your role in this is over now."

***

Ayenee...the star that was home to him and his people.

Archanex found himself home...or at least in the illusion of being home. It was better than the horrible situation he'd stumbled upon. His body was in a stupor from the pain. Miranda had done horrible things to him. Unspeakable acts of depravity.

"I can see you my son." Mother said carefully motioning for Archanex. He stepped forward to his Mother. "You are suffering. Why do you suffer so my child?" She asked of him.

"She's after the warrior Rhoughrez of The Darkness Tribe." Archanex said carefully. He'd already given up and was broken by then. Months of horrible torture had that effect on him.

"You are not broken. Was the key extracted?" Mother asked.

"It's difficult to tell." The Sorcerer said calmly. "I only feel pain."

"My child. You've always been strong and there is a greater strengths for you within." Mother extended her hand towards Archanex. "It is time my child,take my hand." She said calmly and he did as he was asked.

***

In the darkness, Archanex opened his green eyes. He growled as he felt his strength returning.

As he focused he saw something he thought he would never see. Three mysterious warriors were fighting Miranda. His master. Wind began to pick up within the torture chamber. Archanex gritted his teeth. "Get away from her." Archanex knew one truth only, and only one truth mattered. He belonged to Miranda and Miranda to him. Miranda was already hurt, suffering but she had a look of fear as she watched Archanex.

Wind was erupting.

His power had gone entirely out of control, Archanex had something to protect.

Miranda knew what was happening. "He'll kill us all you fools!" She yelled in fear.

The girl back handed Miranda and that triggered something from inside Archanex. A rage that he'd not felt in many years.

"I. Said. Get away from her!" There was no more holding back, no more need to. Having survived months of immense torture Archanex was finally past the breaking point. His eyes were glowing with the mark of his people's power. He slowly stood up at that point. "If any of you touch her one more time I will kill you all." It was not an empty threat.

Miranda knew the strength of his people first hand. Her job at breaking his will power had almost gone too flawlessly. Miranda felt excitement tingling in her nether regions at the sight of raw power. And it all belonged to her. She knew what it meant..the undead did not.

The female undead was the first to react. "If you value her life you will stop what you're doing." There was a smug finality in her voice.

"You are not understanding this." Archanex responded. In a single movement, with the powers of wind flaring around him...Archanex shattered the chains that bound him to Hell Itself. Links of metal and rust fell to the ground. "I gave you one warning. You did not take me seriously. Now!" The Overmage blood boiled with extreme energy. His eyes glowed with fury. Archanex was already gathering the potent gyromancy at his command.

A moment later...it was over.

The corpses of the undead were already burning to ash.

Archanex looked at Miranda and calmed himself down. He slowly walked over towards her. He knelt down in front of her. "They hurt you." Archanex suddenly said with a surprising level of kindness. He put his hand on her face to calm her.

"W-why?" Miranda asked, she was too stunned to understand exactly what had happened.

Archanex answered a very simple way. "I belong to you. Now and always."

At that point, Miranda merely hugged her pet and held him tightly. They openly sobbed in each other's arms. Master and Slave.